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 .
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.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed on 10 April 2026 has been entered. Claims 21-29, 31-35 and 37-39 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the Claims overcome each and every objection and 112(b) rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 10 Dec 2025.
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.
Claim(s) 21, 23, 25, 27-29 and 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable as obvious over Haden et al (WO 2016/146766) in view of Asari et al (US 2020/0240589) in further view of Roy et al (US 10800338).
Regarding Claim 21, Haden et al disclose a pedestal (100 generally) for contactlessly supplying power (via 5 or 50 and 40) to one or more gas storage containers (10 generally; page 1, lines 6-10). The pedestal comprising:
a bottom portion (see Annotated Figure A); and
a side portion (see Annotated Figure A);
wherein each of the gas storage containers (10 generally) comprises a casing (the tank wall) with an upper surface (the top of 10; Figure 4) and a lower surface (sitting on 80 shown in Annotated Figure A);
a measurement module comprising a power receiving member (40; which supplies power to valve 20 containing sensors for measurement; page 3, lines 21-31) for a contactless power supply (from 5 to supply power contactlessly to the battery at 30);
at least one power supplying portion with a power supplying member (5 or 50);
wherein the bottom portion (see Annotated Figure A) is configured to rest the one or more gas storage containers by contacting the lower surface of the casing (see Annotated Figure A);
wherein the side portion (see Annotated Figure A) is configured to support the one or more gas storage containers (10 by holding the cylinders in place as discussed at page 10, lines 7-10); and
but fails to expressly disclose wherein the one or more gas storage containers comprises a casing with an upper surface and is vertically stackable;
a gas container installed in the casing; and
a gas remaining amount measurement module;
wherein the side portion comprises at least one power supplying portion with a power supplying member corresponding to the power receiving member; and
wherein each of the one or more gas storage containers has a protrusion or a recess on the lower surface, and the pedestal has a recess or a protrusion on the bottom portion corresponding to the protrusion or the recess on the gas storage container, and
wherein the side portion is provided with a certain number of the power supplying portion corresponding to the number of the one or more gas storage containers to be loaded.
Asari et al teach a gas storage container (Figures and ¶ 44), comprising:
a casing (200 in Figure 16) with an upper surface (Figure 16; ¶ 64) and a lower surface (Figure 16; ¶ 64) and is vertically stackable (¶ 64);
a gas container (300; ¶ 65) installed in the casing (Figure 16; ¶ 65);
and a gas remaining amount measurement module (¶ 66).
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 system of Haden et al with the gas storage container as taught by Asari et al for the advantage of providing a gas storage cylinder that is easy to transport and install, as taught by Asari et al (¶ 5).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify the arrangement of the at least one power supplying portion with a power supplying member located within the side portion and wherein the side portion is provided with a certain number of the power supplying portion corresponding to the number of the one or more gas storage containers to be loaded since rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. The motivation for doing so would be to provide an optimal arrangement of the power supplying member based on user defined criteria, such as access to the power supplying member for inspection, maintenance or repair.
Roy et al teach a storage container (200 in Figure 15) wherein the storage container has a protrusion or a recess on the lower surface (recess 220 in Figure 15), and the pedestal (where Haden et al teach the pedestal and the floor 302 of Roy et al is provided as the bottom portion) has a recess or a protrusion (protrusion 300) on the bottom portion (302) corresponding to the protrusion or the recess on the gas storage container (¶ 61; Figure 17).
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 system of Haden et al, as modified by Asari et al with the protrusion and recess structure as taught by Roy et al for the advantage of providing the storage container to be properly aligned to facilitate proper position of the storage container on the pedestal, as taught by Roy et al (Col 12, lines 46-54).
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Annotated Figure A – Haden et al
Regarding Claim 23, Haden et al as modified by Asari et al and Roy et al teach all essential elements of the current invention as discussed above but fails to expressly disclose where the bottom portion is further configured to be laterally connectable to a bottom portion of another pedestal.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify the bottom portion to include where the bottom portion is further configured to be laterally connectable to a bottom portion of another pedestal since mere duplication of essential working part of device involves only routine skill in the art. The motivation for doing so would be to provide increased storage capacity by providing multiple pedestals for the gas cylinders.
Regarding Claim 25, Haden et al disclose a gas storage system (Figure 3; page 1, lines 6-10). The system comprising:
one or more gas storage containers (10 in Figure 3 shown with at least two); and
one or more pedestals (Figure 3) according to claim 21 (as discussed above);
wherein each of the gas storage containers (Figure 3) comprises a casing (the tank wall) with an upper surface (10 of Figure 3) and a lower surface (sitting on 80 shown in Annotated Figure A);
a measurement module comprising a power receiving member (40; which supplies power to valve 20 containing sensors for measurement; page 3, lines 21-31) for a contactless power supply (from 5 to supply power contactlessly to the battery at 30);
but fails to expressly disclose a casing that is vertically stackable; a gas container installed in the casing; and a gas remaining amount measurement module.
Asari et al teach a gas storage container (Figures and ¶ 44), comprising:
a casing (200 in Figure 16) with a flat upper surface (Figure 16; ¶ 64) and a flat lower surface (Figure 16; ¶ 64) and is vertically stackable (¶ 64);
a gas container (300; ¶ 65) installed in the casing (Figure 16; ¶ 65);
and a gas remaining amount measurement module (¶ 66).
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 system of Haden et al with the gas storage container as taught by Asari et al for the advantage of providing a gas storage cylinder that is easy to transport and install, as taught by Asari et al (¶ 5).
Regarding Claim 27, Asari et al teach where at least a part of the gas remaining amount measurement module is installed in a space between the casing and the gas container (¶ 66).
Regarding Claim 28, Asari et al teach where the gas remaining amount measurement module comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, a liquid level sensor, a temperature sensor, and a gyro sensor (¶ 49 discloses where the gas remaining amount measurement module comprises at least a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor).
Regarding Claim 29, Asari et al teach where the gas remaining amount measurement module is configured to perform wireless communication (¶ 49 discloses where the gas remaining amount measurement module comprises a CPU configured to perform wireless communication and therefore the gas remaining amount measurement module performs wireless communication).
Regarding Claim 31, Haden et al disclose where the side portion (120) comprises a plurality of side units (at least three shown in Figure 3), being connectable to each other (via at least the bottom portion 110), but fails to expressly teach where each of the plurality of side units comprising at least one power supplying portion.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify the arrangement of the at least one power supplying portion where each of the plurality of side units comprising at least one power supplying portion since rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. The motivation for doing so would be to provide an optimal arrangement of the power supplying member based on user defined criteria, such as access to the power supplying member for inspection, maintenance or repair.
Claim(s) 22, 26, 33-35, and 37-38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable as obvious over Haden et al (WO 2016/146766) in view of Asari et al (US 2020/0240589) in further view of Brennan (US 10865015).
Regarding Claim 22, Haden et al disclose a pedestal (100 generally) for contactlessly supplying power (via 5 or 50 and 40) to one or more gas storage containers (10 generally; page 1, lines 6-10). The pedestal comprising:
a bottom portion (see Annotated Figure A); and
a side portion (see Annotated Figure A);
wherein each of the gas storage containers (10 generally) comprises a casing (the tank wall) with an upper surface (of 10) and a lower surface (sitting on 80 shown in Annotated Figure A);
a measurement module comprising a power receiving member (40; which supplies power to valve 20 containing sensors for measurement; page 3, lines 21-31) for a contactless power supply (from 5 to supply power contactlessly to the battery at 30);
at least one power supplying portion with a power supplying member (5 or 50);
wherein the bottom portion (see Annotated Figure A) is configured to rest the one or more gas storage containers by contacting the lower surface of the casing (see Annotated Figure A);
wherein the side portion (see Annotated Figure A) is configured to support the one or more gas storage containers (10 by holding the cylinders in place as discussed at page 10, lines 7-10);
but fails to expressly disclose wherein the gas storage container comprises a casing that is vertically stackable;
a gas container installed in the casing; and
a gas remaining amount measurement module;
wherein the side portion comprises at least one power supplying portion with a power supplying member corresponding to the power receiving member; and
wherein the casing of each of the one ore more gas storage containers has a plurality of side surfaces and further comprises a grip on an outer edge between the lower surface and at least one side surfaces of the plurality of side surfaces, and the pedestal further comprises a fixing member for physically connecting the bottom portion with the grip; and
wherein the side portion is provided with a certain number of the power supplying portion corresponding to the number of the one or more gas storage containers to be loaded.
Asari et al teach a gas storage container (Figures and ¶ 44), comprising:
a casing (200 in Figure 16) with a flat upper surface (Figure 16; ¶ 64) and a flat lower surface (Figure 16; ¶ 64) and is vertically stackable (¶ 64);
a gas container (300; ¶ 65) installed in the casing (Figure 16; ¶ 65);
and a gas remaining amount measurement module (¶ 66),
wherein the casing (200 in Figure 16) of the gas storage container has a plurality of side surfaces (see Annotated Figure B) and further comprises a grip on an outer edge between the lower surface and at least one of the side surfaces (see Annotated Figure B).
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 system of Haden et al with the gas storage container as taught by Asari et al for the advantage of providing a gas storage cylinder that is easy to transport and install, as taught by Asari et al (¶ 5).
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Annotated Figure B – Asari et al
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify the arrangement of the at least one power supplying portion with a power supplying member located within the side portion and wherein the side portion is provided with a certain number of the power supplying portion corresponding to the number of the one or more gas storage containers to be loaded since rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. The motivation for doing so would be to provide an optimal arrangement of the power supplying member based on user defined criteria, such as access to the power supplying member for inspection, maintenance or repair.
Brennan teaches a storage container (104) with a casing (the walls of storage container 104 shown in Figure 1) and a pedestal (102 and 114 together), the pedestal further comprises a fixing member (108) for physically connecting the bottom portion with the grip (Figure 3; where Haden et al teach a bottom portion of the pedestal and Asari et al teach the grip).
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 system of Haden et al, as modified by Asari et al, with the fixing member as taught by Brennan for the advantage of providing a mechanism to secure the storage container against unauthorized access or stealing, as taught by Brennan (page 1, lines 29-42).
Regarding Claim 26, Haden et al disclose a gas storage system (Figure 3; page 1, lines 6-10). The system comprising:
one or more gas storage containers (10 in Figure 3 shown with at least two); and
one or more pedestals (Figure 3) according to claim 21 (as discussed above);
wherein each of the gas storage containers (Figure 3) comprises a casing (the tank wall) with an upper surface (of 10 in Figure 3) and a lower surface (sitting on 80 shown in Annotated Figure A);
a measurement module comprising a power receiving member (40; which supplies power to valve 20 containing sensors for measurement; page 3, lines 21-31) for a contactless power supply (from 5 to supply power contactlessly to the battery at 30);
but fails to expressly disclose a casing that is vertically stackable; a gas container installed in the casing; and a gas remaining amount measurement module.
Asari et al teach a gas storage container (Figures and ¶ 44), comprising:
a casing (200 in Figure 16) with a flat upper surface (Figure 16; ¶ 64) and a flat lower surface (Figure 16; ¶ 64) and is vertically stackable (¶ 64);
a gas container (300; ¶ 65) installed in the casing (Figure 16; ¶ 65);
and a gas remaining amount measurement module (¶ 66).
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 system of Haden et al with the gas storage container as taught by Asari et al for the advantage of providing a gas storage cylinder that is easy to transport and install, as taught by Asari et al (¶ 5).
Regarding Claim 33, Asari et al teach where at least a part of the gas remaining amount measurement module is installed in a space between the casing and the gas container (¶ 66).
Regarding Claim 34, Asari et al teach where the gas remaining amount measurement module comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, a liquid level sensor, a temperature sensor, and a gyro sensor (¶ 49 discloses where the gas remaining amount measurement module comprises at least a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor).
Regarding Claim 35, Asari et al teach where the gas remaining amount measurement module is configured to perform wireless communication (¶ 49 discloses where the gas remaining amount measurement module comprises a CPU configured to perform wireless communication and therefore the gas remaining amount measurement module performs wireless communication).
Regarding Claim 37, Haden et al disclose where the side portion (120) comprises a plurality of side units (at least three shown in Figure 3), being connectable to each other (via at least the bottom portion 110), but fails to expressly teach where each of the plurality of side units comprising at least one power supplying portion.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify the arrangement of the at least one power supplying portion where each of the plurality of side units comprising at least one power supplying portion since rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. The motivation for doing so would be to provide an optimal arrangement of the power supplying member based on user defined criteria, such as access to the power supplying member for inspection, maintenance or repair.
Regarding Claim 38, Haden et al as modified by Asari et al and Grennan teach all essential elements of the current invention as discussed above but fails to expressly disclose where the bottom portion is further configured to be laterally connectable to a bottom portion of another pedestal.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify the bottom portion to include where the bottom portion is further configured to be laterally connectable to a bottom portion of another pedestal since mere duplication of essential working part of device involves only routine skill in the art. The motivation for doing so would be to provide increased storage capacity by providing multiple pedestals for the gas cylinders.
Claim(s) 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable as obvious over Haden et al (WO 2016/146766) in view of Asari et al (US 2020/0240589) in further view of Roy et al (US 10800338) in further view of Sand (US 2008/0251074).
Regarding Claim 24, Haden et al disclose where each of the one or more gas storage containers (Figure 3) comprises a battery (30; Figure 3) chargeable by the contactless power supply (by 40 shown in Figure 3) but fails to expressly disclose the power supplying portion further comprises a lamp for indicating a state of charge of the battery.
Sand teaches a lamp (¶ 13) for indicating a state of charge of the battery (a low battery state taught in ¶ 13).
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 battery of Haden et al with the lamp as taught by Sand for the advantage of providing a way to inform a user to system faults, as taught by Sand (¶ 13).
Claim(s) 32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable as obvious over Haden et al (WO 2016/146766) in view of Asari et al (US 2020/0240589) in further view of Roy et al (US 10800338) in further view of Brennan (US 10865015).
Regarding Claim 32, Asari et al teach where the casing (200) of the one or more gas storage containers has a plurality of side surfaces (see Annotated Figure A) and further comprises a grip (see Annotated Figure A) on an outer edge between the lower surface and at least one side surfaces of the plurality of side surfaces (see Annotated Figure A; with the surface as shown in the orientation of Figure 15 with the gas outlet on a side surface),
But fails to expressly disclose and the pedestal further comprises a fixing member for physically connecting the bottom portion with the grip.
Brennan teaches a storage container (104) with a casing (the walls of storage container 104 shown in Figure 1) and a pedestal (102 and 114 together), the pedestal further comprises a fixing member (108) for physically connecting the bottom portion with the grip (Figure 3; where Haden et al teach a bottom portion of the pedestal and Asari et al teach the grip).
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 system of Haden et al, as modified by Asari et al, with the fixing member as taught by Brennan for the advantage of providing a mechanism to secure the storage container against unauthorized access or stealing, as taught by Brennan (page 1, lines 29-42).
Claim(s) 39 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable as obvious over Haden et al (WO 2016/146766) in view of Asari et al (US 2020/0240589) in further view of Brennan (US 10865015) in further view of Sand (US 2008/0251074).
Regarding Claim 39, Haden et al disclose where each of the one or more gas storage containers (Figure 3) comprises a battery (30; Figure 3) chargeable by the contactless power supply (by 40 shown in Figure 3) but fails to expressly disclose the power supplying portion further comprises a lamp for indicating a state of charge of the battery.
Sand teaches a lamp (¶ 13) for indicating a state of charge of the battery (a low battery state taught in ¶ 13).
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 battery of Haden et al with the lamp as taught by Sand for the advantage of providing a way to inform a user to system faults, as taught by Sand (¶ 13).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10 April 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the prior art fails to teach or disclose “wherein the side portion is provided with a certain number of the power supplying portion corresponding to the number of the one or more gas storage containers to be loaded” as required by the Claims and also a person of ordinary skill in the art would be discouraged from implementing a side placement of the power supplying portion. This argument is unpersuasive.
First, Applicant argues that side placement introduces structural challenges to mounting absent in the prior art’s bottom mounting. However, this argument is unpersuasive since both bottom mounting and side mounting are subject to the same risks of displacement, loosening or failure due to gravity or vibration so that a person of ordinary skill in the art would consider gravity when mounting the power supplying portion.
Next, Applicant argues that side placement requires more precise alignment control between the container and wireless power transmitter. However, this argument is unpersuasive since both bottom mounting and side mounting would require precise alignment control between the container and the wireless power transmitter otherwise the container would not receive power from the transmitter. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the power supplying portion must be mounted so as to provide power between the container and the pedestal.
Applicant also argues that side placement introduces greater electrical complexity in wire routing. However, this argument is unpersuasive since providing wiring in a more accessible area (a side surface of a box vs a bottom surface of a box) would appear to provide less electrical complexity as the area is more accessible for routing, maintenance and repair.
Last, Applicant argues that the prior art teaches away from locating the power supplying portion on a side portion. However, the prior art recognizing an advantage of providing the power supplying portion at a bottom does not constitute a teaching away. Here, the disclosure of Haden et al providing power supplying portions on a bottom surface is not a teaching away from providing them on another surface, including a side surface.
Therefore, these arguments are unpersuasive.
Conclusion
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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/NICOLE GARDNER/
Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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