DETAILED ACTION
The Amendment filed May 12, 2026 has been entered. Claims 10-20 have been withdrawn as of May 12, 2026. Currently, claims 1-20 are pending in the application.
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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding the Applicants specification, each of the phrases “infiltrating a material into high-temperature and high-pressure hydrogen” throughout the specification should read as “infiltrating a material with high-temperature and high-pressure hydrogen”. This is because as described in Fig. 2 and [0041] of the instant specification, the sample is placed within the high-pressure cabin and subsequently infiltrated with high-pressure hydrogen
Appropriate correction is required.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-9 in the reply filed on 5/12/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claims 1-9 are 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.
Regarding claims 1-9, it is unclear how the phrases “a testing device for infiltrating a material into high-temperature and high-pressure hydrogen” is intended. This is because, as described above with regard to the objection of the same phrase throughout the specification, the testing device as described infiltrates a material with high-temperature and high-pressure hydrogen, rather than the reverse.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 1-9, Nagao et al. (US PGPUB 2018/0231450 A1, hereinafter Nagao) in view of Blencoe et al. (US PGPUB 2008/0233010 A1, hereinafter Blencoe) represents the best art of record. However, Nagao in view of Blencoe fails to encompass all of the limitations of independent claim 1 as best understood.
Regarding claim 1, Nagao teaches a testing device for infiltrating a material with high-temperature and high-pressure hydrogen (see Fig. 1, hydrogen permeation test device 1; see also [0027] and [0060]-[0072], discussion of high-temperature and high-pressure hydrogen permeation test device 1), comprising: a high-pressure cabin, internally including a sample to be tested (see Fig. 1, high-pressure cabin 111 includes sample 10); a hydrogen compressor, communicated with the high-pressure cabin to adjust a pressure in the high-pressure cabin (see Fig. 1 and [0062], hydrogen compressor 22 adjusts pressure of the cabin 111); a vacuum pump, communicated with the high-pressure cabin to vacuumize the high-pressure cabin (see Fig. 1 and [0067], vacuum pump 31 communicates with the cabin 111 as shown and described); and a controller, electrically connected with the hydrogen compressor and the vacuum pump to control actions of the hydrogen compressor and the vacuum pump (see Fig. 1 and [0064], controller 60 connected to the hydrogen compressor 22 and vacuum pump 31).
Nagao fails to teach a hot oil-coated heating and insulation system, coating outside the high-pressure cabin to perform heating and heat insulation on the high-pressure cabin to adjust and maintain a temperature in the high-pressure cabin; a scavenging system, communicated with the high-pressure cabin to purge air impurities in the high-pressure cabin with an inert gas; and a controller, electrically connected with the scavenging system to control actions of the scavenging system.
Blencoe teaches a hydrogen permeation test system (see Abstract; see also Fig. 5, all elements) including a hot oil-coated heating and insulation system (302), coating outside the high-pressure cabin to perform heating and heat insulation on the high-pressure cabin to adjust and maintain a temperature in the high-pressure cabin (see Fig. 5, [0038], and claim 6, mineral oil utilized with the bath 302 to control the temperature of the high-pressure cabin as shown and described).
However, Blencoe also fails to teach a scavenging system, communicated with the high-pressure cabin to purge air impurities in the high-pressure cabin with an inert gas; and a controller, electrically connected with the scavenging system to control actions of the scavenging system.
Hence the best prior art or record fails to teach the invention as set forth in independent claim 1 and the examiner can find no teachings for a testing device for infiltrating a material with high-temperature and high-pressure hydrogen as particularly claimed and including the above limitations, nor reasons within the cited prior art or on his own to combine the elements of these references other than the applicant's own reasoning to fully encompass the current pending claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANIEL T WOODWARD whose telephone number is (571)270-0704. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/NATHANIEL T WOODWARD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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