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 .
Status of Application
Claims 1-15 are pending and have been examined in this application. This communication is the first action on the merits. The Information Disclosure Statements (IDS) filed on 11/28/2023 & 07/09/2025 have been considered by the Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2 & 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Patent Number 11,554,644 B2 to Matsumoto.
A) As per Claim 1, Matsumoto teaches a cabin air recirculation system (Matsumoto: Figure 1) comprising:
an upper housing (Matsumoto: Figure 1, Item 12) including a first end and an opposite second end, the upper housing defining:
an air inlet (Matsumoto: Figure 3, inlet at top from Item 16 to 12a) located at the first end of the upper housing for receiving air from a vehicle cabin;
an inlet passage (Matsumoto: Figure 3, Item 12a) extending downstream from the air inlet;
a first port and a second port (Matsumoto: Figure 3, ports from Item 12a to 12b at start of Item 15) disposed at a downstream end of the inlet passage;
a first passage and a second passage (Matsumoto: Figure 3, two Items 12b) with partition wall 15 between) respectively communicating with the first port and the second port, the first passage and the second passage being separated by a partition wall of the upper housing; and
a first outlet and a second outlet (Matsumoto: Figure 3, bottom of Item 12b just upstream of Items 18) arranged at a lower end of the upper housing and communicated with the first passage and the second passage, respectively;
a lower housing (Matsumoto: Figure 3, Items 11 & 13) including a first end and an opposite second end, the lower housing defining:
a first inlet and a second inlet disposed on an upper end of the lower housing and sealingly engaged with the first outlet and the second outlet, respectively;
a first adsorption unit chamber (Matsumoto: Figure 3, chamber around Item 10A) and a second adsorption unit chamber (Matsumoto: Figure 3, chamber around Item 10B) communicated with the first inlet and the second inlet, respectively, the first adsorption unit chamber and the second adsorption unit chamber being separated by a partition wall (Matsumoto: Figure 3, Items 14 & 23) of the lower housing, a downstream end of the first adsorption unit chamber being provided with a first exhaust port and a first outlet port, and a downstream end of the second adsorption unit chamber being provided with a second exhaust port and a second outlet port; and
an exhaust passage (Matsumoto: Figure 3, Items 13d) and an outlet passage (Matsumoto: Figure 3, Item 13c; Col. 8, lines 18-21) provided at the second end of the lower housing, the exhaust passage selectively communicating with the first exhaust port and the second exhaust port, and discharging exhaust including gas and water after regenerating to an environment through an exhaust outlet, and the outlet passage selectively communicating with the first outlet port and the second outlet port, and transporting adsorbed and purified air to the vehicle cabin through an air outlet;
a first adsorption unit (Matsumoto: Figure 3, Item 10A) and a second adsorption unit (Matsumoto: Figure 3, Item 10B) respectively disposed in the first adsorption unit chamber and the second adsorption unit chamber, each of the first adsorption unit and the second adsorption unit being configured to adsorb moisture and/or carbon dioxide (Matsumoto: Col. 6, lines 25-30); and
a first heater and a second heater (Matsumoto: Figure 3, Items 18) disposed in the first passage and the second passage, respectively, the first heater and the second heater configured to heat air delivered to the first adsorption unit and the second adsorption unit, respectively, which is used to regenerate the first adsorption unit and the second adsorption unit, respectively.
B) As per Claim 2, Matsumoto teaches that an intake flap system (Matsumoto: Figure 3, Item 17; Col. 11, line 61 – Col. 12, line 8) capable of selectively controlling the first port and the second port and configured with a first pure adsorption position, a second pure adsorption position, a first adsorption-regeneration position and a second adsorption-regeneration position, wherein in the first pure adsorption position (Matsumoto: Col. 12, lines 5-9, one side to 100% open and opposite side to 0% open), the inlet passage communicates with the first passage and does not communicate with the second passage, wherein in the second pure adsorption position (Matsumoto: Col. 12, lines 5-9, one side to 0% open and opposite side to 100% open), the inlet passage does not communicate with the first passage and communicates with the second passage, wherein in the first adsorption-regeneration position (Matsumoto: Col. 11, lines 61-67, one side ratio is higher than other), the inlet passage communicates with both the first passage and the second passage, and an amount of air delivered from the inlet passage to the first passage is less than an amount of air delivered from the inlet passage to the second passage, and wherein in the second adsorption-regeneration position (Matsumoto: Col. 11, lines 61-67, other side ratio is higher than one side), the inlet passage communicates with both the first passage and the second passage, and an amount of air delivered from the inlet passage to the second passage is less than an amount of air delivered from the inlet passage to the first passage.
C) As per Claim 7, Matsumoto teaches that each of the first adsorption unit and the second adsorption unit includes water vapor adsorption material (Matsumoto: Col. 6, line 40-43).
D) As per Claim 8, Matsumoto teaches that each of the first adsorption unit and the second adsorption unit includes carbon dioxide adsorption material (Matsumoto: Col. 6, line 40-43).
E) As per Claim 9, Matsumoto teaches that each of the first adsorption unit and the second adsorption unit includes volatile matter adsorption material (Matsumoto: Col. 6, lines 44-57).
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.
Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumoto in view of US Patent Number 4,757,744 to Bouvot.
A) As per Claim 3, Matsumoto teaches the intake flap system includes a valve plate (Matsumoto: Figure 3, Item 17), a transmission mechanism (Matsumoto: drive shaft from flap 17 to control device; similar to that shown in Figure 7) and a drive mechanism (Matsumoto: Col. 7, lines 27-29; Control device), and wherein the upper housing is provided with a flap positioning structure which can position the intake flap system at one of the first pure adsorption position, the second pure adsorption position, the first adsorption-regeneration position and the second adsorption-regeneration position.
Matsumoto does not teach that the intake flap system has a seal member.
However, Bouvot teaches a seal member (Bouvot: Figure 1, Item 26).
At the time the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the teachings of Matsumoto by adding a sealing member, as taught by Bouvot, with a reasonable expectation of success of arriving at the claimed invention. At the time the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Matsumoto with these aforementioned teachings of Bouvot with the motivation of preventing air leakage when the flap is closing off one of the sides.
B) As per Claim 4, Matsumoto in view of Bouvot teaches that an outlet flap system (Matsumoto: Figures 3 & 6, Items 19 & 20, splits the flow to either 13c or 13d) configured with a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the exhaust passage communicates with the second adsorption unit chamber and does not communicate with the first adsorption unit chamber, and the outlet passage communicates with the first adsorption unit chamber and does not communicate with the second adsorption unit chamber, and wherein in the second position, the exhaust passage communicates with the first adsorption unit chamber and does not communicate with the second adsorption unit chamber, and the outlet passage communicates with the second adsorption unit chamber and does not communicate with the first adsorption unit chamber.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumoto in view of US Patent Number 11,684,889 B2 to Matsumoto, hereafter Matsumoto[889].
A) As per Claim 10, Matsumoto teaches all the limitations except that the first heater is provided with at least one first temperature sensor, and the second heater is provided with at least one second temperature sensor, to effectively monitor a temperature change of a respective heater and to prevent accidents caused by heater overheating and failure caused by heater failure as well as control regeneration temperature.
However, Matsumoto[889] teaches a temperature sensor for the heater to effectively monitor a temperature change of a respective heater and to prevent accidents caused by heater overheating and failure caused by heater failure as well as control regeneration temperature (Matsumoto[889]: Claim 5).
At the time the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the teachings of Matsumoto by adding temperature sensors to the heaters, as taught by Matsumoto[889], with a reasonable expectation of success of arriving at the claimed invention. At the time the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Matsumoto with these aforementioned teachings of Matsumoto[889] with the motivation of ensuring that the heating system is working as desired at any given time.
Claim(s) 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumoto in view of US Patent Number 11,110,386 B2 to Matsumoto, hereafter Matsumoto[386].
A) As per Claim 11, Matsumoto teaches a method of controlling a cabin air recirculation system (Matsumoto: Figure 1), the method comprising:
operating a cabin air recirculation system in a first pure adsorption mode (Matsumoto: Col. 12, lines 5-9, one side to 100% open and opposite side to 0% open), in which a first adsorption unit is in an adsorption mode and a second adsorption unit is in a non-working mode, wherein all of air introduced via an air inlet flows to a first passage via a first port, through a first adsorption unit chamber, the first adsorption unit, a first outlet port, and then adsorbed and purified air flows to a vehicle cabin through an air outlet;
operating the cabin air recirculation system in a first adsorption-regeneration mode (Matsumoto: Col. 11, lines 61-67, one side ratio is higher than other; Col. 3, lines 39-44; Col. 7, lines 29-44), in the first adsorption-regeneration mode, the second adsorption unit being in the adsorption mode and the first adsorption unit being in a regeneration mode, which comprises turning on a first heater located upstream of the first adsorption unit to desorb moisture and/or carbon dioxide from the first adsorption unit, wherein a relatively little amount of the air introduced via the air inlet flows to the first passage via the first port, through the first heater, the first adsorption unit chamber, the first adsorption unit, a first exhaust port, and then exhaust including gas and water flows to an environment through an exhaust outlet, whereas a remaining portion of the air introduced via the air inlet flows to a second passage via a second port, through a second adsorption unit chamber, the second adsorption unit, a second outlet port, and then the adsorbed and purified air flows to the vehicle cabin through the air outlet.
Matsumoto does not explicitly teach monitoring a humidity level and/or a carbon dioxide level at the air outlet of the cabin air recirculation system;
operating in the first adsorption-regeneration mode when the humidity level and/or the carbon dioxide level at the air outlet of the cabin air recirculation system exceeds a first predetermined threshold.
However, Matsumoto[386]teaches monitoring a humidity level and/or a carbon dioxide level at the air outlet of the cabin air recirculation system (Matsumoto[386]: Figure 5, Items ST8-Return);
operating in the first adsorption-regeneration mode when the humidity level and/or the carbon dioxide level at the air outlet of the cabin air recirculation system exceeds a first predetermined threshold.
At the time the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the teachings of Matsumoto by sensing the humidity and CO2 levels and controlling based on those sensed values, as taught by Matsumoto[386], with a reasonable expectation of success of arriving at the claimed invention. At the time the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Matsumoto with these aforementioned teachings of Matsumoto[386] with the motivation of providing the most energy efficient climate control while maximizing comfort for the occupants.
B) As per Claim 12, Matsumoto in view of Matsumoto[386] teaches monitoring a humidity level and/or a carbon dioxide level at the exhaust outlet of the cabin air recirculation system (Matsumoto[386]: Figure 5, Items ST8-Return; Col. 10-Col. 12); and
operating the cabin air recirculation system in a second pure adsorption mode when the humidity level and/or the carbon dioxide level at the exhaust outlet of the cabin air recirculation system is below a second predetermined threshold, in the second pure adsorption mode, the second adsorption unit being in the adsorption mode, and the first adsorption unit being in the non-working mode, wherein all of the air introduced via the air inlet flows to the second passage via the second port, through the second adsorption unit chamber, the second adsorption unit, the second outlet port, and then the adsorbed and purified air flows to the vehicle cabin through the air outlet (Matsumoto: Col. 11, lines 61-67, one side ratio is higher than other; Col. 3, lines 39-44; Col. 7, lines 29-44).
C) As per Claim 13, Matsumoto in view of Matsumoto[386] teaches operating the cabin air recirculation system in a second adsorption-regeneration mode when the humidity level and/or the carbon dioxide level at the air outlet of the cabin air recirculation system exceeds the first predetermined threshold (Matsumoto[386]: Figure 5, Items ST8-Return; Col. 10-Col. 12), in the second adsorption-regeneration mode, the first adsorption unit being in the adsorption mode and the second adsorption unit being in the regeneration mode, which comprises turning on a second heater located upstream of the second adsorption unit to desorb moisture and/or carbon dioxide from the second adsorption unit, wherein a relatively little amount of the air introduced via the air inlet flows to the second passage via the second port, through the second heater, the second adsorption unit chamber, the second adsorption unit, the second exhaust port, and then the exhaust including gas and water flows to the environment through the exhaust outlet, whereas the remaining portion of the air introduced via the air inlet flows to the first passage via the first port, through the first adsorption unit chamber, the first adsorption unit, the first outlet port, and then the adsorbed and purified air flows to the vehicle cabin through the air outlet (Matsumoto: Col. 11, lines 61-67, one side ratio is higher than other; Col. 3, lines 39-44; Col. 7, lines 29-44).
D) As per Claim 14, Matsumoto in view of Matsumoto[386] teaches operating the cabin air recirculation system in the first pure adsorption mode when the humidity level and/or the carbon dioxide level at the exhaust outlet of the cabin air recirculation system is below the second predetermined threshold (Matsumoto[386]: Figure 5, Items ST8-Return; Col. 10-Col. 12).
E) As per Claim 15, Matsumoto in view of Matsumoto[386] teaches that the operating the cabin air recirculation system in the first pure adsorption mode includes controlling an intake flap system and an outlet flap system, so that the intake flap system is at a first pure adsorption position and the outlet flap system is at a first position,
wherein the operating the cabin air recirculation system in the first adsorption-regeneration mode comprises controlling the intake flap system and the outlet flap system so that the intake flap system is in a first adsorption-regeneration position and the outlet flap system is in a second position,
wherein the operating the cabin air recirculation system in the second pure adsorption mode comprises controlling the intake flap system and the outlet flap system so that the intake flap system is in a second pure adsorption position and the outlet flap system is in the second position, and
wherein the operating the cabin air recirculation system in the second adsorption-regeneration mode comprises controlling the intake flap system and the outlet flap system so that the intake flap system is in a second adsorption-regeneration position and the outlet flap system is in the first position (Matsumoto: Col. 11, lines 61-67, one side ratio is higher than other; Col. 3, lines 39-44; Col. 7, lines 29-44).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 are 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALLEN SCHULT whose telephone number is (571)272-8511. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-5PM.
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/Allen R. B. Schult/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762