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 .
This is the first Office action responsive to application 19116803 filed 3/28/2025. Claims 1-13 are pending.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-4, 6-9, & 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding Claim 1, the following amendments are suggested:
A burner comprising:
a mixing pipe that extends in a predetermined extending direction and in which a mixing space for mixing air and fuel is formed; and
a fuel nozzle that extends in the predetermined extending direction, of the fuel nozzle being [[is]] disposed in the mixing space,
wherein the mixing pipe has an air inlet through which the air can flow into the mixing space, and an ejection port through which a premixed gas formed from the air and the fuel
the ejection port is formed at [[an]] a downstream end of the mixing pipe
the fuel nozzle has a nozzle main body that extends in the predetermined extending direction, and a protrusion portion that protrudes from an outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body and is separated from an inner peripheral surface of the mixing pipe,
the nozzle main body has a fuel ejection port that can eject the fuel into the mixing space from a position which is
the protrusion portion along the predetermined extending direction as the protrusion portion extends in a circumferential direction with reference to the nozzle main body, and [[an]] the entire
Regarding Claim 2, the following amendments are suggested:
The burner according to Claim 1,
wherein a maximum protrusion amount of the protrusion portion from the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body is equal to or less than a half of a minimum distance from (a) a portionat which the protrusion portion is located (b) the inner peripheral surface of the mixing pipe.
Regarding Claim 3, the following amendments are suggested:
The burner according to Claim 1,
wherein a maximum protrusion amount of the protrusion portion from the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body is equal to or less than 20% of a minimum distance from (a) a portionat which the protrusion portion is located (b) the inner peripheral surface of the mixing pipe.
Regarding Claim 4, the following amendments are suggested:
The burner according to Claim 1,
wherein the fuel ejection port is formed at [[an]] a downstream end of the nozzle main body
the protrusion portion is formed the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body from the downstream end of the nozzle main body an upstream [[side]] end of the nozzle main body.
Regarding Claim 6, the following amendments are suggested:
The burner according to Claim 5,
wherein the mixing space has a reduced area portion of which a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the extending direction along the predetermined extending direction, and
the reduced area portion is formed in a region [[in]] at which the protrusion portion is located along the predetermined extending direction.
Regarding Claim 7, the following amendments are suggested:
The burner according to Claim 6, further comprising:
a nozzle support configured to support the fuel nozzle inside the mixing space,
wherein the nozzle support connects the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body and the inner peripheral surface of the mixing pipe from the reduced area portion
Regarding Claim 8, the following amendments are suggested:
The burner according to Claim 1,
wherein the mixing space has a cylindrical shape, and
the nozzle main body is disposed on a
Regarding Claim 9, the following amendments are suggested:
The burner according to Claim 8,
wherein the nozzle main body has a large-diameter portion having a cylindrical shape around the
the reduced diameter portion is connected to [[an]] a downstream end of the large-diameter portion along the predetermined extending direction,
the small-diameter portion is connected to [[an]] a downstream end of the reduced diameter portion along the predetermined extending direction,
an upstream end of the protrusion portion is located at a boundary between the large- diameter portion and the reduced diameter portion in the extending direction,
a downstream end of the protrusion portion is located at [[an]] a downstream end of the small-diameter portion
a distance from the predetermined extending direction.
Regarding Claim 11, the following amendments are suggested:
A cluster burner combustor comprising:
a plurality of [[the]] burners according to Claim 1; and
a pipe in which the premixed gas ejected from of the ejection port of each of the plurality of burners can be combusted,
wherein the predetermined extending directions of the plurality of burners are parallel, and
positions of the ejection ports of the plurality of burners in the predetermined extending directions are aligned with each other.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-6, 8, 10, & 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Boardman 20130047619.
Regarding Independent Claim 1, Boardman teaches a burner (Figs. 2-4) comprising:
a mixing pipe (64) that extends in a predetermined extending direction (along axis of 64) and in which a mixing space (70) for mixing air and fuel is formed; and
a fuel nozzle (74) that extends in the extending direction and of which at least a part is disposed in the mixing space (see Fig. 2),
wherein the mixing pipe has an air inlet (at upstream end of 64, accepts air from compressor 4 shown in Fig. 1) through which the air can flow into the mixing space, and an ejection port (at downstream end of 64) through which a premixed gas in which the air and the fuel are mixed can be ejected from the mixing space,
the ejection port is formed at an end of the mixing pipe on a downstream side (ejection port discussed above is at the downstream end of 64), out of an upstream side which is one side in the extending direction and the downstream side which is the other side of the extending direction (see Fig. 2),
the fuel nozzle has a nozzle main body (main body of 74) that extends in the extending direction, and a protrusion portion (at 87) that protrudes from an outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body and is separated from an inner peripheral surface of the mixing pipe (protrusions extend from surfaces defined along 104 and are separated from inner surface of 64),
the nozzle main body has a fuel ejection port (at downstream end of 74 from 148; para. [0018]) that can eject the fuel into the mixing space from a position which is on the downstream side of the air inlet and on the upstream side of the ejection port (fuel ejection port is at downstream end of 74, which is downstream from the air inlet and upstream of the downstream end of 64), and
the protrusion portion gradually extends to the downstream side as the protrusion portion extends in a circumferential direction with reference to the nozzle main body (protrusion portion at 87 gradually extends downstream and extends circumferentially about 74), and an entire portion of the protrusion portion is formed in a spiral shape around the nozzle main body (entire portion of protrusion portion at 87 is formed in a spiral shape around 74).
Regarding Dependent Claim 2, Boardman further teaches a maximum protrusion amount of the protrusion portion from the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body is equal to or less than a half of a minimum distance from a portion, which is a part of the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body and in which the protrusion portion exists in the extending direction, to the inner peripheral surface of the mixing pipe (protrusion portion at 87 less than half the minimum distance from 74 to 64).
Regarding Dependent Claim 3, Boardman further teaches a maximum protrusion amount of the protrusion portion from the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body is equal to or less than 20% of a minimum distance from a portion, which is a part of the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body and in which the protrusion portion exists in the extending direction, to the inner peripheral surface of the mixing pipe (protrusion portion at 87 less than 20% of the minimum distance from 74 to 64).
Regarding Dependent Claim 4, Boardman further teaches the fuel ejection port is formed at an end of the nozzle main body on the downstream side (fuel ejection port from 148 is at downstream end of 74), and the protrusion portion is formed in a predetermined range on an outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body from the end of the nozzle main body on the downstream side toward the upstream side of the nozzle main body (protrusion portion at 87 is formed along predetermined range from downstream end of 74 in the upstream direction).
Regarding Dependent Claim 5, Boardman further teaches the protrusion portion is formed only in the mixing space (protrusion portion at 87 is formed only in 70).
Regarding Dependent Claim 6, Boardman further teaches the mixing space has a reduced area portion of which a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the extending direction gradually decreases toward the downstream side (cross sectional area of 70 decreases at location of 87), and the reduced area portion is formed in a region in which the protrusion portion exists in the extending direction (reduced area portion just discussed is at region of 87).
Regarding Dependent Claim 8, Boardman further teaches the mixing space is a space having a cylindrical shape (70 is cylindrical), and the nozzle main body is disposed on a space central axis of the mixing space (74 disposed on central axis of 70).
Regarding Dependent Claim 10, Boardman further teaches a combustor (Fig. 1, combustor 5) comprising: the burner according to Claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above); and a pipe (body of combustor 5) in which the premixed gas ejected from the ejection port of the burner can be combusted.
Regarding Dependent Claim 12, Boardman further teaches a gas turbine (Fig. 1) comprising: the combustor according to Claim 10 (see rejection of claim 10 above); a compressor (4) configured to compress air to generate compressed air and supply the compressed air to the burner; and a turbine (10) configured to be driven by a combustion gas generated by the combustion of the premixed gas in the pipe of the combustor.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boardman, as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Hase 20130180251.
Regarding Dependent Claim 7, Boardman teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above for claim 6, but Boardman fails to expressly teach a nozzle support configured to support the fuel nozzle inside the mixing space, wherein the nozzle support connects the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body and the inner peripheral surface of the mixing pipe at a position on the upstream side of a region in which the reduced area portion is formed in the extending direction.
Hase teaches a burner (Fig. 1) with a mixing pipe (12), a fuel nozzle (3/10), a mixing space (between 12 and 2), wherein the fuel nozzle is supported in the mixing space by a nozzle support (4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Boardman’s burner to include a nozzle support configured to support the fuel nozzle inside the mixing space, wherein the nozzle support connects the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle main body and the inner peripheral surface of the mixing pipe, as taught by Hase, in order to support the fuel nozzle (Hase; para. [0004]). The proposed modification of Boardman with Hase results in the nozzle support connecting at a position on the upstream side of a region in which the reduced area portion is formed in the extending direction (given that the reduced area portion is defined along 87 in Boardman, which is the downstream end of 74, the nozzle support of Hase would necessarily be upstream of the reduced area portion).
Claims 11 & 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boardman, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kajimura 20140041389.
Regarding Dependent Claim 11, Boardman teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above for claim 1, and Boardman further teaches a combustor (Fig. 1, combustor 5) with the burner according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above), the combustor comprising a pipe (body of combustor 5) in which the premixed gas ejected from of the ejection port of each of the plurality of burners can be combusted.
Boardman fails to expressly teach the combustor is a cluster burner combustor comprising: a plurality of the burners according to Claim 1; wherein the extending direction of each of the plurality of burners is the same direction as each other, and positions of the ejection ports of the plurality of burners in the extending direction are aligned with each other.
Kajimura teaches (Fig. 6) a burner similar to that taught by Boardman (see burner 45 with center body and shroud, unlabeled but schematically depicted), with a plurality of the burners (plurality of 45) in a cluster burner combustor (at 42), wherein the extending direction of each of the plurality of burners is the same direction as each other, and positions of the ejection ports of the plurality of burners in the extending direction are aligned with each other (burners 45 are all identical and thus the extending directions are parallel and the ejection ports are all aligned with each other).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Boardman such that the combustor is a cluster burner combustor comprising a plurality of the burners according to Claim 1; wherein the extending direction of each of the plurality of burners is the same direction as each other, and positions of the ejection ports of the plurality of burners in the extending direction are aligned with each other, as taught by Kajimura, in order to provide a plurality of main burners in the combustor (Kajimura; para. [0040]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 13, Boardman in view of Kajimura teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above for claim 11, and Boardman further teaches a gas turbine (Fig. 1) comprising: the cluster burner combustor according to Claim 11 (see rejection of claim 11 above); a compressor (4) configured to compress air to generate compressed air and supply the compressed air to the plurality of burners; and a turbine (10) configured to be driven by a combustion gas generated by the combustion of the premixed gas in the pipe of the cluster burner combustor.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 is 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.
Regarding Dependent Claim 9, the prior art fails to teach, in combination with the remaining limitations of the claim, a distance from the space central axis to an outer peripheral surface of the protrusion portion is equal to or smaller than an outer diameter of the large-diameter portion at any position in the extending direction.
The closest prior art is Boardman, as discussed for claim 8 above. While Boardman could be interpreted as teaching the nozzle main body has a large-diameter portion having a cylindrical shape around the space central axis, a reduced diameter portion having a conical shape around the space central axis, and a small-diameter portion having a cylindrical shape around the space central axis (see Fig. 1: Annotated Fig. 4 from Boardman below, annotated portions shown), the reduced diameter portion is connected to an end of the large-diameter portion on the downstream side, and an outer diameter of the reduced diameter portion gradually decreases toward the downstream side, the small-diameter portion is connected to an end of the reduced diameter portion on the downstream side (see Fig. 1: Annotated Fig. 4 from Boardman below, with spatial arrangement claimed), an upstream end of the protrusion portion is located at a boundary between the large-diameter portion and the reduced diameter portion in the extending direction (upstream end of portion at 87 is at boundary between annotated large diameter portion and reduced diameter portion), a downstream end of the protrusion portion is located at an end of the small-diameter portion on the downstream side (downstream end of portion at 87 is at end of annotated small diameter portion). The distance from the central axis to the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion portion, however, cannot be equal to or small than the outer diameter of the large diameter portion at any position in the extending direction (the portion at 87 is part of a radially outer shell of 74 whereas the annotated portions in Fig. 1 below are all clearly radially inward from 87).
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Figure 1: Annotated Fig. 4 from Boardman
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SCOTT J WALTHOUR whose telephone number is (571)272-4999. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Eastern.
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/SCOTT J WALTHOUR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741
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