DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a reply to the amendment dated October 14, 2025.
Claims 1, 3 and 5 have been amended; and, claim 2 has been canceled.
Claims 1 and 3-5 remain pending in this application.
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 and 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teramoto et al. (US 5,271,359), hereafter Teramoto in view of Morimoto et al. (JP 06307291 A), hereafter Morimoto.
Regarding claim 1, Teramoto discloses a thermal management system (Fig. 1 and Fig. 25) employed in a vehicle including a fuel supply system configured to supply hydrogen gas as fuel to an engine (column 5, line 11-37), the fuel supply system including a tank (7) configured to store the hydrogen gas, a fuel injection valve (20) configured to inject the hydrogen gas, and a regulator (83) configured to control a pressure of the hydrogen gas supplied from the tank to the fuel injection valve, the thermal management system comprising: a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between coolant for the engine and the tank (column 4, line 13-21), and a tank temperature control passage configured to cause the coolant that has flowed from the engine to return to the engine through the heat exchanger (column 4, line 48-59).
Teramoto does not disclose an electromagnetic valve configured to regulate an amount of the coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage; and processing circuitry configured to control the electromagnetic valve, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust the amount of coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage by controlling the electromagnetic valve such that the amount of the coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage increases as an amount of the hydrogen gas injected by the fuel injection valve per unit time increases.
Morimoto discloses a hydrogen gas tank (10) for supplying hydrogen gas to an engine (1) an electromagnetic valve (12, 13, 14) configured to regulate an amount of the coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage [0032]; and processing circuitry configured to control the electromagnetic valve, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust the amount of coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage by controlling the electromagnetic valve [0033] such that the amount of the coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage increases as an amount of the hydrogen gas injected by the fuel injection valve per unit time increases (paragraphs [0039-0040] recite: “When it is determined that the region is the E region as described above, the region E is a region in which the decreasing change ratio of the hydrogen discharge pressure with respect to the decreasing change of the adsorbed hydrogen amount is extremely large, and when the hydrogen discharge pressure falls below the lower limit value Pa of the hydrogen discharge pressure at which the in-cylinder injection of the hydrogen gas is possible, the operation of the engine 1 cannot be continued. For this reason, in the region E, the MH temperature is raised more rapidly, and the hydrogen release pressure P is lowered as described above. Therefore, it is necessary to recover the threshold value Pa or more. For this reason, in this region E, control by adjustment of the cooling water temperature with good responsiveness to the MH temperature is adopted. That is, when the region E is determined, in step S7, the hot water side control valve 13 is fully opened and the cold water side control valve 14 is fully closed in a state in which the current supplied to the heating medium pump 11 is maximized and fully opened, and the temperature of the cooling water supplied to the hydrogen occlusion tank 10 is increased by adding hot water to the constant-temperature cooling water supplied from the thermo valve 12. When the temperature of the cooling water supplied to the hydrogen occlusion tank 10 is raised in this manner, the MH temperature rises rapidly, the amount of hydrogen gas generated from the hydrogen adsorption alloy increases, and the hydrogen release pressure is maintained at the lower limit value Pa or higher. Therefore, the operation of the engine 1 can be continued until the amount of adsorbed hydrogen becomes almost zero, and the cruising distance of the automobile can be increased.”) It’s known in the art that the pressure in the hydrogen supply path would decrease as an amount of the hydrogen gas injected by the fuel injection valve per unit time increases. In other words, the pressure in the supply pipe is directly related to the rate of fuel injected in the engine. Hence, Morimoto teaches the coolant control in order hydrogen release pressure is maintained. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the heat exchange control system of Morimoto in the engine of Teramoto in order to control the temperature of the hydrogen gas tank and hydrogen release pressure.
Regarding claim 3, Teramoto modified with Morimoto discloses the thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the electromagnetic valve such that the coolant does not flow through the tank temperature control passage when an amount of the hydrogen gas injected by the fuel injection valve is less than or equal to a specified injection amount (Morimoto: [0039-0044]).
Regarding claim 4, Teramoto modified with Morimoto discloses the thermal management system according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: control the electromagnetic valve such that the coolant does not flow through the tank temperature control passage when a temperature of the coolant that has flowed from the engine and has not yet reached the heat exchanger is less than a temperature in the tank; and control the electromagnetic valve such that the coolant flows through the tank temperature control passage when the temperature of the coolant that has flowed from the engine and has not yet reached the heat exchanger is greater than or equal to the temperature in the tank (Morimoto: [0034]).
Regarding claim 5, Teramoto discloses a thermal management system (Fig. 1 and Fig. 25) employed in a vehicle including a fuel supply system configured to supply hydrogen gas as fuel to an engine (column 5, line 11-37), the fuel supply system including a tank (7) configured to store the hydrogen gas, a fuel injection valve (20) configured to inject the hydrogen gas, and a regulator (83) configured to control a pressure of the hydrogen gas supplied from the tank to the fuel injection valve, the thermal management system comprising: a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between coolant for the engine and the tank (column 4, line 13-21), and a tank temperature control passage configured to cause the coolant that has flowed from the engine to return to the engine through the heat exchanger (column 4, line 48-59).
Teramoto does not disclose a water pump, wherein the radiator passage includes: a first connection point located at a portion through which the coolant that has flowed from the engine and has not yet reached the radiator flows: and a second connection point located at a portion through which the coolant that has flowed through the radiator and has not yet reached the thermostat flows, the tank temperature control passage is connected to the radiator passage at the first connection point and the second connection point such that the coolant that has flowed from the engine flows sequentially through the first connection point, the heat exchanger, the second connection point, the thermostat valve, and the water pump and returns to the engine, and the thermostat valve is configured to: open the radiator passage and the tank temperature control passage when warm-up of the engine is completed; and close the radiator passage and the tank temperature control passage when warm-up of the engine is not completed.an electromagnetic valve configured to regulate an amount of the coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage; and processing circuitry configured to control the electromagnetic valve, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust the amount of coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage by controlling the electromagnetic valve such that the amount of the coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage increases as an amount of the hydrogen gas injected by the fuel injection valve per unit time increases.
Morimoto discloses the thermal management system according to claim 1, further comprising a radiator passage (4) arranged to cause the coolant that has flowed from the engine to return to the engine sequentially through a radiator, a thermostat valve (7), and a water pump (15), wherein the radiator passage includes: a first connection point located at a portion through which the coolant that has flowed from the engine and has not yet reached the radiator flows (at thermostat 7); and a second connection point (at thermostat 12) located at a portion through which the coolant that has flowed through the radiator and has not yet reached the thermostat flows, the tank temperature control passage is connected to the radiator passage at the first connection point and the second connection point such that the coolant that has flowed from the engine flows sequentially through the first connection point, the heat exchanger, the second connection point, the thermostat valve, and the water pump and returns to the engine, and the thermostat valve is configured to: open the radiator passage and the tank temperature control passage when warm-up of the engine is completed; and close the radiator passage and the tank temperature control passage when warm-up of the engine is not completed (Fig 1); and further discloses a hydrogen gas tank (10) for supplying hydrogen gas to an engine (1) an electromagnetic valve (12, 13, 14) configured to regulate an amount of the coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage [0032]; and processing circuitry configured to control the electromagnetic valve, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust the amount of coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage by controlling the electromagnetic valve [0033] such that the amount of the coolant flowing through the tank temperature control passage increases as an amount of the hydrogen gas injected by the fuel injection valve per unit time increases (paragraphs [0039-0040] recite: “When it is determined that the region is the E region as described above, the region E is a region in which the decreasing change ratio of the hydrogen discharge pressure with respect to the decreasing change of the adsorbed hydrogen amount is extremely large, and when the hydrogen discharge pressure falls below the lower limit value Pa of the hydrogen discharge pressure at which the in-cylinder injection of the hydrogen gas is possible, the operation of the engine 1 cannot be continued. For this reason, in the region E, the MH temperature is raised more rapidly, and the hydrogen release pressure P is lowered as described above. Therefore, it is necessary to recover the threshold value Pa or more. For this reason, in this region E, control by adjustment of the cooling water temperature with good responsiveness to the MH temperature is adopted. That is, when the region E is determined, in step S7, the hot water side control valve 13 is fully opened and the cold water side control valve 14 is fully closed in a state in which the current supplied to the heating medium pump 11 is maximized and fully opened, and the temperature of the cooling water supplied to the hydrogen occlusion tank 10 is increased by adding hot water to the constant-temperature cooling water supplied from the thermo valve 12. When the temperature of the cooling water supplied to the hydrogen occlusion tank 10 is raised in this manner, the MH temperature rises rapidly, the amount of hydrogen gas generated from the hydrogen adsorption alloy increases, and the hydrogen release pressure is maintained at the lower limit value Pa or higher. Therefore, the operation of the engine 1 can be continued until the amount of adsorbed hydrogen becomes almost zero, and the cruising distance of the automobile can be increased.”) It’s known in the art that the pressure in the hydrogen supply path would decrease as an amount of the hydrogen gas injected by the fuel injection valve per unit time increases. In other words, the pressure in the supply pipe is directly related to the rate of fuel injected in the engine. Hence, Morimoto teaches the coolant control in order hydrogen release pressure is maintained. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the heat exchange control system of Morimoto in the engine of Teramoto in order to control the temperature of the hydrogen gas tank and hydrogen release pressure.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed October 14, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that prior art Morimoto fails to teach or suggest controlling the hot water side control valve 13 in accordance with an amount of hydrogen gas injected by the fuel injection valve per unit time.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Examiner asserts that claims are given their broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specifications. In this instance, Morimoto disclose a thermal management control in paragraphs [0039-0040]:
“When it is determined that the region is the E region as described above, the region E is a region in which the decreasing change ratio of the hydrogen discharge pressure with respect to the decreasing change of the adsorbed hydrogen amount is extremely large, and when the hydrogen discharge pressure falls below the lower limit value Pa of the hydrogen discharge pressure at which the in-cylinder injection of the hydrogen gas is possible, the operation of the engine 1 cannot be continued. For this reason, in the region E, the MH temperature is raised more rapidly, and the hydrogen release pressure P is lowered as described above. Therefore, it is necessary to recover the threshold value Pa or more. For this reason, in this region E, control by adjustment of the cooling water temperature with good responsiveness to the MH temperature is adopted. That is, when the region E is determined, in step S7, the hot water side control valve 13 is fully opened and the cold water side control valve 14 is fully closed in a state in which the current supplied to the heating medium pump 11 is maximized and fully opened, and the temperature of the cooling water supplied to the hydrogen occlusion tank 10 is increased by adding hot water to the constant-temperature cooling water supplied from the thermo valve 12.
When the temperature of the cooling water supplied to the hydrogen occlusion tank 10 is raised in this manner, the MH temperature rises rapidly, the amount of hydrogen gas generated from the hydrogen adsorption alloy increases, and the hydrogen release pressure is maintained at the lower limit value Pa or higher. Therefore, the operation of the engine 1 can be continued until the amount of adsorbed hydrogen becomes almost zero, and the cruising distance of the automobile can be increased.”)
It’s known in the art that the pressure in the hydrogen supply path would decrease as an amount of the hydrogen gas injected by the fuel injection valve per unit time increases. In other words, the pressure in the supply pipe is directly related to the rate of fuel injected in the engine. Hence, Morimoto teaches the coolant control in order hydrogen release pressure is maintained.
Applicant also argues that prior art Morimoto fails to disclose that “the radiator passage includes a second connection point located at a portion through which the coolant that has flowed through the radiator and has not yet reached the thermostat valve flows”. But, Marimoto depicts in Fig. 2 coolant exiting engine (1), and through path (23) connects to the valves (12, 13 and 14).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TEUTA B HOLBROOK whose telephone number is (571)270-3276. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8am-4:30pm EST.
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, LINDSAY LOW can be reached at 571-272-1196. 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.
/TEUTA HOLBROOK/
Examiner
Art Unit 3747
/GEORGE C JIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747