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
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) 15-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zwinkels (EP3139108A1) in view of Khoo (WO2015085357A1), Wu (US6330395) and Pelton (US5120027A).
Regarding claim 15, Zwinkels teaches an energy storage apparatus (see Fig. 6, and Fig. 1, insofar as the same elements of Fig. 6 are not labeled) comprising: a sensible heat storage body (see one of heat storage units 110-320 w/ solid metal heat storage medium 113) thermally connected to a heating element (electrical heating means – 112) and a heat exchanger (heat exchanger 114) having an inlet and an outlet (respective inlet and outlet); an attemperation unit (see respective quench coolers 190-490) comprising a first-stage mixing chamber and a second mixing chamber (see chamber(s) thereof, in which the fluids are “mixed together” – Page 2) in fluid communication with the first-stage mixing chamber, wherein the attemperation unit is in fluid communication with the outlet of the heat exchanger for regulating the outlet temperature of the heat transfer medium to provide a regulated outlet temperature.
Zwinkels does not teach wherein the sensible heat storage body is graphite.
Khoo teaches wherein the sensible heat storage body is graphite (graphite planks 512; Fig. 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Zwinkels to include graphite as taught by Khoo, in order to provide a material with a high maximum operating temperature and which is capable of quickly reaching said operating temperature (Page 8, lines 14-20).
Zwinkels does not teach the sensible heat storage body having a heat exchanger channel and a heating element channel adapted to receive a removable heating element, wherein the heating element channel is located internally of the sensible heat storage body; wherein at least a portion of the heat exchanger is disposed along the channel, wherein the sensible heat storage body comprises a removable heating element disposed in the heating element channel, wherein the removable heating element is sealingly engaged with the sensible heat storage body.
Wu teaches a sensible heat storage body (see Fig. 2-3) having a heat exchanger channel (see channel formed by grooves 141 & 142), wherein the heating element channel is located internally of the sensible heat storage body; wherein at least a portion of the heat exchanger (pipe 110) is disposed along the channel.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Zwinkels to include the heat storage body with channels for the heat exchanger as taught by Wu, in order to firmly retain the elements (Col. 1, lines 45-50) and efficiently conduct heat (Col. 3, lines 45-20).
Pelton teaches (see Fig. 1-3) a sensible heat storage body (graphite block 3) having a heating element channel (opening 6) adapted to receive a removable heating element, wherein the sensible heat storage body comprises a removable heating element (heating portion 18) disposed in the heating element channel, wherein the removable heating element is sealingly engaged (via lead-in sleeve 43) with the sensible heat storage body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Zwinkels to include the removable heating element configuration of Pelton, in order to provide for ease of replacement of servicing, and protecting the heating element (Col. 7, lines 0-10).
Regarding claim 16, Zwinkels as modified teaches the limitations of claim 15, and Zwinkels further teaches the attemperation unit (quench coolers 190-490) is adapted to receive a stream of cooling liquid for regulating the outlet temperature of the heat transfer medium (via secondary lines 191-391).
Regarding claim 17, Zwinkels as modified teaches the limitations of claim 16, and Zwinkels further teaches the attemperation unit comprises at least one flow valve for introducing the stream of cooling liquid to the attemperation unit (adjustable throttles 193-493).
Regarding claim 18, Zwinkels as modified teaches the limitations of claim 17, and Zwinkels further teaches the flow valve is a fixed or variable flow valve (adjustable throttles 193-493, it is noted that Zwinkels also discloses wherein the throttle may be fixed, “fixed throttling” - see Page 3).
Regarding claim 19, Zwinkels as modified teaches the limitations of claim 16, and Zwinkels further teaches the attemperation unit comprises an atomiser, a nozzle or an injector for introducing the stream of cooling liquid to the attemperation unit (see ends of secondary lines 191-391, which are not labeled, however, depict one of an atomizer, nozzle or injector of the quench cooler).
Regarding claim 20, Zwinkels as modified teaches the limitations of claim 16, and Zwinkels further teaches the first-stage mixing chamber (chamber of 190/490) is in fluid communication with the outlet of the heat exchanger (110/130) to reduce the outlet temperature of the heat transfer medium to a regulated outlet temperature by mixing the heat transfer medium with a stream of cooling liquid (via 191) having a temperature below an initial outlet temperature in the first-stage mixing chamber; and further comprising a second-stage mixing chamber (chamber of 290) in fluid communication with the first mixing chamber to reduce the regulated outlet temperature to provide an application temperature by mixing the heat transfer medium and the stream of cooling liquid (via 291) in the second-stage mixing chamber.
Regarding claim 21, Zwinkels as modified teaches the limitations of claim 20, and Zwinkels further teaches the first-stage mixing chamber (190/490) is proximal to the outlet of the heat exchanger (110/130), and the second-stage mixing chamber(290/390) is distal to the first-stage mixing chamber.
Regarding claim 22, Zwinkels as modified further teaches an energy storage array comprising: a plurality of energy storage apparatus (heat storage units 110-320) according to claim 15.
Regarding claim 23, Zwinkels as modified teaches the limitations of claim 22, and Zwinkels further teaches the second-stage mixing chamber (chamber of 290) of each said energy storage apparatus reduces the regulated outlet temperature of the heat transfer medium to provide an application temperature by mixing the heat transfer medium and a stream of cooling liquid in the second-stage mixing chamber.
Regarding claim 24, Zwinkels as modified teaches the limitations of claim 23, and Zwinkels further teaches the first-stage mixing chamber (190) is proximal to the outlet of the respective heat exchanger (110), and the second-stage mixing chamber (290) is distal to the respective first-stage mixing chamber.
Regarding claim 25, Zwinkels as modified teaches the limitations of claim 24, and Zwinkels further teaches each energy storage apparatus comprises at least one first-stage mixing chamber (190 and/or 490) in fluid communication with the outlet of the respective heat exchanger of each energy storage apparatus; and wherein the energy storage array comprise more than one second-stage mixing chamber (290 and/or 390) in fluid communication with each first-stage mixing chambers.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC S RUPPERT whose telephone number is (571)272-9911. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 4 pm.
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/ERIC S RUPPERT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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