DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the new claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reets et al. (US 2007/0051007), Remsburg (US 4,815,495), Delp (US 2013/0118746), and Constantini (US 5,299,329).
Regarding claim 2, Reets (R) discloses a portable heat recovery system capable of recovering heat from an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having a cooling system with a water pump for cooling fluid of the internal combustion engine, comprising: an enclosure (30) having apertures (76,Figure 10) for airflow; a heater core (28, FIG.3) mounted in the enclosure; a blower (10) mounted in the enclosure and configured to blow air through the heater core and the apertures; a first pair of fluid coupling ends (ends of (26) in FIG. 2) fluidly coupled to the heater core to circulate fluid there through; a second pair of fluid coupling ends (ends of (24) in FIG. 2) connected to the first ends of the pair of fluid lines; one or more fluid pumps (25) configured for mounting to the vehicle and separate from the water pump, the one or more fluid pumps fluidly connected to the pair of fluid lines and to the heater core and configured to circulate cooling fluid therethrough ([0024]).
Reets does not disclose that the fluid coupling ends cause fluid retention when disconnected with a first pair of fluid coupling ends fluidly coupled to the heater core to circulate fluid therethrough and retain cooling fluid therein when not connected to complementary ends; a cabling assembly including: a pair of fluid lines having first and second ends and configured to form a quick disconnect fluid transfer coupling with the first pair of fluid coupling ends; a third pair of fluid coupling ends connected to the second ends of the pair of fluid lines and configured to form a quick disconnect fluid transfer coupling, wherein the second pair of fluid coupling ends and fluid coupling ends are configured to retain cooling fluid in the pair of fluid lines when the second pair of fluid coupling ends and the third pair of fluid coupling ends are disconnected from complementary ends; a pair of electrical conductors having first conductor ends at the first ends of the pair of fluid lines and second conductor ends at the second ends of the pair of fluid lines, the first conductor ends electrically connected to the blower; an exterior sheath securing the pair of fluid lines and electrical conductors therein so as to be carried as a single unit or that the device recovers heat from an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having a cooling system with a water pump for cooling fluid of the internal combustion engine and a control device connected to the one or more pumps and configured to operate the one or more pumps when the water pump is not operating to circulate cooling fluid and vary the flow of the cooling fluid from the cooling system through the heater core to vary an amount of heat from the heater core.
However, Remsburg (Re) discloses a quick disconnect for use with fluid transfer applications (Abstract) wherein the coupling ends are configured to retain fluid in the lines when the second pair coupling ends and the third pair of coupling ends are disconnected from complement ends (C4, L4-12). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective flinging date of this application to replace the quick disconnects of Scherr with those of Remsburg, which are self-sealing, for the purpose of preventing liquid from being wasted or sprayed upon the tarmac.
Additionally, Delp (D) discloses a cable system (Abstract) wherein the cabling assembly (200, Figure 3) is flexible and includes and exterior sheath (240) securing the second pair fluid lines (220) and electrical conductors (230) therein so as to be carried a single unit. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the cable to be that of the combined system as taught by Delp for the purpose of easier transportation.
Moreover, Constantini (C) discloses a hot water camping shower (Abstract) that recovers heat from an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having a cooling system with a water pump for cooling fluid of the internal combustion engine, with one or more fluid pumps (60) , Figure 1) configured for mounting to the vehicle and separate from the water pump, the one or more fluid pumps fluidly connected to the pair of fluid lines (52,40) and to the heater core and configured to circulate cooling fluid therethrough; and a control device (18) connected to the one or more pumps and configured to operate the one or more pumps when the water pump is not operating to circulate cooling fluid and vary the flow of the cooling fluid from the cooling system through the heater core (16, C2, L58-65) to vary an amount of heat from the heater core. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this application to modify the system to include an additional pump and controller in order to operate the device while the motor is not running.
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reets et al. (US 2007/0051007), Remsburg (US 4,815,495), Delp (US 2013/0118746), Constantini (US 5,299,329), and Kerrigan et al. (US 2010/0282993).
Regarding claim 3, Reets (R), as modified, discloses the portable heat recovery system of claim 2, but not that it further comprises; a coupling assembly mounted to the vehicle to travel therewith, the coupling assembly including: a second pair of fluid lines configured to be connected to the cooling system to receive the cooling fluid; and a fourth pair of fluid coupling ends fluidly connected to the pair of fluid lines and removably connected to the third pair of fluid coupling ends.
However, Kerrigan (K) discloses a bypass manifold (Abstract) with a coupling assembly capable of being mounted to the vehicle to travel therewith, the coupling assembly (100, FIG.1) including: a second pair of fluid lines (108,110) configured to be connected to the cooling system to receive the cooling fluid; and a fourth pair of fluid coupling ends (130.132, Figures 1-2) fluidly connected to the pair of fluid lines and removably connected to the third pair of fluid coupling ends (113,115). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this application to modify the system to include a quick disconnect manifold to conveniently connect and disconnect the remote heater.
Regarding claim 4, Reets (R), as modified, discloses the portable heat recovery system of claim 3 wherein the coupling assembly further comprises a housing, separate from the enclosure, wherein the one or more fluid pumps (R-25, FIG.2) are mounted in the housing.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reets et al. (US 2007/0051007), Remsburg (US 4,815,495), Delp (US 2013/0118746), Constantini (US 5,299,329), Kerrigan et al. (US 2010/0282993), and Moad (US 4,398,081).
Regarding claim 5, Reets (R), as modified, discloses the portable heat recovery system of claim 3 but not that the one or more fluid pumps are mounted in the enclosure
However, Moad discloses a standby heating system (Abstract) wherein the one or more fluid pumps are mounted in the enclosure (15, FIG.1.). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this application to locate the pump in either the enclosure to increase the head of the system if the hoses used are very long.
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 JOHN E BARGERO whose telephone number is (571) 270-1770. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steve McAllister can be reached at (571) 272-6785. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOHN E BARGERO/Examiner, Art Unit 3762
/STEVEN B MCALLISTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3762