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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 2 June 2026, with respect to the rejection of Claim 1 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The Non-Final Rejection of 6 March 2026 has been withdrawn.
Claims 1-4 and 6-7 remain pending of which Claims 2-4 are withdrawn.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by McKlveen et al (US 20230392752).
Regarding Claim 1, McKlveen et al disclose a hydrogen tank structure (Figure 9; ¶ 71) comprising a plurality of hydrogen tanks arranged in parallel (at least 100, 101 and 102), and an elongated manifold connected to one end of each of the plurality of hydrogen tanks (the pipes connecting the pipes from 100, 101, 102 and 103 with 112 and 114 of system 900 shown in Figure 9 and ¶ 70), wherein the manifold includes:
a hydrogen gas channel extending along a longitudinal direction of the manifold inside the manifold (along and via 105) and communicating with interiors of the plurality of hydrogen tanks (Figure 9); and
a heat insulating portion provided near the hydrogen gas channel (via 107 and 108), wherein the heat insulating portion is a gas circulation path communicating with the hydrogen gas channel and configured to circulate hydrogen gas inside the manifold (¶ 74 from 107 to 108).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICOLE GARDNER whose telephone number is (571)270-0144. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8AM-4PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors, KENNETH RINEHART (571-272-4881) or CRAIG SCHNEIDER (571-272-3607) can be reached by telephone. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICOLE GARDNER/
Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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