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 .
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, 4-5, 7-14, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hidetoshi JP2008045803 published 28 Feb. 2008 as translated by EPO (hereafter Hidetoshi).
Regarding claim 1, Hidetoshi teaches an air dehumidification system (Fig 2), comprising:
a conditioner (34) for absorbing moisture from air (¶24) into a liquid desiccant (D);
a desiccant dryer (37) for evaporating the absorbed moisture from the liquid desiccant to evaporated moisture (¶30);
a condenser (39) for condensing the evaporated moisture (¶27);
a heat transfer medium flow circuit (circuit comprising exchangers 39 and 37) arranged such that heat removed from the evaporated moisture during condensation in the condenser is absorbed by the heat transfer medium, and such that said heat is used in evaporation of the absorbed moisture from the liquid desiccant, the heat transfer medium comprising a refrigerant (as shown in Fig 2, ¶26);
wherein the condenser comprises at least one cooling tube (tubes 39 shown in Fig 2) forming part of the heat transfer medium flow circuit and having a first surface (heat exchange surface) for condensation of evaporated moisture thereon,
wherein the heat transfer medium flow circuit comprises a compressor (35) downstream (where in a circuit all points are both upstream and downstream of all other portions of the circuit) of the at least one cooling tube;
wherein the heat transfer medium flow circuit further includes a heat exchanger (33) for allowing transfer of heat from the heat transfer medium to the liquid desiccant upstream of the desiccant dryer.
Regarding claim 4, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Hidetoshi further teaches wherein the condenser is arranged for discharging condensed moisture in liquid form (via pump 50), the condensed moisture being water, and wherein the system includes a condensate drain (drains shown at the bottom of tank 36, such as the drain leading to pump 49 and/or drain at the side of tank 36 leading to pump 50) for discharging the liquid.
Regarding claim 5, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Hidetoshi further teaches wherein, in use, the absorbed moisture evaporates at a first pressure, and the evaporated moisture condenses at a second pressure (where one of ordinary skill would expect a refrigeration cycle to operate as such), wherein the first pressure different from the second pressure by less than 50 Pascal (where the system is fully capable of operating at the claimed pressure in accordance with MPEP 2114, 2114, 2173.05(g)).
Regarding claim 7, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Hidetoshi further teaches wherein the pressure in the desiccant dryer and/or the pressure in the condenser is subatmospheric (where the system is fully capable of operating at the claimed pressure in accordance with MPEP 2114, 2114, 2173.05(g)).
Regarding claim 8, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Hidetoshi further teaches wherein the compressor is arranged such that the mechanical power of the compressor contributes to the heat used for evaporation (where the compressor adds energy to the refrigerant fluid and would therefore add energy to the evaporation).
Regarding claim 9, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Hidetoshi further teaches wherein the compressor is arranged for pressurizing the heat transfer medium such that said heat transfer medium changes from vapour to liquid (where one of ordinary skill would understand that the compressor 35 in the refrigeration cycle would operate as claimed because the limitation is a common feature of a refrigeration cycle).
Regarding claim 10, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Hidetoshi further teaches wherein the desiccant dryer comprises at least one heating tube (tubes 37) forming part of the heat transfer medium flow circuit and having a second surface (heat exchange surface) for evaporation of the absorbed moisture from the liquid desiccant thereon, wherein the condenser comprises a bundle of tubes (tube bundle 39 shown in Fig 2).
Regarding claim 11, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Hidetoshi further teaches an additional heater (44) incorporated in the desiccant supply line to the desiccant dryer.
Regarding claim 12, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 7. Hidetoshi further teaches wherein the system is arranged such that the heat transfer medium condenses inside the at least one heating tube (where one of ordinary skill would understand that the refrigerant would condense inside the heating tube because the limitation is a common feature of a refrigeration cycle).
Regarding claim 13, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Hidetoshi further teaches wherein the heat transfer medium flow circuit includes a receiving vessel (48) for collecting condensed refrigerant (¶23, ¶26)from the heat exchanger (where Fig 2 shows the refrigerant passes through heat exchanger 33 before being collected by the receiving vessel 48)of the heat transfer medium flow circuit.
Regarding claim 14, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Hidetoshi further teaches wherein the desiccant dryer and the condenser are arranged in a common enclosure (36).
Regarding claim 18, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Hidetoshi further teaches wherein one or more parts of the desiccant dryer are corrosion resistant against the liquid desiccant, or wherein the construction of the desiccant dryer is arranged to withstand the pressure of the heat transfer medium (where one of ordinary skill would understand that the parts of the desiccant dryer would be built to be compatible with the fluids it uses, such as the corrosion of the liquid desiccant and the pressure of the heat transfer medium).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hidetoshi as applied to claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 17, Hidetoshi teaches all the limitations of claim 1.
Hidetoshi does not teach wherein the desiccant dryer comprises a packed column.
Hidetoshi further teaches where the conditioner is a packed column in order to promote heat exchange (¶8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the desiccant dryer (37) of Hidetoshi to comprise a packed column (¶8) in order to promote heat exchange (¶8).
Response to Arguments
The following is a response to Applicant’s arguments filed 18 Jun. 2026:
Applicant argues that the 112b rejections are overcome by amendment.
Examiner agrees and the rejections are withdrawn.
Applicant argues that the present patent application provides benefits not taught in the Hidetoshi disclosure including energy efficiency.
Examiner disagrees.
In response to applicant's argument that the patent application provides greater energy efficiency than the prior art, the fact that the inventor has recognized another advantage which would flow naturally from following the suggestion of the prior art cannot be the basis for patentability when the differences would otherwise be obvious. See Ex parte Obiaya, 227 USPQ 58, 60 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1985). The prior art teaches all the structural elements of claim 1 and therefore teaches the invention of claim 1.
The features upon which applicant relies (i.e., increased energy efficiency) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Applicant argues that the heat exchanger 33 of Hidetoshi is not part of the heat transfer medium flow circuit.
Examiner disagrees. As shown in Hidetoshi Fig 2, the flow circuit fluidly connects and includes heat exchanger 33 as well as other features such as compressors 35, 30 and tubes 37, 39.
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 STEPHEN HOBSON whose telephone number is (571)272-9914. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Dieterle can be reached at 571-270-7872. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/STEPHEN HOBSON/Examiner, Art Unit 1776
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