DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
This application is examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-40 are pending.
Election
Applicant’s election of Invention I and species A5 without traverse in the Reply filed 22 December 2025 is acknowledged. The elected Invention encompasses claims 1-4, 6-7, and 19. Claims 5, 8-18, and 20-40 are withdrawn from further consideration as being drawn to nonelected Invention(s). The lack of unity requirement is deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor regards as the invention.
The phrase “wherein at least one hydride fuel element” is unclear. Claim 1 contains this phrase and “the at least one hydride fuel element “. It is unclear whether said phrase is to a different “at least one hydride fuel element“. It is unclear whether said phrase should be interpreted as “wherein the at least one hydride fuel element”.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6-7, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Joyce (CA 640961A).
Joyce (cited via IDS) teaches a nuclear fuel system comprising a reactor core (21) within a first vessel (22). Core fuel pins (24) have a hydride fuel element (63) in a cladding (50). The fuel element is enriched up to 20%. The fuel pins are in a lattice (grid; page 25, lines 1-6). A second vessel (e.g., 27) is positioned in the first vessel (22). Particularly note page 26, lines 10-19; page 27, lines 1-8; and Figures 3 and 6.
Claims 1-4, 6-7, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bashkrtsev (US 2014/0334595A1).
Bashkrtsev (cited via IDS) teaches a nuclear fuel system comprising a reactor core, which is inherently within a vessel. Core fuel pins (20) comprises a hydride fuel element (100) [0104] positioned in a cladding (120). The fuel element is enriched up to 20% [0035]. The fuel pins are positioned in a lattice (grid; [0100]). A second vessel (e.g., 30) is positioned in the vessel.
Objection to the Abstract
The Abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it includes an unclear long rambling sentence. It is unclear where one feature ends and another feature begins. It is suggested that the long rambling sentence be broken into several shorter clear sentences. The Abstract should include the technical disclosure of the improvement. Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Objection to the Title
The Title is objected to because it is too generic for the recited invention. The Title is directed to conventional prior art. Correction is required.
Additional Comments
Bremer shows that it is well known in the art to have a nuclear system comprise double wall vessels (e.g., a second vessel within a first vessel).
The action dated 30 January 2026 in corresponding application JP2023555785 has been noted.
The Applied References
For Applicant’s benefit, portions of the applied reference(s) have been cited (as examples) to aid in the review of the rejection(s). While every attempt has been made to be thorough and consistent within the rejection, it is noted that the prior art must be considered in its entirety by Applicant, including any disclosures that may teach away from the claims. See MPEP 2141.02 (VI).
Application Status Information
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Interview Information
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, Applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
Contact Information
Examiner Daniel Wasil can be reached at (571) 272-4654, on Monday-Thursday from 10:00-4:00 EST. Supervisor Jack Keith (SPE) can be reached at (571) 272-6878.
/DANIEL WASIL/
Examiner, Art Unit 3646
Reg. No. 45,303
/JACK W KEITH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3646
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