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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/25/2026 has been entered.
Status
This Office Action is in response to the remarks and amendments filed on 03/25/2026. Claims 15-16 and 20-30 remain pending for consideration on the merits.
Further recognition:
The rejections pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112(b) are withdrawn in light of the amendments.
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.
Claim(s) 15, 21-26 and 28-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Graaf et al. (DE102011118162A1) and in further view of Schroeder et al. (US20220297504A1).
Regarding Claim 15, Graaf teaches a refrigeration circuit for a motor vehicle [0001] and Graaf teaches comprising:
a refrigerant compressor [1];
a condenser [2] configured to exchange heat with a cooling circuit [0074 “additional heat absorption for the system”]
a chiller [18] configured to exchange heat with the cooling circuit [0074 “additional heat absorption for the system”];
an evaporator [4] configured to control a temperature of air in an air-conditioning device [0067 “heat absorption by the evaporator 4 of the air conditioning system”], wherein the evaporator [4] is arranged in parallel with the chiller [fig. 1],
wherein the refrigerant compressor [1], the condenser [2] and a parallel circuit comprising the chiller [18] and the evaporator [4] are connected in series [fig. 2 0061-0062] in a main circuit [at least fig. 2].
Graaf does not explicitly teach a return line that branches off from the main circuit on a high-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor at a point in the main circuit and leads into the main circuit on a low- pressure side of the refrigerant compressor; a liquid collector arranged downstream of the parallel circuit comprising the chiller and the evaporator; and a valve circuit configured to block and release flow through the return line, wherein the valve circuit comprises: a first valve arranged in the main circuit, downstream of the point in the main circuit where the return line branches off from the main circuit, and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point, and the first valve is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit; and a second valve arranged in the return line and configured to block and release flow through the return line.
However, Schroeder teaches a return line [3.1] that branches off from the main circuit [fig. 1 showing where 3.1 branches from the main circuit corresponding to fig. 2 of Graaf] on a high-pressure side [0056 “blocking elements A3 and A4 arranged at the high-pressure outlet of the refrigerant compressor 2.1”] of the refrigerant compressor [2.1 corresponding to 1 of Graaf] at a point [fig. 1 a point between A3 and A4 ] in the main circuit [Fig. 1] and leads into the main circuit on a low- pressure side [fig. 1; see also 0032 “low-pressure inlet of the refrigerant compressor”] of the refrigerant compressor [2.1];
a liquid collector [2.7] arranged downstream of the parallel circuit [fig. 1] comprising the chiller [2.6 corresponding to 18 of Graaf] and the evaporator [2.5 corresponding to 4 or Graaf]; and
a valve circuit [at least A4 and A3] configured to block and release flow through the return line [0056 “dependence on the status of these two blocking elements ”], wherein the valve circuit comprises [A4 and A3]:
a first valve [A4] arranged in the main circuit [fig. 1], downstream of the point [fig. 1 between A4 and A3] in the main circuit [fig. 1] where the return line [3.1] branches off from the main circuit [fig. 1], and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point [see fig. 1], and the first valve [A4] is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit [0056 “dependence on the status of these two blocking elements ”]; and
a second valve [A3] arranged in the return line [3.1] and configured to block and release flow through the return line [0056 “dependence on the status of these two blocking elements”].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Graaf to have a return line that branches off from the main circuit on a high-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor at a point in the main circuit and leads into the main circuit on a low- pressure side of the refrigerant compressor; a liquid collector arranged downstream of the parallel circuit comprising the chiller and the evaporator; and a valve circuit configured to block and release flow through the return line, wherein the valve circuit comprises: a first valve arranged in the main circuit, downstream of the point in the main circuit where the return line branches off from the main circuit, and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point, and the first valve is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit; and a second valve arranged in the return line and configured to block and release flow through the return line in view of the teachings of Schroeder where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures a refrigeration circuit where a return line branches off from the main circuit on a high-pressure side of the compressor at a point in the main circuit and leads into the main circuit on a low- pressure side of the compressor, a liquid collector is arranged downstream of the parallel circuit comprising the chiller and the evaporator; and a valve circuit is configured to block and release flow through the return line, the valve circuit comprises: a first valve arranged in the main circuit, downstream the point in the main circuit where the return line branches off from the main circuit, and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point, and the first valve is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit; and a second valve arranged in the return line and is configured to block and release flow through the return line which allows for a high level of flexibility [Schroeder; 0008].
Regarding Claim 21, modified Graff teaches the refrigeration circuit according to claim 15 and Graaf teaches comprising:
an evaporator valve [21] arranged upstream of the evaporator [4] and configured to block and release throughflow [0081 “closed, uncontrolled refrigerant
displacement in the closed sections is prevented”].
Regarding Claim 22, modified Graff teaches the refrigeration circuit according to claim 15 and Graff teaches comprising:
an inner heat exchanger [5] that connects the high-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor to the low-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor [1] in a manner which transfers heat and is fluidically separate [0061; fig. 2].
Regarding Claim 23, modified Graff teaches the refrigeration circuit according to claim 15 and Graff teaches comprising:
a bypass line [28] comprising:
a bypass valve [29], which bypass line connects the high-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor to the low-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor and bypasses at least the chiller and the evaporator, wherein the bypass valve is configured to block and release throughflow [0057; claim 7 “refrigerant redistribution is arranged between the outlet of the condenser (2) and the secondary branch with the heating register”].
Regarding Claim 24, modified Graff teaches the refrigeration circuit according to claim 15 and Graff teaches a heat management system [0060 “combined refrigeration system and heat pump”] comprising:
the refrigeration circuit according to claim 15 [modified Graff];
the cooling circuit [24]; and
the air-conditioning device [0061 “refrigeration system mode”].
Regarding Claim 25, modified Graff teaches the heat management system according to claim 24 and Graff teaches a motor vehicle [0001 “motor vehicles”] comprising:
the heat management system according to claim 24 [modified Graff].
Regarding Claim 26, modified Graff teaches the refrigeration circuit according to claim 15 and Graff teaches a motor vehicle [0001 “motor vehicles”] comprising:
the refrigeration circuit according to claim 15 [modified Graff].
Regarding Claim 28, Graff teaches a method for operating a refrigeration circuit [0002 “method”] and Graff teaches the refrigeration circuit [fig. 1] comprising:
a refrigerant compressor [1];
a condenser [2] configured to exchange heat with a cooling circuit [0074 “additional heat absorption for the system”]
a chiller [18] configured to exchange heat with the cooling circuit [0074 “additional heat absorption for the system”];
an evaporator [4] configured to control a temperature of air in an air-conditioning device [0067 “heat absorption by the evaporator 4 of the air conditioning system”], wherein the evaporator [4] is arranged in parallel with the chiller [fig. 1],
wherein the refrigerant compressor [1], the condenser [2] and a parallel circuit comprising the chiller [18] and the evaporator [4] are connected in series [fig. 2 0061-0062] in a main circuit [at least fig. 2].
Graaf does not explicitly teach a return line that branches off from the main circuit on a high-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor at a point in the main circuit and leads into the main circuit on a low- pressure side of the refrigerant compressor; a liquid collector arranged downstream of the parallel circuit comprising the chiller and the evaporator; and a valve circuit configured to block and release flow through the return line, wherein the valve circuit comprises: a first valve arranged in the main circuit, downstream of the point in the main circuit where the return line branches off from the main circuit, and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point, and the first valve is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit; and a second valve arranged in the return line and configured to block and release flow through the return line; the method comprising: operating the refrigeration circuit in an operating state in which the first valve releases flow through the main circuit and the second valve releases flow through the return line.
However, Schroeder teaches a return line [3.1] that branches off from the main circuit [fig. 1 showing where 3.1 branches from the main circuit corresponding to fig. 2 of Graaf] on a high-pressure side [0056 “blocking elements A3 and A4 arranged at the high-pressure outlet of the refrigerant compressor 2.1”] of the refrigerant compressor [2.1 corresponding to 1 of Graaf] at a point [fig. 1 a point between A3 and A4 ] in the main circuit [Fig. 1] and leads into the main circuit on a low- pressure side [fig. 1; see also 0032 “low-pressure inlet of the refrigerant compressor”] of the refrigerant compressor [2.1];
a liquid collector [2.7] arranged downstream of the parallel circuit [fig. 1] comprising the chiller [2.6 corresponding to 18 of Graaf] and the evaporator [2.5 corresponding to 4 or Graaf]; and
a valve circuit [at least A4 and A3] configured to block and release flow through the return line [0056 “dependence on the status of these two blocking elements”], wherein the valve circuit comprises [A4 and A3]:
a first valve [A4] arranged in the main circuit [fig. 1], downstream of the point [fig. 1 between A4 and A3] in the main circuit [fig. 1] where the return line [3.1] branches off from the main circuit [fig. 1], and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point [see fig. 1], and the first valve [A4] is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit [0056 “dependence on the status of these two blocking elements”]; and
a second valve [A3] arranged in the return line [3.1] and configured to block and release flow through the return line [0056 “dependence on the status of these two blocking elements”];
the method [0073 “operating modes” corresponding to the method of Graaf] comprising:
operating the refrigeration circuit [fig. 1 corresponding to fig. 1 of Graaf] in an operating state in which the first valve [A4] releases flow through the main circuit [see fig. 1 showing the flow] and the second valve [A3] releases flow through the return line [see fig. 1 showing the flow; see also 0038 “blockable valve element A4 can be omitted” someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would recognize if A4 can be omitted than the system would also have A4 and A3 open].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Graaf to have a return line that branches off from the main circuit on a high-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor at a point in the main circuit and leads into the main circuit on a low- pressure side of the refrigerant compressor; a liquid collector arranged downstream of the parallel circuit comprising the chiller and the evaporator; and a valve circuit configured to block and release flow through the return line, wherein the valve circuit comprises: a first valve arranged in the main circuit, downstream of the point in the main circuit where the return line branches off from the main circuit, and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point, and the first valve is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit; and a second valve arranged in the return line and configured to block and release flow through the return line; the method comprising: operating the refrigeration circuit in an operating state in which the first valve releases flow through the main circuit and the second valve releases flow through the return line in view of the teachings of Schroeder where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures a refrigeration circuit where a return line branches off from the main circuit on a high-pressure side of the compressor at a point in the main circuit and leads into the main circuit on a low- pressure side of the compressor, a liquid collector is arranged downstream of the parallel circuit comprising the chiller and the evaporator; and a valve circuit is configured to block and release flow through the return line, the valve circuit comprises: a first valve arranged in the main circuit, downstream the point in the main circuit where the return line branches off from the main circuit, and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point, and the first valve is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit; and a second valve arranged in the return line and is configured to block and release flow through the return line, the method comprises operating the refrigeration circuit in an operating state in which the first valve releases flow through the main circuit and the second valve releases flow through the return line which allows for a high level of flexibility [Schroeder; 0008].
Regarding Claim 29, modified Graff teaches the method according to claim 28 and Graff teaches further comprising:
setting the flow through the main circuit [at least fig. 1] via the valve circuit [Schroeder ; A4 and A3] in accordance with a heating power requirement in a vehicle occupant compartment [0074-0075].
Claim(s) 20 and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Graaf and Schroeder as applied to claim 15 and 28 above and in view of Mieda et al. (US2022/0275982A1).
Regarding Claim 20, modified Graaf teaches the refrigeration circuit according to claim 15 and Graaf teaches comprising:
a chiller valve [17] arranged upstream of the chiller [18].
Modified Graaf does not explicitly teach a chiller valve arranged upstream of the chiller and configured to block and release throughflow.
However, Mieda teaches a chiller valve [14c corresponding to 17 of Graaf] arranged upstream of the chiller [19 corresponding to 18 of Graaf] and configured to block and release throughflow [0102 “opening/closing valve”].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of the modified Graaf teaching with Mieda by combining a chiller valve arranged upstream of the chiller and configured to block and release throughflow where the elements could have been combined by known methods with and a Simple substitution would give the system the necessary chiller valve configured to block and release throughflow. The simple substitution of one known element for another is likely to be obvious when predictable results are yielded,
i.e. secures a refrigeration circuit with the necessary chiller valve configured to block and release throughflow which improves the heating capacity [Mieda; 0401].
Regarding Claim 30, modified Graff teaches the method according to claim 28 and Graaf teaches wherein the refrigeration circuit [at least fig. 1] also comprises:
an evaporator valve [21] arranged upstream of the evaporator [4], which is designed to block and release throughflow [0081 “closed, uncontrolled refrigerant
displacement in the closed sections is prevented”].
Modified Graaf does not explicitly teach the refrigeration circuit also comprises a chiller valve arranged upstream of the chiller which is designed to block and release throughflow and the method further comprising operating the refrigeration circuit in an operating state in which a pressure level on the low-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor is set in such a way via control of the valve circuit, the evaporator valve, the chiller valve, and the refrigerant compressor, that the refrigerant compressor is operated at continuous power.However, Mieda teaches the refrigeration circuit also comprises [Mieda; 14c] arranged upstream of the chiller [26 corresponding to Graaf 18] which is designed to block and release throughflow and the method further comprising[0102 “opening/closing valve,”
the method [mode corresponding to the method of Graaf] further comprising:
operating the refrigeration circuit [fig. 35] in an operating state [fig. 35] in which a pressure level [0469 “14d in a throttled state” indicating an expanded pressure level] on the low-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor [11] is set in such a way via control of the valve circuit [0469 “in a throttled state”], the evaporator valve [14b corresponding to 21 of Graaf], the chiller valve [14c], and the refrigerant compressor [11; fig. 35], that the refrigerant compressor [11] is operated at continuous power [0469-470 see also 0453 “the compressor 11 can be protected” indicating a continuous power].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of the modified Graaf teaching with Mieda by combining the refrigeration circuit also comprises a chiller valve arranged upstream of the chiller which is designed to block and release throughflow and the method further comprising operating the refrigeration circuit in an operating state in which a pressure level on the low-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor is set in such a way via control of the valve circuit, the evaporator valve, the chiller valve, and the refrigerant compressor, that the refrigerant compressor is operated at continuous power where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures a refrigeration circuit where the refrigeration circuit comprises a chiller valve designed to block and release throughflow and the method comprising operating the refrigeration circuit in an operating state in which a pressure level on the low-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor is set in such a way via control of the valve circuit, the evaporator valve, the chiller valve, and the refrigerant compressor, that the refrigerant compressor is operated at continuous power which improves the heating capacity [Mieda; 0401].
Claim(s) 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mieda et al. (US20220275982A1).
Regarding Claim 27, Mieda teaches a method for controlling a refrigeration circuit [0062 “a warm-up preparation mode”], the refrigeration circuit [10g] comprising:
a refrigerant compressor [11];
a condenser [0094; 13a] configured to exchange heat [0695] with a cooling circuit [fig. 50; 30a/40c];
a chiller [26] configured to exchange heat [0699] with the cooling circuit [fig. 50; 30a/40c];
an evaporator [18] configured to control a temperature of air in an air-conditioning device [0112 “interior evaporator 18 is disposed in a casing 51 of an interior air-conditioning unit 50”], wherein the evaporator [18] is arranged in parallel with the chiller [fig. 50 showing (18 and 26) in parallel], wherein the refrigerant compressor 11, the condenser [13a] and a parallel circuit [circuit with (14b) and (14c) on them] comprising the chiller [26] and the evaporator [18] are connected in series [fig. 50 showing them connected in series] in a main circuit [Image I below; recreated fig. 50 of Mieda];
a return line [21a] that branches off from the main circuit [image I below] on a high-pressure side of the refrigerant compressor [Fig. 50; see also 0669 “decompressed by the bypass flow adjustment valve 14d”] at a point [fig. 50 showing a point being at 123] in the main circuit [image I] and leads into the main circuit on a low- pressure side of the refrigerant compressor [0669 “decompressed by the bypass flow adjustment valve 14d”];
a liquid collector [123] arranged downstream of the parallel circuit [fig. 54 showing (123) downstream of the parallel circuit] comprising the chiller [26] and the evaporator [18]; and
a valve circuit [14b-d] configured to block and release flow through the return line wherein the valve circuit comprises [0762 “flow adjustment valve 14d in a throttled state”]:
a first valve [14b-c] arranged in the main circuit [shown in image I below], and the first valve [14b-c] is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit [0762 “14b in a fully closed state, the cooling expansion valve 14c in the fully closed state”]; and
a second valve [14d] arranged in the return line and configured to block and release flow through the return line [0762 “14d in a throttled state” see also fig. 54];
the method comprising:
operating the refrigeration circuit [10g] in an operating state in which the first valve [14b-c] blocks flow through the main circuit [see fig. 54] and the second valve [14d] releases flow through the return line [fig. 54], thus preventing heat dissipation from the refrigeration circuit via a heating condenser [32] and the condenser [Fig. 54 clearly showing no flow in a heating condenser ad the condenser thus heat dissipation is prevented].
Does not explicitly teach a first valve arranged in the main circuit, downstream of the point in the main circuit where the return line branches off from the main circuit, and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point, and the first valve is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit.
However, Mieda teaches an opening/closing valve 22a [figs. 23, 32-38 and 42-43], and so it would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include the opening/closing valve 22a structure of Mieda as Mieda teaches both embodiments.
The rationale to support a conclusion that the claim would have been obvious is that all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (MPEP 2143.A.),
i.e. secures a refrigeration circuit with the necessary opening/closing valve where an opening/closing valve is adopted as long as the refrigerant circuit in the various operation modes described above is be realized [Mieda; 0776].
Lastly, while reference does not explicitly disclose a first valve arranged in the main circuit, downstream of the point in the main circuit where the return line branches off from the main circuit, and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point, and the first valve is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made use opening/closing valve (22a) as the first valve and arrange the opening/closing valve in the main circuit, downstream of the point in the main circuit where the return line branches off from the main circuit, and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point which would block and release flow through the main circuit [as seen in at least figs. 23, 32-38 and 42-43],
since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art while the device having the claimed dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures a refrigeration circuit with a first valve arranged in the main circuit, downstream of the point in the main circuit where the return line branches off from the main circuit, and upstream of all condensers that are downstream of the point, and the first valve is configured to block and release flow through the main circuit is adopted as long as the refrigerant circuit in the various operation modes described above is be realized [Mieda; 0776].
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(Image I; recreated fig. 50 of Mieda)
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 15-16 and 20-30 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Adam D Moore whose telephone number is (703)756-1932. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday: 09:00AM-07:00PM (Eastern).
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/ADAM D MOORE/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/ELIZABETH J MARTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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