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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/18/2024 was filed on or after the mailing date of the application. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1, 2 and 6-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (EP2889553A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Zheng teaches a refrigerant flow rate adjustment device [0001] comprising:
a cylinder part having an internal space, an inlet portion [Drawing I], and an outlet portion [Drawing I; 0038; fig 3];
an on-off valve [32] provided in the inlet portion of the cylinder part and configured to open or close the inlet portion [0026]; and
a flow rate adjuster [33] configured to move linearly in the internal space of the cylinder part, the flow rate adjuster including a piston portion configured to move in the internal space and a valve portion configured to open or close the outlet portion of the cylinder part [See Drawing I], wherein a fluid is stored in a volume of the internal space of the cylinder part and then quantitatively discharged through the outlet portion by an opening/closing operation of the on-off valve and a movement of the flow rate adjuster [0039-0041].
Regarding Claim 2, Zhang teaches the invention of claim 1 above and Zhang teaches wherein the inlet portion [at 316] and the outlet portion [at 317] of the cylinder part are disposed in an orthogonal direction relative to each other, and wherein the inlet portion is disposed adjacent to the outlet portion in the internal space [by inspection at fig 3].
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Drawing I
Regarding Claim 6, Zheng teaches the invention of claim 1 above and Zheng teaches a controller [5] configured to control the on-off valve [32] and the flow rate adjuster [33; 0044; fig 1], wherein the controller is configured to control the flow rate adjuster to close the outlet portion of the cylinder part when the on-off valve is controlled to be opened such that the internal space is filled with the fluid, and wherein the controller is configured to control the flow rate adjuster so that the piston portion of the flow rate adjuster pressurizes the fluid and the valve portion of the flow rate adjuster opens the outlet portion when the on-off valve is controlled to be closed such that the fluid in the internal space is quantitatively discharged [0039-0045].
Regarding Claim 7, Zheng teaches the invention of claim 6 above and Zheng teaches wherein the controller is configured to control the flow rate adjuster so that the flow rate adjuster, according to an opening/closing timing of the on-off valve, is repeatedly operated in the same cycle [0039-0045].
Regarding Claim 8, Zheng teaches a refrigerant flow rate adjustment system [0001] comprising:
a heat exchanger [4] having a refrigerant inflow line and a refrigerant outflow line [0025; fig 1];
a refrigerant flow rate adjustment device [3] installed in the refrigerant inflow line and configured to quantitatively provide a refrigerant to the heat exchanger [0025; 0026; fig 1]; and
a controller [5] configured to control the flow rate adjustment device [0044; fig 1], wherein the refrigerant flow rate adjustment device includes a cylinder part having an internal space, an inlet portion, and an outlet portion [Drawing I],
an on-off valve [32] provided in the inlet portion of the cylinder part and configured to open or close the inlet portion [0026-0041; See Drawing I in conjunction with fig 2], and
a flow rate adjuster [33] configured to move linearly in the internal space of the cylinder part, the flow rate adjuster including a piston portion configured to move in the internal space and a valve portion configured to open or close the outlet portion in accordance with a movement of the flow rate adjuster [0026-0041; See Drawing I in conjunction with fig 2].
Regarding Claim 9, Zheng teaches the invention of claim 8 above and Zheng teaches wherein the controller is configured to store, as one control cycle: a process in which the on-off valve is opened and the flow rate adjuster closes the outlet portion of the cylinder part so that the internal space is filled with a fluid; and a process in which the on-off valve is closed, the piston portion of the flow rate adjuster pressurizes the fluid, and the valve portion opens the outlet portion [0039-0050].
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) 3 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (EP2889553A1) in view of Yoshino (US4593881).
Regarding Claim 3, Zhang teaches the invention of claim 1 above but does not teach wherein the outlet portion of the cylinder part is configured such that an inlet, which is adjacent to the internal space, and an outlet, which is opposite to the inlet, have cross-sectional areas that gradually increase in a direction opposite to a direction in which the inlet and the outlet face each other.
However, Yoshino teaches an expansion valve [fig 1] wherein an outlet portion [at 8A] of a cylinder part [1] is configured such that an inlet which is adjacent to the internal space, and an outlet, which is opposite to the inlet, have cross-sectional areas that gradually increase in a direction opposite to a direction in which the inlet and the outlet face each other [col 6, line 52-col 7, line 35; fig 1; see also col 3, lines 26-32] where one of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods and that in combination, each element 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. provides a valve having stable control [col 3, lines 33-43].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly of Zhang to have wherein the outlet portion of the cylinder part is configured such that an inlet, which is adjacent to the internal space, and an outlet, which is opposite to the inlet, have cross-sectional areas that gradually increase in a direction opposite to a direction in which the inlet and the outlet face each other in view of the teachings of Kern where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results i.e. provides a valve having stable control.
Regarding Claim 4, Zheng teaches the invention of claim 3 above and Zheng teaches wherein the valve portion [See Drawing I] of the flow rate adjuster is provided at a side adjacent to the outlet of the outlet portion and has a shape matching a shape of the outlet, and wherein the valve portion is smaller in diameter than the outlet portion [by inspection at Drawing I & fig 3].
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (EP2889553A1) in view of Zhang et al. (US2007/0163297, hereinafter “Zhang 297”).
Regarding Claim 5, Zheng teaches the invention of claim 1 above but does not teach wherein: the piston portion and the valve portion of the flow rate adjuster are disposed to be spaced apart from each other; the valve portion is configured to close the outlet portion when the piston portion is positioned at a maximum distance from the outlet portion in the internal space; and the valve portion is configured to open the outlet portion when the piston portion moves toward the outlet portion.
However, Zheng 297 teaches an expansion valve [fig 5] wherein: the piston portion [510] and the valve portion [515] of the flow rate adjuster are disposed to be spaced apart from each other; the valve portion is configured to close the outlet portion when the piston portion is positioned at a maximum distance from the outlet portion in the internal space [0031-0034]; and the valve portion is configured to open the outlet portion when the piston portion moves toward the outlet portion [0031-0034; fig 5] where one of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods and that in combination, each element 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. facilitates accurate control of the temperature of the system [0002].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly of Zhang to have wherein: the piston portion and the valve portion of the flow rate adjuster are disposed to be spaced apart from each other; the valve portion is configured to close the outlet portion when the piston portion is positioned at a maximum distance from the outlet portion in the internal space; and the valve portion is configured to open the outlet portion when the piston portion moves toward the outlet portion in view of the teachings of Zheng 297 where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results i.e. facilitates accurate control of the temperature of the system.
Claim(s) 10 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (EP2889553A1) in view of Bagley et al. (US2014/0345307).
Regarding Claim 10, Zheng teaches the invention of claim 8 above but does not teach wherein: the controller is configured to receive information on a temperature of the heat exchanger and an output of a compressor; the controller is configured to store in advance an expected temperature according to the output of the compressor and specifications of the heat exchanger; and the controller is configured to derive an optimal value of a refrigerant flow rate by determining and comparing the expected temperature and the temperature of the heat exchanger under a current operating condition of the compressor.
However, Bagley teaches a refrigeration system [0001] having wherein: a controller [140] is configured to receive information on a temperature of the heat exchanger [via sensor 146] and an output of a compressor [via VFD 160; 0018; 0023; fig 1];
the controller is configured to store in advance an expected temperature according to the output of the compressor and specifications of the heat exchanger [0016; where a selected setpoint temperature is stored]; and
the controller is configured to derive an optimal value of a refrigerant flow rate by determining and comparing the expected temperature and the temperature of the heat exchanger under a current operating condition of the compressor [0018] where one of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods and that in combination, each element 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. provides a system that operates to maximize efficiency [0018].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly of Zhang to have wherein: the piston portion and the valve portion of the flow rate adjuster are disposed to be spaced apart from each other; the valve portion is configured to close the outlet portion when the piston portion is positioned at a maximum distance from the outlet portion in the internal space; and the valve portion is configured to open the outlet portion when the piston portion moves toward the outlet portion in view of the teachings of Bagley where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results i.e. provides a system that operates to maximize efficiency.
Regarding Claim 11, Zheng, as modified, teaches the invention of claim 10 above and Bagley teaches wherein the controller is configured to adjust an output of the compressor or a control cycle of the flow rate adjustment device based on the optimal value of the refrigerant flow rate [0018; where the claim is recited in the alternative].
Claim(s) 12 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (EP2889553A1) in view of Sakakibara et al. (US5588590).
Regarding Claim 12, Zheng teaches the invention of claim 8 above but does not teach an accumulator configured to prevent an impact pressure of the refrigerant supplied to the refrigerant flow rate adjustment device.
However, Sakakibara teaches a composite control valve and expansion valve [col 1, lines 5-10] having an accumulator [at least receiver C] configured to prevent an impact pressure of the refrigerant supplied to the refrigerant flow rate adjustment device [col 2, lines 34-53; fig 1] where one of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods and that in combination, each element 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. store excess refrigerant.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly of Zhang to have an accumulator configured to prevent an impact pressure of the refrigerant supplied to the refrigerant flow rate adjustment device in view of the teachings of Sakakibara where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results i.e. store excess refrigerant.
Regarding Claim 13, Zheng, as modified, teaches the invention of claim 12 above and Sakakibara teaches wherein the accumulator is provided in the refrigerant inflow line and disposed at a front end of the refrigerant flow rate adjustment device [col 2, lines 34-53; fig 1].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LARRY L FURDGE whose telephone number is (313)446-4895. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 6a-3p; F 6a-10a.
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/LARRY L FURDGE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763