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 11-20 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 11 recites the limitation "the first end cap" in lines 8-9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-13, 15, 16, 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LG Electronics Inc. (KR1020070074794).
Regarding Claim 1, LG Electronics Inc. discloses a dual purpose refrigerant pressure vessel (Figure 5) comprising: a tubular body (figure 5) extending between a first end cap (Figure 5) connected to a first end of the tubular body (Figure 5) and a second end cap (Figure 5) connected to a second end of the tubular body (Figure 5); wherein the first end cap includes a first tube (Figure 5) connected thereto and extending therethrough and including an internal portion disposed inside the tubular body (Figure 5) and an external portion disposed outside the tubular body (Figure 5); wherein the second end cap includes a second tube (figure 5) connected thereto and extending therethrough and including an internal portion disposed inside the tubular body (Figure 5) and an external portion disposed outside the tubular body (Figure 5); and wherein the internal portion of the first tube includes a distal end disposed adjacent the first end cap (Figure 5) and the internal portion of the second tube includes a distal end disposed adjacent the first end cap (Figure 5).
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Regarding Claim 2, LG Electronics Inc. discloses the internal portion of the second tube extends greater than a majority of a length along a longitudinal axis of the tubular body without contacting the first end cap (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 3, LG Electronics Inc. discloses the internal portion of the first tube extends less than the majority of the length along the longitudinal axis of the tubular body (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 4, LG Electronics Inc. discloses the distal end of the internal portion of the second tube extends along the longitudinal axis of the tubular body beyond the distal end of the internal portion of the first tube (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 6, LG Electronics Inc. discloses a mounting flange extending from the tubular body (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 7, LG Electronics Inc. discloses when the longitudinal axis of the tubular body is disposed in a vertical orientation the first end cap is disposed above the second end cap (Figure 5) and a center of the first end cap and a center of the second end cap are aligned along the vertically disposed longitudinal axis (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 8, LG Electronics Inc. discloses the tubular body is disposed in a horizontal orientation, the first end cap is disposed across from the second end cap and a center of the first end cap and a center of the second end cap are aligned along the horizontally disposed longitudinal axis (Figure 5, when horizontal).
Regarding Claim 9, LG Electronics Inc. discloses the internal portion of the second tube includes a passageway (Figure 5) that extends through the second tube (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 10, LG Electronics Inc. discloses the passageway is disposed adjacent the second end cap (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 11, LG Electronics Inc. discloses a refrigerant pressure vessel (Figure 5) comprising: a first end (Figure 5), a second end (Figure 5), and a perimeter wall extending therebetween (Figure 5), a cavity (Figure 5) defined within the first end, second end, and perimeter wall (Figure 5), a first tube (Figure 5) extending through the first end and into the cavity of the vessel (Figure 5), a second tube (figure 5) extending through the second end and into the cavity of the vessel (Figure 5), wherein, a portion of the second tube disposed within the cavity of the vessel has a length that is greater than a majority of a length of the perimeter wall along a longitudinal axis of the perimeter wall (Figure 5) and has a distal free end that is disposed adjacent to without contacting the first end cap and is contiguous with a portion of the first tube within the cavity of the vessel (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 12, LG Electronics Inc. discloses the portion of the second tube disposed within the cavity extends greater than three quarters of the length between the second end and first end of the perimeter wall along the longitudinal axis of the perimeter wall (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 13, LG Electronics Inc. discloses the portion of the first tube disposed within the cavity extends the length between the first end and the distal free end of the second tube (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 15, LG Electronics Inc. discloses a passageway 46 (Figure 5) extending through an outer surface of the second tube (Figure 5), the passageway disposed adjacent to the second end of the refrigerant pressure vessel (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 16, LG Electronics Inc. discloses the refrigerant pressure vessel is integrally formed from a single piece of material (figure 5).
Regarding Claim 19, LG Electronics Inc. discloses a mounting surface (Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 20, LG Electronics Inc. discloses the mounting surface is integrally formed with the perimeter wall (figure 5).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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(s) 5 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LG Electronics Inc. (KR1020070074794) in view of Daikin Ind. Ltd. (JP2014152946).
Regarding Claim 5, LG Electronics Inc. teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the distal end of the internal portion of the second tube and the distal end of the internal portion of the first tube each comprise an angled configuration with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body. However, Daikin Ind. Ltd teaches the distal end of the internal portion of the second tube and the distal end of the internal portion of the first tube each comprise an angled configuration 223c (Figure 5) with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body (paragraph 56). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify LG Electronics Inc. to include the above, as taught by Daikin Ind Ltd, in order to improve the flow.
Regarding Claim 14, LG Electronics Inc. teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the portions of the first and second tubes disposed within the cavity have distal free ends with angled cuts facing opposing sides of the perimeter wall, the angled cuts being between 30 and 60 degrees. However, Daikin Ind. Ltd. teaches the portions of the first and second tubes disposed within the cavity have distal free ends with angled cuts 223c (figure 5) facing opposing sides of the perimeter wall, the angled cuts being between 30 and 60 degrees (paragraph 38,55,56). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify LG Electronics Inc. to include the above, as taught by Daikin Ind Ltd, in order to improve the flow.
Claim(s) 17 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LG Electronics Inc. (KR1020070074794) in view of Bottum (U.S. Patent No. 5076066).
Regarding Claim 17, LG Electronics Inc. teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the refrigerant pressure vessel is formed from a mixture of metals. However, Bottum teaches the refrigerant pressure vessel is formed from a mixture of metals (Column 3, lines 40-43). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify LG Electronics Inc to include the above, as taught by Bottum, in order to provide material compatible with refrigerants.
Regarding Claim 18, LG Electronics Inc. teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the refrigerant pressure vessel is formed from a hard plastic. However, Bottum teaches the refrigerant pressure vessel is formed from a hard plastic (Column 3, lines 40-43). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify LG Electronics Inc to include the above, as taught by Bottum, in order to provide material compatible with refrigerants.
Applicant is duly reminded that a complete response must satisfy the requirements of 37 C.F. R. 1.111, including: “The reply must present arguments pointing out the specific distinctions believed to render the claims, including any newly presented claims, patentable over any applied references. A general allegation that the claims “define a patentable invention” without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references does not comply with the requirements of this section. Moreover, “The prompt development of a clear Issue requires that the replies of the applicant meet the objections to and rejections of the claims.” Applicant should also specifically point out the support for any amendments made to the disclosure. See MPEP 2163.06 II(A), MPEP 2163.06 and MPEP 714.02. The ''disclosure'' includes the claims, the specification and the drawings.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIZABETH J VOLZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5430. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 11am-7pm est.
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/ELIZABETH J VOLZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3733
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