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.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shimamoto (US 2014/0318734 A1).
In regards to claim 1, Shimamoto teaches an air-conditioning apparatus (air-conditioning apparatus 100, see fig. 2 and paragraph 29) comprising:
an outdoor unit including a compressor (compressor 10) configured to cause refrigerant to circulate in a refrigerant circuit (refrigerant circuit with compressor 10, see fig. 2 and paragraph 29), and an outdoor heat exchanger (heat exchanger 12) through which the refrigerant flows (heat exchanger 12 on the refrigerant circuit, fig. 2);
a first indoor unit including a first indoor heat exchanger (heat exchangers 71, fig. 2) through which the refrigerant flows (heat exchangers 71 connected by refrigerant pipes 4, fig. 2);
a relay unit including a relay heat exchanger (at least heat exchangers 15, fig. 2) through which the refrigerant exchanges heat with a heat medium (water, see paragraph 32) different from the refrigerant (at heat exchangers 15 refrigerant of circulation circuit A exchanges heat with heat medium of circuit B, see fig. 2 and paragraphs 57-58), and a pump (pumps 21) configured to cause the heat medium to circulate in a heat medium circuit (see fig. 2 and paragraph 44); and
a second indoor unit including a second indoor heat exchanger (at least heat exchangers 2, see fig. 2) through which the heat medium flows (heat exchangers 2 on heat medium circulation circuit B, see fig. 2),
wherein the first indoor unit is installed in a first air-conditioned space (space around heat exchanger 12, fig. 2),
the second indoor unit is installed in a second air-conditioned space (space around heat exchangers 2, fig. 2),
the first air-conditioned space has a volume such that a concentration of the refrigerant in the first air-conditioned space is lower than a reference value (volume of first space around indoor unit C of 120m3, see fig. 7 and paragraph 126, which is sufficient to accommodate a concentration of leaked refrigerant below a reference value) even when a total amount of the refrigerant filled in the refrigerant circuit leaks in the first air-conditioned space (when the reference value is set at 0.4-0.5 for an amount of refrigerant, then volume of the first space around indoor unit C, which is considerably bigger than indoor units of size 60m3 (i.e. indoor unit E, fig. 7), would have very low concentration of total leaked refrigerant, see paragraph 115-119 and figs. 7, 1-2),
a volume of the second air-conditioned space (indoor unit volume of 60m3, see unit E, fig. 7) is smaller than the volume of the first air-conditioned space (indoor unit volume of 120 m3, see units C, D, fig. 7), and
the relay unit (15) and the second indoor unit (heat exchangers 15, and heat exchangers 2, see fig. 2) are installed such that a distance from the relay unit to the second indoor unit (pipe length between heat exchanger 15b and heat exchanger 2d, see figs. 3-6) is shorter than a distance from the outdoor unit (heat exchanger 12) to the first indoor unit (pipe length between heat exchanger 15b and heat exchanger 2d is shorter than pipe length between heat exchangers 12 and 71, see figs. 2-6).
In regards to claim 2, Shimamoto teaches the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses that the second air-conditioned space has a volume (volume of second space around indoor unit E, 60m3, see fig. 7) such that a concentration of the refrigerant in the second air-conditioned space is equal to or higher than the reference value (when the reference value is set at 0.4 for 25kg amount of refrigerant, then volume of the second space, which is 60m3 (i.e. indoor unit E, fig. 7), would have a concentration value of 25/60 = 0.416, which is higher than the reference value of 0.4, see paragraph 115-119 and figs. 7, 1-2) when the total amount of the refrigerant filled in the refrigerant circuit leaks in the second air-conditioned space (volume of second space around indoor unit E of 60m3, see fig. 7 and paragraphs 115-119, 126, which is insufficient to accommodate a concentration of below 0.4 for a total refrigerant leak situation).
In regards to claim 3, Shimamoto teaches the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses that the reference value is equal to or smaller than a value of lower flammability limit of the refrigerant (limit concentration of 0.3, see paragraph 119, which is smaller than LFL of class A1 refrigerant such as R22, see paragraph 32, which is 0.356).
In regards to claim 4, Shimamoto teaches the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses that the second indoor unit (at least heat exchangers 2, see fig. 2) includes a flow control valve (valves 22, 23, 25, see figs. 2-6) connected to the second indoor heat exchanger (valves 22, 23, 25 connected to heat exchangers 2, see figs. 2-6), and an amount of the heat medium flowing to the second indoor heat exchanger is controlled by the flow control valve (by opening and closing valves 22, 23, 25, amount of heat medium is controlled, see figs. 2-6 and paragraphs 44, 50).
In regards to claim 5, Shimamoto teaches the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses that an amount of the heat medium flowing to the second indoor heat exchanger is controlled by the pump (heat medium pumps 21 to control flow of heat medium to heat exchangers 2, see paragraphs 44, 49 and 57).
In regards to claim 6, Shimamoto teaches the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses that the air-conditioning apparatus comprises two of the relay units (at least heat exchangers 15a, 15b, fig. 2), the second indoor unit is connected to each of the two relay units (heat exchangers 2 are connected to each of the heat exchangers 15a, 15b, see figs. 2-6), and the two relay units operate individually in response to an operating condition of the second indoor unit connected thereto (heat exchangers 15a and 15b individually circulate heat medium, via pumps 21a and 21b respectively, to heat exchangers 2 when valves 25 are opened to control flow rate, see figs. 2-6 and paragraph 52).
In regards to claim 7, Shimamoto teaches the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses that the relay units (at least heat exchangers 15a, 15b, fig. 2) is installed such that a distance from the outdoor unit to the relay unit is shorter than a distance from the outdoor unit to the first indoor unit (pipe length between heat exchanger 12 and heat exchanger 15b is shorter than pipe length between heat exchanger 12 and heat exchanger 71, see figs. 2-6).
In regards to claim 8, Shimamoto teaches the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses that the refrigerant has flammability or toxicity, while the heat medium does not have the flammability or the toxicity (refrigerants in the air conditioning apparatus are flammable or toxic, see R-22, R-134a, R410A, R407C refrigerants, paragraph 32, while the heat medium is water, paragraph 32, which does not have flammability or toxicity).
In regards to claim 9, Shimamoto teaches a method for installing an air-conditioning apparatus (installing an air-conditioning apparatus 100, see abstract and paragraphs 10-11), the air conditioning apparatus including
an outdoor unit including a compressor (compressor 10) configured to cause refrigerant to circulate in a refrigerant circuit (refrigerant circuit with compressor 10, see fig. 2 and paragraph 29), and an outdoor heat exchanger (heat exchanger 12) through which the refrigerant flows (heat exchanger 12 on the refrigerant circuit, fig. 2);
a first indoor unit including a first indoor heat exchanger (heat exchangers 71, fig. 2) through which the refrigerant flows (heat exchangers 71 connected by refrigerant pipes 4, fig. 2);
a relay unit including a relay heat exchanger (at least heat exchangers 15, fig. 2) through which the refrigerant exchanges heat with a heat medium (water, see paragraph 32) different from the refrigerant (at heat exchangers 15 refrigerant of circulation circuit A exchanges heat with heat medium of circuit B, see fig. 2 and paragraphs 57-58), and a pump (pumps 21) configured to cause the heat medium to circulate in a heat medium circuit (see fig. 2 and paragraph 44); and
a second indoor unit including a second indoor heat exchanger (at least heat exchangers 2, see fig. 2) through which the heat medium flows (heat exchangers 2 on heat medium circulation circuit B, see fig. 2), the method comprising:
determining, for a volume of each of a plurality of air-conditioned spaces (for plurality of indoor spaces of units A-F, see fig. 7), whether or not a concentration of the refrigerant in each of the plurality of air-conditioned spaces is lower than a reference value (concentration of refrigerant in each of the air-conditioned space is calculated, see paragraph 117; and in step 4, determined whether the concentration is less than a set value of 0.3, see paragraph 119 and fig. 8) when a total amount of the refrigerant filled in the refrigerant circuit leaks in the each of the plurality of air-conditioned spaces (this is a contingent limitation in a method claim, see MPEP 2111.04; however, Shimamoto teaches calculating the concentration of leaked refrigerant within a particular volume with the assumption of total refrigerant amount of 25kg leaking within each of the indoor unit spaces A, B, C, D and E, see paragraphs 115-119 and fig. 8);
installing the first indoor unit (heat exchanger 71) in one of the plurality of air-conditioned spaces (heat exchanger 71 installed in one of the indoor units A to D, see figs. 2-7 and paragraph 126) in which the concentration of the refrigerant is lower than the reference value (heat exchanger 71 installed in indoor space A with volume 800m3, which has refrigerant concentration well below 0.3, due to large volume, see fig. 7-10 and paragraph 126), and
installing the second indoor unit (heat exchanger 2) in another one of the plurality of air-conditioned spaces (heat exchanger 2 installed in one of the indoor units E, see figs. 2-7 and paragraph 126) in which the concentration of the refrigerant is equal to or higher than the reference value (heat exchanger 2 installed in indoor space E with volume 60m3, which has refrigerant concentration above 0.3, see paragraphs 117-119 and figs. 7-10); and
installing the relay unit (heat exchanger 15, figs. 2-6) and the second indoor unit (heat exchanger 2, figs. 2-6) such that a distance from the relay unit to the second indoor unit (pipe length between heat exchanger 15b and heat exchanger 2d, see figs. 3-6) is shorter than a distance from the outdoor unit to the first indoor unit (pipe length between heat exchanger 15b and heat exchanger 2d is shorter than pipe length between heat exchangers 12 and 71, see figs. 2-6).
In regards to claim 10, Shimamoto teaches an air-conditioning apparatus (air-conditioning apparatus 100, see fig. 2 and paragraph 29) comprising:
an outdoor unit including a compressor (compressor 10) configured to cause refrigerant to circulate in a refrigerant circuit (refrigerant circuit with compressor 10, see fig. 2 and paragraph 29), and an outdoor heat exchanger (heat exchanger 12) through which the refrigerant flows (heat exchanger 12 on the refrigerant circuit, fig. 2);
a first indoor unit including a first indoor heat exchanger (heat exchangers 71, fig. 2) through which the refrigerant flows (heat exchangers 71 connected by refrigerant pipes 4, fig. 2);
a relay unit including a relay heat exchanger (at least heat exchangers 15, fig. 2) through which the refrigerant exchanges heat with a heat medium (water, see paragraph 32) different from the refrigerant (at heat exchangers 15 refrigerant of circulation circuit A exchanges heat with heat medium of circuit B, see fig. 2 and paragraphs 57-58), and a pump (pumps 21) configured to cause the heat medium to circulate in a heat medium circuit (see fig. 2 and paragraph 44); and
a second indoor unit including a second indoor heat exchanger (heat exchangers 2, see fig. 2) through which the heat medium flows (heat exchangers 2 on heat medium circulation pipe 5, see fig. 2),
wherein the first indoor unit is installed in a first air-conditioned space (space around heat exchanger 12, fig. 2),
the second indoor unit is installed in a second air-conditioned space (space around heat exchangers 2, fig. 2),
the first air-conditioned space has a volume such that a concentration of the refrigerant in the first air-conditioned space is lower than a reference value (volume of first space around indoor unit C of 120m3, see fig. 7 and paragraph 126, which is sufficient to accommodate a concentration of leaked refrigerant below a reference value) even when a total amount of the refrigerant filled in the refrigerant circuit leaks in the first air-conditioned space (when the reference value is set at 0.4-0.5 for an amount of refrigerant, then volume of the first space around indoor unit C, which is considerably bigger than indoor units of size 60m3 (i.e. indoor unit E, fig. 7), would have very low concentration of total leaked refrigerant, see paragraph 115-119 and figs. 7, 1-2),
a volume of the second air-conditioned space (indoor unit volume of 60m3, see unit E, fig. 7) is smaller than the volume of the first air-conditioned space (indoor unit volume of 120 m3, see units C, D, fig. 7),
the second indoor unit does not include a flow control valve (no flow control valves within indoor unit 2, see figs. 2-6), and an amount of the heat medium flowing to the second indoor heat exchanger (heat exchangers 2) is controlled only by the pump (an amount of heat medium circulated through pipes 5 is controlled only by pumps 21, especially when all valves are open, see figs. 3-6; paragraphs 44, 49, 57, 64 and 67).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MERAJ A SHAIKH whose telephone number is (571)272-3027. The examiner can normally be reached on M-R 9:00-1:00 pm.
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/MERAJ A SHAIKH/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JIANYING C ATKISSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763