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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1 and 4-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Betts et al(2024/0369312) taken together with Lee et al(2009/0126913).
Betts et al in figure 1D teaches a plate assembly, comprising: a first plate(first plate 100B) comprising: a first side defining a side of a conditioning channel(conditioning channel 104A), the conditioning channel configured to receive a flow of process air(mixed air 191) from a first end of the plate assembly and output a flow of conditioned air(supply air 193) from a second end of the plate assembly; and
a second side, opposite the first side, defining a side of an exhaust channel(exhaust channel 154A), the exhaust channel configured to receive at least a portion of the flow of conditioned air(portion of supply air 195), and output a flow of exhaust air. Betts et al is silent as to the exhaust channel configured to receive a flow of heat sink air and at least a portion of the flow of conditioned air.
Lee et al in figures 1 and 9 teaches a heat exchanger including alternating plates(12,14), a dry air inlet opening(22) for outside air into a dry air flow passage(16), and a wet air flow opening(26 in figure 9) for a wet air flow path(21), wherein the wet air flow path provides for a flow of heat sink air to pass a side of a plate opposite the dry air flow passage to provide indirect heat exchange with the air in the dry air flow passage(para 0038). It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the exhaust channel(154A) of Betts et al with a flow of heat sink air so that a flow of heat sink air and the portion 195 of supply air pass through the exhaust channel and output as a flow of exhaust air.
With regards to claim 4, Betts et al taken together with Lee et al further teaches wherein the exhaust channel is configured to receive the portion of the flow of conditioned air from the second end of the plate assembly.
With regards to claim 5, Betts et al taken together with Lee et al further teaches wherein the exhaust channel is configured to output the flow of exhaust air from the first end of the plate assembly.
With regards to claim 6, Betts et al taken together with Lee et al further teaches wherein the flow of process air is opposite the flow of exhaust air at the first end of the plate assembly.
With regards to claim 7, Betts et al taken together with Lee et al further teaches wherein the exhaust channel is configured to receive the flow of heat sink air from the second end of the plate assembly(noting figure 9 of Lee et al).
With regards to claim 8, Betts et al taken together with Lee et al further teaches wherein the conditioning channel is configured to receive the flow of process air from at least a half of the first side of the first plate.
With regards to claim 9, Betts et al taken together with Lee et al further teaches wherein the exhaust channel is configured to output the flow of exhaust air from at most a half of the second side of the first plate.
With regards to claim 10, Betts et al taken together with Lee et al further teaches wherein the first side of the first plate is configured to receive desiccant to dehumidify the flow of process air(para 0040 stating “wicking media , such as wicking media 110, may be positioned along the plurality of conditioning channels 104 and may include liquid desiccant that dehumidifies the mixed air 191”).
With regards to claim 11, Betts et al taken together with Lee et al further teaches wherein the conditioning channel is configured to receive the flow of process air from an outside air inlet.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2,3 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.
Claim 2 recites “wherein the exhaust channel is configured to receive the flow of heat sink air from the first end of the plate assembly.”. Betts et al taken together with Lee et al teaches an exhaust channel configured to receive the flow of heat sink air, however Betts et al taken together with Lee et al does not teach or suggest wherein the exhaust channel is configured to receive the flow of heat sink air from the first end of the plate assembly.
Claim 3 recites “wherein the flow of heat sink air includes at least a portion of the flow of process air.”. Betts et al taken together with Lee et al teaches a flow of heat sink air, however Betts et al taken together with Lee et al does not teach or suggest wherein the flow of heat sink air includes at least a portion of the flow of process air.
Claims 12-22 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 12 recites “An apparatus comprising: a first plate assembly comprising a first plate, the first plate comprising:
a first side defining a side of a first conditioning channel, the first conditioning channel configured to receive a first flow of process air from a first end of the first plate assembly, and output a first flow of conditioned air from a second end of the first plate assembly, wherein the first plate assembly is configured to output a first portion of the first flow of conditioned air as supply air to a building; and
a second side, opposite the first side, defining a side of a first exhaust channel, the first exhaust channel configured to receive a first flow of heat sink air and at least a second portion of the flow of conditioned air, and output a first flow of exhaust air; and a second plate assembly comprising a second plate, the second plate comprising:
a first side defining a side of a second conditioning channel, the second conditioning channel configured to receive a second flow of process air and output a second flow of conditioned air; and
a second side, opposite the first side, defining a side of a second exhaust channel.”.
Betts et al in figure 1D teaches a plate assembly, comprising: a first plate(first plate 100A) comprising: a first side defining a side of a conditioning channel(conditioning channel 104A), the conditioning channel configured to receive a flow of process air(mixed air 191) from a first end of the plate assembly and output a flow of conditioned air(supply air 193) from a second end of the plate assembly; and
a second side, opposite the first side, defining a side of an exhaust channel(exhaust channel 154A), the exhaust channel configured to receive at least a portion of the flow of conditioned air(portion of supply air 195), and output a flow of exhaust air. Betts et al is silent as to the exhaust channel configured to receive a flow of heat sink air and at least a portion of the flow of conditioned air.
Lee et al in figures 1 and 9 teaches a heat exchanger including alternating plates(12,14), a dry air inlet opening(22) for outside air into a dry air flow passage(16), and a wet air flow opening(26 in figure 9) for a wet air flow path(21), wherein the wet air flow path provides for a flow of heat sink air to pass a side of a plate opposite the dry air flow passage to provide indirect heat exchange with the air in the dry air flow passage(para 0038). It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the exhaust channel(154A) of Betts et al with a flow of heat sink air so that a flow of heat sink air and the portion 195 of supply air pass through the exhaust channel and output as a flow of exhaust air.
However Betts et al taken together with Lee et al does not teach or suggest a second plate assembly comprising a second plate, the second plate comprising: a first side defining a side of a second conditioning channel, the second conditioning channel configured to receive a second flow of process air and output a second flow of conditioned air; and a second side, opposite the first side, defining a side of a second exhaust channel. Claims 13-22 depend on claim 12 and hence are also allowed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT A HOPKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-1159. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 6am-4pm.
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/ROBERT A HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
July 30, 2026
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