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 .
Response to Amendment
In the amendment dated July 17, 2025, claim 1 was amended. Claims 1-6 are pending.
Applicant's arguments with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 rejections of the claims over Sawai have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
(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.
Claims 1, 2, and 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. 3,479,043 to Piehl et al. (hereinafter, “Piehl”).
Regarding claim 1, Piehl discloses a tank unit (apparatus 10, Fig. 1) comprising: a plurality of tanks (containers 12, Fig. 1) arranged in parallel (see Fig. 1); and a frame (frame 11, Fig. 1) configured to retain the plurality of tanks (see Fig. 1; col. 2, ll. 14-21), wherein each of the plurality of tanks (containers 12) includes a tank body (annotated Fig. 1 below), a first convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) provided on one end in an extending direction of the tank body (annotated Fig. 1), and a second convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) provided on another end in the extending direction of the tank body (annotated Fig. 1), wherein the frame (frame 11) includes a first frame (annotated Fig. 1) configured to connect the first convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) of each of the plurality of tanks (see Fig. 1) and a second frame (annotated Fig. 1) configured to connect the second convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) of each of the plurality of tanks (see Fig. 1), the second frame (annotated Fig. 1) includes a frame base portion (plate 41, Fig. 3) provided with a first surface (annotated Fig. 3 below) facing the tank body (see Fig. 3) in the extending direction of the tank body (annotated Fig. 3) and a second surface (annotated Fig. 3) opposite to the first surface (annotated Fig. 3), and a plurality of supporting members (flange 45H, Fig. 3) disposed on the first surface (annotated Fig. 3) and each configured to support the second convex end portion (see Figs. 1, 3), each of the plurality of supporting members (flange 45H) includes a supporting hole (portion 164, Fig. 3) through which the second convex end portion (annotated Fig. 3) is inserted (see Fig. 3) and which supports the second convex end portion (see Fig. 3), a screw insertion hole (hole 78, Fig. 3) through which a screw member (bolt 82, 83, Fig. 3) is inserted in the extending direction of the tank body (annotated Fig. 3) is formed in either the frame base portion or each of the plurality of supporting members (frame base portion/plate 41, see Fig. 3), a screw hole (hole 80, Fig. 3) into which the screw member (bolt 82, 83) is screwed is formed in either the frame base portion or each of the plurality of supporting members (supporting member/flange 45H), in which the screw insertion hole is not formed (see Fig. 3), and the frame base portion (plate 41) and each of the plurality of supporting members (flange 45H) are fastened by the screw member (bolt 82, 83).
PNG
media_image1.png
430
924
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Piehl Annotated Figure 1
PNG
media_image2.png
660
634
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Piehl Annotated Figure 3
Regarding claim 2, Piehl further discloses the screw insertion hole (hole 78, Fig. 3) is formed in the frame base portion (plate 41), and the screw hole (hole 80) is formed in each of the plurality of supporting members (flange 45H).
Regarding claim 4, Piehl further discloses each of the supporting members (flange 45H) is positioned between the frame base portion (plate 41) and the tank body (see Figs. 1, 3), and each of the supporting members (flange 45H) and the frame base portion (plate 41), which are fastened by the screw member (bolt 82, 82), are integrated (see e.g., Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5, Piehl further discloses the first convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) of each of the plurality of tanks (containers 12) is fixed to the first frame (annotated Fig. 1) and communicates with a flow path (flow path through manifold elements 109, 111, Fig. 6) formed inside the first frame (see Figs. 1, 6), and the second convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) of each of the plurality of tanks (containers 12) is supported by each of the supporting members (flange 45H) in a manner so that the second convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) is configured to slide in the extending direction of the tank body (col. 3, ll. 54-68).
Regarding claim 6, Piehl further discloses the frame (frame 11) further includes a third frame (left side member 51, Fig. 2) connecting one end portion (left end) of the first frame (annotated Fig. 1) and one end portion (left end) of the second frame (annotated Fig. 1), and a fourth frame (right side member 52, Fig. 2) connecting another end portion (right end) of the first frame (annotated Fig. 1) and another end portion (right end) of the second frame (annotated Fig. 1).
Claims 1 and 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by an alternate interpretation of Piehl. Note: for clarity, the only difference in interpretation between this rejection and the rejection above is swapping the “screw hole” and “screw insertion hole.”
Regarding claim 1, Piehl discloses a tank unit (apparatus 10, Fig. 1) comprising: a plurality of tanks (containers 12, Fig. 1) arranged in parallel (see Fig. 1); and a frame (frame 11, Fig. 1) configured to retain the plurality of tanks (see Fig. 1; col. 2, ll. 14-21), wherein each of the plurality of tanks (containers 12) includes a tank body (annotated Fig. 1 above), a first convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) provided on one end in an extending direction of the tank body (annotated Fig. 1), and a second convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) provided on another end in the extending direction of the tank body (annotated Fig. 1), wherein the frame (frame 11) includes a first frame (annotated Fig. 1) configured to connect the first convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) of each of the plurality of tanks (see Fig. 1) and a second frame (annotated Fig. 1) configured to connect the second convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) of each of the plurality of tanks (see Fig. 1), the second frame (annotated Fig. 1) includes a frame base portion (plate 41, Fig. 3) provided with a first surface (annotated Fig. 3 above) facing the tank body (see Fig. 3) in the extending direction of the tank body (annotated Fig. 3) and a second surface (annotated Fig. 3) opposite to the first surface (annotated Fig. 3), and a plurality of supporting members (flange 45H, Fig. 3) disposed on the first surface (annotated Fig. 3) and each configured to support the second convex end portion (see Figs. 1, 3), each of the plurality of supporting members (flange 45H) includes a supporting hole (portion 164, Fig. 3) through which the second convex end portion (annotated Fig. 3) is inserted (see Fig. 3) and which supports the second convex end portion (see Fig. 3), a screw insertion hole (hole 80, Fig. 3) through which a screw member (bolt 82, 83, Fig. 3) is inserted in the extending direction of the tank body (annotated Fig. 3) is formed in either the frame base portion or each of the plurality of supporting members (supporting member/flange 45H, Fig. 3), a screw hole (hole 78, Fig. 3) into which the screw member (bolt 82, 83) is screwed is formed in either the frame base portion or each of the plurality of supporting members (frame base portion/plate 41, Fig. 3), in which the screw insertion hole is not formed (see Fig. 3), and the frame base portion (plate 41) and each of the plurality of supporting members (flange 45H) are fastened by the screw member (bolt 82, 83).
Regarding claim 3, Piehl further discloses the screw insertion hole (hole 80) is larger (col. 3, ll. 57-61) than the screw hole (hole 78), and a clearance (col. 3, ll. 57-68) is formed between the screw member (bolt 82, 83) inserted through the screw insertion hole (hole 80) and an inner peripheral surface surrounding the screw insertion hole (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, Piehl further discloses each of the supporting members (flange 45H) is positioned between the frame base portion (plate 41) and the tank body (see Figs. 1, 3), and each of the supporting members (flange 45H) and the frame base portion (plate 41), which are fastened by the screw member (bolt 82, 82), are integrated (see e.g., Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5, Piehl further discloses the first convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) of each of the plurality of tanks (containers 12) is fixed to the first frame (annotated Fig. 1) and communicates with a flow path (flow path through manifold elements 109, 111, Fig. 6) formed inside the first frame (see Figs. 1, 6), and the second convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) of each of the plurality of tanks (containers 12) is supported by each of the supporting members (flange 45H) in a manner so that the second convex end portion (annotated Fig. 1) is configured to slide in the extending direction of the tank body (col. 3, ll. 54-68).
Regarding claim 6, Piehl further discloses the frame (frame 11) further includes a third frame (left side member 51, Fig. 2) connecting one end portion (left end) of the first frame (annotated Fig. 1) and one end portion (left end) of the second frame (annotated Fig. 1), and a fourth frame (right side member 52, Fig. 2) connecting another end portion (right end) of the first frame (annotated Fig. 1) and another end portion (right end) of the second frame (annotated Fig. 1).
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA E. PARKER whose telephone number is (571)272-6014. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathan Jenness can be reached on 571-270-5055. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/LAURA E. PARKER/Examiner, Art Unit 3733