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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Status of Claims
Claims 1 – 19 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/23/2022 was filed before the first office action. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claims 1 – 2, 7 – 10, 13 – 17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Morris et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0206604 A1).
Regarding Independent Claim 1, Morris teaches a cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) comprising: a housing (Annotated Fig. 5); a mixing pump (112’) mounted on the housing (Annotated Fig. 1) and configured to receive water generated during power generation of a fuel cell stack (102’; Paragraph [0026]) and to mix the water (in chamber 114A’) with a cleaning agent (concentrated washing fluid, 114B’), stored in the housing (Annotated Fig. 1); and a supply line (line 176; Paragraph [0027]) configured to discharge a cleaning solution obtained by mixing the water with the cleaning agent to an outside of the housing (Paragraph [0027]).
PNG
media_image1.png
508
587
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding Claim 2, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) wherein: the housing (Annotated Fig. 5) comprises a first space (114B’) and a second space separated (114A’) from each other, and the cleaning agent (114B’) is stored in the first space (Paragraphs [0025] and [0026]).
Regarding Claim 7, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) wherein the cleaning solution is directed at a windshield cleaning system (124’) or a sensor cleaning system of a fuel cell vehicle comprising the fuel cell stack (Paragraph [0026]).
Regarding Claim 8, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) wherein: the mixing pump comprises a first pump and a second pump (Paragraphs [0028] and [0029]), the first pump is configured to draw the water to move into the housing, and the second pump is configured to move the cleaning agent into the housing (Paragraphs [0028] and [0029]).
Regarding Claim 9, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) wherein the mixing pump (112’) is a single mixing pump comprising a first inlet (162’) and a second inlet (168’), which are configured to suction the water and the cleaning agent (Paragraph [0027]).
Regarding Claim 10, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) further comprising: a directing tube (Annotated Fig. 5) through which the water flows; and a cleaning agent line (Annotated Fig. 5) through which the cleaning agent flows, wherein the directing tube Annotated Fig. 5) is connected to the first inlet (162’) of the single mixing pump, and the cleaning agent line Annotated Fig. 5) is connected to the second inlet (168’) of the single mixing pump (Fig. 1A).
Regarding Claim 13, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) further comprising a controller (electronic control module (ECM); 110’; Fig. 5) configured to control the mixing pump (Paragraph [0007]).
Regarding Claim 14, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) further comprising a remainder sensor (fluid level sensor, 130’) configured to detect an amount of the cleaning agent and an amount of the cleaning solution in the housing and to notify the controller of the detected amounts of the cleaning agent and cleaning solution (Paragraphs [0037] – [0039]).
Regarding Claim 15, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) wherein the controller (110’) is configured to drive the mixing pump when the detected amount of the cleaning solution is less than a preset amount (Paragraph [0039]).
Regarding Claim 16, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) wherein the controller is configured to provide a notification to a cluster of a fuel cell vehicle comprising the fuel cell stack when the detected amount of the cleaning solution is less than the preset amount even after the mixing pump has been repeatedly driven (Paragraph [0008]).
Regarding Claim 17, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) wherein the controller is configured to provide a notification to a cluster of a fuel cell vehicle comprising the fuel cell stack when the detected amount of the cleaning agent is less than a preset amount (Paragraph [0008]).
Regarding Claim 19, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) wherein the controller is configured to vary flow rates of the first pump and the second pump (Paragraph [0029]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 3 – 4, 6 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morris et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0206604 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) of claim 2 as discussed above.
Morris further teaches a space that stores the cleaning solution as mixed by the mixing pump (128) but does not teach wherein the second space stores the cleaning solution as mixed by the mixing pump.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Morris to further include wherein the second space stores the cleaning solution as mixed by the mixing pump, as claimed, since it has been held that forming in one piece an article which has formerly been formed in two pieces and put together involves only routine skill in the art (MPEP2144.05).
Regarding Claim 4, Morris, as modified, teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) further comprising a cleaning solution pump disposed in the second space and configured to pump the cleaning solution to an outside of the second space (Paragraph [0029]; Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 6, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) wherein the supply line is connected to an outlet of the cleaning solution pump (Paragraph [0008]).
Regarding Claim 11, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) of claim 10 as discussed above.
Morris further teaches the directing tube and the cleaning agent line have diameters but does not explicitly teach wherein the directing tube and the cleaning agent line are configured to have different diameters.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Morris to further include the directing tube and the cleaning agent line are configured to have different diameters, as claimed, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. (MPEP2144.04).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morris et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0206604 A1) in view of Kerrigan et al. (U.S. Patent No. 4,573,802).
Regarding Claim 5, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) of claim 4 as discussed above.
Morris does not each the cleaning solution supply further comprising a cleaning solution filter disposed to surround the cleaning solution pump.
Kerrigan, however, teaches a filter (strainer or filter, 38) disposed to surround the pump (pump, 36; Col. 2, lines 31 – 33).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Morris to further include a filter disposed to surround the pump, as taught by Kerrigan, to prevent debris from being deposited on the windshield and damaging the nozzles.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morris et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0206604 A1) in view of Han (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0173321 A1).
Regarding Claim 12, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) of claim 1 as discussed above.
Morris does not teach the water is received from a silencer connected to an outlet of the fuel cell stack, and the silencer comprises a water pumping unit configured to move the water.
Han, however, teaches the water is received from a silencer (Paragraph [0004]; 100; Fig. 2) connected to an outlet of the fuel cell stack (Paragraph [0008]), and the silencer (100) comprises a water pumping unit (rotary plate, 130) configured to move the water (Paragraphs [0050] – [0052]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Morris to further include a filter disposed to surround the pump, as taught by Kerrigan, to provides a silencer for fuel cell vehicles which provides a separate space configured to mix hydrogen and air therein.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morris et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0206604 A1) in view of Hidemasa (JP2020157239 A).
Regarding Claim 18, Morris teaches the cleaning solution supply device (washer fluid system, 100’) of claim 14 as discussed above.
Morris does not the controller is configured to forcibly discharge the cleaning solution through the supply line when the detected amount of the cleaning solution exceeds a preset upper limit amount.
Hidemasa, however, teaches the controller (main controller, 51) is configured to forcibly discharge the cleaning solution through the supply line when the detected amount of the cleaning solution exceeds a preset upper limit amount (Paragraphs [0007] and [0056]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Morris to further include the controller is configured to forcibly discharge the cleaning solution through the supply line when the detected amount of the cleaning solution exceeds a preset upper limit amount, as taught by Hidemasa, to prevent the system from being damaged due to excess fluids.
Conclusion
Art made of record, however, not relied upon for the current rejection is as follows: Gardner (U.S. Patent No. 6,467,698 B2) teaches a vehicle includes a fuel cell that generates electricity and water, which fuel cell includes a first end, a second end electrically coupled to the first end, and a water outlet. The water outlet of the fuel cell is connected to at least one of a washing system, a cooling system, a humidification system, and combinations thereof. In addition, a method is described for utilizing water produced by a fuel cell that includes generating water from the fuel cell, and conveying a first portion of the generated water to a component of a vehicle, which component, upon actuation, transfers a liquid comprising a portion of the first portion from the component to a point distal therefrom.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KATINA N HENSON whose telephone number is (571)272-8024. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday; 5:30am to 3:30pm.
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, Monica Carter can be reached at 571-272-4475. 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.
/KATINA N. HENSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723