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 .
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 limitation of “the outlet pipe…is positioned to overlap with the header of the first heat exchanger” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from claim 16. Applicant discloses (figure 4) that the outlet pipe (492) extend beyond the entire heat exchanger, it does not show any of the overlapping. Furthermore, the limitation of “the header of the first heat exchanger is connected to the inlet pipe in the third direction” must be shown or the feature cancelled from claim 16 The third direction is the direction of air as shown in figure 4, and the header of the first heat exchanger is connected to the inlet pipe (491) in the second direction and not the third direction (air direction). 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 Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: the limitation of “wherein the inlet pipe is connected to the one header of the pair of the first header” in line 7 appears to be a duplicated limitation of “the inlet pipe is connected to one header of the pair of first headers” in lines 1-2. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. The limitation of “wherein the outlet pipe is connected to a header of the Nth heat exchanger and is position to overlap with the header of the first heat exchanger” renders the scope of the claim indefinite since it is not clear whether applicant is claiming that a header of the Nth heat exchanger is positioned to overlap with the header of the first heat exchanger or the outlet pipe is positioned to overlap with the header of the first heat exchanger. (the latter is not supported by the drawing).
Claim 16 is further rejected as can be best understood by the examiner in which a header of the Nth heat exchanger is positioned to overlap with the header of the first heat exchanger.
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.
Claims 1-8,10-11 and 14-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jin et al. (US 20150107286A1). Regarding claim 1, Jin et al discloses (figure 4) a heat exchanger apparatus comprising a first heat exchanger (20a) comprising a plurality of refrigerant tubes (23) that are configured to receive a refrigerant and that extend in a first direction, (up and down direction) a pair of first headers (21,22) that are connected to first and second ends of the plurality of first refrigerant tubes and that extend in a second direction (horizontal), and a first fin (24) that is configured to conduct heat from the plurality of first refrigerant tubes, a second heat exchanger (30a) comprising a plurality of second refrigerant tubes (tubes of 30a) that are configured to receive the refrigerant and that extend in the first direction, a pair of second headers (31,32) that are connected to first and second ends of the plurality of second refrigerant tubes and that extend in the second direction, and a second fin (fins of 30a) that is configured to conduct heat from the plurality of second refrigerant tubes and configured to receive the refrigerant that is discharged from the first heat exchanger, and a third heat exchanger (30b) comprising a plurality of third refrigerant tubes (tubes of 30b) that are configured to receive the refrigerant and that extend in the first direction, a pair of third headers (31,32) that are connected to the first and second ends of the plurality of third refrigerant tubes and that extend in the second direction, and a third fin (fins of 30b) that is configured to conduct heat from the plurality of third refrigerant tubes and configured to receive the refrigerant that is discharged from the second heat exchanger, wherein the second heat exchanger (30a) has a lower portion (portion that is near connection tube 44) configured to receive the refrigerant that is discharged from the first heat exchanger (20A) and an upper portion (upper portion of 30a, near header 31) configured to receive the refrigerant that is heat exchanged in the second heat exchanger; and wherein the third heat exchanger (30b) has an upper portion (upper portion of 30b near connection pipe 34) configured to receive the refrigerant that is discharged from the second heat exchanger and a lower portion (lower portion of 30b near outlet pipe 5) configured to receive the refrigerant that is heat exchanged in the third heat exchanger.
Regarding claim 2, Jin et al. discloses (figure 4) an inlet pipe (11) that is configured to supply the refrigerant to the first heat exchanger (20A); and an outlet pipe (5) that is configured to receive the refrigerant that is discharged from the third heat exchanger (30b).
Regarding claim 3, Jin et al. discloses (figure 4) the inlet pipe (11) is connected to one header (21) of the pair of first headers of the first heat exchanger; and wherein the outlet pipe (5) is connected to one header (32) of the pair of the third headers of the third heat exchanger, wherein the one header of the pair of the third headers overlaps with the one header of the pair of first header in a third direction (in the A0 direction), and wherein the inlet pipe (11) is connected to one header of the pair of the first headers (21).
Regarding claim 4, Jin et al. (figure 4) discloses the inlet pipe (11) is positioned higher than the outlet pipe (5).
Regarding claim 5, Jin et al. discloses (figure 4) a first connection pipe (40) that is configured to receive the refrigerant discharged from the first heat exchanger (20A), the first connection pipe (40) being configured to supply the refrigerant to the second heat exchanger (30A), wherein the second heat exchanger (30A) is positioned lower than the inlet pipe (11).
Regarding claim 6, Jin et al. discloses (figure 4) that a second connection pipe (34) that is configured to receive the refrigerant that is heat exchanged and discharged from the second heat exchanger (30A), wherein the second connection pipe (34) is position higher than the outlet pipe (5).
Regarding claim 7, Jin et al. discloses (figure 4) a second connection pipe (34) that is configured to receive the refrigerant that is heat exchanged and discharged from the second heat exchanger (30A), wherein the second connection pipe (34) is positioned higher than the first connection pipe (40).
Regarding claim 8, Jin et al. discloses (figure 4) that the first connection pipe (40) is connected to any one header (32) of the pair of second headers of the second heat exchanger, and wherein the second connection pipe (34) is connected to the other header (31) of the pair of the second header.
Regarding claim 10, Jin et al. discloses (figure 4 and paragraph 60) that the outdoor fan (14) may suck the outdoor air AO into the outdoor unit (O) and then discharge it back to the outdoor through the outdoor heat exchanger (12). Therefore, the third heat exchanger (30B) can be considered to be upstream relative to the second heat exchanger (30A) and the second heat exchanger (30A) can be considered to be upstream relative to the first heat exchanger (20A) as the outdoor air discharge back to the outdoor through the heat exchanger 12).
Regarding claim 11, Jin et al. discloses (figures 3 and 4) that the first heat exchanger (20A), the second heat exchanger (30A), and the third heat exchanger (30B) overlap with one another in an air flow direction outside the heat exchanger apparatus.
Regarding claim 14, Jin et al. discloses (figures 3 and 4) a heat exchanger apparatus comprising a plurality of heat exchangers (20A, 30A, 30B) comprising a plurality of refrigerant tubes (23) that are configured to receive refrigerant and that extend in a first direction (up and down direction), a pair of headers (21,22) that are connected to first and second ends of the plurality of refrigerant tubes and extend in a second direction (horizontal direction), and a fin (24) that is configured to conduct heat from the plurality of refrigerant tubes, wherein the plurality of heat exchanger are N number of heat exchanger that are arranged in a plurality of rows in a third direction (AO direction) intersecting with the first direction and the second direction, wherein the N number of heat exchangers are configured to receive refrigerant sequentially in an order from a first heat exchanger (20A) to an Nth heat exchanger (30B), and wherein a (N-1)th heat exchanger (30A) of the N number of the heat exchanger is configured to guide the refrigerant to flow in an upward direction, and wherein the Nth heat exchanger (30B) of the N number of heat exchangers is configured to guide the refrigerant to flow in a downward direction. (outlet pipe 5)
Regarding claim 15, Jin et al. discloses (figure 4) an inlet pipe (11) that is configured to supply the refrigerant to the first heat exchanger (20A), and an outlet pipe (5) that is configured to receive and discharge the refrigerant from the Nth heat exchanger (30B).
Regarding claim 17, Jin et al. further discloses (figure 4) that the inlet pipe (11) is positioned higher than the outlet pipe (5).
Regarding claim 18, Jin et al. discloses (figure 4) that a lower portion of the (N-1)th heat exchanger (30A) is configured to receive the refrigerant that is discharged from (N-2)th heat exchanger (20A), wherein an upper portion of the (N-1)th heat exchanger (30A) is configured to receive the refrigerant that is heat exchanged in the (N-1)th heat exchanger, wherein an upper portion of the Nth heat exchanger (30B) is configured to receive the refrigerant that is discharged from the (N-1)th heat exchanger (30A) through connection pipe 34, and wherein a lower portion of the Nth heat exchanger (30B) is configured to receive the refrigerant that is heat exchanged in the Nth heat exchanger. (lower portion is near the outlet pipe 5)
Regarding claim 19, Jin et al. discloses the Nth heat exchanger is positioned upstream relative to the (N-1)th heat exchanger in the third direction. Jin et al. discloses (figure 4 and paragraph 60) that the outdoor fan (14) may suck the outdoor air AO into the outdoor unit (O) and then discharge it back to the outdoor through the outdoor heat exchanger (12). Therefore, the third heat exchanger (30B) can be considered to be upstream relative to the second heat exchanger (30A) as the outdoor air discharge back to the outdoor through the heat exchanger 12).
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.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 20160160427A1) in view of Jin et al. (US (US 20150107286A1). Lee et al discloses a clothing processing equipment comprising a drum (110) configured to accommodate laundry; a heat pump (140) that comprises an evaporator (141), a compressor (143), a condenser (142), and an expansion valve (144), the heat pump being configured to apply heat to air circulating through the drum. Lee does not disclose a detail of the condenser as in claim 14. Jin et al. discloses (figures 3-4) a heat pump that has a condenser comprising a plurality of heat exchangers (20A, 30A, 30B) comprising a plurality of refrigerant tubes (23) that are configured to receive refrigerant and that extend in a first direction (up and down direction), a pair of headers (21,22) that are connected to first and second ends of the plurality of refrigerant tubes and extend in a second direction (horizontal direction), and a fin (24) that is configured to conduct heat from the plurality of refrigerant tubes, wherein the plurality of heat exchanger are N number of heat exchanger that are arranged in a plurality of rows in a third direction (AO direction) intersecting with the first direction and the second direction, wherein the N number of heat exchangers are configured to receive refrigerant sequentially in an order from a first heat exchanger (20A) to an Nth heat exchanger (30B), and wherein a (N-1)th heat exchanger (30A) of the N number of the heat exchanger is configured to guide the refrigerant to flow in an upward direction, and wherein the Nth heat exchanger (30B) of the N number of heat exchangers is configured to guide the refrigerant to flow in a downward direction. (outlet pipe 5). Jin et al. discloses (paragraph 34) that the arrangement of the heat pump is for preventing frosting and improving heating performance with minimum parts and simple structure. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use Jin’s teaching in Lee’s device for a purpose of preventing frosting and improving heating performance with minimum parts and simple structure.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin et al. in view of Liow et al. (WO 2007037670A1). Jin et al substantially discloses all of applicant’s claimed invention including the limitation of the outlet pipe (5) is connected to a header (32) of the Nth heat exchanger and the header (32) of the Nth heat exchanger is positioned to overlap with the header (22) of the first heat exchanger. Jin et al does not disclose that the header of the first heat exchanger is connected to the inlet pipe in the third direction. Liow et al. discloses (figure 10) a heat exchanger apparatus that has the header (30) of the heat exchanger (50) is connected to the inlet pipe (75) in the third direction (air flow direction or row direction) so that the width of the heat exchanger is reduced since the inlet pipe does not extend to width direction. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use Liow et al.’ s teaching in Jin et al’s device for a purpose of reducing the width dimension of the heat exchanger.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 12-13 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record either taken singularly or in combination fail to disclose the invention as claimed. In particular, reference to Jin et al is the closest prior art but fail to disclose a first path, a second path, a third path as disclosed in claims 12-13 and the second connection pipe and the outlet pipe are positioned at the one header of the pair of the third header of the third heat exchanger.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yoo et al. (US 10,544,990) discloses a heat exchanger.
Sole et al. (US 10,048,024B1) discloses a two phase fluid flow distributor.
Kaneko et al. (US 2018/0216892A1) discloses a heat exchanger.
Cavarretta et al. (AU 2013405474A1) discloses a heat pump laundry dryer.
Taras et al. (WO 2014116351A) discloses a multiple tube bank heat exchange unit.
Lim et al. (US 20140069136A1) discloses cold storage heat exchanger.
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/THO V DUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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