DETAILED ACTION
Applicant’s request for continued examination filed July 16, 2026 is acknowledged. Claim 53 is amended and claim 65 is newly added. Claims 53-65 are pending and further considered on the merits.
Response to Amendment
In light of applicant’s amendment, the examiner modifies the grounds of rejection set forth in the office action filed May 6, 2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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(s) 53-63 and 65 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ribet et al., WO 2021/173608 in view of Boltz et al., US 2015/0336827 (Boltz). For the purposes of examination, the examiner is relying on the US national stage entry of WO 2021/173608, hereinafter referred to/from as US 2023/0084588 (Ribet).
Regarding claim 53, Ribet discloses a mobile carrier for removing and recovering one or more contaminants from water (see “magnetic nanoparticle coated porous materials”, abstract), the mobile carrier comprising a core (see “porous substrate”, abstract, ¶ 0015) coated with a porous and non-reactive binding agent comprising one or more types of nanoparticles (see “magnetic nanoparticles, abstract, ¶ 0015), wherein the mobile carrier has a dimension of 1 to 12,500 microns (see “the nanoparticles may have each of their three dimensions on the order of 1000 nm or less”, ¶ 0017).
While Ribet discloses the overall size and material of the mobile carrier depends on the application and desired results (¶ 0021-0024), Ribet does not disclose the mobile carrier having a density of 0.01 to 20 g/cm3 or thickness or diameter of 1 to 12500 microns.
However, Boltz discloses coated particulate absorbents (abstract) where the apparent density can be modified by material selection in order to provide absorbents having a density greater than or less than water depending on the desired application, the density of polyurethane core absorbents ranging from 1.01 to 1.20 g/cm3 (¶ 0073).
Additionally, Boltz discloses that the size of the absorbents can range from 500nm to 5mm (¶ 0071), where an optimal particle loading can be achieved by balancing surface area with respect to overall size.
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the mobile carrier of Ribet to have a size and density as described in Boltz, in order to facilitate liquid-particle and/or particle-particle separation based on the particle size and apparent density compared to that of water (Boltz, ¶ 0071-0073).
Lastly, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the mobile carrier size and density of Ribet in light of Boltz, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art absent a showing of criticality or unexpected results (MPEP 2144.05, Section II, Part A).
Regarding claims 54-57, Ribet (in view of Boltz) discloses a mobile carrier having a shape, size, and porosity formed through one or more physical processes, chemical processes, or physical-chemical processes (see “substrate may be composed of natural or synthetic materials”, ¶ 0021).
Regarding claims 58-59, Ribet (in view of Boltz) discloses a mobile carrier having either a net negative or positive charge (¶ 0097).
Regarding claims 60-61, Ribet (in view of Boltz) discloses a mobile carrier wherein the core is formed through one or more natural, physical, chemical, or physical-chemical processes (see “the porous substrate may be composed of natural or synthetic materials”, ¶ 0021).
Regarding claim 62, Ribet (in view of Boltz) discloses a mobile carrier wherein the core comprises a hydrophobic polymer (¶ 0024).
Regarding claim 63, Ribet (in view of Boltz) discloses a mobile carrier wherein the non-reactive binding agent comprises one or more magnetic nanoparticles (abstract, ¶ 0015).
Regarding claim 65, Ribet (in view of Boltz) discloses a mobile carrier wherein the porous and non-reactive binding agent has a thickness of 0.001 to 1,000 microns (¶ 0017).
Claim(s) 64 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ribet in view of Boltz as relied upon in the rejection of claim 53 set forth above, and in further view of Namiki, US 2014/0042068 (Namiki).
Regarding claim 64, Ribet (in view of Boltz) does not disclose the porous and non-reactive binding agent comprising one or more ion exchange resins. However, Namiki discloses composite particles for removing components from contaminated fluids (abstract) wherein the composite particles have a coating comprising magnetic nanoparticles and ion exchange resins (¶ 0069-0071).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the mobile carrier of Ribet (in view of Boltz) to include the ion exchange resin described in Namiki in order to provide additional binding modalities for decontamination of fluids.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments been fully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIRK R BASS whose telephone number is (571)270-7370. The examiner can normally be reached 8-4:30 EST Monday-Friday.
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DIRK R. BASS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1779
/DIRK R BASS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1779
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