DETAILED ACTION
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the linear heat detection system is installed on a roof must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the system” is believed to be in error for --the fire detection and extinguishing system--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 20 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the detected heat” is believed to be in error for --the heat detected with the linear heat detection system--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 21 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the wires” is believed to be in error for --the two wires--. Appropriate correction is required.
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 22 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 22 recites the limitations “one or more shelves” and “the one or more discharge orifices are not installed on every shelf”. When the one or more shelves is a single shelf, it is unclear where the discharge orifices would be installed, rendering the claim vague and indefinite.
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 1-3, 5-7, 12-21 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Umehara JP 2011078467 A.
In regards to Independent Claim 1, Umehara teaches a storage system (figure 1) comprising: a storage rack system (racks 10); and a fire detection and extinguishing system (system connected to racks 10 in figure 1), the fire detection and extinguishing system comprising: a valve coupled to one or more discharge orifices (container valve for each fire extinguishing device 24, paragraph [0038]); and a linear heat detection system (22), wherein the fire detection and extinguishing system is configured to detect a fire in the storage rack system (step s5 in figure 3) and discharge a fire extinguishing material from the one or more discharge orifices to extinguish the fire (step s10 in figure 3).
Regarding Dependent Claim 2, Umehara teaches the linear heat detection system comprises one or more heat trace wires (two twisted steel conductor wires, paragraph [0045]), the one or more heat trace wires configured to react to heat from the fire (coating of wires melts in fire, causing a short between the wires, paragraph [0045]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 3, Umehara teaches the one or more heat trace wires are formed of two wires separated by a meltable plastic (two twisted steel conductor wires separated with resin coatings, paragraph [0045]), wherein the meltable plastic is configured to melt at a predetermined temperature (paragraph [0046]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 5, Umehara teaches a control panel (12) coupled to the linear heat detection system and the valve (connecting lines shown in figure 2 between 12 and 22 and 24).
Regarding Dependent Claim 6, Umehara teaches the linear heat detection system (22) is configured to send a signal to the control panel that the fire is present (step s5) and wherein the control panel is configured to send a signal to the valve to open (step s10).
Regarding Dependent Claim 7, Umehara teaches the signal sent to the control panel by the linear heat detection system (22) is an electric short (paragraph [0046]).
Regarding Dependent Claims 12-14, Umehara teaches the fire extinguishing material is water, a wet chemical, or a dry chemical (nitrogen from pressurized cylinder, paragraph [0038]).
In regards to Independent Claim 15, Umehara teaches a fire detection and extinguishing system (system of figure 1 for racks 10), the system comprising: a control panel (12); a valve communicatively coupled to the control panel (container valve for each fire extinguishing device 24, paragraph [0038]); one or more discharge orifices in fluid communication with the valve (outlet of gas, paragraph [0038]); and a linear heat detection system (22), wherein the linear heat detection system is configured to detect a fire (step s5 in figure 3) and the one or more discharge orifices are configured to discharge a fire extinguishing material onto the fire (step s10 in figure 3).
Regarding Dependent Claim 16, Umehara teaches the linear heat detection system comprises one or more heat trace wires (two twisted steel conductor wires, paragraph [0045]), the one or more heat trace wires configured to react to heat from the fire (coating of wires melts in fire, causing a short between the wires, paragraph [0045]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 17, Umehara teaches the one or more heat trace wires are formed of two wires separated by a meltable plastic (two twisted steel conductor wires separated with resin coatings, paragraph [0045]), wherein the meltable plastic is configured to melt at a predetermined temperature (paragraph [0046]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 18, Umehara teaches the valve (valve of 24) is configured to receive a signal from the control panel instructing the valve to open (paragraph [0071]), thus allowing the fire extinguishing material to be discharged through the one or more discharge orifices (paragraph [0071]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 19, Umehara teaches the fire detection and extinguishing system is configured to be installed on one or more storage racks (multiple racks 10 shown in figure 1).
In regards to Independent Claim 20, Umehara teaches a method for detection and extinguishing of a fire (steps of figure 3), the method comprising: detecting heat from a fire (step s5 in figure 3) with a linear heat detection system (22) installed on one or more storage racks (on rack 10 as shown in figure 1); and discharging a fire extinguishing material (nitrogen, paragraph [0038]) from one or more discharge orifices installed on the one or more storage racks based on the detected heat (step s10 in figure 3).
Regarding Dependent Claim 21, Umehara teaches detecting heat from the fire comprises melting a meltable plastic between two wires (two twisted steel conductor wires separated with resin coatings, paragraph [0045]) thus causing the wires to short and send a signal to a control panel (paragraph [0046], to control panel 12).
Regarding Dependent Claim 23, Umehara teaches discharging the fire extinguishing material (nitrogen, paragraph [0038]) further comprises sending a signal from a control panel to a valve to open the valve (steps s5 and s10 in figure 3) and flowing the fire extinguishing material through the valve and to the one or more discharge orifices (step s10, paragraph [0038]).
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Umehara as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Sumi JP 2009048588 A.
Regarding Dependent Claim 4, Umehara teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above. However, Umehara does not teach that the storage rack comprises a forward and rear frame, with the linear heat detection system coupled to the forward and rear frame. Sumi teaches multiple racks (stacked boxes 10 act as racks) with sensing lines (30) passing through each rack (as shown in figure 1) such that the lines pass through the forward and rear frames (30 passes through front and rear walls of each box 10, where the walls act as the frame, where the stack of boxes 10 shown in figure 1 extend from front, right side of figure, to back, left side of figure). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to pass the linear heat detection system of Umehara through front and aft frames of each storage rack, as taught by Sumi, in order to use a single line for a plurality of storage racks to reduce cost (paragraph [0007]).
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Umehara as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Seiz 3,626,487.
Regarding Dependent Claims 8-9, Umehara teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above, and Umehara further teaches the linear heat detection system comprises a first heat trace wire (22 comprises two wires, paragraph [0045]), and teaches that there is a heat trace wire on each storage rack system (fire detection including 22 for each system 10 as shown in figures 1 and 2). However, Umehara does not teach the frame comprises upper and lower shelves. Seiz teaches using a frame (frame shown in figure 1) with fire protection (sprinklers 50 on each shelf in figure 1) and upper and lower shelves (at least two shelf layers 16 in figure 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to use a known technique, in this case the multiple levels of shelving of Seiz, to improve a similar device, in this case, the storage rack of Umehara, in the same way, in this case, in order to store more items in the same area of floor space. KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007). MPEP 2143 I C.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10, 11, 24 and 25 are 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: prior art fails to teach, in combination with the other limitations of dependent claim 10, the valve, one or more discharge orifices, and a branch line extend along only the upper shelf; prior art fails to teach, in combination with the other limitations of dependent claim 11, that the first heat trace wire is coupled to the first rack and the second rack; prior art fails to teach, in combination with the other limitations of dependent claim 24, that the linear heat detection system is installed on the roof, and the one or more discharge orifices are installed on the one or more storage racks; and prior art fails to teach, in combination with the other limitations of dependent claim 25, an upper heat trace wire along an inner and outer perimeter of an upper shelf, and a lower heat trace wire along an inner and outer perimeter of a lower shelf.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN M SUTHERLAND whose telephone number is (571)270-1902. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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/STEVEN M SUTHERLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752
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