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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1,7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al(9209467) taken together with German reference(DE102013004839A1).
Kim et al in figure 1 teaches a membrane cartridge comprising an inner case(membrane housing 310) including a first mesh hole portion (plurality of first holes 311) through which an off gas(off gas inlet 321) discharged from a fuel cell stack flows into the inside, and a second mesh hole portion(plurality of second holes 312) through which the off gas flowing into the inside through the first mesh hole portion is discharged to the outside after moisture exchange. Kim et al is silent as to a flow rate control portion formed to be movable on a surface of the inner case and configured to control a flow rate of the off-gas flowing into the inside through the first mesh hole portion depending on the flow rate of the off-gas.
German reference in figures 1 and 2 teaches a membrane cartridge including an inner case containing a cartridge including hollow fiber membranes(16), wherein a flow rate control portion(flap 30) is formed to be movable on a surface of the inner case and and configured to control a flow rate of gas flowing through the inner case. It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a flow rate control portion formed to be movable on a surface of the inner case(membrane housing 310) of Kim et al to control a flow rate of the off gas flowing into the inside through the plurality of first holes. Examiner notes that the flap of German reference movable on the inner case of Kim et al would selectively open some of the plurality of first holes to control a flow rate of off gas.
With regards to claim 7, Kim et al taken together with German reference further teaches a plurality of hollow fiber membranes(370 in Kim et al) and a potting portion that fix the hollow fiber membranes to each other.
With regards to claim 8, Kim et al taken together with German reference further teaches wherein the inner case has an opening at each end(opening showing in figure 1 of Kim et al), and the potting portion in which ends of the hollow fiber membranes are potted closes the opening of the inner case.
With regards to claim 9, Kim et al taken together with German reference further teaches wherein the hollow fiber membranes include a polymer membrane formed of a polysulfone resin, a polyethersulfone resin, a sulfonated polysulfone resin, a polyvinylidene fluoride resin, a polyacrylonitrile resin, a polyimide resin, a polyamideimide resin, a polyesterimide resin, or a mixture of two or more of these.
With regards to claim 10, Kim et al taken together with German reference further teaches wherein the potting portions is formed by curing a liquid resin through a casting scheme.
Claims 11, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al(9209467) taken together with German reference(DE102013004839A1).
Kim et al in figure 1 teaches a fuel cell membrane humidifier comprising a mid case(first cover 320 and second cover 330), caps(first cap 350 and second cap 340) fastened to the mid case, and at least one cartridge(cartridge including hollow fiber membranes 370) disposed in the mid case and configured to accommodate a plurality of hollow fiber membranes(370), wherein the cartridge includes an inner case (membrane housing 310) including a first mesh hole portion (plurality of first holes 311) through which an off gas(off gas inlet 321) discharged from a fuel cell stack flows into the inside, and a second mesh hole portion(plurality of second holes 312) through which the off gas flowing into the inside through the first mesh hole portion is discharged to the outside after moisture exchange. Kim et al is silent as to a flow rate control portion formed to be movable on a surface of the inner case and configured to control a flow rate of the off-gas flowing into the inside through the first mesh hole portion depending on the flow rate of the off-gas.
German reference in figures 1 and 2 teaches a membrane cartridge including an inner case containing a cartridge including hollow fiber membranes(16), wherein a flow rate control portion(flap 30) is formed to be movable on a surface of the inner case and and configured to control a flow rate of gas flowing through the inner case. It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a flow rate control portion formed to be movable on a surface of the inner case(membrane housing 310) of Kim et al to control a flow rate of the off gas flowing into the inside through the plurality of first holes. Examiner notes that the flap of German reference movable on the inner case of Kim et al would selectively open some of the plurality of first holes to control a flow rate of off gas.
With regards to claim 17, Kim et al taken together with German reference further teaches a plurality of hollow fiber membranes(370 in Kim et al) and a potting portion that fix the hollow fiber membranes to each other.
With regards to claim 18, Kim et al taken together with German reference further teaches wherein the inner case has an opening at each end(opening showing in figure 1 of Kim et al), and the potting portion in which ends of the hollow fiber membranes are potted closes the opening of the inner case.
With regards to claim 19, Kim et al taken together with German reference further teaches wherein the hollow fiber membranes include a polymer membrane formed of a polysulfone resin, a polyethersulfone resin, a sulfonated polysulfone resin, a polyvinylidene fluoride resin, a polyacrylonitrile resin, a polyimide resin, a polyamideimide resin, a polyesterimide resin, or a mixture of two or more of these.
With regards to claim 20, Kim et al taken together with German reference further teaches wherein the potting portions is formed by curing a liquid resin through a casting scheme.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6, 12-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 2 and 12 recites “wherein the flow rate control portion includes a blocking member formed on one surface of the inner case to block at least one mesh hole window constituting the first mesh hole portion so that the off-gas does not flow into the inside, and a control member formed on one surface on the blocking member and configured to move the blocking member while being compressed or expanded depending on the flow rate of the off-gas.”. Kim et al taken together with German reference teaches a flow rate control portion, however Kim et al taken together with German reference does not teach or suggest wherein the flow rate control portion includes a blocking member formed on one surface of the inner case to block at least one mesh hole window constituting the first mesh hole portion so that the off-gas does not flow into the inside, and a control member formed on one surface on the blocking member and configured to move the blocking member while being compressed or expanded depending on the flow rate of the off-gas, Claims 3-6 depend on claim 2 and hence would also be allowable upon incorporation of claim 2 into claim 1. Claims 13 and 14-16 depend on claim 12 and hence would also be allowable upon incorporation of claim 12 into claim 11.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT A HOPKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-1159. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 6am-4pm.
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/ROBERT A HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
January 27, 2026