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 § 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.
Claim 20 is 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.
Claim 20 line 1 recites “the heat transfer fluid entering the pre-treatment heat exchanger”. Examiner notes claim 18 recites “a heat transfer fluid to a three-way heat exchanger”. Examiner notes with regards to the embodiment of claim 18, the pre-treatment heat exchanger is located upstream from the three -way heat exchanger, and the heat transfer fluid does not pass through the three way heat exchanger.
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.
Claims 18,20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipipated by Vandermeulen et al(2019/0145640)
Vandermeulen et al in figures 6A1 and 13B teach a method of operating an air treatment system comprising channeling a liquid desiccant(concentrated liquid desiccant 607) and a heat transfer fluid(heat transfer fluid 604) to a three way heat exchanger(three way desiccant conditioner 603), pre-treating an inlet air stream(outside air 1307 in figure 13B) using a pre treatment heat exchanger(air to air coil heat exchanger 1331) upstream from the three way heat exchanger(three way desiccant conditioner 1302) to lower at least one of a temperature and humidity of the inlet air stream(para 0266 stating “1330 shows a variant where an air to air coil 1331 is used to precool air 1307 with the cold air from 1302 before supplying it at 1332 to space 1301”), and channeling the pre treated air stream to the three way heat exchanger(603, 1302) for transferring heat and moisture between the liquid desiccant, the heat transfer fluid, and the pre treated air stream, producing a treated air stream.
With regards to claim 20, Vandermeulen et al further teaches wherein the heat transfer fluid entering the pre treatment heat exchanger has a temperature at or below a dew point of the pre treated air stream and each of the heat transfer fluid and the liquid desiccant entering the three way heat exchanger have a temperature above a dew point of the treated air stream.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 19 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 19 recites “wherein pre-treating the inlet air stream comprises transferring heat from the inlet air stream to the heat transfer fluid upstream from the three-way heat exchanger”. Vandermeulen et al teaches pre-treating the inlet air stream and transferring heat from the inlet air stream to the three way heat exchanger. However Vandermeulen et al does not teach or suggest pre-treating the inlet air stream comprises transferring heat from the inlet air stream to the heat transfer fluid upstream from the three-way heat exchanger.
Claims 1-17 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 1 recites “an air treatment system comprising: a three-way heat exchanger operable to transfer heat and moisture between air, a liquid desiccant, and a heat transfer fluid; a heat transfer fluid loop for circulating the heat transfer fluid between the three-way heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger operable to transfer heat between the heat transfer fluid and a third working fluid; and a pre-treatment heat exchanger positioned on the heat transfer fluid loop between the second heat exchanger and the three-way heat exchanger, wherein the pre-treatment heat exchanger is operable to transfer heat between the air and the heat transfer fluid upstream from the three-way heat exchanger.”. Vandermeulen et al(2019/0145640) teaches an air treatment system comprising: a three-way heat exchanger(three way desiccant conditioner 603) operable to transfer heat and moisture between air, a liquid desiccant(concentrated liquid desiccant 607), and a heat transfer fluid (heat transfer fluid 604); a heat transfer fluid loop(heat transfer loop shown in figure 6A1) for circulating the heat transfer fluid between the three-way heat exchanger603) and a second heat exchanger (evaporator 614) operable to transfer heat between the heat transfer fluid and a third working fluid; and a pre-treatment heat exchanger(air to air coil heat exchanger 1331) , wherein the pre treatment heat exchanger transfers heat between an inlet air stream and a three way heat exchanger. However Vandermeulen et al does not teach or suggest a pre-treatment heat exchanger positioned on the heat transfer fluid loop between the second heat exchanger and the three-way heat exchanger, wherein the pre-treatment heat exchanger is operable to transfer heat between the air and the heat transfer fluid upstream from the three-way heat exchanger. Claims 2-6 depend on claim 1 and hence are also allowed.
Claim 7 recites “a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising: a refrigerant sub-system operable to circulate a refrigerant between an evaporator and a condenser; and an air treatment sub-system comprising: a three-way heat exchanger operable to transfer heat and moisture between air, a liquid desiccant , and a heat transfer fluid; and a heat transfer fluid loop for circulating the heat transfer fluid between the three-way heat exchanger and the evaporator for transferring heat between the heat transfer fluid and the refrigerant ; and a pre-treatment heat exchanger operable to transfer heat between the air and one of the refrigerant and the heat transfer fluid upstream from the three-way heat exchanger.”. Vandermeulen et al(2019/0145640) teaches a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising: a refrigerant sub-system(refrigerant sub system shown in figure 6A1) operable to circulate a refrigerant between an evaporator(614) and a condenser(620); and an air treatment sub-system comprising: a three-way heat exchanger (three way desiccant conditioner 603) operable to transfer heat and moisture between air, a liquid desiccant(concentrated liquid desiccant 607) , and a heat transfer fluid(heat transfer fluid 604); and a heat transfer fluid loop(heat transfer loop shown in figure 6A1) for circulating the heat transfer fluid between the three-way heat exchanger and the evaporator for transferring heat between the heat transfer fluid and the refrigerant ; and a pre-treatment heat exchanger(air to air coil heat exchanger 1331) wherein the pre treatment heat exchanger transfers heat between an inlet air stream and a three way heat exchanger. However Vandermeulen et al does not teach or suggest a pre-treatment heat exchanger operable to transfer heat between the air and one of the refrigerant and the heat transfer fluid upstream from the three-way heat exchanger. Claims 8-17 depend on claim 7 and hence are also allowed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT A HOPKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-1159. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 6am-4pm.
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/ROBERT A HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
January 20, 2026
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