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 Amendment
Applicant’s amendment filed on September 23, 2025 has been received. Claims 12-15 are withdrawn from further consideration. Claims 1-11 are currently under consideration.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on September 23, 2025 have been fully considered.
Applicant argues that the cited references fail to disclose or teach the new limitation in amended claim 1, which recites: “a controller configured to compare a use rate of the hydrogen consumed in the fuel cell with a generation rate of the hydrogen generated in a reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers to supply an acid aqueous solution to one or more reaction chambers of the plurality of reaction chambers”.
The arguments are considered persuasive, and therefore, the rejections set forth in the previous Office action under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and 103 have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of the newly discovered reference to Nakanishi et al. (JP 2002-1540802 A), as detailed in the rejections below.
Drawings
FIG. 5 is objected to because the flowchart appears to contain errors. In particular, when the inner pressure of the buffer tank is lower than (<) the reference pressure (YES at step S20), the supply of acid aqueous solution is stopped (at step S30). On the other hand, when the inner pressure of the buffer tank is equal to or higher than (not <) the reference pressure (NO at step S20), the acid aqueous solution is supplied to one reaction chamber (at step S50) or a plurality of reaction chambers (at step S50). As best understood, it appears that “Yes” and “No” at the step S20 are reversed. See specification at paragraphs [0065]-[0067]
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The specification is objected to because paragraph [0060] appears to contain errors.
Paragraph [0060] states:
“Only when the inner pressure of the buffer tank 20 is equal to or lower than a predetermined pressure, the controller 50 is configured to supply the acid aqueous solution to the dehydrogenation reactor 10. That is, when the inner pressure of the buffer tank 20 is lower than the predetermined pressure, the acid aqueous solution is not supplied to the dehydrogenation reactor 10.” (with emphasis added).
It appears that the first phrase “equal to or lower than” should be --lower than--. Also, it appears that the second phrase “lower than” should be --equal to or higher than--.
See specification at paragraphs [0065]-[0067]. 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.
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 1, 2, 4, 6, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakanishi et al. (JP 2002-154802 A) in view of Kang et al. (KR 101864417 B1).
Regarding claim 1, Nakanishi et al. discloses a dehydrogenation reaction apparatus (see FIG. 4; translation, in particular, at the underlined sections on page 7) comprising:
a dehydrogenation reactor (i.e., a reactor 20) having a reaction vessel configured to store a chemical hydride (i.e., a metal hydride, e.g., NaBH4, etc.; see translation at page 4), and at least one partition wall partitioning an inner space of the reaction vessel into a plurality of reaction chambers (i.e., a plurality of small reactors (reaction chambers) 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D are formed in an inner space of the reactor 20 by partitioning the inside of the reactor 20);
a fuel cell 5 receiving hydrogen generated in the dehydrogenation reactor (i.e., an anode 5a of the fuel cell 5 receives hydrogen generated in the reactor 20 via a discharge pipe 4A, wherein the hydrogen is generated by a reaction of the metal hydride with water received from a storage tank 1); and
a controller (i.e., a control unit 8 comprising a microcomputer, see translation at page 4, fourth paragraph; the control unit 8 being programmed to perform the hydrogen gas generation control method shown by the flowchart in FIG. 2, see translation at pages 5-6);
wherein:
the controller 8 is configured to compare a use rate of the hydrogen consumed in the fuel cell 5 with a generation rate of the hydrogen generated in a reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D (at step S10, a required hydrogen amount based on a required power of the fuel cell 5 (a use rate) is input to the control unit 8; and at step S12, the required hydrogen amount is compared with the amount of hydrogen gas generated in a reaction chamber (a generation rate) to determine the specific number of the reaction chambers 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D to be used to generate hydrogen); and
the controller 8 is configured to supply water to one or more reaction chambers of the plurality of reaction chambers 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D (i.e., at step S16, the control unit 8 controls the pump 2 and the on/off positions of the electromagnetic valves (not shown) on the water supply pipes to supply water from the tank 1 to the specific number of the reaction chambers 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D to be used to generate hydrogen).
Nakanishi et al. fails to disclose a buffer tank configured to temporarily store the hydrogen generated in the dehydrogenation reactor 20 and supply the hydrogen to the fuel cell 5. Nakanishi et al. also fails to disclose the use of an acid aqueous solution, instead of water.
Kang et al., however, discloses a dehydrogenation reaction apparatus (see FIG. 1 and 4; translation, in particular, at the underlined portions) comprising:
a dehydrogenation reactor having a reaction vessel (i.e., a reaction tank 100 according to FIG. 4) configured to store a chemical hydride (i.e., a solid hydride Hs, e.g., sodium borohydride, etc.), and at least one partition wall (i.e., partitions 300) partitioning an inner space of the reaction vessel into a plurality of reaction chambers (e.g., three reaction chambers are shown in the cross-section of the reaction tank 100 in FIG. 4); and
a buffer tank (i.e., a hydrogen buffer tank 600, shown in FIG. 1) configured to temporarily store hydrogen generated in the dehydrogenation reactor 100 and supply the hydrogen to a fuel cell F;
wherein the hydrogen is generated by a reaction of the metal hydride with an acid aqueous solution supplied to the dehydrogenation reactor (i.e., a solution of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, etc., supplied from a storage tank 210; see translation at page 4, fifth paragraph).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a buffer tank to temporarily store the hydrogen generated in the dehydrogenation reactor and supply the hydrogen to the fuel cell in the apparatus of Nakanishi et al. because the hydrogen stored in the buffer tank could be continuously supplied to the fuel cell even when hydrogen was not being generated, as taught by Kang et al. (see translation at page 6, fifth paragraph). Furthermore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute an acid aqueous solution for the water being supplied from the tank to the dehydrogenation reactor in the apparatus of Nakanishi et al. because the acid aqueous solution would shorten the half-life period of the hydrogen generation reaction by adjusting the pH, as taught by Kang et al. (see translation at page 4, fifth paragraph).
Regarding claim 2, Nakanishi et al. discloses that the dehydrogenation reactor 20 (see FIG. 4; translation at page 7) further comprises: a first supply port (i.e., a water supply port for the introduction of water into each reaction chamber) formed in the reaction vessel and configured to supply the water to each reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D; and a gas outlet (i.e., a hydrogen gas outlet connected to the discharge pipe 4A) formed in the reaction vessel and configured to discharge hydrogen generated in each reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D. In the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al., the first supply port supplies the acid aqueous solution.
Nakanishi et al. (see translation at page 3, third paragraph) further discloses that the substances subjected to the hydrogen generation reaction, including the chemical hydride, may be provided individually and replenished for each reactor. Nakanishi et al., however, does not specifically disclose a second supply port formed in the reaction vessel and configured to supply the chemical hydride to each reaction chamber 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D.
Kang et al. discloses that the dehydrogenation reactor 100 (FIG. 4) further comprises:
a first supply port formed in the reaction vessel and configured to supply the acid aqueous solution (i.e., the liquid phase decomposition agent Lb from the storage tank 210) to each reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers (i.e., the liquid phase decomposition agent Lb is delivered to each chamber respectively via a delivery pipe 220);
a second supply port (i.e., a port connected to a solid fuel transfer part 500; FIG. 1) formed in the reaction vessel and configured to supply the chemical hydride (i.e., solid hydride Hs from a tank 400) to each reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers; and
a gas outlet (i.e., an outlet (not labeled) in FIG. 4, which leads to a hydrogen transfer pipe 700 shown in FIG. 1) formed in the reaction vessel 100 and configured to discharge hydrogen generated in each reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further provide a second supply port formed in the reaction vessel and configured to supply the chemical hydride to each reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers in the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al. because the second supply port would have allowed for the introduction and replenishment of chemical hydride in each reaction chamber, as taught by Kang et al.
Regarding claim 4, Kang et al. further discloses that the dehydrogenation reaction apparatus comprises a back pressure regulator (i.e., a valve 820; FIG. 6-7) disposed between the dehydrogenation reactor 100 and the buffer tank 600 (i.e., the valve 820 is provided in the hydrogen transfer pipe 700 connecting the reaction tank 100 and the hydrogen buffer tank 600, wherein the valve 820 is controlled by the controller means 900 or comprises an automatic check-valve, such that an internal pressure of the reaction tank 100 is regulated by the opening and closing of the valve 820). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further provide a back pressure regulator between the dehydrogenation reactor and the buffer tank in the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al. because the back pressure regulator would have allowed for an internal pressure of the dehydrogenation reactor to be regulated, as taught by Kang et al.
Regarding claim 6, Nakanishi et al. (FIG. 4) discloses that the dehydrogenation reaction apparatus further comprises: a tank 1 configured to store the water; and a pump 2 configured to pump the water stored in the water tank 1 to the dehydrogenation reactor 20. In the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al., the tank 1 would be used as an acid aqueous solution tank for storing the acid aqueous solution, and the pump 2 would be used to pump the acid aqueous solution from the tank 1 to the dehydrogenation reactor 20.
Regarding claim 11, Nakanishi et al. discloses that the storage of a “large amount” of hydrogen gas should be prevented, due to problems of leakage when storing a large amount of hydrogen (see page 3, fifth paragraph). Nakanishi et al., however, suggests that the storage of smaller amounts of hydrogen is not a problem, as evidenced by the temporary storage of excess hydrogen within the discharge pipe 4 and inside of the reactor (FIG. 1; translation at page 6, third paragraph) or within a storage chamber 20E located in the upper part of the reactor (FIG. 4; translation at page 7, ninth paragraph). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to set the amount of hydrogen to be stored in the buffer tank in the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al. to be equal to a total amount of hydrogen generated in the reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers (i.e., limited to the amount of hydrogen generated by one small reactor (reaction chamber)) because the storage of a large amount of the hydrogen, which has problems with leakage, should be prevented, as suggested by Nakanishi et al.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakanishi et al. (JP 2002-154802 A) in view of Kang et al. (KR 101864417 B1), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wiedemeier et al. (US 2017/0369310).
Nakanishi et al. fails to disclose a cooling coil installed inside the reaction vessel, wherein the cooling coil is configured to circulate a refrigerant.
Wiedemeier et al. discloses a dehydrogenation reaction apparatus comprising: a dehydrogenation reactor (see FIG. 3) having a reaction vessel 310 configured to store a chemical hydride (i.e., a reactant in a reactant container 320, such as a chemical hydride; see paragraph [0025]). In other embodiments, the reactor (see FIG. 4) comprises at least one partition wall (i.e., a barrier 416) partitioning an inner space of the reaction vessel 410 into a plurality of reaction chambers (i.e., a first chamber 412 and a second chamber 414; see paragraph [0032]). Specifically, a cooling coil (i.e., a coil-shaped thermal regulator 344, see FIG. 3; or 442, 444, see FIG. 4; see also paragraph [0035]) is installed inside the reaction vessel, wherein the cooling coil is configured to circulate a refrigerant (i.e., a cooling liquid received via a coil inlet 345A,443A,445A and removed via a coil outlet 345B,443B, 445B).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a cooling coil installed inside the reaction vessel in the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al. because the cooling coil would keep the temperature of dehydrogenation reactor within a desired temperature range during the hydrogen generation reaction, as taught by Wiedemeier et al. (see, e.g., paragraph [0043]).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakanishi et al. (JP 2002-154802 A) in view of Kang et al. (KR 101864417 B1), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Huang et al. ‘043 (CN 1384043 A) and Huang et al. ‘402 (CN 111377402 A).
The combination of Nakanishi et al. and Kang et al. fails to further disclose/teach a mass flow meter disposed between the buffer tank and the fuel cell.
Huang et al. ‘043 discloses a dehydrogenation reaction apparatus (see FIG. 1-3 and translation, in particular, at the underlined portions) comprising:
a plurality of dehydrogenation reactors 1 each having a reaction vessel (i.e., an integrated external box 27) configured to store a chemical hydride (i.e., a solid reactant comprising a chemical hydride, e.g. CaH2 or NaBH4), and each reaction vessel defining a plurality of reaction chambers (i.e., micro-reactors 29);
a buffer tank 14 configured to temporarily store hydrogen generated in the dehydrogenation reactor 1 and supply the hydrogen to a fuel cell 13; and
a controller 8 configured to control the supply of a reaction solution (i.e., from a storage tank 5 filled with the reaction solution) to one or more reactors of the plurality of dehydrogenation reactors 1 (i.e., by controlling the pump 6 and the on/off positions of the electromagnetic valves 2 on the pipes for supplying the reaction solution to the reactors 1) to generated the amount of hydrogen needed by the fuel cell 13;
wherein, specifically, a flow meter (i.e., an instantaneous flow measuring instrument 12) is disposed between the buffer tank 14 and the fuel cell 13 for measuring a hydrogen gas flow through a pipe that connects the buffer tank to the fuel cell.
Huang ‘402 also discloses a dehydrogenation reaction apparatus (see FIG. 1-2; translation) comprising: a dehydrogenation reactor including a plurality of reaction chambers 6 configured to store a chemical hydride (MgH2); and a gas outlet for discharging hydrogen generated in the reaction chambers 6 from the reactor; wherein, specifically, the apparatus comprises a mass flow meter 9 for measuring a hydrogen gas flow through a pipe that connects the dehydrogenation reactor to a fuel cell (fuel battery).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a mass flow meter between the buffer tank and the fuel cell in the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al. because the flow meter would allow for real-time detection and control of the amount of hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell, as taught by Huang ‘043, and furthermore, the use of a mass flow meter as a flow meter for the detection of the hydrogen gas would have been conventional in the art, as further taught by Huang ‘402.
Claims 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakanishi et al. (JP 2002-154802 A) in view of Kang et al. (KR 101864417 B1), as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Huang et al. ‘043 (CN 1384043 A).
Regarding claim 7, Nakanishi et al. (see FIG. 2; translation at pages 5-6) discloses that the controller 8 is configured to adjust the water supplied to the dehydrogenation reactor 20 based on the use rate of hydrogen consumed in the fuel cell 5 (i.e., at step S16, the control unit 8 controls the pump 2 and on/off positions of the electromagnetic valves (not shown) on the water supply pipes to supply water from the tank 1 to the specific number of the reaction chambers 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D to be used to generate hydrogen, based on the required amount of hydrogen input to the control unit 8 at step S10). In the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al., acid aqueous solution is supplied instead of water.
The combination of Nakanishi et al. and Kang et al., however, fails to disclose that the controller is configured to adjust the acid aqueous solution supplied to the dehydrogenation reactor further based on an inner pressure of the buffer tank.
Huang et al. ‘043 discloses a dehydrogenation reaction apparatus (see FIG. 1-3 and translation, in particular, at the underlined portions) comprising:
a plurality of dehydrogenation reactors 1 each having a reaction vessel (i.e., an external box 27) configured to store a chemical hydride (i.e., a solid reactant, e.g., CaH2 or NaBH4), and each reaction vessel defining a plurality of reaction chambers (i.e., micro-reactors 29);
a buffer tank 14 configured to temporarily store hydrogen generated in the dehydrogenation reactor 1 and supply the hydrogen to a fuel cell 13; and
a controller 8 configured to control the supply of a reaction solution (i.e., from a tank 5) to one or more reactors of the plurality of dehydrogenation reactors 1 to obtain the needed amount of hydrogen to meet the fuel cell 13 demand (i.e., the controller 8 controls the pump 6 and the opening of different groups of the electromagnetic valves 2 based on an accumulated flow signal in order to control which reactors 1 participate in the hydrogen generation reaction to meet the fuel cell 13 demand; see translation at page 3, first paragraph);
wherein, specifically, the controller is further configured to control the supply of the reaction solution to the dehydrogenation reactor further based on an inner pressure of the buffer tank (i.e., the buffer tank 14 has a pressure sensor that sends a hydrogen pressure signal to the controller 8, and the controller 8 is further configured to control the pump 6 and the on/off positions of the electromagnetic valves 2 based on the hydrogen pressure signal so that the pressure is maintained in a safe range; see translation at page 3, first paragraph).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further configure the controller to adjust the acid aqueous solution supplied to the dehydrogenation reactor further based on an inner pressure of the buffer tank in the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al. because the pressure in the buffer tank could be automatically maintained in a safe range, as taught by Huang et al. ‘043.
Regarding claim 8, as mentioned above, Huang et al. ‘043 discloses that the controller 8 is configured to control the supply of the reaction solution to the dehydrogenation reactor based on the inner pressure of the buffer tank 14 to maintain the pressure in the buffer tank in a “safe” range. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the controller in the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al. to supply the acid aqueous solution to the dehydrogenation reactor only when the inner pressure of the buffer tank was less than a reference pressure (i.e., less than a pressure indicative of an “unsafe” pressure) because the hydrogen generation reaction in the dehydrogenation reactor would only be performed when it was safe to do so.
Regarding claim 9, Nakanishi et al. (see FIG. 2, at the graph in step S12) discloses that the controller 8 is configured to supply the water from the tank 1 to one reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D when the required amount of hydrogen consumed in the fuel cell 5 is a small amount. In the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al., the acid aqueous solution would be supplied instead of water. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the controller in the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al. to supply the acid aqueous solution to one reaction chamber when the use rate of the hydrogen consumed in the fuel cell was less than or equal to the generation rate of the hydrogen generation in the reaction chamber of the plurality of the reaction chambers.
Regarding claim 10, Nakanishi et al. (see FIG. 2, at the graph in step S12) discloses that the controller 8 is configured to supply the water from the tank 1 to more than one (and up to all) of the plurality of the reaction chambers 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D when the required amount of hydrogen consumed in the fuel cell 5 is increased from a small amount. In the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al., the acid aqueous solution would be supplied instead of water. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the controller in the modified apparatus of Nakanishi et al. to supply the acid aqueous solution to the plurality of reaction chambers when the use rate of the hydrogen consumed in the fuel cell exceeded the generation rate of the hydrogen generated in the reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers.
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.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CLAIRE X WANG can be reached at (571)270-1051. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JENNIFER A LEUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774