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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments, filed with respect to the prior art rejections have been fully considered but they are moot. Applicant’s arguments are directed at the current amendment. Applicant has amended the claims to present a new combination(s) of limitations for examination, necessitating the new grounds of rejection presented below. As noted by the Examiner in the 17 November 2025 interview since the material of the storing portion 71 is porous, the spaces are necessarily in communication with all the flow paths; additionally, since storing portion 71 is part of a closed loop, the spaces would also be in communication with all the flow paths. While slightly narrower than the amendment presented to the Examiner in the 17 November 2025 interview, Examiner notes that “disposed between an entirety” remains broad and does little to further structurally limit/define the spaces, since even a rather small or restricted space can be disposed between an entirety of other objects. This does not require that the space(s) have any particular shape or extent. It appears that reciting additional structural details from the paragraphs which Applicant points to for support would likely define over the rejection of record, and/or Applicant could consider reciting structural details as suggested by the Examiner on 17 November 2025 to overcome the rejection of record.
Response to Amendment
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: previously presented “a second space disposed between the second side of the housing flow paths and the high-temperature-side inflow path;” has been erroneously included in addition to the amended version of the same line below. Appropriate correction is required.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Auringer (US-20160025385-A1: previously cited).
Regarding claim 1, Auringer discloses a cooling module for solid-state refrigerant cooling, the cooling module comprising:
an annular storing portion (Fig 4 rotating beds 71, par 0046: the wheel assembly with multiple beds 71 is considered the annular storing portion) including a housing portion (Fig 6 depicts one bed 71 of the beds of the wheel assembly, see exterior structure of bed 71 in Fig 6 as a housing portion) configured to store a solid-state refrigerant substance therein (Fig 6 bed 71, par 0028: “sector-shaped beds of magnetocaloric material”, Fig 4 magnetocaloric material 72, par 0046), the housing portion having housing flow paths formed therein through which a heating medium flows (par 0028: “The magnetocaloric material beds are porous to fluid flow. The pores in the beds that carry the fluid flow could be in many different forms, including connected porosity or channels in a solid matrix, or connected interstices between either particles, plates, or screens”; bed 71 is within housing portion); a low-temperature-side inflow path through which the heating medium flows into a first side of the housing flow paths (Fig 4 and 6, cold inlet pipe 89 at first side, see Annotated Fig A below; par 0048-0049); a high-temperature-side inflow path through which the heating medium flows into a second side of the housing flow paths (Fig 4 and 6, hot inlet pipe 80 at second side, see Annotated Fig A below; par 0048-0049), the second side of the housing flow paths being disposed on an opposite side of the housing portion from the first side of the housing flow paths (annotated Fig A, see second side on opposite side of housing portion from first side-i.e. top vs bottom); a low-temperature-side outflow path through which the heating medium flowing out of the first side of the housing flow paths flows (Fig 4 and 6, cold outlet pipe 81 at first side, see Annotated Fig A below; par 0048-0049); a high-temperature-side outflow path through which the heating medium flowing out of the second side of the housing flow paths flows (Fig 4 and 6, hot outlet pipe 90 at second side, see Annotated Fig A below; par 0048-0049), each of the low-temperature- side inflow path, the high-temperature-side inflow path, the low-temperature-side outflow path and the high-temperature-side outflow path being a space formed in the annular storing portion (Fig 6, see space within annular storing portion where 80, 90, 81, 89 meet the housing portion of the annular storing portion); a first space disposed between an entirety of the first side of the housing flow paths and the low-temperature- side inflow path and the low-temperature-side outflow path (Fig 6, see Annotated Fig A below: bottom spaces below magnetocaloric material on either side of barrier piece 112, par 0049; compare with Figure 4, since the module is part of a closed loop, inflow/outflow are in communication with the space); a second space disposed between an entirety of the second side of the housing flow paths and each of the high-temperature-side inflow path and the high-temperature-side outflow path (Fig 6, see Annotated Fig A below: top spaces above magnetocaloric material on either side of barrier piece 111, par 0049; compare with Figure 4, since the module is part of a closed loop, inflow/outflow are in communication with the space); a first intermediate flow path in fluid communication with and provided between the low-temperature-side inflow path and the first space (see Annotated Fig A below), and being configured to widen a flow of the heating medium flowing from the low-temperature-side inflow path to the first space (Fig 6, see Annotated Fig A below: see double arrow heads depicting widening of fluid flow passing through first intermediate flow path); and a second intermediate flow path in fluid communication with and provided between the high-temperature- side inflow path and the second space (see Annotated Fig A below), and being configured to widen a flow of the heating medium flowing from the high-temperature-side inflow path to the second space (Fig 6, see Annotated Fig A below: see double arrow heads depicting widening of fluid flow passing through second intermediate inflow path), the low-temperature-side inflow path and the first space extending in a radial direction of the annular storing portion (annotated Fig A, inflow path 89 extends in radial direction across its diameter, see first space extends in radial direction), and the first intermediate flow path being formed between the low-temperature-side inflow path and the first space (see annotated Fig A), and the high-temperature-side inflow path and the second space extending in the radial direction of the annular storing portion (annotated Fig A, inflow path 80 extends in radial direction across its diameter, see second space extends in radial direction), and the second intermediate flow path being formed between the high-temperature-side inflow path and the second space (see annotated Fig A).
Regarding claim 2, Auringer further discloses wherein the annular storing portion includes a plurality of storing members (par 0046: “beds of MCM material are arranged in a wheel assembly”, see single bed in Fig 6; beds are in sector-shaped sections of the wheel, see par 0028), and each of the plurality of storing members includes the housing portion (Fig 6 depicts a single bed 71 of the plurality of beds (71) shown in Fig 4, see exterior structure around Fig 6 bed 71), the low-temperature-side inflow path (Fig 6, cold inlet pipe 89, par 0049), the high-temperature-side inflow path (Fig 6, hot inlet pipe 80, par 0049), the low-temperature- side outflow path (Fig 6, cold outlet pipe 81, par 0049), the high-temperature-side outflow path (Fig 6, hot outlet pipe 90, par 0049), the first space (Fig 6, see Annotated Fig A below, par 0049), the second space (Fig 6, see Annotated Fig A below, par 0049), the first intermediate flow path (see Annotated Fig A below), and the second intermediate flow path (see Annotated Fig A below).
Regarding claim 3, Auringer further discloses wherein each of the plurality of storing members has an annular sectoral, sectoral, or trapezoidal shape (see sectoral shape of bed 71 depicted in Fig 6).
Regarding claim 4, Auringer further discloses wherein each of the plurality of storing members accommodates a plurality of divisional modules therein (Fig 6 left and right sides above magnetocaloric material 72 of bed 71 divided by barrier 111, par 0049), and each of the plurality of storing members further includes a header (see Annotated Fig A below: the combination of first and second intermediate flow paths together are considered as a header) to fluidly connect the plurality of divisional modules with each other in parallel or in series (see Annotated Fig A below: the header enables the left and right side above magnetocaloric material 72 of 71 to be connected in parallel, which occurs based on the flow distribution, see the flow distribution in Fig 7, par 0050).
Regarding claim 5, Auringer further discloses wherein each of the plurality of storing members accommodates a plurality of divisional modules therein (Fig 6 left and right sides above magnetocaloric material 72 of bed 71 divided by barrier 111, par 0049), and each of the plurality of storing members further includes a header (see Annotated Fig A below: the combination of first and second intermediate flow paths together are considered as a header) to fluidly connect the plurality of divisional modules with each other in parallel or in series (see Annotated Fig A below: the header enables the left and right side above magnetocaloric material 72 of 71 to be connected in parallel, which occurs based on the flow distribution, see the flow distribution in Fig 7, par 0050).
Regarding claim 6, Auringer further discloses wherein at least one of circumferential dimensions and axial dimensions of the first space and the second space change from an inner peripheral side toward an outer peripheral side of the annular storing portion (see Annotated Fig A and B below: see circumferential length denoted by double headed arrows in Annotated Fig B changes from an inner peripheral side toward an outer peripheral side of the bed, i.e. the length of first and second spaces increases).
Regarding claim 7, Auringer further discloses wherein at least one of circumferential dimensions and axial dimensions of the first space and the second space change from an inner peripheral side toward an outer peripheral side of the annular storing portion (see Annotated Fig A and B below: see circumferential length denoted by double headed arrows in Annotated Fig B changes from an inner peripheral side toward an outer peripheral side of the bed, i.e. the length of first and second spaces increases).
Regarding claim 8, Auringer further discloses wherein at least one of circumferential dimensions and axial dimensions of the first space and the second space change from an inner peripheral side toward an outer peripheral side of the annular storing portion (see Annotated Fig A and B below: see circumferential length denoted by double headed arrows in Annotated Fig B changes from an inner peripheral side toward an outer peripheral side of the bed, i.e. the length of first and second spaces increases).
Regarding claim 9, Auringer further discloses wherein at least one of circumferential dimensions and axial dimensions of the first space and the second space change from an inner peripheral side toward an outer peripheral side of the annular storing portion (see Annotated Fig A and B below: see circumferential length denoted by double headed arrows in Annotated Fig B changes from an inner peripheral side toward an outer peripheral side of the bed, i.e. the length of first and second spaces increases).
Regarding claim 10, Auringer further discloses wherein at least one of circumferential dimensions and axial dimensions of the first intermediate flow path and the second intermediate flow path change from an inner peripheral side toward an outer peripheral side of the annular storing portion (see Annotated Fig A and C below: see circumferential length denoted by double headed arrows in Annotated Fig C changes from an inner peripheral side toward an outer peripheral side of the bed, i.e. the length of first and second intermediate flow paths—see Annotated Fig A below for reference—increases).
Regarding claim 11, Auringer further discloses wherein the first intermediate flow path and the second intermediate flow path are slits (see Annotated Fig A below: the shape of first and second flow paths are long and narrow cuts within bed 71 and can therefore be considered ‘slits’) extending along the housing flow paths (see Annotated Fig A below: since magnetocaloric material 72 of 71 is made porous, forming the housing flow paths, and the first and second intermediate flow paths extend along material 72 of 71---see where first and second intermediate flow paths meet 71, therefore first and second intermediate flow paths will also extend along the housing flow paths formed by the porous material of 72 of bed 71).
Regarding claim 12, Auringer further discloses wherein the annular storing portion is configured to receive application of a force field in an axial direction of the annular storing portion (Fig 4, a force field is understood to be applied in an axial direction, i.e. direction from bottom to top of Fig 4 or vice versa, since 71 is between magnet 73, par 0046: “As the beds 71 rotate into the gap of a magnet 73, a magnetic field is applied”), and the first space and the second space are positioned to sandwich the housing flow paths therebetween in the direction of the application of the force field applied on the annular storing portion (Fig 6 first space and second space sandwich the housing flow paths, porous paths within 72 of bed 71, in the axial direction, i.e. direction from bottom to top of Figure 6 or vice versa as understood in Fig 4, par 0046).
Regarding claim 13, Auringer further discloses wherein a flow direction of the heating medium flowing into the low-temperature-side inflow path and a flow direction of the heating medium flowing out from the low-temperature-side outflow path are opposite to each other (Fig 6 see arrows depicting opposite flow of cold inlet pipe 89 and cold outlet pipe 81, i.e. flow is entering via 89 and flow is exiting via 81), a flow direction of the heating medium flowing into the high-temperature-side inflow path and a flow direction of the heating medium flowing out from the high-temperature-side outflow path are opposite to each other (Fig 6 see arrows depicting opposite flow of hot inlet pipe 80 and hot outlet pipe 90, i.e. flow is entering via 80 and flow is exiting via 90), the flow direction of the heating medium flowing into the low-temperature-side inflow path and the flow direction of the heating medium flowing into the high-temperature- side inflow path are the same (Fig 6 see arrows depicting flow direction is the same, i.e. flow of hot inlet pipe 80 and cold inlet pipe 89 flow in the same direction towards the housing of bed 71), and the flow direction of the heating medium flowing out from the low-temperature-side outflow path and the flow direction of the heating medium flowing out from the high- temperature-side outflow path are the same (Fig 5 see arrows depicting flow direction is the same, i.e. flow of cold outlet pipe 81 and hot outlet pipe 90 flow in the same direction towards the outside of housing of bed 71).
Regarding claim 14, Auringer further discloses wherein an inflow port of the low-temperature-side inflow path, an inflow port of the high- temperature-side inflow path, an outflow port of the low-temperature-side outflow path, and an outflow port of the high-temperature-side outflow path are provided on an outer peripheral side of the annular storing portion (see Annotated Fig D below: outer peripheral side designated as top and bottom faces of bed 71, see ports of 89, 81, 80, and 90 designated as circles at outer peripheral side).
Regarding claim 15, Auringer further discloses wherein the low-temperature-side inflow path, the high-temperature-side inflow path, the low- temperature-side outflow path, and the high-temperature-side outflow path are sealed on an inner peripheral side of the annular storing portion (see Annotated Fig E below: 89, 80, 81, 90 are sealed by their pipe structure on an inner peripheral side of the bed 71)
Regarding claim 16, Auringer further discloses a third intermediate flow path providing fluid communication between the first space and the low-temperature-side outflow path (see Annotated Fig A below); and a fourth intermediate flow path providing fluid communication between the second space and the high-temperature-side outflow path (see Annotated Fig A below).
Regarding claim 17, Auringer further discloses wherein the solid-state refrigerant substance is a magnetic working substance (par 0046: “beds 71 containing magnetocaloric material 72”).
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.
Claim(s) 18 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Auringer (US-20160025385-A1: previously cited), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Leonard (US-20150168030-A1: cited by Applicant: previously cited).
Regarding claim 18, Auringer further discloses the cooling system further comprising:
an inducing portion (Fig 4 magnet 73) configured to apply a force field onto the annular storing portion in an axial direction of the annular storing portion to change a property of the solid-state refrigerant substance (Fig 4, a force field is understood to be applied in an axial direction, i.e. direction from bottom to top of Fig 4 or vice versa, when 71 is between magnet 73, par 0046: “As the beds 71 rotate into the gap of a magnet 73, a magnetic field is applied” and the magnet is capable of changing a magnetic property of the magnetocaloric material, see par 0046);
a low-temperature-side heat exchanger provided between the low-temperature-side outflow path and the low-temperature-side inflow path (Fig 4 cold heat exchanger 86 is between cold outlet pipes 81 and cold inlet pipes 89 and therefore pipe 81 and 89 in Fig 6);
a high-temperature-side heat exchanger provided between the high-temperature-side outflow path and the high-temperature-side inflow path (Fig 4 hot heat exchanger 75 is between hot outlet pipes 90 and hot inlet pipes 80 and therefore pipe 90 and 80 in Fig 6);
a plurality of the low-temperature-side inflow paths (Fig 4 cold inlet pipes 89, par 0046), a plurality of the high- temperature-side inflow paths (Fig 4 hot inlet pipes 80, par 0046), a plurality of the low-temperature-side outflow paths (Fig 4 cold outlet pipes 81, par 0046), and a plurality of the high-temperature-side outflow paths (Fig 4 hot outlet pipes 90, par 0046).
Auringer does not disclose flow path switching valves, provided respectively between the plurality of the low-temperature-side outflow paths and the low- temperature-side heat exchanger, between the plurality of the low-temperature-side inflow paths and the low temperature-side heat exchanger, between the plurality of the high-temperature-side outflow paths and the high- temperature-side heat exchanger, and between the plurality of the high-temperature-side inflow path and the high- temperature-side heat exchanger.
Leonard teaches flow path switching valves (Leonard Fig 2 and par 0007: “the RMMR uses four valves, referred to as the hot inlet (Hi) valve, the hot outlet (Ho) valve, the cold inlet (Ci) valve, and the cold outlet (Co) valve”), provided respectively
between a plurality of the low-temperature-side outflow paths and a low- temperature-side heat exchanger (Leonard Fig 2 valve ‘Co’ is between cold outlet pipes 66 and heat exchanger ‘CX’, par 0053),
between a plurality of the low-temperature-side inflow paths and the low temperature-side heat exchanger (Leonard Fig 2 valve ‘Ci’ is between cold inlet pipes 72 and cold heat exchanger ‘CX’, par 0053),
between the plurality of the high-temperature-side outflow paths and the high- temperature-side heat exchanger (Leonard Fig 2 valve ‘Ho’ is between hot outlet pipes 82 and hot heat exchanger ‘Hx’, par 0053), and
between the plurality of the high-temperature-side inflow path and the high- temperature-side heat exchanger (Leonard Fig 2 valve ‘Hi’ is between hot inlet pipes 64 and hot heat exchanger ‘Hx’, par 0053).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide the system of Auringer with flow path switching valves, provided respectively between the plurality of the low-temperature-side outflow paths and the low- temperature-side heat exchanger, between the plurality of the low-temperature-side inflow paths and the low temperature-side heat exchanger, between the plurality of the high-temperature-side outflow paths and the high- temperature-side heat exchanger, and between the plurality of the high-temperature-side inflow path and the high- temperature-side heat exchanger, as taught by Leonard, as doing so would benefit the system of Auringer by allowing control of the fluid flow such that fluid is appropriately provided when a bed is within a gap of a rotating magnet or when it is not (see Leonard par 0007).
Regarding claim 19, Auringer further discloses wherein the solid-state refrigerant substance is a magnetic working substance (Auringer par 0046: “beds 71 containing magnetocaloric material 72”).
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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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAVIA SULLENS whose telephone number is (571)272-3749. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 6:30-4:30 Eastern.
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, Jianying Atkisson can be reached at 571-270-7740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAVIA SULLENS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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