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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 11/11/2025 has been entered.
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, 6-7 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US20210018197A1) in view of Liu (CN206210542U).
Claim 1: Lin discloses an intelligent drying device for a transformer (Figs. 6-10, note 2’ and paragraphs 40-41), wherein the transformer has an intake state and an exhaust state (Figs. 7-8, paragraph 41), the intelligent drying device comprising an air dehydrating device (1) being in air communication with the transformer and including a device body (11), a sensor (13), and a heater (12), the device body having a desiccant (M), and the sensor and the heater being disposed on the device body (Fig. 6); and a control device (14/15) connected to the air dehydrating device and including a display module; wherein, when the transformer is in the intake state (paragraph 42, Fig. 8), the air dehydrating device is configured to remove moisture from an air stream by the desiccant and obtain air humidity data by the sensor (13) over a predetermined time period (note paragraphs 25-26, 41 and 44; Fig. 9); wherein, when the transformer is in the exhaust state (paragraph 42, Fig. 7), the air dehydrating device is configured to remove moisture from the desiccant by the heater (paragraph 41; Fig. 9); wherein the control device is configured to determine a humidity status level of the predetermined time period (Fig. 9).
Lin is not explicit about a display module. However, Liu teaches an air-drying system for a transformer which utilizes display modules (see page 3 of English machine translation of CN206210542U, note control box (10) having display windows for humidity information). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize a display module as taught by Liu into the apparatus of Lin to easily provide a technician with visible information regarding the condition of the transformer and air-drying device. With the display capabilities of Liu, modified Lin would thereby be capable of humidity status level display on the display module according to the air humidity data of the predetermined time period (as can be appreciated from claim 5 and pages 3-4 of Liu).
Lin further discloses that the air humidity data includes an average value of daily average humidity values of all days within the predetermined time period (Fig. 9, paragraphs 30-33), and the humidity status level is divided into four levels (Examiner noting three levels mentioned in paragraph 31 as well as a preset level mentioned in paragraph 46) that could be displayable under the teachings of Lin (Lin’s incorporation with Liu provides for a display of humidity values, e.g., reference values, whose makeup would be reflective of an underlying environmental level). While only explicit about some of the particular levels mentioned in claim 2, Lin notes that various other levels could be determined (see paragraph 31). Indeed, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to establish ideal humidity levels, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 167 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Claim 6: Lin and Liu teach the previous limitations. Modified Lin further teaches that the control device is configured to analyze air humidity data of past N days according to an algorithm so as to obtain a predetermined countdown start day to be displayed on the display module, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 2 (paragraph 5; Fig. 5).
Claim 7: Lin and Liu teach the previous limitations. Liu further teaches that the device body includes a gas inlet end portion and a gas outlet end portion opposite to the gas inlet end portion (Fig. 1, note two ends of 1), and a carrier located between the gas inlet end portion and the gas outlet end portion (5), the sensor (2/8) is disposed in the gas outlet end portion, the carrier surrounds the heater (9), and the desiccant (7) is disposed on the carrier.
Claim 10: Lin and Liu teach the previous limitations. Lin further discloses that the transformer is an oil-immersed transformer that includes an oil storage tank (Fig. 6, 2’/21’), and an air cell (Figs. 7-8, note air cell at top of 2’) is disposed inside the oil storage tank to isolate an insulating oil from an external environment; wherein the gas inlet end portion of the device body is in communication with the atmosphere (Figs. 7-8), and the gas outlet end portion of the device body is in communication with the air cell (Figs. 7-8).
Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US20210018197A1) in view of Liu (CN206210542U) and in further view of Du (CN215506813U).
Claim 3: Lin and Liu teach the previous limitations. Lin is not explicit about when the sensor obtains a temperature value higher than a predetermined temperature value, the control device is configured to display a first fault symbol on the display module. However, Du teaches a temperature and humidity test box apparatus, which, when an associated temperature sensor obtains a temperature value higher than a predetermined temperature value, the control device is configured to display a fault symbol on the display module (see Abstract and Claim 1, Examiner noting that when temp/humidity exceed a set value, acousto-optic alarms are triggered which would have to be part of some display-style arrangement). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize temperature control behavior as taught by Du into the modified apparatus of Lin to better alert technicians of unsafe conditions.
Claim 4: Lin and Liu teach the previous limitations. Lin is not explicit about when the sensor obtains a humidity value higher than a predetermined humidity value, the control device is configured to display a first fault symbol on the display module. However, Du teaches a temperature and humidity test box apparatus, which, when an associated temperature sensor obtains a temperature value higher than a predetermined temperature value, the control device is configured to display a fault symbol on the display module (see Abstract and Claim 1, Examiner noting that when temp/humidity exceed a set value, acousto-optic alarms are triggered which would have to be part of some display-style arrangement). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize humidity control behavior as taught by Du into the modified apparatus of Lin to better alert technicians of unsafe conditions.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US20210018197A1) in view of Liu (CN206210542U) and in further view of Ueno (JP2008218136A).
Claim 5: Lin and Liu teach the previous limitations. Lin is not explicit about the control device further includes a circuit board module with a current detection unit that when it obtains a current value lower than a predetermined current value, the control device is configured to display a third fault symbol on the display module. However, Ueno teaches a dehumidifier having a circuit board module (5/3/2A/2B) with a current detection unit that when it obtains a current value lower than a predetermined current value, the control device is configured to display (via 4) a third fault symbol (alarm) on the display module (see Abstract). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to monitor current conditions as taught by Du into the modified apparatus of Lin to better alert technicians of whether the heater is working.
Claim(s) 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US20210018197A1) in view of Liu (CN206210542U) and in further view of Chen (TWM525528U).
Claim 8: 1 Lin is not explicit about the device body further includes a heat conducting structure, the heater is disposed on the heat conducting structure, and the carrier surrounds the heat conducting structure. However, Chen teaches a similar device body which includes a heat conducting structure and the heater disposed on the heat conducting structure (Fig. 3, note 5), such that the carrier (12) surrounds the heat conducting structure. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize a heat conducting structure as taught by Chen into the apparatus of Lin to better transmit heat throughout the structure to dry out the device body dessicant.
Claim 9: Lin, Liu and Chen teach the previous limitations. Chen further teaches that the heat conducting structure includes a plurality of heat conducting plates (51) that are integrated together and the heater (52) is disposed on one of the heat conducting plates.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Examiner agrees with Applicant that Lin does not provide the means for humidity display; however, Liu has been included to provide such means. The pertinent humidity value of Lin is the so-called “predicted reference value” which helps a controller decide when to take action with the heater, etc.. Liu’s apparatus, while operating in a basic manner like that of Liu, also includes a display and therefore a visual indication of a humidity reference value from which its controller can act. Were Liu to display Lin’s humidity reference value, the depiction would necessarily reflect a particular chosen level in its creation. In essence, then, Examiner is viewing the “humidity status level” broadly to include a humidity value whose underlying creation is determined by various humidity level determinants. Lin details such humidity level determinants. And Liu can display the final results, each value composed of a particular humidity level subcomponent. As such, Examiner believes that Lin and Liu still read upon the claim 1 limitations.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN C ZOLLINGER whose telephone number is (571)270-7815. The examiner can normally be reached Generally M-F 9-4 EST.
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/NATHAN C ZOLLINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746