CTNF 18/677,324 CTNF 89064 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-20 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Sawada et al. (US 2021/0135255 A1) hereinafter Sawada . Regarding claim 1 , Sawada teaches a hydrogen tank temperature control apparatus comprising: an air guide (52) between a stack cooling module (55) configured to cool a fuel cell stack (30) and one or more hydrogen tanks (32) (para. 0053, Figs. 1-7); a processor (para. 0046) configured to control a temperature of the one or more hydrogen tanks by controlling one or more angles of the air guide (paras. 0046 and 0063, the ECU 41 changes direction (angle) of the air guide); and a storage configured to store data and algorithms driven by the processor (para. 0046). Regarding claim 2 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Sawada further teaches the processor is configured to control the one or more angles of the air guide by using one of or any combination of an outside air temperature, an output of the fuel cell stack, and the temperature of the one or more hydrogen tanks (paras. 0046-0063). Regarding claim 3 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Sawada further teaches the processor is configured to move horizontally air passing through the stack cooling module to the one or more hydrogen tanks by controlling an initial air guide to 0 degrees after a vehicle starts (para. 0052, Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 4 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Sawada further teaches the processor is configured in response to a case where an outside air temperature is lower than a first reference value, to control the air passing through the stack cooling module to flow upward into a first set of hydrogen tanks at a selected one or more angles by controlling the air guide (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 5 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Sawada further teaches the processor is configured to, in response to a case where an average temperature of a first set of the hydrogen tanks whose distance from the stack cooling module is greater than a first reference distance (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6) among the one or more hydrogen tanks is smaller than the average temperature of a second set of the hydrogen tanks whose distance from the stack cooling module is closer than the first reference distance among the one or more hydrogen tanks, control the one or more angles of the air guide to be smaller than a selected one or more angles (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 6 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Sawada further teaches the processor the processor is configured to, in response to a case where an outside air temperature is lower than a first reference value, control the air guide by selected one or more angles to allow the air passing through the stack cooling module to flow into a first set of the hydrogen tanks that is farther from the stack cooling module among the one or more hydrogen tanks (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 7 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 6. Sawada further teaches the processor is configured to compare an average temperature of the first set of the hydrogen tanks whose distance from the stack cooling module is greater than a first reference distance among the one or more hydrogen tanks with an average temperature of a second set of hydrogen tanks whose distance from the stack cooling module is closer than the first reference distance among the one or more hydrogen tanks (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 8 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 7. Sawada further teaches the processor the processor is configured to, in response to a case where the average temperature of the hydrogen tanks whose distance from the stack cooling module is greater than the first reference distance among the one or more hydrogen tanks is the same as the average temperature of the hydrogen tanks whose distance from the stack cooling module is closer than the first reference distance among the one or more hydrogen tanks, determine that temperatures of the one or more hydrogen tanks are uniformly controlled (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 9 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 7. Sawada further teaches the processor is configured to, in response to a case where the average temperature of the hydrogen tanks whose distance from the stack cooling module is greater than the first reference distance among the one or more hydrogen tanks is greater than the average temperature of the hydrogen tanks whose distance from the stack cooling module is closer than the first reference distance among the one or more hydrogen tanks, control the one or more angles of the selected one or more angles of the air guide to be greater than the selected one or more angles (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 10 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 6. Sawada further teaches the processor is configured to, in response to a case where the outside air temperature is higher than a second reference value, to block the air passing through the stack cooling module from flowing into the one or more hydrogen tanks by controlling the one or more angles of the air guide (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 11, Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 6. Sawada further teaches the first reference value is a temperature at which an output of the fuel cell stack is limited, and the second reference value is a temperature at which the fuel cell stack is shut down (para. 0035). Regarding claim 12 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Sawada further teaches the processor is configured to determine whether an output of the fuel cell stack is greater than a first reference value, and in response to a case where the output of the fuel cell stack is greater than the first reference value, configured to block the air passing through the stack cooling module from flowing into the one or more hydrogen tanks by controlling the one or more angles of the air guide (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 13 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 12. Sawada further teaches the processor is configured to, in response to a case where the output of the fuel cell stack is equal to or smaller than the first reference value, determine whether the output of the fuel cell stack is greater than a second reference value, wherein the second reference value is lower than the first reference value (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 14 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 13. Sawada further teaches the processor is configured to, in response to a case where the output of the fuel cell stack is greater than the second reference value, compare an average temperature of a first set of the hydrogen tanks whose distance from the stack cooling module is greater than a first reference distance among the one or more hydrogen tanks with the average temperature of a second set of the hydrogen tanks whose distance from the stack cooling module is closer than the first reference distance among the one or more hydrogen tanks, to control the selected one or more angles of the air guide according to a comparison result thereof (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 15 , Sawada teaches a system comprising: a stack cooling module (55) configured to cool a fuel cell stack (30) (Fig. 1); one or more hydrogen tanks (32); (para. 0053, Figs. 1-7) an air guide (52) configured to introduce air passing through the stack cooling module into the one or more hydrogen tanks (para. 0039-0040); and a hydrogen tank temperature control apparatus (ECU 41; para. 0046) configured to control a temperature of the one or more hydrogen tanks by controlling one or more angles of the air guide between the stack cooling module and the one or more hydrogen tanks (paras. 0046 and 0063, the ECU 41 changes direction (angle) of the air guide 52 which directs the air to the hydrogen tanks). Regarding claim 16 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 15. Sawada further teaches the air guide is provided between the stack of cooling module and the one or more hydrogen tanks (Fig. 6), Regarding claim 17 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 15. Sawada further teaches the air guide comprises a body (fan 52) and a driver (53) provided at a center of the body to drive rotation of the body (Fig. 6, para. 0059). Regarding claim 18 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 15. Sawada further teaches the hydrogen tank temperature control apparatus is configured to control the one or more angles of the air guide using an outside air temperature and an output of the fuel cell stack (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 19 , Sawada teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 15. Sawada further teaches the hydrogen tank temperature control apparatus is configured to, in response to a case where an outside air temperature is lower than a first reference value, control the air guide by selected one or more angles to allow the air passing through the stack cooling module to flow into a first hydrogen tank that is farther from the stack cooling module than other hydrogen tanks among the one or more hydrogen tanks (paras. 0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6). Regarding claim 20 , Sawada teaches a hydrogen tank temperature control method comprising: determining an angle of an air guide (52) between a stack cooling module (55) configured to cool a fuel cell stack (30) and one or more hydrogen tanks (32) (paras. 0046 and 0063, the ECU 41 changes direction (angle) of the air guide 52 which directs the air to the hydrogen tanks); controlling the angle of the air guide according to the determined angle of the air guide (paras. 0046 and 0063, the ECU 41 changes direction (angle) of the air guide 52 which directs the air to the hydrogen tanks); and controlling a temperature of the one or more hydrogen tanks by allowing the air passing through the stack cooling module to flow into the one or more hydrogen tanks according to the determined angle of the air guide paras (0009, 0056; Figs. 4-6) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure : US 2022/0348111 A1 teaches a vehicle with fuel cell stack with air guide controlling air entering an array of fans. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAXIME M ADJAGBE whose telephone number is (571)272-4920. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8-6. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NATHANIEL E WIEHE can be reached at 571-272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MAXIME M ADJAGBE/Examiner, Art Unit 3745 /NATHANIEL E WIEHE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745 Application/Control Number: 18/677,324 Page 2 Art Unit: 3745 Application/Control Number: 18/677,324 Page 3 Art Unit: 3745 Application/Control Number: 18/677,324 Page 4 Art Unit: 3745 Application/Control Number: 18/677,324 Page 5 Art Unit: 3745 Application/Control Number: 18/677,324 Page 6 Art Unit: 3745 Application/Control Number: 18/677,324 Page 7 Art Unit: 3745 Application/Control Number: 18/677,324 Page 8 Art Unit: 3745 Application/Control Number: 18/677,324 Page 9 Art Unit: 3745 Application/Control Number: 18/677,324 Page 10 Art Unit: 3745
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