DETAILED ACTION
Notice of AIA Status
The present application, filed on 3/3/23, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-23 are pending.
Claims 1-23 are rejected.
Claims 1-23 are objected to.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-23 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1-23 are objected to under 37 C.R.F. 1.75 for each element of the claims not being separated by a line indentation (see MPEP 608.01(i) and under 37 CFR 1.17(a) for inconsistent terminology. For the sake of clarity and uniformity in terminology, consider the “Suggestions to Overcome Objections to the Claims and Rejections of the Claims under 35 U.S.C. §112” section which point out the inconsistencies in terminology by suggesting amendments to overcome the objections.
Claims dependent on an objected base claim are objected to because any claim in dependent form is construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) 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.
The claims are generally narrative and indefinite, failing to conform with current U.S. practice. They appear to be a literal translation into English from a foreign document and are replete with grammatical and idiomatic errors. To overcome this issue, consider the “Suggestions to Overcome Objection to the Claims and Rejections of the Claims under 35 U.S.C. §112” section which point out the grammatical and idiomatic errors by suggesting amendments to overcome this issues.
Claim 1 recites “the entry”. There isn’t sufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claims.
Claim 4 recites “the one side”. There isn’t sufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 recites “the other side”. There isn’t sufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 recites “this second plate-shaped element”. It isn’t clear what this second plate-shaped element refers to.
Claim 9 recites “The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first section of a first plate-shaped element is joined with sealing to the first section of a second plate-shaped element arranged on the one side of the first plate-shaped element, so that the at least one first portion of the at least one reactor chamber is formed between the second section of this second plate-shaped element and the second section of the first plate-shaped element, and furthermore the second section of the first plate-shaped element is joined with sealing to the second section of a further second plate- shaped element arranged on the other side of the first plate-shaped element, so that the at least one second portion of the reactor chamber is formed between the first section of this further second plate-shaped element and the first section of the first plate-shaped element”. However claim 4 recites “the first section of at least one first plate-shaped element is joined with sealing to a second plate-shaped element arranged on the one side of the first plate-shaped element, so that the at least one first portion of the reactor chamber is formed between this second plate-shaped element and the second section of the first plate-shaped element, and furthermore the second section of the first plate-shaped element is joined with sealing to a further second plate-shaped element arranged on the other side of the first plate-shaped element , so that at least one second portion of the at least one reactor chamber is formed between this further second plate-shaped element and the first section of the first plate-shaped element”. it isn’t clear how claim 9 further limits the scope of claim 4 as required of dependent claims under 35 U.S.C. 112(d).
Claim 13 recites “its base”. It isn’t clear what the pronoun “its” in its base refers back to.
Claim 14 recites “its base”. It isn’t clear what the pronoun “its” in its base refers back to.
Claim 21 recites “its outlet”. It isn’t clear what the pronoun “its” in its outlet refers back to.
Claim 21 recites “its inlet”. It isn’t clear what the pronoun “its” in its inlet refers back to.
Claim 22 recites “its top”. It isn’t clear what the pronoun “its” in its top refers back to.
Claim 22 recites “its bottom”. It isn’t clear what the pronoun “its” in its bottom refers back to.
Claim 23 recites “its open bottom”. It isn’t clear what the pronoun “its” in its open bottom refers back to.
Claims dependent on an indefinite base claim are indefinite because any claim in dependent form is construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Suggestions to Overcome Objections to the Claims and Rejections of the Claims under 35 U.S.C. §112
The following listing of claims is drafted by the examiner and considered to clarify the scope of the claim invention, overcome the rejection of claims under 35 U.S.C. §112(b) and the objection to claims and is presented to applicant for consideration:
Claim 1. (Currently Amended) An apparatus comprising:
a reactor for dehydrogenating a hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier, comprising:
a hydrogen carrier inlet for supplying the hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier;
a first reactor chamber for separating, at least partially, gaseous hydrogen from the hydrogen carrier and for converting the hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier into an at least partially dehydrogenated hydrogen liquid carrier, the first reactor chamber including a first first reactor chamber portion;
a first hydrogen carrier outlet for outputting the at least partially dehydrogenated liquid hydrogen carrier,
a second hydrogen outlet for outputting gaseous hydrogen separated hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier;
a first plate; and
a second platethe first reactor chamber is disposed between the first plate,the first platehaving a first first plate section and first plate section spaced apart from the first first plate section in a first direction substantially transverse to a first plane wherein the first first plate section sealingly joined and forms the first reactor chamber portion first plate section.
Claim 2. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first first reactor chamber portion comprises a first channel.
Claim 3. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first plate comprises a first plurality of plates and the second plate comprises a second plurality of plates wherein each plate of the second plurality of plates are arranged adjacent to a corresponding plate of the first plurality of plates in an alternating sequence.
Claim 4. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a second second plate wherein the first reactor chamber comprises a second first reactor chamber portion, the first plate includes a first first plate side and a second first plate side and the first first plate section sealingly joined the second plate first first plate side and forms thereactor chamber portion the second platefirst plate section first plate section sealingly joined the second second platesecond first plate side and forms the second first reactor chamber portion the second second platefirst plate section.
Claim 5. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second first reactor chamber portion comprises a first channel and a second channel[[,]] thermally coupled to andthe first channel.
Claim 6. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of first channels including the first channel and a plurality of second channels including the second channel wherein each channel of the plurality of first channels is adjacent to a corresponding channel of the plurality of second channels.
Claim 7. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
Claim 8. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second plate section and second plate section spaced apart from the first first plate section in a second direction substantially transverse to a second plane second plate section sealingly joined first plate section.
Claim 9. (Cancelled)
Claim 10. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first plate comprises a first plurality of first plate sections including the first first plate section and a second plurality of first plate sections including the second first plate section.
Claim 11. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first first plate section has a first cross section having a honeycomb shape or the second first plate section has a second cross section has a second cross section having the honeycomb shape, or both.
Claim 12. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of each arrangement of the plurality of arrangements adjacent to a corresponding arrangement of the plurality of arrangements wherein the plurality of arrangements form a structure having a cross section having a shape.
Claim 13. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first first plate section has a first cross section having a triangular shape having a triangular shape open base or the second first plate section has a second cross section having the triangular shape having the triangular shape open base, or both.
Claim 14, (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first first plate section has a first cross section having a trapezoidal shape having a trapezoidal shape open base or the second first plate section has a second cross section having the trapezoidal shape having the trapezoidal shape open base, or both.
Claim 15. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein further comprising a plurality of , each arrangement of the plurality of arrangements adjacent to a corresponding arrangement of the plurality of arrangements wherein the plurality of arrangements form a structure having a cross section having a shape.
Claim 16. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein first first plate section has a first cross section having a rectangular shape having a rectangular shape open base side or the second first plate section has a second cross section having the rectangular shape having the rectangular shape open base side, or both.
Claim 17. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of each arrangement of the plurality of arrangements adjacent to a corresponding arrangement of the plurality of arrangements wherein the plurality of arrangements form a structure having a meandering cross section.
Claim 18. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a catalyst material selected to undergo a catalytic reaction and separate hydrogen from the hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier as a result of [[a]] the catalytic reaction and to convert the hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier into the at least partially dehydrogenated liquid hydrogen carrier.
Claim 19. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 1 first hydrogen outlet comprises a semi-permeable membrane closing the first hydrogen outlet wherein the semi-permeable is selected to enable hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier to pass through the semi-permeable membrane.
Claim 20. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the first reactor chamber has a first delimited first reactor chamber portion a third plate and a fourth plate wherein the semi-permeable membrane is disposed in the third plate or in the fourth plate.
Claim 21. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein first reactor chamber comprises:
a first channel comprising a first channel inlet in fluid connection with the hydrogen carrier inlet ;
a first channel outlet for passing through the hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier;
a second channel comprising a second channel inlet; and a second channel outlet in fluid connection with the hydrogen carrier outlet for passing the at least partially dehydrogenated hydrogen carries through the second channel wherein the first channel outlet is arranged above first channel inlet the second channel inlet is arranged above the second channel outlet, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a connecting chamber first channel outlet, first hydrogen carrier outlet, and second channel inlet.
Claim 22. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the first hydrogen carrier outlet has a collecting chamber including a collecting chamber bottom comprising a semi-permeable membrane and a collecting chamber bottom opening closed by the semi-permeable membrane, the connecting chamber having a collecting chamber top having a collecting chamber top openingconnecting chamber top that the collecting chamber bottom opening top opening.
Claim 23. (Currently Amended) The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the bottom and top are open and the collecting chamber top and is partitioned from the connecting chamber by the semi-permeable membrane.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-23 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the closest cited prior art reference, Stusch (DE 102016121688 A1, cited 4/24/23), teaches an apparatus (system in page 3, which recites “a system comprising a reactor for dehydrogenating a hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier”) comprising
a reactor for dehydrogenating a hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier (see page 3, which recites “page 3, which recites “a reactor for dehydrogenating a hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier”), wherein the reactor comprises
at least one hydrogen carrier inlet for the entry of the hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier (see page 3, which recites “the reactor having at least a first channel with an inlet for supplying a hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier”),
at least one reactor chamber (second channel 10, illustrated in Fig. 2) for at least partial separation of gaseous hydrogen from the hydrogen carrier and for conversion of the hydrogen carrier into an at least partially dehydrogenated state (the at least one reactor chamber of Stusch is capable of at least partial separation of gaseous hydrogen from the hydrogen carrier and for conversion of the hydrogen carrier into an at least partially dehydrogenated state) (see page 2, which recites “dehydrogenating a hydrogen-enriched liquid hydrogen carrier in a reactor”),
at least one hydrogen carrier outlet (see pages 3-4, which recites “dehydrated liquid hydrogen carrier is from an outlet”) for outputting the hydrogen carrier which is in an at least partially dehydrogenated state (the at least one hydrogen carrier outlet is capable of outputting the hydrogen carrier which is in an at least partially dehydrogenated state”),
at least one hydrogen outlet (conduit 13, illustrated in Fig. 1) for outputting the hydrogen dissolved from the hydrogen carrier,
at least one first plate- shaped element (‘first’ partition 39, illustrated in Fig. 2) and at least one second plate-shaped element (second partition 39, illustrated in Fig. 2), wherein at least one portion of the at least one reactor chamber (channel 10) is disposed between the first plate-shaped element (‘first’ partition 39) and the second plate-shaped element (‘second’ partition 39).
In addition, Ke (WO2017007421A1) teaches a reactor for dehydrogenating a material (see claim 1 which recites “a reactor for generating hydrogen from a solid hydrogen-generating material), , the reactor comprising:
at least one reactor chamber for at least partial separation of gaseous hydrogen from the hydrogen carrier and for conversion of the hydrogen carrier into an at least partially dehydrogenated state (see claim 1, which recites “a chamber defined between a first end member and a second end member the second end member being spaced from the first end member along a separation direction”);
at least one hydrogen carrier inlet (see claim 1 which recites “an inlet for receiving a fluid”);
at least one hydrogen outlet for outputting the hydrogen dissolved form he hydrogen carrier (see claim 1, which recites “an outlet for releasing hydrogen”).
Neither of the prior art references, Stusch and Ke, teaches or reasonably suggests that the at least one first plate-shaped element includes at least one arrangement of a first section and of a second section spaced apart from the first section in a direction transverse to a plane substantially defined by the first plate-shaped element, and the first section of the first plate-shaped element is joined with sealing to the at least one second plate-shaped element so that a first portion of the reaction chamber is formed between the second section of the first plate-shaped element and the second plate-shaped element.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN BORTOLI whose telephone number is (571)270-3179. The examiner can normally be reached 9 AM till 6 PM EST Monday through Thursday.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lyle Alexander can be reached at (571)272-1254. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JONATHAN BORTOLI/Examiner, Art Unit 1797