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 § 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) 1-2 and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhu et al. (CN 206847904, hereafter Zhu)
With respect to claim 1, Zhu teaches a device for testing a low-temperature cavitation of an inducer, comprising: an inducer cavitation test assembly (inducing wheel testing section 22) having an inlet connected with a gas storage tank (high pressure gas bottle 22) configured for conveying gas and an outlet, a first liquid storage tank (horizontal liquid feed tank 1) storing a liquid medium therein and having an inlet and an outlet; and a temperature control assembly (8, 18) having an inlet connected to the outlet of the first liquid storage tank and an outlet also connected with the inlet of the inducer cavitation test assembly, the outlet of the inducer cavitation test assembly is connectable with the inlet of the first liquid storage tank, (through tank 26) the temperature control assembly controlling a temperature of the liquid medium from the first liquid storage tank into the inducer cavitation test assembly, wherein the inducer cavitation test assembly is configured for testing an inducer. (Abstract, translation pages 4-5, Fig. 1)
With respect to claim 2, Zhu teaches a conventional inducer test assembly provided with a conventional inducer test station for testing and having an inlet connected with the outlet of the first liquid storage tank through a pipeline, and an outlet; and a second liquid storage tank (vertical liquid collecting tank 26) having an inlet connected to the outlet of the conventional inducer test assembly and an outlet connected with the inlet of the first liquid storage tank. (Abstract, translation pages 4-5, Fig. 1)
With respect to claim 9, Zhu, as modified, teaches a test method employing the device for testing the low-temperature cavitation of the inducer according to claim 1, comprising the following working conditions: under a first working condition, when the inducer is tested under a gas evolution working condition: starting the inducer inside the inducer cavitation test assembly to work, opening a valve at the outlet of the first liquid storage tank, introducing the liquid medium from the first liquid storage tank into the pipeline, first controlling the temperature of the liquid medium in the temperature control assembly in accordance with the temperature of test requirements, then filling the pipeline at the inlet of the inducer cavitation test assembly with gas through a delivery pump, simulating the gas evolution working condition, detecting the gas content by the optical probe, then introducing the liquid medium with evolved gas into the inducer cavitation test assembly, visually observing the working condition of the inducer inside the inducer cavitation test assembly, introducing the liquid medium with evolved gas into the supercooling tank through the inducer cavitation test assembly, so that the evolved gas is liquefied into liquid at low temperature and the liquid returns back to the first liquid storage tank to complete the liquid cycle; under a second working condition, when the inducer is tested under a conventional working condition: opening a valve outside the first liquid storage tank, introducing the liquid medium from the first liquid storage tank into the pipeline and into the conventional inducer test station of the conventional inducer test assembly, carrying out an inducer test under the conventional working condition, and returning the liquid medium back to the first liquid storage tank to complete the cycle. (Abstract, translation pages 5-6, Fig. 1)
With respect to claim 10, Zhu teaches a conventional inducer test assembly provided therein with a conventional inducer test station for testing, an inlet connected with the outlet of the first liquid storage tank through a pipeline, and an outlet; and a second liquid storage tank having an inlet connected to the outlet of the conventional inducer test assembly and an outlet connected with the inlet of the first liquid storage tank. (Abstract, translation pages 4-5, Fig. 1)
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 3-8 and 11-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu.
With respect to claim 3 and 11, although Zhu does not explicitly teach a heater connected with the temperature control assembly, being configured for heating the temperature control assembly, this addition would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art in order to better control the temperature by being able to add heat directly.
With respect to claim 4 and 12, although Zhu does not explicitly teach a pressure control box connected with the outlet of the first liquid storage tank, the pressure control box being further connected with the heater and configured for connecting with the inlet of the second liquid storage tank, this addition would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed in order to be able to more particularly control the state of the liquid as it moves through the system.
With respect to claims 5 and 13, Zhu teaches a vacuum pump (second vacuum pump) located on a pipeline (at interface 11) between the outlet of the first liquid storage tank and the inlet of the inducer cavitation test assembly. (Abstract, translation pages 4-5, Fig. 1) While Zhu does not explicitly teach an optical probe provided on a pipeline between the outlet of the temperature control assembly and the inlet of the inducer cavitation test assembly, configured to detect content of gas entering into the inducer cavitation test assembly, this addition would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed in order to be able to more closely monitor the inputs to the test assembly.
With respect to claims 6 and 14, Zhu teaches a thermometer and a first pressure gauge (inlet temperature and pressure sensor 18) provided on the pipeline between the outlet of the temperature control assembly and the inlet of the inducer cavitation test assembly. (Abstract, translation pages 4-5, Fig. 1) Although Zhu does not explicitly teach a supercooling tank and a flowmeter provided on a pipeline between the outlet of the inducer cavitation test assembly and the inlet of the second liquid storage tank, the supercooling tank being connected with a make-up pump through a pipeline, this addition would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed in order to additionally control the state of the flow through the system.
With respect to claims 7 and 15, although Zhu does not explicitly teach wherein the inlet of the inducer cavitation test assembly is connected with the outlet of the inducer cavitation test assembly through a pipeline provided with a second pressure gauge, this addition would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed in order to monitor the pressure of the liquid as it moves through the test assembly.
With respect to claims 8 and 16, the inducer cavitation test assembly comprises: an inducer cavitation visual test station configured for receiving an inducer therein, and a camera, (high speed camera 12) wherein the camera is located outside the inducer cavitation visual test station. (Abstract, translation pages 4-5, Fig. 1) Although Zhu does not explicitly teach the inducer being provided with a plurality of equally-spaced pressure pulsation sensors and a plurality of equally-spaced temperature sensors along a helical direction of blades of the inducer a fill light, this addition would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed in order to detect the state of the inducer during the testing process.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. CN 103969140; US 2015/0039268; KR 20150118606; CN 106053041; CN 106198609; and CN 111024366 each teach an apparatus having similarities to the claimed subject matter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jill E Culler whose telephone number is (571)272-2159. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00.
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/JILL E CULLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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