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 .
Status
This Office Action is in response to the remarks and amendments filed 02/17/2026. The previous objections to the claims have been withdrawn in light of the amendments filed. The 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections have been withdrawn in light of the amendments filed. Claims 4 and 18-20 have been canceled. Claims 1-3 and 5-17 remain pending for consideration on the merits.
Claim Objections
Claim 13 objected to because of the following informalities:
The amendments, “directing the pre-chilled directed to the air-chiller…” appears to contain a typographical error, and will be interpreted as – directing the pre-chilled air to the air-chiller – for the purposes of examination. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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 1-3 and 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Reed et al. (US 20080087039 A1, hereinafter “Reed”).
Regarding Claim 1, Reed teaches a system for cooling an aircraft galley cart compartment [Fig. 1; ¶ 0048], the system comprising:
a cool potable water circuit [at least lines 24], said cool potable water circuit configured to initiate from an aircraft potable water supply [at least 20];
an aircraft galley cart compartment [at least 12] configured to be cooled by a potable water flow [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; apparent from inspection lines 24 flow from 20] circulated through the potable water circuit by indirect cooling [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; galley 12 may include galley equipment compartments such as cooled food compartments or any equipment intended to be cooled; chiller 40 communicates with water lines 24 to exchange heat to the galley components via lines 50];
a chilled air circuit in communication with the aircraft galley cart compartment [at least 40 and 50; Fig. 1; ¶ 0048],
said chilled air circuit comprising:
an air chiller unit [40], said air chiller unit comprising:
an air chiller air return [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; duct lines 52 and 54 provide air between the chiller and the galley];
an integrated heat exchanger, said integrated heat exchanger positioned within the air chiller unit within the chilled air circuit at a location near the air chiller air return [¶ 0051; Fig. 1; unit 40 directs rejected heat from the galley systems to the water lines disposed within said chiller], said integrated heat exchanger in communication with the potable water circuit [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection outflow 72 flow towards the water tanks 20], said heat exchanger further in communication with the chilled air circuit [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; airflow via lines 50 exchanges heat with the water running through chiller 40];
wherein said cool potable water circuit is configured to indirectly cool the aircraft galley cart compartment by directly cooling the chilled air circuit [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; airflow via lines 50 provides cool air to the galley compartment and is directed back to the heat exchanger to exchange heat with the water running through chiller 40];
wherein said chilled air circuit is configured to directly cool the aircraft galley cart compartment [¶ 0048, 0052, air ducting line 52 provides the chilled air directly to the galley compartment]; and
wherein the potable water circuit [at least lines 24] is in communication with the chilled air circuit [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; airflow via lines 50 exchanges heat with the water running through chiller 40], said potable water circuit configured to pre-chill air delivered to the air chiller unit in the chilled air circuit [¶ 0048; heat exchange occurs between the water and air in chiller 40 in order to provide chilled air to the galley compartment 12], said chilled air circuit in direct contact with the aircraft galley cart compartment [¶ 0048, 0052; chilled air is directly provided to the galley compartment].
Regarding Claim 2, Reed teaches the system of Claim 1 above and Reed teaches wherein, in operation, the potable water circuit is a closed potable water circuit [¶ 0051, 0055; Fig. 1; liquid from supply line 24 may flow through heat exchanger 90 before flowing back towards the water tanks 20], said potable water closed circuit further comprising a valve [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection; Fill/Drain Bypass Valve], said valve positioned between the aircraft potable water supply and the potable water circuit [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection the fill/drain bypass valve is disposed between 20 and 24], and wherein said valve is configured to move from an open position to a closed position to maintain a closed initial potable water charge within the closed potable water circuit [Fig. 1; the valve is commonsensically intended to open or close as a bypass valve].
Regarding Claim 3, Reed teaches the system of Claim 1 above and Reed teaches wherein, in operation, the potable water circuit is an open potable water circuit [Fig. 1; Fill/Drain Bypass Valve may commonsensically provide a continuous flow as a fill/drain bypass valve; also see connection between 24 and the service panel] in communication with a continuous potable water flow directed from the aircraft potable water supply into the potable water circuit [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection the bypass valve is provided between 20 and 24], said continuous potable water flow further directed from the potable water circuit back into the aircraft potable water supply [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection outflow 72 flow towards the water tanks 20].
Claim 4 canceled
Regarding Claim 5, Reed teaches The system of Claim 1 above and Reed teaches the system in communication with an aircraft galley cart compartment [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; at least galley 12 may include other galley equipment such as cooled food compartments].
Regarding Claim 6, Reed teaches the system of claim 1 above and Reed teaches the system disposed within an aircraft [¶ 0003; Reed discloses an aircraft].
Claims 7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Burd (US 20140367070 A1).
Regarding Claim 7, Burd teaches an air chiller unit [Fig. 1] for delivering pre-chilled air to an aircraft galley compartment containing food cart contents [¶ 0014; the outlet providing cooled exhaust air 28 is connected to the galley air inlet or galley appliance air inlet], said air chiller unit comprising:
an air chiller air return [¶ 0014; air outlet 26 provides cooled exhaust air 28], said air chiller unit in communication with a chilled air circuit [¶ 0014; outlet 26 provides cooled exhaust air 28 to the galley, and at least inlet 18 provides galley exhaust air back into the unit 10];
an integrated heat exchanger [¶ 0015; disposed between water inlet/outlet 30/32], said integrated heat exchanger positioned within the air chiller unit in the chilled air circuit [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection], said integrated heat exchanger further positioned at the air chiller air return of the air chiller [Figs. 1-3; apparent from inspection; at least inlet 18 provides input air from the galley to the heat exchanger in unit 10], said integrated heat exchanger in communication with a potable water circuit [¶ 0015], said integrated heat exchanger further in communication with the chilled air circuit [¶ 0014; outlet 26 provides cooled exhaust air 28 to the galley, and at least inlet 18 provides galley exhaust air back into the unit 10], said integrated heat exchanger comprising an integrated heat exchanger water circuit inlet [30] and an integrated heat exchanger water circuit outlet [32], said heat exchanger water circuit inlet configured to introduce a cool water flow from the potable water circuit to the heat exchanger [¶ 0015], said integrated heat exchanger water circuit outlet configured to expel a warm water flow to the potable water circuit [¶ 0015], said integrated heat exchanger further configured to produce and direct a pre-chilled air flow to the air chiller air return [¶ 0014-0015; 10 is an air to water heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from air to the potable water flowing through the chiller providing heated water to return to the potable water supply; while also creating a pre-chilled air stream 28 that exits the unit towards the galley].
Regarding Claim 10, Burd teaches the air chiller unit of Claim 7 above and Burd teaches wherein the potable water circuit is in communication with a chilled air circuit [¶ 0015; air circuit flowing through 10], said potable water circuit configured to increase cooling efficiency of the air chiller [¶ 0015; the air to water heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the air to the water], wherein said chilled air circuit is placed into direct contact with an aircraft galley cart compartment [¶ 0006-0007, 0014; cooled exhaust air 28 is vented into aircraft environmental control systems or other temperature sensitive areas].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 8-9 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Burd as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Reed
Regarding Claim 8, Burd teaches the air chiller unit of Claim 7 above and while Burd teaches wherein, in operation, the potable water circuit is a closed potable water circuit [¶ 0016; the potable water supply is independent from galley faucet supply], Burd does not explicitly teach said potable water closed circuit further comprising a valve, said valve positioned between an aircraft potable water supply and the potable water circuit, and wherein said valve is configured to move from an open position to a closed position to maintain a closed initial potable water charge within the closed potable water circuit.
However, Reed teaches a system for cooling an aircraft galley cart compartment [Fig. 1; ¶ 0048], the system comprising: a cool potable water circuit [at least lines 24], said cool potable water circuit configured to initiate from an aircraft potable water supply [at least 20]; a potable water circuit in communication with the aircraft potable water supply [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; apparent from inspection lines 24 flow from 20]; an aircraft galley cart compartment [at least 12] configured to be cooled by a potable water flow circulated through the potable water circuit by at least one of direct cooling and indirect cooling [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; galley 12 may include galley equipment compartments such as cooled food compartments or any equipment intended to be cooled; chiller 40 communicates with water lines 24 to exchange heat to the galley components via lines 50]; a chilled air circuit in communication with the aircraft galley cart compartment [at least 40 and 50; Fig. 1; ¶ 0048], said chilled air circuit comprising: an air chiller unit [40], said air chiller unit comprising: an air chiller air return [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; duct lines 52 and 54 provide air between the chiller and the galley]; an integrated heat exchanger, said integrated heat exchanger positioned within the air chiller unit in close proximity to the air chiller air return [¶ 0051; Fig. 1; unit 40 directs rejected heat from the galley systems to the water lines disposed within said chiller], said integrated heat exchanger in communication with the potable water circuit [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection outflow 72 flow towards the water tanks 20]. It is further apparent from inspection that Reed teaches said potable water circuit further comprising a valve [Fig. 1; Fill/Drain Bypass Valve] disposed between the water supply [20] and the water circuit [24] [¶ 0070], wherein the potable water circuit is a closed potable water circuit [¶ 0051, 0055; Fig. 1; liquid from supply line 24 may flow through heat exchanger 90 before flowing back towards the water tanks 20]. Reed discloses that potable water systems onboard aircrafts must allow for drainage to ensure against damage from frozen pipes [¶ 0070]. One of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the valve as claimed by known methods and that in combination, the valve would perform the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skills would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable i.e. potable water systems onboard aircrafts must allow for drainage to ensure against damage from frozen pipes, thereby improving the system [¶ 0070].
Therefore, it is a simple mechanical expedient that would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly of Burd to have said potable water closed circuit further comprising a valve, said valve positioned between an aircraft potable water supply and the potable water circuit, and wherein said valve is configured to move from an open position to a closed position to maintain a closed initial potable water charge within the closed potable water circuit, in view of the teachings of Reed where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective function and the combination would have yielded predictable results i.e. potable water systems onboard aircrafts must allow for drainage to ensure against damage from frozen pipes, thereby improving the system.
Regarding Claim 9, Burd teaches the air chiller unit of Claim 7 above but Burd does not explicitly teach wherein, in operation, the potable water circuit is an open potable water circuit in communication with a continuous potable water flow directed from an aircraft potable water supply into the potable water circuit, said continuous potable water flow further directed from the potable water circuit back into the aircraft potable water supply.
However, Reed teaches a system for cooling an aircraft galley cart compartment [Fig. 1; ¶ 0048], the system comprising: a cool potable water circuit [at least lines 24], said cool potable water circuit configured to initiate from an aircraft potable water supply [at least 20]; a potable water circuit in communication with the aircraft potable water supply [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; apparent from inspection lines 24 flow from 20]; an aircraft galley cart compartment [at least 12] configured to be cooled by a potable water flow circulated through the potable water circuit by at least one of direct cooling and indirect cooling [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; galley 12 may include galley equipment compartments such as cooled food compartments or any equipment intended to be cooled; chiller 40 communicates with water lines 24 to exchange heat to the galley components via lines 50]; a chilled air circuit in communication with the aircraft galley cart compartment [at least 40 and 50; Fig. 1; ¶ 0048], said chilled air circuit comprising: an air chiller unit [40], said air chiller unit comprising: an air chiller air return [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; duct lines 52 and 54 provide air between the chiller and the galley]; an integrated heat exchanger, said integrated heat exchanger positioned within the air chiller unit in close proximity to the air chiller air return [¶ 0051; Fig. 1; unit 40 directs rejected heat from the galley systems to the water lines disposed within said chiller], said integrated heat exchanger in communication with the potable water circuit [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection outflow 72 flow towards the water tanks 20]. It is further apparent from inspection that the potable water circuit may be an open potable water circuit [Fig. 1; Fill/Drain Bypass Valve may commonsensically provide a continuous flow as a fill/drain bypass valve; also see connection between 24 and the service panel] in communication with a continuous potable water flow directed from the aircraft potable water supply into the potable water circuit [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection the bypass valve is provided between 20 and 24], said continuous potable water flow further directed from the potable water circuit back into the aircraft potable water supply [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection outflow 72 flow towards the water tanks 20]. Reed discloses that potable water systems onboard aircrafts must allow for drainage to ensure against damage from frozen pipes [¶ 0070]. One of ordinary skill in the art could have applied a known technique to a known device (i.e. provide an open water refrigerant circuit) and that in combination, the technique would improve the known device in a similar manner, and one of ordinary skills would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable i.e. providing systems that allow for drainage or the cycling of water out of the aircraft may ensure against damage from frozen pipes, thereby improving the system [¶ 0070].
Therefore, it is a simple mechanical expedient that would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly of Burd to have wherein, in operation, the potable water circuit is an open potable water circuit in communication with a continuous potable water flow directed from an aircraft potable water supply into the potable water circuit, said continuous potable water flow further directed from the potable water circuit back into the aircraft potable water supply, in view of the teachings of Reed where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective function and the combination would have yielded predictable results i.e. providing systems that allow for drainage or the cycling of water out of the aircraft may ensure against damage from frozen pipes, thereby improving the system.
Regarding Claim 11, Burd, as modified, teaches the air chiller unit of Claim 8 and Reed teaches an aircraft [Reed ¶ 0003].
Regarding Claim 12, Burd, as modified, teaches the air chiller unit of Claim 9 and Reed teaches an aircraft [Reed ¶ 0003].
Claims 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reed and further in view of Bertsche et al. (US 20210070144 A1, hereinafter “Bertsche”).
Regarding Claim 13, Reed teaches a method for cooling an aircraft galley compartment containing food cart contents [Fig. 1; ¶ 0011-0012, 0048], the method comprising:
directing a potable water flow of potable water from an aircraft potable water supply [at least 20] within a potable water circuit [at least 24] in an aircraft [¶ 0048], said potable water circuit comprising the potable water flow of potable water at a potable water temperature that is below an aircraft cabin ambient temperature [¶ 0054; while Reed discloses that the temperature in the specific example may be at or above ambient temperature, Reed further acknowledges that the example is non-limiting, and that temperatures may often range from 33 – 120 degrees Fahrenheit; therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would thus recognize that temperatures below ambient are known to be used within the art, and would therefore use lower temperatures if the expected success is desired (i.e. increase in cooling capacity); as further evidence that the technique is commonly known in the art, see the teachings of Bertsche below, further showing that providing fluid at below ambient temperatures is a well-known technique in the art. Furthermore, the limitation may be considered to be a material or article worked upon by an apparatus [MPEP 2115], and therefore does not impart patentability, as the common knowledge in the art would lead one to believe that water below ambient would simply raise the cooling capacity of the system in the standard known manner].
positioning the potable water circuit in communication with a chilled air circuit [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; apparent from inspection lines 24 flow from 20], said chilled air circuit in communication with an aircraft galley compartment, said potable water circuit configured to cool an aircraft galley cart compartment at least one of directly and indirectly [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; galley 12 may include galley equipment compartments such as cooled food compartments or any equipment intended to be cooled; chiller 40 communicates with water lines 24 to exchange heat to the galley components via lines 50], said chilled air circuit comprising:
an air chiller unit [40], said air chiller unit comprising:
an air chiller air return [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; duct lines 52 and 54 provide air between the chiller and the galley];
an integrated heat exchanger [¶ 0051; Fig. 1; unit 40 directs rejected heat from the galley systems to the water lines disposed within said chiller];
positioning said integrated heat exchanger within the air chiller unit within the chilled air circuit at a location near the air chiller air return [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; duct lines 50 provide air to chiller 40 making thermal contact with the potable water system 24 flowing therethrough], said integrated heat exchanger in communication with the potable water circuit [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection outflow 72 flow towards the water tanks 20];
increasing cooling efficiency of the air chiller unit by directing pre-chilled air from the heat exchanger chilled air circuit outlet directly into the air chiller unit [¶ 0048; the heat exchanger in communication with the potable water is integrated with the chiller, thereby supplementing or precooling the air received from the galley via 50];
directing the pre-chilled directed to the air-chiller from the heat exchanger [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; the heat exchanger is integrated with the air chiller, thus the air-chiller receives air cooled by the water circuit];
directing the pre-chilled air from the air chiller unit to the aircraft galley cart compartment [[¶ 0048; Fig. 1; at least galley 12 may include other galley equipment such as cooled food compartments];
maintaining an aircraft galley compartment temperature at a temperature ranging from about 32°F to about 45°F [¶ 0004; Reed discloses that the galley compartments may be refrigerated].
For clarity, Bertsche teaches an air conditioning system for a vehicle [Fig. 1] comprising a cold-water supply line [5] in communication with an indirect heat exchanger [3a-3e], wherein heat from an airstream [L] may be transferred to the cold water, before the cold water returns back to the supply via line [11] [Bertsche ¶ 0042], wherein “cold water” is generally expected to be provided to at least 35 degrees Fahrenheit in the art of refrigeration. Bertsche further teaches the well-known technique in the art wherein the supply temperature of water towards an indirect air-to-water heat exchanger directly correlates to the cooling capacity of an airflow through said heat exchanger, therefore providing that the supply temperature of the water is merely a result-effective variable, wherein the result is the expected cooling capacity of the heat exchanger based on at least the supply temperature of the water and the supply temperature of the air to be cooled [¶ 0042-0046]. Thus, the temperature of the supply water is recognized as a result-effective variable i.e. a variable which achieves a recognized result. In this case, the recognized result is a heat exchanger operating at the desired cooling capacity based on system controls.
Therefore, since the general condition of the claim is disclosed by the prior art reference, it is not inventive to discover the optimum workable range by routine experimentation, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide wherein the supply water temperature is below an aircraft cabin ambient temperature.
Regarding Claim 14, Reed, as modified, teaches the method of Claim 13 above and Reed teaches wherein the potable water circuit consists of a closed potable water circuit [¶ 0051, 0055; Fig. 1; liquid from supply line 24 may flow through heat exchanger 90 before flowing back towards the water tanks 20].
Regarding Claim 15, Reed, as modified, teaches the method of Claim 13 above and Reed teaches wherein the potable water circuit consists of an open potable water circuit [Fig. 1; Fill/Drain Bypass Valve may commonsensically provide a continuous flow as a fill/drain bypass valve; also see connection between 24 and the service panel], said open potable water circuit configured to remain in open communication with the aircraft potable water supply [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection the bypass valve is provided between 20 and 24], said aircraft potable water supply comprising a potable water supply inlet in communication with the open potable water circuit [Fig. 1; apparent from inspection outflow 72 flow towards the water tanks 20].
Regarding Claim 16, Reed, as modified, teaches the method of Claim 13 above and Reed teaches wherein said positioning of the integrated heat exchanger within the chilled air circuit at a location near the air chiller is configured to further reduce temperature of the cooling air in the chilled air circuit [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; apparent from inspection the coil portion between line sections 24 and 72 is disposed within chiller 40, wherein fluid in said heat exchanger receives heat from the air within the galley 12, such that air received from the galley via 54 is cooled] and deliver the pre-chilled air from the heat exchanger chilled air circuit outlet directly to the air chiller air return [¶ 0048; Fig. 1; the heat exchanger in communication with the potable water is integrated with the chiller 40, thereby supplementing or precooling the air received from the galley via 50 up to the chiller outlet 52].
Regarding Claim 17, Reed, as modified, teaches the method of Claim 13 above and Bertsche teaches wherein the potable water flow of potable water in the potable water circuit maintains an average temperature ranging from about 35°F to about 77°F [Bertsche ¶ 0042-0046; Bertsche generally discloses the use of cold water in contrast with warm water, wherein cold water is commonly acknowledged as being greater than at least 35°F].
Claims 18-20 canceled
Response to Arguments
On pages 11-13 of the remarks, Applicant asserts that the claims are allegedly allowable based on the most recent amendments. The amendments to the claims have been addressed above in the Office Action. The amended claim language does not appear to narrow the scope of the invention to overcome the currently applied prior art, and further explanation is provided above discussing said amended language as it relates to the currently applied art. Accordingly, the claims remain rejected.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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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/KEITH STANLEY MYERS/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JERRY-DARYL FLETCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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