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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 1-12 and 14-16) in the reply filed on 12/18/2025 is acknowledged.
Claim 13 has been considered withdrawn and would not be examined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 4 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 4 recites the limitation “the first compressor” in lines 2-3 which is unclear and renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear whether the limitation refers to “the compressor” of claim 1 or a new compressor. For examination purposes, the limitation has been interpreted as “the compressor”.
Claim 12 recited the limitation “heat can be exchanged between the refrigerant in the first and second fluid channels and an external fluid” in lines 5-6 which is unclear and renders the claim indefinite. The phase “can be” is a conditional recitation. It is unclear whether the heat is actually exchanged between the refrigerant and the external fluid. For examination purposes, the limitation has been interpreted as “heat is exchanged between the refrigerant in the first and second fluid channels and an external fluid”.
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sun et al. (CN212253305U).
Regarding claim 1, Sun discloses a refrigeration system for a transport unit, the refrigeration system comprising a refrigeration cycle (see figure 10) comprising:
a compressor (251);
an evaporator (256);
a condenser (261) fluidically coupled downstream of the compressor (251) and upstream of the evaporator (256; see figure 10);
an expansion valve (255) fluidically coupled downstream of the condenser (261) and upstream of the evaporator (256; see figure 10); and
a suction gas heat exchanger (265) comprising a liquid line side (the liquid line portion of the heat exchanger 265 which connecting the condenser 261 and the expansion valve 255) and a suction line side (the suction line portion of the heat exchanger 265 which connecting the evaporator 256 and the inlet of the compressor 251; see figure 10), wherein the liquid line side is fluidically coupled downstream of the condenser (261) and upstream of the expansion valve (255), and the suction line side is fluidically coupled downstream of the evaporator (256) and upstream of the compressor (251; see figure 10), whereby the suction gas heat exchanger (265) is configured to transfer heat between refrigerant in the liquid line side and refrigerant in the suction line side (see figure 10).
Regarding claim 2, Sun discloses a non-azeotropic refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle (paragraph 2 of page 9; see figure 10).
Claim(s) 1 and 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tanaka et al. (WO2013146415A1).
Regarding claim 1, Tanaka discloses a refrigeration system for a transport unit, the refrigeration system comprising a refrigeration cycle (see figure 16) comprising:
a compressor (101);
an evaporator (107);
a condenser (103) fluidically coupled downstream of the compressor (101) and upstream of the evaporator (107; see figure 16);
an expansion valve (106) fluidically coupled downstream of the condenser (103) and upstream of the evaporator (107; see figure 16); and
a suction gas heat exchanger (105) comprising a liquid line side (the liquid line portion of the heat exchanger 105 which connecting the condenser 103 and the expansion valve 106) and a suction line side (the suction line portion of the heat exchanger 105 which connecting the evaporator 107 and the inlet of the compressor 101; see figure 16), wherein the liquid line side is fluidically coupled downstream of the condenser (103) and upstream of the expansion valve (106), and the suction line side is fluidically coupled downstream of the evaporator (107) and upstream of the compressor (101; see figure 16), whereby the suction gas heat exchanger (105) is configured to transfer heat between refrigerant in the liquid line side and refrigerant in the suction line side (see figure 16).
Regarding claim 3, Tanaka discloses the compressor (101) is a multi-stage compressor comprising more than one compression stage (see figure 16).
Regarding claim 4, Tanaka discloses a gas injector valve (the expansion valve 111 of the injection circuit M) fluidically coupled downstream of the condenser (103) and upstream of the first compressor (101), in a parallel fluid connection with the expansion valve (106), so as to supply refrigerant expanded through the gas injector valve (111) to the first compressor (101; see figure 16).
Regarding claim 5, Tanaka discloses the compressor (101) is a two-stage compressor comprising a compressor low stage (the upper compressor) and a compressor high stage (the lower compressor), and the compressor comprises a gas injector port (the port at the middle of the compressor 101) that opens into the compressor (101) at a location such that a pressure at the gas injector port is between a pressure at an inlet of the compressor low stage (the upper compressor) and an outlet of the compressor high stage (the lower compressor; see figure 16); and
wherein the gas injector valve (111) is fluidically coupled downstream of the condenser (103) and upstream of the gas injector port (the port at the middle of the compressor 101; see figure 16).
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.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun in view of Scherer (2015/0226472).
Regarding claim 12, Sun fails to discloses the evaporator comprises a first fluid channel, a second fluid channel, an inlet, and a valve arrangement fluidically coupled between the inlet and the first and second fluid channels, wherein the first and second fluid channels are configured to pass refrigerant from the inlet through the evaporator, so that heat can be exchanged between the refrigerant in the first and second fluid channels and an external fluid that is external to the first and second fluid channels, in use, and wherein the valve arrangement is configurable in a first configuration to fluidically couple both of the first and second fluid channels to the inlet, or in a second configuration to fluidically couple one of the first and second fluid channels to the inlet and to fluidically isolate the other of the first and second fluid channels from the inlet.
Scherer teaches a refrigeration system comprising an evaporator (18) which comprises a first fluid channel (the first channel in zone A), a second fluid channel (the second channel in zone B), an inlet (20), and a valve arrangement (the valves 42a-42d) fluidically coupled between the inlet (20) and the first and second fluid channels (the first and second channels in zones A and B), wherein the first and second fluid channels (the first and second channels in zones A and B) are configured to pass refrigerant from the inlet (20) through the evaporator (18; see figure 2), so that heat can be exchanged between the refrigerant in the first and second fluid channels (the first and second channels in zones A and B) and an external fluid (air) that is external to the first and second fluid channels (the first and second channels in zones A and B), in use (see figure 2), and wherein the valve arrangement (the valves 42a-42d) is configurable in a first configuration to fluidically couple both of the first and second fluid channels (the first and second channels in zones A and B) to the inlet (20; see figure 2), or in a second configuration to fluidically couple one of the first and second fluid channels to the inlet and to fluidically isolate the other of the first and second fluid channels from the inlet (noted alternative limitation; the couple both limitation has been addressed).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to modify the refrigeration system of Sun to substitute the evaporator (107) of Sun with the claimed evaporator as taught by Scherer in order to improve the even distribution of the refrigerant fluid thus to increase the transfer between refrigerant and the external fluid such as, air (see MPEP 2143 section B).
Claim(s) 14 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mosemann et al. (WO2012003906A2) in view of Sun.
Regarding claim 14, Mosemann discloses a transport unit (see lines 8-15 of page 2) comprising a cargo space (a container 91) for storing cargo (the refrigerated and frozen) and the refrigeration system (see figure 7), wherein an evaporator (the evaporator in the container 91) is configured to transfer heat between the cargo space (91) and refrigerant in the evaporator (see figure 7).
However, Mosemann fails to disclose the refrigeration system of claim 1.
Sun teaches the claimed refrigeration system of claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to substitute the refrigeration system of Mosemann with the claimed refrigeration system of claim 1 as taught by Sun in order to obtain a predictable or similar result which to provide cooling for the container (see MPEP 2143 section B).
Regarding claim 16, Mosemann discloses a marine vessel (lines 21-23 of page 2) comprising the refrigeration system (see figure 7).
However, Mosemann fails to disclose the refrigeration system of claim 1.
Sun teaches the claimed refrigeration system of claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to substitute the refrigeration system of Mosemann with the claimed refrigeration system of claim 1 as taught by Sun in order to obtain a predictable or similar result which to provide cooling for the container (see MPEP 2143 section B).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mosemann in view of Sun as applied to claim 14 above and further in view of Katsuragawa (JP2012198013A).
Regarding claim 15, Mosemann fails to disclose a parts storage space for storing replacement parts for the refrigeration system, wherein the parts storage space is located outside the cargo space.
Katsuragawa teaches a transport unit comprising a refrigeration system (see figures 1-2). Wherein a parts storage space (the casing 10) for storing replacement parts for the refrigeration system (see figure 2), wherein the parts storage space (the casing 10) is located outside the cargo space (see figure 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to modify the transport unit of Mosemann to incorporate the claimed partition of cargo space as taught by Katsuragawa in order to provide repair convenient for refrigeration system.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-11 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The primary reference Sun or Tanaka taken alone or in combination fails to disclose the claimed structure detail of the refrigeration system as required in claims 6-11. Also, the prior art of record fails to provide further teachings or motivation to modify the refrigeration system of Sun or Tanaka in order to arrive the claim invention. Therefore, claims 6-11 are allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KUN KAI MA whose telephone number is (571)-270-3530. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.
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/KUN KAI MA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763