Response to Arguments
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 .
This action is in response to applicant’s 12/18/2025 amendment.
Claims 1, 4-7, and 12-15 are withdrawn.
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.
Claims 2, 9-11, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Leifer et al. (US 2009/0173336).
Regarding claim 9, Leifer et al. discloses an energy storage device (Figure 5) for a marine vessel (Paragraph 62), the energy storage device comprising:
a housing (6),
a chamber (i.e. defined by an interior of the housing) in the housing (Figure 5), and
a first fluid inlet configured to receive a first fluid into the chamber from a first system of the marine vessel (Figure 5 and Paragraph 50: See inlet to 78 via piping 74 of a hot water system),
a second fluid outlet for supplying a second fluid from the housing to a second system of the marine vessel (Figure 5 and Paragraph 51: See outlet from 22 via piping 18 of a refrigeration system),
a phase change material (8) (Figure 5 and Paragraph 15) in the chamber and configured to receive and store heat energy from the first fluid received into the chamber via the first fluid inlet and to supply the heat energy to the second fluid to be supplied from the chamber to the second system of the marine vessel via the second fluid outlet (Paragraph 30),
where the first fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet are fluidically connected or connectable to the chamber (Figure 5),
where (i) the first fluid inlet is fluidically connected or fluidically connectable to the chamber such that the first fluid can flow into the chamber to contact the chamber (i.e. thermally) (Figure 1: The first fluid inlet is fluidically connectable to the chamber in that piping of the first system passes through the housing into an interior of the chamber to exchange heat with the interior of the chamber), and where (ii) and the second fluid outlet are is fluidically connected or fluidically connectable to the chamber (Figure 1: The second fluid outlet is fluidically connectable to the chamber in that piping of the second system passes through the housing into an interior of the chamber).
Regarding claim 2, Leifer et al. discloses an energy storage device as discussed above, further comprising: a first fluid inlet valve (84) configured to selectively open and close the first fluid inlet Figure 5 and Paragraph 50), and comprising a second fluid outlet valve (26) for selectively opening and closing the second fluid outlet (Figure 5 and Paragraph 51).
Regarding claim 10, Leifer et al. discloses an energy storage device as discussed above, further comprising a second fluid inlet configured to receive the second fluid into the chamber from the second system of the marine vessel (Figure 5: See inlet to 22 via piping 18).
Regarding claim 11, Leifer et al. discloses an energy storage device as discussed above, further comprising a first fluid outlet configured to supply the first fluid from the chamber to the first system of the marine vessel (Figure 5: See outlet from 78 via piping 74).
Regarding claim 16, Leifer et al. discloses an energy storage device as discussed above, where the phase change material has a melting temperature of greater than OC at atmospheric pressure (Paragraph 32 and 72, see also and Table 1).
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.
Claims 3, 17, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Leifer et al. (US 2009/0173336), and further in view of Grand et al. (WO 2018/114993 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Leifer et al. discloses an energy storage device as discussed above. While Leifer et al. discloses that the energy storage system is configurable (Figure 5 and Paragraphs 50-55: The first and second valves are disclosed as fluid control valves), Leifer et al. does not teach or disclose first and second configurations.
Grand et al. teaches an energy storage device, comprising at least: at least one housing (100) defining a chamber (i.e. defined by an interior of the housing) (Figure 1), a first system (10), a second system (30), a heat storage material (115, 215) in the housing (Figure 1), a plurality of valves (311a, 321a, 412a, 422a), where there is a first configuration in which a first fluid inlet (111) is open and a second fluid outlet (122) is closed (Figure 1), and where there is a second configuration in which the second fluid outlet (122) is open and the first fluid inlet (111) is closed (Figure 2). As a result it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to configure the energy storage device as disclosed by Leifer et al. with first and second configurations as taught by Grand et al. to improve energy storage device operating efficiency under a variety of conditions by providing for discrete operations for the charging and discharging of thermal energy operations (e.g. enabling release of thermal energy when use of stored heat is required and preventing release of thermal energy when use of stored heat is not required).
Regarding claim 17, Leifer et al. discloses an energy storage device as discussed above, further comprising a second fluid inlet to receive the second fluid into the housing from the second system of the marine vessel (Figure 5: See inlet to 22 via piping 18). While Leifer et al. discloses that the energy storage system is configurable (Figure 5 and Paragraphs 50-55: The first and second valves are disclosed as fluid control valves), Leifer et al. does not teach or disclose first and second configurations.
Grand et al. teaches an energy storage device, comprising at least: at least one housing (100) defining a chamber (i.e. defined by an interior of the housing) (Figure 1), a first system (10), a second system (30), a heat storage material (115, 215) in the housing (Figure 1), a plurality of valves (311a, 321a, 412a, 422a), where there is a first configuration in which a first fluid inlet (111) is open and a second fluid outlet (122) is closed (Figure 1), where there is a second configuration in which the second fluid outlet (122) is open and the first fluid inlet (111) is closed (Figure 2), where -in the first configuration- a second fluid inlet (121) is fluidically isolated from the chamber (Figure 1) and where -in the second configuration- the second fluid inlet (121) is fluidically connected to the chamber (Figure 2). As a result it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to configure the energy storage device as disclosed by Leifer et al. with first and second configurations as taught by Grand et al. to improve energy storage device operating efficiency under a variety of conditions by providing for discrete operations for the charging and discharging of thermal energy operations (e.g. enabling release of thermal energy when use of stored heat is required and preventing release of thermal energy when use of stored heat is not required).
Regarding claim 18, Leifer et al. discloses an energy storage device as discussed above, further comprising a first fluid outlet to supply the first fluid from the housing to the first system of the marine vessel (Figure 5: See outlet from 78 via piping 74). While Leifer et al. discloses that the energy storage system is configurable (Figure 5 and Paragraphs 50-55: The first and second valves are disclosed as fluid control valves), Leifer et al. does not teach or disclose first and second configurations.
Grand et al. teaches an energy storage device, comprising at least: at least one housing (100) defining a chamber (i.e. defined by an interior of the housing) (Figure 1), a first system (10), a second system (30), a heat storage material (115, 215) in the housing (Figure 1), a plurality of valves (311a, 321a, 412a, 422a), where there is a first configuration in which a first fluid inlet (111) is open and a second fluid outlet (122) is closed (Figure 1), where there is a second configuration in which the second fluid outlet (122) is open and the first fluid inlet (111) is closed (Figure 2), where -in the first configuration- a first fluid outlet (112) is fluidically connected to the chamber (Figure 1), and where -in the second configuration- the first fluid outlet (112) is fluidically isolated from the chamber (Figure 2). As a result it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to configure the energy storage device as disclosed by Leifer et al. with first and second configurations as taught by Grand et al. to improve energy storage device operating efficiency under a variety of conditions by providing for discrete operations for the charging and discharging of thermal energy operations (e.g. enabling release of thermal energy when use of stored heat is required and preventing release of thermal energy when use of stored heat is not required).
Claims 8 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Leifer et al. (US 2009/0173336), and further in view of Longis et al. (US 2017/0219294).
Regarding claims 8 and 19, Leifer et al. discloses an energy storage device as discussed above. However, Leifer et al. does not explicitly teach or disclose the phase change material as provided in a phase change capsule.
Longis et al. teaches an energy storage device, comprising at least: a housing (100) defining a chamber (i.e. defined by an interior of the housing) (Figures 1-2), a first system (100, 200), a second system (110, 210), and a phase change material (Paragraph 71) in the housing (Figures 1-2), where the first fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet are fluidically connected or connectable to the chamber (Figures 1-2), where (claim 8) a phase change capsule (i.e. defined by a cell 240) (Figure 2 and paragraph 71) comprises the phase change material (Figure 2 and paragraph 71) and a heat exchange interface (i.e. 215) encapsulates the phase change material (Figure 2 and paragraph 71), and where (claim 19) plural such phase change capsules (i.e. defined by cells 240) are arranged in the chamber (Figure 2) so as to define plural fluid flow paths (i.e. 200 and 210), between the phase change capsules (Figure 2) for the flow of both the first fluid and the second fluid in the chamber (Figure 2). As a result it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to configure the phase change material as disclosed by Leifer et al. within phase change capsules as taught by Longis et al. to improve energy storage device heat exchange efficiency by increasing overall heat exchange surface area between a heat storage material and heat transfer systems.
Response to Arguments
Regarding the arguments on page 6, lines 15-26:
Applicant’s statements regarding the drawings are noted and applicant’s clarification overcomes the drawings objections of record, where the chamber is acknowledged to be an open space defined by the housing.
Regarding the arguments on page 6, line 27 to page 7, line 11:
Applicant’s amendment overcomes the 35 USC 112 rejections of record.
Regarding the arguments on page 7, lines 12-28:
Applicant alleges that Leifer does not teach or disclose claim 9 as amended. Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
As discussed in the 35 USC 102 rejections as discussed above, Leifer does indeed disclose “where (i) the first fluid inlet is fluidically connected or fluidically connectable to the chamber such that the first fluid can flow into the chamber to contact the chamber (i.e. thermally) (Figure 1: The first fluid inlet is fluidically connectable to the chamber in that piping of the first system passes through the housing into an interior of the chamber to exchange heat with the interior of the chamber), and where (ii) and the second fluid outlet are is fluidically connected or fluidically connectable to the chamber (Figure 1: The second fluid outlet is fluidically connectable to the chamber in that piping of the second system passes through the housing into an interior of the chamber)” as recited in amended claim 9.
It is noted that the claims only appear to require “contact” in general, and do not appear to specify the manner of contact (e.g. fluidic, thermal, etc.).
Regarding the arguments on page 7, lines 1-10:
Applicant alleges that Grand and Longis do not remedy Leifer with respect to claim 9 as amended. Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive as Grand and Longis are not relied upon to remedy Leifer with respect to claim 9 as amended.
However, it is noted that Grand also appears to disclose a housing (100) defining a chamber (i.e. defined by an interior of the housing) (Figure 1), a first system (10), a second system (30), a heat storage material (115, 215) in the housing (Figure 1), where (i) a first fluid inlet (111) is fluidically connected or fluidically connectable to the chamber such that the first fluid can flow into the chamber to contact the chamber (Figure 1), and where (ii) and a second fluid outlet (122) are is fluidically connected or fluidically connectable to the chamber (Figure 1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 6,158,499 discloses a thermal energy storage system.
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.
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/JASON N THOMPSON/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/FRANTZ F JULES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763