CTNF 18/738,139 CTNF 88952 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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 Claims 1-18 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 requires “an absorber element defining an axial flowpath for a fluid extending along an axis…”; it is unclear if “extending along an axis” modifies the absorber element or the axial flowpath”. For the purposes of examination, the limitation is interpreted as modifying the absorber element. Claim 13 requires “an absorber element defining an axial flowpath for a fluid extending along an axis…”; it is unclear if “extending along an axis” modifies the absorber element or the axial flowpath”. For the purposes of examination, the limitation is interpreted as modifying the absorber element. Claims 2-12 and 14-18 are rejected because they inherit the deficiencies of claims 1 and 13, respectively. 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) 1-3, 5-6, 8 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Hoffschmidt et. al (US 6,003,508) . With respect to claim 1 Hoffschmidt discloses a heat exchanger assembly, comprising: an absorber element [See Fig. 1] defining an axial flowpath [the flow path of reference character 11d] for a fluid extending along an axis [see annotated Fig. below], the absorber element comprising: an outer support [reference character 4] wall and one or more support members [reference character 13, where 16 extends radially inwardly from the exterior wall of 4 in groove 17] extending radially inward from the outer support wall with respect to the axis; and one or more heat exchange elements [reference character 3] floatably coupled to the one or more support members [via the outer wall], wherein the one or more heat exchange elements extend along the axial flowpath [see annotated Fig. below]. PNG media_image1.png 538 324 media_image1.png Greyscale With respect to claim 2 Hoffschmidt discloses the one or more heat exchange elements extend along the axial flowpath at a non-parallel angle with respect to the axis [see annotated Fig. above, the axial flowpath extends perpendicular to “the-axis”. With respect to claim 3 Hoffschmidt discloses at least one heat exchange element of the one or more heat exchange elements comprises a lattice structure [column 3 lines 21-35]. With respect to claim 5 Hoffschmidt discloses at least one of the outer support wall or the one or more heat exchange elements has a frustoconical shape [see annotated Fig. below]. PNG media_image2.png 315 457 media_image2.png Greyscale With respect to claim 6 Hoffschmidt discloses the absorber element comprises an inlet end [reference character 2] for the fluid and an outlet end [at reference character 6], the outlet end disposed opposite the inlet end, and wherein at least one of: the inlet end is sized larger than the outlet end [see Fig. 2]. With respect to claim 8 Hoffschmidt discloses that a radial spacing between the one or more heat exchange elements is uniform [see annotated Fig. below]. PNG media_image3.png 381 564 media_image3.png Greyscale With respect to claim 11 Hoffschmidt discloses that at least one of the outer support wall or the one or more heat exchange elements comprises at least one of silicon carbide (SiC) [column 3 lines 23-27] . 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1, 4, 9, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Ho (US 10,348,241) . With respect to claim 1 Ho discloses that a heat exchanger assembly, comprising: an absorber element [either 10 or 100] defining an axial flowpath [the flowpath along axis X] for a fluid extending along an axis [axis X], the absorber element comprising: an outer support wall and one or more support members extending radially inward from the outer support wall with respect to the axis [see annotated Fig. below]; and one or more heat exchange elements [reference character 28/128 with fins 32/132] floatably coupled to the one or more support members 1 , wherein the one or more heat exchange elements extend along the axial flowpath. PNG media_image4.png 583 705 media_image4.png Greyscale With respect to claim 4 Ho discloses the one or more heat exchange elements comprise a plurality of concentrically disposed heat exchange elements [the fins 132 are distributed around a common center]. With respect to claim 9 Ho discloses that the absorber element comprises an inlet end [reference character 27] for the fluid and an outlet end [reference character 35], the outlet end disposed opposite the inlet end [see Fig. 1], and wherein the one or more heat exchange elements have a conical shape at the inlet end, the outlet end, or at both the inlet end and the outlet end [see Fig. 1]. With respect to claim 12 Ho discloses that at least one heat exchange element of the one or more heat exchange elements comprises fins [reference character 132] extending into the axial flowpath . 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 13-14 and 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Ho (US 10,348,241) . With respect to claim 13 Ho discloses a heat exchanger assembly, comprising: an absorber element [either 10 or 100] defining an axial flowpath [the flow path along axis X] for a fluid extending along an axis [Axis X], the absorber element comprising: a support housing having an outer support wall and one or more support members extending radially inward from the outer support wall with respect to the axis [see annotated Fig. above associated with claim 1]; and one or more heat exchange elements [reference character 28/128 with fins 32/132] coupled to the one or more support members, wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are disposed within the axial flowpath and extend along the axial flowpath [see Figs. 1 and 2]; and wherein at least one of the support housing or the one or more heat exchange elements has a frustoconical shape [see Fig. 1]. With respect to claim 14 Ho discloses that the one or more heat exchange elements extend along the axial flowpath at a non-parallel angle with respect to the axis [see Fig. 1]. With respect to claim 16 Ho discloses that the absorber element comprises an inlet end [reference character 27] for the fluid and an outlet end [reference character 35], the outlet end disposed opposite the inlet end [see Fig. 1], and wherein the one or more heat exchange elements have a conical shape at the inlet end, the outlet end, or at both the inlet end and the outlet end [see Fig. 1]. With respect to claim 17 Ho discloses the one or more heat exchange elements comprise a plurality of concentrically disposed heat exchange elements [the fins 132 are distributed around a common center] disposed within the support housing . 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 13, 15, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Hoffschmidt et. al (US 6,003,508) . With respect to claim 13 Hoffschmidt discloses a heat exchanger assembly, comprising: an absorber element [see Fig. 1] defining an axial flowpath for a fluid extending along an axis [the axis coaxial with reference characters 8 and 10 in Fig. 2], the absorber element comprising: a support housing having an outer support wall [reference character 4] and one or more support members [reference character 13, where 16 extends radially inwardly from the exterior wall of 4 in groove 17] extending radially inward from the outer support wall with respect to the axis; and one or more heat exchange elements [reference character 3] coupled to the one or more support members [via the outer support wall], wherein the one or more heat exchange elements are disposed within the axial flowpath and extend along the axial flowpath [see Fig. 2]; and wherein at least one of the support housing or the one or more heat exchange elements has a frustoconical shape [see annotated Fig. above with respect to claim 5]. With respect to claim 15 Hoffschmidt discloses at least one heat exchange element of the one or more heat exchange elements comprises a lattice structure [column 3 lines 21-35]. With respect to claim 18 Hoffschmidt discloses that a radial spacing between respective ones of the one or more heat exchange elements is uniform or non-uniform [see annotated Fig. above associated with claim 8] . 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Hoffschmidt et. al (US 6,003,508) . With respect to claim 19 Hoffschmidt discloses a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger assembly, the method comprising: locating a support housing [reference character 4] of an absorber element in one or more openings [the openings formed by reference characters 5 and 5a] of a casing assembly [reference character 7 and the metal structure under 7, see column 3 lines 59-64], the absorber element defining an axial flowpath [the axis coaxial with reference characters 8 and 10 in Fig. 2] for a fluid extending along a centrally disposed axis of the absorber element, and wherein the support housing comprises an outer support wall [reference character 4] and one or more support members extending radially inward from the outer support wall [reference character 13, where 16 extends radially inwardly from the exterior wall of 4 in groove 17] with respect to the axis; and floatably coupling one or more heat exchange elements to the one or more support members [see column 4 lines 48-65, where the projection 16 is allowed to move within groove 17 under the influence of thermal expansion], wherein the one or more heat exchange elements extend along the axial flowpath [see Fig. 2]. With respect to claim 20 although Hoffschmidt does not explicitly disclose additively manufacturing at least one of the support housing or the one or more heat exchange elements Hoffschmidt does disclose that the heat exchange element is formed from a ceramic silicon carbide [column 3 lines 21-35] where a person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that silicon carbide ceramic products are manufactured from silicon carbide particles formed through the Acheson process and then additively combined via sintering or other casting process 2 . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VIVEK K SHIRSAT whose telephone number is (571)272-3722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-5:20AM. 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, Steven B McAllister can be reached at 571-272-6785. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /VIVEK K SHIRSAT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/738,139 Page 2 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/738,139 Page 3 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/738,139 Page 4 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/738,139 Page 5 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/738,139 Page 6 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/738,139 Page 7 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/738,139 Page 8 Art Unit: 3762 Application/Control Number: 18/738,139 Page 9 Art Unit: 3762 1 Because the free ends of fins 132 are unsupported and therefore free to move with thermal expansion fins are interpreted as “floatably coupled”. 2 https://scienceinsights.org/how-to-make-silicon-carbide-acheson-process-to-cvd/
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