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 without traverse of Group I, claims 1-7 and 15-20 in the reply filed on 05/26/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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)(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, 2, 4-6 and 15, 16, 18, and19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Beutel et al (US 7,781,122).
Regarding claim 1, Beutel teaches a bipolar plate for a PEM fuel cell including channels for reactant flow and coolant flow (col 1, lines 5-20 and 35-45). The bipolar plate is shown in figures 2-6 to include a cathode flow field defined by zig-zagging channels (col 2, lines 55-65), an anode flow field defined by zig-zagging channels (col 3, lines 5-15), and coolant flow channels wherein the coolant flow channels are aligned such that the channels are interweaved across one another (col 3, lines 35-45). The zig-zagging shape is considered to meet the instantly claimed “z-shaped” and the interweaved channels are considered to meet the instantly claimed “x-shaped” pattern.
Regarding claim 2, figures 1-5 show the reactant flow channels to be parallel, as claimed.
Regarding claim 4, Beutel shows in figures 2-6 that horizontal flow in relation to the inlet location is present due to the shape of the channels being horizontal to the inlet location.
Regarding claim 5, Beutel teaches the cathode inlet and outlet headers to be shown in figure 2 as component 36 (col 2, lines 60-67) and the anode inlet and outlet headers to be component 50 of figure 3 (col 3, lines 5-15) which are opposite sides of the bipolar plate 14.
Regarding claim 6, Beutel teaches the cathode inlet and outlet headers to be shown in figure 2 as component 36 (col 2, lines 60-67) and the coolant inlet 38 is further included on the cathode plate 22 (col 2, line 56- col 3, line 20).
Regarding claim 15, Beutel teaches a bipolar plate for a PEM fuel cell including channels for reactant flow and coolant flow (col 1, lines 5-20 and 35-45). The bipolar plate is shown in figures 2-6 to include a cathode flow field defined by zig-zagging channels (col 2, lines 55-65), an anode flow field defined by zig-zagging channels (col 3, lines 5-15), and coolant flow channels wherein the coolant flow channels are aligned such that the channels are interweaved across one another (col 3, lines 35-45). The zig-zagging shape is considered to meet the instantly claimed “z-shaped” and the interweaved channels are considered to meet the instantly claimed “x-shaped” pattern.
Regarding claim 16, figures 1-5 show the reactant flow channels to be parallel, as claimed.
Regarding claim 18, Beutel shows in figures 2-6 that horizontal flow in relation to the inlet location is present due to the shape of the channels being horizontal to the inlet location.
Regarding claim 19, Beutel teaches the cathode inlet and outlet headers to be shown in figure 2 as component 36 (col 2, lines 60-67) and the anode inlet and outlet headers to be component 50 of figure 3 (col 3, lines 5-15) which are opposite sides of the bipolar plate 14.
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) 3, 7, 17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Beutel et al (US 7,781,122).
Regarding claim 3, Beutel teaches the channels of the cathode and anode plates have the same geometric configuration but the angle will vary (col 3, lines 43-57).
Beutel does not explicitly teach the channels being tilted opposite each other, as claimed.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to tilt the channels away from each other to ensure separation as would be considered obvious to try by an ordinarily skilled artisan without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 7, Beutel teaches the bipolar plate as discussed above.
Beutel does not explicitly teach the singular Z-shape as claimed.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to utilize a singular Z-shape as opposed to the zig zag shape as taught by Beutel, as such would be considered design choice and would be obvious to try without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 17, Beutel teaches the channels of the cathode and anode plates have the same geometric configuration but the angle will vary (col 3, lines 43-57).
Beutel does not explicitly teach the channels being tilted opposite each other, as claimed.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to tilt the channels away from each other to ensure separation as would be considered obvious to try by an ordinarily skilled artisan without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 20, Beutel teaches the bipolar plate as discussed above.
Beutel does not explicitly teach the singular Z-shape as claimed.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to utilize a singular Z-shape as opposed to the zig zag shape as taught by Beutel, as such would be considered design choice and would be obvious to try without undue experimentation and with a reasonable expectation of success.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SARAH A SLIFKA whose telephone number is (571)270-5838. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm EST.
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/SARAH A. SLIFKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759 July 16, 2026
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