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 Amendments
In response to the amendments received 05/25/2026:
Claims 1-17 are pending in the current application. Claims 10-16 remain withdrawn. Claim 1 has been amended. Claim 17 is new. New claim 17 recites the previously indicated allowable subject matter of claim 8 in light of claims 1, 6, and 7.
Examiner notes at least a first embodiment of claims 1-4 and second embodiment of claims 6-8. It is noted in the event of allowance, the claims drawn to separate and distinct species must be canceled.
Claim Interpretation
Claim 1 recites “…a body part having an upper body opened upwards and downwards, and a lower body opened upwards and downwards, and coupled to the upper body to define an interior space, in which cells are stacked upwards and downwards, together with the upper body…”. Using the broadest reasonable interpretation “coupled together” does not require direct contact, and can be through physical connection, such as other components (such as plates/cells/etc.) (similar to a locomotive coupled to a caboose via couplers and train cars). “coupled” can also be interpreted as combined/joined, forming a unitary body, electrically, or thermally.
Claims 5, 6, and 8 recite “inwards”. Using the broadest reasonable interpretation without given spatial direction in which coupling or alignment is protruding “inwards” can be interpreted as inwards towards the center of the frame part or towards respective other frame parts.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. (KR20090109971A).
Regarding claim 1, Han teaches a cartridge assembly comprising:
a plurality of cartridges stacked in an upward and downward direction, wherein each of the plurality of cartridges (Fig. 13.20) includes:
a body part having an upper body, or lower separator perimeter with gasket 18/21 opened upwards and downwards, and a lower body, or upper separator with gasket 16/10 opened upwards and downwards, and coupled to the upper body to define an interior space, wherein the lower body 16 is attached to the MEA (frame) using the compressive gasket of lower body 10, and the upper body 18 is attached to the MEA using between the plate and MEA (frame) for tightness (Fig. 3.18-20), in which cells, membrane electrode assembly 12 are stacked upwards and downwards (P7; Fig. 1.18), together with the upper body; a cover part having an upper cover, or cushioning member 22 and separation plate, configured to cover an upper opening formed on an upper side of the upper body (P41.49; Fig. 11-12); and a lower cover, or cushioning member 22 and separation plate configured to cover a lower opening formed on a lower side of the lower body (P33-35.41-49; Fig. 5.11-12) and a connection part, or fixation portions (P7.40-70; Fig. 13.19) fixedly coupled to another cartridge disposed on an upper side or a lower side of the cartridge to be adjacent thereto, and wherein the connection part is configured to couple the upper body 18 of one cartridge to the lower body 16 of another cartridge disposed on an upper side thereof, and to couple the lower body 16 of the one cartridge to the upper body 18 of another cartridge disposed on a lower side thereof.
Examiner notes that while Han is silent in explicitly reciting the body parts are opened upwards and downwards, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the three windows on either end of each body in the longitudinal direction shown in the Figures (Fig. 18-20) must be opened in the upwards and downwards direction to receive flow of reactants and coolant of a fuel cell assembly.
Regarding claim 2, Han teaches the connection part includes: an upper boss area having a shape that protrudes upwards from the upper side of the upper body; and a lower boss area having a shape that protrudes downwards from the lower side of the lower body, wherein the upper boss area protrudes from an upper surface of the upper body toward the upper opening, and wherein the lower boss area protrudes from a lower surface of the lower body toward the lower opening, as shown in annotated Fig. 20, below.
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Regarding claim 3, Han teaches the connection part includes: a lower recess area formed at a location of the lower body and the lower cover, which corresponds to a location of the upper boss area, to be recessed, and into which the upper boss area is inserted; and an upper recess area formed at a location of the upper body and the upper cover, which corresponds to a location of the lower boss area, to be recessed, and into which the lower boss area is inserted, as shown in annotated Fig. 20, above.
Regarding claim 4, Han teaches a plurality of upper boss areas and a plurality of upper recess areas are formed, and are alternately arranged along an upper periphery of the upper body, as shown in annotated Fig. 20, above.
Regarding claim 5, Han teaches the upper body 20/21 is disposed on an upper side of the lower body to surround side surfaces of the lower body 16/18, and wherein the body part includes: a coupling recess formed to be recessed downwards from the upper side of the lower body; and a coupling boss member, or I-shaped protrusions protruding inwards from a location of the upper body, which corresponds to the coupling recess, and inserted into the coupling recess (P30-37; Fig. 6b.8b.10b).
Regarding claim 6, Han teaches the body part further includes: an alignment member of at least 21b protruding inwards from the lower body 18/16, and having a shape corresponding to an area, in which the cell is recessed (P36-41; Fig. 6-10).
Regarding claim 7, Han teaches the alignment member includes: a pair of extension parts having a shape extending upwards, and spaced apart from each other; an insertion recess formed between the pair of extension parts; and a first insertion part having a shape corresponding to an insertion recess of an alignment member of another cartridge disposed on the lower side of the cartridge to be inserted into the insertion recess, and protruding downwards from a location corresponding to the insertion recess, as shown in annotated Fig. 20, below.
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Regarding claim 9, Han teaches the body part further includes: a lower fastening member, either 21b or grooves, protruding laterally from the lower body, and having a fastening hole, or center or grooves and concavity passing therethrough upwards and downwards, at a middle portion thereof; and an upper fastening member, or connection member 22 or protruding from the upper body, extending downwards, and configured to be snap-fitted with the fastening hole (P34-49; Fig. 6b.8b.10b.14-15).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 17 is allowed. Claim 8 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the prior art of record, alone, or in combination, appears to teach, suggest, or render obvious the inventions of claim 17 and claim 8, in view of claims 1, 6, and 7.
Claim 17 and claim 8, incorporated with claims 1 and 6-7, both recite a second insertion part protruding inwards from the upper side of the upper body, and having a shape corresponding to the insertion recess, wherein the second insertion part is disposed on a lower side of a first insertion part of another cartridge disposed on the upper side of the cartridge, and wherein a length of the insertion recess is larger than a sum of a length of the second insertion part and a length of the first insertion part in the upward and downward direction, wherein the insertion recess is a part of an alignment member that includes a pair of extension parts having a shape extending upwards, and spaced apart from each other; the insertion recess formed between the pair of extension parts; and a first insertion part having a shape corresponding to an insertion recess of an alignment member of another cartridge disposed on the lower side of the cartridge to be inserted into the insertion recess, and protruding downwards from a location corresponding to the insertion recess, and the alignment member protrudes inward from the lower body, and has a shape corresponding to an area, in which the cell is recessed.
In addition to Han, above, the closest prior art includes:
Kawashima et al. (US20080305384) teaches a cartridge assembly comprising:
a plurality of cartridges (Fig. 1) stacked in an upward and downward direction, wherein each of the plurality of cartridges includes
a body part having an upper body opened upwards and downwards, and a lower body opened upwards and downwards, and coupled to the upper body to define an interior space, or first frame body 6A and second frame body 6B in which cells 10 are stacked upwards and downwards, together with the upper body (P83-95.103; Fig. 1-4.14);
a cover part having an upper cover configured to cover an upper opening formed on an upper side of the upper body, and a lower cover configured to cover a lower opening formed on a lower side of the lower body, or anode separator 2 and cathode separator 3 (P84-95; Fig. 1-2);
a connection part, such as general sealing member 9, fixedly coupled to another cartridge disposed on an upper side or a lower side of the cartridge to be adjacent thereto (P99-103; Fig. 11-12). The upper body, interpreted as first frame body 6A is disposed on an upper side of the lower body, or second frame body BA to surround side surfaces of the lower body 6B (P95.104; Fig. 9-14), and wherein the body part includes: a coupling recess 8B formed to be recessed downwards from the upper side of the lower body 6B; and a coupling boss member 8A protruding inwards from a location of the upper body 6A, which corresponds to the coupling recess 8B, and inserted into the coupling recess (P94.111.116-118; Fig. 4-7).
Ganski et al. (US 20030194597) teaches a similar alignment member protruding inwards from the lower body, and having a shape corresponding to an area, in which the cell is recessed (P70-72; Fig. 8).
Morimoto et al. (US 2010/0098989) teaches alignment members with corresponding grooves and areas for insertion (Fig. 10-17)
Jin et al. (US 20180145365) teaches an alignment member with adjustable sizes and engagement parts relative to the cell and adjacent cartridges (P40-60; Fig. 2-7).
However, none of these references teach the alignment parts for adjacent cartridges wherein a length of the insertion recess is larger than a sum of a length of the second insertion part and a length of the first insertion part in the upward and downward direction.
Therefore, the references fail to teach or suggest the particulars of claim 1 including the limitations of claims 6-8 and it’s not obvious to modify these teachings to give the instant claimed invention. Thus, none of the prior art of record, alone or in combination appear to teach, suggest or render obvious the invention of claim 1 including the limitations of claims 6-8.
Response to Arguments
In response to the arguments filed 05/25/2026:
Applicant argues: Han does not teach or suggest each and every element of claim 1. Specifically, Han merely teaches that upper/lower partition plates are opened only on one side.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. The perimeter of the separator plates combined with gaskets plates are interpreted as the upper and lower cartridges. The center closed portion/ flow fields can be interpreted as the upper and lower cover. This falls within a broadest reasonable interpretation and reads on the Applicants structure of i.e. Fig. 3 and 5 (PGPUB US20240014430A1).
Applicant argues: Han also fails to teach or suggest that cells are accommodated inside the partition plates. Han discusses a structure in which an MEA is disposed between the upper/lower partition plates coupled to each other. In addition, Han discusses a structure in which structures formed by coupling the upper/lower partition plates are not stacked with each other but are disposed to face each other with the MEA interposed therebetween. Moreover, Han merely discloses a structure in which a lower partition plate (element indicated by an arrow at the bottom of Figure 13 of Han) is coupled to a lower side of one upper partition plate (e.g., element 16 in Figure 13 of Han) through a coupling means, but does not disclose a structure in which another lower partition plate (e.g., element 18 highlighted in blue in Figure 13 of Han, reproduced below) is coupled to an upper side of the one upper partition plate through the coupling means.
Han teaches the upper and lower cartridge are electrically coupled together and also coupled together through a plurality of gaskets with a MEA stack in the interior space, wherein the lower cartridge and upper cartridge are coupled with compressive gaskets attached to the frame of an MEA forming an airtight sealing. The MEA is disposed within a frame and is within interior space defined by upper and lower partial separating plates (P33-35l Fig.5-6). Han teaches that Fig. 20 shows a detachable state of the cartridge type separating plates 16 and 18. When detaching the separation plate of the desired intermediate portion by using the cartridge-type separation plates (16,18) in the opposite direction to the rest of the stack a smooth detachment is made (P20). With respect to arguments that the lower body of Han is not opened upwards and downwards, Examiner notes that the recited lower cover can be interpreted as the covering of the surface wherein the perimeter and attachment elements can be interpreted as the lower body. Additionally, the upper and lower body are open upward and downward via 3 manifolds positioned on opposite longitudinal ends of the body. Alternatively, given that recited “openings” are not defined as holes, the upward and downward openings can be interpreted as the openings, or grooves configured to receive gaskets Given the broadness of the claim limitations (i.e., cells not recited as electrochemical/fuel/etc., upward and downward, etc.), the structure can be formed integrally in a configuration to cover the lower body.
Above set forth modified grounds of rejection establish prima facie obviousness of the amended and new claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lee et al. (US 20180040932) teaches a stacked configuration with connection members.
Macguire et al. (US 20140220410) teaches a plurality of cartridges includes: a body part having an upper body, such as ribs on one side 55/56 opened upwards and downwards, and a lower body, such as ribs 59/57 on the other side (Fig. 3-20), opened upwards and downwards, and coupled to the upper body, via rib supports or end walls, such as 18/20/62 to define an interior space, in which cells are stacked upwards and downwards, together with the upper body; a cover part having an upper cover, or one side of cell case configured to cover an upper opening formed on an upper side of the upper body, and a lower cover, or other side of cell case, configured to cover a lower opening formed on a lower side of the lower body; and a connection part fixedly coupled to another cartridge disposed on an upper side or a lower side of the cartridge to be adjacent thereto, and wherein the connection part is configured to couple the upper body of one cartridge to the lower body of another cartridge disposed on an upper side thereof, and to couple the lower body of the one cartridge to the upper body of another cartridge disposed on a lower side thereof, such as with pin 63 and hole 65 (P60-70; Fig,. 7-20).
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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/Amanda Rosenbaum/ Examiner, Art Unit 1752
/OSEI K AMPONSAH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
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