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.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(1) as being anticipated by Egami (JP 2022186098 A).
With respect to claim 1, Egami discloses a multiple shell liquefied hydrogen storage tank for storing liquefied hydrogen, the liquefied hydrogen storage tank comprising: an inner tank (3) including an inner tank roof (top) and an inner tank side plate (bottom/side) to define a storage space for the liquefied hydrogen; an intermediate tank (4) including an intermediate tank roof (top of 4) above the inner tank roof (top of 3) and an intermediate tank side plate (bottom/side of 4) outside the inner tank side plate; an outer tank (5) that houses the intermediate tank inside the outer tank; a heat insulation space (space between top of 3 and 4) including a roof space part between the inner tank roof and the intermediate tank roof, and a side space part (space between sides of 3 and 4) between the inner tank side plate and the intermediate tank side plate; a heat insulation material (63) disposed in the heat insulation space; a communication pipe (21) that penetrates the inner tank roof; and a gas passage (space/passage within 21 connecting to 63) provided in the roof space part to allow gas to flow between an upper opening of the communication pipe and the side space part .
Examiner Note: “a gas passage provided in the roof space part to allow gas to flow between an upper opening of the communication pipe and the side space part.“ can be broadly interpreted. The only positive structural language is “a gas passage provided in the roof space part”. The other portion of the claim is intended function. Technically insulation powder or any material with pores can allow for gas to flow between these features. For example, the insulating material is taught on pages 3-4 [0017] as perlite or glass wool which allows gas to flow to the side part.
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With respect to claim 2, Egami discloses the liquefied hydrogen storage tank according to claim 1, wherein the gas passage (21) is formed in a lower area of the roof space part that is in contact with the inner tank roof.
Examiner Note: Lower area is up to viewer interpretation. For example, the gas passage is not at the apex and therefore can be considered a lower area relative to the apex.
With respect to claim 4, Egami discloses the liquefied hydrogen storage tank according to claim 1, wherein the heat insulation material includes a powdered heat insulation (perlite consider only the side space part) material disposed in the side space part, and a shield (other portion of the insulation) is provided at a radially outer end of the gas passage to prevent the powdered heat insulation material from flowing into the gas passage.
Examiner Note: Perlite is taught on pages 3-4 [0017]. Note the powdered heat insulation is considered to be only the perlite in the side pace part. The shield is considered to be the insulation/perlite in the top portion, which includes a radially outer end of the gas passage. The presence of the shield inhibits the powdered heat insulation (the side part insulation) from flowing into the glass passage.
With respect to claim 5, Egami discloses the liquefied hydrogen storage tank according to claim 1, wherein the heat insulation material includes a fixed-shape heat (pages 3-4 [0017] ) insulation material disposed along a lower surface of the intermediate tank roof (4), and the gas passage is formed below the fixed-shape heat insulation material. (the passage is inherently below the insulation)
Claim(s) 1-2 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(1) as being anticipated by Brown (US 2195077 A).
With respect to claim 1, Brown discloses a multiple shell liquefied hydrogen storage tank for storing liquefied hydrogen, the liquefied hydrogen storage tank comprising: an inner tank (17) including an inner tank roof (top) and an inner tank side plate (bottom/side) to define a storage space for the liquefied hydrogen; an intermediate tank (8) including an intermediate tank roof (top of 8) above the inner tank roof (top of 7) and an intermediate tank side plate (bottom/side of 8) outside the inner tank side plate; an outer tank (6) that houses the intermediate tank inside the outer tank; a heat insulation space (space between 37 and 17) including a roof space part between the inner tank roof and the intermediate tank roof, and a side space part (space between sides of 7 and 8) between the inner tank side plate and the intermediate tank side plate; a heat insulation material (40, 46) disposed in the heat insulation space; a communication pipe (44) that penetrates the inner tank roof; and a gas passage (space/passage within 44 connecting to 45) provided in the roof space part to allow gas to flow between an upper opening of the communication pipe and the side space part .
Examiner Note: “a gas passage provided in the roof space part to allow gas to flow between an upper opening of the communication pipe and the side space part.“ can be broadly interpreted. The only positive structural language is “a gas passage provided in the roof space part”. The other portion of the claim is intended function. Technically insulation powder or any material with pores can allow for gas to flow between these features.
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With respect to claim 2, Brown discloses the liquefied hydrogen storage tank according to claim 1, wherein the gas passage (space/passage within 44/45) is formed in a lower area of the roof space part that is in contact with the inner tank roof.
With respect to claim 5, Brown discloses the liquefied hydrogen storage tank according to claim 1, wherein the heat insulation material includes a fixed-shape heat (page 2 col 2 lines 69-70) insulation material disposed along a lower surface of the intermediate tank roof (37), and the gas passage is formed below the fixed-shape heat insulation material. (the passage is inherently below the insulation)
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.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brown (US 2195077 A) in view of Loveday (US 2677938 A).
With respect to claim 3, Brown discloses the liquefied hydrogen storage tank according to claim 2, wherein the gas passage is formed below a partition wall (45) that vertically partitions the roof space part, and the heat insulation material (46). Brown failed to disclose of the heat insulation material includes a powdered heat insulation material disposed above the partition wall. However, in a similar field of endeavor, namely liquified gas storage, Loveday taught of the usage of perlite powder due to its very low resistance to flow of gas and vapor and it is economical (column 7 lines 60-75). It would have been obvious for someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the heat insulation of Brown to be a powder such as perlite as taught by Loveday due to its economic value and physical properties.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. JP-2022186098-A OR AU-2022234069-A1 OR US-2195077-A OR US-2677938-A OR US-3101861-A OR US-3207354-A OR US-3147877-A OR US-2777295-A OR US-2871669-A OR US-20240060604-A1 OR US-20250333238-A1 OR US-20240151354-A1 OR US-20160137272-A1 OR US-20100078439-A1 OR US-20090283176-A1 OR US-20250074695-A1 OR US-20210086978-A1 OR US-4694663-A OR US-5038456-A OR US-3566824-A OR US-4989750-A OR US-3903824-A
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SYMREN K SANGHERA whose telephone number is (571)272-5305. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri.
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/SYMREN K SANGHERA/Examiner, Art Unit 3735
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