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/Restriction
Applicant’s election of the first species or the embodiment of Figures 1 through 8, readable on claims 1 through 17, in the reply filed on December 22, 2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 18 and 19 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected second species or the embodiment of Figure 9, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without proper traverse in the reply filed on December 22, 2025.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings were received on July 3, 2023. These drawings are acceptable.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: the terms “front” and “rear” appearing throughout the specification but are undefined relative terms. It appears that these terms are intended to refer to upstream and downstream points. If this is indeed the intended interpretation of the former terms, then applicant is advised to replace the former terms with the latter terms as appropriate.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 through 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In line 6 of claim 1, it is not entirely clear to which previously recited element or elements the indeterminate term “therethrough” is intended to refer, thus rendering indefinite the metes and bounds of protection sought by claim 1 and all claims depending therefrom. It is recommended that either the term “therethrough” be replaced with a direct recitation of whichever element(s) this term is intended to refer or that this term be removed from the claim.
The terms “front” and “rear” appearing in claim 1 and throughout the claims are relative terms which renders the claim indefinite. The terms “front” and “rear” are not defined by the claims, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. It appears that the aforementioned terms are intended to refer to upstream and downstream locations within the respective circuits and lines. If that is indeed the case, then it is recommended that the claims be amended accordingly to replace the terms “front” and “rear” with “upstream” and “downstream”, as appropriate.
In order to have claim 4 more precisely reflect the inventive coolant management system and to avoid misinterpretation, it is recommended that claim 4 be amended to recite “an on/off valve on each of the inlet line and the outlet line” instead of “on/off valves provided on the inlet line and the outlet line”, for example.
With regard to each of claims 11 and 13 through 17, the limitations “in which the mobility vehicle and the external thermal management station are connected” appear to positively recite a scenario where the mobility vehicle and the external thermal management station are connected, thus implicitly positively reciting both the mobility vehicle and external thermal management station. However, the preambles of the claims are only drawn to a coolant management system for a mobility vehicle (i.e., relating to the intended use of the invention in a mobility vehicle without a mobility vehicle being positively recited per se). This discrepancy between the preamble and the body of the claims further renders the metes and bounds of protection sought by the claims. In order to correct this discrepancy, it is recommended that the claims be amended to recite a coolant management system in a mobility vehicle, for example.
Any claim not specifically mentioned is at least rejected as being dependent on a rejected claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 through 17 would be allowable if rewritten or amended without patentably significant broadening to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record does not show nor reasonably suggest all of the elements of the coolant management system which are structurally and functionally interrelated as recited in base claim 1 of the instant application (and all claims depending therefrom). In particular, none of the prior art shows nor suggests an external thermal management station and the associated connection lines in combination with the controller and the refrigerant circuit and the two coolant lines.
Conclusion
The related and/or prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LJILJANA V CIRIC whose telephone number is (571)272-4909. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Saturday, flexible.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Len Tran can be reached at 571-272-1184. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Ljiljana V. Ciric/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
LJILJANA (Lil) V. CIRIC
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3763
Prosecution Insights