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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on May 23, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
In response to the Restriction Requirement dated October 27, 2025, Applicants elects with traverse, Invention II (claims 1-15) and Species II (Fig. 6). “It does not appear that the applicants’ claim listing, e.g. claims 1-11, 14 and 15 for elected Species II (figure 6) is correct. Claim 7 appears to be directed to Species III or IV (Figs. 7 or 8) because of the battery 204 coupled to the first DC electric bus 206 between the fuel cell 202 and isolated dual active bridge DC/DC converter 208. Therefore, claim 7 is also withdrawn.
Drawings
The drawing [e.g. Fig. 6] is objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show power sources 116 as described in the specification of US2025/0361018, para. [0028]. Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawing is objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the third DC electric bus, the third DC electric bus electrically coupling the battery to the DC/AC portion of the DC/DC converter recited in claim 9 and wherein the third DC electric bus provides an bidirectional power flow between the battery and the DC/DC converter recited in claim 10 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention. Referring to claim 5, nowhere in the specification describes the limitation “ wherein the power load includes an electric motor having an electric motor winding, when a resistance from a first fuel cell terminal to a fuel cell ground is not changed when the electric motor winding is connected to a common ground”. This limitation contains new subject matter.
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 1-6, 8-11, 14 and 15 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 1, recites “the power load in power communication with the fuel cell” is not clear or understood what the phrase “power communication” is referring too? How is the power in communication? Power and communication data between two structural elements are two different things. However, in view of the specification [see US2025/0361018, para. [0088 and Fig. 14], it appears that the phrase “power communication” means coupling the fuel cell and the power load via some sort of switching devices used to place the fuel cell in connection with the power load. However, in view of Fig. 6 of the elected species it does not appear to show any structure or configuration within the power source assembly comprising some sort of switching device to couple and decouple the power load with the fuel cell. Therefore, for the purpose of examination the examiner will interpret the claim as best understood in view of the elected species Fig. 6 and specification related to that particular Fig.
Claims 2-4, 6, 8, 11, 14 and 15 are rejected under because the claims are dependent upon base claim 1.
Claim 5, recites “wherein the power load includes an electric motor having an electric motor winding, when a resistance from a first fuel cell terminal to a fuel cell ground is not changed when the electric motor winding is connected to a common ground” however it is unclear and not understood how it is determined when the resistance from the first fuel cell terminal to a fuel cell ground is not changed when the electric motor winding is connected to a common ground. There isn’t any type of measuring devices or processors used to sense or determine when the electric motor winding is connected to a common ground or to determine the resistance from the first fuel cell terminal to ground. Therefore, for the purpose of examination the examiner will interpret the claim as best understood.
Claim 9, recites “ a battery and a third DC electric bus, the third DC electric bus electrically coupling the battery to the DC/AC portion of the DC/DC converter” however it is not clear or understood what is the third DC electric bus. The specification discloses that the first electrical bus is 206 and the second electrical bus as 210 as shown in Fig. 5 and [see 0037]. Further description of the embodiment depicted in Fig. 5 is provided with respect to Fig. 6. The battery 204 is coupled or connected to the second bus 210 which is electrically connected to the AC/DC portion of the DC/DC converter to power the load. Therefore, it is unclear where is the connection of the third DC electric bus with respect the battery 204. The specification is silent to the phrase “third DC electric bus” therefore it’s not clear where the connection of the third DC electric bus coupling to the battery and to the DC/AC are actually located in the drawings? Further, the DC/AC portion of the DC/DC converter is understood to be coupled to the first DC bus so how can it be coupled also to the third DC electric bus? Therefore, for the purpose of examination the examiner will interpret the claim as best understood.
Claim 10, recites “wherein the first DC electric bus provides a unidirectional power flow from the fuel cell to the DC/DC converter, and wherein the third DC electric bus provides a bidirectional power flow between the battery and the DC/DC converter” however it is not clear or understood what is the third DC electric bus. The specification discloses that the first electrical bus is 206 and the second electrical bus as 210 as shown in Fig. 5 and [see 0037]. Further description of the embodiment depicted in Fig. 5 is provided with respect to Fig. 6. The battery 204 is coupled or connected to the second bus 210 which is electrically connected to the AC/DC portion of the DC/DC converter to power the load. Therefore, it is unclear where is the connection of the third DC electric bus with respect the battery 204. The specification is silent to the phrase “third DC electric bus” therefore it’s not clear where the connection of the third DC electric bus coupling to the battery and to the DC/AC are actually located in the drawings? Further, the DC/AC portion of the DC/DC converter is understood to be coupled to the first DC bus so how can it be coupled also to the third DC electric bus? Furthermore, how is the third DC bus bidirectional but then the first DC electric bus is unidirectional? What part of the DC/DC converter, in other words the DC/AC portion or the AC/DC portion is the third DC bus coupled too with respect to the battery because it’s unclear how one portion of the DC/DC converter can be unidirectional and the other portion is directional in the same circuit? Therefore, for the purpose of examination the examiner will interpret the claim as best understood.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 5-6 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Perkinson et al. (US 2022/0255316).
Regarding claim 1, Perkinson et al. in [Fig. 2] discloses a power assembly for an aeronautical vehicle [see 0002-0003 and 0056], the power assembly [see 200] comprising:
a fuel cell [see 202 and 0059] configured to provide a fuel cell direct current (DC) power output;
a power load [see motor drive 222 and electric motor 204 corresponding to the power load] configured to receive a load power input, the power load in power communication with the fuel cell [such that the power load 222 and 224 receives power from the power source 202 including the fuel cell which corresponds to the power load in power communication with the fuel cell]; and
a DC/DC converter [see 206A] configured to provide a powered coupling between the fuel cell [see 202 and 0059] and the power load [see 222 and 204] so as to place the power load [see 222 and 204] in power communication with the fuel cell [such that the power load 222 and 204 receives power from the power source 202 including the fuel cell which corresponds to the power load in power communication with the fuel cell], the DC/DC converter [see 206A] having:
a DC/AC portion [see 216A] in electric communication with the fuel cell [see 202 and 0059] and configured to receive the fuel cell DC power output;
an AC/DC portion [see 216B] in electric communication with the power load [see 222 and 204] and configured to provide the load power input; and
a transformer [see 208 and 210] inductively coupling the DC/AC portion [see 216A] with the AC/DC portion [see 216B]; wherein the transformer [see 208 and 210] of the DC/DC converter [see 216A] provides electric isolation between the DC/AC portion [see 216A] and the AC/DC portion [see 216B and 0065].
Regarding claim 2, Perkinson et al. in [Fig. 2], discloses the power assembly of claim 1, wherein the DC/DC converter [see 206A] is configured as a dual active bridge DC/DC topology [such that the DC/DC converter in 206A in Fig. 2, includes a DC/AC converter and AC/DC converter and transformer also shown in Fig. 6, 606, 608 and 616].
Regarding claim 5, Perkinson et al. in [Fig. 2], discloses the power assembly of claim 1, wherein the power load includes an electric motor having an electric motor winding [see electric motor 204 and 0018 and Fig. 8, 804].
Regarding claim 6, Perkinson et al. in [Fig. 2], discloses the power assembly of claim 1, further comprising a first DC electric bus [see 218] electrically coupling the fuel cell [see power source 202 and 0059] to the DC/AC portion [see 216A] of the DC/DC converter [see 206A], and which further includes a second DC electric bus [such as the bus connected between to the feeder 220 and AC/DC 216B] electrically coupling the AC/DC portion [see 216B] of the DC/DC converter [see 206A] to the power load [see 212 or/and 204].
Regarding claim 15, Perkinson et al. in [Fig. 2] discloses the power assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the DC/AC portion and the AC/DC portion of the DC/DC converter includes a full bridge and push and pull [such that the DC/DC converter in 206A in Fig. 2, includes a DC/AC converter and AC/DC converter and transformer also shown in Fig. 6, 606, 608 and 616].
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perkinson et al. (US 2022/0255316) and in view of Zhang, Jing-ye et al. (CN 121011683).
Regarding claim 3, Perkinson et al. discloses the power assembly of claim 1, except further comprising a coolant tank having a working fluid coolant, wherein the coolant tank is in fluid communication with the fuel cell such that the working fluid coolant is conveyed from the coolant tank to the fuel cell to thermally cool the fuel cell.
However, Zhang, Jing-ye et al. in [Fig.1 ], comprising a coolant tank [see cooling liquid water tank 8] having a working fluid coolant, wherein the coolant tank [see 8] is in fluid communication with the fuel cell [see hydrogen fuel cell 9] such that the working fluid coolant is conveyed from the coolant tank [see 8] to the fuel cell [see 9] to thermally cool the fuel cell [see second to last para before the listing of claims, that recites “the cooling liquid is supplied with power by the circulating cooling liquid pump 7 and flows out from the upper part of the hydrogen fuel cell 1, flows into the cooling liquid inlet end 1331 of the heat pipe type radiator 13, flows into the cooling liquid water tank 8 from the cooling liquid outlet end 1332 after phase change cooling, then it flows back to the hydrogen fuel cell through the pipeline to form the cooling liquid circulation loop].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the prior art before the effective filing date of the invention to add the coolant tank as taught by Zhang, Jing-ye et al. coupled to the fuel cell as taught by Perkinson et al. in order to provide an cooling liquid circulation loop in order to prevent the fuel cell from overheating and becoming ineffective.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perkinson et al. (US 2022/0255316) and in view of Zhang, Jing-ye et al. (CN 121011683) as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Hu et al. (US 2009/0325032).
Regarding claim 4, Perkinson et al. in view of Zhang, Jing-ye et al. discloses the power assembly of claim 3, wherein the fuel cell includes a first fuel cell terminal and a second fuel cell terminal [see Zhang, Jing-ye et al., Fig. 1, and the fuel cell 9 including a positive “first” and negative “second” fuel terminals]. The combination does not disclose wherein the fuel cell is mechanically connected to a fuel cell chassis, wherein the fuel cell chassis and the coolant tank are grounded to a common ground.
However, Hu et al. in [Fig. 1], discloses wherein the fuel cell [see 108] is mechanically connected to a fuel cell chassis [see chassis 104], wherein the fuel cell chassis [see chassis 104] and the coolant tank [see fuel tank 112 and water connection 114]] are grounded to a common ground via the chassis [see 0010-0013].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the prior art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Hu et al. into Perkinson et al. in view of Zhang, Jing-ye et al. in order to support the components of the power system and reduce noise and vibration.
Claims 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perkinson et al. (US 2022/0255316) and in view of Sung et al. (US 2023/016332).
Regarding claim 8, Perkinson et al. discloses the power assembly of claim 6, except further comprising a battery electrically coupled to the second DC electric bus.
However, Sung et al. in [Fig. 1], a battery [see 40] electrically coupled to the second DC electric bus [the second DC bus is connected between the output of the DC/DC converter and input of the load 20].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the prior art before the effective filling date of the invention to add the battery of Sung et al. electrically coupled to the second DC electric bus of Perkinson et al. in order to supplement an insufficient amount of electric power or store an excess amount of electric power based on the power consumption of the load and fuel cell.
Regarding claim 9, Perkinson et al. in view of Sung et al. discloses the power assembly of claim 6. The combination of adding the battery of Sung et al. to the be electrically coupled to the output of the DC/DC converter of Perkinson et al. would result in the battery being coupled to the DC/AC portion of the DC
a battery.
Regarding claim 10, Perkinson et al. in view of Sung et al. discloses the power assembly of claim 9, wherein the first DC electric bus [see 218] provides a unidirectional power flow from the fuel cell [see 202 and 0059] to the DC/DC converter [see 206A in Perkinson et al., Fig. 2].
Regarding claim 11, Perkinson et al. in view of Sung et al. discloses the power assembly of claim 9, and all the limitations discussed above in claim 1.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perkinson et al. (US 2022/0255316) and in view of Matsumoto (US 2018/0145350).
Regarding claim 14, Perkinson et al. discloses the power assembly of claim 1, except further comprising a diode electrically connected between a first fuel cell module and a first DC bus.
However, Matsumoto discloses a diode [see 100] electrically connected between a first fuel cell module [see 6] and a first DC bus [see 0029].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the prior art before the effective filling date of the invention to add the diode of Matsumoto electrically coupled between the fuel cell and the first DC electric bus of Perkinson et al. in order to prevent backflow of current from the DC/DC converter.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERRENCE RONIQUE WILLOUGHBY whose telephone number is (571)272-2725. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-5:30pm.
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/TERRENCE R WILLOUGHBY/Examiner, Art Unit 2836 2/7/26
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836