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 of Species H (Fig. 45) in the reply filed on 2025 October 13 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that claims 9-21 do not constitute a serious burden nor are they drawn to patentably distinct inventions as the claims are not mutually exclusive. This is not found persuasive because a complete search and examination is not only drawn to what is claimed, but to the entire portion or restricted portion thereof. A complete search to features generic to the species includes over ten thousand documents, while the unique features of each species can require additional search requiring consideration of thousands of additional documents. Additionally, regardless of what may be claimed, the disclosed species do include mutually exclusive features.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 8-21 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2024/0072332 A1 (herein “Mueller”).
Regarding claim 1. Mueller discloses an interconnector (5 – shown in Figs. 3 and 4) for a heat exchanger comprising a body with:
an upper inlet (Fig. 3 – at 20) and a lower inlet (Fig. 4 – at 30) connected by an inlet conduit (Fig. 4 – at 14_4),
an upper outlet (Fig. 3 – at 24) and a lower outlet (Fig. 4 – at 34) connected by an outlet conduit (Fig. 4 – at 16_4),
an external inlet (43) communicated with the inlet conduit,
an external outlet (44) communicated with the outlet conduit,
wherein the inlet conduit and the outlet conduit are fluidically isolated with respect to each other within the interconnector ([0058]).
Regarding claim 2. Mueller discloses the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein the upper inlet and the lower inlet are concentric (Fig. 4 – axis 14).
Regarding claim 3. Mueller discloses the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein the upper outlet and the lower outlet are concentric (Fig. 4 – axis 16).
Regarding claim 4. Mueller disclose the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein the external inlet (43) is arranged perpendicular to the upper inlet (Figs. 3 and 4 show 43 is perpendicular to axis 14).
Regarding claim 5. Mueller discloses the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein the external outlet (44) is arranged perpendicular to the upper outlet (Figs. 3 and 4 show 44 is perpendicular to axis 16).
Regarding claim 6. Mueller discloses the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein the external inlet (43) is arranged parallel to the external outlet (Figs. 3 and 4 show 43 is parallel to 44).
Regarding claim 7. Mueller discloses the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein the external inlet (43) faces away from the external outlet (44) (Figs. 3 and 4 – opening at 43 faces in a direction away from 44, and opening at 44 faces in a direction away from 43).
Claims 1-6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by FR 2873796 A1 (herein “Gilles”).
Regarding claim 1. Gilles discloses an interconnector (20A) for a heat exchanger comprising a body with:
an upper inlet (Fig. 2 – at 22A) and a lower inlet (Fig. 2 – the opening opposite and coaxial the opening at 22A) connected by an inlet conduit (fluid conduit between the openings shown in Figs. 2 and 3),
an upper outlet (Fig. 2 – at 24A) and a lower outlet (Fig. 2 – the opening opposite and coaxial the opening at 24A) connected by an outlet conduit (fluid conduit between the openings shown in Figs. 2 and 3),
an external inlet (28A) communicated with the inlet conduit,
an external outlet (30A) communicated with the outlet conduit,
wherein the inlet conduit and the outlet conduit are fluidically isolated with respect to each other within the interconnector (fluid isolation shown in Fig. 4 at 28A and 30A).
Regarding claim 2. Gilles discloses the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein the upper inlet and the lower inlet are concentric (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 – the inlet openings are concentric).
Regarding claim 3. Gilles discloses the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein the upper outlet and the lower outlet are concentric (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 – the outlet openings are concentric).
Regarding claim 4. Gilles disclose the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein the external inlet (28A) is arranged perpendicular to the upper inlet (shown in Figs. 1-4 – the external inlet is perpendicular to the upper inlet, lower inlet, the upper outlet, and the lower outlet).
Regarding claim 5. Gilles discloses the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein the external outlet (30A) is arranged perpendicular to the upper outlet (shown in Figs. 1-4 – the external outlet is perpendicular to the upper inlet, lower inlet, the upper outlet, and the lower outlet).
Regarding claim 6. Gilles discloses the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein the external inlet (28A) is arranged parallel to the external outlet (30A) (Figs. 3 and 4 show 28A is parallel and colinear with 30A).
Regarding claim 8. Gilles discloses the interconnector according to claim 1, wherein central axes of the external inlet and the external outlet are collinear (shown in Figs. 2 and 3 – the external inlet and external outlet have collinear central axes which are perpendicular to the central axis of the inlet conduit and the central axis of the outlet conduit).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jon T. Schermerhorn Jr. whose telephone number is (571)270-5283. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am to 5pm.
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/JON T. SCHERMERHORN JR./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763