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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II, claims 7-12, in the reply filed on October 6, 2020 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-6, recited after claim 7, are objected to because of the following informalities: these claims recite the limitation “the method of claim 1”. However, a method is being claimed in claim 7. Claims 2-6 (recited after claim 7) should be renumbered as claims 8-12 and the dependency should be corrected to depend upon claim 7, instead of claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 7-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arlt et al. (US Patent Application Publication no. 2014/0302412) in view of Moulthrop, JR et al. (US Patent Application Publication no. 2002/0051898).
With regard to claim 7, Arlt teaches a method for converting energy from a renewable energy source into a storable form of energy (abstract; paragraphs 14, 16), the method comprising:
a. providing a source of electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy is generated by a source from a source of renewable energy, i.e. a photovoltaic installation or a wind turbine plant (paragraph 55);
b. providing an input stream, the input stream comprising water (abstract; paragraphs 16; 55; figure 1);
c. providing an electrolysis system (2), the electrolysis system configured to use the source of electrical energy to convert the water into hydrogen and oxygen (paragraphs 16; 71), wherein the electrolysis system further comprises separate hydrogen and oxygen output streams (as shown in figure 1, the hydrogen is further used and the oxygen is removed from the electrolysis cell);
d. introducing water into the electrolysis system (abstract; paragraphs 16, 55; figure 1);
e, operating the electrolysis system such that water is converted into hydrogen and oxygen gas (paragraph 16);
f. providing a hydrogen storage system (paragraphs 11; 20);
h. providing a power generator (6), wherein the power generator is configured to use at least a portion of the hydrogen and oxygen generated by the electrolysis system to produce electrical power (abstract; paragraphs 2, 24; claim 1);
i. providing a collector system, the collector system configured to collected exhaust created by the power generator, wherein the exhaust from the collector system can provide the input stream for the electrolysis system (paragraphs 24; 39; 55); and
j, storing the portion of the hydrogen not used by the power generator (hydrogenated content is stored in storage tank 4; paragraph 74; figure 1).
Arlt teaches removing the oxygen generated from the electrolyser (as shown in figure 1) but fails to explicitly teach an oxygen storage system.
Moulthrop, JR discloses a regenerative electrochemical cell system and method for use comprising an electrolysis module having an oxygen outlet and a hydrogen outlet (paragraph 8); wherein the oxygen and the hydrogen generated flow to a storage for further use in a fuel cell for generating electrical current (abstract; paragraphs 23; 48). Arlt also discloses a fuel cell (6) coupled to an electrolysis cell (2; figure 1). One having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to collect the oxygen generated in the electrolysis system of Arlt and store it for further use in fuel cells for generating electrical current, as taught by Moulthrop, JR, with a reasonable expectation of success in doing so.
With regard to claim 8, Arlt teaches wherein the input stream is fresh water (paragraphs 19; 55).
With regard to claim 9, the method of Arlt further comprises:
a. providing a water treatment system, the water treatment system comprising a distillation system configured to partially purify the input stream prior to introduction the input stream into the electrolysis system (paragraph 19), and
b, processing the input stream with the water treatment system prior to introducing the input stream into the electrolysis system (the system automatically regulates the water balance required by the electrolyser; paragraph 19).
With regard to claim 10, Arlt further discloses using water recovered from the power generator (6) as at least a portion of the input stream into the electrolyser (as shown in figure 1).
With regard to claim 11, Arlt teaches transmitting electrical power to an electrical grid distribution system (paragraph 13).
With regard to claim 12, the method of Moulthrop, JR further comprises using hydrogen generated by the electrolysis system to refuel vehicles that operate on hydrogen consuming fuel systems (paragraph 62; claim 33).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZULMARIAM MENDEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9805. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8am-4:30p.
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/ZULMARIAM MENDEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1794