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 .
This action is in response to the preliminary amendment filed 9/24/2024. Claims 11-20 are pending while claims 1-10 are canceled.
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.
Claims 13, 14 and 17 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.
Claims 13 and 17 recite the limitation "the thermal bridge" in lines 2-4 and 1, respectively. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the heat conducting connection" in lines 1 and 3, respectively. 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.
Claim(s) 11, 12, 15-16 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0308083 to Brunner (Brunner).
In reference to claim 11, Brunner teaches a system for fast-fill refuelling of a cryogenic container (12, FIG. 2), the system comprising a vehicle (par 0022), wherein the cryogenic container is mounted on the vehicle (par 0022); and an ancillary system (17 and 9, FIG. 2) for filling the cryogenic container (12, FIG. 2) with cryogenic fluid and for removing cryogenic fluid from the cryogenic container (FIG. 2), the ancillary system comprising a filling line (17, FIG. 2) with a filling coupling (18, FIG. 2) and a removal line (9, FIG. 2) routed to a consumer (inherent in the system depicted in FIG. 2), with the filling line (17, FIG. 2) and the removal line (9, FIG. 2) each being routed into the cryogenic container separately, wherein b) the removal line (9, FIG. 2) is routed back through a section of the filling line (section comprising the valves 16 and 10 is interpreted as a portion of the filling line 17, FIG. 2).
In reference to claim 12, Brunner teaches the system as explained in the rejection of claim 11 above, and Brunner additionally teaches wherein the cryogenic container has an inner tank (12, FIG. 2) and an outer container (13, FIG. 2) that is vacuum-insulated (14, FIG. 2) relative to the inner tank, and the section for return (section comprising the valves 16 and 10 is interpreted as a portion of the filling line 17, FIG. 2) is provided in a space between the inner tank (12, FIG. 2) and the outer container (13, FIG. 2), with the section for return preferably being provided at points on the filling line (17, FIG. 2) and the removal line (9, FIG. 2) where an identical temperature is established after the system has come to a standstill (intended use recitation; the system depicted in FIG. 2 is capable of performing said functional language).
In reference to claim 15, Brunner teaches the system as explained in the rejection of claim 11 above, and Brunner additionally teaches wherein the filling line (17, FIG. 2) and the removal line (9, FIG. 2) are located directly next to each other at this point to form the thermal bridge and contact each other there (FIG. 2).
In reference to claim 16, Brunner teaches the system as explained in the rejection of claim 11 above, and Brunner additionally teaches a second cryogenic container (1, FIG. 2) comprising a second filling line (21, FIG. 2) and a second removal line (at 5, FIG. 2), the filling lines of the two cryogenic containers optionally being connected via a connecting line, by means of which both the cryogenic container and the second cryogenic container can be filled via the filling coupling of the cryogenic container (FIG. 2).
In reference to claim 18, Brunner teaches the system as explained in the rejection of claim 16 above, and Brunner additionally teaches wherein a common removal line, which connects the removal lines of the two cryogenic containers, to the connecting line (FIG. 2).
In reference to claim 19, Brunner teaches the system as explained in the rejection of claim 16 above, and Brunner additionally teaches wherein the common removal line, is routed back into the filling line of the first cryogenic container (FIG. 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 20 is 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See attached PTO-892 for relevant prior art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILIP ZEC whose telephone number is (571)270-5846. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri; 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JD Fletcher can be reached at 5712705054. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FILIP ZEC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
6/27/2026
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