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 1-10 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, lines 16/17 recite “determine an oil level within each of the first compressor and the second compressor;”. It is unclear how an oil level is determined. What structure is used to determine the oil level.
Lines 21-26 recite “transfer oil from the other of the first compressor and the second compressor having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value to the compressor of the first compressor or the second compressor having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value.” It is unclear how oil is transferred from one compressor to another. What structure is used to transfer the oil.
Claims 15 and 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. Line 4/5 recite “determine that an oil level of two or more compressors of the plurality of compressors is below the predetermined threshold value…” and lines 11-15 recite “the compressor having the highest oil level to transfer oil from the compressor having the highest oil level to each compressor having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value.” It is unclear how independent claim 11 recites a plurality of compressors, which can be 2 or more, while claim 15 appears to claim at least three compressors, one having the highest oil level transferring oil to each of the two or more compressors having an oil level below a determined threshold. Claim 20 has the same issue.
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.
Claims 1-2, 6-7, 9-11, 14-16 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gianni et al., U.S. Patent 4,383,802.
As per claim 1, Gianni et al. disclose a compressor system (abstract) (fig. 1) comprising:
a suction manifold (16);
an oil manifold (58, 58’) [oil equalization lines];
a first compressor (12) fluidly connected to the suction manifold (16) and selectively connectable to the oil manifold (58, 58’), the first compressor comprising a first oil separator (col. 4, lines 44-50) receiving fluid from the suction manifold (16);
a second compressor (14) fluidly connected to the suction manifold (16) and selectively connectable to the oil manifold (58, 58’), the second compressor comprising a second oil separator (col. 4, lines 44-50) receiving fluid from the suction manifold (16); and
a controller (64) connected in communication with each of the first compressor (12) and the second compressor (14), the controller including a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that program the processor to:
determine an oil level (col. 5, lines 49-64) within each of the first compressor (12) and the second compressor (14);
determine that an oil level within one of the first compressor (12) and the second compressor (14) is below a predetermined threshold value; and
transfer oil from the other of the first compressor (12) and the second compressor (14) having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value to the compressor of the first compressor or the second compressor having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value (col. 6, lines 2-34).
As per claim 2, Gianni et al. as set forth above, disclose the first compressor (12) further comprises:
a first oil outlet valve (62) operable to selectively connect the first compressor (12) to the oil manifold (58, 58’); and
a first oil inlet valve (62’) operable to selectively connect the oil manifold (58, 58’) to the first compressor (12).
As per claim 6, Gianni et al. as set forth above, discloses a third compressor (15) (col. 7, lines 3-20) fluidly connected to the suction manifold (16) and selectively connectable to the oil manifold (58, 58’, 58’’), the third compressor (15) comprising a third oil separator (col. 7, lines 21-47) receiving fluid from the suction manifold (16), wherein the memory stores further instructions that program the processor to:
identify a compressor of the first compressor (12, 14), the second compressor (12, 14), and the third compressor (15) having a highest oil level; and
transfer oil from the compressor identified as having the highest oil level to at least one of the first compressor (12, 14), the second compressor (12, 14), and the third compressor (15) having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value (col. 7, line 48 to col. 8, line 44).
As per claim 7, Gianni et al. as set forth above, disclose the oil manifold (58, 58’) is fluidly connected to one or more oil outlet ports (56, 56’) of the first compressor (12) and the second compressor (14), wherein at least one of the first compressor and the second compressor is a high-side compressor having a motor (23) disposed within a discharge pressure chamber (22) of the compressor (col. 3, lines 56-67).
As per claim 9, Gianni et al. as set forth above, disclose the oil manifold (58, 58’) is fluidly connected to an internal oil sump (near bottom of casing 24) (fig. 1) of each of the first compressor (12) and the second compressor (14).
As per claim 10, Gianni et al. as set forth above, disclose the oil transferred from the other of the first compressor (12) and the second compressor (14) having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold to the compressor of the first compressor or the second compressor having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value is separated from a working fluid (col. 4, lines 32-39) flowing through the first compressor and the second compressor (col. 3, line 47 to col. 5, line 64).
As per claims 11 and 16, Gianni et al. disclose an oil distribution system and method of distributing oil (abstract) for use with a plurality of compressors (12, 14), each compressor of the plurality of compressors (12, 14) comprising an oil separator (col. 4, lines 44-50), and oil sump (near O) (fig. 1), an oil level sensor (72, 74) [float switch] operably connected to the oil sump (near O), a suction port (60, 60’), and an oil outlet port (56, 56’) fluidly connected to the oil sump, the oil distribution system comprising:
an oil manifold fluidly (58, 58’) connected to each oil outlet port (56, 56’) of the plurality of compressors (12, 14);
a plurality of oil outlet valves (62, 62’), each oil outlet valve fluidly connecting a respective oil outlet port (56, 56’) of the plurality of compressors to the oil manifold (58, 58’), each oil outlet valve of the plurality of oil outlet valves positionable between a closed position and an open position;
a plurality of oil inlet valves (62, 62’), each oil inlet valve fluidly connecting the oil manifold (58, 58’) to a respective suction port (60, 60’) of the plurality of compressors, each oil inlet valve (62, 62’) positionable between a closed position and an open position; and
a controller (64) connected in communication with each oil level sensor (72, 74), each oil outlet valve (62, 62’), and each oil inlet valve (62, 62’), the controller including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions that program the processor to:
determine that an oil level of a compressor (12, 14) of the plurality of compressors is below a predetermined threshold value based on signals received from each oil level sensor (72, 74) of the plurality of compressors;
identify a compressor of the plurality of compressors with a highest oil level based on signals received from each oil level sensor (72, 74) of the plurality of compressors;
open the oil inlet valve (62,62’) associated with the compressor having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value; and
open the oil outlet valve (62,62’) associated with the compressor having the highest oil level to transfer oil from the compressor having the highest oil level to the compressor having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value (col. 5, line 23 to col. 6, line 34).
Each valve (62, 62’) acts as both an inlet valve and an outlet valve. For example, when oil is transferred from compressor (14) to compressor (12) the outlet valve (62’) associated with compressor (14) opens to allow oil to exit and the inlet valve (62’) associated with compressor (12) opens to allow oil to enter.
As per claims 14 and 19, Gianni et al. as set forth above, disclose the memory stores further instructions that program the processor (64) to inhibit opening of the plurality of oil inlet valves (62, 62’) and the plurality of oil outlet valves (62, 62’) for a predetermined period of time subsequent to transferring oil from the compressor (12, 14) having the highest oil level to the compressor (12, 14) having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value (col. 6, line 35 to col. 7, line 2).
As per claims 15 and 20, Gianni et al. as set forth above, disclose the memory stores further instructions that program the processor to: determine that an oil level of two or more compressors (12, 14, 15) of the plurality of compressors (12, 14, 15) is below the predetermined threshold value based on the signals received from each oil level sensor of the plurality of compressors; open each oil inlet valve associated with the two or more compressors (12, 14, 15) having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value; and open the oil outlet valve associated with the compressor having the highest oil level to transfer oil from the compressor (12, 14, 15) having the highest oil level to each compressor (12, 14, 15) having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value (col. 7, line 47 to col. 9, line 16).
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 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gianni et al., U.S. Patent 4,383,802.
As per claim 8, Gianni et al. as set forth above, disclose the oil manifold (58, 58’) is fluidly connected to one or more oil outlet ports (56, 56’) of the first compressor (12) and the second compressor
(14).
Gianni et al. do not disclose at least one compressor of the first compressor and the second compressor is an intermediate pressure compressor. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use one or more intermediate pressure compressors in the multi compressor system of Gianni et al. because intermediate compressors which take a gas pressure to an intermediate pressure before its final high pressure stage are known in the art to be more efficient to run and it appears the lubricant oil management scheme would work with an intermediate pressure compressor as well.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-5, 12-13 and 17-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest A compressor system comprising: a suction manifold; an oil manifold; a first compressor fluidly connected to the suction manifold and selectively connectable to the oil manifold, the first compressor comprising a first oil separator receiving fluid from the suction manifold; a second compressor fluidly connected to the suction manifold and selectively connectable to the oil manifold, the second compressor comprising a second oil separator receiving fluid from the suction manifold; and a controller connected in communication with each of the first compressor and the second compressor, the controller including a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that program the processor to: determine an oil level within each of the first compressor and the second compressor; determine that an oil level within one of the first compressor and the second compressor is below a predetermined threshold value; and transfer oil from the other of the first compressor and the second compressor having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value to the compressor of the first compressor or the second compressor having an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value; wherein the memory stores further instructions that program the processor to: determine that a compressor determined to have an oil level that is below the predetermined threshold value is operating; and inhibit the oil inlet valve corresponding to the compressor that is not operating from opening.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK KENNETH BUSE whose telephone number is (571)270-3139. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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/M.K.B/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/ROBERT W HODGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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