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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed January 20th, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 3-4, and 6-12 remain pending in the application. Claims 3 and 7-8 remain withdrawn from consideration as being drawn to nonelected Species 2-4. The amendment has raised other issues detailed below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 9 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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1, 4, 9-10, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Semura (US 20210270500), hereinafter Semura in view of Yamamoto et al. (US Patent No. 11,300,322), hereinafter Yamamoto.
Regarding claim 1, Semura discloses an oil-lubricated cryocooler compressor that compresses a refrigerant gas of a cryocooler (Fig. 1, compressor unit 102, compressor main body 110, cryocooler 106, cold head 104; Pg. 1, paragraph 13, The compressor unit 102 is configured to collect a refrigerant gas of the cryocooler 106 from the cold head 104, to pressurize the collected refrigerant gas, and to supply the refrigerant gas to the cold head 104 again; Pg. 2, paragraph 19, The oil line 112 includes an oil circulation line 112a and an oil return line 112b. The oil circulation line 112a is configured such that an oil flowing out from the compressor main body 110 flows into the compressor main body 110 again through the oil cooling unit 130b), the cryocooler compressor comprising:
a liquid-cooled heat exchanger that cools the refrigerant gas and/or an oil through heat exchange with a coolant (Fig. 1, liquid cooled heat exchanger 130; Pg. 2, paragraph 25, The liquid-cooled heat exchanger 130 is built in the compressor unit 102 as a main cooling device for the compressor unit 102. The liquid-cooled heat exchanger 130 is configured to cool a refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor main body 110 and an oil lubricating the compressor main body 110 through heat exchange with a cooling liquid or a cooling fluid. Typically, the cooling liquid is cooling water such as tap water and industrial water); and
a cooling controller (Fig. 1, controller 40) that is configured to;
acquire a supply temperature of the coolant supplied to the liquid-cooled heat exchanger and to control a flow rate of the coolant of the liquid-cooled heat exchanger (Fig. 1, sensor 34, backup chiller 20, first valves 28, third valve 32; Pg. 4, paragraph 50, sensor 34 that measures the temperature of a cooling liquid. The sensor 34 is disposed on the supply line 12; Pg. 4, paragraph 51, A controller 40 that activates the backup chiller 20 is provided in the backup chiller 20. The controller 40 is configured to receive, from at least one sensor, a sensor signal indicating measurement results by the sensor, and to activate the backup chiller 20 based on the measurement results. The controller 40 is configured to control components of the backup chiller 20, such as the turning on and off of the circulation pump 22 and the opening and closing of the first valves 28; Pg. 5, paragraph 58, In addition, in order to activate the backup chiller 20, the controller 40 may use the sensor 34 disposed outside the compressor unit 102. As described above, the sensor 34 may measure the temperature of a cooling liquid, and the controller 40 may activate the backup chiller 20 based on the temperature of the cooling liquid, which is measured by the sensor 34);
compare the acquired supply temperature of the coolant with a temperature threshold value (Pg. 5, paragraph 58, In addition, in order to activate the backup chiller 20, the controller 40 may use the sensor 34 disposed outside the compressor unit 102. As described above, the sensor 34 may measure the temperature of a cooling liquid, and the controller 40 may activate the backup chiller 20 based on the temperature of the cooling liquid, which is measured by the sensor 34).
However, Semura does not disclose further comprising:
an air-cooled heat exchanger comprising a cooling fan that cools the refrigerant gas and/or the oil, and
the cooling controller configured to;
reduce a flow rate of the coolant through the liquid-cooled heat exchanger and operate the cooling fan of the air-cooled heat exchanger when the acquired supply temperature of the coolant exceeds the temperature threshold value based on the comparison.
Yamamoto teaches further comprising:
an air-cooled heat exchanger comprising a cooling fan that cools the refrigerant gas and/or the oil (Fig. 1, air cooling heat exchanger 13, cooling fan 1, fan motor 15; Col. 5, lines 31-43, An air cooling heat exchanger 13 is provided on a downstream side of the waste-heat-recovery heat exchanger 10, and the compressed gas and the oil passing through the waste-heat-recovery heat exchanger 10 are configured to also pass through the air cooling heat exchanger 13. That is, the compressed gas and the oil flow into the air cooling heat exchanger 13 after being cooled by the circulating heat medium at the waste-heat-recovery heat exchanger 10, or in a state of not being subjected to heat exchange with the heat medium in a case where the circulating pump 22 is stopped. In the air cooling heat exchanger 13, the compressed gas and the oil are configured to be able to be cooled by cooling wind blown by a cooling fan 14), and
the cooling controller configured to;
reduce a flow rate of the coolant through the liquid-cooled heat exchanger and operate the cooling fan of the air-cooled heat exchanger when the acquired supply temperature of the coolant exceeds the temperature threshold value based on the comparison (Fig. 1, waste-heat-recovery heat exchanger 10, circulation piping 17, 18; circulation pump 22, control device 30, control device 31, control device 32, temperature sensor 25, temperature sensor 26; Col. 6, lines 6-24, Based on the pieces of temperature information, the control device 30 cools the oil injected to the compressor main body 3 to a proper temperature by changing the rotational frequency of the cooling fan 14 by controlling the fan motor 15 via the inverter 29 such that a temperature difference of the delivery temperature of the compressed gas detected by the delivery temperature sensor 5 from a previously set target delivery temperature is small. The cooled oil is injected to the compressor main body 3 via the oil filter 16. That is, the rotation speed of the cooling fan 14 is controlled such that an amount of heat exchange at the cooling heat exchanger 13 is increased in a case where the heat exchange amount at the waste-heat-recovery heat exchanger 10 is small and such that the heat exchange amount at the air cooling heat exchanger 13 is reduced in a case where the heat exchange amount at the waste-heat recovery heat exchanger 10 is large; Col. 7, lines 13-22 and 48-52, The control device 31 is inputted with temperature information of the temperature sensor 25 and the temperature sensor 26, and the control device 31 is configured to execute the control of the circulation pump 22 based on the pieces of temperature information. For example, in a case where the temperature detected by the temperature sensor (Tw2) 26 exceeds a previously determined temperature (for example, a requested temperature at a hot water supply destination), the control device 31 controls to stop the circulation pump 22 or reduce the rotational frequency… Further, the pieces of temperature information from the temperature sensors 25 and 26 can also be outputted from the control device 31 to an external display device, or a control device 32, to be described later, for controlling a total of the waste-heat recovery system; Col 8-9, lines 61-67 and 1-3, That is, the hot water temperature sensor 26 detects a temperature on an upper side of the hot-water storage tank 19, and therefore, ordinarily, the temperature detected by the heat medium temperature sensor 25 becomes a temperature substantially near to the temperature detected by the hot water temperature sensor 26. Therefore, even when the control is carried out by using the temperature detected by the heat medium temperature sensor 25, an effect substantially similar to that in a case of controlling by using the hot water temperature sensor 26 is achieved; Further, the teachings of Yamamoto at least imply using either direct readings of the temperature sensor for the coolant or a proximate reading of the temperature of the coolant to control both he coolant circulation and fan control since it has been held in considering the disclosure of a reference, it is proper to take into account not only specific teachings of the reference but also the inferences which one skilled in the art would reasonably be expected to draw therefrom (MPEP 2144.01)).
Semura as modified fails to teach an air-cooled heat exchanger comprising a cooling fan that cools the refrigerant gas and/or the oil, and the cooling controller configured to; reduce a flow rate of the coolant through the liquid-cooled heat exchanger and operate the cooling fan of the air-cooled heat exchanger when the acquired supply temperature of the coolant exceeds the temperature threshold value based on the comparison, however Yamamoto teaches that it is a known method in the art of oil-lubricated compressor temperature control to include an air-cooled heat exchanger comprising a cooling fan that cools the refrigerant gas and/or the oil, and the cooling controller configured to; reduce a flow rate of the coolant through the liquid-cooled heat exchanger and operate the cooling fan of the air-cooled heat exchanger when the acquired supply temperature of the coolant exceeds the temperature threshold value based on the comparison. This is strong evidence that modifying Semura as modified as claimed would produce predictable results (i.e. improved temperature control based on real time sensor data). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Semura as modified by Yamamoto and arrive at the claimed invention since all claimed elements were known in the art and one having ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no changes in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded the predictable result of improved temperature control based on real time sensor data.
Regarding claim 4, Semura as modified discloses the cryocooler compressor according to claim 1 (see the combination of references used in the rejection of claim 1 above), wherein the cooling controller comprises:
a bypass valve that is connected in parallel with the liquid-cooled heat exchanger (Semura, Fig. 1, first valves 28, third valve 32), and
a valve controller that is configured to open the bypass valve or to increase an opening degree of the bypass valve when the supply temperature of the coolant exceeds the temperature threshold value (Semura, Pg. 4, paragraph 51, A controller 40 that activates the backup chiller 20 is provided in the backup chiller 20. The controller 40 is configured to receive, from at least one sensor, a sensor signal indicating measurement results by the sensor, and to activate the backup chiller 20 based on the measurement results. The controller 40 is configured to control components of the backup chiller 20, such as the turning on and off of the circulation pump 22 and the opening and closing of the first valves 28; Pg. 5, paragraph 58, In addition, in order to activate the backup chiller 20, the controller 40 may use the sensor 34 disposed outside the compressor unit 102. As described above, the sensor 34 may measure the temperature of a cooling liquid, and the controller 40 may activate the backup chiller 20 based on the temperature of the cooling liquid, which is measured by the sensor 34; Pg. 5-6, paragraph 63, In order to confirm the operation of the backup chiller 20, the controller 40 may activate the backup chiller 20, close the second valves 30, and disconnect the main chiller 70 from the compressor unit 102. At the same time, the controller 40 may open the third valve 32. The operation of the backup chiller 20 can be confirmed by disconnecting the main chiller 70 from the compressor unit 102, without obstructing the flow of a cooling liquid in the main chiller 70. In a case where operation failure has occurred in the backup chiller 20, the backup chiller 20 can be repaired or replaced independently while continuing cooling by the main chiller 70 (that is, while the compressor unit 102 and the cryocooler 106 continue operating). This leads to the reliability improvement of the compressor system 100).
Regarding claim 9, Semura discloses an operation method of an oil-lubricated cryocooler compressor that compresses a refrigerant gas of a cryocooler, the cryocooler compressor including a liquid-cooled heat exchanger that cools the refrigerant gas and/or an oil through heat exchange with a coolant (Fig. 1, compressor unit 102, compressor main body 110, cryocooler 106, cold head 104, liquid cooled heat exchanger 130; Pg. 1, paragraph 13, The compressor unit 102 is configured to collect a refrigerant gas of the cryocooler 106 from the cold head 104, to pressurize the collected refrigerant gas, and to supply the refrigerant gas to the cold head 104 again; Pg. 2, paragraph 19, The oil line 112 includes an oil circulation line 112a and an oil return line 112b. The oil circulation line 112a is configured such that an oil flowing out from the compressor main body 110 flows into the compressor main body 110 again through the oil cooling unit 130b; Pg. 2, paragraph 25, The liquid-cooled heat exchanger 130 is built in the compressor unit 102 as a main cooling device for the compressor unit 102. The liquid-cooled heat exchanger 130 is configured to cool a refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor main body 110 and an oil lubricating the compressor main body 110 through heat exchange with a cooling liquid or a cooling fluid. Typically, the cooling liquid is cooling water such as tap water and industrial water), the method comprising:
acquiring a supply temperature of the coolant supplied to the liquid-cooled heat exchanger (Pg. 4, paragraph 50, sensor 34 that measures the temperature of a cooling liquid. The sensor 34 is disposed on the supply line 12); and
comparing the acquired supply temperature of the coolant with a temperature threshold value (Pg. 5, paragraph 58, In addition, in order to activate the backup chiller 20, the controller 40 may use the sensor 34 disposed outside the compressor unit 102. As described above, the sensor 34 may measure the temperature of a cooling liquid, and the controller 40 may activate the backup chiller 20 based on the temperature of the cooling liquid, which is measured by the sensor 34); and
However, Semura does not disclose including an air-cooled heat exchanger comprising a cooling fan that cools the refrigerant gas and/or the oil, and
the method comprising:
reducing a flow rate of the coolant through the liquid-cooled heat exchanger and operating the cooling fan of the air-cooled heat exchanger when the acquired supply temperature of the coolant exceeds the temperature threshold value based on the comparison.
Yamamoto teaches including an air-cooled heat exchanger comprising a cooling fan that cools the refrigerant gas and/or the oil (Fig. 1, air cooling heat exchanger 13, cooling fan 1, fan motor 15; Col. 5, lines 31-43, An air cooling heat exchanger 13 is provided on a downstream side of the waste-heat-recovery heat exchanger 10, and the compressed gas and the oil passing through the waste-heat-recovery heat exchanger 10 are configured to also pass through the air cooling heat exchanger 13. That is, the compressed gas and the oil flow into the air cooling heat exchanger 13 after being cooled by the circulating heat medium at the waste-heat-recovery heat exchanger 10, or in a state of not being subjected to heat exchange with the heat medium in a case where the circulating pump 22 is stopped. In the air cooling heat exchanger 13, the compressed gas and the oil are configured to be able to be cooled by cooling wind blown by a cooling fan 14), and
the method comprising:
reducing a flow rate of the coolant through the liquid-cooled heat exchanger and operating the cooling fan of the air-cooled heat exchanger when the acquired supply temperature of the coolant exceeds the temperature threshold value based on the comparison (Fig. 1, waste-heat-recovery heat exchanger 10, circulation piping 17, 18; circulation pump 22, control device 30, control device 31, control device 32, temperature sensor 25, temperature sensor 26; Col. 6, lines 6-24, Based on the pieces of temperature information, the control device 30 cools the oil injected to the compressor main body 3 to a proper temperature by changing the rotational frequency of the cooling fan 14 by controlling the fan motor 15 via the inverter 29 such that a temperature difference of the delivery temperature of the compressed gas detected by the delivery temperature sensor 5 from a previously set target delivery temperature is small. The cooled oil is injected to the compressor main body 3 via the oil filter 16. That is, the rotation speed of the cooling fan 14 is controlled such that an amount of heat exchange at the cooling heat exchanger 13 is increased in a case where the heat exchange amount at the waste-heat-recovery heat exchanger 10 is small and such that the heat exchange amount at the air cooling heat exchanger 13 is reduced in a case where the heat exchange amount at the waste-heat recovery heat exchanger 10 is large; Col. 7, lines 13-22 and 48-52, The control device 31 is inputted with temperature information of the temperature sensor 25 and the temperature sensor 26, and the control device 31 is configured to execute the control of the circulation pump 22 based on the pieces of temperature information. For example, in a case where the temperature detected by the temperature sensor (Tw2) 26 exceeds a previously determined temperature (for example, a requested temperature at a hot water supply destination), the control device 31 controls to stop the circulation pump 22 or reduce the rotational frequency… Further, the pieces of temperature information from the temperature sensors 25 and 26 can also be outputted from the control device 31 to an external display device, or a control device 32, to be described later, for controlling a total of the waste-heat recovery system; Col 8-9, lines 61-67 and 1-3, That is, the hot water temperature sensor 26 detects a temperature on an upper side of the hot-water storage tank 19, and therefore, ordinarily, the temperature detected by the heat medium temperature sensor 25 becomes a temperature substantially near to the temperature detected by the hot water temperature sensor 26. Therefore, even when the control is carried out by using the temperature detected by the heat medium temperature sensor 25, an effect substantially similar to that in a case of controlling by using the hot water temperature sensor 26 is achieved; Further, the teachings of Yamamoto at least imply using either direct readings of the temperature sensor for the coolant or a proximate reading of the temperature of the coolant to control both he coolant circulation and fan control since it has been held in considering the disclosure of a reference, it is proper to take into account not only specific teachings of the reference but also the inferences which one skilled in the art would reasonably be expected to draw therefrom (MPEP 2144.01)).
Semura as modified fails to teach an air-cooled heat exchanger comprising a cooling fan that cools the refrigerant gas and/or the oil, and the method comprising: reducing a flow rate of the coolant through the liquid-cooled heat exchanger and operating the cooling fan of the air-cooled heat exchanger when the acquired supply temperature of the coolant exceeds the temperature threshold value based on the comparison, however Yamamoto teaches that it is a known method in the art of oil-lubricated compressor temperature control to include an air-cooled heat exchanger comprising a cooling fan that cools the refrigerant gas and/or the oil, and the method comprising: reducing a flow rate of the coolant through the liquid-cooled heat exchanger and operating the cooling fan of the air-cooled heat exchanger when the acquired supply temperature of the coolant exceeds the temperature threshold value based on the comparison. This is strong evidence that modifying Semura as modified as claimed would produce predictable results (i.e. improved temperature control based on real time sensor data). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Semura as modified by Yamamoto and arrive at the claimed invention since all claimed elements were known in the art and one having ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no changes in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded the predictable result of improved temperature control based on real time sensor data.
Regarding claim 10, Semura as modified discloses the cryocooler compressor according to claim 1 (see the combination of references used in the rejection of claim 1 above), wherein the cooling controller is configured to reduce the flow rate such that less of the coolant is supplied to the liquid-cooled heat exchanger (Yamamoto, Col. 7, lines 13-22 and 48-52, The control device 31 is inputted with temperature information of the temperature sensor 25 and the temperature sensor 26, and the control device 31 is configured to execute the control of the circulation pump 22 based on the pieces of temperature information. For example, in a case where the temperature detected by the temperature sensor (Tw2) 26 exceeds a previously determined temperature (for example, a requested temperature at a hot water supply destination), the control device 31 controls to stop the circulation pump 22 or reduce the rotational frequency). Further, the limitations of claim 10 are the result of the modification of references used in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 12, Semura as modified discloses the cryocooler compressor according to claim 1 (see the combination of references used in the rejection of claim 1 above), wherein the coolant passes through the liquid-cooled heat exchanger in a same direction before and after the cooling controller reduces the flow rate (Yamamoto, Col. 7, lines 13-22 and 48-52, The control device 31 is inputted with temperature information of the temperature sensor 25 and the temperature sensor 26, and the control device 31 is configured to execute the control of the circulation pump 22 based on the pieces of temperature information. For example, in a case where the temperature detected by the temperature sensor (Tw2) 26 exceeds a previously determined temperature (for example, a requested temperature at a hot water supply destination), the control device 31 controls to stop the circulation pump 22 or reduce the rotational frequency; Further, the teachings of Yamamoto at least imply the coolant will flow through the same direction before and after the flow rate is reduced as the only change in flow is a reduction of the rotation frequency of the circulation pump since it has been held in considering the disclosure of a reference, it is proper to take into account not only specific teachings of the reference but also the inferences which one skilled in the art would reasonably be expected to draw therefrom (MPEP 2144.01)). Further, the limitations of claim 12 are the result of the modification of references used in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Semura as modified by Yamamoto as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Morimoto (US Patent No. 10,801,767), hereinafter Morimoto.
Regarding claim 6, Semura as modified discloses the cryocooler compressor according to claim 1 (see the combination of references used in the rejection of claim 1 above).
However, Semura as modified does not disclose wherein the cooling controller is configured to acquire an ambient temperature and to stop the air-cooled heat exchanger based on the acquired ambient temperature.
Morimoto teaches wherein the cooling controller is configured to acquire an ambient temperature and to control the fan of the air-cooled heat exchanger based on the acquired ambient temperature (Fig. 1, outside air temperature sensor 9, outdoor fan 7, fan driving unit 8; Col. 5, lines 4-7, The fan rotation speed control unit 24 is configured to vary the rotation speed of the outdoor fan 7 based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 9).
Semura as modified fails to teach wherein the cooling controller is configured to acquire an ambient temperature and to stop the air-cooled heat exchanger based on the acquired ambient temperature, however Morimoto teaches that it is a known method in the art of air-cooled heat exchanger fan control to include wherein the cooling controller is configured to acquire an ambient temperature and to control the fan of the air-cooled heat exchanger based on the acquired ambient temperature. This is strong evidence that modifying Semura as modified as claimed would produce predictable results (i.e. providing increased control of system operations based on real-time sensor data to improve overall system efficiencies). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Semura as modified by Morimoto and arrive at the claimed invention since all claimed elements were known in the art and one having ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no changes in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded the predictable result of providing increased control of system operations based on real-time sensor data to improve overall system efficiencies.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Semura as modified by Yamamoto as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Suzuki et al. (JP 2017067394), hereinafter Suzuki.
Regarding claim 11, Semura as modified discloses the cryocooler compressor according to claim 10 (see the combination of references used in the rejection of claim 10 above).
However, Semura as modified does not disclose wherein the cooling controller is configured to reduce the flow rate by controlling a bypass valve.
Suzuki teaches wherein the cooling controller is configured to reduce the flow rate by controlling a bypass valve (Fig. 1, bypass pipe 76, on-off valve 77; Pg. 4, By the way, in the air conditioner (10) of the present application, water taken from seawater or rivers is used as cooling water for the water-cooled condenser (40). In addition, in ships, in addition to the cooling water of the condenser (40) of the air conditioner (10), it was taken in from seawater, rivers, etc. as cooling water for engines, refrigerators, electrical equipment, generators, etc. Water is used. Usually, seawater and river water are pumped up and distributed to each device that uses cooling water (including the condenser (40) of the air conditioner (10)). That is, seawater and river water are conveyed to the water circuit (70) of the condenser (40) of the air conditioner (10) by a pump shared with other devices that use other cooling water. Therefore, the amount of cooling water flowing into the water circuit (70) cannot be adjusted by the pump. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a bypass pipe (76) and an on-off valve (77) are provided. Specifically, the bypass pipe (76) has one end connected between the condenser (40) and the flow regulating valve (73) in the inflow pipe (71), and the other end connected to the outflow pipe (72). The on-off valve (77) is configured by an electromagnetic valve that is controlled to open and close by the controller (80). With this configuration, when the on-off valve (77) is closed in the water circuit (70), the cooling water that has flowed into the inflow pipe (71) flows directly into the condenser (40) and is condensed. After heat exchange with the refrigerant in the vessel (40), it flows out to the outflow pipe (72). On the other hand, when the on-off valve (77) is switched from the closed state to the open state in the water circuit (70), a part of the cooling water flowing into the inflow pipe (71) flows into the bypass pipe (76), It bypasses the condenser (40) and flows out to the outflow pipe (72). In other words, when the on-off valve (77) switches to the open state, a part of the cooling water flowing into the inflow pipe (71) flows into the bypass pipe (76) and bypasses the condenser (40), thereby condensing. The amount of cooling water flowing into the vessel (40) will be reduced).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Semura as modified wherein the cooling controller is configured to reduce the flow rate by controlling a bypass valve as taught by Suzuki. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to allow for coolant control at the liquid-cooled heat exchanger while allowing the pump to provide coolant to other system components to provide improved system control while maintaining necessary system functions (Suzuki, Pg. 4).
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 DEVON T MOORE whose telephone number is 571-272-6555. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 7:30-5.
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/DEVON MOORE/Examiner, Art Unit 3763 September 02nd, 2026
/FRANTZ F JULES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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