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 .
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.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sasaki (JP 2018-162901 A).
Regarding claim 21, Sasaki discloses a fluid distributor for a heat exchanger (Fig. 4), the fluid distributor comprising:
a header (upstream header 3);
a distribution tube (connecting pipe 5) extending longitudinally (extending vertically in Fig. 4); and
a supply tube (inlet pipe 36) fluidically connected to a supply tube compartment (a gas-liquid mixing section 4) of the header and configured to supply a working fluid (refrigerant) into the distribution tube (into the connecting pipe 5 leading to compartments in the header 3), wherein the supply tube compartment comprises a baffle (perforated plate 43) having a plurality of openings (openings of the plate 43 shown in Figs. 4 and 5), and wherein the supply tube is connected radially to the supply tube compartment above the baffle (Fig. 5 shows that the inlet pipe 36 connects the gas-liquid mixing section 4 radially; and Fig. 4 shows that that the inlet pipe 36 connects the gas-liquid mixing section 4 above the perforated plate 43).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-19 are allowed.
The following is an examiner' s statement of reasons for allowance:
Amended claim 1 now requires, “wherein the supply tube compartment comprises a baffle having a plurality of openings, and the supply tube is connected radially to the supply tube compartment above the baffle.
Jindou (Fig. 27) discloses the supply tube (liquid refrigerant pipe 35) is connected radially to the supply tube compartment (the liquid refrigerant pipe 35 is fluidly connected to compartment 76A through a center through hole 74m, paragraph 0172 of Jindou. The liquid refrigerant pipe 35 also has an elbow that extends radially outward from the compartment 76A) above the baffle (the liquid refrigerant pipe 35 is fluidly connected to compartment 76A above the baffle 77 between compartments 76A and 76B). However, Jindou fails to disclose and lacks motivation to make obvious to provide a plurality of openings in a baffle.
A further reference, Leffler (US 2021/0262744), discloses a baffle (baffle 58 that separates the sections 81 and 82, Fig. 8) having a central opening (a central opening that allows the distributor 20 through) may include a plurality of openings (flow holes of the baffle 58. The baffle 58 can include flow holes therethrough, allowing for fluid to move between adjacent sections of the first manifold 54, see paragraph 0066). However, Leffler fails to discloses that the supply tube is connected radially to the supply tube compartment above the baffle. The feature disclosed in Fig. 27 of Jindou to use the center through hole 74m as a fluid supply channel is not combinable with Leffler to make the inner fluid passage 23 as a supply channel. It is because the inner fluid passage 23 is configured as a fluidly isolated channel from the remaining fluid passages 26 (paragraph 0068), or forming a fluid connection between the inner fluid passage 23 to one or more separate fluid channels 26 (paragraph 0069). It appears that the modification would render the prior art unsatisfactory for its intended purpose.
A new reference Sasaki (JP 2018-162901 A) teaches the limitation wherein the supply tube compartment (4) comprises discloses comprises a baffle having a plurality of openings (43), and the supply tube (36) is connected radially to the supply tube compartment above the baffle (inlet 36 is radially connected to the section 4 above the plate 43). Sasaki further discloses that the perforated plate 43 separates gas refrigerant as the refrigerant passes through the plate 43 and moves above the gas-liquid interface 42 (paragraph 0048 of the translation). However, the diverting space 75 is disclosed in Jindou is disclosed as a guiding space and lacks a gas and liquid separation having the gas-liquid interface. Therefore, Sasaki teaches away from the disclosure of Jindou and the benefit of providing the plate 43 in Sasaki does not apply to the structure of Jindou. Sasaki itself also fails to disclose the details of the distribution tube having a plurality of cavities as set forth in claim 1.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument (the new reference Sasaki, JP 2018-162901 A).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/JIANYING C ATKISSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/F.K.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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