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 Objections
Claims 1-9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 7: “to pass therethrough” should read “to pass through the leakage flow through-channel”
Claim 1, line 12: “a pipe” should read “the pipe”
Claim 2, line 2: “at one end thereof” should read “at one end of the partial secondary barrier”
Claim 2, lines 2-3: “at other end thereof” should read “at other end of the partial secondary barrier”
Claim 3, line 2: “a pipe” should read “the pipe”
Claim 6, line 2: “adjacent thereto” should read “adjacent to the one leakage flow-through channel”
Claims 2-9 are also objected to by virtue of their dependency on claim 1.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 2 and 6-8 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 2 recites the limitation "the other end" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The Examiner recommends changing “the other end" in lines 2-3 to “another end”.
Claim 5, lines 1-3 recite, “wherein the leakage flow through-channel comprises one or more leakage flow through-channels disposed at different locations of the liquefied gas storage tank and communicating with the partial secondary barrier” which is unclear to the Examiner as to how the leakage flow through-channel are disposed at different locations if only one is provided as the claim only requires “one or more leakage flow through-channels”. For purposes of examination, the Examiner will interpret the claim to only require the leakage flow through-channel to be disposed at different locations when more than one leakage flow through-channel is included. The Examiner recommends amending the claim to either require more than one leakage flow through-channel or clarify how the components are arranged if only one leakage flow through-channel is included.
Claim 6, lines 3-4 recite, “a connection pipe connecting one leakage flow through-channel to another leakage flow through-channel adjacent thereto in series” which is unclear to the Examiner as to how the one leakage flow through-channel and another leakage flow through-channel of lines 3-4 relates to the previously claimed one or more leakage flow through-channels of line 2 of claim 6. For purposes of examination, the Examiner will interpret the one leakage flow through-channel and another leakage flow through-channel of lines 3-4 to be included in the one or more leakage flow through-channels of line 2 of claim 6. The Examiner recommends making amendments to clarify how the one leakage flow through-channel and another leakage flow through-channel of lines 3-4 relate to the one or more leakage flow through-channels.
Claim 6, lines 5-6 recite, “a farthest downstream one of the leakage flow through-channels” which is unclear to the Examiner as to how the a farthest downstream one of the leakage flow through-channels of lines 5-6 relates to the previously claimed one or more leakage flow through-channels of line 2 of claim 6. For purposes of examination, the Examiner will interpret the farthest downstream one of the leakage flow through-channels of lines 5-6 to be included in the one or more leakage flow through-channels of line 2 of claim 6. The Examiner recommends making amendments to clarify how the farthest downstream one of the leakage flow through-channels of lines 5-6 relate to the one or more leakage flow through-channels.
Claim 7, lines 4-5 recite, “a connection pipe connecting a corresponding one of the leakage flow through-channels to the partial secondary barrier” which is unclear to the Examiner as to how the corresponding one of the leakage flow through-channels of lines 4-5 relates to the previously claimed one or more leakage flow through-channels of line 2 of claim 7. For purposes of examination, the Examiner will interpret the corresponding one of the leakage flow through-channels of lines 4-5 to be included in the one or more leakage flow through-channels of line 2 of claim 7. The Examiner recommends making amendments to clarify how the farthest downstream one of the corresponding one of the leakage flow through-channels 4-5 relate to the one or more leakage flow through-channels.
Claim 8, lines 1-3 recite, “wherein the partial secondary barrier comprises a pipe formed of a metal capable of serving as a barrier material suitable for the liquefied gas” which is unclear to the Examiner as to how the pipe of claim 8 relates to the previously claimed pipe of claim 1 from which claim 8 depends. For purposes of examination, the Examiner will interpret the pipes of claim 1 and 8 to be the same components. The Examiner recommends amending the claims to clarify the relationship between the pipes of claims 1 and 8.
Claims 2-9 are also rejected by virtue of their dependency on claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 4, 7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Park et al. (KR 20170022667), hereinafter Park.
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses an insulation system for a liquefied gas storage tank (Fig. 4; Pg. 3, As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the leaked liquefied gas treatment system of the liquefied gas storage tank according to the present invention includes a liquefied gas storage tank 300 provided on the hull and an outer wall of which is surrounded by a heat insulating layer 310, A leakage pedestal 400 for storing liquefied gas leaking from the storage tank 300 and a liquefied gas leaked from the liquefied gas storage tank 300 to induce the leaked liquefied gas to flow into the leakage pedestal 400 Includes collection tube (410)), comprising:
a primary barrier contacting a liquefied gas (Fig. 4, liquefied gas storage tank 300);
an insulation layer disposed outside the primary barrier (Fig. 4, heat insulating layer 310);
a leakage flow path formed between the primary barrier and the insulation layer and having an outlet through which the liquefied gas leaked from the primary barrier flows (See annotated Fig. 4 of Park below, leakage flow path A is depicted to be formed between liquefied gas storage tank 300and heat insulating layer 310 and includes outlet B which the liquefied gas leaked from the liquefied gas storage tank 300 flows);
a leakage flow through-channel inserted into the insulation layer, connected to the leakage flow path, and allowing the leaked liquefied gas to pass therethrough (Fig. 4, collecting pipe 410; Pg. 3-4, when leakage of the liquefied gas occurs in the liquefied gas storage tank 300, the leaked liquefied gas flows through the gap between the liquefied gas storage tank 300 and the insulating layer 310 of the storage tank And then flows into the closed-type leak pedestal 400 through the collecting pipe 410 provided at a specific position of the heat insulating layer 310); and
a partial secondary barrier communicating with the leakage flow through-channel and configured in the form of a pipe (Fig. 4, exhaust pipe 500),
wherein, in the event of leakage from the primary barrier, the leaked liquefied gas is completely vaporized while passing through the partial secondary barrier configured in the form of a pipe (Fig. 4, exhaust pipe 500; Pg. 4, The leaked liquefied gas introduced into the sealed leak catcher 400 may be spontaneously vaporized or forcedly vaporized in the sealed leak pan 400 and may be discharged to the outside of the ship body through the exhaust pipe 500 provided in the sealed leak pan 400. It is preferable that the exhaust pipe 500 is provided at the upper end of the closed type leak pedestal 400 and the exhaust pipe 500 is extended to allow the vaporized leak liquefied gas And may be supplied or flared as fuel for various power devices (not shown) used in a ship or an offshore structure provided with a leak gas treatment system of a liquefied gas storage tank according to the present invention. A safety valve 510 may be further installed in the extended exhaust pipe 500 and the safety valve 510 is provided for controlling the discharge of the evaporation gas and the internal pressure of the sealed leak pedestal 400. The safety valve 510 can be operated by the control unit 600. The sealed leak surge 400 may further include a pressure gauge 430a for measuring the pressure inside the sealed leak surge 400, The pressure signal measured by the pressure sensor 430a is sent to the controller 600, and the opening and closing of the safety valve 510 is determined by a predetermined value. That is, when the measured pressure is equal to or higher than the set pressure, the control unit 600 causes the safety valve 510 to be opened, and the safety valve 510 is opened to discharge the evaporated gas in the sealed-The control unit 600 controls the safety valve 510 to be closed again. In addition, one or more heating means 440, for example, a plurality of heat lines 440 may be installed on the lower portion of the closed-type leakage pedestal 400, and the heating means 440 may be provided on the bottom of the closed-When the liquefied gas is to be forcedly vaporized, the ON/OFF operation can be controlled by the control unit 600. A level meter 430b may be further provided to measure the level of the liquid level inside the sealed leak base 400. The level meter 430b may transmit the level of the liquid level measured by the level meter 430b to the controller 600, The control unit 600 controls the heating means 440 in a situation where the level is greater than a preset value and there is a risk that the leakage amount of the liquefied gas storage tank 300 exceeds the capacity of the closed type leak pedestal 400, The leaked liquefied gas stored in the sealed leak ceiling 400 is forcibly vaporized and the safety valve 510 is opened to discharge the forcedly vaporized vapor).
Regarding claim 2, Park discloses the insulation system according to claim 1 (see the rejection of claim 1 above), wherein the partial secondary barrier is connected at one end thereof to the leakage flow through-channel and is formed at the other end thereof with a gas opening to discharge the liquefied gas vaporized within the partial secondary barrier (Fig. 4 of Park depicts the exhaust pipe 500 to be connected to collecting pipe 410 via at least sealed leak base 400 and connecting part 411 at one end and is connected to discharge via valve 510 at another end; Pg. 4, It is preferable that the exhaust pipe 500 is provided at the upper end of the closed type leak pedestal 400 and the exhaust pipe 500 is extended to allow the vaporized leak liquefied gas And may be supplied or flared as fuel for various power devices (not shown) used in a ship or an offshore structure provided with a leak gas treatment system of a liquefied gas storage tank according to the present invention).
Regarding claim 4, Park discloses the insulation system according to claim 1 (see the rejection of claim 1 above), wherein the partial secondary barrier is connected in a liquid-tight manner to the leakage flow through-channel by one of welding, threading, or bolting (Fig. 4, connecting part 411; Pg. 4, The connecting part 411 between the collecting pipe 410 and the leak pedestal 400 The leaked liquefied gas stored in the sealed leak ceiling 400 can be prevented from leaking through the connecting portion 411. The leaked liquefied gas can be introduced into the sealed leaked pedestal 400 without leaking, can do; Pg. 6, Wherein a portion of the collection tube and the sealed leak ceiling are connected to each other by a welding or sealing material, the leaked liquefied gas processing system of the liquefied gas storage tank).
Regarding claim 7, Park discloses the insulation system according to claim 1 (see the rejection of claim 1 above), wherein
the leakage flow through-channel comprises one or more leakage flow through-channels (Fig. 4, collecting pipe 410), and
the insulation system further comprises: a connection pipe connecting a corresponding one of the leakage flow through-channels to the partial secondary barrier (Fig. 4, sealed leak base 400; Pg. 4, The collecting pipe 410 passing through the heat insulating layer 310 is connected to the closed type leak pedestal 400 provided below the heat insulating layer 310. The connecting part 411 between the collecting pipe 410 and the leak pedestal 400 The leaked liquefied gas stored in the sealed leak ceiling 400 can be prevented from leaking through the connecting portion 411. The leaked liquefied gas can be introduced into the sealed leaked pedestal 400 without leaking, can do. The leaked liquefied gas introduced into the sealed leak catcher 400 may be spontaneously vaporized or forcedly vaporized in the sealed leak pan 400 and may be discharged to the outside of the ship body through the exhaust pipe 500 provided in the sealed leak pan 400. It is preferable that the exhaust pipe 500 is provided at the upper end of the closed type leak pedestal 400 and the exhaust pipe 500 is extended to allow the vaporized leak liquefied gas And may be supplied or flared as fuel for various power devices (not shown) used in a ship or an offshore structure provided with a leak gas treatment system of a liquefied gas storage tank according to the present invention).
Regarding claim 9, Park discloses A ship comprising the insulation system for the liquefied gas storage tank according to claim 1 (see the rejection of claim 1 above; Pg. 2, The present invention relates to a leaky liquefied gas processing system for a liquefied gas storage tank capable of efficiently discharging cryogenic liquefied gas leaking from a liquefied gas storage tank of a ship and protecting the liquefied gas storage tank and the hull from leaked cryogenic liquefied gas and methods).
Claims 3 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (KR 20170022667), hereinafter Park.
Regarding claim 3, Park discloses the insulation system according to claim 1 (see the rejection of claim 1 above), wherein the partial secondary barrier is configured in the form of a pipe having an internal space and has a shape (Fig. 4, exhaust pipe 500).
However, Park does not explicitly disclose a shape of the pipe to be selected from among a straight line shape, a curved shape, a zigzag shape, a spring shape, and a radial shape to be increased in length.
Regarding the shape of the pipe, the courts have held that a change in shape alone, without demonstration of the criticality of a specific limitation, may be considered obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art. “In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966), [t]he court held that the configuration of the claimed disposable plastic nursing container was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed container was significant.” MPEP § 2144.04-IV-B. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to selected the shape of the pipe from among a straight line shape, a curved shape, a zigzag shape, a spring shape, and a radial shape to be increased in length to yield the predicable result of providing a desired heat transfer capacity within the pipe to improve overall system efficiencies.
Regarding claim 8, Park discloses the insulation system according to claim 1 (see the rejection of claim 1 above) wherein the partial secondary barrier comprises a pipe (Fig. 4, exhaust pipe 500).
However, Park does not explicitly disclose the pipe to be formed of a metal capable of serving as a barrier material suitable for the liquefied gas.
Park discloses the claimed invention except for “the pipe to be formed of a metal capable of serving as a barrier material suitable for the liquefied gas”. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made form the pipe of of a metal capable of serving as a barrier material suitable for the liquefied gas since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use or purpose MPEP 2144.07.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (KR 20170022667), hereinafter Park in view of Shin et al. (KR 20210142500), hereinafter Shin.
Regarding claim 5, Park discloses the insulation system according to claim 1 (see the rejection of claim 1 above).
However, Park does not disclose wherein the leakage flow through-channel comprises one or more leakage flow through-channels disposed at different locations of the liquefied gas storage tank and communicating with the partial secondary barrier.
Shin teaches wherein the leakage flow through-channel comprises one or more leakage flow through-channels disposed at different locations of the liquefied gas storage tank (Fig. 5, liquefied cargo storage tank 1, fist pipe 51a, second pipe 51a, third pipe 51c, cavity pipe 51d, drip tray part 52; Pg. 6, Referring to FIG. 5, the leak protection device 50 may include a drain pipe part 51 and a drip tray part 52. The drain pipe part 51 provides a passage through which the liquefied material leaking into each of the first, second, and third spaces 31 , 32 , and 33 of the annular space 30 can be discharged to the drip tray part 52. can do. The drain pipe part 51 penetrates the heat insulating part 20 between the first saddle part 41 and the second saddle part 42 to communicate with the first space 31 of the annular space part 30 . The first pipe 51 a, the second pipe 51 b passing through the heat insulating part 20 outside the first saddle part 41 and communicating with the second space 32 of the annular space part 30, and the second The third pipe 51 c passing through the heat insulating part 20 on the outside of the saddle part 42 and communicating with the third space 33 of the annular space part 30, and the first, second, and third pipes 51a and 51b, 51c) may be made of a cavity pipe (51d) connecting each).
Park fails to teach wherein the leakage flow through-channel comprises one or more leakage flow through-channels disposed at different locations of the liquefied gas storage tank and communicating with the partial secondary barrier, however Shin teaches that it is a known method in the art of cryogenic fluid leak management to include wherein the leakage flow through-channel comprises one or more leakage flow through-channels disposed at different locations of the liquefied gas storage tank. This is strong evidence that modifying Park as claimed would produce predictable results (i.e. providing sufficient exit flow paths to route leaked fluid away from the tank to improve overall system efficiencies). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park by Shin and arrive at the claimed invention since all claimed elements were known in the art and one having ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no changes in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded the predictable result of providing sufficient exit flow paths to route leaked fluid away from the tank to improve overall system efficiencies. Further, the modification of references as described herein results in the one or more leakage flow through-channels communicating with the partial secondary barrier as the exhaust pipe 400 of Park is in communication with the collecting pipe 410 via the sealed base 400 which corresponds to the drip tray part 52 of Shin and would retain this arrangement when modified as described herein.
Regarding claim 6, Park discloses the insulation system according to claim 1 (see the rejection of claim 1 above),
wherein the leakage flow through-channel comprises one or more leakage flow through-channels (Fig. 4, exhaust pipe 500).
However, Park does not disclose the insulation system further comprises: a connection pipe connecting one leakage flow through-channel to another leakage flow through-channel adjacent thereto in series, and
the partial secondary barrier is connected to a farthest downstream one of the leakage flow through-channels connected to each other in series by the connection pipe.
Shin teaches the insulation system further comprises: a connection pipe connecting one leakage flow through-channel to another leakage flow through-channel adjacent thereto in series, and
the partial secondary barrier is connected to a farthest downstream one of the leakage flow through-channels connected to each other in series by the connection pipe (Fig. 5, liquefied cargo storage tank 1, fist pipe 51a, second pipe 51a, third pipe 51c, cavity pipe 51d, drip tray part 52; Pg. 6, Referring to FIG. 5, the leak protection device 50 may include a drain pipe part 51 and a drip tray part 52. The drain pipe part 51 provides a passage through which the liquefied material leaking into each of the first, second, and third spaces 31 , 32 , and 33 of the annular space 30 can be discharged to the drip tray part 52. can do. The drain pipe part 51 penetrates the heat insulating part 20 between the first saddle part 41 and the second saddle part 42 to communicate with the first space 31 of the annular space part 30 . The first pipe 51 a, the second pipe 51 b passing through the heat insulating part 20 outside the first saddle part 41 and communicating with the second space 32 of the annular space part 30, and the second The third pipe 51 c passing through the heat insulating part 20 on the outside of the saddle part 42 and communicating with the third space 33 of the annular space part 30, and the first, second, and third pipes 51a and 51b, 51c) may be made of a cavity pipe (51d) connecting each).
Park fails to teach the insulation system further comprises: a connection pipe connecting one leakage flow through-channel to another leakage flow through-channel adjacent thereto in series, and the partial secondary barrier is connected to a farthest downstream one of the leakage flow through-channels connected to each other in series by the connection pipe, however Shin teaches that it is a known method in the art of cryogenic fluid leak management to include the insulation system further comprises: a connection pipe connecting one leakage flow through-channel to another leakage flow through-channel adjacent thereto in series, and the partial secondary barrier is connected to a farthest downstream one of the leakage flow through-channels connected to each other in series by the connection pipe. This is strong evidence that modifying Park as claimed would produce predictable results (i.e. providing sufficient exit flow paths to route leaked fluid away from the tank to improve overall system efficiencies). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park by Shin and arrive at the claimed invention since all claimed elements were known in the art and one having ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no changes in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded the predictable result of providing sufficient exit flow paths to route leaked fluid away from the tank to improve overall system efficiencies.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yoshino et al. (WO 2023042472) discloses a similar insulation system for a liquefied gas storage tank.
Jin et al. (CN 108146583) discloses a similar insulation system for a liquefied gas storage tank.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEVON T MOORE whose telephone number is 571-272-6555. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 7:30-5.
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/DEVON MOORE/Examiner, Art Unit 3763 September 21st, 2026
