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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 12 recites “the group” which lacks antecedent basis, for examination purposes the limitation is interpreted to recite –a group--. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
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 non-obviousness.
Claims 10-11 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomoi (US 20220325095 A1, hereinafter Tomoi) in view of Hayamizu et al (US 20240318060 A1, hereinafter Hayamizu).
Regarding claim 10, Tomoi teaches a method for transporting a heat transfer fluid (cooling medium transportation pipe, paragraph 0008) in a refrigeration system or air conditioning system (an air conditioner of an automobile, paragraph 0027), comprising a circulation step of circulating the heat transfer fluid through at least one hose in the system (as described in paragraph 0027), and the at least one hose is formed of a resin (a thermoplastic resin composition for a cooling medium transportation pipe, paragraph 0023).
Tomoi teaches the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein the heat transfer fluid contains fluoroethylene, the fluoroethylene is 1,2-difluoroethylene.
However, Hayamizu teaches wherein the heat transfer fluid (working medium, paragraph 0013) contains fluoroethylene, the fluoroethylene is 1,2-difluoroethylene ((E)-1,2-difluoroethylene, paragraph 0013).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system in the teachings of Tomoi to include wherein the heat transfer fluid contains fluoroethylene, the fluoroethylene is 1,2-difluoroethylene in view of the teachings of Hayamizu in order to yield the predictable result of effectively using a working medium in which other media such as an HFC and an HFO are combined.
Regarding claims 11 and 15, the combined teachings teach wherein the 1,2-difluoroethylene contains (E)-1,2-difluoroethylene ((E)-1,2-difluoroethylene, paragraph 0013 of Hayamizu).
Claims 12-14 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomoi as modified by Hayamizu, as applied to claim 10 above, and in further view of Minor et al (US 20090314015 A1, hereinafter Minor).
Regarding claim 12, the combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein the circulation step comprises at least one step selected from the group consisting of the step of circulating the heat transfer fluid from the hose connected between an outlet of a compressor and an inlet of a condenser; the step of circulating the heat transfer fluid through the hose connected between an outlet of a condenser and an inlet of an evaporator; and the step of circulating the heat transfer fluid through the hose connected between an outlet of an evaporator outlet and an inlet of a compressor.
However, Minor teaches wherein the circulation step (paragraph 0026) comprises at least one step selected from the group consisting of the step of circulating the heat transfer fluid (paragraph 0026) from the hose (hose 61) connected between an outlet of a compressor (outlet of compressor 12, figure 1) and an inlet of a condenser (inlet of condenser 41, figure 1); the step of circulating the heat transfer fluid (paragraph 0026) through the hose (hose 62) connected between an outlet of a condenser (outlet of condenser 41, figure 1) and an inlet of an evaporator (inlet of evaporator 42, figure 1); and the step of circulating the heat transfer fluid (paragraph 0026) through the hose (hose 63) connected between an outlet of an evaporator outlet (outlet of evaporator 42, figure 1) and an inlet of a compressor (inlet of compressor 12, figure 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system in the combined teachings to include wherein the circulation step comprises at least one step selected from the group consisting of the step of circulating the heat transfer fluid from the hose connected between an outlet of a compressor and an inlet of a condenser; the step of circulating the heat transfer fluid through the hose connected between an outlet of a condenser and an inlet of an evaporator; and the step of circulating the heat transfer fluid through the hose connected between an outlet of an evaporator outlet and an inlet of a compressor in view of the teachings of Minor in order to yield the predictable result of using flexible hoses capable of handling high pressure fluids and providing a barrier against permeation loss in air conditioning and refrigeration systems.
Regarding claim 13, the combined teachings teach a refrigeration method comprising the step of performing refrigeration using the method according to claim 10 (as described in paragraphs 0014-0015 of Minor).
Regarding claim 14, the combined teachings teach, as modified, a refrigeration system (paragraph 0014 of Minor) comprising a hose (hose, paragraph 0026 of Minor) for circulating a heat transfer fluid (paragraph 0014 of Minor), wherein the heat transfer fluid (working medium, paragraph 0013 of Hayamizu) contains fluoroethylene, the fluoroethylene is 1,2-difluoroethylene ((E)-1,2-difluoroethylene, paragraph 0013 of Hayamizu), and the hose is formed of a resin (a thermoplastic resin composition for a cooling medium transportation pipe, paragraph 0023 of Tomoi).
Regarding claim 16, the combined teachings teach a hose (hose, paragraph 0026 of Minor) for a refrigeration system (paragraph 0014 of Minor), which is for use in the refrigeration system of claim 14 (paragraph 0014 of Minor).
Regarding claims 17-19, the combined teachings teach wherein the hose (hoses, paragraph 0033 of Minor) be formed of a core layer (thermoplastic veneer 12 having an inner surface 14, paragraph 0040 of Minor) and a cover layer covering the core layer (The veneer may incorporate a tie layer 18 positioned at its outer surface 16, paragraph 0040 of Minor).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DARIO DELEON whose telephone number is (571)272-8687. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm.
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/DARIO ANTONIO DELEON/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JERRY-DARYL FLETCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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