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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/30/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-6, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16-25 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.
Regarding claims 1, 17, 18, 23, and 25 the phrase "such as" renders the claims indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). All claims which depend on the above claims are indefinite for the same reason.
Regarding claims 4, 6, 9, 12, 14, 18, 22, and 25, the phrase "for example" renders the claims indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). In Claim 25 particularly, half of the claim language follows the phrase “for example” which renders them indefinite, and does not lend any of the applicable limitations patentable weight. All claims which depend on the above claims are indefinite for the same reason.
Applicant is required to correct the issues of indefiniteness raised above.
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) 1-6, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cole et al. (US 20200398320 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Cole et al. teaches a cleanliness inspection system for inspection of an inner space of mobile transport tanks, such as tank containers, tank trailers and tank wagons (Paragraphs 54-55), comprising:
a support structure (Paragraph 55); and
an inspection unit, connected to the support structure, comprising an aligner to be aligned with an opening of a mobile transport tank, a housing and a camera, wherein the camera is movable with respect to the support structure between an idle position, in which the camera is arranged within the housing and an inspection position, in which the camera extends at least partially from the housing such that the camera protrudes through the opening to capture footage of an inner space of a mobile transport tank upon alignment of the aligner with the opening (Paragraph 54-55; Paragraphs 61-62, cameras connected to the support structure; Paragraph 70, describes aligners; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraphs 90-95),
wherein the cleanliness inspection system further comprises: a contamination detector, operatively connected to the camera (Paragraph 74), wherein the camera is configured to, in the inspection position, capture footage in predefined measurement directions associated with a contamination risk area in a mobile transport tank (Paragraphs 72-75), and
wherein the contamination detector is configured to determine foreign contamination, such as moisture or fluid residue, in the mobile transport tank on the basis of the captured footage, and to provide a contamination signal representative for the determined contamination (Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraphs 90-95).
2. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a lens and a condensation reduction device configured to prevent and/or reduce condensation on the lens when the camera is moved into the inner space (Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraphs 90-95).
3. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a polarising filter configured to filter captured footage at a filter angle (Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
4. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 3, wherein the inspection unit comprises a light source configured to emit light polarised in a polarisation angle and wherein a difference between the polarisation angle and the filter angle is 5°-65°, for example, 15°-45° (Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
5. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the cleanliness inspection system is configured to provide a filling approval for the mobile transport tank when the contamination signal is below a predefined threshold (Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
6. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to, in the inspection position, capture footage in multiple predefined measurement directions that are associated with multiple contamination risk areas in the mobile transport tank, wherein, for example, the camera, from the inspection position, is configured to capture footage in measurement directions that are opposite to each other with respect to a vertical symmetry plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tank and/or wherein, for example, the cleanliness inspection system is configured to determine a tank type, and wherein the cleanliness inspection system is further configured to determine the multiple predefined measurement directions in dependence of the determined tank type (Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
7-8. (canceled)
9. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the contamination detector is configured to determine condensation on walls of a mobile transport tank on the basis of the captured footage as contamination, wherein, for example, the camera is configured to capture footage in an upward measurement direction, and wherein the contamination detector is configured to determine condensation on an upper or side tank wall (Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
10. (canceled)
11. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to capture footage in a substantially horizontal measurement direction wherein the contamination detector is configured to determine fluid accumulation or objects at a vertical tank baffle or tank end wall (Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
12. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the aligner has a conical shape adapted to mate to a contour of a standard mobile tank opening, for example, to mate to the contour in such a way that passing of light through the opening is limited when the camera is in the inspection position, for example, such that passing of light is substantially avoided, wherein, for example, the minimum diameter of the aligner is smaller than an outer diameter of the camera and wherein the aligner is provided with at least one recess to allow the camera to move through the aligner, for example, wherein the minimum outer diameter is 0.3 m or less (Paragraph 54-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
13. (canceled)
14. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, comprising an actuation system, operatively connected to the housing and configured to move the camera between the idle position and the inspection position, wherein the cleanliness inspection system comprises a control interface, configured to receive operator input to activate the actuation system to move the camera to the inspection position upon receiving the operator input, and configured to activate the actuation system to move the camera back to the idle position after capturing footage, wherein the control interface is arranged on the support structure and/or on the inspection unit, wherein, for example, the control interface is configured to provide the contamination signal and/or a filling approval (Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
15. (canceled)
16. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising a locking system, configured to lock of the inspection unit with respect to the opening when the camera is in the inspection position (Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
17. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising a recognition system configured to recognize a mobile tank identifier, such as a container identification number, vehicle identification number and/or wagon identification number, and to associate the recognised identifier with the captured footage (Paragraph 52; Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
18. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the inspection unit comprises a temperature sensor, such as a pyrometer, configured to measure a temperature signal representative for a tank wall temperature, for example, wherein the contamination signal is dependent on the temperature signal (Paragraph 93).
19. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the inspection unit comprises a gas sensor configured to measure a residual gas concentration in a mobile transport tank, wherein the cleanliness inspection system is configured block provision of a filling approval for the mobile transport tank when the residual gas concentration exceeds a predetermined concentration (Paragraph 52; Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
20. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising an orientation compensation unit configured to provide an orientation signal representative for an orientation of a mobile transport tank with respect to the aligner, wherein the cleanliness inspection system is configured to adjust the at least one predefined measurement direction on the basis of the orientation signal (Paragraph 52; Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 65-70; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
21. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid level protector configured to measure a fluid level signal representative for a fluid level in the movable transport tank, wherein the fluid level protector is configured to activate movement the camera towards the idle position and/or to block movement of the camera towards the inspection position when the fluid level signal exceeds a predetermined fluid level threshold (Paragraph 8; Paragraph 52; Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
22. The cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the support structure is constructed as a fluid loading arm, for example, a balanced top fluid loading arm (Paragraph 8; Paragraph 52; Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
23. A loading gantry for mobile transport tanks, such as tank containers and tank trailers, comprising: a walkway positioned at least partially above a mobile transport tank parking location allowing operators to reach an opening of a mobile transport tank positioned on the transport tank parking location (Paragraph 53); and a cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1 (Paragraph 52; Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
24. Use of a cleanliness inspection system according to claim 1 for determining whether a tank has been cleaned according to predetermined standards (Paragraph 52; Paragraph 61-62; Paragraphs 72-75; Paragraph 81; Paragraphs 90-95).
Method claim 25 is drawn to the method of using corresponding apparatus claimed in claims 1-6, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16-24 above and have similar limitations as those rejected above. Method claim 25 is rejected for the same reasons as used above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FARHAN MAHMUD whose telephone number is (571)272-7712. The examiner can normally be reached 10-7.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Ustaris can be reached at 5712727383. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FARHAN MAHMUD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2483