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 .
Responsive to correspondence
This office action is in response to correspondence filed on 04/09/2025.
Information Disclosure Statement
No IDS has been filed.
Abstract
The abstract filed 04/09/2025 appears to be acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
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.
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 non-obviousness.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-7, 9-15, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S Publication number 2016/0222830 A1 to AGA et al. (AGA) to SIVABALAN (SIVABALAN) in view of U.S Publication number 2017/0159500 A1 to LAUGHLIN et al. (LAUGHLIN).
Re: Claim 1:
AGA discloses:
A system comprising:
a thermodynamic cycle system (See Figs.3a-3c: discloses a thermodynamic cycle system 100 and as cited throughout the specification) operable in an energy storage mode to convert electricity into stored thermal energy (See Fig.1: ¶0025-¶0036: thermal energy storage mode to covert electricity via heater 50 into storage mode, since the renewable energy is stored thermal energy using storage 36 as shown and as explained ) in a hot first thermal storage medium (See Fig.1: ¶0030: hot first thermal storage medium in tank 36) and further operable in a power generation mode to convert at least a portion of the stored thermal energy into electricity (See Fig.1: ¶0025-¶0027: electricity via generator 14),
wherein operating the thermodynamic cycle system in the energy storage mode comprises:
circulating a working fluid through at least, a compressor (See Figs.3A-3C: compressor 18) and a first heat exchanger (See Fig.1: a first heat exchanger 12), and transferring heat from the working fluid to the first thermal storage medium (See Fig.1: ¶0030: the heat exchanger 12 may heat the first thermal fluid up to a moderate temperature, for example, about 300° C. to 400° C, also refer ¶0037) at the first heat exchanger (See Fig.3A-3C: heat exchanger 12), resulting in the hot first thermal storage medium (this is mere result of heat transfer from the working fluid via the first heat exchanger 12),
wherein operating the thermodynamic cycle system in the power generation mode comprises:
transferring heat from the hot first thermal storage (See Figs. 3a-3c: ¶0035: the discharging cycle means utilizing the heat of the first thermal fluid for operating the system 100) medium to the working fluid via the first heat exchanger (See Fig.3a-3c: heat exchanger 12), driving a turbine (See Figs. 3a-3c: turbine 15) by expansion of the heated working fluid,
wherein operating the thermodynamic cycle system (See Figs.3a-3c: thermodynamic system 100) in the power generation mode comprises a high-pressure working fluid path comprising a working fluid path from the first heat exchanger (See Figs.3a-3c: first heat exchanger 12) to the turbine (See Figs.3a-3c: expander/turbine 15, since the pressure prior to expansion is higher), and
wherein operating the thermodynamic cycle system in the power generation mode further comprises a low-pressure working fluid path, wherein the low-pressure working fluid path comprises a second working fluid path from the turbine (See Figs.3a-3c: expander/turbine 15) to a second heat exchanger (See Figs.3a-3c: a second heat exchanger 13, since pressure after expansion is lower), wherein heat is removed from the working fluid at the second heat exchanger (See Figs.3a-3c: ¶0027: at second heat exchanger/recuperator 13 at least the heat is removed from the working fluid at a high pressure side as it preheats low pressure working fluid as explained in ¶0037);
a fluid path (See Figs.3a-3c: a fluid path 48) arranged for directing a hot fluid (See Figs.3a-3c: hot fluid via hot tank 46) from a thermal source for providing heat to the working fluid via another heat exchanger (See Figs.3a-3c: via another heat exchanger 14), the thermal source comprising an external thermal source (See Figs.3a-3c: thermal source is an external source from turbine 21 which operates in generation mode using electric generator as explained in ¶0034) operating in a generation mode, wherein the working fluid thermally contacts the hot fluid via the other heat exchanger thereby transferring heat from the hot fluid to the working fluid (See Figs.3a-3c: another heat exchanger 14 discloses only a thermal contact between the hot fluid and the working fluid, since the thermodynamics cycle 10 is fluidly connected to the second thermal storage system via a third fluid line passing through the evaporator/heater, to receive heat from the second thermal fluid coming from the second hot storage tank as explained in ¶0010, ¶0037).
AGA substantially discloses all the limitations of claim 1 including an electric motor to drive a compressor , however, AGA is silent regarding driving a generator with the turbine, however it is well known in the art that electric power generators are employed in thermodynamic cycles to generate electric power, such a system is explicitly taught by U.S Publication number 2017/0159500 A1 to LAUGHLIN et al. (LAUGHLIN) which teaches the mechanical work inputs and/or outputs may be converted from/to electrical work using a motor/generator, and the compressor, the turbine and the motor/generator can be located on a common shaft driving a generator/motor which provides power to and from the turbomachinery such as compressor or expander/ turbine in a thermodynamic cycle system, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to configure thermodynamic cycle of AGA to drive a generator/motor (LAUGHLINE: See Fig.4A: ¶0007, ¶0110) which is advantageous as system can be utilized to provide power to compressor or obtain power from expander/turbines to operate the claimed system.
Regarding method claim 9:
AGA modified by LAUGHLIN discloses all the limitations of method claim 9.
Re: Claims 2 and 10:
AGA modified by LAUGHLIN discloses:
The system of claim 1, modified AGA discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and method of claim 9 and wherein the other heat exchanger comprises a preheater arranged to preheat the working fluid (AGA: See Figs.3a-3c: ¶ 0037: The working fluid is then preheated/evaporated and heated in evaporator/heater 14 before being returned to the compressor) .
Re: Claims 3 and 11:
AGA modified by LAUGHLIN discloses:
The system of claim 2, modified AGA discloses all the limitations of claim 2, and method of claim 10 , and wherein operating in the energy storage mode (AGA: See Figs.3a-3c: energy storage mode as shown in 3a), the thermodynamic cycle system comprises a low-pressure working fluid path (AGA: See Figs.3a-3c: from expander/turbine 15 to a second heat exchanger 13, since pressure after expansion is lower), wherein the working fluid preheated by the preheater is low pressure working fluid from the low-pressure working fluid path (AGA: See Figs.3a-3c: ¶0037: working fluid is expanded in an expander 15 that throttles the pressure of the first working fluid to a lower pressure, the working fluid is then preheated/evaporated and heated in evaporator/heater 14).
Re: Claims 4 and 12:
AGA modified by LAUGHLIN discloses:
The system of claim 3, modified AGA discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and method of claim 11 and modified AGA discloses all the limitations of claim 3, and wherein operating the thermodynamic cycle system in the energy storage mode includes circulating the preheated working fluid to the compressor (See Figs.3a-3c: preheated working fluid from preheater 14 flows to compressor 18).
Re: Claims 6 and 14:
AGA modified by LAUGHLIN discloses:
The system of claim 1, modified AGA discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and method of claim 9 including wherein the thermal source is a power plant (AGA: See Figs.3a-3c: steam power plant 20).
Re: Claims 7 and 15:
AGA modified by LAUGHLIN discloses:
The system of claim 6, modified AGA discloses all the limitations of claim 6, and method of claim 14 including wherein the hot fluid is steam from the power plant (AGA: See Figs.3a-3c: ¶0041: discloses the hot fluid is steam) .
Claim(s) 8, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S Publication number 2016/0222830 A1 to AGA et al. (AGA) to SIVABALAN (SIVABALAN) in view of U.S Publication number 2017/0159500 A1 to LAUGHLIN et al. (LAUGHLIN) as applied to claims 1 and 9 above, and further in view of U.S Publication number 2017/0234266 A1 to HWANG et al. (HWANG).
Re: Claims 8 and 16:
AGA modified by LAUGHLIN discloses:
The system of claim 6, modified AGA discloses all the limitations of claim 6 and method claim 14, the modified AGA is silent regarding wherein the hot fluid is air from the power plant as claimed in claims 8 and 16.
Although the modified AGA discloses a steam power plant to provide the hot fluid, however it is well known in the art that in thermodynamic cycle the hot fluid may be exhaust air, such a system is explicitly taught by U.S Publication number 2017/0234266 A1 to HWANG et al. (HWANG), because HWANG explicitly teaches a thermodynamic cycle system using exhaust air as a hot fluid (HWANG: See Fig.1: ¶0080: heat exchanger 310 uses gas (hereinafter, waste heat gas) having waste heat like exhaust gas of other power generation cycle).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the heat source of the modified AGA for the heat source of a thermodynamic cycle as explicitly taught by HWANG, because such a substitution provides the benefit of employ exhaust air from a power plant to transfer heat to a working fluid of a thermodynamic cycle, which is beneficial, since it is cost effective by utilization of waste heat to optimize power generation. Additionally, an express suggestion to substitute one equivalent component or process for another is not necessary in order to render such substitution obvious. See MPEP 2144.06.
Allowable Subject Matter and Prior Art
Claims 5 and 13 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:
Claims 6 and 13 contains an allowable subject matter because the prior art of record failed to disclose or teach a platform having non-radius edges between the contoured surface and the first and second aft edges.
In the closest prior art fails to discloses “wherein in the energy storage mode, transferring heat from the working fluid to the first thermal storage medium at the first heat exchanger, results in the hot first thermal storage medium at a greater temperature than without the transfer of heat from the hot fluid to the working fluid via the other heat exchanger” as recited in claim 5 and “wherein in the energy storage mode, transferring heat from the working fluid to the first thermal storage medium at the first heat exchanger, results in the hot first thermal storage medium at a greater temperature than without the transfer of heat from the hot fluid to the working fluid via the other heat exchanger” as recited in method claim 13 including the limitations of base claim and intervening claims.
Therefore, it would not be obvious to make the claimed structure because the prior art of the record fails to teach a platform having non-radius edges between the contoured surface and the first and second aft edges.
Conclusion
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/SHAFIQ MIAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
March 5, 2026