DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liengaard (WO 2016/091621 A1) and in view of Hebert (US 4,373,346 A).
In regards to claim 1, Liengaard discloses a refrigerator (refrigerator, see paragraphs 4 and 23) using liquid-cooled condenser (condenser 9 cooled by fluid via passage 22, see paragraph 27 and fig. 1), the refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet (compartments 3, 4) constituting a storage space (refrigerator and freezer compartments 4, 3, see paragraph 23 and fig. 1); an evaporator (see evaporators 5, 6, fig. 1) configured to receive refrigerant from outside (5, 6 receive refrigerant from condenser 9, see fig. 1) and evaporate the received refrigerant to cool the storage space of the cabinet (evaporator cooling storage chamber, see paragraphs 7, 16); a compressor (compressor 8) connected to the evaporator to receive refrigerant from the evaporator (see fig. 1) and compress the received refrigerant (see fig. 1 and paragraph 28); a liquid-cooled condenser (condenser 9 cooled by fluid via passage 22, see paragraph 27) connected to the compressor to receive the compressed refrigerant (see fig. 1), configured to cool the received refrigerant using cooling fluid to liquefy the refrigerant (condenser inherently cools high pressure and high temperature refrigerant from compressor, see fig. 1 and paragraph 17), and configured to supply the liquefied refrigerant to the evaporator (see fig. 1), wherein the liquid-cooled condenser has a structure in which plates are stacked alternately (base plate 26 and/or hollow plates stacked as inner and outer areas 15, 16, see paragraph 28) to form a space where liquid may flow (condenser cooling liquid flows through passage 20, fig. 2 and paragraph 27), and receives refrigerant from the compressor (refrigerant supplied to condenser 9 from compressor 8, see fig. 1) and receives liquid from the outside to cool the refrigerant (liquid circulated through passage 20 and plates 15, 16, fig. 2 and paragraph 28), and wherein the cooling liquid is received from a liquid supply line (cooling liquid received at heat transfer line 18 from the passages 20, 22, see fig. 1), and the cooling liquid, having cooled the refrigerant in the liquid-cooled condenser (at condenser 9, see fig. 1 and page 5, line 25 – page 6, line 6), is returned back to the liquid supply pipe (cooling liquid returned to pipe 22 after cooling refrigerant, see fig. 1) ; and
at least one capillary tube (at least capillaries 12, 13, see paragraph 23) provided between the evaporator and the water/liquid-cooled condenser (12, 13 between HX 9 and HXs 5, 6, see fig. 1), and configured to lower an internal pressure of refrigerant supplied from the liquid-cooled condenser to the evaporator (capillary tubes inherently lower internal pressure of refrigerant supplied from condenser, see fig. 1), so that the refrigerant may evaporate in the evaporator (see fig. 1 and paragraphs 14-16 and 5).
However, Liengaard is silent about the liquid used for cooling the condenser being water and the tap water being supplied from and returned back to the water supply pipe.
Hebert discloses a refrigeration system using a water-cooled condenser (water cooled condenser 132 as part of refrigeration system 10, fig. 10), the water-cooled condenser (132) connected to the compressor to receive the compressed refrigerant (see refrigerant transferred from compressor 14 to condenser 132 via precooler 24, fig. 10), configured to cool the received refrigerant using cooling water to liquefy the refrigerant (cooling water at water-cooled condenser 132 inherently cools high pressure and high temperature refrigerant from compressor to liquefy the refrigerant, see fig. 10), and configured to supply the liquified refrigerant to the evaporator (refrigerant supplied to evaporator 20, see fig. 10), wherein the water-cooled condenser (132) receives refrigerant from the compressor (refrigerant supplied to condenser 132 from compressor 14, see fig. 10) and receives water from outside to cool the refrigerant (water received by condenser 132 from outside the heat pump 12, see fig. 10), and wherein the cooling water is tap water received from a water supply line (cooling water is a tap water from source 148, which is received by the condenser 132 from a water supply line 143, see fig. 10), and the tap water, having cooled the refrigerant in the water-cooled condenser (water in line 139 after cooling condenser 132, see fig. 10), is returned back to the water supply pipe (water in line 139 is re-circulated and returned back to water supply line 143 via pump 144, see fig. 10).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the refrigerator of Liengaard by providing a water-cooled condenser as taught by Hebert and connecting the water-cooled condenser to the compressor to receive the compressed refrigerant, cooling the received refrigerant using cooling water to liquefy the refrigerant, and supplying the liquified refrigerant to the evaporator; and wherein receiving refrigerant at the water-cooled condenser from the compressor, receiving water from outside to cool the refrigerant, and receiving the tap water as the cooling water from a water supply line and cooling the refrigerant with the tap water and then returning the cooled refrigerant in the water-cooled condenser back to the water supply pipe based on the teachings of Hebert in order to improve operational efficiency of the refrigerator by using water, which has high coefficient of heat transfer, for cooling the condenser.
In regards to claim 2, Liengaard as modified teaches the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses that the cabinet comprises a first cabinet (refrigerator compartment 4, see paragraph 23 and fig. 1) and a second cabinet (freezer compartment 3, see paragraph 23 and fig. 1), and the evaporator comprises: a first evaporator (evaporator 6, see paragraph 23 and fig. 1) provided in the first cabinet to receive refrigerant from the outside and evaporate the received refrigerant to cool a storage space of the first cabinet (evaporator 6 receives refrigerant from condenser 9 and cools refrigerator compartment 4, see paragraphs 23-27 and fig. 1); and a second evaporator (evaporator 5, see paragraph 23 and fig. 1) provided in the second cabinet to receive refrigerant from the outside and evaporate the received refrigerant to cool a storage space of the second cabinet (evaporator 5 receives refrigerant from condenser 9 and cools freezer compartment 3, see paragraphs 23-27 and fig. 1).
In regards to claim 3, Liengaard as modified teaches the limitations of claim 2 and further discloses that the at least one capillary tube comprises: a first capillary tube (at least capillaries 12 or 13, see paragraph 23) provided between the water-cooled condenser and the first evaporator (capillary tube 13 provided between condenser 9 and first evaporator 6, see fig. 1 and paragraph 23), and configured to lower an internal pressure of refrigerant supplied from the water-cooled condenser to the first evaporator, so that the refrigerant may evaporate in the evaporator (capillary tube 13 inherently lowers internal pressure of refrigerant supplied from condenser 9 to evaporator 6, see fig. 1); and a second capillary tube (capillary tube 12) provided between the water-cooled condenser and the second evaporator (capillary tube 12 provided between condenser 9 and second evaporator 5, see fig. 1 and paragraph 23), and configured to lower an internal pressure of refrigerant supplied from the water-cooled condenser to the second evaporator, so that the refrigerant may evaporate in the evaporator (capillary tube 12 inherently lowers internal pressure of refrigerant supplied from condenser 9 to evaporator 5, see fig. 1), wherein between the first and second capillary tubes and the water-cooled condenser, a branch valve (directional control valve 11, see paragraph 23 and fig. 1) is provided to allow refrigerant that has passed through the water-cooled condenser (see fig. 1) to be supplied separately to the first capillary tube and the second capillary tube (see fig. 1 and paragraph 23).
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liengaard in view of Hebert as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Dahlberg (US 2020/0173695 A1).
In regards to claim 5, Liengaard as modified teaches the limitations of claim 4 and further discloses that the liquid-cooled condenser comprises: an upper plate (plate 15, see fig. 2); a lower plate (plate 16 with heat transfer line 18, see figs. 1-2) located relatively lower than the upper plate (plate 16 lower than the upper plate 15 with respect to the flow of liquid for cooling condenser 9, see fig. 1); the plates (plates 15, 16 and base plate 26, see figs. 2-3 and paragraph 28) spaced apart from each other between the upper plate (15) and the lower plate (16) to form a passage for refrigerant (via refrigerant flow path 27) and cooling liquid to pass through (via liquid flow path 17, see figs. 1-4; Also see refrigerant path from compressor 8 to condenser 9 and liquid coolant flow paths 20, 22 between plates 15 and 16, see fig. 2 and paragraph 27);
a refrigerant supply pipe (refrigerant path through compressor 8, see fig. 1) with a first end thereof connected to the compressor (refrigerant pipe connected to compressor 8, see fig. 1) and a second end thereof connected to a first upper side of the upper plate (refrigerant pipe connected to the upper side of plate 15, see fig. 1), so that refrigerant that has passed through the compressor is supplied between the plates (refrigerant passed through compressor 8 is supplied between plates 15, 16 and 26, see fig. 1); a refrigerant discharge pipe (refrigerant discharge between capillary tube 12 and upper plate 15, see fig. 1) with a first end thereof connected to a second upper side of the upper plate (refrigerant line, from capillary tube 12, connected to the upper side of upper plate 15, see fig. 1) and a second end thereof connected to the at least one capillary tube (one end of the refrigerant line connected to capillary tube 12, see fig. 1), so that the refrigerant that has passed through the passage formed between the plates is supplied to the at least one capillary tube (refrigerant passed through capillaries 12, 13, see fig. 1 and paragraph 23); and a cooling liquid supply pipe (pipe 20). In addition, Hebert teaches a cooling water supply pipe (pipes 148 and 34, fig. 10) connected to the condenser (see fig. 10) and connected to the water supply pipe (pipes 143, 148) through which the tap water flows (external make-up water supplied through pipe 148, see fig. 10), to supply the tap water to the passage formed between plates of the condenser (supplying water between plurality of baffles 134, see figs. 11-12); and cooling water discharge pipe connected to the water supply pipe (water discharge pipe 139 connected to supply pipe 34, 143, see fig. 10), to return the tap water, having passed through the passage formed between the plates, back to the water supply pipe (water discharged through pipe 139 and water supplied to circuit 141 from tap water 148, returns to water supply pipe 143, after passing through condenser passages between baffles 134, see figs. 10-12).
However, Liengaard does not explicitly teach upper and lower plates within the condenser with plurality of plates between the upper and lower plates through which refrigerant and cooling liquid pass.
Dahlberg discloses a refrigeration system (see figs. 6-7) using a liquid-cooled condenser (payload heat exchanger (PLHE) 100, see figs. 1 and 6-7 and paragraph 35) comprises: an upper plate (plate 110a with openings O1, O2, see figs. 1-2); a lower plate (one of plates 110b-110h with openings O3, O4, see figs. 1-2) located relatively lower than the upper plate (see stacked plates, fig. 1c); the plates spaced apart from each other between the upper plate and the lower plate (plurality of stacked plates between upper plate 110a and lower plates 110d-110h, see figs. 1c and 2-5) to form a passage for refrigerant (refrigerant passage between openings O1 and O2 and through the plates, see figs. 1-7 and paragraphs 34-35) and cooling liquid to pass through (cooling brine passing through the plates and between openings O3 and O4, see figs. 1-7 and paragraphs 34-35);
a refrigerant supply pipe (refrigerant path supplying refrigerant to condenser opening O1 through compressor 8, see figs. 6-7 and 1) with a first end thereof connected to the compressor (refrigerant pipe connected to compressor discharge, see figs. 6-7) and a second end thereof connected to a first upper side of the upper plate (refrigerant pipe connected to opening O1 of the upper plate 110a, see figs. 6-7), so that refrigerant that has passed through the compressor is supplied between the plates (refrigerant supplied to O1, see figs. 6-7 and paragraph 35 1);
a refrigerant discharge pipe (refrigerant discharge pipe connected to openings SO2 and O2, see figs. 6-7) with a first end thereof connected to a second upper side of the upper plate (refrigerant pipe connected to valve OWV1 and opening O2 of the upper plate 110a, see figs. 6-7) and a second end thereof connected to the expansion valves (refrigerant pipe from valve OWV1 connected to second expansion valve EXPV2, see figs. 6-7 and paragraphs 36-38), so that the refrigerant that has passed through the passage formed between the plates is supplied to the expansion valve (refrigerant passed through the passages between plates 110a-110h is supplied to expansion valve EXPV2, see paragraph 38 and figs. 6-7);
a cooling liquid supply pipe (fluid lines connected to openings O3, O4 with liquid brine for cooling condenser 100 (PLHE), see figs. 6-7 and paragraph 35) connected to a second lower side of the upper plate to allow cooling liquid supplied from the outside to be supplied between the plates (liquid brine supplied through opening O4, see figs. 1-7 and paragraph 35); connected to liquid supply pipe through which liquid is supplied to the passage formed between the plates (supply pipe connected to O3 to supply liquid to the passage formed between the plates, see paragraphs 27-28, 34-35 and fig. 7); and a cooling liquid discharge pipe (pipe at O3) connected to a first lower side of the upper plate (fluid line connected to opening O3 with liquid brine exiting the plate area of condenser 100 (PLHE), see figs. 6-7 and paragraph 35) to allow the cooling liquid that has passed through the passage formed between the plates to be discharged to the outside (see liquid brine being removed from condenser 100 by passing through the plates of condenser PLHE 100, figs. 6-7 and paragraphs 27-28, 35-38) and connected to the liquid supply pipe (pipe at O4), to return the liquid to the liquid supply pipe (liquid supplied from O3 to O4, see fig. 7 and paragraphs 34-35) having passed through the passage formed between the plates (supply pipe connected to O3 to supply liquid to the passage formed between the plates, see paragraphs 27-28, 34-35 and fig. 7).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the refrigerator of Liengaard as modified by providing a plate condenser comprising upper and lower plates along with plurality of intermediate plates, wherein the plates are spaced apart from each other between the upper plate and the lower plate to form a passage for refrigerant and cooling liquid to pass through; a refrigerant supply pipe with a first end thereof connected to the compressor and a second end thereof connected to a first upper side of the upper plate, so that refrigerant that has passed through the compressor is supplied between the plates; a refrigerant discharge pipe with a first end thereof connected to a second upper side of the upper plate and a second end thereof connected to the expansion valves, so that the refrigerant that has passed through the passage formed between the plates is supplied to the expansion valve; and a cooling liquid supply pipe connected to a second lower side of the upper plate to allow cooling liquid supplied from the outside to be supplied between the plates; and a cooling liquid discharge pipe connected to a first lower side of the upper plate to allow the cooling liquid that has passed through the passage formed between the plates to be discharged to the outside based on the teachings of Dahlberg in order to increase the surface area of liquid-cooled condenser by passing refrigerant and cooling liquid through the plurality of stacked plates of the liquid-cooling condenser to increase the rate of heat transfer through the condenser.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 1-9 of Remarks, filed 6/16/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-5 under 35 U.S.C. over Liengaard in view of Nakajina have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Liengaard in view of Hebert.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MERAJ A SHAIKH whose telephone number is (571)272-3027. The examiner can normally be reached on M-R 9:00-1:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jianying Atkisson can be reached on 571-270-7740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MERAJ A SHAIKH/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JIANYING C ATKISSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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