Prior art

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 9730443, I will search the USPTO database for the patent and then analyze its cited references.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US Patent 9,730,443

The following prior art documents were cited during the examination of US Patent 9,730,443. These references are considered by the examiner to be relevant to the patentability of the claimed invention.

1. U.S. Pat. No. 7,012,154

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 7,012,154 to R.A. Guchhait et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued March 14, 2006 (filed January 31, 2005).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for the continuous production of peracetic acid by reacting acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide in a jacketed reactor. The system uses a wiped-film distillation column to condense and isolate pure peracetic acid from the gas phase for immediate introduction to receiving water.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is cited in the background section of US9730443B2 as an attempt to make non-equilibrium solutions of PAA on-site. However, the '443 patent explicitly distinguishes itself by stating that the '154 system suffers from drawbacks such as high capital intensity, safety hazards due to pure PAA production, and complexity requiring highly trained technicians. Therefore, it is unlikely to directly anticipate claims 1, 8, or 15 of US9730443B2, which focus on a different methodology involving triacetin, hydrogen peroxide, and an alkali hydroxide, avoiding pure PAA isolation.

2. U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,551

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,551 to C.B. Kelly et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued January 9, 2001 (filed June 3, 1998).
• Brief Description: This patent discloses an electrolytic process for generating peracids (including PAA) and other oxidants in the anode compartment of a cell divided by an ion-exchange membrane, using an aqueous solution of acetic acid or an acetate salt.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US9730443B2's background section discusses this patent as an attempt to make non-equilibrium PAA solutions at the point-of-use using electrolytic processes, but criticizes it for very low PAA yield and difficulty in intermittent operation. As such, the methods of US9730443B2 (claims 1 and 8) using chemical mixing of triacetin, hydrogen peroxide, and alkali hydroxide are distinct from the electrolytic methods of the '551 patent. Claim 15, describing the precursor solution, is also distinct.

3. U.S. Pat. No. 6,387,236

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 6,387,236 to C.B. Kelly et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued May 14, 2002 (filed June 3, 1998).
• Brief Description: Similar to US 6,171,551, this patent describes an electrolytic process for producing peracids and other oxidants.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The same reasoning applies as for US 6,171,551. The '443 patent clearly differentiates its chemical generation method from the electrolytic processes of '236, making direct anticipation of claims 1, 8, or 15 unlikely.

4. U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,538

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,538 to L.G. Jones et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued June 16, 1992 (filed October 16, 1990).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method for generating non-equilibrium PAA at the point-of-use using sulfonic acid ion-exchange resins to catalyze the reaction between acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The '443 patent's background acknowledges this method but highlights its limitations, such as requiring a large volume of expensive resin and the resin's susceptibility to oxidative degradation by PAA, leading to a short lifespan. Given that claims 1, 8, and 15 of US9730443B2 do not involve ion-exchange resins, this reference is unlikely to directly anticipate these claims.

5. U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,546

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,546 to L.R. Johnson et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued March 11, 1969 (filed November 16, 1965).
• Brief Description: This patent discloses a process where hydrogen peroxide, acetic anhydride, and an ammonium hydroxide catalyst are metered to a tubular reactor to continuously produce a solution containing PAA.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The '443 patent mentions this process but notes the generation of diacetyl peroxide (an explosion hazard) and the presence of ammonium hydroxide, which is an undesirable contaminant for PAA used as disinfectants and sanitizers in certain industries. Claims 1, 8, and 15 of US9730443B2 utilize triacetin as the acetyl precursor and specifically do not use acetic anhydride or ammonium hydroxide. Thus, direct anticipation is unlikely.

6. U.S. Pat. No. 7,651,724

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 7,651,724 to S.L. Lickiss et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued January 26, 2010 (filed November 8, 2006).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a modified DPD colorimetric method for measuring total chlorine in drinking water and wastewater, which is adapted in US9730443B2 for measuring low concentrations of PAA and hydrogen peroxide.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent describes an analytical method, not a composition or a method of generating PAA. Therefore, it does not anticipate claims 1, 8, or 15 of US9730443B2, as those claims relate to the generation and composition of PAA solutions, not their analysis.

7. U.S. Pat. No. 8,546,449

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 8,546,449 to M.S. Harvey et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued October 1, 2013 (filed March 24, 2011).
• Brief Description: This patent is explicitly identified in US9730443B2 as the parent application (US patent application Ser. No. 13/065,553). It describes similar methods and compositions for generating peracetic acid.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): As a direct parent application, US 8,546,449 constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) due to its earlier filing date. It is highly likely to anticipate many, if not all, of the independent claims (1, 8, and 15) of US9730443B2. The current patent is a divisional application, meaning it claims subject matter disclosed in the parent application but not previously claimed. Therefore, the differences would lie in the specific scope or limitations of the claims. Without a detailed claim comparison, it's difficult to pinpoint exact anticipation, but the fundamental concepts of using triacetin, hydrogen peroxide, and an alkali metal hydroxide for on-site PAA generation would likely be covered by the parent.

8. US 2009/0005590 A1

• Full Citation: US 2009/0005590 A1 to J.N. Howarth et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Published January 1, 2009 (filed July 1, 2008).
• Brief Description: This patent application describes biosynthetic methods of producing peracids from carboxylic acids and esters using perhydrolase enzymes.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The '443 patent's background discusses enzymatic methods but states they are limited by enzyme oxidation, high cost, and the need to remove the enzyme for food-related applications. Claims 1, 8, and 15 of US9730443B2 do not rely on perhydrolase enzymes, making direct anticipation unlikely.

9. US 2007/0082832 A1

• Full Citation: US 2007/0082832 A1 to J.N. Howarth et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Published April 12, 2007 (filed October 11, 2006).
• Brief Description: This is a related patent application to US 2009/0005590 A1, also disclosing biosynthetic methods for producing peracids using enzymes.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US 2009/0005590 A1, this reference's enzymatic approach differs significantly from the chemical reaction described in claims 1, 8, and 15 of US9730443B2, rendering direct anticipation improbable.

10. US 2009/0314652 A1

• Full Citation: US 2009/0314652 A1 to J.N. Howarth et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Published December 24, 2009 (filed February 24, 2009).
• Brief Description: This patent application describes methods for generating peracetic acid using cation membrane-divided electrolysis cells and gas diffusion electrodes.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The '443 patent's background discusses the disadvantages of such electrolytic systems, including low concentration of electroactive species, high capital costs, difficulty in maintaining steady-state conditions, and issues with carbon dioxide in air. As claims 1, 8, and 15 of US9730443B2 do not use electrolysis or gas diffusion electrodes, this reference is unlikely to directly anticipate those claims.

11. WO 01/46519 A1

• Full Citation: WO 01/46519 A1 to Ecolab Inc.
• Publication/Filing Date: Published June 28, 2001 (filed December 20, 2000).
• Brief Description: This international publication describes a process for generating PAA on-site by metering an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide and a solid dry source of tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED) into an agitated tank, followed by the introduction of aqueous sodium hydroxide and subsequent flow through coiled tubing for reaction and cooling.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The '443 patent's background discusses this process, highlighting disadvantages such as the difficulty of accurately metering a solid and a liquid simultaneously, and high capital equipment costs. While it involves on-site generation and an alkali, US9730443B2 uses a liquid acetyl precursor (triacetin) and specifically addresses the problems associated with solid TAED, such as low water solubility and degradation during storage. Therefore, claims 1, 8, and 15 of US9730443B2, which are based on a liquid triacetin-hydrogen peroxide precursor solution, would likely distinguish over this reference due to the different physical form and properties of the acetyl precursor.

12. WO 2004/0245116 A1

• Full Citation: WO 2004/0245116 A1 to K.J. Hunter et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Published March 25, 2004 (filed September 10, 2003).
• Brief Description: This international publication relates to electrochemical systems for generating oxidants, including hydrogen peroxide, which can then react with an acetyl donor to produce peracetic acid.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to the other electrolytic references, this document describes an electrochemical method. The '443 patent's claims 1, 8, and 15, which rely on a non-electrolytic chemical reaction of specific liquid components, would likely be considered distinct.

13. WO 2008/140988 A2

• Full Citation: WO 2008/140988 A2 to J.N. Howarth et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Published November 20, 2008 (filed May 16, 2008).
• Brief Description: This international publication discusses both electrolytic and biosynthetic methods for producing peracids.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): As this reference covers methods that the '443 patent explicitly distinguishes itself from (electrolytic and enzymatic processes), direct anticipation of claims 1, 8, or 15 of US9730443B2 is unlikely.

14. US 2009/0043132 A1

• Full Citation: US 2009/0043132 A1 to J.N. Howarth et al.
• Publication/Filing Date: Published February 12, 2009 (filed August 9, 2007).
• Brief Description: This patent application describes a process for generating PAA on-site by introducing hydrogen peroxide into a sidestream of water, followed by the introduction of acetic anhydride.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): The '443 patent mentions this process but notes that all processes employing acetic anhydride suffer from the limitations of it being expensive, corrosive, an irritant, and highly flammable. US9730443B2 specifically uses triacetin as the acetyl precursor, which avoids the issues associated with acetic anhydride. Therefore, claims 1, 8, and 15 would likely distinguish over this reference.