Detailed Action
The communications received 05/18/2026 have been filed and considered by the Examiner. Claims 1-6 and 8-13 are pending. Claims 1-4, 6, 8-9, 11, and 13 are currently amended.
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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 8-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhengzhou Youai Network Tech CO LTD (CN 106351049A refer to the supplied English translation) hereinafter ZHE and MIN et al (CN 107675538A refer to the supplied English translation, already referenced) hereinafter MIN.
As for claim 1, ZHE teaches a stirring device [Fig. 1] comprising:
a storage tank [Fig. 1 #7; 25];
a partition portion [Fig. 1 #13; 25] that partitions the storage tank into a first space and a second space positioned below the first space, the partition portion including a communication port (a port that the shaft passes through) [Fig. 1 the hole #17 passes through; 25];
a first stirring member that is arranged in the first space and stirs an inside of the first space [Fig. 2 #15; 25];
a second stirring member that is arranged in the second space and stirs an inside of the second space [Fig. 4 #28];
and a single shaft which is inserted into the communication port without contacting the partition portion and to which the first stirring member and the second stirring member are attached, the single shaft being rotatable together with the first stirring member and the second stirring member (the two sections of the same shaft) [Fig. 2 #17 and Fig. 4 #33; 25].
ZHE fails to teach:
the second stirring member having a humidified air release port through which humidified air, which is air humidified, is released into the storage tank .
MIN teaches a stirring device that includes a storage tank [MIN: 30] and wherein there is a stirring member that stirs an inside of the storage tank (stirring shaft with stirring paddles [MIN: 30]), wherein the stirring member has a humidified air release port (as MIN's
paddles and shafts have ventilation holes which emit steam [MIN: 12, 30-31]). This aids in processing of the substrate [20].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added the humidified air release ports of the stirring member of MIN onto the stirring member of ZHE in order to improve the processing of the substrate of ZHE. As both ZHE and MIN pertain to processing paper based substrates they are analogous art and one of ordinary skill in the art expects success in the combination.
As for claim 2, ZHE/MIN teach claim 1 and ZHE further teaches that the second stirring member would be installed at a bottom portion in the tank [Fig. 4 #32] and an exhaust port through which air is discharged form the inside of the storage tank is provided in an upper portion of the tank (as the feed inlet can also serve as an outlet from the tank for any excess air [Fig. 1 #1; 22].
As for claim 3, ZHE/MIN teach claim 2 and ZHE further teaches that the first and second stirring members rotate in one direction around a central axis along a vertical direction [Fig. 1 around #8 and 6] and the humidified air is released from the humidified air release port to a rear side of the second stirring member in a rotation direction is understood to be selecting a back versus a front location as otherwise ZHE/MIN does not disclose its exact orientation.
In accordance with the MPEP, a selection from a list of known identified solutions with a
reasonable expectation of success is an exemplary rationale of obviousness [MPEP 2143(I)(E)].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have selected the back of the stirring member this would have amounted to a selection of arrangements by which the vents can be placed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have readily applied adjustments by which to make the arrangement functional.
As for claim 4, ZHE/MIN teach claim 1 and ZHE further teaches wherein the second stirring member has a blade that stirs by rotating (it is understood that they accidentally mislabeled the blade and the motor in the description) [Fig. 4 #32; 22], and the blade has the humidified air release port (as it is the only place by which to mount a port).
As for claim 5, ZHE/MIN teach claim 4 and see the rationale of claim 3 for the humidified air release port being on the rear side of the blade.
As for claim 6, ZHE/MIN teach claim 4 and MIN further teaches wherein the humidified air passes through an inside of the single shaft and an inside of the blade from a humidified air supply source and is released from the humidified air release port (MIN teaches that in order to supply the air that it passes from the inside of the hollow portion to the blades from a supply therefore this manner of distribution would be used in the combination) [Fig. 1 #26-27; 30].
As for claim 8, ZHE/MIN teach claim 1 and that the first stirring member does not release the humidified air (as the combination is for the bottom most stirring member which is the second).
As for claim 9, ZHE/MIN teach claim 8 and ZHE further teaches further comprising a drive mechanism that drives the first stirring member and the second stirring member in synchronization with each other (motor understood to be mislabeled in the description) [Fig. 1-4 #30; 22].
As for claim 10, ZHE/MIN teach claim 1 and ZHE further teaches wherein a discharge port through which a storage material is discharged from the inside of the storage tank is provided in a bottom portion of the storage tank [Fig. 1 #10; 22].
ZHE/MIN and further in view of Haider et al (US 5148994 already of record) hereinafter HAI.
As for claim 11, MIN teaches claim 1 but fails to teach a backflow preventing mechanism in the vents.
HAI teaches a grinding apparatus for lignocellulosic material in which a steam backflow preventing mechanism is employed in order to prevent issues with lignocellulosic material input [HAI: Abstract; col. 41. 14-43].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added the steam backflow preventing mechanism of HAI to the stirring member of ZHE/MIN which contains the steam vents in order to prevent issues with inputting lignocellulosic material. As both ZHE/MIN and HAI pertain to the mechanical treatment of lignocellulosic material they are analogous art and one of ordinary skill in the art expects success in the combination.
Claim(s) 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Higuchi et al (US 20190136451 A1) hereinafter HIG in view of ZHE/MIN as applied to claim 1.
As for claims 12-13, the Examiner notes that meeting the limitations of claim 13 meets the limitations of claim 12 as claim 13 requires the apparatus of claim 12 to perform its method.
As for claims 12-13, HIG teaches a method of producing a fiber structure comprising [HIG: Abstract]:
Removing a lump of fibers from a previous step/device to defibrate the lump of fibers (A source is taken to the defibration section [HIG: Fig. 1 #20; 0053]),
accumulating a defibrated material that is defibrated (Onto the mesh belt which accumulates [HIG: Fig. 1 #72; 0091-92]),
and producing a fiber structure by molding an accumulated material that is accumulated (Via sheet forming device which molds by compressing into a sheet [HIG: Fig. 1 #82; 0094-97]).
HIG fails to teach the stirring device with storage vessel which contains the stirring member, and humidified air vents on the stirring member which supply the humidified air to the interior of the storage vessel i.e. claim 1. However HIG teaches using recycled paper [0050-52].
ZHE/MIN teaches claim 1 and the advantageous use of ZHE is that it allows for recycling paper pulp in a manner that is easy to clean [7-9]
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the stirring device of ZHE and its method of use to preprocess the source material in the method and requisite device of HIG in order to promote confidentiality and privacy when disposing of recycled paper. As both ZHE and HIG pertain to processing paper, they are analogous art and one of ordinary skill in the art expects success in the combination. Refer to claim 1 for the inclusion of MIN into ZHE which results in an advantageous device applicable to claims 12-13.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-6 and 8-13 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/E.V./Examiner, Art Unit 1748
/RITA P ADHLAKHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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