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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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)(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 Stone et al (US 2024/0060194 A1).
As to claim 1, Stone discloses A water electrolyzer (Title “electrolyzer” Note citation will be drawn to the figures where separate figures of the prior art show common structures to the device of the prior art) comprising:
a plurality of cells (Fig. 5 cells 501 of stacks 503 that form repeat units 1100 as shown in Fig. 11A); and
a plurality of separators (# 1107 with additional structure as cited below as seen in Fig. 11a),
the water electrolyzer having a stack structure with said cells and said separators stacked alternately (See Fig. 5),
each of said cells (Fig. 1) including:
a base layer including an electrolyte membrane (Fig. 1 #160);
a catalyst layer layered on a surface of said electrolyte membrane (Fig. 1 #120; and
a gas diffusion layer layered on a surface of said catalyst layer (Shown explicitly Fig. 11D 1121 [0267]),
each of said separators including:
a metal plate (#1107 [0615], [0335]) with a distribution hole (#s 4319/4327/4321/4323/4329/4325 as seen in Fig. 43); and
a ring-like flow path member located between said base layer and said metal plate in a stacking direction and surrounding said distribution hole when viewed in said stacking direction (#1131),
said flow path member including a flow path through which said gas diffusion layer and said distribution hole communicate with each other (#3301 [0301]).
As to claim 2, Stone further discloses wherein each of said cells includes:
a cathode catalyst layer that is said catalyst layer layered on said electrolyte membrane on one side; and a cathode gas diffusion layer that is said gas diffusion layer layered on said cathode catalyst layer on the one side ([0011], [0234], [0239] shown explicitly Fig. 79 #s 7914)
said metal plate includes a hydrogen distribution hole that is said distribution hole for distributing hydrogen output from said cathode gas diffusion layer (#s 2821 or 2819 as outlet from the cathode flow layers),
each of said separators includes a cathode flow path member that is said flow path member located between a cathode-side surface of said base layer and said metal plate in said stacking direction and surrounding said hydrogen distribution hole when viewed in said stacking direction, and said cathode flow path member includes a hydrogen flow path that is said flow path through which said cathode gas diffusion layer and said hydrogen distribution hole communicate with each other. (# 1127 cathode flow field Fig. 121D outlet port 4930).
As to claim 3, Stone further discloses each of said cells includes:
an anode catalyst layer that is said catalyst layer layered on said electrolyte membrane on the other side (#305); and an anode gas diffusion layer that is said gas diffusion layer layered on said anode catalyst layer on the other side, ([0011], [0234], [0239] anode PTL 1109 Fig. 11a shown explicitly Fig. 79 #s 7914)
said metal plate includes:
a water distribution hole that is said distribution hole for distributing water to be supplied to said anode gas diffusion layer (#s 4319/4327/4321 Fig. 43; and
an oxygen distribution hole that is said distribution hole for distributing oxygen output from said anode gas diffusion layer (#s 4325/4329/4323,
each of said separators includes:
a first anode flow path member that is said flow path member located between an anode-side surface of said base layer and said metal plate in said stacking direction and surrounding said water distribution hole when viewed in said stacking direction (#1115); and
a second anode flow path member that is said flow path member located between said anode-side surface of said base layer and said metal plate in said stacking direction and surrounding said oxygen distribution hole when viewed in said stacking direction (#1111),
said first anode flow path member includes a water flow path that is said flow path through which said anode gas diffusion layer and said water distribution hole communicate with each other (#3733), and
said second anode flow path member includes an oxygen flow path that is said flow path through which said anode gas diffusion layer and said oxygen distribution hole communicate with each other (#3735).
As to claim 4, Stone further discloses said flow path member includes:
a first surface contacting said metal plate (See Fig. 11A #s 1107 next to 1131); and
a second surface contacting said base layer (See Fig. 19 1131 contacting MEA 1105 via 1123), and
said flow path is a groove formed at said first surface (See groove Fig. 36 3501).
As to claim 5, Stone further discloses each of said separators further includes a ring-like seal member arranged on a surface of said metal plate on the opposite side to said flow path member and surrounding said distribution hole when viewed in said stacking direction #s 4621/4615 when stacked with 1701 Fig .46 with seals 1705/1703),
when viewed in said stacking direction, said flow path member is arranged at a position overlapping said seal member (See Fig. 17), and
said second surface of said flow path member is a flat surface (See Fig. 17 where the member is planar shaped and thus flat).
As to claim 6, Stone further discloses said groove penetrates said first surface of said flow path member in a direction in which said gas diffusion layer and said distribution hole are connected to each other. (See Fig. 36 #2827 with groove 3501 thereby enabling the fluidic connection to inside the gasket into the cathode reaction area with the GDL [0305]).
As to claim 7, Stone further discloses said groove is a recess formed at a part of said first surface except both end portions thereof defined in a direction in which said gas diffusion layer and said distribution hole are connected to each other (Fig. 11E #3301/2835, and said both end portions of said flow path member are in non-contact with said metal plate. (See Fig. 11D and E which show the structures on the opposite side metal plate 1107 as seen in Fig. 11A thus not in contact with 1107).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LOUIS J RUFO whose telephone number is (571)270-7716. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
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/LOUIS J RUFO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1795