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
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 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.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morrison (US 20200398992 A1, “Morrison”) in view of Flett et al. (US 20060152085 A1, “Flett”).
Regarding claim 1, Morrison discloses an aircraft comprising: a propulsion propeller configured to provide aerodynamic thrust to propel the aircraft in flight (see abstract “aircraft” & “propeller assemblies” & see [0080] “differential thrust from the electric motors operating propellers/rotors 29” & “guide the aircraft 1000 to its intended destination” reads on flight); an electrical propulsion system including an electrical propulsion motor including independent electrical windings which include a first electrical winding and a second electrical winding independent of the first electrical winding, wherein the electrical propulsion motor is mechanically coupled to the propulsion propeller and configured to drive the propulsion propeller (see [0013] “propulsion system” & see [0123] “multiple electric motors”), an electrical supply system comprising (see [0110] “electrical components needed to supply the motor and propeller combinations with power”): a first set of fuel cells electrically coupled to the first electrical winding and configured to supply electrical power to the first electrical winding (see [0110] “the fuel cell modules 18 (e.g., one or more hydrogen-powered fuel cells or hydrocarbon-fueled motors) create the electricity to power the six motor and propeller assemblies 29 (of multiple motors and propellers 29)”); a second set of fuel cells electrically coupled to the second electrical winding and configured to supply electrical power to the second electrical winding (see [0017] “one or more fuel cell stacks”), a first compressor configured to supply compressed ambient air to the first set of fuel cells and the second set of fuel cells (see [0019] “one or more oxygen delivery mechanisms” & “configured to gather and compress ambient air into compressed air that is supplied to an air inlet and an inflow end of the oxygen flowfield plate of each hydrogen fuel cell of the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells” & “compressors”), wherein the compressed ambient air provides oxygen which reacts with hydrogen in the first and the second sets of fuel cells to generate the electrical power (see abstract “fuel cells working together to process gaseous oxygen from air compressed by turbochargers, superchargers, blowers or local oxygen supply and gaseous hydrogen from liquid hydrogen transformed by heat exchangers” & see [0010] “generating electrical power using a fuel cell”); and a first electric motor mechanically coupled to drive the first compressor, the first electric motor comprising a third electrical winding electrically coupled to the first set of fuel cells and a fourth electrical winding electrically coupled to the second set of fuel cells (see [0031] “compressor motors”; see [0110] “the fuel cell modules 18 (e.g., one or more hydrogen-powered fuel cells or hydrocarbon-fueled motors) create the electricity to power the six motor and propeller assemblies 29 (of multiple motors and propellers 29)”).
Regarding the limitation wherein the second set of fuel cells is distinct form the first set of fuel cells, Morrison does not explicitly disclose.
Flett teaches in [0123] “separate fuel cell stacks 102a, 102b” & “allows shorting one fuel cell stack or portion at a time while drawing power form the other power source(s), allowing performance and startup benefits without significantly disturbing overall system performance” & teaches in [0077] “two or more relatively low voltage fuel cell stacks” & “may also allow the primary power sources to be operated at different demand levels” & “operating a first fuel cell stack at a maximum voltage level while not operating or running a second fuel cell stack in a “sleep” mode. This may further permit limited or reduced operation via one or more primary power sources when another primary power source is inoperable, defective or malfunctioning”.
Morrison and Flett are analogous to the current invention because they are related to the same field of endeavor, namely aircraft (see Flett [0244]).
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate separate fuel cell stacks, as suggested by Flett (see [0123]) into the aircraft of Morrison because doing so allows to provide power to the system while one fuel cell stack is “inoperable, defective or malfunctioning,” as suggested by Flett (see [0123] & [0077]) and further doing so allows “provide the ability to elegantly shut down a system where there would otherwise not have been sufficient power to perform an orderly shut down routine”, as suggested by Flett (see [0077]).
Regarding claim 2, Morrison discloses the aircraft of claim 1 and further discloses wherein the electrical supply system further comprises a cooling system configured to cool at least part of the first and the second sets of fuel cells, the cooling system comprising a first fan including a fifth electrical winding electrically coupled to the first set of fuel cells and a sixth electrical winding electrically coupled to the second set of fuel cells (see [0068] “cooling system 44” & see [0031] “fan motors”).
Regarding claim 3, Morrison discloses an electrical supply system for an electrical propulsion system of an aircraft (see abstract “an electrical circuit configured to collect electrons from the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells to supply voltage and current to motor controllers”; see [0110] “electrical components needed to supply the motor and propeller combinations with power”) the electrical supply system comprising: a first set of fuel cells configured to supply electrical power to the electric propulsion motor driving a propeller configured to provide aerodynamic thrust to the aircraft (see [0110] “the fuel cell modules 18 (e.g., one or more hydrogen-powered fuel cells or hydrocarbon-fueled motors) create the electricity to power the six motor and propeller assemblies 29 (of multiple motors and propellers 29)” & see abstract “aircraft” & “propeller assemblies” & see [0080] “differential thrust from the electric motors operating propellers/rotors 29”); a second set of fuel cells configured to supply electrical power to the electric propulsion motor driving the propeller (see [0110] “the fuel cell modules 18 (e.g., one or more hydrogen-powered fuel cells or hydrocarbon-fueled motors) create the electricity to power the six motor and propeller assemblies 29 (of multiple motors and propellers 29)”; see [0017]); a first compressor configured to supply compressed ambient air to at least one of the first and second sets of fuel cells, wherein the compressed ambient air provides oxygen which reacts with hydrogen in the first sets of fuel cells to generate the electrical power (see [0019] “one or more oxygen delivery mechanisms” & “configured to gather and compress ambient air into compressed air that is supplied to an air inlet and an inflow end of the oxygen flowfield plate of each hydrogen fuel cell of the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells” & “compressors”) and a first electric motor configured to drive the first compressor, wherein the first electric motor includes a first electrical winding electrically coupled to the first set of fuel cells and a second electrical winding electrically coupled to the second set of fuel cells, wherein the first electrical winding is electrically isolated from the second electrical winding (see [0031] “compressor motors”; see [0110] “the fuel cell modules 18 (e.g., one or more hydrogen-powered fuel cells or hydrocarbon-fueled motors) create the electricity to power the six motor and propeller assemblies 29 (of multiple motors and propellers 29)”).
Regarding the limitation wherein the second set of fuel cells is distinct form the first set of fuel cells, Morrison does not explicitly disclose.
Flett teaches in [0123] “separate fuel cell stacks 102a, 102b” & “allows shorting one fuel cell stack or portion at a time while drawing power form the other power source(s), allowing performance and startup benefits without significantly disturbing overall system performance” & teaches in [0077] “two or more relatively low voltage fuel cell stacks” & “may also allow the primary power sources to be operated at different demand levels” & “operating a first fuel cell stack at a maximum voltage level while not operating or running a second fuel cell stack in a “sleep” mode. This may further permit limited or reduced operation via one or more primary power sources when another primary power source is inoperable, defective or malfunctioning”.
Morrison and Flett are analogous to the current invention because they are related to the same field of endeavor, namely aircraft (see Flett [0244]).
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate separate fuel cell stacks, as suggested by Flett (see [0123]) into the electrical supply system for an electrical propulsion system of an aircraft of Morrison because doing so allows to provide power to the system while one fuel cell stack is “inoperable, defective or malfunctioning,” as suggested by Flett (see [0123] & [0077]) and further doing so allows “provide the ability to elegantly shut down a system where there would otherwise not have been sufficient power to perform an orderly shut down routine”, as suggested by Flett (see [0077]).
Regarding claim 4, Morrison discloses the electrical supply system of claim 3 and further discloses wherein the first compressor is configured to supply compressed ambient air to the first and the second sets of fuel cells (see [0019] “one or more oxygen delivery mechanisms” & “configured to gather and compress ambient air into compressed air that is supplied to an air inlet and an inflow end of the oxygen flowfield plate of each hydrogen fuel cell of the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells” & “compressors”).
Regarding claim 5, Morrison discloses the electrical supply system of claim 3 and further discloses further comprising a third set of fuel cells configured to supply electrical power to the electrical propulsion motor (see [0110] “the fuel cell modules 18 (e.g., one or more hydrogen-powered fuel cells or hydrocarbon-fueled motors) create the electricity to power the six motor and propeller assemblies 29 (of multiple motors and propellers 29)”), wherein the first compressor is configured to supply compressed air to the first, the second and the third sets of fuel cells (see [0019] “one or more oxygen delivery mechanisms” & “configured to gather and compress ambient air into compressed air that is supplied to an air inlet and an inflow end of the oxygen flowfield plate of each hydrogen fuel cell of the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells” & “compressors”) and the first electric motor includes a third electrical winding electrically coupled to the third set of fuel cells (see [0080] “electric motors operating propellers/rotors 29”).
Regarding claim 6, Morrison discloses the electrical supply system of claim 3 and further discloses further comprising: a third set of fuel cells configured to provide electrical power to the electrical propulsion motor (see [0110] “the fuel cell modules 18 (e.g., one or more hydrogen-powered fuel cells or hydrocarbon-fueled motors) create the electricity to power the six motor and propeller assemblies 29 (of multiple motors and propellers 29)”); a fourth set of fuel cells configured to supply electrical power to the at least one electric propulsion motor (see [0110] “the fuel cell modules 18 (e.g., one or more hydrogen-powered fuel cells or hydrocarbon-fueled motors) create the electricity to power the six motor and propeller assemblies 29 (of multiple motors and propellers 29)”); a second compressor configured to supply compressed ambient air to at least one of the third and the fourth sets of fuel cells (see [0019] “one or more oxygen delivery mechanisms” & “configured to gather and compress ambient air into compressed air that is supplied to an air inlet and an inflow end of the oxygen flowfield plate of each hydrogen fuel cell of the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells” & “compressors”); and a second electric motor configured to mechanically drive the second compressor, wherein the second electric motor includes a third electrical winding electrically coupled to the third set of fuel cells and a fourth electrical winding electrically coupled to the fourth set of fuel cells (see [0080] “electric motors operating propellers/rotors 29”).
Regarding claim 7, Morrison discloses the electrical supply system of claim 3 and further discloses wherein the compressor includes a turbo-compressor (see [0019] “turbocharger” & “compressors”).
Regarding claim 8, Morrison discloses the electrical supply system of claim 3 and further discloses further comprising: a cooling system configured to cool at least the first and the second, sets of the fuel cells, the cooling system comprising a first fan with a fifth electrical winding electrically coupled to the first set of the fuel cells, and a sixth electrical winding electrically coupled to the second set of the fuel cells (see [0068] “cooling system 44” & see [0031] “fan motors”; see [0080] “electric motors operating propellers/rotors 29”).
Regarding claim 9, Morrison discloses the electrical supply system of claim 6 and further discloses further comprising a cooling system including: a first fan with a fifth electrical winding electrically coupled to the first set of the fuel cells, and a sixth electrical winding electrically coupled to the second set of the fuel cells, wherein the first fan is configured to cool the first and the second sets of the fuel cells; and a second fan configured to cool the third and the fourth sets of the fuel cells, and the second fan includes a seventh electrical winding electrically coupled to the third set of the fuel cells, and an eighth electrical winding electrically coupled to the fourth set of the fuel cells (see [0068] “cooling system 44” & see [0031] “fan motors” & see [0080] “electric motors operating propellers/rotors 29”).
Regarding claim 10, Morrison discloses the electrical supply system of claim 5 and further discloses further comprising a first fan configured to cool the first, the second and the third sets of the fuel cells, and the first fan includes an electrical motor with a fourth winding electrically powered by the first set of the fuel cells, a fifth winding electrically powered by the second set of fuel cells, and a sixth winding electrically coupled to the third set of fuel cells (see [0068] “cooling system 44” & see [0031] “fan motors”; see [0080] “electric motors operating propellers/rotors 29”).
Regarding claim 11, Morrison discloses the electrical supply system of claim 10 and further discloses further comprising: a second fan configured to cool at least one of the first, the second and the third sets of the fuel cells, the second fan comprising a seventh winding electrically coupled to the third set of the fuel cells (see [0068] “cooling system 44” & see [0031] “fan motors”; see [0080] “electric motors operating propellers/rotors 29”).
Regarding claim 12, Morrison discloses an electrical propulsion system of an aircraft comprising: an electric propulsion motor configured to drive a propeller configured to provide aerodynamic thrust to the aircraft (see [0013] “propulsion system”; see [0123] “multiple electric motors”; see [0080] “differential thrust from the electric motors operating propellers/rotors 29”), wherein the electric propulsion motor includes a first winding and a second winding electrically isolated from the first winding (see [0013] “propulsion system”; see [0123] “multiple electric motors”), a first set of fuel cells configured to supply electrical power to the first winding (see [0110] “the fuel cell modules 18 (e.g., one or more hydrogen-powered fuel cells or hydrocarbon-fueled motors) create the electricity to power the six motor and propeller assemblies 29 (of multiple motors and propellers 29)”); a second set of fuel cells configured to supply electrical power to the second winding (see [0110] “the fuel cell modules 18 (e.g., one or more hydrogen-powered fuel cells or hydrocarbon-fueled motors) create the electricity to power the six motor and propeller assemblies 29 (of multiple motors and propellers 29)”); a first compressor configured to supply compressed ambient air to the first set of fuel cells and the second set of fuel cells, wherein the compressed ambient air provides oxygen which reacts with hydrogen in the first and the second sets of fuel cells to generate the electrical power (see [0019] “one or more oxygen delivery mechanisms” & “configured to gather and compress ambient air into compressed air that is supplied to an air inlet and an inflow end of the oxygen flowfield plate of each hydrogen fuel cell of the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells” & “compressors”); and a first electric motor configured to drive the first compressor, wherein the first electric motor includes a third electrical winding electrically coupled to the first set of fuel cells and a fourth electrical winding electrically coupled to the second set of fuel cells, wherein the fourth electrical winding is electrically isolated from the third electrical winding (see [0080] “electric motors operating propellers/rotors 29”).
Regarding the limitation wherein the second set of fuel cells is distinct form the first set of fuel cells, Morrison does not explicitly disclose.
Flett teaches in [0123] “separate fuel cell stacks 102a, 102b” & “allows shorting one fuel cell stack or portion at a time while drawing power form the other power source(s), allowing performance and startup benefits without significantly disturbing overall system performance” & teaches in [0077] “two or more relatively low voltage fuel cell stacks” & “may also allow the primary power sources to be operated at different demand levels” & “operating a first fuel cell stack at a maximum voltage level while not operating or running a second fuel cell stack in a “sleep” mode. This may further permit limited or reduced operation via one or more primary power sources when another primary power source is inoperable, defective or malfunctioning”.
Morrison and Flett are analogous to the current invention because they are related to the same field of endeavor, namely aircraft (see Flett [0244]).
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate separate fuel cell stacks, as suggested by Flett (see [0123]) into the electrical propulsion system of an aircraft of Morrison because doing so allows to provide power to the system while one fuel cell stack is “inoperable, defective or malfunctioning,” as suggested by Flett (see [0123] & [0077]) and further doing so allows “provide the ability to elegantly shut down a system where there would otherwise not have been sufficient power to perform an orderly shut down routine”, as suggested by Flett (see [0077]).
Regarding claim 13, Morrison discloses the electrical propulsion system of claim 12 and further discloses further comprising: a first controller configured to control application of the electrical power from the first set of the fuel cells to the first winding, and a second controller configured to control application of the electrical power from the second set of the fuel cells to the second winding (see abstract “controllers” & [0017] “plurality of motor controllers configured to control a plurality of motor and propeller assemblies; zero, one or more battery arrays; one or more circuit boards; one or more processors; one or more memory; one or more electronic components, electrical connections, electrical wires”).
Regarding claim 14, Morrison discloses the electrical propulsion system of claim 13 and further discloses further comprising: a first fan with a fifth electrical winding electrically coupled to the first set of the fuel cells, and a sixth electrical winding electrically coupled to the second set of the fuel cells, wherein the first fan is configured to cool the first and the second sets of fuel cells (see [0068] “cooling system 44” & see [0031] “fan motors”;
see [0080] “electric motors operating propellers/rotors 29”).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-14 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/S.A.A./Examiner, Art Unit 1725
/JAMES M ERWIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725 05/21/2026
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