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 .
Response to Arguments
In light of amendments to the claims, the objection of claims 1, 7, 9, and 15-16 has been withdrawn. In light of amendments to claims 1, 4-6, 8, and 14, the rejection of claims 1, 4, 8, and 14 under 35 USC § 112 has been withdrawn.
Applicant's remarks filed December 11, 2025, see pages 10-14 regarding have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Applicant’s remarks state, the Coppom reference expressly teaches that only the downstream electrode…be attached to the filter medium,” and Examiner respectfully disagrees. The first electrode and the second electrode are attached to the first filter medium (i.e., transitive property or transitivity of a relation-if A R B and B R C, then A R C, whereas, A=1st electrode, B=filter, C=2nd electrode). Applicant appears to infer a direct attachment; however, directly attached is not recited in the claim language [emphasis added]. The language, “is a filter layer laminated to the first filter medium is described at page 11 as a process, “…affixed via lamination…to the filter 111” [emphasis added]. The instant invention is a product. The only factor that appears to differentiate the products is the method of arriving at the same product, i.e., lamination. As such Applicant is directed to provide evidence of unexpected properties compared to that of the prior art reference; otherwise, the products will be treated as identical and the process limitations are disregarded as immaterial as the process does not provide patentably distinct structural features. See MPEP § 2113. Regarding the comment associated with Fig. 1, see page 12, Fig. 1 of Coppom is described as a block diagram. Regarding high voltage power supply 115 and par [0029], see page 12, par [0029] expressly discloses “a direct current (DC) voltage source” for high voltage supply 115. Regarding Applicant’s remarks that Coppom is not capable of providing electrical power, see page 13, is considered a mere allegation. Certainly, the high voltage power supply would supply electric power (power P linked to related to voltage V and current I, P=V∙I) for the electrically enhanced air filtration disclosed in Coppom and be obvious for one of ordinary skill art of electric filters. The rejections are maintained here within.
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, 19, and 26 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.
Claims 1, 19, and 26 recite the limitation "the active field polarized filter medium" near the end of each claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The limitation "an active field polarized filter medium" was not previously recited.
Claims 2, 3, 4, 7-10, 14-16, 18, and 20-25 are also rejected for depending from claims 1 and 19 respectively.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7, 9-10, 15-16, and 18-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Coppom (US 20050109204 A1).
Regarding claim 1, the citations provided below are from prior art to Coppom.
An active field polarized media gas cleaning device (pars [0026]-[0041]) comprising at
least:
a first electrode and a second electrode,
a filter medium with a first side and a second side,
wherein the first side faces the first electrode and the second side faces the second electrode,
a corona discharge electrode located at a distance from the first electrode,
wherein the first electrode is located between the corona discharge electrode and the first filter medium,
a power source providing electric power,
wherein the first electrode is connected to a first output port of the power source (par [0031]; Figs. 1,2),
wherein the first output port of the power source is configured to provide a first electrical potential U1 of the first electrode (Figs. 1, 2),
wherein the corona discharge electrode is connected to a second output port of the power source (Figs. 1, 2),
wherein the second output port of the power source provides a corona potential Uc (Figs. 1, 2),
wherein a corresponding potential difference (UC-U1) is a corona voltage (par [0031]; Figs. 1, 2) and a corona discharge circuit includes the corona discharge electrode and the first electrode (Because the claim language indicates that the limitation “a corona discharge circuit” includes the corona discharge electrode and the first electrode and the prior art to Coppom also discloses the corona discharge electrode and the first electrode as structural limitations, the limitation “a corona discharge circuit” is interpreted as an inherent limitation taught in the prior art to Coppom. Furthermore, the disclosure as originally filed fails to identify explicitly any other structural limitations to define the disclosure of “a corona discharge circuit.” See par [0021], where the term “a corona discharge circuit” is disclosed in the originally filed specification.),
wherein the active field polarized media gas cleaning device is configured to apply a potential difference (U1-U2) across the first electrode and the second electrode to obtain active field polarized media air cleaning (pars [0031]-[0032]; Figs. 1, 2),
wherein U2 is a second electrical potential of the second electrode,
wherein both the first electrode and the second electrode are attached to the first filter medium (pars [0016], [0035], [0044]),
wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode is a filter layer laminated to the first filter medium (par [0044]; Fig. 2) and
wherein the active field polarized media gas cleaning device has no more than electrodes than the first electrode, the second electrode, and the corona discharge electrode and is configured to use the first electrode simultaneously as an electrode in the corona discharge circuit and an electrode of the active field polarized filter medium (pars [0031]-[0032], [0038]; Figs. 1, 2).
NOTE: the limitation “is a filter layer laminated to the first filter medium” is interpreted as a product-by-process. The product as claimed appears to be substantially identical to the product of Coppom as detailed above. The only factor that appears to differentiate the products is the method of arriving at the same product, i.e., lamination. As such Applicant is directed to provide evidence of unexpected properties compared to that of the prior art reference otherwise the products will be treated as identical and the process limitations are disregarded as immaterial as the process does not provide patentably distinct structural features. See MPEP § 2113.
For claim 2, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 1, comprising a corona gap between the corona discharge electrode and the first electrode (Fig. 1), wherein the corona gap is configured to permit a corona-discharge current between the corona discharge electrode and the first electrode (Fig. 1; par [0033]).
For claim 3, as interpreted (see Section 112), Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein: (i) the first electrode is electrically connected to a first output port of a voltage source, and/or (ii) the second electrode is connected to a second output terminal of the voltage source (Figs. 1, 2; whereas, current is applied to the second electrode).
For claim 4, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein each of the second electrode and the corona discharge electrode is at electrical potential of opposite sign relative to the electrical potential of the first electrode (par [0031]).
For claim 7, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein: the corona discharge electrode is grounded or the second electrode is grounded (pars [0025], [0029], [0031], [0035]; Figs. 1, 2).
For claim 9, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the corona discharge electrode and the second electrode are at different electrical potentials (par [0035]).
For claim 10, Coppom disclose the gas cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a charcoal filter layer (“activated carbon” at par [0040]).
For claim 15, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the corona discharge electrode and the second electrode are at different electrical potentials (par [0035]).
For claim 16, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein: the corona discharge electrode is grounded or the second electrode is grounded (pars [0025], [0029], [0031], [0035]; Figs. 1, 2).
For claim 18, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the corona circuit is configured to establish a corona discharge current between the corona discharge electrode and the first electrode (Fig. 1; par [0033]).
Regarding claim 19, the citations provided below are from prior art to Coppom.
An active field polarized media gas cleaning device comprising at least:
a first electrode and a second electrode,
a first filter medium with a first side and a second side, wherein the first side faces the first electrode and the second side faces the second electrode,
a corona discharge electrode located at a distance from the first electrode, wherein the first electrode is located between the corona discharge electrode and the first filter medium,
a power source providing electrical power with a first output port and a second output port,
wherein the first electrode is connected to the first output port of the power source, wherein the first output port of the power source is configured to provide a first electrical potential U1 to the first electrode and the corona discharge electrode is connected to the second output port of the power source,
wherein the second output port of the power source is configured to provide a corona potential Uc, wherein a corresponding potential difference (Uc-Ui) is a corona voltage and the corona discharge electrode and the first electrode are part of a corona discharge circuit,
wherein the active field polarized media gas cleaning device is configured to apply a potential difference (Ui-U2) across the first electrode and the second electrode to obtain active field polarized media air cleaning, wherein U2 is a second electrical potential of the second electrode,
wherein the active field polarized media gas cleaning device has no more electrodes than the first electrode, the second electrode, and the corona discharge electrode and wherein the active field polarized media gas cleaning device is configured to use the first electrode simultaneously as an electrode in the corona discharge circuit and an electrode of the active field polarized filter medium,
wherein the active field polarized media gas cleaning device is configured to establish, in operation, a corona discharge current between the corona discharge electrode and the first electrode.
For claim 20, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 18, comprising a corona gap between the corona discharge electrode and the first electrode (Fig. 1), wherein the corona gap is configured to permit a corona-discharge current between the corona discharge electrode and the first electrode (Fig. 1; par [0033]).
For claim 21, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 18, wherein: (i) the first electrode is electrically connected to a first output port of a voltage source, and/or (ii) the second electrode is connected to a second output terminal of the voltage source (Figs. 1, 2, whereas current is applied to the second electrode).
For claim 22, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 18, wherein each of the second electrode and the corona discharge electrode is at electrical potential of opposite sign relative to the electrical potential of the first electrode (par [0031]).
For claim 23, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is attached to the first filter medium (par [0035]).
For claim 24, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a filter layer laminated to the filter medium (par [0044]; Fig. 2).
For claim 25, Coppom discloses the gas cleaning device according to claim 21, further comprising a voltage source, wherein the first electrode is grounded, whereby the voltage source and the power source share a common ground terminal (Figs. 1, 2, ground is illustrated at the bottom right side of the figure).
Regarding claim 26, the citations provided below are from prior art to Coppom.
An active field polarized media gas cleaning device (pars [0026] – [0041]) comprising at least:
a first electrode and a second electrode,
a first filter medium with a first side and a second side, wherein the first side faces the first electrode and the second side faces the second electrode,
a corona discharge electrode located at a distance from the first electrode, wherein the first electrode is located between the corona discharge electrode and the first filter medium and has an exposed surface,
a power source providing electrical power with a first output port and a second output port,
wherein the first electrode is connected to the first output port of the power source (par [0031]; Fig. 1) ,
wherein the first output port of the power source is configured to provide a first electrical potential U1 to the first electrode (Figs. 1, 2) and the corona discharge electrode is connected to the second output port of the power source (Figs. 1, 2),
wherein the second output port of the power source is configured to provide a corona potential Uc (Figs. 1, 2),
wherein a corresponding potential difference (Uc -U1) is a corona voltage (par [0031]; Figs. 1, 2) and the corona discharge electrode and the first electrode are part of a corona discharge circuit,
wherein the active field polarized media gas cleaning device is configured to apply a potential difference (U1-U2) across the first electrode and the second electrode to obtain active field polarized media air cleaning (par [0031]; Figs. 1, 2),
wherein U2 is a second electrical potential of the second electrode, and wherein the active field polarized media gas cleaning device has no more electrodes than the first electrode, the second electrode, and the corona discharge electrode and wherein the active field polarized media gas cleaning device is configured to use the first electrode simultaneously as an electrode in the corona discharge circuit and an electrode of the active field polarized filter medium (pars [0031], [0032], [0038]; Figs. 1, 2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 8 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Coppom (US 20050109204 A1) in view of Greist (US 20080190772 A1).
Regarding claims 8 and 14, the teaching of Coppom is set forth above but appears to be silent to disclose specifically wherein the first electrode is grounded, whereby the voltage source and the power source share a common ground terminal. However, Greist does disclose in Fig. 1 electrode 26 is connected to ground and is common to both voltage supply sources. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Coppom with the first electrode grounded, whereby the voltage source and the power source share a common ground terminal as taught in Greist because one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate a common ground terminal as claim for safety reasons, particularly to prevent electrical shock, with a reasonable explanation for success.
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.
Applicant should consider additional prior art references and citations provided at paragraph 34 of the Office Action mailed August 11, 2025, as these references are considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SONJI TURNER whose telephone number is (571)272-1203. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Dieterle can be reached at (571) 270-7872. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SONJI TURNER/Examiner, Art Unit 1776 December 29, 2025
/Jennifer Dieterle/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1776