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
This is a first action on the merits for this regular application filed on 08/22/2024
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by May (US 2008/0299023 A1).
Regarding claim 1, May discloses a vacuum sublimation device (Fig.,2A:100 and [0001]) intended to be connected to a vacuum generating machine [0006] and to house a sublimable solid substance [0006] comprising:
a container (Fig.2A:106) which is open at an upper area intended to house the sublimable solid
substance inside (Fig.2A:163), and
a hollow upper head (Fig.2A:104) associated with the vacuum generating machine and coupled to the container (Fig.2A:159), intended to allow the passage of vacuum flow through the inside thereof
and which is equipped with a first access (Fig.2A:112) intended to receive a connector for connecting with the vacuum generating machine and with a second access (Fig.2A:114) that receives the container through the upper area thereof;
wherein it additionally comprises a central core (Fig.2A:107) that is internally (Fig.2A:159 and 114) coupled to the upper head by the second access and located inside the container, said central core
being equipped with:
a coupling internally (Fig.2A:114) linked to the second access of the upper head,
a support (Fig.2A:156) threadedly connected with the coupling and movable with respect to said
coupling by means of-threaded rotation, and
a sample receiver (Fig.2A:162) located in the support and intended to receive samples of the
sublimable solid substance located inside the container (Fig.2A:106) through the lower portion thereof.
Regarding claim 2, May discloses that the device additionally comprises a passage element transversely (Fig.2A:150) coupled to the upper head (Fig.2A:104) and which allows the passage of the vacuum flow coming from the vacuum generating machine (Fig.2A:144) between said first and second access of the upper head.
Regarding claim 3, May discloses that the first access of the upper head (Fig.2A:104) has a smaller cross section (Fig.2A:D1) than the second access of said upper head (Fig.2A:D2).
Regarding claim 4, May discloses that the coupling (Fig.2A:140) comprises an external indentation (Fig.2A:D1) extending around the perimeter and a pressure gasket (Fig.2A:138) housed in said external indentation intended to fasten the coupling internally against the upper head through the second access thereof.
Regarding claim 5, May discloses that the coupling (Fig.2A:140) comprises a threaded hole (Fig.2A:110) and, in addition, the support is made up of a base and a threaded rod that starts superiorly from said base and which couples with the threaded hole [0014-0021] of the coupling; thus, allowing said support to be adjusted in height with respect to the coupling; and in addition, said support comprises a gauge [0014-0021] coupled to the base by means of fastening elements which is equipped with a slot of essentially rectangular geometry wherein the sample receiver is located.
Regarding claim 6, May discloses that the fastening elements are fastening screws [0014-0021].
Regarding claim 7, May discloses that the fastening elements are [0014-0021] clamping plates.
Regarding claim 8, May discloses that the container is equipped with measurement indicators [0014-0021] intended to mark the adjustment height of the gauge with respect to the coupling and/or with respect to the solid to be sublimated.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MONZER R CHORBAJI whose telephone number is (571)272-1271. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 5:30-12:00 and 6:00-9:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jill J Warden can be reached at (571)272-1267. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MONZER R CHORBAJI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1799
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