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 are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “326” has been used to designate both a motor assembly and what appears to be the fan shaft in figure 3B. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claim 27 is 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 27 recites the limitation "the casing flange" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8-13, 15-18, 25-27, 29 and 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sarimurat et al. (US 2022/0243739 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Sarimurat discloses (Figure 1-8) an axial fan assembly for an air handling unit, the axial fan assembly (12 or 112) comprising: an axial fan configured to direct air through the axial fan assembly (at fan rotor 14 or 114); an inlet ring disposed in a flow path upstream of the axial fan and configured to direct air toward the axial fan (the housing of fan assembly around the fan rotor 14 or 114 as seen in the annotated figure); a stator disposed in the flow path downstream of the axial fan and configured to straighten a flow of the air (at stator 30); an outlet ring disposed in the flow path downstream of the axial fan and configured to direct air out of the axial fan assembly (the housing of fan assembly around the vane diffuser 16 or 116); and a fan deck configured to attach to the air handling unit and support at least the axial fan (where the fan assembly 12 or 112 is attached to the housing 22 as seen in figure 1A-1B and 5A-5B).
Regarding claim 2, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Sarimurat further discloses the axial fan is a non-shrouded fan (the is no addition structure disclosed that can be a shroud other than the inlet ring).
Regarding claim 3, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 2 above and Sarimurat further discloses the axial fan comprises an electrical motor (ECM motors are disclosed per paragraph 0005 ) configured to rotate the axial fan at greater than 1750 revolutions per minute (here speeds of 2000 rpm are contemplated).
Regarding claim 4, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 3 above and Sarimurat further discloses the axial fan is configured to operate at a static efficiency of greater than 65% (76% per paragraph 0038).
Regarding claim 8, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Sarimurat further discloses inlet ring has an inlet having a first diameter and an outlet having a second diameter, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter (the diameter of the inlet ring closest to the HRM 18 in figure 2C would be larger than the diameter of the inlet ring closest to the fan rotor in figure 2C as one example).
Regarding claim 9, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Sarimurat further discloses a casing disposed around at least a portion of the inlet ring (at the casing formed by the housing 22 in figure 1).
Regarding claim 10, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Sarimurat further discloses a casing flange configured to support the axial fan and the stator (at the edge of the inlet or outlet ring of the housing of the fan assembly 12 that connects to the unit housing 22).
Regarding claim 11, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 10 above and Sarimurat further discloses the inlet ring extends from an inlet of the axial fan assembly to the casing flange (where air flow into the fan assembly to the edge of the ring around the fan rotor 14).
Regarding claim 12, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 11 above and Sarimurat further discloses the inlet ring is attached to the casing flange (at the edge of the inlet of the housing of the fan assembly 12).
Regarding claim 13, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Sarimurat further discloses the axial fan is attached to the stator (30) and wherein the stator is configured to support the axial fan (through the hub 34 of the vane diffuser 16) .
Regarding claim 15, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Sarimurat further discloses the outlet ring has an inlet having a first diameter and an outlet having a second diameter, the first diameter being less than the second diameter (in this case the diameter of the outlet ring closest to the fan rotor 14 in figure 2C would be smaller than the diameter of the inlet ring closest to the HRM 20 in figure 2C as one example).
Regarding claim 16, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Sarimurat further discloses the axial fan (14), the inlet ring, the stator (30), the outlet ring, and the fan deck are connected to form the axial fan assembly (12 as seen in figure 2A-2C).
Regarding claim 17, Sarimurat discloses (Figure 1-8) an air handling unit for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system (at compact system 10, 100 which are air handling units per at least paragraph 0027), the air handling unit comprising: an enclosure having an inlet and an outlet (at the inlet and out let of housing 22 seen at intake 42 and exhaust 24 in figure 1A-1B and similar intake 142 and exhaust in figure 5A-5B); a heat exchanger coil housed within the enclosure and configured to (i) receive a refrigerant circulated through the heat exchanger coil and (ii) facilitate heat exchange between the refrigerant and air directed across the heat exchanger coil (the heat resistance medium at either 18 or 20 in figure 1A-2c or 118 and 120 in figure 5A-6A can be a heat exchanger or a filter depending on the configuration per paragraph 0028 and the heat exchange can be a condenser/evaporator coil per paragraph 0004); and an axial fan assembly (12 or 112) housed within the enclosure and configured to direct the air across the heat exchanger coil (per paragraph 0028), the axial fan assembly comprising: an axial fan configured to direct the air through the air handling unit (at fan rotor 14 or 114); an inlet ring disposed in a flow path upstream of the axial fan and configured to direct air toward the axial fan (the housing of fan assembly around the fan rotor 14 or 114); a stator disposed in the flow path downstream of the axial fan and configured to straighten a flow of the air (at stator 30); an outlet ring disposed in the flow path downstream of the axial fan and configured to direct air out of the axial fan assembly (the housing of fan assembly around the vane diffuser 16 or 116 as seen in the annotated figure); and a fan deck configured to support at least the axial fan in the air handling unit (where the fan assembly 12 or 112 is attached to the housing 22 as seen in figure 1A-1B and 5A-5B).
Regarding claim 18, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 17 above and Sarimurat further discloses inlet ring has an inlet having a first diameter and an outlet having a second diameter, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter (in this case the diameter of the inlet ring closest to the HRM 18 in figure 2C would be larger than the diameter of the inlet ring closest to the fan rotor in figure 2C as one example).
Regarding claim 25, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 17 above and Sarimurat further discloses a casing disposed around at least a portion of the inlet ring (at the casing formed by the housing 22 in figure 1).
Regarding claim 26, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 25 above and Sarimurat further discloses a casing flange configured to support the axial fan and the stator (at the edge of the inlet or outlet ring of the housing of the fan assembly 12 that connects to the unit housing 22).
Regarding claim 27, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 25 above and Sarimurat further discloses the inlet ring extends from an inlet of the axial fan assembly to the casing flange (where air flow into the fan assembly to the edge of the ring around the fan rotor 14) and the inlet ring is attached to the casing flange (at the edge of the inlet of the housing of the fan assembly 12).
Regarding claim 29, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 17 above and Sarimurat further discloses the axial fan is attached to the stator (30) and wherein the stator is configured to support the axial fan (through the hub 34 of the vane diffuser 16) .
Regarding claim 31, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 17 above and Sarimurat further discloses the outlet ring has an inlet having a first diameter and an outlet having a second diameter, the first diameter being less than the second diameter (in this case the diameter of the outlet ring closest to the fan rotor 14 in figure 2C would be smaller than the diameter of the inlet ring closest to the HRM 20 in figure 2C as one example).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Sarimurat et al. (US 2022/0243739 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Sarimurat discloses the claim limitations of claim 3 above, however Sarimurat does not explicitly disclose the electrical motor is at least one of: a ⅓ horsepower motor, a ½ horsepower motor, or a ¾ horsepower motor, as Sarimurat is silent as to the specific power of the motor. The specific motor horsepower claimed are well known as applicable horsepower for fan motors and is notoriously well known in the air handling unit art. The Examiner hereby takes Official Notice of the notoriously well-known nature of using the specific horsepower of motors claimed for a fan in the air handling unit art, and it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the instant invention was made to employ an electrical motor of the horsepower claimed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Dygert (US 20190178252 A1) and Amr et al. (US 20150354841 A1) disclose relevant axial fans for air handling units with centrally located support deck structures.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HANS R. WEILAND whose telephone number is (571)272-9847. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6-3 EST and alternating Fridays.
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, Len Tran can be reached at 571-272-1184. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HANS R WEILAND/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/LEN TRAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763