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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Claims 1-15 in the reply filed on July 7, 2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claims 1-15 and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Backmann, et al. (US 2020/0139603) in view of Wasmuht, et al. (US 2012/0240522) and Sparrow, et al. (US 2014/0061958).
In reference to Claim 1, Backmann discloses a system for producing plastic films (Abstract) (a system for producing plastic films) with a heating system ([0013] and [0022]).
Wasmuht discloses a blow molding system ([0031]) that is supplied with electrical energy from an energy generating device ([0031]) (a source unit), the exhaust heat from the energy generating device is used via the exhaust gas heat exchanger ([0035]) (a heat pump and wherein the source unit comprises an exhaust heat outlet that is connected thermally to the feed of the heat pump) the exhaust gas heat exchanger can utilize the heat from the energy generating device (wherein the heat pump comprises a feed for heat and an outlet for useful heat).
Sparrow discloses a heating recuperation process that includes a heat sink ([0174]) (a heat sink unit), and is connected to the heat pump condenser ([0174]) (wherein heat sink unit comprises a process heat supply that is connected thermally to the outlet of the heat pump).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to complete the blow molding film system of Backmann using the blow molding system of Wasmuht because the blow molding of film is well known in the art. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the film system of Backmann with the blow molding system of Wasmuht because the blow molding of film creates heat that can be reused for multiple steps of the process. One of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonable expected the blow molding system of Backmann to be more efficient using the recuperation system of Wasmuht.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to complete the blow molding film system of Backmann using the heat sink system of Sparrow because the film making system creates high temperatures to create the films and needs to cool down quickly. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the film system of Backmann with heat sink system of Sparrow because the heat needs to be pulled away from the film after the stretching process. One of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonable expected the film to be able to cool down after stretching.
In reference to Claim 2, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 1, as described above.
Sparrow discloses using a evaporator and condenser in conjunction with the heat pump ([0174]) (at least one of the feed of the heat pump is an evaporator or the outlet of the heat pump is a condenser).
In reference to Claim 3, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 1, as described above.
Wasmuht discloses heat transfer circuits ([0009]) (a first heat transfer circuit that thermally connects the source unit to the heat pump).
In reference to Claim 4, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 3, as described above.
Wasmuht discloses exhaust heat outlets ([0009]) (the first heat transfer circuit comprises a first heat exchanger that is connected thermally to the exhaust heat outlet of the source unit).
In reference to Claim 5, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 4, as described above.
Wasmuht discloses a heat exchanger ([0035]) (the first heat exchanger is an air heat exchanger or a liquid heat exchanger).
In reference to Claim 6, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 4, as described above.
Wasmuht discloses the exhaust gas heat exchanger ([0035]) (a secondary source unit and the first heat transfer circuit comprises a second heat exchanger, wherein an exhaust heat outlet of the secondary source unit is thermally connected to the second heat exchanger).
In reference to Claim 7, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 4, as described above.
Sparrow discloses the non-condensable gases passing through an air scrubber ([0110) (the exhaust heat outlet of the source unit is an exhaust air outlet, wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a gas scrubber and a liquid heat exchanger).
In reference to Claim 8, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 1, as described above.
Sparrow discloses the heat pump connected to the heat sink ([0174]) (a second heat transfer circuit that thermally connects the heat sink unit to the heat pump).
In reference to Claim 9, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 8, as described above.
Wasmuht discloses an addition hot air system ([0036]) (an additional heater that is located in the second heat transfer circuit downstream of the heat pump and upstream of the heat sink unit).
In reference to Claim 10, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 9, as described above.
Sparrow discloses valves attached to the heat exchanger ([0132]) (the second heat transfer circuit comprises a bypass section with a bypass valve, wherein the bypass section at least one of opens downstream of the heat pump and upstream of the additional heater or originates from a point upstream of the heat pump and downstream of the heat sink unit).
In reference to Claim 11, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 1, as described above.
Wasmuht discloses during some times using in parallel ([0014]) (two heat pumps that are connected in parallel between the source unit and the heat sink unit).
In reference to Claim 12, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 11, as described above.
Wasmuht discloses a heat exchanger ([0035]) and an addition hot air system ([0036]) and Sparrow discloses the heat pump connected to the heat sink ([0174]) (a first heat transfer circuit that thermally connects the source unit to the heat pumps, and a second heat transfer circuit that thermally connects the heat sink unit to the heat pumps, wherein at least one of feeds of the heat pumps are arranged in series in the first heat transfer circuit or outlets of the heat pumps are arranged in series in the second heat transfer circuit).
In reference to Claim 13, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 6, as described above.
Backmann discloses a stretching unit ([0013]) (at least one of the source unit or the secondary source unit is at least one of a stretching unit, an extrusion unit, a casting unit or a draw roller unit; and/or the heat sink unit is at least one of a stretching unit, a crystalliser, a raw material drying unit or a water bath of a simultaneous stretching unit).
In reference to Claim 14, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 13, as described above.
Backmann discloses a stretching unit that stretches in the machine direction ([0013]) (the stretching unit is at least one of a transverse direction orienter, a main direction orienter or a simultaneous stretching unit).
In reference to Claim 15, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 1, as described above.
Wasmuht discloses the exhaust heat from the energy generating device is used via the exhaust gas heat exchanger ([0035]) (the source unit comprises a device for heat recovery, wherein the exhaust heat outlet of the device for heat recovery is the exhaust heat outlet of the source unit).
In reference to Claim 21, Backmann discloses a system for producing plastic films (Abstract) (a system for producing plastic films) with a heating system ([0013] and [0022]).
Wasmuht discloses a blow molding system ([0031]) that is supplied with electrical energy from an energy generating device ([0031]) (a source comprising an exhaust heat outlet connected thermally to the feed of the heat pump), the exhaust heat from the energy generating device is used via the exhaust gas heat exchanger ([0035]) (comprising a heat pump comprising a feed for heat and an outlet for useful heat) the exhaust gas heat exchanger can utilize the heat from the energy generating device.
Sparrow discloses a heating recuperation process that includes a heat sink ([0174]) (a heat sink unit), and is connected to the heat pump condenser ([0174]) (a heat sink comprising a process heat supply connected thermally to the outlet of the heat pump).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to complete the blow molding film system of Backmann using the blow molding system of Wasmuht because the blow molding of film is well known in the art. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the film system of Backmann with the blow molding system of Wasmuht because the blow molding of film creates heat that can be reused for multiple steps of the process. One of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonable expected the blow molding system of Backmann to be more efficient using the recuperation system of Wasmuht.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to complete the blow molding film system of Backmann using the heat sink system of Sparrow because the film making system creates high temperatures to create the films and needs to cool down quickly. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the film system of Backmann with heat sink system of Sparrow because the heat needs to be pulled away from the film after the stretching process. One of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonable expected the film to be able to cool down after stretching.
In reference to Claim 22, modified Backmann discloses the system of Claim 21, as described above.
Wasmuht discloses the exhaust heat from the energy generating device is used via the exhaust gas heat exchanger ([0035]) (a device for heat recovery, and the exhaust heat outlet of the source is the exhaust heat outlet of the device for heat recovery).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KELSEY C GRACE whose telephone number is (571)270-1113. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST, Friday 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST.
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KELSEY C. GRACE
Examiner
Art Unit 1742
/CHRISTINA A JOHNSON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1742
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