DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-20 are pending in the instant application.
Priority
This application is a divisional Application of U.S. Application 18/007,064 filed January 27, 2023, now U.S. Patent No. 12,109,557, which is a U.S. national phase application filed under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/KR2020/014274, filed October 19, 2020, designating the United States, which claims priority from Korean Patent Application No.: 10-2020-0099318, and 10-2020-0099317, both filed August 7, 2020.
Information Disclosure Statements
Applicants’ Information Disclosure Statements, filed on 08/23/2024, and 03/24/2026, have been considered. Please refer to Applicant’s copies of the PTO-1449 submitted herewith.
Response to Restriction Requirement
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (i.e. claims 1-16) in the reply filed by Applicant’s representative Dr. Jongwon Kim on 06/16/2026 is acknowledged.
Status of the Claims
Claims 17-20 are withdrawn from further consideration by Examiner as being drawn to non-elected inventions under 37 CFR 1.142(b) responding to the restriction requirement. Claims 1-16 are under examination on the merits.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
Claims 1-16 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-9 of U.S. Patent No. 12,109,557 (“the `557 patent”) in view of Pan et al., Environmental Science and Pollution Research, (2019), v.26, p12948-12962, and CN104128086A (“the `086 publication”).
Applicant’s claim 1 is drawn to a harmful substance removing apparatus comprising: a harmful substance removal module; and a catalyst module for removing residual ozone that removes residual ozone generated in the harmful substance removal module, wherein the catalyst module for removing residual ozone comprises: a heating carrier comprising an electrically heatable heating body, the heating carrier including one or more flow channels inside, and having a porous structure with pores; and a catalyst region formed on at least a portion of the surface of the heating carrier including the flow channels and containing a catalyst material for promoting a decomposition reaction of residual ozone passing through the flow channels, wherein the heating carrier includes a plurality of flow channels extending from one end to an opposite end thereof, wherein the one end of the flow channel is an inlet through which a fluid is introduced and the opposite end is an outlet through which the fluid is discharged, wherein the heating carrier has the resistance in the range of 0.5 Ω to 500 Ω, has a porosity in the range of 20% by volume to 70% by volume, and comprises SiC-based compound, wherein the catalyst region comprises: a first catalyst layer having a first catalyst material loading amount, the first catalyst layer formed in the pores of the heating carrier; and a second catalyst layer applied on an inner surface of the first catalyst layer formed in the pores of the heating carrier, the second catalyst layer having a second catalyst material loading amount higher than the first catalyst material loading amount.
Claim 1 of the `557 patent is drawn to a catalyst module for removing harmful gas, comprising: a heating carrier comprising an electrically heatable heating body, the heating carrier including one or more flow channels inside, and having a porous structure with pores; and a catalyst region formed on at least a portion of the surface of the heating carrier including the flow channels and containing a catalyst material for promoting a decomposition reaction of harmful gas passing through the flow channels, wherein the heating carrier includes a plurality of flow channels extending from one end to an opposite end thereof, wherein the one end of the flow channel is an inlet through which a fluid is introduced and the opposite end is an outlet through which the fluid is discharged, wherein the heating carrier has the resistance in the range of 0.5Ω to 500Ω, has a porosity in a range of 20% by volume to 70% by volume, and comprises SiC-based compound, wherein the catalyst region comprises: a first catalyst layer having a first catalyst material loading amount, the first catalyst layer formed in the pores of the heating carrier; and a second catalyst layer applied on an inner surface of the first catalyst layer formed in the pores of the heating carrier, second catalyst layer having a second catalyst material loading amount higher than the first catalyst material loading amount. In addition, the `557 patent teaches the harmful gas to be removed includes ozone, see FIGs.11-12.
The difference between the present claim 1 and claim 1 of the `557 patent is that claim 1 of the `557 patent does not comprise a harmful substance removal module, wherein the harmful substance removal module comprises a plasma generator configured to generate low-temperature plasma or room-temperature plasma to remove harmful substances according to present claim 12, or the harmful substance removal module comprises an ultraviolet ray generator configured to generate ultraviolet rays to remove harmful substances according to present claim 13.
However, the difference is further taught and/or suggested by Pan et al. Pan et al. teaches a plasma catalytic oxidation of toluene over double perovskite-type oxide via packed-bed (see Abstract at p.12948), wherein perovskite catalysts are combined with plasma (NTP) to form post-plasma catalysis (PPC) system. The system is further illustrated in Fig. 2(b), p. 12951
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. Pan et al. teaches a harmful substance removing apparatus comprising: a harmful substance removal module comprising a plasma generator; and a post-plasma catalysis module for removing residual chemical from the plasma generator, which includes ozone. Therefore, claim 1 of the `557 patent in view of Pan et al. would have rendered the present claim 1 obvious, or an obvious-type double patenting.
In terms of claims 2-9, claims 2-9 of the `557 patent teaches and/or suggests the limitations.
In terms of claim 10, Fig. 2(b) of Pan et al. teaches the harmful substance removal module and the catalyst module for removing residual ozone have the same contact cross-sectional areas so that the residual ozone is not discharged to the outside.
In terms of claim 11, Fig. 2(b) of Pan et al. teaches a contact area between the harmful substance removal module and the catalyst module for removing residual ozone is sealed.
In terms of claim 12, Pan et al. (Abstract) teaches perovskite catalysts are combined with plasma (NTP) to form in-plasma catalysis (IPC) and post-plasma catalysis (PPC) systems. According to Wikipedia, Non-thermal plasma (NTP), also known as "cold plasma," is an ionized gas where electrons are highly energized while heavy ions and neutral atoms remain at or near room temperature.
In terms of claim 13, the `086 publication (Abstract) teaches the harmful substance removal module comprises an ultraviolet ray generator configured to generate ultraviolet rays to remove harmful substances.
In terms of claims 14-16, the `557 patent is a parent application of the present application, and they share the same specification, and the limitations of the present claims are disclosed in the specification of the `557 patent.
Conclusions
Claims 1-16 are rejected.
Claims 17-20 are withdrawn.
Telephone Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Yong L. Chu, whose telephone number is (571)272-5759. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:30am-5:00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amber R. Orlando can be reached on 571-270-3149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/YONG L CHU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1731
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