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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. GB2018469.3, filed on 11/24/2020.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/29/2023, 6/9/2023 and 5/22/2023 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 30 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 29. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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.
Claim(s) 1-8,10-16,20,22-25,27,28 and 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kinebuchi (JP2018116803A).
With regards to claim 1, Kinebuchi discloses an electric heating system for heating a fluid flow (injection apparatus 60. Fig. 3), the system comprising :a housing having an inlet for a fluid flow to be heated by the electric heating system and an outlet for the fluid flow which has been heated by the electric heating system (container 16 having a supply port 21 for fluid flow to be heated inside injection apparatus 60 and throat 18, Fig. 3); and a resistive heater mounted within the housing (heating wall members 41 within container 16, Fig. 3), the resistive heater comprising: a fluid input (outer member 41a has first communication hole 45a in communication of support port 21, Fig. 3) and a fluid output which are fluidically coupled, respectively, to the inlet and the outlet(wall member 41f has communication hole 45f which communicates with throat 18, Fig. 3) , a plurality of annular walls composed of an electrically conductive material (electrically heated wall members 41 and conducting member 42, Fig. 3), the walls being nested to define a plurality of annular flow channels which are serially arranged concentrically about a longitudinal axis (electric heating wall member 41 define inter-member flow channel 51, Fig. 3), wherein the walls extend between opposite first and second ends of the resistive heater which are mutually separated along the longitudinal axis (electrically heated wall members 41 are separated along a longitudinal axis, Fig. 3), and first and second electrical terminals for connection to a source of electrical energy to heat the walls of the resistive heater (electrodes 12 and 13 connected to power source 17 which heats electric heater 40, Fig. 3), the first and second electrical terminals being electrically connected to respective first and second walls which are mutually adjacent (electrodes 12 and 13 pass current to electric heating wall members 41, Fig. 3) and comprise an outer pair of the walls which are located at a radially outer side of the resistive heater (first heating wall member 41a and second heating wall member 41b located at a radially outer side of electric heater 40, Fig. 3), wherein the plurality of annular walls are mechanically connected together whereby adjacent flow channels have opposite fluid flow directions and are connected at adjacent ends of the respective channels to define an alternating serpentine flow path which has an input end at the fluid input and an output end at the fluid output (heating wall members 41 are connected together whereby adjacent inter-member flow paths 51 which has an input end at communication hole 45a, series of flow paths 51 to communication hole 45f,Fig. 3), wherein the input and output ends are respectively located at radially outer and radially inner positions relative to the longitudinal axis (input end of communication hole 45a is on an outer surface of electric heater 40 and communication hole 45a leading to throat 18 which is outside of electric heater 40, Fig. 1), and wherein the plurality of annular walls are electrically connected together to define a continuous electrically conductive path extending between the first and second electrical terminals (electric current C follows a conductive path along electric heating wall member 41, Fig. 3), the conductive path having a first part which extends from the first wall to a centre of the resistive heater and a second part which extends from the centre of the resistive heater to the second wall (electric current C follows a conductive path along electric heating wall member 41, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 2, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the fluid input and the fluid output are respectively located at the first and second ends of the resistive heater (communication hole 45a and communication hole 45f are located at first and second ends of electric heater 40, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 3, Kinebuchi discloses wherein each annular wall is composed of a perforated layer of the electrically conductive material (each electric heating wall member 41 has communication holes 45, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 4, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the resistive heater comprises alternating annular walls composed of a perforated layer of the electrically conductive material (each electric heating wall member 41 has communication holes 45, Fig. 3) and an annular wall composed of the perforated layer of the electrically conductive material (each electric heating wall member 41 has communication holes 45, Fig. 3), and each annular wall composed of the perforated layer of the electrically conductive material has adjacent thereto, on at least one or both of a radially outer and a radially inner side thereof (each electric heating wall member 41 are adjacent radially and each have communication holes 45, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 5, Kinebuchi discloses wherein each annular wall is composed of a solid layer of the electrically conductive material (each of the electrically heated wall members 41 have a solid layer between each of the communication holes 45, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 6, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the walls comprise n walls which are nested to form a series of the walls (electric heating wall member 41, Fig. 3), the series having a radially innermost wall having n = 1 (electric heating wall member 41f, Fig. 3), a radially outermost wall having n = n (electric heating wall member 41a, Fig. 3), and at least one radially intermediate wall therebetween, each having a respective value of n between 1 and n (electric heating wall member 41b, Fig. 3), wherein the walls are electrically connected together by first electrical connections which electrically connect walls having n as an even number to form the first part of the conductive path and by second electrical connections which electrically connect walls having n as an odd number to form the second part of the conductive path (each of electrical heating wall members 41 are connected at turns at each end at electrodes 12 and 13, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 7, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the first and second electrical connections are integral with the walls which are electrically interconnected by the respective electrical connection (electrodes 12 and 13 are integral with the electrical heating wall members 41 to provide current C for heating, Fig. 13).
With regards to claim 8, Kinebuchi discloses wherein each of the first and second electrical connections is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis (electrodes 12 and 13 are orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of electric heater 40, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 10, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the first and second electrical connections also provide mechanical connections by which the walls are mechanically connected together (electrodes 12 and 13 also provide mechanical connections by a connection to electrical heating wall members 41, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 11, Kinebuchi discloses wherein at least one of the walls comprises a cylindrical portion and an adjacent conical portion (inclination wall part 61 and straight wall part 62, Fig. 4), wherein a free end part of the cylindrical portion is located at the second end of the resistive heater and the conical portion is oriented towards the first end of the resistive heater (inclination wall part 61 is at one end of injection apparatus 60 and straight wall part 62 at another end of injection apparatus 60, Fig. 4).
With regards to claim 12, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the conical portion which is closest to the first end of the resistive heater comprises a solid layer which defines a closed end part of the plurality of annular walls (inclination wall 61 is closest to the first end of injection apparatus 60 and comprises a closing member 43d, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 13, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the electric heating system further comprises an annular closure member, which is composed of an electrically insulating material, located at the second end of the resistive heater, wherein the closure member closes ends of the annular flow channels at the second end of the resistive heater to form directional changes in the alternating serpentine flow path at the second end of the resistive heater (insulator 14 located at an end of electric heater 40, which closes an end of flow paths 51 to form serpentine flow paths within electric heater 40, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 14, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the at least one electrically insulating closure member is in contact with, or spaced from, the resistive heater (insulator 14 is spaced from electric heater 40 by seal 15 and electrode 12, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 15, Kinebuchi discloses wherein one annular wall is configured to form a closed end part of the plurality of annular walls at the first end of the resistive heater (path 51 is closed from the axial direction D, Fig. 3), wherein the closed end part closes ends of the annular flow channels at the first end of the resistive heater to form directional changes in the alternating serpentine flow path at the first end of the resistive heater (paths 51 alternate to allow flow in a serpentine flow path, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 16, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the resistive heater further comprises an electrical connector, composed of an electrically conductive material, located at the centre of the resistive heater which electrically connects together an inner pair of the annular walls (the nozzle 11 is made of the same heat generating material as the electric heater 40 and is integrally formed, paragraph 0033, lines 3-4).
With regards to claim 20, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the resistive heater comprises an integral monolithic body (at least a part of the nozzle 11 is made of the same heat generating material as the electric heater 40 and is integrally formed, paragraph 0033, lines 2-4).
With regards to claim 22, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the housing is electrically connected to one of the first and second electrical terminals of the resistive heater whereby the respective electrical terminal is connectable to the source of electrical energy via the housing (container 16 is electrically connected to electrodes 12 and 13 which is connected to power source 17, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 23, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the respective electrical terminal is separate from, a mechanical connection between the resistive heater and the housing (electrodes 12 and 13 is not formed integrally with the nozzle 11, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 24, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the first and second electrical terminals are configured to be electrically connected by a wired connection to the source of electrical energy (power source 17 has wires connected to electrodes 12 and 13, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 25, Kinebuchi discloses a source of electrical energy which is connected to the first and second electrical terminals (power source 17 has wires connected to electrodes 12 and 13, Fig. 3), wherein the source of electrical energy is configured to supply a direct current, or an alternating current (the electric power source 17 energizes the electric heater 40, the current C flows, paragraph 0045, lines 1-2).
With regards to claim 27, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the electric heating system is a resistojet and is configured for installation into a spacecraft (the injection device 10, 60 can also be applied to thrusters other than the thruster 71, paragraph 0074, lines 1-2).
With regards to claim 28, Kinebuchi discloses a method of producing a high-temperature fluid flow, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing an electric heating system for heating a fluid flow (injection apparatus 60. Fig. 3), the system comprising :a housing having an inlet for a fluid flow to be heated by the electric heating system and an outlet for the fluid flow which has been heated by the electric heating system (container 16 having a supply port 21 for fluid flow to be heated inside injection apparatus 60 and throat 18, Fig. 3); and a resistive heater mounted within the housing (heating wall members 41 within container 16, Fig. 3), the resistive heater comprising: a fluid input (outer member 41a has first communication hole 45a in communication of support port 21, Fig. 3) and a fluid output which are fluidically coupled, respectively, to the inlet and the outlet(wall member 41f has communication hole 45f which communicates with throat 18, Fig. 3) , a plurality of annular walls composed of an electrically conductive material (electrically heated wall members 41 and conducting member 42, Fig. 3), the walls being nested to define a plurality of annular flow channels which are serially arranged concentrically about a longitudinal axis (electric heating wall member 41 define inter-member flow channel 51, Fig. 3), wherein the walls extend between opposite first and second ends of the resistive heater which are mutually separated along the longitudinal axis (electrically heated wall members 41 are separated along a longitudinal axis, Fig. 3), and first and second electrical terminals for connection to a source of electrical energy to heat the walls of the resistive heater (electrodes 12 and 13 connected to power source 17 which heats electric heater 40, Fig. 3), the first and second electrical terminals being electrically connected to respective first and second walls which are mutually adjacent (electrodes 12 and 13 pass current to electric heating wall members 41, Fig. 3) and comprise an outer pair of the walls which are located at a radially outer side of the resistive heater (first heating wall member 41a and second heating wall member 41b located at a radially outer side of electric heater 40, Fig. 3), wherein the plurality of annular walls are mechanically connected together whereby adjacent flow channels have opposite fluid flow directions and are connected at adjacent ends of the respective channels to define an alternating serpentine flow path which has an input end at the fluid input and an output end at the fluid output (heating wall members 41 are connected together whereby adjacent inter-member flow paths 51 which has an input end at communication hole 45a, series of flow paths 51 to communication hole 45f,Fig. 3), wherein the input and output ends are respectively located at radially outer and radially inner positions relative to the longitudinal axis (input end of communication hole 45a is on an outer surface of electric heater 40 and communication hole 45a leading to throat 18 which is outside of electric heater 40, Fig. 1), and wherein the plurality of annular walls are electrically connected together to define a continuous electrically conductive path extending between the first and second electrical terminals (electric current C follows a conductive path along electric heating wall member 41, Fig. 3), the conductive path having a first part which extends from the first wall to a centre of the resistive heater and a second part which extends from the centre of the resistive heater to the second wall (electric current C follows a conductive path along electric heating wall member 41, Fig. 3).
; b) supplying a fluid to be heated to the fluid input of the flow resistor and thereby to flow along the alternating serpentine flow path to the fluid output of the flow resistor (fluid supplied through supply port 21 of container 16 to flow into electric heater 40 along the channels 51 in a serpentine fashion to the throat 18, Fig. 3), the supplied fluid having a pressure greater than an external gas pressure surrounding an exterior of the housing (when the injection device 10 is used as a thruster, it is conceivable to increase the pressure of the fluid F in order to obtain a high propulsion efficiency, paragraph 0039, lines 1-2); c) applying an electrical potential across the first and second terminals to heat the fluid flow in the alternating serpentine flow path by the resistive heater (the power supply 17 applies a voltage to the electric heater 40 via the pair of electrodes 12, 13, paragraph 0045, lines 1-2); and d) expelling the heated fluid flow from the outlet of the housing (heated fluid out of throat 18, Fig. 3).
With regards to claim 31, Kinebuchi discloses wherein the electric heating system is a resistojet and is configured for installation into a spacecraft (the injection device 10, 60 can also be applied to thrusters other than the thruster 71, paragraph 0074, lines 1-2).
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) 9,29 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kinebuchi as applied to claims 6 and 28 above, and further in view of Cann (US4577461).
With regards to claim 9, Kinebuchi does not disclose wherein at least some walls are provided with openings extending therethrough and at least one of first and second electrical connections extend through a respective opening.
Cann teaches wherein at least some walls are provided with openings extending therethrough and at least one of first and second electrical connections extend through a respective opening (anode 12 and cathode 14 go through openings of a wall of the containment chamber 16, Fig. 1).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Kinebuchi and Cann before him or her, to modify the electric terminals of Kinebuchi to include the openings of Cann because the combination allows for a combination that will efficiently convert most of the ionization and dissociation energy of the arc column gas to thermal energy in the bypass gas which is then converted to useful thrust in the nozzle.
With regards to claims 29 and 30, Kinebuchi does not disclose wherein the heated fluid is expelled from the outlet of the housing at a subsonic or sonic velocity via a converging-diverging nozzle.
Cann teaches wherein the heated fluid is expelled from the outlet of the housing at a subsonic or sonic velocity via a converging-diverging nozzle (the objects of the present invention are accomplished by partially ionizing a gas stream, accelerating the jet to supersonic velocities through a nozzle, col 8, lines 46-52).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Kinebuchi and Cann before him or her, to modify the thruster of Kinebuchi to include the sonic capabilities of Cann because the combination allows to accelerate an ionized gas plasma without any significant spreading or deflection of the jet.
Claim(s) 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kinebuchi as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of Alden et al (US2012/0184157).
With regards to claim 17, Kinebuchi does not disclose wherein the electrical connector comprises a pair of elongate helical elements which are arranged concentrically about the longitudinal axis and are surrounded by the innermost wall, wherein a first end of each helical element is connected to a respective wall of the inner pair of the walls and opposite second ends of the helical elements are connected together by a connection member of the electrical connector.
Alden et al teaches wherein the electrical connector comprises a pair of elongate helical elements which are arranged concentrically about the longitudinal axis and are surrounded by the innermost wall (electric contact 10 having helical arms 18 surrounded by a body 12, Fig. 1), wherein a first end of each helical element is connected to a respective wall of the inner pair of the walls and opposite second ends of the helical elements are connected together by a connection member of the electrical connector (first and second ends of helical arms 18 start at sides 32 of mating segments 14 and 16 , Fig. 1, Fig. 6).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Kinebuchi and Alden et al before him or her, to modify the electric connector of Kinebuchi to include the helical arms of Alden et al because the combination allows for increased working range and a reduced contact force.
With regards to claim 18, Alden et al wherein the connection member comprises an annular ring (end 42, 44 are annular rings that connects to segments 14 and 16, Fig. 1).
With regards to claim 19, Alden et al wherein the first ends of the helical elements are located at the second end of the resistive heater (first and second ends of arms 18 are located over the metal rod 67, Fig. 4).
Claim(s) 21 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kinebuchi as applied to claims 1 and 20 above, and further in view of Grubisic et al (US11077964).
With regards to claim 21, Kinebuchi does not disclose wherein the integral monolithic body is fabricated via an additive manufacturing technique selected as Laser Beam Melting.
Grubisic et al teaches wherein the integral monolithic body is fabricated via an additive manufacturing technique (the thruster component 200 is fabricated from a bed of refractory metal powder by additive manufacturing, col 11, lines 20-23) by a Laser Beam Melting (by high energy source 620 which melts to form a small molten pool, col 14, lines 38-43).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Kinebuchi and Grubisic et al before him or her, to modify the thruster of Kinebuchi to include the thruster fabricated by additive manufacturing of Grubisic et al because the combination allows for rapid heat up of a heat exchanger apparatus.
With regards to claim 26, Kinebuchi and Grubisic et al does not teach wherein a plurality of the resistive heaters are located within the housing, and the resistive heaters are arranged in series or in parallel relative to the inlet and outlet for fluid flow. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have a plurality of resistive heaters since it has been held that mere duplication of essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Conclusion
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/THOMAS J WARD/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/EDWARD F LANDRUM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761