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 .
Status of Claims
This Office Action is in response to the remarks and amendments filed on 12/10/2025. Claims 1-8 are pending for consideration in this Office Action.
Response to Amendment
The objections to the specifications have been withdrawn in light of the amendments filed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okano et al. (US2018/0347868) and Honda et al. (US2015/0330673) in view of Setsu et al. (JPH05231749A).
Regarding Claim 1, Okano teaches an air-conditioning apparatus [fig 1] comprising:
a heat source unit [100] including a compressor [101], a flow switching valve [102], and a heat-source-side heat exchanger [103; 0025; fig 1];
an indoor unit [300] including a load-side flow control valve [302] and a load-side heat exchanger [301] and configured to perform a cooling operation or a heating operation [0034];
a relay unit [200] connected to the heat source unit by a low-pressure pipe [401] and a high-pressure pipe [402], connected to the indoor unit via a gas branch pipe [403] and a liquid branch pipe [404], and configured to supply refrigerant supplied from the heat source unit to the indoor unit [0024]; and
a controller [141; 0051],
wherein the relay unit includes a branch portion [204] at which the gas branch pipe and the low-pressure pipe communicate with each other when the indoor unit performs the cooling operation, and at which the gas branch pipe and the high-pressure pipe communicate with each other when the indoor unit performs the heating operation [0037; 0038],
Whereas Okano teaches where the branch portion includes first and second valves that are connected to the gas branch pipe and the low-pressure pipe and whose opening degree is adjustable, Okano does not explicitly teach where the first and second valves are configured as a three-way expansion valve; and
where the controller is configured to, when the heat source unit is stopped, control the expansion valve to allow the gas branch pipe and the low-pressure pipe to communicate with each other.
However, Honda teaches an air conditioning apparatus [0001] having where a branch portion [see second relay unit 3b] includes an expansion valve [see 23d] that is connected to a gas branch pipe [at 5] and a low-pressure pipe [see where valve at 23d connects to the low-pressure side of pump 21a] and whose opening degree is adjustable [0136; where it is disclosed that the two two-way valves of Okano are equivalent to a three-way valve having the capability of changing a flow rate and where one skilled in the art could make the modification utilizing substitution] 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. provide a valve system having compact construction.
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 Okano to have where the first and second valves are configured as a three-way expansion valve in view of the teachings of Honda 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. provide a valve system having compact construction.
Lastly, Setsu teaches an air conditioner [0001] having where a controller [] is configured to, when a heat source unit [A] is stopped, control an expansion valve [see at least valve 8] to allow a gas branch pipe [Drawing I] and the low-pressure pipe [at least one of 6, 7] to communicate with each other [0167; 0168] 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. prevents reliability of the compressor from degrading [0167; 0168].
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 Okano to have where the controller is configured to, when the heat source unit is stopped, control the expansion valve to allow the gas branch pipe and the low-pressure pipe to communicate with each other in view of the teachings of Setsu 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. prevents reliability of the compressor from degrading.
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Drawing I
Regarding Claim 2, Okano, as modified, teaches the invention of claim 1 above and teaches where the expansion valve is a three-way electric expansion valve including a first flow passage in which the gas branch pipe and the low-pressure pipe communicate with each other and a second flow passage in which the gas branch pipe and the high-pressure pipe communicate with each other [As modified above, see claim 1 for detailed discussion where Honda teaches where the valves 202, 203 can be configured as a three-way electric expansion valve].
Regarding Claim 3, Okano, as modified, teaches the invention of claim 2 above and Setsu teaches when the heat source unit is stopped, control the three-way electric expansion valve to open the first flow passage and close the second flow passage [As modified above, see claim 1 for detailed discussion where Honda teaches where the valves 202, 203 can be configured as a three-way electric expansion valve and where Setsu teaches the recited function].
Regarding Claim 4, Okano, as modified, teaches the invention of claim 3 above and teaches wherein the controller is configured to, when the heat source unit is operating and the indoor unit is stopped [where unit D is stopped], control the three-way electric expansion valve to close the first flow passage and the second flow passage. See Setsu at 0145; where a first and second flow passage is closed]
Regarding Claim 5, Okano, as modified, teaches the invention of claim 3 above and teaches wherein the controller is configured to, when the heat source unit is operating and the indoor unit performs the cooling operation, control the three-way electric expansion valve to open the first flow passage and close the second flow passage [See Okano at 0037; 0038; see above at claim 1 for detailed discussion where Honda teaches where the valves 202, 203 can be configured as a three-way electric expansion valve].
Regarding Claim 6, Okano, as modified, teaches the invention of claim 3 above and teaches wherein the controller is configured to, when the heat source unit is operating and the indoor unit performs the heating operation, control the three-way electric expansion valve to open the second flow passage and close the first flow passage [See Okano at 0037; 0038; see above at claim 1 for detailed discussion where Honda teaches where the valves 202, 203 can be configured as a three-way electric expansion valve].
Regarding Claim 7, Okano, as modified, teaches the invention of claim 1 above and teaches wherein the expansion valve is an expansion valve for cooling, comprising a two-way electric expansion valve, and the branch portion further includes an opening-closing valve for heating, connected between the gas branch pipe and the high-pressure pipe [see at least Honda at 0136 where the valves 202, 203 can be any combination of two-way valve and expansion valves].
Regarding Claim 8, Okano, as modified, teaches the invention of claim 7 above and teaches when the heat source unit is stopped, control the expansion valve for cooling to allow the gas branch pipe and the low-pressure pipe to communicate with each other and control the opening-closing valve for heating to close the gas branch pipe and the high-pressure pipe [As modified above, see claim 1 for detailed discussion where Honda at 0136 teaches where the valves 202, 203 can be configured as a combination of expansion valve and two-way valve and where Setsu at 0037; 0038 teaches the recited function].
Response to Arguments
On pages 7-10 of the remarks, Applicant argues with respect to claim 1 that Okano et al. (US2018/0347868) as modified by Honda et al. (US2015/0330673) and Setsu et al. (JPH05231749A) does not teach where “…the controller is configured to, when the heat source unit is stopped, control the expansion valve to allow the gas branch pipe and the low-pressure pipe to communicate with each other.” In particular, Applicant argues that Setsu does not teach the alleged limitation because whereas Setsu teaches control of the expansion valve, Setsu does not teach doing so while the compressor is stopped. Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant’s arguments, Applicants arguments fall short of being the type of factual evidence required to adequately rebut a prima facie case of obviousness. Applicant submits what is purported to be a translation of paragraphs 0167 and 0168 of the Setsu reference. To meet the standard of factual evidence a complete translation of the Setsu reference need be submitted and/or an affidavit stating the same. Without factual evidence to support the assertion, Applicant is just submitting arguments. See MPEP 2145 (I)
According, the rejection is maintained.
For at least the reasons above, claims 1-8 remain rejected.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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