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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on 8/21/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
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 1-5, 9-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brister (US 4492095).
Regarding claim 1, Brister teaches: A system comprising: a freeze tube configured to be inserted into a cooling line (Freeze tube 106/108 inserted into pipeline 10 [Col. 8, lines 12-14 and Figs. 1 and 4]); a bend in the freeze tube such that an inlet of the freeze tube and outlet in the freeze tube are arranged at the same opening in the cooling line (a bend is in the freeze tube 106/108 and is fit through same opening 28 [Col. 6, line 34-36 and Fig. 1 and 5]); a coolant tank (Coolant tank 120 [Fig. 4]); and a coolant pump configured to pump coolant from the coolant tank through the freeze tube (pumps are provided in line to and from tank [Col. 8, lines 33-35]).
Regarding claim 2, Brister teaches: The system of claim 1 wherein the coolant comprises liquid nitrogen (coolant comprises liquid nitrogen [Col. 8, lines 59-62]).
Regarding claim 3, Brister teaches: The system of claim 1 further comprising: a plug fitted in the cooling line configured to accept the inlet of the freeze tube and the outlet of the freeze tube (plug 90 and 100 is fitted in the cooling line and configured to accept inlet and outlet of freeze tube 106/108 [Fig. 5]).
Regarding claim 4, Brister teaches: The system of claim 1 wherein the freeze tube freezes liquid in the cooling line when the coolant is pumped through the freeze tube forming a freeze plug (freezes liquid in pipeline when liquid nitrogen is pumped through freeze tube 106/108 [Col. 8, lines 59-62]).
Regarding claim 5, Brister teaches: The system of claim 1 further comprising: a cooling liquid loop configured to circulate cooling liquid in the cooling line (liquid configured to circulate in via line 52/112 and out through 84 [Col. 7, lines 56-68 and Figs. 4-5]).
Regarding claim 9, Brister teaches: The system of claim 1 wherein the freeze tube is configured to be incrementally inserted further into the cooling line until a leak in the cooling line is plugged by a freeze plug (freeze tube can be inserted into the pipeline until correct accurate isolation has occurred [Col. 3, lines 5-12]).
Regarding claim 10, Brister teaches: A method for plugging a leak comprising: inserting a freeze tube into a cooling line (Freeze tube 106/108 is inserted into pipeline 10 [Fig. 1 and 4]); filling the cooling line with cooling liquid; and pumping coolant into the freeze tube in the cooling line, thereby forming a freeze plug in the cooling line (pipeline is filled with liquid via conduit 112 and freezes in pipeline when liquid nitrogen is pumped through freeze tube 106/108 [Col. 8, lines 59-62 and Fig. 4]).
Regarding claim 11, Brister teaches: The method for plugging a leak of claim 10 further comprising: testing the cooling line to determine if the leak is plugged; and in response to the leak not being plugged, incrementally inserting the freeze tube further into the cooling line (freeze tube can be inserted into the pipeline until correct accurate isolation has occurred [Col. 3, lines 5-12] and undergoes testing to confirm accuracy [Col. 11, lines 23-29]).
Regarding claim 12, Brister teaches: The method for plugging a leak of claim 10 wherein the coolant comprises liquid nitrogen (coolant comprises liquid nitrogen [Col. 8, lines 59-62]).
Regarding claim 13, Brister teaches: The method for plugging a leak of claim 10 further comprising: plugging an end of the cooling line with a plug configured to accept an inlet of the freeze tube and an outlet of the freeze tube (plug 90 and 100 is fitted in/on the cooling line and configured to accept inlet and outlet of freeze tube 106/108 [Fig. 5]).
Regarding claim 14, Brister teaches: The method for plugging a leak of claim 10 further comprising: circulating a cooling liquid in the cooling line with a cooling liquid loop (liquid circulates in via line 52/112 and out through 84 [Col. 7, lines 56-68 and Figs. 4-5]).
Claims 10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Evans (US 6141972).
Regarding claim 10, Evans teaches: A method for plugging a leak comprising: inserting a freeze tube into a cooling line (inserts freezing tube 26 into pipeline 12 [Fig. 1 and Col. 3, lines 51-63]); filling the cooling line with cooling liquid; and pumping coolant into the freeze tube in the cooling line, thereby forming a freeze plug in the cooling line (pipeline 12 is filled with content 22 and then frozen with freeze tube 26 [Fig. 1 and Col. 3, lines 51-63]).
Regarding claim 12, Evans teaches: The method for plugging a leak of claim 10 wherein the coolant comprises liquid nitrogen (cryogenic fluid in freeze tube 26 is liquid nitrogen [Col. 9, lines 31-32]).
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.
Claims 1-5, 8-14, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Flint et. al. (US 20210299478) in view of Brister (US 4492095).
Regarding claim 1, Flint et. al. teaches: a linear accelerator with a cooling line (LINAC device comprised of a cooling system [Para. 31, lines 1-3]) but fails to teach a system for freezing a portion/leak of the cooling line
Brister teaches: A system comprising: a freeze tube configured to be inserted into a cooling line (Freeze tube 106/108 inserted into pipeline 10 [Col. 8, lines 12-14 and Figs. 1 and 4]); a bend in the freeze tube such that an inlet of the freeze tube and outlet in the freeze tube are arranged at the same opening in the cooling line (a bend is in the freeze tube 106/108 and is fit through same opening 28 [Col. 6, line 34-36 and Fig. 1 and 5]); a coolant tank (Coolant tank 120 [Fig. 4]); and a coolant pump configured to pump coolant from the coolant tank through the freeze tube (pumps are provided in line to and from tank [Col. 8, lines 33-35]).
It would have been obvious to someone skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cooling line for a linear accelerator of Flint et. al. with the method and apparatus of plugging a leak in a cooling line of Brister in order to provide the line with an apparatus to temporarily plug the cooling line in a specific location to more accurately seal and fix a leak within the pipeline (Brister – Col. 3, lines 5-20).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Flint et. al. and Brister teaches: The system of claim 1 wherein the coolant comprises liquid nitrogen (coolant comprises liquid nitrogen [Brister - Col. 8, lines 59-62]).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Flint et. al. and Brister teaches: The system of claim 1 further comprising: a plug fitted in the cooling line configured to accept the inlet of the freeze tube and the outlet of the freeze tube (plug 90 is fitted in the cooling line and configured to accept inlet and outlet of freeze tube 106/108 [Brister - Fig. 5]).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Flint et. al. and Brister teaches: The system of claim 1 wherein the freeze tube freezes liquid in the cooling line when the coolant is pumped through the freeze tube forming a freeze plug (freezes liquid in pipeline when liquid nitrogen is pumped through freeze tube 106/108 [Brister - Col. 8, lines 59-62]).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Flint et. al. and Brister teaches: The system of claim 1 further comprising: a cooling liquid loop configured to circulate cooling liquid in the cooling line (liquid configured to circulate in via line 52/112 and out through 84 [Brister - Col. 7, lines 56-68 and Figs. 4-5]).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Flint et. al. and Brister teaches: The system of claim 1 wherein the cooling line is associated with a LINAC (cooling system within a LINAC [Flint et. al. - Para. 31, lines 1-3]).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Flint et. al. and Brister teaches: The system of claim 1 wherein the freeze tube is configured to be incrementally inserted further into the cooling line until a leak in the cooling line is plugged by a freeze plug (freeze tube can be inserted into the pipeline until correct accurate isolation has occurred [Brister - Col. 3, lines 5-12]).
Regarding claim 10, Flint et. al. teaches: a linear accelerator with a cooling line (LINAC device comprised of a cooling system [Para. 31, lines 1-3]) but fails to teach A method of plugging a leak in the cooling line.
Brister teaches: A method for plugging a leak comprising: inserting a freeze tube into a cooling line (Freeze tube 106/108 is inserted into pipeline 10 [Fig. 1 and 4]); filling the cooling line with cooling liquid; and pumping coolant into the freeze tube in the cooling line, thereby forming a freeze plug in the cooling line (pipeline is filled with liquid via conduit 112 and freezes in pipeline when liquid nitrogen is pumped through freeze tube 106/108 [Col. 8, lines 59-62 and Fig. 4]).
It would have been obvious to someone skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cooling line for a linear accelerator of Flint et. al. with the method and apparatus of plugging a leak in a cooling line of Brister in order to provide the line with an apparatus to temporarily plug the cooling line in a specific location to more accurately seal and fix a leak within the pipeline (Brister – Col. 3, lines 5-20).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Flint et. al. and Brister teaches: The method for plugging a leak of claim 10 further comprising: testing the cooling line to determine if the leak is plugged; and in response to the leak not being plugged, incrementally inserting the freeze tube further into the cooling line (freeze tube can be inserted into the pipeline until correct accurate isolation has occurred [Brister - Col. 3, lines 5-12] and undergoes testing to confirm accuracy [Brister - Col. 11, lines 23-29]).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Flint et. al. and Brister teaches: The method for plugging a leak of claim 10 wherein the coolant comprises liquid nitrogen (coolant comprises liquid nitrogen [Brister - Col. 8, lines 59-62]).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Flint et. al. and Brister teaches: The method for plugging a leak of claim 10 further comprising: plugging an end of the cooling line with a plug configured to accept an inlet of the freeze tube and an outlet of the freeze tube (plug 90 and 100 is fitted in/on the cooling line and configured to accept inlet and outlet of freeze tube 106/108 [Brister - Fig. 5]).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Flint et. al. and Brister teaches: The method for plugging a leak of claim 10 further comprising: circulating a cooling liquid in the cooling line with a cooling liquid loop (liquid circulates in via line 52/112 and out through 84 [Brister - Col. 7, lines 56-68 and Figs. 4-5]).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Flint et. al. and Brister teaches: The method for plugging a leak of claim 10, wherein the leak comprises a leak in the cooling line of a LINAC (cooling system within a LINAC [Flint et. al. - Para. 31, lines 1-3]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-20 allowed.
Claims 6-7 and 15-16 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter and reasons for allowance:
The prior art of record does not disclose or reasonably suggest the system and method for applying a freezing plug to cover a leak in a cooling line having the combination of features as set forth in dependent claims 6-7 and 15-16 and independent claim 18.
US 4492095 to Brister, US 6141972 to Evans, and US 20210299478 to Flint et. al. may be seen as close prior art in certain aspects but fails to teach a reservoir within a cooling line comprising an inlet and outlet pump and valve.
Brister teaches a pump and valve for inlet of cooling line and a pump and valve for outlet/discharge line (Col. 7, line 16-20) but fails to teach the outlet configured to reach the reservoir.
Evans and Flint et. al. fails to teach details of the of the freeze tube and cooling line.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Brister (US 4370862) teaches: a method and apparatus for freezing a section of a pipeline using liquid nitrogen, thus forming an ice plug by use of a wrap covering an outer surface of the pipeline (Abstract and Fig. 6).
Franz et. al. (US 20210068303) teaches: a cooling system for computing devices comprising valves, pumps, and heat exchanger (Abstract and Fig. 3).
Okada (US 20090142628) teaches: a battery cooling system comprising an immersion heat exchanger (Para. 43).
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/JOSHUA D LEARY/Examiner, Art Unit 3753
/CRAIG M SCHNEIDER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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