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 . Claims 1-2, 4-5, 11-14, 20-23 and 28-31 are pending in this application. Claims 3, 6-10, 15-19 and 24-27 were previously canceled.
Drawings
Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, and 12-14 are objected under 35 CFR 1.83 because the numerals associated with the boxes (or circles) are not indicative as to what said symbol represents. Applicant is required to label in words the function of said rectangles, such that a reader would be appraised of their function without having to read the entire specification in order to figure it out. For example, according to the specification, element 512 is a Control signal generation part, therefore it is suggested that applicant labels box 512 – Control signal generation part. Examples of clearly labeled block diagrams may be found in the following U.S. Pre-grant Publications: 2016/0076461, 2015/0330869, 2015/0251766, 2015/0128597.
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) 1-2, 5, 11-13, 20 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chino (U.S. Patent No. 7,669,418), hereinafter Chino, in view of LaFlesh (U.S. Patent No. 9,321,002), hereinafter LaFlesh.
Regarding Independent Claim 1, Chino discloses a heat utilization system (Figure 2), comprising:
a heat recovery device, 30 and 54A, configured to generate first steam (the steam that passes through the line, 42, is the first steam) and second steam (Column 10, Lines 2-6 - the steam that passes through the turbine, 52A, is the second steam) with a lower pressure than the first steam from water by heat exchange between a heating fluid and the water (Column 2, Lines 60-66, Column 3, Lines 27-34 and Column 10, Lines 2-6 – the second steam is at a lower pressure from the first steam and this generated by the heat exchange of a heating medium/exhaust gases and water);
a discharge source, 10, which discharges the heating fluid (the turbine engine, 10, provides the exhaust gases that become the heating fluid) ;
a first steam turbine, 51, driven by the first steam (the first steam from line, 42, drive the turbine, 51);
a heat demand facility, 1, which utilizes heat of at least one of at least part of the exhaust steam or the second steam (Column 4, Lines 19-22 and Column 10, Lines 17-21 - the first and second steam are provided to the facility, 1, for use);
an exhaust steam line, 71 and 74, connecting the first steam turbine and the heat demand facility (the exhaust line connects the turbine, 51, to the facility, 1); and
a second steam line, 52A, 54A, 60, 62 and 72 through which the second steam flows out of the heat recovery device (the second steam flow out of the heat recovery device through the second steam line).
Chino does not disclose a pressure reduction part configured to reduce pressure of exhaust steam which is steam that has driven the first steam turbine; wherein the second steam line is connected to the exhaust steam line at a position downstream of the pressure reduction part.
However, LaFlesh teaches a heat utilization system (Figure 1) with a heat recovery device, 18, that generates a first steam (the steam from the tap, 101, is the first steam) and a pressure reduction part, 130, that reduces the pressure of exhaust steam which is steam that has driven a first steam turbine (Column 3, Lines 20-30, – the steam provided through the tap, 101, and to the pressure reduction part, 130, is steam that has already driven a turbine, 20, and provides the steam to a demand facility, 34, and the pressure reduction part is fluidically between the turbine and a mixing apparatus, 35).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Chino by including a pressure reduction part, located between the first turbine and the mixing point, as seen by element 73 of Chino, which configured to reduce pressure of exhaust steam which is steam that has driven the first steam turbine, as taught by LaFlesh, resulting in the second steam line being connected to the exhaust steam line at a position downstream of the pressure reduction part in order to reduce the pressure and temperature of the steam (LaFlesh – Column 3, Lines 55-63) such that it is at suitable for its desired use.
Regarding Claim 2, Chino in view of LaFlesh disclose the invention as claimed and discussed above. Chino further discloses wherein the heat demand facility includes a heat exchange mechanism configured to heat an object to be heated by heat exchange between at least one of the exhaust steam or the second steam and the object to be heated (Column 1, Lines 27-36 and Column 4, Lines 39-54 – the steam that includes either the exhaust steam and/or the second steam is provided to the heat demand facility, 1, as a source of heat and then recovered, therefore the heat demand facility includes a heat exchange mechanism that heats an object using the steam).
Regarding Claim 5, Chino in view of LaFlesh disclose the invention as claimed and discussed above. Chino in view of LaFlesh, as discussed so far, do not disclose the pressure reduction part is configured to adjust a pressure reduction amount of the exhaust steam, on the basis of heat demand in the heat demand facility.
However, LaFlesh further teaches the pressure reduction part is configured to adjust a pressure reduction amount of the exhaust steam, on the basis of demand in the demand facility (Column 4, Lines 50-40 and Column 5, Lines 19-24- the pressure reduction part is configured to reduce the steam by an amount based on the demand/requirement of the facility, 34).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the invention of Chino in view of LaFlesh by making the pressure reduction part is configured to adjust a pressure reduction amount of the exhaust steam, on the basis of heat demand in the heat demand facility, as taught by LaFlesh, for the same reasons as discussed above for Claim 1.
Regarding Independent Claim 11, Chino discloses a heat utilization system (Figure 2), comprising:
a heat recovery device, 30 and 54A, configured to generate first steam (the steam that passes through the line, 42, is the first steam) from water by heat exchange between a heating fluid and the water (Column 2, Lines 60-66 and Column 3, Lines 27-34– the steam is generated by the heat exchange of a heating medium/exhaust gases and water);
a discharge source, 10, which discharges the heating fluid (the turbine engine, 10, provides the exhaust gases that become the heating fluid) ;
a first steam turbine, 51, driven by the first steam (the first steam from line, 42, drive the turbine, 51); and
a heat demand facility, 1, which utilizes heat of at least part of the exhaust steam (Column 4, Lines 19-22 - the steam is provided to the facility, 1, for use);
Chino does not disclose a pressure reduction part configured to reduce pressure of exhaust steam which is steam that has driven the first steam turbine; wherein the pressure reduction part is configured to adjust a pressure reduction amount of the exhaust steam, on the basis of heat demand in the heat demand facility.
However, LaFlesh teaches a heat utilization system (Figure 1) with a heat recovery device, 18, that generates a first steam (the steam from the tap, 101, is the first steam) and a pressure reduction part, 130, that reduces the pressure of exhaust steam which is steam that has driven a first steam turbine (Column 3, Lines 20-30, – the steam provided through the tap, 101, and to the pressure reduction part, 130, is steam that has already driven a turbine, 20, and provides the steam to a demand facility, 34, and the pressure reduction part is fluidically between the turbine and a mixing apparatus, 35); wherein the pressure reduction part is configured to adjust a pressure reduction amount of the exhaust steam, on the basis of demand in the demand facility (Column 4, Lines 50-40 and Column 5, Lines 19-24- the pressure reduction part is configured to reduce the steam by an amount based on the demand/requirement of the facility, 34).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Chino by including a pressure reduction part, located between the first turbine and the mixing point, as seen by element 73 of Chino, which configured to reduce pressure of exhaust steam which is steam that has driven the first steam turbine; wherein the pressure reduction part is configured to adjust a pressure reduction amount of the exhaust steam, on the basis of heat demand in the heat demand facility, as taught by LaFlesh, in order to reduce the pressure and temperature of the steam (LaFlesh – Column 3, Lines 55-63) such that it is at suitable for its desired use.
Regarding Claim 12, Chino in view of LaFlesh disclose the invention as claimed and discussed above. It is noted that the limitation “wherein the pressure reduction amount by the pressure reduction part is increased with an increase in heat demand in the heat demand facility” is a functional limitation which is performed by the claimed structure and does not imply any additional structure. The prior art discloses the claimed structure and thus, absent persuasive evidence to the contrary, would be capable of performing the functional limitation thus meeting the functional limitation of the claim.
Regarding Claim 13, Chino in view of LaFlesh disclose the invention as claimed and discussed above. LaFlesh further discloses the pressure reduction part includes a component/valve that adjusts a flow path area for the exhaust steam (Figure 2 - Column 5, Lines 19-24 – the valves of the pressure reduction part adjust the opening of the valve, i.e. the flow path area of the exhaust steam).
Further it is noted that the limitation “wherein a flow path area for the exhaust steam in the pressure reduction part is decreased with an increase in heat demand in the heat demand facility” is a functional limitation which is performed by the claimed structure and does not imply any additional structure. The prior art discloses the claimed structure and thus, absent persuasive evidence to the contrary, would be capable of performing the functional limitation thus meeting the functional limitation of the claim.
Regarding Claim 20, Chino in view of LaFlesh disclose the invention as claimed and discussed above. Chino in view of LaFlesh, as discussed so far, do not disclose a heat supply amount control device, wherein the heat supply amount control device includes: a receiving part configured to receive, from the heat demand facility, a heat demand signal which is a signal related to heat demand in the heat demand facility; a control signal generation part configured to generate a control signal which is a signal for controlling the pressure reduction amount by the pressure reduction part, using the heat demand signal; and a control signal transmission part configured to transmit the control signal to the pressure reduction part.
LaFlesh further teaches a heat supply amount control device, 150, wherein the heat supply amount control device includes: a receiving part configured to receive, from the heat demand facility, a heat demand signal which is a signal related to heat demand in the heat demand facility (Column 5, Lines 3-10 and 29-30 – the control device receives input/signals from other parts of the system, i.e. the heat demand facility and thus must have a receiving part to receive the signals); a control signal generation part configured to generate a control signal which is a signal for controlling the pressure reduction amount by the pressure reduction part, using the heat demand signal (Column 5, Lines 3-10 and 19-24 – the control device calculates/generates the required adjustments and the actuates the pressure reduction part, i.e. generates a signal to control the pressure reduction part; therefore the control device has a signal generation part); and a control signal transmission part configured to transmit the control signal to the pressure reduction part (Column 5, Lines 3-10 and 19-24 – the control device actuates the pressure reduction part to the required adjustments, i.e. transmits a signal to control the pressure reduction part; therefore the control device has a signal transmission part).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the invention of Chino in view of LaFlesh by including a heat supply amount control device, wherein the heat supply amount control device includes: a receiving part configured to receive, from the heat demand facility, a heat demand signal which is a signal related to heat demand in the heat demand facility; a control signal generation part configured to generate a control signal which is a signal for controlling the pressure reduction amount by the pressure reduction part, using the heat demand signal; and a control signal transmission part configured to transmit the control signal to the pressure reduction part, as taught by LaFlesh, for the same reasons as discussed above for Claim 11.
Regarding Independent Claim 28, Chino discloses a heat utilization method (Figure 2), comprising:
a step of discharging a heating fluid from a discharge source (Column 2, Lines 26-33 – the exhaust gas from the gas turbine, 10, is a heat fluid discharged from a source);
a step of generating first steam from water by heat exchange between the heating fluid and the water (Column 2, Lines 60-66 and Column 3, Lines 27-34– the steam in line, 42, is generated in the HRSG, 30, by the heat exchange of a heating medium/exhaust gases and water);
a step of driving a first steam turbine by the first steam (the first steam from line, 42, drive the turbine, 51);
a step of supplying exhaust steam with reduced pressure to a heat demand facility (Column 4, Lines 19-22 - the steam exhausted from the turbine, 51, is provided to the facility, 1, for use).
Chino does not disclose a step of reducing pressure of exhaust steam which is steam that has driven the first steam turbine; and wherein the step of reducing the pressure of the exhaust steam includes adjusting a pressure reduction amount of the exhaust steam, on the basis of heat demand in the heat demand facility.
However, LaFlesh teaches a heat utilization method (Figure 1) with a first steam (the steam from the tap, 101, is the first steam) and a step of reducing pressure of exhaust steam which is steam that has driven the first steam turbine (Column 3, Lines 20-30, – the steam provided through the tap, 101, and to the pressure reduction part, 130, is steam that has already driven a turbine, 20, and provides the steam to a demand facility, 34, and the pressure reduction part is fluidically between the turbine and a mixing apparatus, 35); and wherein the step of reducing the pressure of the exhaust steam includes adjusting a pressure reduction amount of the exhaust steam, on the basis of heat demand in the heat demand facility (Column 4, Lines 50-40 and Column 5, Lines 19-24- the pressure reduction part is configured to reduce the steam by an amount based on the demand/requirement of the facility, 34).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Chino by modifying the method to include a step of reducing pressure of exhaust steam which is steam that has driven the first steam turbine; and wherein the step of reducing the pressure of the exhaust steam includes adjusting a pressure reduction amount of the exhaust steam, on the basis of heat demand in the heat demand facility, as taught by LaFlesh, in order to reduce the pressure and temperature of the steam (LaFlesh – Column 3, Lines 55-63) such that it is at suitable for its desired use.
Claim(s) 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chino in view of LaFlesh as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Li (U.S. Pre-grant Publication 2012/0227372), hereinafter Li.
Regarding Claim 4, Chino in view of LaFlesh disclose the invention as claimed and discussed above. Chino in view of LaFlesh do not disclose a second steam turbine driven by at least part of the exhaust steam.
However, Li teaches a system (Figure 1) with a steam turbine arrangement, 15, where the arrangement includes a first turbine, 27, that receives a first steam, 10, and generates an exhaust steam, 11b and 11c, and a second turbine, 28, that is driven by at least part of the exhaust steam, 11b.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have replaced the first turbine of Chino in view of LaFlesh with a turbine arrangement that includes a first turbine and a second turbine driven by at least part of the exhaust steam, as taught by Li, in order to allow the system to operate with high efficiency (Li – Paragraphs 0019 and 0023).
Regarding Claim 14, Chino in view of LaFlesh disclose the invention as claimed and discussed above. Chino in view of LaFlesh do not disclose a second steam turbine driven by at least part of the exhaust steam; and an exhaust steam supply amount adjustment part for adjusting a supply amount of the exhaust steam supplied to the second steam turbine, wherein a supply amount of the exhaust steam to the heat demand facility is adjusted by adjusting the supply amount of the exhaust steam to the second steam turbine by the exhaust steam supply amount adjustment part on the basis of heat demand in the heat demand facility.
However, Li teaches a system (Figure 1) with a steam turbine arrangement, 15, where the arrangement includes a first turbine, 27, that receives a first steam, 10, and generates an exhaust steam, 11b and 11c, and a second turbine, 28, that is driven by at least part of the exhaust steam, 11b; and an exhaust steam supply amount adjustment part, 41, for adjusting a supply amount of the exhaust steam supplied to the second steam turbine (Paragraph 0047).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have replaced the first turbine of Chino in view of LaFlesh with a turbine arrangement that includes a first turbine and a second turbine driven by at least part of the exhaust steam, as taught by Li, resulting in a supply amount of the exhaust steam to the heat demand facility is adjusted by adjusting the supply amount of the exhaust steam to the second steam turbine by the exhaust steam supply amount adjustment part, since the exhaust steam to the heat demand facility would come from the second turbine, in order to allow the system to operate with high efficiency (Li – Paragraphs 0019 and 0023).
It is noted that the limitation “on the basis of heat demand in the heat demand facility” is a functional limitation which is performed by the claimed structure and does not imply any additional structure. The prior art discloses the claimed structure and thus, absent persuasive evidence to the contrary, would be capable of performing the functional limitation thus meeting the functional limitation of the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 20-23 and 29-31 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:
Regarding Claim 21, the prior art of record does not disclose the limitation “wherein the control signal generation part is configured to generate the control signal to increase the pressure reduction amount by the pressure reduction part when an increase in heat demand in the heat demand facility is detected on the basis of the heat demand signal”. The control signal generation part is part of a control device and there is no discussion or teaching as to the controller/control device and its respective parts being configured to operate as claimed.
Regarding Claim 22, the prior art of record does not disclose the limitation “wherein the control signal generation part is configured to generate the control signal to decrease the flow path area for the exhaust steam in the pressure reduction part when an increase in heat demand in the heat demand facility is detected on the basis of the heat demand signal”. The control signal generation part is part of a control device and there is no discussion or teaching as to the controller/control device and its respective parts being configured to operate as claimed.
Regarding Claim 23, the prior art of record does not disclose the limitation “wherein the exhaust steam supply amount adjustment part is configured to adjust the supply amount of the exhaust steam to the second steam turbine, on the basis of the adjustment signal”. The exhaust steam supply amount adjustment part is part of a control device and there is no discussion or teaching as to the controller/control device and its respective parts being configured to operate as claimed.
Regarding Claim 29, the prior art of record does not disclose the limitation “wherein the step of reducing the pressure of the exhaust steam includes increasing the pressure reduction amount with an increase in heat demand in the heat demand facility”. There is no discussion or teaching of the method including the step of increasing the pressure reduction amount specifically with an increase in heat demand from the heat demand facility.
Regarding Claim 30, the prior art of record does not disclose the limitation “wherein the step of reducing the pressure of the exhaust steam includes decreasing a flow path area for the exhaust steam in the pressure reduction part with an increase in heat demand in the heat demand facility”. There is no discussion or teaching of the method including the step of decreasing the flow path area specifically with an increase in heat demand from the heat demand facility.
Regarding Claim 31, the prior art of record does not disclose the limitation “a step of adjusting a supply amount of the exhaust steam to the second steam turbine according to heat demand in the heat demand facility”. There is no discussion or teaching of the method including the step of adjusting a supply amount of the exhaust steam to the second steam turbine according to heat demand from the heat demand facility. More specifically Li does not have a specific heat demand facility and thus it would not obvious to operate the system to control the steam to the second turbine, as taught by Li, by a heat demand facility not in Li.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tani (U.S. Patent No. 8,104,282) shows a system that includes a first steam provided to a steam turbine and the exhaust steam from the steam turbine being provided to a steam consuming facility/heat demand facility.
Gorman (U.S. Patent No. 6,422,022) shows a system that combines multiple flows of steam to provide it other devices.
Klosinski (U.S. Pre-grant Publication 2017/0167375) shows a system that provides steam exhausted from a steam turbine to a heat demand facility as process steam.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYLE ROBERT THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)272-4813. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-4pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Devon Kramer can be reached at (571)272-7118. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KYLE ROBERT THOMAS/ Examiner, Art Unit 3741
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