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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse in the reply filed on 5/5/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the examination could be conducted without a serious search burden. This is found persuasive. Examiner hereby withdraws his Election/Restriction in its entirety. All claims will presently be examined.
Response to Amendment
The amendment to the claims filed on 5/5/2026 has been entered.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: FUEL-CELL RECIRCULATION BLOWER AND TURBINE ARRANGEMENT
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 1 and its dependents are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 1 recites “a blower configured to be driven by a turbine” as well as “a turbine configured to drive the blower”. It would appear that two turbines are used to drive the blower but Examiner only sees evidence from the overall disclosure of a single turbine and will assume only a single turbine meant for purposes of this examination. Examiner requests clarification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 10-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Osborne (US 8,158,291).
Claim 1: Osborne discloses a recirculation blower for a return arrangement for a gas comprising hydrogen gas in a fuel-cell system (Figs. 1-3), the recirculation blower comprising a blower (20) configured to be driven by a turbine (16) and configured to transport a return stream (which flows into 34), and the turbine is configured to be driven by a hydrogen stream (Fig. 1).
Claim 2: Osborne further discloses a blower impeller (inherent as part of the depicted blower 20) for transporting the return stream and a turbine impeller (inherent as part of the depicted turbine/expander 16), which are coupled to one another in such a way that rotation of the turbine impeller drives the blower impeller (see col. 2, lines 60-67), wherein the turbine impeller is configured to be driven by the hydrogen stream (col. 2, lines 49-55; col. 3, lines 3-6).
Claim 3: Osborne further discloses a turbine inlet (note inlet to 16 from 14) in the turbine, through which hydrogen is able to be guided to the turbine impeller as a hydrogen stream such that the hydrogen stream drives the turbine impeller and the latter rotates (Fig. 3).
Claim 4: Osborne further discloses that the blower is configured to be driven electrically and/or the turbine is configured to be assisted electrically (Figs. 1-3, note motor/generator arrangements).
Claim 5: Osborne further discloses that a power of the turbine is configured to be regulated (Figs. 1-3, Examiner noting that power can be controlled via adjustments of 14/30 and/or motor/generator assist).
Claim 6: Osborne further discloses a blower impeller (inherent as part of the depicted blower 20) for transporting the return stream and a turbine impeller (inherent as part of the depicted turbine/expander 16), which are coupled to one another in such a way that rotation of the turbine impeller drives the blower impeller (see Figs. 1-3), wherein the turbine impeller is configured to be driven by the hydrogen stream (Fig. 1-3), and wherein the blower impeller and the turbine impeller are comprised by a rotor and an electric motor is coupled to the rotor for driving the rotor and/or for assisting with the rotation thereof (Figs. 1-3, Examiner noting the inherency of an associated rotor between the depicted blower and turbine—see col. 3, lines 3-5, 33-40—to which the motor/generator is coupled to and which will assist with the rotation thereof).
Claim 10: Osborne further discloses that at least a part of the hydrogen stream is able to be guided past the turbine impeller (Figs. 1-3, note pathway via 30).
Claim 11: Osborne further discloses that the hydrogen stream is able to be throttled on an entry side of the turbine (Figs. 1-3, via 14/30).
Claim 12: Osborne further discloses that the blower is configured to be driven electrically and/or the turbine is configured to be assisted electrically (Figs. 1-3; see col. 3, lines 3-40).
Claim 13: Osborne further discloses that the blower is configured to be driven electrically and/or the turbine is configured to be assisted electrically (Figs. 1-3; see col. 3, lines 3-40).
Claim 14: Osborne further discloses a bypass valve (14) for guiding at least a part of the hydrogen steam past the turbine impeller.
Claim 15: Osborne further discloses a pressure-reduction valve (note one of 14/30) for throttling the hydrogen stream on an entry side of the turbine (Figs. 1-3).
Claim 16: Osborne discloses a recirculation system in a fuel-cell system (Figs. 1-3), the recirculation system having a recirculation blower (20) as claimed in claim 1 which is coupled to a hydrogen reservoir (12).
Claim 17: Osborne further discloses that the recirculation blower further comprises a turbine inlet (note inlet downstream from 14) in the turbine, through which hydrogen is able to be guided to the turbine impeller as a hydrogen stream such that the hydrogen stream drives the turbine impeller and the latter rotates (Figs. 1-3), and wherein the turbine inlet is coupled (via 14) to the hydrogen reservoir (12) such that the hydrogen stream is fed from the hydrogen reservoir (Figs. 1-3).
Claim 18: Osborne further discloses that the recirculation blower is coupled between the hydrogen reservoir and a fuel-cell unit (Figs. 1-3).
Claim 19: Osborne further discloses that the recirculation blower is coupled between an exit and entry of the fuel-cell unit (Figs. 1-3).
Claim(s) 1-2 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Johnson (US 7,465,510).
Claim 1: Johnson discloses a recirculation blower for a return arrangement for a gas comprising hydrogen gas in a fuel-cell system (Fig. 1), the recirculation blower comprising a blower (20) configured to be driven by a turbine (17) and configured to transport a return stream (which flows into 34), and the turbine is configured to be driven by a hydrogen stream (via 14).
Claim 2: Johnson further discloses a blower impeller (inherent as part of the depicted blower 20) for transporting the return stream and a turbine impeller (inherent as part of the depicted turbine/expander 17), which are coupled to one another in such a way that rotation of the turbine impeller drives the blower impeller (Fig. 1), wherein the turbine impeller is configured to be driven by the hydrogen stream (Fig. 1, via 14).
Claim 9: Johnson further discloses that the turbine impeller and the blower impeller are arranged in a back-to-back arrangement and are configured as one component (Fig. 1, note combined arrangement of 17/20 with no motor/generator or other apparatus in-between).
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) 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Osborne (US 8,158,291) in view of Oglesby (US 6,628,006).
Claim 7: Osborne discloses the previous limitations. Osborne is not explicit about a rotor comprising a shaft coupled to the turbine impeller and to the blower impeller such that the shaft is configured to be driven by an electric motor or the electric motor is configured to assist with the rotation of the shaft. However, Oglesby (Fig. 1) teaches a rotor comprising a shaft (viewed as 80/82/84) coupled to the turbine impeller (18) and to the blower impeller (20) such that the shaft is configured to be driven by an electric motor (76) or the electric motor (76) is configured to assist with the rotation of the shaft (Fig. 1). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to a skilled artisan to utilize a shaft arrangement as taught by Oglesby into the apparatus of Osborne in order to provide a reliable mechanical connection between the turbine and compressor.
Claim 8: Osborne and Oglesby teach the previous limitations. Osborne further discloses that the electric motor is arranged between the blower impeller and the turbine impeller (Figs. 1-3), or wherein the electric motor is arranged on a side of the blower impeller that faces away from the turbine impeller, or wherein the electric motor is arranged on a side of the turbine impeller that faces away from the blower impeller.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oglesby (US20020164515A1) in view of Osborne (US 8,158,291).
Claim 1: Oglesby discloses a blower for an arrangement for a gas comprising hydrogen gas in a fuel-cell system (Fig. 1), the blower comprising a blower (20) configured to be driven by a turbine (18), and the turbine is configured to be driven by a hydrogen stream (via 16/26). Oglesby is not explicit about the blower being a recirculation blower for a return arrangement and configured to transport a return stream. However, Osborne teaches an arrangement in which the blower can act as a recirculation blower for a return arrangement (note 20). As Oglesby already has a blower/compressor for providing air, this new role for Oglesby’s blower could improve the efficiency of the overall system by reusing the unspent hydrogen fuel as shown by Osborne (see Figs. 1-3 in Osborne, note 20/42, Abstract).
Claim 2: Oglesby and Osborne teach the previous limitations. Oglesby further discloses a blower impeller (inherent as part of the depicted blower 20) for transporting the return stream and a turbine impeller (inherent as part of the depicted turbine/expander 18), which are coupled to one another in such a way that rotation of the turbine impeller drives the blower impeller (Fig. 1), wherein the turbine impeller is configured to be driven by the hydrogen stream (Fig. 1, via 26).
Claim 9: Oglesby and Osborne teach the previous limitations. Oglesby further discloses that the turbine impeller and the blower impeller are arranged in a back-to-back arrangement and are configured as one component (Fig. 1, note combined arrangement of 18/20).
Conclusion
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Essama Omgba can be reached at 469-295-9278. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NATHAN C ZOLLINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
Prosecution Insights