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 .
This action is in response to the preliminary amendment filed 6/07/2024. Claims 12-22 are pending while claims 1-11 are canceled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 12-15 and 20-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KR 2010-0049728 to Lee et al. (Lee).
In reference to claim 12, Lee teaches a cooling circuit for a system for supplying and cooling a gas of a gas of a floating structure (FIG. 1) comprising at least one tank configured to contain gas in the liquid state (from BOG, FIG. 1), a refrigerant fluid (within tank 1, FIG. 1) intended to lower the temperature of the gas in the liquid state contained in the tank flowing through the cooling circuit, the cooling circuit comprising a main loop (L3, FIG. 1) comprising at least one compression device (21, FIG. 1) providing the compression of the refrigerant fluid, at least one heat exchanger (10, FIG. 1) configured to make an exchange of heat between the refrigerant fluid (from L7, FIG. 1) and the gas contained in the tank (from BOG, FIG. 1), at least one internal heat exchanger (11, FIG. 1) comprising a first passage (bottom portion of 11, FIG. 1) where the refrigerant fluid (from L6, FIG. 1) circulates at a first pressure and a second passage (top portion of 11, FIG. 1) where the refrigerant fluid circulates at a second pressure lower than the first pressure (pressure of the refrigerant at L7 is lower than at L6, FIG. 1; after being compressed in 21), the first passage being arranged downstream of the compression device (21, FIG. 1) and upstream of the heat exchanger (11, FIG. 1), the second passage being arranged downstream of the heat exchanger (11, FIG. 1) and upstream of the compression device (21, FIG. 1), at least one turbo-compressor (third compressor 21 from the left, FIG. 1) equipped with a compression member arranged between the compression device and the first passage of the internal heat exchanger and a turbine (23, FIG. 1) arranged between the first passage of the internal heat exchanger and the heat-exchanger, the compression member and the turbine being linked in rotation by a shaft (unmarked shaft connecting 21 and 23, FIG. 1), characterized in that the cooling circuit comprises a regulation branch (L7, FIG. 1) connected to the main loop (L3, FIG. 1), said regulation branch comprising at least one valve (32, FIG. 1) configured for controlling the circulation of a refrigerant fluid within the regulation branch, the main loop comprising at least one pressure sensor (31, FIG. 1), the valve controlling a quantity of refrigerant fluid present in the main loop depending on the pressure measured by the pressure sensor (via controller 30, FIG. 1).
In reference to claim 13, Lee teaches the system as explained in the rejection of claim 12 above, and Lee teaches wherein the valve (32, FIG. 1) is configured to authorize the outlet of refrigerant fluid from the main loop via the regulation branch when the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is greater than a first pressure threshold (intended use recitation; the system in FIG. 1 is capable of performing said functional language).
In reference to claim 14, Lee teaches the system as explained in the rejection of claim 13 above, and Lee teaches wherein the valve (32, FIG. 1) is configured to authorize the inlet of refrigerant fluid into the main loop via the regulation branch when the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is less than a second pressure threshold, the second pressure threshold being lower than the first pressure threshold (intended use recitation; the system in FIG. 1 is capable of performing said functional language).
In reference to claim 15, Lee teaches the cooling circuit as explained in the rejection of claim 12 above, and Lee additionally teaches wherein the regulation branch (L7, FIG. 1) is connected to the main loop (L3, FIG. 1) downstream of the compression device (21, FIG. 1) and upstream of the compression member of the turbo-compressor (21 and 23, FIG. 1), the pressure sensor (31, FIG. 1) being configured to measure the pressure within the main loop between the compression device (21, FIG. 1) and the compression member of the turbo-compressor (21 and 23, FIG. 1).
In reference to claim 16, Lee teaches the cooling circuit as explained in the rejection of claim 12 above, and Lee additionally teaches wherein the regulation branch (L7, FIG. 1) is connected to the main loop (L3, FIG. 1) downstream of the second passage of the internal heat exchanger (11, FIG. 1) and upstream of the compression device (21, FIG. 1), the pressure sensor being configured to measure the pressure within the main loop between the second passage of the internal heat exchanger and the compression device (intended use recitation; the system in FIG. 1 is capable of performing said functional language).
In reference to claim 20, Lee teaches the cooling circuit as explained in the rejection of claim 12 above, and Lee additionally teaches an additional exchanger (22, FIG. 1), arranged between the compression member of the turbo-compressor (21 and 23, FIG. 1) and the first passage of the internal heat exchanger (11, FIG. 1), the additional exchanger being configured for cooling the refrigerant fluid.
In reference to claim 21, Lee teaches the cooling circuit as explained in the rejection of claim 12 above, and Lee additionally teaches wherein the refrigerant fluid is nitrogen (par 0006; N2).
In reference to claim 22, Lee teaches the cooling circuit as explained in the rejection of claim 12 above, and Lee additionally teaches a system for supplying and cooling a gas of a floating structure comprising at least one tank configured for containing a gas in the liquid state, a supply circuit intended for gas to flow therethrough, the gas coming from the tank and configured for supplying gas to at least one gas consuming apparatus that equips the floating structure, characterized in that the system for supplying and cooling a gas comprises a cooling circuit according to claim 12 (all FIG. 1; description).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-19 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See attached PTO-892 for relevant prior art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILIP ZEC whose telephone number is (571)270-5846. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri; 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JD Fletcher can be reached at 5712705054. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FILIP ZEC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
2/7/2026