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 .
The Applicant’s response was received on 2/24/23 has been received.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S.C. code not included in this action can be found in the prior Office Action.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 2/24/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the US 20180166704 to Lin does not teach the special technical features of the claimed invention This is not found persuasive because in arguendo if the Lin reference does not disclosed the technical feature, the DE10394231 to Jeffrey discloses all of technical feature of the independent claims and thus, the claimed feature does not make a contribution over prior art.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Please note, the examiner has required restriction between product or apparatus claims and process claims. Where applicant elects claims directed to the product/apparatus, and all product/apparatus claims are subsequently found allowable, withdrawn process claims that include all the limitations of the allowable product/apparatus claims should be considered for rejoinder. All claims directed to a nonelected process invention must include all the limitations of an allowable product/apparatus claim for that process invention to be rejoined.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, limitations in claim 22, “the first inlet manifold is connected to an inlet of the first plurality of flow channels and to an inlet of the second plurality of flow channels,” while these flow channels are at opposite surfaces and the limitations of claim 27, “a first outlet manifold to remove the oxidant and the coolant…and the first plurality of flow channels and the second plurality of flow channels are parallel to each other and extend from the first inlet manifold to the outlet manifold,” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/24/23 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 21, 23, 28, 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jeffrey (DE10394231)
Regarding claim 21, the Jeffrey reference discloses a bipolar plate assembly for a fuel cell stack comprising a cathode flow field plate (200) comprising a first cathode surface having a first plurality of ribs and a first plurality of flow channels defined between the first plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for an oxidant for a first fuel cell of the fuel cell stack and a second cathode surface opposite the first cathode surface having a second plurality of ribs and a second plurality of flow channels defined between the second plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for a coolant (Fig. 7), wherein the second plurality of flow channels is complementary to the first plurality of ribs and the second plurality of ribs is complementary to the first plurality of flow channels. The Jeffrey reference discloses an anode flow field plate (100) comprising a first anode surface comprising a third plurality of ribs and a third plurality of flow channels defined between the third plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for a fuel for a second fuel cell of the fuel cell stack, wherein a bypass channel (where 102 is pointed) is defined between adjacent ribs from among the third plurality of ribs from among the third plurality of ribs to act as an additional pathway for the fuel and a second anode surface opposite the first anode surface having a fourth plurality of ribs and a fourth plurality of flow channels defined between the fourth plurality of ribs to act as the pathway for the coolant (Fig. 7), wherein the fourth plurality of flow channels is complementary to the third plurality of ribs and the fourth plurality of ribs is complementary to the third plurality of flow channels, wherein the second anode surface faces and is in contact with the second cathode surface. The Jeffrey reference also discloses a first inlet manifold to receive at least one of the oxidant (48) and the coolant (54) from a first source, being provided on provided on the cathode flow field plate a second inlet manifold to receive the fuel (50) from a second source, being provided on the anode flow field plate.
Regarding claim 23, the Jeffrey reference discloses bipolar plate assembly as claimed in claim 21, wherein the first inlet manifold is connected to an inlet of the first plurality of flow channels to receive the oxidant, and wherein the bipolar plate assembly comprises: a third inlet manifold (54) is connected to an inlet of the second plurality of flow channels to receive the coolant.
Regarding claim 28, the Jeffrey reference discloses wherein the anode flow field plate and the cathode flow field plate are made of a metal (100 and 200).
Regarding claim 30, the Jeffrey reference discloses the third plurality of ribs comprises a third rib extending from the second inlet manifold and having a discontinuity one direction stream nearer to the second inlet manifold (110) than a centre of the anode flow field plate; and the fourth plurality of flow channels (comprises a first flow channel (114) extending from the second inlet manifold and having a discontinuity in one flow direction is nearer to the second inlet manifold than the centre of the anode flow field plate, the first flow channel being third rib, wherein the discontinuity of the first flow channel is to prevent the fuel flow on the second anode surface (at the seal 28; Fig. 6, Fig. 7).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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) 21, 23-25, 28, 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hee (KR 101410180) in view of Thomas et al. (DE102008013439).
Regarding claim 21, the Hee et al. reference discloses a bipolar plate assembly for a fuel cell stack comprising a cathode flow field plate comprising a first cathode surface having a first plurality of ribs and a first plurality of flow channels defined between the first plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for an oxidant for a first fuel cell of the fuel cell stack and a second cathode surface opposite the first cathode surface having a second plurality of ribs and a second plurality of flow channels defined between the second plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for a coolant (Fig. 6), wherein the second plurality of flow channels is complementary to the first plurality of ribs and the second plurality of ribs is complementary to the first plurality of flow channels. The Hee et al. reference discloses an anode flow field plate comprising a first anode surface comprising a third plurality of ribs and a third plurality of flow channels defined between the third plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for a fuel for a second fuel cell of the fuel cell stack, and a second anode surface opposite the first anode surface having a fourth plurality of ribs and a fourth plurality of flow channels defined between the fourth plurality of ribs to act as the pathway for the coolant (Fig. 6), wherein the fourth plurality of flow channels is complementary to the third plurality of ribs and the fourth plurality of ribs is complementary to the third plurality of flow channels, wherein the second anode surface faces and is in contact with the second cathode surface. The Hee et al. reference also discloses a first inlet manifold to receive at least one of the oxidant (241) and the coolant (242) from a first source, being provided on provided on the cathode flow field plate a second inlet manifold to receive the fuel (243) from a second source, being provided on the anode flow field plate.
The Hee et al. reference is silent in disclosing an anode surface with the third plurality of ribs with flow channels and a bypass channel is defined between adjacent ribs from among the third plurality of ribs to act as an additional pathway for the fuel, however, the Hee et al. reference discloses PEM fuel cells. The Thomas reference discloses the PEM fuel cell have water stagnation which would cause an issue at the anode flow field. The Thomas reference discloses that bypasses (310) on the anode flow field plate in between ribs of the plate would decrease water stagnation, which results in optimized electrical current, reducing electrode corrosion and maximizing fuel cell stability. Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a bypass channel is defined between adjacent ribs from among the third plurality of ribs of the anode plate disclosed by the Thomas reference for the anode plate ribs (grooves as flow path) disclosed by the Hee et al. reference in order to provide a more efficient PEM fuel cell.
Regarding claim 23, the Jeffrey reference discloses bipolar plate assembly wherein the first inlet manifold is connected to an inlet of the first plurality of flow channels to receive the oxidant, and wherein the bipolar plate assembly comprises a third inlet manifold is connected to an inlet of the second plurality of flow channels to receive the coolant (Fig. 3)
Regarding claim 24, the Hee et al. reference discloses a weld seam formed on a first cathode groove of the first cathode surface by welding of the anode flow field plate with the cathode flow field plate, a cathode gasket on the weld seam (245) to prevent leakage of the oxidant; and an anode gasket on a first anode groove of the first anode surface to prevent leakage of the fuel (301).
Regarding claim 25, the Hee et al. reference discloses comprising a weld seam (245) formed on a first anode groove of the first anode surface by welding of the anode flow field plate with the cathode flow field plate, an anode gasket (301) on the weld seam to prevent leakage of the fuel and a cathode gasket (301) on a first cathode groove of the first cathode surface to prevent leakage of the oxidant.
Regarding claim 28, the Hee et al. reference discloses wherein the anode flow field plate and the cathode flow field plate are made of a metal (stainless steel).
Regarding claim 29, the Hee et al. reference discloses wherein the second inlet manifold is provided on the cathode flow field plate and the anode flow field plate (Fig. 4), wherein the second anode surface comprises an anode flat section nearer to the second inlet manifold than a center of the anode flow field plate, the second cathode surface comprises a cathode flat section nearer to the second inlet manifold than a center of the cathode flow field plate, the anode flow field plate and the cathode flow field plate are welded such that the anode flat section faces and is in contact with the cathode flat section to prevent the flow of the fuel on the second anode surface (combination of fig. 5 and 6, you can see the seam of 245 on Fig. 6 with gasket on top and the gasket goes around the perimeter of the Fig. 5b).
Claim(s) 21, 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US20180166704) in view of Thomas et al. (DE102008013439).
Regarding claim 21, the Lin et al. reference discloses a bipolar plate assembly for a fuel cell stack comprising a first flow field plate comprising a first surface having a first plurality of ribs and a first plurality of flow channels defined between the first plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for an oxidant for a first fuel cell of the fuel cell stack and a second surface opposite the first surface having a second plurality of ribs and a second plurality of flow channels defined between the second plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for a coolant (Fig. 2-4), wherein the second plurality of flow channels is complementary to the first plurality of ribs and the second plurality of ribs is complementary to the first plurality of flow channels. The Lin et al. reference discloses an second flow field plate comprising a first second surface comprising a third plurality of ribs and a third plurality of flow channels defined between the third plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for a fuel for a second fuel cell of the fuel cell stack, and a second surface opposite the first surface having a fourth plurality of ribs and a fourth plurality of flow channels defined between the fourth plurality of ribs to act as the pathway for the coolant (Fig. 6), wherein the fourth plurality of flow channels is complementary to the third plurality of ribs and the fourth plurality of ribs is complementary to the third plurality of flow channels, wherein the second surface faces and is in contact with the second cathode surface. The Lin et al. reference also discloses a first inlet manifold to receive at least one of the first gas from a first source, being provided on provided on the first flow field plate a second inlet manifold to receive the second gas from a second source, being provided on the second flow field plate.
The Lin et al. reference is silent in disclosing an second surface with the third plurality of ribs with flow channels and a bypass channel is defined between adjacent ribs from among the third plurality of ribs to act as an additional pathway for the second fuel, however, the Lin et al. reference discloses PEM fuel cells. The Thomas reference discloses the PEM fuel cell have water stagnation which would cause an issue at the anode flow field. The Thomas reference discloses that bypasses (310) on the second flow field plate in between ribs of the plate would decrease water stagnation, which results in optimized electrical current, reducing electrode corrosion and maximizing fuel cell stability. Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a bypass channel is defined between adjacent ribs from among the third plurality of ribs of the second plate disclosed by the Thomas reference for the second plate ribs (grooves as flow path) disclosed by the Lin et al. reference in order to provide a more efficient PEM fuel cell.
In addition, the first flow plate must either be a cathode flow plate or an anode flow plate and the second flow plate has to be the other of the two.
Regarding 26, the Lin reference discloses the first inlet manifold is formed by a first opening on the first flow field plate and a second opening on the second flow field plate, the second inlet manifold is formed by a third opening on the first flow field plate and a fourth opening on the second flow field plate, the first opening and the third opening are displaced perpendicular to each other relative to a center of the cathode flow field plate, and the second opening and the fourth opening are displaced perpendicular to each other relative to a center of the anode flow field plate.
Claim(s) 21, 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi et al. (EP1302996) in view of Thomas et al. (DE102008013439).
Regarding claim 21, the Kobayashi et al. reference discloses a bipolar plate assembly for a fuel cell stack comprising a first flow field plate comprising a first surface having a first plurality of ribs and a first plurality of flow channels defined between the first plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for an oxidant for a first fuel cell of the fuel cell stack and a second surface opposite the first surface having a second plurality of ribs and a second plurality of flow channels defined between the second plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for a coolant, wherein the second plurality of flow channels is complementary to the first plurality of ribs and the second plurality of ribs is complementary to the first plurality of flow channels. The Kobayashi et al. reference discloses an second flow field plate comprising a first second surface comprising a third plurality of ribs and a third plurality of flow channels defined between the third plurality of ribs to act as a pathway for a fuel for a second fuel cell of the fuel cell stack, and a second surface opposite the first surface having a fourth plurality of ribs and a fourth plurality of flow channels defined between the fourth plurality of ribs to act as the pathway for the coolant , wherein the fourth plurality of flow channels is complementary to the third plurality of ribs and the fourth plurality of ribs is complementary to the third plurality of flow channels, wherein the second surface faces and is in contact with the second cathode surface. The Kobayashi et al. reference also discloses a first inlet manifold to receive at least one of the first gas from a first source, being provided on provided on the first flow field plate a second inlet manifold to receive the second gas from a second source, being provided on the second flow field plate (Fig. 2, 13, 14).
The Kobayashi et al. reference is silent in disclosing an second surface with the third plurality of ribs with flow channels and a bypass channel is defined between adjacent ribs from among the third plurality of ribs to act as an additional pathway for the second fuel, however, the Lin et al. reference discloses membrane in fuel cells. The Thomas reference discloses the membranes in fuel cell have water stagnation which would cause an issue at the anode flow field. The Thomas reference discloses that bypasses (310) on the second flow field plate in between ribs of the plate would decrease water stagnation, which results in optimized electrical current, reducing electrode corrosion and maximizing fuel cell stability. Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a bypass channel is defined between adjacent ribs from among the third plurality of ribs of the second plate disclosed by the Thomas reference for the second plate ribs (grooves as flow path) disclosed by the Kobayashi et al. reference in order to provide a more efficient fuel cell.
Regarding claim 26, the Kobayashi et al. reference discloses wherein the first inlet manifold is formed by a first opening on the cathode flow field plate and a second opening on the anode flow field plate, the second inlet manifold is formed by a third opening on the cathode flow field plate and a fourth opening on the anode flow field plate, the first opening and the third opening are displaced perpendicular to each other relative to a center of the cathode flow field plate, and the second opening and the fourth opening are displaced perpendicular to each other relative to a center of the anode flow field plate (Fig. 2, 3)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HELEN OI CONLEY whose telephone number is (571)272-5162. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/Helen Oi K CONLEY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
