Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 16, 2026
Application No. 18/997,541

PACKAGED GAS COMPRESSOR

Non-Final OA §102§103§112
Filed
Jan 22, 2025
Priority
Aug 31, 2022 — JP 2022-137648 +1 more
Examiner
BOBISH, CHRISTOPHER S
Art Unit
3746
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
62%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 9m
Est. Remaining
91%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 62% of resolved cases
62%
Career Allowance Rate
610 granted / 979 resolved
-7.7% vs TC avg
Strong +29% interview lift
Without
With
+28.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 4m
Avg Prosecution
32 currently pending
Career history
1021
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.0%
-39.0% vs TC avg
§103
58.0%
+18.0% vs TC avg
§102
22.0%
-18.0% vs TC avg
§112
16.3%
-23.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 979 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103 §112
CTNF 18/997,541 CTNF 84964 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 Claim 2 and its dependents are 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. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 2 recites the limitation " the only one intake port " in line 3 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-4 and 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 4437434 (herein Hitachi) . Hitachi teaches: limitations from claim 1, a packaged gas compressor (FIG. 9) comprising: a compressor body (4) that compresses a gas; a cooling fan (6) that rotates around a rotation axis to induce cooling air; an air-cooling-type heat exchanger (5) that cools a fluid introduced from the compressor body by passage of the cooling air; and an enclosure (2) that houses the compressor body, the cooling fan, and the heat exchanger (see FIG. 1 for example), wherein the enclosure has an intake port (29A-C) for the cooling air through a side surface surrounding the compressor body, the cooling fan, and the heat exchanger, the compressor body is arranged in a lower part of the enclosure (see FIG. 9 in which compressor body 4 is at a lower half of housing 2), the cooling fan is arranged above the compressor body, and is arranged such that the rotation axis is orthogonal to a height direction of the enclosure (see FIG. 9 in which fan 6 is above compressor 4; the axis of the fan is horizontal relative to the vertical height of housing 2), the heat exchanger (5) is arranged at a position on a suction side of the cooling fan (exchanger 5 is to the left (suction side) of fan 6; see white arrows in FIG. 9), the intake port (29c) is provided to overlap the compressor body in the height direction of the enclosure, and is provided at a position closer to the cooling fan than to the heat exchanger (see annotated FIG. 9 below), and the compressor body (4) is arranged to overlap, in an extending direction of the rotation axis of the cooling fan, an area between the heat exchanger and a facing surface of the side surface of the enclosure (there are four side surfaces in the cross-section of FIG. 9 forming the rectangular inner space of enclosure 2), the facing surface facing an inlet side of the heat exchanger into which the cooling air flows (see FIG. 9); PNG media_image1.png 590 618 media_image1.png Greyscale PNG media_image2.png 613 618 media_image2.png Greyscale limitations from claim 2, wherein the only one intake port (29C) is formed through the enclosure (through wall of enclosure 2; FIG. 9); limitations from claim 3, wherein the intake port (29C) is provided at a portion of the side surface of the enclosure, the portion being positioned in the extending direction of the rotation axis of the cooling fan (see FIG. 9; the port 29C is in a side surface to the right along the horizontal rotation axis of fan 6); limitations from claim 4, wherein the intake port (29C) is provided at a portion of the side surface of the enclosure (for example the right-hand side portion in FIG. 9), the portion being positioned in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the cooling fan (see FIG. 9); limitations from claim 7, wherein the cooling fan (6) is a centrifugal fan (see “sirocco” fan), and an exhaust port (30) for the cooling air is formed through an upper surface of the enclosure (FIG. 9); limitations from claim 8, wherein the packaged gas compressor includes, inside the enclosure, an exhaust duct (28) that introduces the cooling air to the exhaust port (30; see arrows FIG. (9) of the enclosure, the exhaust duct is configured such that a centerline of the exhaust duct extends in the height direction of the enclosure, the cooling fan is housed in the exhaust duct, and the cooling fan is arranged such that the rotation axis is offset, relative to the centerline of the exhaust duct, toward an area where a rotation direction of the cooling fan is a downward direction in the height direction of the enclosure (see annotated FIG. 9 below); PNG media_image3.png 440 418 media_image3.png Greyscale Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4437434 (herein Hitachi) as applied to claim 1 above . Hitachi teaches, wherein the compressor body is arranged such that an axial direction of the compressor body is parallel to the rotation axis of the cooling fan; PNG media_image4.png 440 418 media_image4.png Greyscale Hitachi teaches a scroll-type compressor rather than a screw-type compressor; However, substituting one known compressor type for another would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill as a matter of design choice to reach an expected result, in this case in order to provide a particular flow, and/or output of the system for example . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4437434 (herein Hitachi) as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of JP 2021060017 (herein Ota) . A machine translation of Ota is provided with the current Office Action and is relied upon herein. Hitachi teaches wherein a plurality of the intake ports (29A-C) are formed through the enclosure (2; FIG. 9), but does not teach a sound insulation plate at the inlet; Ota teaches a compressor (2), fan (8), and heat exchanger (5) within an exchanger; an inlet (9) in the enclosure (FIG. 1), and a sound insulation plate (11) is arranged inside the enclosure so as to face at least one of the intake ports (FIG. 1-4; “A sound insulation plate 11 is provided in the intake duct 10 to block the driving sound of the compressor main body 2 and the motor 3 from leaking to the outside.” ); It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of compressors at the time the invention was filed to provide the enclosure of Hitachi with an insulation plate near the inlet, as taught by Ota, in order to reduce the propagation of sound caused by operation of the device . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4437434 (herein Hitachi) as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of JP Kajie et al (US PGPub No. 2024/0280114) . Hitachi does not teach a tank storing a fluid supplied to the compressor, but is silent as to a fluid supply detail; Kajie teaches a compressor (3), fan (13), and heat exchanger (12, 15); and wherein a tank is adjacent the compressor (FIG. 1) to store a fluid supplied to the compressor (paragraph 21); it is noted that the tank (6) is adjacent the compressor (3) and would, in the combination with Hitachi, be placed adjacent the compressor of Hitachi which is in a region as claimed (see annotated FIG. 9 above); It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of compressors at the time the invention was filed to provide a tank, such as the gas/oil tank taught by Kajie, in the system of Hitachi, in order to provide a source of fluid of the compressor . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure : US 4264282, 2024/0280114, 20200300246, and 20190162187 teach compressor/pump enclosures; Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER S BOBISH whose telephone number is (571)270-5289. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9-5. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Essama Omgba can be reached at 469-295-9278. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /CHRISTOPHER S BOBISH/Examiner, Art Unit 3746 Application/Control Number: 18/997,541 Page 2 Art Unit: 3746 Application/Control Number: 18/997,541 Page 3 Art Unit: 3746 Application/Control Number: 18/997,541 Page 4 Art Unit: 3746 Application/Control Number: 18/997,541 Page 5 Art Unit: 3746 Application/Control Number: 18/997,541 Page 6 Art Unit: 3746 Application/Control Number: 18/997,541 Page 7 Art Unit: 3746 Application/Control Number: 18/997,541 Page 8 Art Unit: 3746 Application/Control Number: 18/997,541 Page 9 Art Unit: 3746
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 22, 2025
Application Filed
Jun 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103, §112 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
62%
Grant Probability
91%
With Interview (+28.7%)
3y 4m (~1y 9m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 979 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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