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 Objections
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities: Lines 2-3 should read, “from the second heat exchange medium to the first electrolyte…”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lindsay (WO Publication 2022/058462).
Regarding claims 1, 16 and 20, Lindsay discloses an energy storage system comprising: a cell 22 comprising a pair of chambers 23, 24 separated by a membrane 25 (electrolyte storage tank), a heat source 12, pipes 16 used to circulate a heat transfer fluid containing electrolyte through the heat source and two chambers, and pumps 17a and 17b used to move the heat transfer fluid through the circulation pipes and heat source, wherein the heat source can comprise a heating tank comprising a coil that the heat transfer fluid passes through, and wherein the heat source can contain at least one heat exchanger for transferring heat energy between the source and the heat transfer fluid (Page 5, lines 10-12, Page 8, Line 21-Page 10, Line 2 and Fig. 1).
As to claims 2-5, 17, 18 and 20, Lindsay teaches that the system includes a cell 22 comprising a pair of chambers separated by a membrane, wherein the cell comprises first and second electrodes 26, 27, each associated with one of the chambers, and a positive electrolyte in one chamber with the positive electrode and a negative electrolyte in the other chamber with the negative electrode (Page 2, Lines 6-19, Page 9, Line 21-Page 10, Line 2).
Regarding claims 6 and 19, Lindsay discloses that the heat source can comprise multiple sources of heat, such as a heat pump, and that the heat transfer fluid exchanges heat with each heat source (Page 10, Lines 4-14).
As to claim 7, Lindsay teaches that the system is used to regulate a temperature in a building (Page 6, Lines 1-28).
Regarding claim 8, Lindsay states that heat is exchanged between the heat transfer fluid and the source, which can be a heat pump (Page 10, Lines 4-14). Thus, the heat exchange medium can be both liquid and air.
As to claim 9, Lindsay discloses that the system comprises an energy generator to produce electrical energy that can be stored in the system and used to provide power to a heat source (Page 5, Lines 23-30).
Regarding claims 10 and 20, Lindsay teaches that the cell is a flow battery (Page 9, Lines 21-23).
Lindsay teaches every limitation of claims 1-10 and 16-20 of the present invention and thus anticipates the claims.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lindsay (WO Publication 2022/058462).
The teachings of Lindsay have been discussed in paragraph 4 above.
Lindsay fails to specifically teach that in a first mode of operation, the first heat exchange corresponds to a transfer of thermal energy from the electrolytes to the first heat exchange medium and the second heat exchange corresponds to a transfer of thermal energy from the second heat exchange medium to the electrolytes; and that in a second mode of operation, the first heat exchange corresponds to a transfer of thermal energy from the first heat exchange medium to the electrolytes, and the second heat exchange corresponds to a transfer of thermal energy from the electrolytes to the second heat exchange medium.
Lindsay teaches that the system comprises an arrangement for controlling the temperature of the heat transfer fluid using heat exchangers and storage tanks (Page 14, Lines 5-14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention that depending on the temperature of the heat transfer fluid and the temperature inside the heat exchanger in Lindsay and which is higher, heat can be transferred to or from the heat transfer fluid so that a desired temperature is created.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lindsay (WO Publication 2022/058462) in view of Montes (WO Publication 2021/209585).
The teachings of Lindsay have been discussed in paragraph 4 above.
Lindsay fails to disclose that one electrolyte comprises methyl viologen and the other electrolyte comprises 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl.
Regarding claim 11, Montes discloses a redox flow battery comprising: a compartment comprising a positive electrode 2 and a negative electrode 3, a catholyte 4 and anolyte 5, and an interface between the catholyte and anolyte, wherein the redox active species in the catholyte and anolyte can be methyl viologen (MV) and 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (Page 2, Line 22-Page 3, Line 3; Page 12, Lines 22-25).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the present invention that the electrolytes of Lindsay could comprise the redox active species methyl viologen and 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl because Montes teaches that these species are common for use in electrolytes of redox flow batteries to create improved properties in the battery.
Conclusion
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BRITTANY L. RAYMOND
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1722
/BRITTANY L RAYMOND/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1722
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