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 .
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.
Claims 1-20 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "an N-th flow path region". This limitation is unclear because is not clear if it relates to the previous mentioned “N flow path regions”.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the flow paths". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "in number". This is unclear and confusing because is unclear what is meant by number.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "an i-th flow path region". This limitation is unclear because is not clear if it relates to the previous mentioned “N flow path regions” or “first flow path region”.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "a j-th flow path region". This limitation is unclear because is not clear if it relates to the previous mentioned “N flow path regions” or “first flow path region”.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the number". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites the limitation " the cross-sectional area of the flow paths in the i-th flow path region". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites the limitation " the cross-sectional area of the flow path in the j-th flow path region". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "i and j being integers satisfying 1≤i<j≤N". This is unclear and confusing.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the number of the flow paths in the first flow path region is one". This is unclear and confusing because is unclear how can a plural be a singular.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the distance L0 being a distance in the first direction between the first opening and the second opening". This limitation appears to be a repetitive limitation.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the flow paths". This limitation is unclear and confusing because is unclear to which of the flow paths is applicant referring to.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the number". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "an k-th flow path region". This limitation is unclear because is not clear if it relates to the previous mentioned “N flow path regions” or “first flow path region”.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "a (k+1)-th flow path region". This limitation is unclear because is not clear if it relates to the previous mentioned “N flow path regions” or “first flow path region”.
Claim 6 recites the limitation " k is an integer satisfying 1≤k≤N−1". This is unclear and confusing.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the fluid flows … the fluid flows". There is insufficient antecedent basis for 2 distinct fluid flows.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the number of the flow paths in the first flow path region is one". This is unclear and confusing because is unclear how can a plural be a singular.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the flow paths". This limitation is unclear and confusing because is unclear to which of the flow paths is applicant referring to.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the number". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "an k-th flow path region". This limitation is unclear because is not clear if it relates to the previous mentioned “N flow path regions” or “first flow path region” or “i-th flow path region” or “j-th flow path region”.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "a (k+1)-th flow path region". This limitation is unclear because is not clear if it relates to the previous mentioned “N flow path regions” or “first flow path region” or “i-th flow path region” or “j-th flow path region”.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "k is an integer satisfying 1≤k≤N−1". This is unclear and confusing.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the flow paths". This limitation is unclear and confusing because is unclear to which of the flow paths is applicant referring to.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the number". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "an k-th flow path region". This limitation is unclear because is not clear if it relates to the previous mentioned “N flow path regions” or “first flow path region”.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "a (k+1)-th flow path region". This limitation is unclear because is not clear if it relates to the previous mentioned “N flow path regions” or “first flow path region”.
Claim 15 recites the limitation " k is an integer satisfying 1≤k≤N−1". This is unclear and confusing.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 7, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kwak et al. (US 20130112388), hereinafter referred to as Kwak.
Re claim 1, Kwak teaches a heat exchanger in which a fluid flows in a first direction between a first opening (107) and a second opening (109), the heat exchanger comprising:
a member (e.g. see A to C in Fig 1) forming N flow path regions (see A to C) arranged adjacent to each other along the first direction between the first opening and the second opening, N being an integer of 2 or more,
each of the N flow path regions including a flow path through which the fluid flows (e.g. see Fig 3),
a first flow path region (A) and an N-th flow path region (C) being different from each other in number and cross-sectional area of the flow paths,
the first flow path region being one of the N flow path regions located to be closest to the first opening in the first direction (see Fig 1), and
the N-th flow path region being one of the N flow path regions located to be N-th closest to the first opening in the first direction (see Fig 1).
Re claim 3, Kwak teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the number of the flow paths in the first flow path region is one (see Fig 1).
Re claim 4, Kwak teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein
a distance L1 (distance between 107 and beginning of C) and a distance L0 (distance between 107 and 109) satisfy a relational expression 0.2×L0≤L1≤0.8×L0 (the examiner notes that distance L1 is about half of that of distance L2 see Fig 1),
the distance L1 being a distance in the first direction between the first opening and a boundary between a second flow path region and the first flow path region,
the distance L0 being a distance in the first direction between the first opening and the second opening, and
the second flow path region being one of the N flow path regions located to be second closest to the first opening in the first direction.
Re claim 7 and 16, Kwak teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a length in the first direction of each of the N flow path regions is 10% to 50% of a distance in the first direction between the first opening and the second opening (see Fig 1).
Claim(s) 1, 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miyamoto et al. (US 20220221232), hereinafter referred to as Miyamoto.
Re claim 1 and 10, Miyamoto teaches a refrigerant cycle apparatus including a heat exchanger (e.g. ¶ 36, “That is, the heat exchanger 1 is used as an evaporator evaporating a refrigerant”) in which a fluid flows in a first direction between a first opening (10) and a second opening (11), the heat exchanger comprising:
a member (e.g. see different regions in Fig 2-3) forming N flow path regions (see different regions in Fig 2-3) arranged adjacent to each other along the first direction between the first opening and the second opening, N being an integer of 2 or more,
each of the N flow path regions including a flow path through which the fluid flows (e.g. see Fig 2-3),
a first flow path region (see first region in Fig 2-3) and an N-th flow path region (see second-fifth region in Fig 2-3) being different from each other in number and cross-sectional area of the flow paths,
the first flow path region being one of the N flow path regions located to be closest to the first opening in the first direction (see Fig 2-3), and
the N-th flow path region being one of the N flow path regions located to be N-th closest to the first opening in the first direction (see Fig 2-3).
Re claim 7, Kwak teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a length in the first direction of each of the N flow path regions is 10% to 50% of a distance in the first direction between the first opening and the second opening (see Fig 1).
Re claim 8 and 20, Miyamoto teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of the members stacked in a second direction intersecting the first direction (see Fig 1), the N flow path regions being formed between the members adjacent to each other in the second direction (see Fig 1).
Re claim 9, Miyamoto teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the N flow path regions with the flow paths through which a first medium as the fluid flows and the N flow path regions with the flow paths through which a second medium as the fluid flows are alternately stacked in the second direction, the first medium flows through the flow paths from the first opening toward the second opening, and the second medium flows through the flow paths from the second opening toward the first opening (see Fig 1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. (see PTO-892).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON NIEVES whose telephone number is (571)270-0392. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
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, Frantz Jules can be reached at 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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/NELSON J NIEVES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763 6/25/2026
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