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 .
Claims Status
Claims 1-7 are pending. Claim 1 has been amended.
Applicant’s arguments, filed 03/30/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-7 under 35 USC 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Liu et al. (US 20180312415 A1).
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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu et al. (US 20180312415 A1).
Considering claim 1, Liu discloses a bipolar membrane electrodialysis device comprising: one or more anion exchange membranes (6) [0062]; one or more bipolar membranes (1, 2) ([0058], [00059]); and a pair of electrodes comprising a positive electrode (4) [0060] and a negative electrode (5) [0061]; and an electrolyte stream (A) passing through a channel between at least one electrode of the pair of electrodes and an adjacent membrane (Fig. 2).
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Considering claim 2, Liu discloses each bipolar membrane of the one or more bipolar membranes comprises an anionic material (1) [0057] and a cationic material (2) [0058].
Considering claim 3, Liu discloses the one or more anion exchange membrane (6) and the one or more bipolar membranes (1, 2) form an alternating stack sandwiched between the positive electrode (4) and the negative electrode (5) of the pair of electrodes (Fig. 2).
Considering claim 4, Liu discloses the bipolar membrane electrodialysis device is configured to remove silica from a desalinated water stream [0093].
Considering claim 5, Liu discloses an acid chamber and an alkaline/base chamber (Fig. 2 and [0066], [0067]).
Considering claim 6, Liu discloses a product inlet stream (B) of the bipolar membrane electrodialysis device flows through the alkaline/base chamber [0067].
Considering claim 7, Liu discloses a brine inlet stream (B) of the bipolar membrane electrodialysis device flows through the acid chamber ([0066] and Fig. 2).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-7 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Wojciech Haske whose telephone number is (571)272-5666. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30 am - 6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Lin can be reached at 571-272-8902. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WOJCIECH HASKE/ Examiner, Art Unit 1794
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