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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 7, 8, 10, 11, 16 and 17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 02/16/2026. The claims are withdrawn by the examiner because the claims are directed to subject matter not disclosed by the elected species.
Applicant's election with traverse of Species II in the reply filed on 02/16/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that invention I and II, both are directed to similar subject matter, therefore the different species should be examined together. This is not found persuasive because each of the species discloses different features from the invention. For example, Species I disclose the support member could be at three different temperatures, wherein each temperature is related to different support member position, wherein the support members expand and contracts when heated or cooled changing the angle between connection points and showing an angle difference. Species II discloses the support members offset from touching the inner shell by means of a bracket. The support member in species II is separated from outer surface of the inner shell by the bracket, such that the support member does not intersect the inner shell at any point. Further, in Species II, thermal strain of the support member reduced by use of low coefficient of thermal expansion materials.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 “first support ring” and “second support ring”, as required in claim 18, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). Figure 4 shows reference numerals 406 and 408 disclosed in the written description as the first and second rings, however, nowhere in the drawings is shown in detailed the first and second support rings. 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 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 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Claxton (3,021,027).
Claim 1
Claxton discloses a storage container comprising an inner shell (10) comprising an inner surface forming a cavity (open space within the inner shell); and an outer surface; an outer shell (12) disposed around the inner shell; and a plurality of support members (20 and/or 30) disposed between the inner shell and the outer shell (see figure 1), each of the plurality of supports comprising a first end coupled to the inner shell at an angle about tangent to the outer surface of the inner shell at a point where the first end is closest to the outer surface; and a second end coupled to the outer shell (see figure 2 and column 1 lines 58-62).
Claim 2
Claxton further discloses the first end is coupled to the inner shell with a bracket (22 and/or 32) (see figure 1).
Claim 3
Claxton further discloses the second end is coupled to the outer shell with a bracket (24 and/or 34).
Claim 12
Claxton discloses a storage container comprising an inner shell (10) comprising an inner surface forming a cavity (open space within the inner shell); and an outer surface; an outer shell (12) disposed around the inner shell; and a plurality of support members (20 and/or 30) disposed between the inner shell and the outer shell, each of the plurality of supports comprising a first end coupled to the inner shell at an angle about tangent to the outer surface of the inner shell at a point where the first end is closest to the outer surface; a second end coupled to the outer shell (see figure 1 and column 1 lines 58-62); and a bracket (defined by 22 and/or 32) offsetting the first end from the outer surface of the inner shell (see figure 1).
Claim 13
Claxton further discloses a cross section of each of the inner shell and the outer shell is circular, such that a first cross section of the inner shell is concentric with a second cross section of the outer shell (see figure 2).
Claim 14
Claxton further discloses the bracket includes a pin and the first end is coupled to the pin, such that the support member actuates about a central axis of the pin during heating or cooling of the inner shell (see column 2 lines 23-30).
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Faure (US 9,938,025).
Claim 18
Faure discloses a liquid gas storage container (1) comprising an inner shell (100), comprising a first inner surface forming a cavity (defined by interior space of the inner shell); and a first outer surface; an outer shell (10) disposed around the inner shell and comprising a second inner surface; and a support structure (defined by any of first means 2a-2d) disposed between the first outer surface and the second inner surface and comprising a first support ring (defined by opening in which pin 51 is inserted within joint 53) contacting the first outer surface; a second support ring (defined by opening which pin 53 is inserted within joint 54) contacting the second inner surface; and a plurality of support members disposed between the inner shell and the outer shell, each of the plurality of supports (30) comprising a first end (defined by joint 53) coupled to a first bracket (defined by portion of attachment 103 engaging with joint 53) within the first support ring, the first end disposed at an angle about tangent to the outer surface of the inner shell at a point where the first end is closest to the outer surface; and a second end coupled to a second bracket (defined by portion of attachment 11 engaging with joint 54) within the second support ring (see figures 3-5).
Claim 19
Faure further discloses the first bracket offsets the first end of the support member from the first outer surface (see figure 5).
Claim 20
Faure further discloses the first bracket includes a first pin and the second bracket include a second pin, such that the first end of the support member is coupled to the first pin while the second end of the support member is coupled to the second pin and the support member actuates around each of the first pin and the second pin during heating or cooling of the inner shell (see figure 5, column 5 lines 64-67, column 6 lines 1-3, lines 65-67, and column 7 lines 1-6).
Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US 2014/0069931).
Claim 1
Kim discloses a liquid gas (LNG) storage container (80) (see abstract) comprising an inner shell (81), comprising an inner surface forming a cavity (defined by interior space of the inner shell); and an outer surface; an outer shell (82) disposed around the inner shell; and a plurality of support members (83) disposed between the inner shell and the outer shell, each of the plurality of supports comprising a first end (defined by end of the support member coupled to the inner shell at connection 83a) coupled to the inner shell at an angle about tangent to the outer surface of the inner shell at a point where the first end is closest to the outer surface; and a second end (defined by end of support 83 coupled to the outer shell at connection point 83a) coupled to the outer shell (see figure 21).
Claim 4
Kim further discloses each of the plurality of support members is a metal material (see [0203]).
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.
Claims 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2014/0069931) as applied to claim 1 above.
Claims 5 and 6
Kim discloses the inner shell is made of stainless steel (see [0204]). Kim does not explicitly disclose the metal support is stainless steel or aluminum. However, Kim, embodiment of figure 23, discloses inner shell (511) is made from a metal material that can withstand the low temperature of the LNG, for example aluminum or stainless steel (see [0098]) while support member (517) may be made from a metal material that withstands the low temperature of LNG (see [0107]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the metal core being made from stainless steel material because stainless steel is a known metal to withstand the low temperature of the liquid natural gas.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2014/0069931) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Schuler (4,129,146).
Kim is silent about the size of the cavity. However, Schuler discloses a liquid natural gas tank of 25,000 cubic meters (see column 2 lines 30-36). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the storage tank of Kim having the required storage capacity as taught by Schuler because liquified natural gas tanks holding more than 1,300 cubic meters are well-known and common in the art.
Claims 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2014/0069931) in view of Faure (US 9,938,025).
Claim 12
Kim discloses a liquid gas storage container (80) comprising an inner shell (81), comprising an inner surface forming a cavity (defined by interior space of the inner shell); and an outer surface; an outer shell (82) disposed around the inner shell; a plurality of support members (83) disposed between the inner shell and the outer shell, each of the plurality of supports comprising a first end (defined by end of the support member coupled to the inner shell at connection 83a) coupled to the inner shell at an angle about tangent to the outer surface of the inner shell at a point where the first end is closest to the outer surface; and a second end (defined by end of support 83 coupled to the outer shell) coupled to the outer shell (see figure 21). Kim discloses the first and second ends of the support members coupled to the outer and inner shells by support points (83a), but other methods of connecting the support points to the inner and outer shell could be used (see [0208]). Kim does not disclose a bracket offsetting the first end from the outer surface of the inner shell. However, Faure discloses brackets (103 and 11) coupled to an inner and outer shells for attaching support members (30) disposed between the inner and outer shells (see figure 5 and column 6 lines 4-9). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to replace the attachment connection of the support members from support points for brackets as taught by Faure since both types of connection are equivalent in the art and will perform the function attaching the inner shell to the outer shell equally well.
Claim 13
Kim further discloses a cross section of each of the inner shell and the outer shell is circular, such that a first cross section of the inner shell is concentric with a second cross section of the outer shell (see figure 21).
Claim 14
Faure further discloses the bracket includes a pin (51) and a first end (53) is coupled to the pin (see figure 5). Kim discloses the inner shell is made from a metal material that could withstand low temperature of negative 120 to negative 95 Celsius Degrees (see [0036] and [0037]). After Kim is modified by Faure, the support member will actuate about a central axis of the pin during heating or cooling of the inner shell.
Claim 15
Kim further discloses two support members attached to a single connection point (83a) (see figure 21). After Kim is modified by Faure, two support members will be coupled to the same bracket at the first end, such that both of the support members are coupled to the pin and both support members actuate about the central axis of the pin during heating or cooling of the inner shell.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAFAEL A. ORTIZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5240. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Orlando E. Aviles can be reached at 571-270-5531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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RAFAEL A. ORTIZ
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3736
/RAFAEL A ORTIZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3736