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 .
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-13, 15-16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hawkins et al. (US 2012/0247142 A1), hereafter referred to as “Hawkins,” in view of Jones (4,655,051) and Gopalnarayanan (US 2020/0378677 A1).
Regarding Claim 1: Hawkins teaches a swimming pool or spa heat pump (abstract, 10) capable of operating in a cooling mode of operation and a heating mode of operation (paragraph [0009]), comprising: a compressor (14); a first heat exchanger (20) configured to transfer thermal energy to and/or extract thermal energy from a first fluid (refrigerant to air); a second heat exchanger (16) configured to transfer thermal energy to and/or extract thermal energy from a second fluid (refrigerant to water), the second fluid being pool or spa water (abstract, 28); at least one means for lowering the pressure (via expansion valve 18) of refrigerant being provided to the first heat exchanger (20) when the heat pump (10) is operated in the heating mode of operation (see arrow flow in Figure 1) and lowering the pressure of refrigerant being provided to the second heat exchanger (16) when the heat pump (10) is operated in the cooling mode of operation (paragraph [0009]); and a refrigerant charge compensator (the structure of 12 correlates to a compensator) configured to reduce an amount of active refrigerant charge (paragraph [0011], some refrigerant communicates with 38) in circulation in the heat pump (10) when the heat pump (10) is operated in the cooling mode of operation (functional limitation) and increase the amount of active refrigerant charge in circulation in the heat pump (10) when the heat pump (10) is operated in the heating mode of operation (paragraph [0011]).
Hawkins fails to explicitly disclose the structure to make reversible mode of operation of the heat pump and the specific features of the refrigerant charge compensator.
Jones teaches a reversing valve (25) fluidly provided in a heat pump (see Figure 2) to switch between a cooling mode of operation (see Figure 2, C arrow flow), and a heating mode of operation (see Figure 2, H arrow flow).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a reversing valve in a heat pump to switch between a cooling mode of operation and a heating mode of operation to the structure of Hawkins as taught by Jones in order to advantageously provide for changing mode of operation of the heat pump by changing refrigerant flow (see Jones, Column 3, lines 15-41).
Gopalnarayanan teaches a refrigerant charge compensator (110).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a refrigerant charge compensator to the structure of Hawkins modified supra as taught by Gopalnarayanan in order to advantageously provide storage of refrigerant to be utilized during various modes of operations (see Gopalnarayanan, abstract, paragraph [0004]).
Regarding Claim 2: Hawkins fails to teach comprising: a reversing valve fluidly coupled with the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger, the reversing valve configured to receive pressurized refrigerant from the compressor, direct the pressurized refrigerant to the first heat exchanger when the heat pump is in the cooling mode of operation, and direct the pressurized refrigerant to the second heat exchanger when the heat pump is in the heating mode of operation, wherein the refrigerant charge compensator is positioned between the second heat exchanger and the reversing valve.
Jones teaches a reversing valve (25) fluidly coupled with a compressor (20), a first heat exchanger (29), and a second heat exchanger (38), the reversing valve (25) configured to receive pressurized refrigerant from the compressor (Column 3, lines 15-41), direct the pressurized refrigerant to the first heat exchanger (29) when a heat pump (see Figure 2) is in a cooling mode of operation (see Figure 2, C arrow flow), and direct the pressurized refrigerant to the second heat exchanger (38, see Figure 2, H arrow flow) when the heat pump (see Figure 2) is in a heating mode of operation (see Figure 2, H arrow flow).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a reversing valve fluidly coupled with a compressor, a first heat exchanger, and a second heat exchanger, the reversing valve configured to receive pressurized refrigerant from the compressor, direct the pressurized refrigerant to the first heat exchanger when a heat pump is in a cooling mode of operation, and direct the pressurized refrigerant to a second heat exchanger when the heat pump is in a heating mode of operation to the structure of Hawkins as taught by Jones in order to advantageously provide for changing mode of operation of the heat pump by changing refrigerant flow (see Jones, Column 3, lines 15-41).
In combination, when modified, the refrigerant charge compensator (12 of Hawkins) is positioned between the second heat exchanger (16 of Hawkins) and the reversing valve (25 of Jones).
Regarding Claim 3: Hawkins modified supra teaches wherein the refrigerant charge compensator (12 of Hawkins modified by 110 of Gopalnarayanan) is configured to (1) cause refrigerant to be removed from circulation when the heat pump (10, paragraph [0011 of Hawkins]) is operated in the cooling mode of operation and store the removed refrigerant (functional limitations), and (2) cause refrigerant stored by the refrigerant charge compensator (12 of Hawkins modified by 110 of Gopalnarayanan) to reenter circulation when the heat pump (10 of Hawkins) is operated in the heating mode of operation (paragraph [0002] of Hawkins).
Regarding Claim 5: Hawkins teaches wherein said at least one means includes an expansion valve assembly (18).
Regarding Claim 7: Hawkins modified supra teaches wherein the refrigerant charge compensator (12 of Hawkins modified by 110 of Gopalnarayanan) is configured to (1) cause refrigerant to be removed from circulation when low-temperature refrigerant flows through the refrigerant charge compensator (paragraph [0011] of Hawkins), and (2) cause refrigerant to renter circulation when high-temperature refrigerant flows through the refrigerant charge compensator (paragraph [0011] of Hawkins).
Regarding Claim 8: Hawkins modified supra teaches wherein the refrigerant charge compensator (12 of Hawkins modified by 110 of Gopalnarayanan) includes a chamber (36 of Hawkins) in fluidic communication with a liquid refrigerant line (see Figure 1, lines 24, 24a, or 38 of Hawkins) of the heat pump (10 of Hawkins).
Regarding Claim 9: Hawkins teaches wherein the liquid refrigerant line (24, 24a, or 38) extends between the first heat exchanger (20) and the at least one means for lowering the pressure of refrigerant (expansion valve 18).
Regarding Claim 10: Hawkins modified supra fails to teach comprising an accumulator configured to receive low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant.
Jones teaches an accumulator (42) configured to receive low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant (Column 3, lines 39-41).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided an accumulator configured to receive low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant to the structure of Hawkins modified supra as taught by Jones in order to advantageously provide storage of refrigerant in the system to feed into the suction side of the compressor for operation (see Jones, Column 3, lines 39-41).
Regarding Claim 11: Hawkins teaches a method of operating a heat pump (10) capable of operating in a cooling mode of operation and a heating mode of operation (paragraph [0009]), comprising: increasing the pressure of refrigerant with a compressor (14) to generate high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant (functional limitation); causing the high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant to flow through a first heat exchanger (20) and transfer thermal energy to a first fluid (refrigerant to air); reducing the pressure and the temperature of the high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant to generate low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant (via 18); causing the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant to flow through a second heat exchanger (16) and extract thermal energy from a second fluid (water, 28), the second fluid being pool or spa water (28); causing the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant to flow through a refrigerant charge compensator (the structure of 12 correlates to a compensator) after flowing through the second heat exchanger (16), the refrigerant charge compensator (the structure of 12 correlates to a compensator) positioned between the second heat exchanger (16); and reducing an amount of active refrigerant charge in circulation in the heat pump (10) with the refrigerant charge compensator (12, paragraph [0011], some refrigerant communicates with 38); and returning the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant to the compressor (14, a cooling operation now depicted in the Figures of Hawkins).
Hawkins fails to teach a reversing valve and the specific of the refrigerant charge compensator.
Jones teaches a reversing valve (25) fluidly provided in a heat pump (see Figure 2) to switch between a cooling mode of operation (see Figure 2, C arrow flow), and a heating mode of operation (see Figure 2, H arrow flow).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a reversing valve in a heat pump to switch between a cooling mode of operation and a heating mode of operation to the structure of Hawkins as taught by Jones in order to advantageously provide for changing mode of operation of the heat pump by changing refrigerant flow (see Jones, Column 3, lines 15-41).
Gopalnarayanan teaches a refrigerant charge compensator (110).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a refrigerant charge compensator to the structure of Hawkins modified supra as taught by Gopalnarayanan in order to advantageously provide storage of refrigerant to be utilized during various modes of operations (see Gopalnarayanan, abstract, paragraph [0004]).
Regarding Claim 12: Hawkins modified supra teaches comprising the steps of: increasing the pressure of the low-pressure (via compressor 14 of Hawkins), low-temperature refrigerant (via 14 of Hawkins) returned to the compressor (14 of Hawkins) to generate high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant (function of the compressor of Hawkins); causing the high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant to flow through the refrigerant charge compensator (12 of Hawkins, modified by 110 of Gopalnarayanan); increasing the amount of active refrigerant charge (paragraph [0011] of Hawkins) in circulation in the heat pump (10 of Hawkins) with the refrigerant charge compensator (12 of Hawkins, modified by 110 of Gopalnarayanan); causing the high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant to flow through the second heat exchanger (16 of Hawkins) and transfer thermal energy to the second fluid (functional limitations); reducing the pressure (via 18) and the temperature of the high-temperature refrigerant to generate low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant (via 18 see refrigerant loop of Figure 1 of Hawkins); causing the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant to flow through the first heat exchanger (20 of Hawkins); and returning the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant to the compressor (see refrigerant loop of Figure 1 of Hawkins).
Regarding Claim 13: Hawkins modified supra teaches comprising: causing, with the refrigerant charge compensator (12 of Hawkins, modified by 110 of Gopalnarayanan), refrigerant to be removed from circulation when the heat pump is operated in a cooling mode of operation and storing the removed refrigerant (paragraph [0011] of Hawkins); and causing refrigerant stored by the refrigerant charge compensator (12 of Hawkins) to reenter circulation when the heat pump (paragraph [0011] of Hawkins) is operated in a heating mode of operation (paragraph [0002] of Hawkins).
Regarding Claim 15: Hawkins modified supra teaches wherein the refrigerant charge compensator (12 of Hawkins, modified by 110 of Gopalnarayanan) includes a chamber (36 of Hawkins) in fluidic communication with a liquid refrigerant line (24a, 24, or 38 of Hawkins) of the heat pump (see Figure 1 of Hawkins).
Regarding Claim 16: Hawkins teaches wherein the liquid refrigerant line (24a, 24, or 38) extends between the first heat exchanger (20) and at least one means for lowering the pressure of refrigerant (18).
Regarding Claim 18: Hawkins modified supra teaches comprising: causing refrigerant to be removed from circulation (via line 38, paragraph [0011] of Hawkins) when low-temperature refrigerant flows through the refrigerant charge compensator (via 38, paragraph [0011] of Hawkins); and causing refrigerant to reenter circulation when the high-temperature refrigerant (through 38 into 18 then 20 then back into compressor 14 of Hawkins) flows through the refrigerant charge compensator (12, paragraph [0011], of Hawkins modified by 110 of Gopalnarayanan).
Claims 4, 6, 14, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hawkins et al. (US 2012/0247142 A1), hereafter referred to as “Hawkins,” in view of Jones (4,655,051) and Gopalnarayanan (US 2020/0378677 A1), as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Goel (US 2015/0330685 A1).
Regarding Claim 4: Hawkins modified supra fails to teach wherein the first heat exchanger is a microchannel coil heat exchanger.
Goel teaches a first heat exchanger (512 or 518) is a microchannel coil heat exchanger (paragraph [0149]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the first heat exchanger is a microchannel coil heat exchanger to the structure of Hawkins modified supra as taught by Goel in order to advantageously provide known variants of heat exchangers for heat pump systems (see Goel, paragraph [0069]).
Regarding Claim 6: Hawkins modified supra fails to teach wherein the first heat exchanger has a lower heat transfer flux than the second heat exchanger.
Goel teaches a first heat exchanger has a lower heat transfer flux than a second heat exchanger (differing types of heat exchangers are available for the heat pump systems, paragraphs [0069] and [0079]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the first heat exchanger has a lower heat transfer flux than the second heat exchanger to the structure of Hawkins modified supra as taught by Goel in order to advantageously provide known variants of heat exchangers for heat pump systems (see Goel, paragraphs [0069] and [0079]).
Regarding Claim 14: Hawkins modified supra fails to teach wherein the first heat exchanger is a microchannel coil heat exchanger.
Goel teaches a first heat exchanger (512 or 518) is a microchannel coil heat exchanger (paragraph [0149]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the first heat exchanger is a microchannel coil heat exchanger to the structure of Hawkins modified supra as taught by Goel in order to advantageously provide known variants of heat exchangers for heat pump systems (see Goel, paragraph [0069]).
Regarding Claim 17: Hawkins modified supra fails to teach wherein the first heat exchanger has a lower heat transfer flux than the second heat exchanger.
Goel teaches a first heat exchanger has a lower heat transfer flux than a second heat exchanger (differing types of heat exchangers are available for the heat pump systems, paragraphs [0069] and [0079]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the first heat exchanger has a lower heat transfer flux than the second heat exchanger to the structure of Hawkins modified supra as taught by Goel in order to advantageously provide known variants of heat exchangers for heat pump systems (see Goel, paragraphs [0069] and [0079]).
Claim 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hawkins et al. (US 2012/0247142 A1), hereafter referred to as “Hawkins,” in view of Jones (4,655,051), Gopalnarayanan (US 2020/0378677 A1), and Goel (US 2015/0330685 A1).
Regarding Claim 19: Hawkins teaches a swimming pool or spa heat pump (abstract) capable of operating in a cooling mode of operation and a heating mode of operation (paragraph [0009]), comprising: a housing (see Figure 2); a compressor (14); a first heat exchanger (20) configured to transfer thermal energy to and extract thermal energy from ambient air (see Figure 1), a fan (22) configured to blow ambient air across the first heat exchanger (20); a second heat exchanger (16) configured to transfer thermal energy to and extract thermal energy from pool or spa water (28); at least one means for lowering the pressure of refrigerant (expansion valve 18) being provided to the first heat exchanger (20) when the heat pump (10) is operated in the heating mode of operation (see Figure 1) and lowering the pressure of refrigerant being provided to the second heat exchanger (16) when the heat pump (10) is operated in the cooling mode of operation (not depicted in the Figures, paragraph [0009]); and a refrigerant charge compensator (the structure of 12 correlates to a compensator) having a chamber (36) in fluidic communication with a refrigerant line (24, 24a, or 38) at a position between the first heat exchanger (20) and the second heat exchanger (16), the refrigerant charge compensator (the structure of 12 correlates to a compensator) being configured to (1) cause refrigerant to be removed from circulation and stored in the chamber (36) to reduce an amount of active refrigerant charge in circulation in the heat pump (10) when the heat pump is operated in the cooling mode of operation (paragraph [0009]) and (2) cause refrigerant stored in the chamber (36) to reenter circulation to increase the amount of active refrigerant charge in circulation in the heat pump (10) when the heat pump (10) is operated in the heating mode of operation (paragraph [0009]).
Hawkins fails to teach the first heat exchanger being a microchannel heat exchanger; a reversing valve fluidly coupled with the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger, the reversing valve being configured to receive pressurized refrigerant from the compressor, direct the pressurized refrigerant to the first heat exchanger when the heat pump is in the cooling mode of operation, and direct the pressurized refrigerant to the second heat exchanger when the heat pump is in the heating mode of operation; the specifics of the refrigerant charge compensator; and wherein the first heat exchanger has a lower heat transfer flux than the second heat exchanger.
Jones teaches a reversing valve (25) fluidly coupled with a compressor (20), a first heat exchanger (29), and a second heat exchanger (38), the reversing valve (25) configured to receive pressurized refrigerant from the compressor (Column 3, lines 15-41), direct the pressurized refrigerant to the first heat exchanger (29) when a heat pump (see Figure 2) is in a cooling mode of operation (see Figure 2, C arrow flow), and direct the pressurized refrigerant to the second heat exchanger (38, see Figure 2, H arrow flow) when the heat pump (see Figure 2) is in a heating mode of operation (see Figure 2, H arrow flow).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a reversing valve fluidly coupled with a compressor, a first heat exchanger, and a second heat exchanger, the reversing valve configured to receive pressurized refrigerant from the compressor, direct the pressurized refrigerant to the first heat exchanger when a heat pump is in a cooling mode of operation, and direct the pressurized refrigerant to a second heat exchanger when the heat pump is in a heating mode of operation to the structure of Hawkins as taught by Jones in order to advantageously provide for changing mode of operation of the heat pump by changing refrigerant flow (see Jones, Column 3, lines 15-41).
Goel teaches a first heat exchanger (512 or 518) is a microchannel coil heat exchanger (paragraph [0149]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the first heat exchanger is a microchannel coil heat exchanger to the structure of Hawkins modified supra as taught by Goel in order to advantageously provide known variants of heat exchangers for heat pump systems (see Goel, paragraph [0069]).
Goel teaches a first heat exchanger has a lower heat transfer flux than a second heat exchanger (differing types of heat exchangers are available for the heat pump systems, paragraphs [0069] and [0079]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the first heat exchanger has a lower heat transfer flux than the second heat exchanger to the structure of Hawkins modified supra as taught by Goel in order to advantageously provide known variants of heat exchangers for heat pump systems (see Goel, paragraphs [0069] and [0079]).
Gopalnarayanan teaches a refrigerant charge compensator (110).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a refrigerant charge compensator to the structure of Hawkins modified supra as taught by Gopalnarayanan in order to advantageously provide storage of refrigerant to be utilized during various modes of operations (see Gopalnarayanan, abstract, paragraph [0004]).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hawkins et al. (US 2012/0247142 A1), hereafter referred to as “Hawkins,” in view of Jones (4,655,051), Gopalnarayanan (US 2020/0378677 A1), and Goel (US 2015/0330685 A1), as applied to claim 19 above, and further in view of Potter (US 2013/0118705 A1).
Regarding Claim 20: Hawkins modified supra fails to teach claim 19 in combination with a swimming pool filtration pump for circulating the pool or spa water through the second heat exchanger.
Potter teaches a swimming pool filtration pump (10) for circulating a pool or spa water (abstract) through a heat exchanger (paragraph [0003]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided claim 19 in combination with a swimming pool filtration pump for circulating the pool or spa water through the second heat exchanger to the structure of Hawkins modified supra as taught by Potter in order to advantageously provide heat exchanger with the heat pump to heat the pool for use (see Potter, paragraph [0003]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Harris et al. (3,105,365).
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/KIRSTIN U OSWALD/Examiner, Art Unit 3763