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 .
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 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
1. 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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Furukawa (U.S. Patent No.: 6,098,420 A), hereinafter referred to as Furukawa ‘420.
Regarding claim 1, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose an absorption chiller comprising: an evaporator (56) configured to carry and evaporate refrigerant therein; an absorber (55) configured to generate an absorption liquid by mixing the refrigerant from the evaporator with an absorbent (57); a regenerator (53) configured to heat the absorption liquid supplied from the absorber; a condenser (54) configured to receive the refrigerant from the regenerator; and a heat pipe (1) that is arranged in at least one of the evaporator or the absorber and extends in a longitudinal direction (DR1), the heat pipe comprising a plurality of protrusions (3) that protrude from a surface of the heat pipe and are arranged in the longitudinal direction and a peripheral direction (DR2) of the heat pipe, wherein a distance (3B) between two adjacent protrusions of the plurality of protrusions in the peripheral direction is less than a distance (3C) between two adjacent protrusions of the plurality of protrusions in the longitudinal direction {as shown in Figs. 1-5 and annotated Fig. 3: Col 5, line 28 through Col 6, line 65 and Col 7, lines 38-45}.
Regarding claim 2, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe defines: a first flow path (S1) between columns of the plurality of protrusions that are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, the first flow path extending in the peripheral direction; and a second flow path (S2) between rows of the plurality of protrusions that are arranged in the peripheral direction, the second flow path extending in the longitudinal direction {as shown in Figs. 4 and 5}.
Regarding claim 3, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 2, wherein a width (U) of the first flow path in the longitudinal direction is greater than a width (V) of the second flow path in the peripheral direction {as shown in annotated Figs. 4 and 5}.
Regarding claim 4, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 2, wherein the first flow path extends in a flow direction (DRI/FL) of fluid along the surface of the heat pipe {as shown in annotated Fig. 3}.
Regarding claim 5, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 2, wherein the plurality of protrusions in each column of the plurality of protrusions are directly connected to each other in the peripheral direction (DRI) {as shown in annotated Fig. 3}.
Regarding claim 6, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 5, wherein the heat pipe further comprises a base pipe (BP) that defines the surface of the heat pipe from which the plurality of protrusions protrude, the base pipe being configured to carry a fluid therein, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions comprises: a protruded surface that protrudes from the base pipe, and a first inclined surface (FIS) that connects one end of the protruded surface to the base pipe and is inclined with respect to a radial direction (DR2) of the base pipe {as shown in annotated Fig. 2}.
Regarding claim 7, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 6, wherein the heat pipe defines a slit (S) between the first inclined surfaces of the plurality of protrusions {as shown in annotated Fig. 2}.
Regarding claim 8, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions further comprises a second inclined surface (SIS) that extends obliquely from the protruded surface toward the first flow path {as shown in annotated Fig. 2}.
Regarding claim 9, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 8, wherein a distance between the first inclined surfaces in the peripheral direction is less than a distance between the second inclined surfaces in the longitudinal direction {as shown in annotated Fig. 2}.
Regarding claim 10, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a thickness of the heat pipe with respect to a width of one of the plurality of protrusions in the peripheral direction is in a range of 0.9 to 1.5 {see Col 10, line 41-52}.
Regarding claim 11, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 1, wherein the distance (3B) between the two adjacent protrusions in the longitudinal direction is less than a length (2B) of one of the plurality of protrusions in the longitudinal direction {as shown in annotated Fig. 2}.
Regarding claim 12, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 1, wherein a length (2B) of one of the plurality of protrusions in the longitudinal direction is greater than a width (3D) of the one of the plurality of protrusions in the peripheral direction {as shown in annotated Fig. 13}.
Regarding claim 13, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 1, wherein a height (H1) of one of the plurality of protrusions from the surface of the heat pipe is greater than the distance (3B) between the two adjacent protrusions in the peripheral direction {as shown in annotated Figs. 2 and 11A}.
Regarding claim 14, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 1, wherein a height (H1) of one of the plurality of protrusions from the surface of the heat pipe is greater than a width (3B) of the one of the plurality of protrusions in the peripheral direction {as shown in annotated Figs. 2 and 11A}.
Regarding claim 15, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe is arranged in both the evaporator and the absorber {as shown in Fig. 1: Col 5, lines 56-61}.
Regarding claim 16, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose an absorption chiller comprising: an evaporator (56) configured to carry and evaporate refrigerant therein; an absorber (55) configured to generate an absorption liquid by mixing the refrigerant from the evaporator with an absorbent (57); a regenerator (53) configured to heat the absorption liquid supplied from the absorber; a condenser (54) configured to receive the refrigerant generated from the regenerator; and a heat pipe (1) that is arranged in at least one of the evaporator or the absorber, the heat pipe comprising: a base pipe (BP) that extends in a first direction (DR1) and is configured to carry a fluid therein, a plurality of protrusions (3) that protrude from a surface of the base pipe and are arranged on the surface of the base pipe in the first direction and a second direction (GR2) orthogonal to the first direction, wherein a distance (3B) between two adjacent protrusions of the plurality of protrusions in the second direction is less than a distance (3C) between two adjacent protrusions of the plurality of protrusions in the first direction {as shown in Figs. 1, 4-5 and annotated Figs. 2-3: Col 5, line 28 through Col 6, line 65 and Col 7, lines 38-45}.
Regarding claim 17, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 16, wherein the heat pipe defines: a first flow path (S1) between columns of the plurality of protrusions that are spaced apart from each other in the first direction, the first flow path extending in the second direction; and a second flow path (S2) between rows of the plurality of protrusions that are arranged in the second direction, the second flow path extending in the first direction {as shown in Figs. 4 and 5}.
Regarding claim 18, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 17, wherein a width (U) of the first flow path in the first direction is greater than a width (V) of the second flow path in the second direction {as shown in annotated Figs. 4 and 5}.
Regarding claim 19, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 17, wherein the first flow path extends in a flow direction (DRI/FL) of the fluid along the surface of the heat pipe {as shown in annotated Fig. 3}.
Regarding claim 20, Furukawa et al ‘420 disclose the absorption chiller of claim 17, wherein the plurality of protrusions in each column of the plurality of protrusions are directly connected to each other in the second direction (DR2) {as shown in annotated Fig. 3}.
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Conclusion
2. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
KR-20090098526-A to KIM YANG HUN.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMMANUEL E DUKE whose telephone number is (571)270-5290. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday thru Friday; 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday thru Friday; 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FRANTZ JULES can be reached on (571)272-6681. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EMMANUEL E DUKE/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
07/22/2026
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