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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/06/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Support for the amendments to claims 1 and 4-14 can be found in Applicant’s specification in Figs. 7 and 8A-8C.
The amendments to the claims have been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered.
During further consideration of Applicant’s amended claims, further issues under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) were found, therefore, rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) are below.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
P9 states “Figure 1 and Figure 2 each show a Z-direction parallel to a stacking direction of the cell stacked body 10, and an X-direction and a Y-direction which are perpendicular to the Z- direction and parallel to each other.”
However, the X-direction and Y-direction are perpendicular to each other, not parallel, because the X-axis and Y-axis would cross (see the axes provided in Fig. 1).
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1, 4-5, 8-12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, 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.
Claims 1 and 14 recite the limitation "a plurality of cell stacked bodies that are arranged to line up in a first direction perpendicular to a stacking direction of the cell stacked body". There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the cell stacked body” in the claim.
Claims 1 and 14 recite the limitation "two end-side manifolds provided on opposite sides of lateral surfaces, of the cell stacked body". There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the cell stacked body” in the claim.
Claims 1 and 14 recite the limitation "the inter-stack manifold". There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the inter-stack manifold” in the claim.
Claims 1 and 14 recite the limitation "a gas introducing part that introduces the reaction gas into the cell stacked body" and “an electrolyte membrane that is in the cell stacked body that the gas introducing part is provided on is thicker than the electrolyte membrane in another cell stacked body”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the cell stacked body” in the claim.
Claims 1 and 14 recite the limitation “an electrolyte membrane that is in the cell stacked body that the gas introducing part is provided on is thicker than the electrolyte membrane in another cell stacked body”. Given the antecedent basis issues listed above, “another cell stacked body” is unclear as it is unclear if the “another cell stacked body” is part of the “plurality of cell stacked bodies”.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "a gas passing part that allows communication between a first region in the cell stacked body and a second region, in the cell stacked body, different from the first region such that the reaction gas passes through; and the first one of the two end-side manifold manifolds, for the cell stacked body that is at one end in the first direction”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the cell stacked body” and “the cell stacked body that is at one end in the first direction” in the claim.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "provided on the lateral surface that is on an opposite side to the gas flow channel part”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the lateral surface that is on an opposite side to the gas flow channel part” in the claim.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the gas discharging part being provided on at least part of the lateral surface that the gas introducing part is provided on”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the lateral surface that the gas introducing part is provided on” in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “a first flow channel part that allows communication between the first region in one of the adjacent two of the cell stacked bodies and the first region in the other of the adjacent two of the cell stacked bodies; and a second flow channel part that allows communication between the second region in one of the adjacent two of the cell stacked bodies and the second region in the other of the adjacent two of the cell stacked bodies.”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the first region in one of the adjacent two of the cell stacked bodies”, “the first region in the other of the adjacent two of the cell stacked bodies”, “the second region in one of the adjacent two of the cell stacked bodies”, and “and the second region in the other of the adjacent two of the cell stacked bodies” in the claim. The Examiner notes that in claim 4 the regions are only noted to “the cell stacked body” which has antecedent basis issues noted above.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "for the cell stacked body that is at one end in the first direction” and “a cooling water introducing part that introduces the cooling water into the cell stacked body”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the cell stacked body in the first direction” in the claim.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "provided on the lateral surface that is on an opposite side to the gas flow channel part”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the lateral surface that is on an opposite side to the gas flow channel part” in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation “provided in both end parts of the cell stacked body in the stacking direction and are electrically connected to the cell stacked body”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “both end parts of the cell stacked body in the stacking direction” and “the cell stacked body” in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation “an electrode connecting part that electrically connects the positive electrode terminals and the negative electrode terminals of the adjacent cell stacked bodies”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the positive electrode terminals and the negative electrode terminals of the adjacent cell stacked bodies” and “the adjacent cell stacked bodies” in the claim. The Examiner notes that claim 9 depends on claim 8 and further describes positive electrode terminals and negative electrode terminals of “adjacent one of the cell stacked bodies”.
Claim 10 recites the limitation “a positive electrode terminal that is provided in one end part of the cell stacked body in the stacking direction and is electrically connected to the cell stacked body; a negative electrode terminal that is provided in another end part of each cell stacked body in the stacking direction and is electrically connected to the cell stacked body; and a positive electrode connecting part that electrically connects the positive electrode terminals of the adjacent cell stacked bodies and a negative electrode connecting part that electrically connects the negative electrode terminals of the adjacent cell stacked bodies such that the plurality of cell stacked bodies are electrically connected in parallel”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the cell stacked body in the stacking direction”, “the cell stacked body”, and “the adjacent cell stacked bodies” in the claim.
Claim 11 recites the limitation “wherein the cell stacked bodies are arranged to line up such that orientations of the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal are the same as those of adjacent one of the cell stacked bodies”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “adjacent one of the cell stacked bodies” in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation “wherein the gas flow channel part is provided between a first lateral surface of the cell stacked body and a second lateral surface of an adjacent one of the cell stacked bodies, that faces the first lateral surface”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the cell stacked body” in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
If Applicant overcomes the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), then Claims 1 and 4-14 would be allowable.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: none of the prior art of record, alone or in combination, teaches, suggests, or renders obvious the invention of claims 1 and 4-14.
Regarding claim 1, Aoki discloses a fuel cell comprising:
a cell stacked body having elements stacked (stack 11 in Fig. 5; see entire disclosure and especially P16, 28), each element having:
an electrolyte membrane; a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode between which the electrolyte membrane is interposed (Aoki teaches their invention being used with polymer electrolyte fuel cells, therefore one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the cells in the stack of Fig. 5 of Aoki as polymer electrolyte fuel cells; these cells inherently have a fuel electrode, oxidant electrode, and polymer electrolyte membrane in-between; see entire disclosure and especially P19);
a fuel electrode flow channel plate in which a gas flow channel facing the fuel electrode is provided (anode flow passage plate 5 including anode flow path 10 in Fig. 4; see entire disclosure and especially P4, 27); and
an oxidant electrode flow channel plate in which a gas flow channel facing the oxidant electrode is provided (“the oxidant electrode flow passage of the oxidant electrode flow passage plate”, P4; further, see entire disclosure and especially P4, 16-17, 21).
Aoki discloses manifolds provided on lateral surfaces, of the cell stacked body, along a stacking direction of the cell stacked body (fuel electrode inlet manifold 6, anode outlet manifold 7, oxidant electrode inlet manifold 8, oxidizer electrode outlet manifold 9; see Figs. 4-5; see entire disclosure and especially P16-18, 24), one of the manifolds being configured to feed a reaction gas to the fuel electrode flow channel plate or the oxidant electrode flow channel plate in the cell stacked body (see entire disclosure and especially P4, 27).
However, Aoki does not disclose a plurality of cell stacked bodies and a manifold that is provided between a plurality of the cell stacked bodies arranged to line up in a first direction perpendicular to the stacking direction and that allows communication between the cell stacked bodies such that the reaction gas passes through.
In a similar field of endeavor, Ihara teaches a large capacity fuel cell can be made by using two fuel cell stacks (see entire disclosure and especially P9).
Ihara teaches a first and second fuel cell stack can be connected by a connecting member serving as a common manifold (25 in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P25, 34). Ihara teaches this communicates fuel gas flow paths of the first and second cell stacks without the need to install piping between the two stacks, therefore resulting in reducing the spacing between the two stacks which makes it possible to reduce the size of the housing the two stacks are within (see entire disclosure and especially P21, 25).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Ihara and provided to Aoki at least two cell stacked bodies wherein between the two cell stacked bodies a manifold, such as the connecting member of Ihara, sits to connect the fuel gas flow paths between the two, given Ihara teaches this can make a large capacity fuel cell that links two fuel cell stacks together without piping in-between to reduce spacing between the two fuel cells and allows reducing of the size of a housing the two stacks would sit in.
Therefore, modified Aoki meets the limitations a plurality of cell stacked bodies and a manifold that is provided between a plurality of the cell stacked bodies arranged to line up in a first direction perpendicular to the stacking direction and that allows communication between the cell stacked bodies such that the reaction gas passes through.
The Examiner provides below an example of their interpretation of this modification.
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Examiner’s interpretation of Modified Aoki
Regarding claim 14, Aoki discloses a manifold for a fuel cell, the manifold being provided on a lateral surface, of a cell stacked body (stack 11 in Fig. 5; see entire disclosure and especially P16, 28), along a stacking direction of the cell stacked body (fuel electrode inlet manifold 6, anode outlet manifold 7, oxidant electrode inlet manifold 8, oxidizer electrode outlet manifold 9; see Figs. 4-5; see entire disclosure and especially P16-18, 24),
the cell stacked body having elements stacked, each element having: an electrolyte membrane; a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode between which the electrolyte membrane is interposed (Aoki teaches their invention being used with polymer electrolyte fuel cells, therefore one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the cells in the stack of Fig. 5 of Aoki as polymer electrolyte fuel cells; these cells inherently have a fuel electrode, oxidant electrode, and polymer electrolyte membrane in-between; see entire disclosure and especially P19);
a fuel electrode flow channel plate in which a gas flow channel facing the fuel electrode is provided (anode flow passage plate 5 including anode flow path 10 in Fig. 4; see entire disclosure and especially P4, 27); and an oxidant electrode flow channel plate in which a gas flow channel facing the oxidant electrode is provided (“the oxidant electrode flow passage of the oxidant electrode flow passage plate”, P4; further, see entire disclosure and especially P4, 16-17, 21), and
the manifold being configured to feed a reaction gas to the fuel electrode flow channel plate or the oxidant electrode flow channel plate in the cell stacked body (see entire disclosure and especially P4, 27).
However, Aoki does not disclose a plurality of cell stacked bodies and a manifold that is provided between a plurality of the cell stacked bodies arranged to line up in a first direction perpendicular to the stacking direction and that allows communication between the cell stacked bodies such that the reaction gas passes through.
In a similar field of endeavor, Ihara teaches a large capacity fuel cell can be made by using two fuel cell stacks (see entire disclosure and especially P9).
Ihara teaches a first and second fuel cell stack can be connected by a connecting member serving as a common manifold (25 in Fig. 1; see entire disclosure and especially P25, 34). Ihara teaches this communicates fuel gas flow paths of the first and second cell stacks without the need to install piping between the two stacks, therefore resulting in reducing the spacing between the two stacks which makes it possible to reduce the size of the housing the two stacks are within (see entire disclosure and especially P21, 25).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teaching of Ihara and provided to Aoki at least two cell stacked bodies wherein between the two cell stacked bodies a manifold, such as the connecting member of Ihara, sits to connect the fuel gas flow paths between the two, given Ihara teaches this can make a large capacity fuel cell that links two fuel cell stacks together without piping in-between to reduce spacing between the two fuel cells and allows reducing of the size of a housing the two stacks would sit in.
Therefore, modified Aoki meets the limitations a plurality of cell stacked bodies and a manifold that is provided between a plurality of the cell stacked bodies arranged to line up in a first direction perpendicular to the stacking direction and that allows communication between the cell stacked bodies such that the reaction gas passes through.
The Examiner provides below an example of their interpretation of this modification.
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Examiner’s interpretation of Modified Aoki
However, neither Aoki, Dong, or the other cited references from the Non-Final Rejection dated 07/22/2025 teach or suggest the limitation of “an electrolyte membrane that is in the cell stacked body that the gas introducing part is provided on is thicker than the electrolyte membrane in another cell stacked body”.
Further search previously revealed Son et al (KR 20170004194 A, using the previously provided machine English translation from Google Patents).
Son teaches an electrolyte membrane can have an inclined structure wherein the thickness of the electrolyte is larger at an area closer to the fuel inlet and smaller at an area closer to the fuel outlet (see entire disclosure and especially Page 2).
However, while this concept is similar to the claimed invention in that it wants a larger thickness of an electrolyte membrane near a gas inlet, Son does not disclose or suggest that the electrolyte membranes of a single stack of a plurality of fuel cell stacks are larger than other stacks within the plurality. Rather than what is described in claims 1 and 14, if Son were combined with modified Aoki, it would provide each electrolyte membrane in each stack of the plurality of stacks an inclined design wherein the thicknesses of each electrolyte membrane are increased where the fuel gas enters and decreased where the fuel gas leaves.
Therefore, the references fail to teach or suggest the particulars of independent claims 1 and 14 and it’s not obvious to modify these teachings to give the instant claimed invention. Thus none of the prior art of the record teaches, suggests, or renders obvious the invention of independent claims 1 and 14. Since claims 4-12 depend on claim 1, they are allowable for the same reason.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mary Byram whose telephone number is (571)272-0690. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am-5 pm EST.
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/MARY GRACE BYRAM/Examiner, Art Unit 1729