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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-8 and 11-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kema (JP 11-173771 A) in view of Ronacher (US Patent No. 10,578,376), Ito (US PGPub No. 2014/0290921) and Takami (US PGPub No. 2017/0051982).
Regarding claim 1, Kema discloses a plate heat exchanger (50, Fig. 3), comprising:
a plurality of first heat exchange plates (81b, Fig. 10), each of the first heat exchange plate comprising a first corrugation, the first corrugation comprising a first wave crest (90) and a first wave trough (88); and
a plurality of second heat exchange plates (81a, Fig. 10), each of the second heat exchange plate comprising a second corrugation, the second corrugation comprising a second wave crest (84) and a second wave trough (83);
wherein the plurality of first heat exchange plate and the plurality of second heat exchange plate are stacked alternately along a stacking direction which is the same as a thickness direction of the plate heat exchanger (the plates 81b and 81a are stacked alternatively in vertical direction of Fig. 10, a stacking direction is a thickness direction of the heat exchanger 50 from a front surface with inlet/outlets 53-56 to a back surface);
at least part of the second wave crest of the second heat exchange plate (84 of 81a in Fig. 10) is in contact with a corresponding first wave trough of an adjacent first heat exchange plate (88 of 81b in Fig. 10) which is located adjacent to the second heat exchange plate (the 81b is adjacent on top side of 81a as shown in Fig. 10);
at least part of the second wave trough of the second heat exchange plate (83 of the 81a in Fig. 10) is in contact with a corresponding first wave crest of another adjacent first heat exchange plate (90 of 81b below the 81a) which is located adjacent to the second heat exchange plate (the 81b is adjacent on bottom side of 81a as shown in Fig. 10);
along the thickness direction of the plate heat exchanger, a maximum distance between the first wave crest of the first heat exchange plate and the first wave trough of the first heat exchange plate is h (vertical distance between 88 and 90); and
in a direction of a shortest line connecting tops of adjacent first wave crests (a horizontal direction connecting crests 90), in adjacent first heat exchange plate and second heat exchange plate, a minimum connecting width of the first wave trough and the second wave crest is W1 (horizontal distance of the connection between the trough 88 and crest 84, see “W1” in annotated figure below), and a minimum connecting width of the first wave crest and the second wave trough is W2 (horizontal distance of the connection between the crest 90 and trough 83 see “W2” in annotated figure below);
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wherein the top of the first wave crest, a top of the second wave crest, a bottom of the first wave trough and a bottom of the second wave trough are straight portions (flat shaped crests/troughs 83, 84, 88 and 90); a contact surface of the straight portion is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the plate heat exchanger (the contacts between the flat shaped crests/troughs 83, 84, 88 and 90 are perpendicular to the vertical direction shown in Fig. 10);
the first wave crest (90), the second wave crest (84), the first wave trough (88) and the second wave trough (83) further comprise a first side wall portion and a second side wall portion (see annotated figure noted for “clm 5” above); in the direction of the shortest line connecting the tops of the adjacent first wave crests (the horizontal direction connecting crests 90), one side of the straight portion is connected to the first side wall portion (left side of 88 is connected to “first side wall portion” in the figure above), and another side of the straight portion is connected to the second side wall portion (right side of 88 is connected to “second side wall portion” in the figure above); an included angle α is formed between the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion (an angle between the two portions).
However, Kema fails to disclose wherein at least one of a ratio of Wi/h and a ratio of W2/h is within a range of 0.25 to 2.5; and the range where 120°≤α≤135°.
The connecting distance W1, W2; and distance between the first wave crest/trough h are recognized in the art to be result-effective variables. Ronacher discloses a wider wave crest 131 in Fig. 3 has a greater area for bonding the corrugated elements, while a narrower wave crest 31 in Fig. 2 has more heat exchanging area exposed to a channel compared to the overlapping materials in Fig. 3. Ito discloses wave height h effectively may be chosen to prevent cracks or nonuniformity in plate thickness t and has a value of 1.0-1.2mm (paragraph 0064). It is also readily understood that the wave height h effectively determines channel size and thickness of the heat exchanger. One of ordinary skill in the art would perform routine optimization of the connecting distance W1, W2 and distance h in order for proper heat exchange area/bonding strength; and the plate durability/size. Therefore, discovering the claimed ratio of W1/h and W2/h of 0.25 to 2.5 is not novel because the variables in the ratio are in fact result effective.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein at least one of a ratio of Wi/h and a ratio of W2/h is within a range of 0.25 to 2.5 in Kema as taught by Ronacher and Ito through routine optimization of the variables W1, W2 and h.
Takami (Fig. 11) discloses corrugated fins 103 having angles α formed between inclined side walls 112, 122 and a vertical direction. Takami further discloses that the rigidity of the fins decreases as the angle α increases (paragraph 0086 and Fig. 14). Since the plates 81a, 81b in Kema also have a corrugated structure, it is evident that the rigidity of the corrugated plate decreases as the included angle between the first and second side wall portion (see annotated figure above) increases. Further, the plates require flexing as a result of a volumetric expansion when ice is formed (paragraph 0076, translation of Kema and Fig. 9). Therefore, the claimed included angle is a result-effective variable. Although the angle α is 0°-40° (and 0°-80° between side walls 112, 122) not overlapping the range as claimed, one of ordinary skill in the art would perform routine optimization of the angle including the claimed range in order to obtain a proper stiffness for the plate flexing when ice is formed. Therefore, discovering the claimed included angle α being 120°≤α≤135° is not novel based on the result effectiveness of the angle itself.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the range where 120°≤α≤135° in Kema as taught by Takami through routine optimization of the included angle for proper stiffness to allow flexing of the plate when ice is formed.
Regarding claim 2, Kema further discloses wherein along the thickness direction of the plate heat exchanger, a maximum distance between the second wave crest of the second heat exchange plate and the second wave trough of the second heat exchange plate is h (vertical distance between 83 and 84);
in the direction of the shortest line connecting the tops of the adjacent first wave crests (the horizontal direction connecting crests 90), an outer width of a bottom of the first wave trough connected to the second wave crest is greater than or equal to W1 (bottom outer width of the trough 88 is equal to “W1”), an outer width of a top of the second wave crest connected to the first wave trough is greater than or equal to W1 (top outer width of the crest 84 is equal to “W1”), an outer width of a top of the first wave crest connected to the second wave trough is greater than or equal to W2 (top outer width of the crest 90 is equal to “W2”), and an outer width of a bottom of the second wave trough connected to the first wave crest is greater than or equal to W2 (bottom outer width of the trough 83 is equal to “W2”); wherein at least one of a ratio of Wi/h and a ratio of W2/h is within a range of 0.3 to 1 (the see claim 1 above that the claimed ratio is result effective and obvious as one skilled in the art performs routine optimization to variables W1, W2 and h for optimum heat exchange area/bonding strength; and the plate durability/size).
Regarding claim 3, Kema further discloses wherein in the direction of the shortest line connecting the tops of the adjacent first wave crests (the horizontal direction connecting crests 90), the outer width of the bottom of the first wave trough connected to the second wave crest is W1, the outer width of the top of the second wave crest connected to the first wave trough is W1, the outer width of the top of the first wave crest connected to the second wave trough is W2, and the outer width of the bottom of the second wave trough connected to the first wave crest is W2 (see claim 2 above); and
Kema fails to disclose wherein W1 is the same as W2.
Ito further discloses a wave pitch (Λ) between two adjacent troughs of a wavey pattern (Fig. 3b) and is uniform across the crests and troughs (Fig. 3a). Therefore, since the pitch is uniform, all connection width at crests and troughs of adjacent plates among the heat exchanger is uniform. When Ito is applied in Kema, the pitch of the wave pattern can be made uniform and as a result, the W1 and W2 in the annotated figure above may be made equal or the same.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein W1 is the same as W2 in Kema as taught by Ito in order to decrease complexity of the heat exchanger.
Regarding claim 4, Kema further discloses wherein at least part of a top surface of the first wave crest of the first heat exchange plate is located in a first plane P1, at least part of a bottom surface of the first wave trough is located in a second plane P2, the first plane P1 is parallel to the second plane P2, and a distance from the first plane P1 to the second plane P2 is the same as h (top side of the crest 90 in plane P1 and bottom side of the trough 88 in plane P2, and the height h between the P1 and P2 in the annotated figure above);
at least part of a top surface of the second wave crest of the second heat exchange plate is located in a third plane P3, at least part of a bottom surface of the second wave trough is located in a fourth plane P4, the third plane P3 is parallel to the fourth plane P4, and a distance from the third plane P3 to the fourth plane P4 is the same as h (top side of the crest 84 in plane P3 and bottom side of the trough 83 in plane P4, and the height h between the P3 and P4 in the annotated figure above;
the third plane P3 of the second heat exchange plate coincides with the second plane P2 of the adjacent first heat exchange plate, and the fourth plane P4 of the second heat exchange plate coincides with the first plane P1 of the another adjacent first heat exchange plate (the plane P2 and P3 at trough 88 in plate 81b above 81a and crest 84; plane P1 and P4 at crest 90 in plate 81b below 81a and trough 83 are the same plane so the planes coincide indefinitely);
the thickness direction of the plate heat exchanger is perpendicular to the first plane P1 (the vertical direction of Fig. 10 is perpendicular to the planes P1-P4).
Regarding claim 6, Kema further discloses wherein the second corrugation further comprises at least one convex ridge (85) which is distributed along a direction of a shortest line connecting tops of adjacent second wave crests of the second heat exchange plate (in a horizontal direction in Fig. 10);
along the thickness direction of the plate heat exchanger (the vertical direction of Fig. 10), a top of the convex ridge is located between the top of the second wave crest and a bottom of the second wave trough (the ridge 85 is vertically between the crest 84 and trough 84); along the thickness direction of the plate heat exchanger, volumes of inter-plate channels on two sides of the convex ridge of the plate heat exchanger are different (volumes of channels 62 and 61 are different);
the top of the convex ridge of the second heat exchange plate is located in a fifth plane P5, the fifth plane P5 is located between a third plane P3 and a fourth plane P4 of the same second heat exchange plate (see annotated figure above); the fifth plane P5 is parallel to the third plane P3 (see annotated figure above), a height d of the convex ridge is a distance from the fifth plane P5 to the fourth plane P4 (see annotated figure above), where d=(0.4~0.75)*h (paragraph 0054 of the translation of Kema discloses that the height of the first peak portion 84 is set to be twice the height of the second peak portion 85. Therefore, d=0.5h); and wherein h is 1-2mm (Kema in view of Ronacher and Ito has concluded that the h is a result effective variable, is being routinely experimented/optimized, and may have a value of of 1.0-1.2mm, paragraph 0064 of Ito).
Regarding claim 7, Kema further discloses wherein at least one convex ridge is arranged between adjacent second wave crests, at least one second wave crest is arranged between adjacent convex ridges (the crests 84 and ridge 85 are alternatively arranged along the horizontal direction);
the inter-plate channels of the plate heat exchanger comprise at least one first channel (61) and at least one second channel (62, see Fig. 8); the first channel is located between the second heat exchange plate and the adjacent first heat exchange plate (between 81a and 81b above the 81a); the second channel is located between the second heat exchange plate and the another adjacent first heat exchange plate (between 81a and 81b below the 81a); the first channel and the second channels are located on two sides of a same convex ridge (channel 61 is above the ridge 85; channel 62 is below the ridge 85), respectively, along the thickness direction of the plate heat exchanger; volumes of the first channel and the second channel are different (see different sizes of the channels 61 and 62);
the first channels communicate with each other (the channel 61 is for refrigerant that fluidly communicates from inlet 53), the second channels communicate with each other (the channel 61 is for water that fluidly communicates from inlet 55), and the first channel and the second channel do not communicate with each other (the refrigerant and water do not mix in the heat exchanger).
Regarding claim 8, Kema further discloses wherein both the first heat exchange plate and the second heat exchange plate comprise two short sides and two long sides (see Figs. 4 and 5); the first corrugation comprises a first flow guiding section (herringbone pattern of the plate 81b); the first flow guiding section comprises at least one first flow guiding subsection (pattern on left side of “center line” of plate 81b, see annotated figure below) and at least one second flow guiding subsection (pattern on right side of “center line” of plate 81b); adjacent first guiding subsection and second guiding subsection are connected to form an opening angle ß1 (an angle where the herringbone pattern intersects);
the first guiding section and the second guiding section are symmetrical about a center line l, and the center line l is perpendicular to the two short sides (see “center line” in annotated figure below);
the second corrugation comprises a second flow guiding section (herringbone pattern of the plate 81a); the second flow guiding section comprises at least one third flow guiding subsection (pattern on left side of “center line” of plate 81a) and at least one fourth flow guiding subsection (pattern on right side of “center line” of plate 81a); adjacent third flow guiding subsection and fourth flow guiding subsection are connected to form an opening angle ß2,
the opening angle ß1 of the first flow guiding section is the same as the opening angle ß2 of the second flow guiding section (the herringbone patterns are the same in 81a and 81b so their angles are the same); a direction of the opening angle ß1 of the first flow guiding section is opposite to a direction of the opening angle ß2 of the second flow guiding section (see opposite direction of the angles in annotated figure below).
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Kema fails to disclose the range where 90°≤ ß1≤135° and where 90°≤ ß2≤135°.
Ito further discloses that the wave angle theta effectively results a change in the distribution of refrigerant over a short side of the heat exchange plate 20 (paragraph 0063, and Fig. 3) and has a claimed angle between 80° to 100° (2x the angle theta) partial overlapping the claimed range. One of ordinary skill in the art would perform routine optimization to the claimed angle ß1/ß2 in order to obtain the optimum distribution over a surface of the plates in Kema. Therefore, specifying the angle in the claim is not novel.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided where 90°≤ ß1≤135° and where 90°≤ ß2≤135° in Kema as taught by Ito through routine optimization for optimum fluid distribution over the plate.
Regarding claim 11, Kema discloses a plate heat exchanger (50, Fig. 3), comprising:
a plurality of first heat exchange plates (81b, Fig. 10), each of the first heat exchange plate comprising a first corrugation, the first corrugation comprising a plurality of first wave crests (90) and a plurality of first wave trough (88); and
a plurality of second heat exchange plates (81a, Fig. 10), each of the second heat exchange plate comprising a second corrugation, the second corrugation comprising a plurality of second wave crest (84) and a plurality of second wave trough (83);
wherein the plurality of first heat exchange plate and the plurality of second heat exchange plate are stacked alternately along a first direction of the plate heat exchanger (the plates 81b and 81a are stacked alternatively in vertical direction of Fig. 10);
at least part of the second wave crests of the second heat exchange plate (84 of 81a in Fig. 10) are fixed to corresponding first wave troughs of an upper adjacent first heat exchange plate (88 of 81b in Fig. 10);
at least part of the second wave troughs of the second heat exchange plate (83 of the 81a in Fig. 10) are fixed to corresponding first wave crests of an lower adjacent first heat exchange plate (90 of 81b below the 81a);
along the first direction of the plate heat exchanger, a maximum distance between the first wave crest of the first heat exchange plate and the first wave trough of the first heat exchange plate is h (vertical distance between 88 and 90);
a top of the first wave crest and a bottom of the first wave trough are flat, and a top of the second wave crest and a bottom of the second wave trough are flat;
in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (a horizontal direction connecting crests 90), in adjacent first heat exchange plate and second heat exchange plate, a minimum connecting width of the first wave trough and the second wave crest is W1 (horizontal distance of the connection between the trough 88 and crest 84, see “W1” in annotated figure above), and a minimum connecting width of the first wave crest and the second wave trough is W2 (horizontal distance of the connection between the crest 90 and trough 83 see “W2” in annotated figure above);
wherein the top of the first wave crest, a top of the second wave crest, a bottom of the first wave trough and a bottom of the second wave trough are straight portions (flat shaped crests/troughs 83, 84, 88 and 90); a contact surface of the straight portion is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the plate heat exchanger (the contacts between the flat shaped crests/troughs 83, 84, 88 and 90 are perpendicular to the vertical direction shown in Fig. 10);
the first wave crest (90), the second wave crest (84), the first wave trough (88) and the second wave trough (83) further comprise a first side wall portion and a second side wall portion (see annotated figure noted for “clm 5” above); in the direction of the shortest line connecting the tops of the adjacent first wave crests (the horizontal direction connecting crests 90), one side of the straight portion is connected to the first side wall portion (left side of 88 is connected to “first side wall portion” in the figure above), and another side of the straight portion is connected to the second side wall portion (right side of 88 is connected to “second side wall portion” in the figure above); an included angle α is formed between the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion (an angle between the two portions).
However, Kema fails to disclose wherein at least one of a ratio of Wi/h and a ratio of W2/h is within a range of 0.25 to 2.5; and the range where 120°≤α≤135°.
Please see the rejection of claim 1 above for the variables W1, W2 and h; and the included angle α being result effective and are routinely optimized.
Regarding claim 12, please see the rejection of claim 2 above.
Regarding claim 13, please see the rejection of claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 14, please see the rejection of claim 4 above.
Regarding claim 15, please see the rejection of claim 6 above.
Regarding claim 16, please see the rejection of claim 7 above.
Regarding claim 17, please see the rejection of claim 8 above.
Claim(s) 9 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kema (JP 11-173771 A) in view of Ronacher (US Patent No. 10,578,376), Ito (US PGPub No. 2014/0290921) and Takami (US PGPub No. 2017/0051982) as applied to claim 1 or 11 above, and further in view of Chang (KR 10-2008-0090121 A).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Kema further discloses wherein the first heat exchange plate is opened with four first ports (73b, 74b; and 75b, 76b), in which two first ports are in a same plane as a bottom of the first wave trough of the same first heat exchange plate, and another two first ports are in a same plane as the top of the first wave crest of the same first heat exchange plate;
the four first ports are located at four corners of the first heat exchange plate, respectively;
the second heat exchange plate is opened with four second ports (73a, 74a; and 75a, 76a), in which two second ports are in a same plane as a top of the second wave crest of the same second heat exchange plate, and another two second ports are in a same plane as a bottom of the second wave trough of the same second heat exchange plate;
the four second ports are located at four corners of the second heat exchange plate, respectively;
positions of the second ports of the second heat exchange plate correspond to positions of the first ports of the adjacent first heat exchange plate (ports 73a/b, 74a/b, 75a/b and 76a/b are at their respective location on the plates 81a and 81b).
Kema as modified fails to disclose in which two first ports are in a same plane as a bottom of the first wave trough of the same first heat exchange plate, and another two first ports are in a same plane as the top of the first wave crest of the same first heat exchange plate;
the four first ports are located at four corners of the first heat exchange plate, respectively;
in which two second ports are in a same plane as a top of the second wave crest of the same second heat exchange plate, and another two second ports are in a same plane as a bottom of the second wave trough of the same second heat exchange plate;
the four second ports are located at four corners of the second heat exchange plate, respectively;
in adjacent first heat exchange plate and second heat exchange plate, two pairs of corresponding first ports and second ports are fitted together, and another two pairs are arranged at intervals with gaps;
the two pairs of fitted first ports and second ports are diagonally distributed.
Chang discloses a first heat exchange plate (20) in which two first ports (22) are in a same plane as a bottom of the first wave trough of the same first heat exchange plate (ports 22 are on the level of the troughs of the plate 20, see Fig. 2), and another two first ports (21) are in a same plane as the top of the first wave crest of the same first heat exchange plate (ports 21 are on the level of the crests of the plate 20, see Fig. 2);
the four first ports are located at four corners of the first heat exchange plate, respectively (see Fig. 1);
a second heat exchange plate (30) in which two second ports (21) are in a same plane as a top of the second wave crest of the same second heat exchange plate (ports 21 are on the level of the crests of the plate 30, see Fig. 2), and another two second ports (22) are in a same plane as a bottom of the second wave trough of the same second heat exchange plate (ports 22 are on the level of the trough of the plate 30, see Fig. 2);
the four second ports are located at four corners of the second heat exchange plate, respectively (see Fig. 1);
in adjacent first heat exchange plate and second heat exchange plate (adjacent plates 20 and 30), two pairs of corresponding first ports and second ports are fitted together (a pair of ports 22 of plate 20 and a pair of ports 21 of plate 30), and another two pairs are arranged at intervals with gaps (a pair of ports 21 of plate 20 and a pair of ports 22 of plate 30, to define a flow path from inlet 11 shown in Fig. 2);
the two pairs of fitted first ports and second ports are diagonally distributed (the pair ports 22 of plate 20 and the pair of ports 21 of plate 30; and the pair of ports 21 of plate 20 and the pair of ports 22 of plate 30 are diagonally arranged).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the ports locations in the first and second heat exchange plates set forth in claim 9 in Kema as taught by Chang in order to separate the heat exchanging flows in the heat exchanger and define the inlet and outlet locations of the heat exchanging fluids.
Claim(s) 10 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kema (JP 11-173771 A), Ronacher (US Patent No. 10,578,376), Ito (US PGPub No. 2014/0290921), Takami (US PGPub No. 2017/0051982) and Chang (KR 10-2008-0090121 A) as applied to claim 9 or 18 above, and further in view of Christensen (US PGPub No. 2011/0036547) and Blomgren (US Patent No. 6,016,865).
Regarding claims 10 and 19, Kema as modified in claim 9 or 18 further discloses an outer periphery of the first heat exchange plate is provided with a first skirt (an inclined side wall of the plate 20 surrounding the herringbone pattern, Figs. 1 and 2 of Chang), an outer periphery of the second heat exchange plate is provided with a second skirt (an inclined side wall of the plate 30 surrounding the herringbone pattern, Figs. 1 and 2 of Chang), the first skirt of the first heat exchange plate is at least partially overlapped with the second skirt of an adjacent second heat exchange plate so as to surround a corresponding inter-plate channel (see Fig. 2 of Chang);
the plate heat exchanger further comprises connecting pipes (11 and 13), the first port or the second port on one side of the plate heat exchanger along the thickness direction of the plate heat exchanger is respectively connected with one connecting pipe (ports 22 with recess and flat ports 21 on one side of the plate connecting the pipe 13); the first port or the second port on another side is provided with one blocking element.
Kema as modified in claim 9 fails to disclose wherein in the first port and the second port arranged at intervals with gaps, the first heat exchange plate is provided with a first support portion at a corner where the first ports are located, and the second heat exchange plate is provided with a second support portion at a corner where the second ports are located; both the first support portion and the second support portion protrude toward the gap and abut against each other; and
the plate heat exchanger further comprises blocking elements; and the first port or the second port on another side is provided with one blocking element.
Christensen discloses wherein in the first port and the second port arranged at intervals with gaps (ports 21 and 22 of one plate and ports 23 and 24 adjacent plates that opens a flow between the adjacent plates, see Fig. 4), the first heat exchange plate is provided with a first support portion at a corner where the first ports are located (inner portions 32 at edges of ports 21/22), and the second heat exchange plate is provided with a second support portion at a corner where the second ports are located (inner portions 32 at edges of ports 23/24); both the first support portion and the second support portion protrude toward the gap and abut against each other (inner portions 32 of one heat exchanger 1 will adjoin to a respective one of the inner portions of an adjacent heat exchanger 1, paragraph 0041).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the support portions set forth in claim 10 in Kema as taught by Christensen in order to provide strengthen the structure around the ports.
Blomgren discloses the plate heat exchanger further comprises blocking elements (gaskets 20 and 21, Figs. 1 and 2). According to the teaching of Blomgren, the gaskets may be provided at the plate 20 between flat ports 21 and adjacent end plate 10. As a result, one of the gaskets one of the gaskets may be provided at the first port or the second port on another side (ports 22 with recess and flat ports 21 on another side of the plate connecting pipes 11) is provided with one blocking element (the another side may be provided with a gasket as taught by Blomgren between plate 10 and the flat port 21 to prevent leak between the connection).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the blocking elements set forth in claim 10 in Kema as taught by Blomgren in order to prevent leaks between the connections.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kema (JP 11-173771 A) in view of Takami (US PGPub No. 2017/0051982).
Regarding claim 20, Kema discloses a plate heat exchanger (50, Fig. 3), comprising:
a plurality of first heat exchange plates (81b, Fig. 10), each of the first heat exchange plate comprising a first corrugation, the first corrugation comprising a first wave crest (90) and a first wave trough (88); and
a plurality of second heat exchange plates (81a, Fig. 10), each of the second heat exchange plate comprising a second corrugation, the second corrugation comprising a second wave crest (84) and a second wave trough (83);
the plurality of first heat exchange plate and the plurality of second heat exchange plate are stacked alternately along a height direction of the plate heat exchanger (the plates 81b and 81a are stacked alternatively in Fig. 10, a height direction from a front surface with inlet/outlets 53-56 to a back surface);
wherein at least part of the second wave crest of the second heat exchange plate (84 of 81a in Fig. 10) is in contact with a corresponding first wave trough of an adjacent first heat exchange plate (88 of 81b in Fig. 10) which is located adjacent to the second heat exchange plate (the 81b is adjacent on top side of 81a as shown in Fig. 10);
at least part of the second wave trough of the second heat exchange plate (83 of the 81a in Fig. 10) is in contact with a corresponding first wave crest of another adjacent first heat exchange plate (90 of 81b below the 81a) which is located adjacent to the second heat exchange plate (the 81b is adjacent on bottom side of 81a as shown in Fig. 10);
the plate heat exchanger defines a plurality of first channels (61) and a plurality second channels (62, see Fig. 8) disposed alternately along the height direction (see Fig. 10), the first channel is located between the second heat exchange plate and the adjacent first heat exchange plate (channel 61 is between the plate 81a and 81b above the 81a), the second channel is located between the second heat exchange plate and the another adjacent first heat exchange plate (channel 62 is between the plate 81a and 81b below the 81a), and volumes of the first channel and the second channel are different (channel 61 is larger than channel 62); and a minimum connecting width of the first wave trough and the second wave crest is W1 (see “W1” in annotated figure below), a minimum connecting width of the first wave crest and the second wave trough is W2 (see “W2” in annotated figure below), and values of W1 and W2 are different (W1 appears to be longer than W2);
wherein the top of the first wave crest, a top of the second wave crest, a bottom of the first wave trough and a bottom of the second wave trough are straight portions (flat shaped crests/troughs 83, 84, 88 and 90); a contact surface of the straight portion is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the plate heat exchanger (the contacts between the flat shaped crests/troughs 83, 84, 88 and 90 are perpendicular to the vertical direction shown in Fig. 10);
the first wave crest (90), the second wave crest (84), the first wave trough (88) and the second wave trough (83) further comprise a first side wall portion and a second side wall portion (see annotated figure noted for “clm 5” below); in the direction of the shortest line connecting the tops of the adjacent first wave crests (the horizontal direction connecting crests 90), one side of the straight portion is connected to the first side wall portion (left side of 88 is connected to “first side wall portion” in the figure above), and another side of the straight portion is connected to the second side wall portion (right side of 88 is connected to “second side wall portion” in the figure above); an included angle α is formed between the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion (an angle between the two portions).
However, Kema fails to disclose the range where 120°≤α≤135°.
Please see the rejection of claim 1 above for the included angle α being result effective and is routinely optimized.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/12/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the argument that providing the claimed ratio of W1/h and W2/h within the range of 0.25 to 2.5 and the benefits (page 16 of remarks), it appears to be a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references. The rejection of Kema in view of Ronacher and Ito above has concluded that the claimed ratios are result effective, one of ordinary skill in the art would routinely optimize the ratios for proper heat exchange area/bonding strength; and the plate durability/size.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the included angle being 120°≤α≤135° in claims 1, 11 and 20 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. Kema in view of Takami above has demonstrated that a variation of the included angle of a corrugation effectively results a change in the rigidity of the corrugated plate. As a result, one of ordinary skill in the art would routinely optimize the included angle to obtain the rigidity of the plate for accommodating volumetric expansion as a result of the ice formation in Kema.
Conclusion
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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/JIANYING C ATKISSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/F.K.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3763