DETAILED ACTION
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
In response to the amendment received 02/02/2026, the following objections and rejections have been withdrawn from the previous office action:
Objections to claim 3
35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections of claims 1-4
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Published Application US20120058407A1, hereafter Harr.
Regarding claim 1, Harr discloses a fuel cell system ([0019] fuel cell system 2) comprising:
a stack (3) in which fuel cells are laminated ([0020] fuel cell 3 is stack of individual PEM fuel cells; the cells are laminated by virtue of being stacked together, each cell constitutes a layer);
an anode system (19) which supplies fuel gas to the stack (3) ([0021] recirculation line 19 fed with excess hydrogen);
a cathode system (13) which supplies oxidant gas to the stack (3) ([0020] air delivery component 13 feeds air as an oxygen containing gas);
a first cooling system (23) which cools a first cooling target including at least the stack (3) ([0025] high temperature cooling circuit 23 cools the fuel cell 3); and
a second cooling system (24) which cools a second cooling target including at least the cathode system (13) ([0025] low temperature cooling circuit 24 may include heat exchanger XIII of the air delivery component 13),
wherein the first cooling system (23) includes a first heat exchanger (XX), and circulates a coolant between a predetermined first radiator (27) and the first heat exchanger (XX) ([0025] cooling circuit 23 flows through heat exchanger XX of the recirculation delivery component 20; [0024] Fig 2 cooling heat exchanger 27, comparable with vehicle cooler in conventional vehicles equipped with an internal combustion engine, i.e. a radiator),
wherein the second cooling system (24) includes a plurality of second heat exchangers (IX, XIII) by which the cathode system (13) is cooled ([0025] low temperature cooling circuit 24 may include heat exchanger XIII of the air delivery component 13), each of the second heat exchangers being a separate member from another of the second heat exchangers, independently from another of the second heat exchangers ([0025] Fig 2, cooling circuit 24 includes separate heat exchangers IX, XIII),
wherein the second cooling system (24) circulates coolant between a second radiator (28) separate from the first radiator (27), and each of the second heat exchangers ([0024] Fig 2, cooling heat exchanger 28 on separate circuit 24 from circuit 23), and
wherein the plurality of the second heat exchangers (IX, XIII) are collectively disposed so that, for each of the second heat exchangers, a heat exchanger other than itself closest to itself among all of the heat exchangers including the first heat exchanger and the plurality of the second heat exchangers is the second heat exchanger other than itself (Fig 1, heat exchangers IX, XIII which are part of circuit 24, are disposed away from heat exchanger XX, which is part of circuit 23).
Regarding claim 2, Harr discloses wherein the plurality of the second heat exchangers (IV, V, VI, IX, and XIII) are all disposed more to a side in a predetermined direction than the stack (3) in a top view (Fig 2, top view, heat exchangers IX and XIII are on left side of figure, fuel cell stack 3 is in middle of figure).
Regarding claim 3, Harr discloses wherein the first heat exchanger (XX) is provided on an opposite side in the predetermined direction to the plurality of second heat exchangers (IX, XIII) (Fig 1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Published Application US20120058407A1, hereafter Harr, in view of Published Application US20070184321A1, hereafter Mirsch.
Regarding claim 4, Harr discloses wherein a second heat exchanger (XIII) is disposed in the cathode system (13) (Fig 1), the plurality of the second heat exchangers are disposed in parallel ([0025] Fig 2, heat exchanger XIII may be arranged in circuit 24; cooling medium flows in a parallel branch exemplified by heat exchanger IX in Fig 2), and wherein the cathode system (13) allows the oxidant gas to pass through the second heat exchanger (XIII) ([0020] air is fed as an oxygen containing gas to the fuel cell 3 by air delivery component 13).
Harr further discloses separate parallel cooling circuits which include separate individual cooling heat exchangers and diaphragms/valve components 32 as shown in Fig 3 facilitate targeted regulation of the through-flow of the individual strands and thus cooling of the individual cooling heat exchangers ([0030]). Further, Harr discloses a variety of cooling circuit configurations, Fig 2 and Fig 3 in particular demonstrating various parallel cooling strands as part of the circuit.
Harr is silent on wherein the cathode system allows the oxidant gas to pass through the plurality of the second heat exchangers in parallel.
In the analogous art of fuel cell oxidant cooling, Mirsch discloses wherein the cathode system allows the oxidant gas to pass through the plurality of the second heat exchangers in parallel (Fig 1, [0032-0033] coolant flow branched off to fuel cell oxidant (air) cooler 12 and to oxidant compressor 13).
It would however have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention, to modify the invention of Harr to include further parallel branches to additional heat exchangers (XIII) as disclosed by Mirsch in order to facilitate targeted regulation of the temperature of the air moving through the air delivery component (13), with more branches having valves (32) increasing the degree of control over cooling at the heat exchangers (XIII), and further because the mere duplication of parts has been held to have no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced (MPEP 2144.04 (VI) (B)).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/02/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument regarding claim 1 on page 7 of applicant’s remarks that heat exchangers IV, V, VI, and IX of the low temperature cooling circuit 24 of Harr cools neither of a fuel cell 3 nor a cathode chamber 11, the examiner notes the first cooling system is mapped to 23, which includes the fuel cell 3 as a target, and the second cooling system is mapped to 24, which may include heat exchanger XIII of the air delivery component 13 ([0025]), which is mapped to the claimed cathode system.
In response to applicant’s argument regarding claim 1 on page 7 of applicant’s remarks that Harr is silent on a cooling system including a plurality of second heat exchangers by which a cathode system is cooled, the examiner disagrees, and notes, as stated in the rejection, that the second cooling system (24) includes heat exchangers IX and XIII, and XIII is for cooling the air delivery component 13 ([0025]).
In response to applicant’s argument regarding claim 1 on pages 7-8 of applicant’s remarks that Harr is silent on an arrangement of the plurality of first heat exchangers and second heat exchangers and thus is silent on wherein the plurality of the second heat exchangers are collectively disposed so that, for each of the second heat exchangers, a heat exchanger other than itself closest to itself among all of the heat exchangers including the first heat exchanger and the plurality of the second heat exchangers is the second heat exchanger other than itself, the examiner disagrees, and notes, as stated in the rejection, that Harr discloses the first heat exchangers and second heat exchangers, and further wherein the plurality of the second heat exchangers (IX, XIII) are collectively disposed so that, for each of the second heat exchangers, a heat exchanger other than itself closest to itself among all of the heat exchangers including the first heat exchanger and the plurality of the second heat exchangers is the second heat exchanger other than itself (Fig 1, heat exchangers IX, XIII which are part of circuit 24, are disposed away from heat exchanger XX, which is part of circuit 23).
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 TIMOTHY HEMINGWAY whose telephone number is (571)272-0235. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6-4.
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, Susan Leong can be reached at (571) 270-1487. 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.
/T.G.H./Examiner, Art Unit 1754 /SUSAN D LEONG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1754