DETAILED ACTION
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 Status
Claims 1-20 are rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "The method of producing a media mixture of claim 9" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 9 is drawn to a media mixture. It appears claim 19 improperly depends from claim 9.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "The method of producing a media mixture of claim 9" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 9 is drawn to a media mixture. It appears claim 20 improperly depends from claim 9.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 10-13 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Choi (KR101290293B1) [citations are based on English Machine Translation].
With respect to claim 1, Choi discloses a filtration unit 400, as shown in Fig. 1, having: activated alumina in an amount of from about 7% to about 17% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0106 of English Machine Translation, activated alumina 10%); activated carbon in an amount of from about 17% to about 42% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0090 of English Machine Translation, activated carbon 20-40%); and zeolite in an amount of from about 17% to about 57% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0086 of English Machine Translation, zeolite 20-40%).
With respect to claim 2, Choi discloses a filtration component in an amount of from about 0% to about 60% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraphs 0087-0088, 0103, of English Machine Translation).
With respect to claims 3 and 7, Choi discloses wherein the filtration component comprises at least one of lava rock, perlite, soil, or sand (see paragraphs 0087-0088 of English Machine Translation, perlite).
With respect to claim 4, Choi discloses wherein: the amount of activated alumina is about 10% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0106 of English Machine Translation, activated alumina 10%); the amount of activated carbon is about 20% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0090 of English Machine Translation, activated carbon 20-40%); and the amount of zeolite is about 40% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0086 of English Machine Translation, zeolite 20-40%).
With respect to claim 5, Choi discloses wherein: the amount of activated alumina is about 10% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0106 of English Machine Translation, activated alumina 10%); the amount of activated carbon is about 20% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0090 of English Machine Translation, activated carbon 20-40%); the amount of zeolite is about 40% by volume of the media mixture; and the amount of the filtration component is about 30% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0086 of English Machine Translation, zeolite 20-40%).
With respect to claim 6, Choi discloses a filtration unit 400, as shown in Fig. 1, having: activated alumina in an amount of from about 7% to about 17% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0106 of English Machine Translation, activated alumina 10%); activated carbon in an amount of from about 17% to about 42% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0090 of English Machine Translation, activated carbon 20-40%); zeolite in an amount of from about 17% to about 57% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0086 of English Machine Translation, zeolite 20-40%); and a filtration component in an amount of from about 0% to about 60% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0087-0088, 0103, of English Machine Translation, perlite is 20%-40% and materials other than alumina, carbon and zeolite may also be considered the claimed filtration component).
With respect to claim 8, Choi discloses wherein: the amount of activated alumina is about 10% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0106 of English Machine Translation, activated alumina 10%); the amount of activated carbon is about 20% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0090 of English Machine Translation, activated carbon 20-40%); the amount of zeolite is about 40% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0086 of English Machine Translation, zeolite 20-40%); and the amount of the filtration component is about 30% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraphs 0087-0088, 0103 of English Machine Translation).
With respect to claim 10, Choi discloses wherein the media mixture is configured to be placed in a vessel 410, 420, 430, to remove contaminants from a flow of water through the vessel 410, 420, 430, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3-6.
With respect to claim 11, Choi discloses a filtration unit 400, as shown in Fig. 1, including the method steps of: combining activated alumina, activated carbon, and zeolite to create the media mixture (see paragraphs 0103-0106 of English Machine Translation).
With respect to claim 12, Choi discloses adding a filtration component to the media mixture, the filtration component including at least one of lava rock, perlite, soil, or sand (see paragraphs 0087-0088 of English Machine Translation, perlite).
With respect to claim 13, Choi discloses wherein the filtration component is added to the media mixture after the activated alumina, activated carbon, and zeolite are added to the media mixture (see paragraphs 0083-0088).
With respect to claim 16, Choi discloses the activated alumina in an amount of from about 7% to about 17% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0106 of English Machine Translation, activated alumina 10%); the activated carbon in an amount of from about 17% to about 42% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0090 of English Machine Translation, activated carbon 20-40%); and the zeolite in an amount of from about 17% to about 57% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0086 of English Machine Translation, zeolite 20-40%).
With respect to claim 17, Choi discloses the activated alumina in an amount of from about 7% to about 17% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0106 of English Machine Translation, activated alumina 10%); the activated carbon in an amount of from about 17% to about 42% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0090 of English Machine Translation, activated carbon 20-40%); the zeolite in an amount of from about 17% to about 57% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0086 of English Machine Translation, zeolite 20-40%); and a filtration component in an amount of from about 0% to about 60% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0087-0088, 0103, of English Machine Translation, perlite is 20%-40%, and materials other than alumina, carbon and zeolite may also be considered the claimed filtration component).
With respect to claim 18, Choi discloses wherein: the of activated alumina in an amount of about 10% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0106 of English Machine Translation, activated alumina 10%); the activated carbon in an amount of about 20% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0090 of English Machine Translation, activated carbon 20-40%); the zeolite in an amount of about 40% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraph 0086 of English Machine Translation, zeolite 20-40%); and the filtration component in an amount of about 30% by volume of the media mixture (see paragraphs 0087-0088, 0103 of English Machine Translation).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
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.
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(s) 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102((a)(1)) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Choi (KR101290293B1) [citations are based on English Machine Translation].
With respect to claim 9, Choi does not disclose wherein the media mixture is configured to remove one or more of copper, zinc, or phosphorous from a flow of water. However, this limitation has been considered to be a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention which must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. In this case, Choi discloses all the claimed structure and furthermore, Choi teaches that the filtration unit removes heavy metal and organic matters from water (see paragraphs 0003 and 0104), and therefore, it is inherent and/or obvious that it is capable of performing the intended use.
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(s) 14-15 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi (KR101290293B1) [citations are based on English Machine Translation].
With respect to claim 14, Choi lacks adding water to the media mixture, wherein the water is added in an amount of from about 10% to about 20% by weight of the media mixture. However, Choi teaches that the filtration unit is used to filter contaminants in water (see paragraph 0107). The specific percentage claimed by applicant, i.e., would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, in order to filter a specific amount of water, since one of ordinary skill would recognize to choose an amount of water according to a desired application.
With respect to claims 15 and 19, Choi lacks wherein the activated alumina, activated carbon, and zeolite are combined in a mechanical mixer; and wherein the media mixture is combined in a mechanical mixer. However, Choi teaches that the components may be mixed (see paragraph 0083 of English Machine Translation). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use a mechanical mixer, as claimed by applicant, in order to mix the components disclosed by Choi, and since a mechanical mixer is common in the art.
With respect to claim 20, Choi lacks wherein the activated alumina and the activated carbon are activated by a thermal process or a chemical process. However, this would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art since it is known in the art that alumina and carbon are activated by thermal or chemical processes.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kent (US 2014/0027362), Chen et al. (US 2017/0239600) and Pradeep et al. (US 2013/0292323) disclose related layered filter media. Karaman (US 2005/0236335) discloses an apparatus having activated charcoal, zeolite and alumina.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MADELINE GONZALEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-5502. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5:30.
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/MADELINE GONZALEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773
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