Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on a Korean application 10-2023-0107666 filed in Korea August 17, 2023.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Rousselet (US PG Pub. No. 20240045394), herein “Rousselet.”
Regarding claim 1,
Rousselet teaches an air quality monitoring device for measuring the concentrations of particulate matter and gaseous substances contained in external air (A), the air quality monitoring device comprising: (Par. 0060: “With respect to FIG. 8, the drift measurement sensor 150 may include additional sensors for monitoring other conditions of the air flowing through the drift measurement sensor 150. The drift measurement sensor 150 may include a carbon monoxide (CO) sensor 182, a carbon dioxide (CO2) sensor 184, and a volatile organic compounds (VOC) sensor 186. These sensors may be mounted within the passageway 172 of the drift measurement sensor 150 to monitor the amount of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and volatile organic compounds within the air.”)
a casing (110) having a vertical inlet duct (111) having an inlet (111a) formed at the bottom thereof to introduce the external air (A) thereinto, (Par. 0054: “With respect to FIG. 4, the drift measurement sensor 150 is shown according to one embodiment. The drift measurement sensor 150 includes a conduit, such as a tube 170, defining a passageway 172 through which air may flow through the drift measurement sensor 150. The tube 170 may have a sidewall extending about the passageway 172. The drift measurement sensor 150 includes an inlet 174 through which air is able to flow into the passageway 172 and an outlet 176 through which air is able to exit the passageway 172. The drift measurement sensor 150 includes one or more sensors mounted to the conduit 170 for measuring conditions of the air flowing through passageway 172 of the drift measurement sensor 150.” See figures 4 – 11 showing a vertical orientation; and figures 22 and 23 that shows the vertical orientation and a diversion of the air duct.)
a diverting duct (113) connected to the vertical inlet duct (111) to change an airflow direction, (Par. 0065: “The conduit 402 of the drift measurement sensor 400 may have a curved portion such as bend 410 that changes the direction of the flow of air in the passageway 404 as the air extends from the inlet 406 to the outlet 408.”)
and a vertical outlet duct (115) connected to the diverting duct (113) and having an outlet (115a) formed at the bottom thereof; (Par. 0065: “The bend 410 redirects airflow in the conduit 402 and encourages an isokinetic or similar air speed within the passageway 404 relative to the airflow of the cooling tower 100. The similar air speeds inside and outside of the passageway 404 ensures that all particle sizes in the air stream external to the drift measurement sensor 400 enter the passageway 404 In the example embodiment shown, the conduit 402 has a first portion 412 that extends from the inlet 406 to the bend 410 and a second portion 414 that extends from the bend 410 to the outlet 408.” Examiner’s Note – See also Figures 42 and 43 that shows the vertical outlet(s) and the secondary vertical turn of the instant application may be a design choice and/or does not involve an inventive element. See MPEP §2144.04; especially MPEP §2144.04(IV)(B) Changes in Shape.)
a heating type humidity controller (120) placed in the inlet (111a) of the vertical inlet duct (111) and making measurement air (A1) by heating the external air (A) and lowering the relative humidity of the external air (A); (Par. 0055: “With respect to FIG. 5, the drift measurement sensor 150 may further include a dehumidifier such as a heater 178. The heater 178 may be mounted to the conduit 170 and may be operated to dry the air entering the inlet 174 of the drift measurement sensor 150. The heater 178 may be mounted upstream of the sensors of the drift measurement sensor 150 to dry the air before the air passes the sensors. The heater 178 dries the air by increasing the dry bulb temperature of the air which lowers the relative humidity or the air.” See also Par. 0057.)
an air quality monitoring sensor (130) (particular matter sensor, item 156, figures 4 – 20) disposed in a flowing path of the measurement air (A1) passing through the heating type humidity controller (120) to measure the concentrations of particulate matter and gaseous substances in the measurement air (A1); (Par. 0034: “In one embodiment, one or more of the drift measurement sensors 150 include a temperature sensor 152, a relative humidity sensor 154, and a particulate matter sensor 156. The temperature sensor 152 may detect the dry bulb temperature of the air. The particulate matter sensor 156 is operable to detect the quantity of particles in the air, for example, water particles carried in the air and/or in liquid droplets in the air. The particulate matter sensor 156 may provide a rate of particulates (e.g., a particle count per minute or hour). The particulate matter sensors 156 may detect particles such as dust, soot, smoke and other chemicals or pollutants in the air, for example, those emitted from power plants, industries, and/or automobiles. Some particulate matter sensors 156 may include a membrane configured to permit certain sizes of particles to pass therethrough. The particulate matter sensor 156 may be operable to detect the particles passing through the membrane to measure the amount of particles in the air and drift. Some particulate matter sensors 156 may use a light scattering technique to detect the concentration of particles in the air, for example, passing a beam of light through a sample of the air and detecting the scatter of the light beam by the particles in the sample of air. The particulate matter sensor 156 may include multiple sensors for detecting particles of different size ranges for example, a PM2.5 sensor for detecting particles having a width less than 2.5 micrometers and a PM10 sensor for detecting particles having a width less than 10 micrometers.” See also Par. 0054. See paragraph 0060 and figures 8 and that teach that the particle sensor 156 and sensors 182, 184, and 186 are downstream of the heater 178.)
and an air circulating fan (140) disposed inside the casing (110) in such a way as to rotate and generate a negative pressure so that the external air (A) is introduced into the inlet (111a) and then discharged from the outlet (115a). (Par. 0105: “The rotation of the fan 810 causes air to move from the air inlet 811, through the adiabatic pads 808, across the finned tube heat exchangers 817, upward through the fan assembly 802, and out from the heat exchange apparatus 800 via an air outlet 813.”)
Regarding claim 2,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 1 which claim 2 depends. Rousselet also teaches the wherein the air quality monitoring sensor (130) has an air-permeable surface (130a) placed parallel to the airflow direction in the vertical inlet duct (111). (Par. 0055: “the dehumidifier of the drift measurement sensor 150 may include a vapor permeable membrane configured to remove water vapor from the air.”)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rousselet in view of Markel (WO 2012009216 A1), herein “Markel.”
Regarding claim 3,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 2 which claim 3 depends. Rousselet does not teach that the inlet has anti-static material. However, Markel does teach that inlet duct (111) is made of an anti-static material, and the internal surfaces from the heating type humidity controller (120) to the air quality measuring sensor (130) in the vertical inlet duct (111) are coated with an insulation material. (Par. 0004: “Systems and methods for monitoring a particle/fluid mixture are provided.” Par. 0056: “Antistatic substances can also be added, either continuously or intermittently to prevent or neutralize electrostatic charge generation. The continuity additive and/or antistatic substances, if used, can be introduced with the feed via line 210, the catalyst via line 213, a separate inlet (not shown), or any combination thereof.”)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the air quality monitoring device that has a heater to decrease relative humidity prior to or upwind of the air particle sensor as in Rousselet with an having a system of monitoring particles in a system that comprises an anti-static substance added to the flow path wherein part of this path is the inlet portion as in Markel in order to reduce the level of static charge to reduce the likelihood or prevent the agglomerations from forming. (Par. 0037)
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rousselet in view of Markel in further view of Sanchez, Marc et al. (EP 3246576 A1), herein “Sanchez.”
Regarding claim 4,
The previously cited reference(s) teach the limitations of claim 3 which claim 4 depends. Rousselet does not teach a tachometer as part of a fan. However, Sanchez does teach that the air circulating fan (140) has a tachometer built therein. (Page 2, Par. 3: “A gas extractor is a device comprising a fan intended to be installed at the outlet of an air exhaust duct so as to allow the extraction of the gases evacuated by this duct (gases burned from a gas boiler, to fuel oil or wood, fumes produced by a wood chimney ...) and / or ventilation of premises connected to this conduit (including living rooms such as wet rooms: kitchens, bathrooms). The exhausted exhaust air allows a renewal of the air located in the premises through external fresh air in the main rooms or dry rooms (eg living room, dining room, bedrooms).” Page 6, last paragraph: “…the actual speed of rotation of the extraction fan and in that the control unit is: Connected to the tachometer device for receiving said speed measurement signal…” Page 12, Par. 7: “In step 101, the tachometer device measures the actual speed of rotation of the exhaust fan and transmits this speed measurement signal to the control unit.” See also Page 11, Par. 2)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the air quality monitoring device that has a heater to decrease relative humidity prior to or upwind of the air particle sensor as in Rousselet with an having a system of monitoring particles in a system that comprises an anti-static substance added to the flow path wherein part of this path is the inlet portion as in Markel with an air quality or organic compound sensor in an duct of a ventilation wherein a fan is located and comprises at least a tachometer as in Sanchez in order to have a control unit that can determine whether the speed of the fan is different than the target speed. (Page 13, Par. 5)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Marra (PG Pub. No. 20100107739), herein “Marra” also teaches the elements of claim 2 in paragraph 0027: “In FIG. 1, the sensor unit 2 is a particle sensor unit that is arranged to sense the presence of airborne particles in the air flow 4. For this purpose, the sensor unit 2 comprises an air-permeable depth filter 22 that is arranged to remove electrically-charged particles from the air flow 4.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHAD G ERDMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-0177. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 7am - 3pm or 4pm EST..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth Lo can be reached at (571) 272-9774. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHAD G ERDMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116
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