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 § 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, 4-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakamura et al. (US 20060096314), hereinafter referred to as Nakamura.
Re claim 1, Nakamura teaches a double pipe for heat exchange in which an inner pipe (e.g. 162) is inserted into an outer pipe (e.g. 161) to enable heat exchange among a heat medium (e.g. ¶ 42, “a double-wall pipe 160 for carrying a refrigerant is typically used for a refrigerant cycle device 100”) flowing through an inner flow path in the inner pipe and an outer flow path between the inner pipe and the outer pipe (see Fig 11), comprising:
in a straight pipe portion (see e.g. Fig 3) extending linearly in a pipe lengthwise direction so as to constitute a heat exchange portion (see e.g. Fig 3),
a pipe wall of the inner pipe having a plurality of convex portions (see convex portion in Fig 7 indicated in part by 162) in a circumferential direction so as to form a concave/convex cross-sectional shape (e.g. Fig 4), and
in the pipe wall of the inner pipe, an inclined pipe wall portion (see portion in Fig 7 indicated in part by 162) whose convex portion extends spirally in the pipe lengthwise direction and a turbulence-generating pipe wall portion (162d; ¶ 94, “The helical grooves 162 d of the inner pipe 162 generate a turbulent stream in the passage 160 a”) whose convex portion has a lead angle different from that of the inclined pipe wall portion being formed in series in the pipe lengthwise direction (see Fig 7).
Re claim 4, Nakamura teaches the double pipe for heat exchange according to claim 1, wherein the inclined pipe wall portion and the turbulence-generating pipe wall portion in the pipe wall of the inner pipe have a constant cross-sectional shape across the entire length (see Fig 11).
Re claim 5, Nakamura teaches the double pipe for heat exchange according to claim 1, wherein the convex portion of the inclined pipe wall portion extends spirally in the pipe lengthwise direction at a constant lead angle (see Fig 11).
Re claim 6, Nakamura teaches the double pipe for heat exchange according to claim 1, wherein the inclined pipe wall portion is located on each side of the turbulence-generating pipe wall portion in the pipe lengthwise direction (see Fig 11).
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cho (US 20200248845), hereinafter referred to as Cho.
Re claim 1, Cho teaches a double pipe for heat exchange in which an inner pipe (e.g. 10) is inserted into an outer pipe (e.g. 20) to enable heat exchange among a heat medium (e.g. ¶ 36, “a refrigerant”) flowing through an inner flow path in the inner pipe and an outer flow path between the inner pipe and the outer pipe (see Fig 8), comprising:
in a straight pipe portion (see e.g. Fig 8) extending linearly in a pipe lengthwise direction so as to constitute a heat exchange portion (see e.g. Fig 8),
a pipe wall of the inner pipe having a plurality of convex portions (see convex portion in Fig 4) in a circumferential direction so as to form a concave/convex cross-sectional shape (e.g. Fig 4), and
in the pipe wall of the inner pipe, an inclined pipe wall portion (see ¶ 38) whose convex portion extends spirally in the pipe lengthwise direction and a turbulence-generating pipe wall portion (e.g. 16) whose convex portion has a lead angle different from that of the inclined pipe wall portion being formed in series in the pipe lengthwise direction (see Fig 4).
Re claim 2, Cho teaches the double pipe for heat exchange according to claim 1, wherein the turbulence-generating pipe wall portion is shorter than the inclined pipe wall portion in the pipe lengthwise direction (see Fig 4).
Re claim 3, Cho teaches the double pipe for heat exchange according to claim 1, wherein the turbulence-generating pipe wall portion includes a straight pipe wall portion whose convex portion extends linearly in the pipe lengthwise direction (see Fig 4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. (see PTO-892).
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/NELSON J NIEVES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763 7/28/2026
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