DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This office action is responsive to the Response to Restriction Requirement dated May 19, 2026. As directed by the election: Claims 42, 43, 48-50, 52, and 54 are elected for prosecution on the merits WITHOUT TRAVERSE and Claims 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 22, 24, 25, 28, 32, 35, and 39 are withdrawn from consideration. Accordingly, Claims 42, 43, 48-50, 52, and 54 have been fully considered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) dated December 27, 2023, February 25, 2025, March 5, 2025, and June 3, 2025 are noted. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98. Accordingly, the IDS are being considered by the Examiner.
Drawings
Figure 1 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). See paragraph [98], “conventional gas purging system”. Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claim 42 is objected to because of the following informalities: the last portion of the claim recites “with of supply of nitrogen”. This is grammatically unclear. Examiner suggests amending this to read --with [[of]] the supply of nitrogen gas--. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 42 and 49 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hyun et al. (KR 102426560 B1, herein “Hyun”). Note: Hyun was cited by Applicant in the IDS dated February 25, 2025. Reference herein to the text of Hyun is directed to the machine translation provided herewith.
Regarding Claim 42, Hyun discloses a ship gas purging system including a dual fuel (DF) engine (100). Hyun discloses the system includes an engine unit (100) capable of operating on fuel gas and configured as an engine for propulsion of a ship (see paragraph [0001]), a fuel supply system (400) supplying the fuel gas depending on a condition of the engine unit (see paragraph [0048]), a low-pressure gas valve unit (220) controlling the pressure and flow rate of the fuel gas supplied to the engine unit (see paragraphs [0052] - [0056]), a nitrogen supply unit (buffer tank (300)) supplying nitrogen gas to purge an interior of the engine unit (see paragraph [0060]), and a ventilation unit (vent line (VL)), and purge valve (PV)) discharging residual gas in the engine unit to a safe area in conjunction with of supply of nitrogen. See paragraphs [0042] - [0056], [0060] - [0063], and [0069] - [0077] for Hyun system description.
Regarding Claim 49, Hyun discloses controlling a nitrogen supply system for dual fuel engines ((DF) engines, see paragraph [0043]). Hyun discloses controlling supply of fuel gas from a fuel gas supply system to an engine unit (100) (see paragraphs [0042] - [0053] and Figure 2) and controlling opening/closing of a nitrogen supply regulation unit in conjunction with supply of the fuel gas by means of a backflow prevention valve set (500) provided on the purging line (PL) for supplying the inert gas (nitrogen) in order to purge the inside of the fuel supply lines ((L1), (L2)). Hyun discloses that the step of controlling opening/closing of a nitrogen supply regulation unit comprises the steps of opening the nitrogen supply regulation unit and closing the nitrogen supply regulation unit (see paragraphs [0060] - [0064], [0086] - [0092], and Figures 2 and 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 43, 48, 50, 52, and 54 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Specifically, various references are cited that provide detail of relevant gas purging systems.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES G MOUBRY whose telephone number is (571)270-5658. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10AM - 6:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lindsay M. Low can be reached at 571-272-1196. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GRANT MOUBRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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