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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “24” has been used to designate a plurality if components (at least five) in Fig. 2.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: reference character (9) is used at least in Fig. 2 and is not described in the specification.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 4, 6, 17, 19 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, please amend to --A piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, comprising:
a gas-powered well having an internal sliding chamber for reciprocating movement of a piston assembly, [[the]] a bottom of the sliding chamber being provided with a solution pool;
independent gas injection, liquid injection, and liquid discharge pipelines disposed within [[the]] a wall of the gas-powered well, wherein the gas injection pipeline is configured to inject a gas highly soluble in water into the gas-powered well, with its outlet located at the bottom of the sliding chamber; the liquid injection pipeline's outlet is located at the bottom of the solution pool; and the liquid discharge pipeline's inlet is located at the bottom of the solution pool;
a first truss beam disposed at [[the]] a the top of the gas-powered well to support the piston assembly, the first truss beam being provided with a first pulley;
a lifting well having an internal ascending channel for lifting a gravity block, [[the]] a top of the lifting well being provided with a second truss beam, the second truss beam being provided with a second pulley;
a falling well having an internal descending channel for the gravity block to fall, [[the]] a top of the falling well being provided with a third truss beam, the third truss beam being provided with a third pulley;
a track connecting the tops of the lifting well and the falling well, and a tunnel connecting [[the]] bottoms of the lifting well and the falling well, the tunnel allowing the gravity block to move from the bottom of the descending channel to the bottom of the ascending channel;
[[a]] the piston assembly located within the sliding chamber of the gas-powered well, the piston assembly comprising a piston block, a connecting frame, support rollers, and a connecting rope, wherein the support rollers are mounted on [[the]] a sidewall of the piston block, the piston block is connected to [[the]] an inner wall of the sliding chamber via the support rollers, a sealing structure is disposed between the sidewall of the piston block and the inner wall of the sliding chamber, the sealing structure being located between a pair of support rollers, the connecting frame is fixed atop the piston block, one end of the connecting rope is fixed to the connecting frame, and [[the]] a free end of the connecting rope is connected to the gravity block and is suspended in the lifting well via guidance by the first and second pulleys;
an isolation device located between the sliding chamber and the solution pool, the isolation device having a telescopic end face that isolates contact between the gas in the sliding chamber and [[the]] a liquid in the solution pool;
a power generation device mounted above the falling well, the output shaft of the power generation device being connected to a drum, the drum being wound with a steel wire rope, one end of the steel wire rope being fixed to the drum, the steel wire rope having a connecting end connected to the gravity block, the connecting end of the steel wire rope being suspended in the falling well via guidance by the third pulley.--
Claim 4 Ln 2-3, please amend to --wherein [[the]] a middle part of the solution pool is provided with a wind shaft, [[the]] a bottom of the wind shaft--.
Claim 6 Ln 2-3, please amend to --on [[the]] a sidewall of the wind shaft --.
Claim 17, please amend to -- A piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, comprising:
a gas-powered well, a piston assembly, an isolation device, and a power generation device;
wherein the gas-powered well is arranged horizontally in an axial direction and comprises an internal sliding chamber for reciprocating motion of the piston assembly, a solution pool being arranged on one side of the sliding chamber, the solution pool and the sliding chamber forming an L-shaped structure, and a truss column configured to provide traction to the piston assembly being arranged on [[the]] an other side of the gas-powered well, the truss column being provided with a steering pulley;
wherein the wall of the gas-powered well is provided with independent gas injection, liquid injection, and liquid discharge pipelines, the gas injection pipeline being used to inject a gas that is highly soluble in water into the gas-powered well, [[the]] an outlet of the gas injection pipeline being located inside the sliding chamber, [[the]] an outlet of the liquid injection pipeline being located at the bottom of the solution pool, and [[the]] an inlet of the liquid discharge pipeline being located at the bottom of the solution pool;
wherein the power generation device is mounted on the truss column and an output shaft of the power generation device is connected to a drum;
wherein the piston assembly is located in the sliding chamber of the gas-powered well and comprises a piston block, a connecting frame, support rollers, and a connecting rope, the support rollers being mounted on [[the]] a side wall of the piston block, the piston block being connected to [[the]] an inner wall of the sliding chamber via the support rollers, a sealing structure being provided between the side wall of the piston block and the inner wall of the sliding chamber, the sealing structure being located between a pair of support rollers, the connecting frame being fixed on top of the piston block, one end of the connecting rope being fixed to the connecting frame, and [[the]] an other end of the connecting rope being guided by the steering pulley and wound on the drum;
wherein the isolation device is located between the sliding chamber and the solution pool and has a telescopic end face configured to isolate the gas in the sliding chamber from contact with the liquid in the solution pool.--
Claim 19 Ln 3-4, please amend to --and [[the]] a bottom of the water tank--.
Claim 20, please amend to -- A piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, comprising:
a gas-powered well, a piston assembly, an isolation device, a connecting rod, a crankshaft, and a power generation device;
wherein the gas-powered well comprises an internal sliding chamber for reciprocating motion of the piston assembly, a solution pool being disposed at [[the]] a bottom of the sliding chamber, and [[the]] a wall of the gas-powered well being provided with independent gas injection, liquid injection, and liquid discharge pipelines, the gas injection pipeline being used to inject a gas that is highly soluble in water into the gas-powered well, [[the]] an outlet of the gas injection pipeline being located at the bottom of the sliding chamber, [[the]] an outlet of the liquid injection pipeline being located at [[the]] a bottom of the solution pool, and [[the]] an inlet of the liquid discharge pipeline being located at the bottom of the solution pool;
wherein the piston assembly is located in the sliding chamber of the gas-powered well and comprises a piston block, a connecting frame, support rollers, a connecting rod, and [[a]] the crankshaft, the support rollers being mounted on [[the]] a side wall of the piston block, the piston block being connected to [[the]] an inner wall of the sliding chamber via the support rollers, a sealing structure being provided between the side wall of the piston block and the inner wall of the sliding chamber, the sealing structure being located between a pair of the support rollers, the connecting frame being fixed on top of the piston block, and the connecting frame being connected to the crankshaft via the connecting rod;
wherein the isolation device is located between the sliding chamber and the solution pool and has a telescopic end face configured to isolate the gas in the sliding chamber from contact with [[the]] a liquid in the solution pool;
wherein an output shaft of the power generation device is connected to one end of the crankshaft.--
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(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 7-14 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 7 Ln 7m 8, 9-10 & 11 states the limitation "a track”, “a tunnel”, “a track” & “a tunnel”, respectively. It is unclear if these tracks and tunnels are the same as or in addition to the track/tunnel stated in claim 1 Ln 18. Therefore, the scope of the claim is indeterminate. For examination, the first track/tunnel was interpreted as the same as claim 1, and the second track/tunnel was interpreted as in addition to the track/tunnel of claim 1. An amendment is required to clearly distinguish the terms.
Claims 8-14 are rejected for their dependence upon claim 7.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the objection(s), set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1, Rowe; Bernard D. US 3945211 A, hereinafter Rowe, discloses (Fig. 1-3) a piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, comprising:
a gas-powered well (10) having an internal sliding chamber (14) for reciprocating movement of a piston assembly(12, (Col 2 Ln 47 - Col 3 Ln 9));
independent gas injection (22), liquid injection (34), and liquid discharge (28) pipelines disposed within a wall (16) of the gas-powered well, wherein the gas injection pipeline is configured to inject a gas highly soluble in water into the gas-powered well (Col 2 Ln 47 - Col 3 Ln 9);
the piston assembly located within the sliding chamber of the gas-powered well (see Fig. 2-3), the piston assembly comprising a piston block (12), a connecting frame (portion of (12) connected to (18)), a sealing structure (depicted sealing rings on (12)) is disposed between the sidewall of the piston block and the inner wall of the sliding chamber, the connecting frame is fixed atop the piston block;
a power generation device (“engine”, Col 1 Ln 45-47).
Rowe fails to explicitly state that the piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, comprising:
a bottom of the sliding chamber being provided with a solution pool;
wherein the gas injection pipeline outlet located at the bottom of the sliding chamber; the liquid injection pipeline's outlet is located at the bottom of the solution pool; and the liquid discharge pipeline's inlet is located at the bottom of the solution pool;
a first truss beam disposed at a the top of the gas-powered well to support the piston assembly, the first truss beam being provided with a first pulley;
a lifting well having an internal ascending channel for lifting a gravity block, a top of the lifting well being provided with a second truss beam, the second truss beam being provided with a second pulley;
a falling well having an internal descending channel for the gravity block to fall, a top of the falling well being provided with a third truss beam, the third truss beam being provided with a third pulley;
a track connecting the tops of the lifting well and the falling well, and a tunnel connecting bottoms of the lifting well and the falling well, the tunnel allowing the gravity block to move from the bottom of the descending channel to the bottom of the ascending channel;
the piston assembly comprising support rollers, and a connecting rope, wherein the support rollers are mounted on a sidewall of the piston block, the piston block is connected to an inner wall of the sliding chamber via the support rollers, the sealing structure being located between a pair of support rollers, one end of the connecting rope is fixed to the connecting frame, and a free end of the connecting rope is connected to the gravity block and is suspended in the lifting well via guidance by the first and second pulleys;
an isolation device located between the sliding chamber and the solution pool, the isolation device having a telescopic end face that isolates contact between the gas in the sliding chamber and a liquid in the solution pool;
the power generation device mounted above the falling well, the output shaft of the power generation device being connected to a drum, the drum being wound with a steel wire rope, one end of the steel wire rope being fixed to the drum, the steel wire rope having a connecting end connected to the gravity block, the connecting end of the steel wire rope being suspended in the falling well via guidance by the third pulley.
Pedretti; Andrea et al. US 20210404448 A1, hereinafter Pedretti discloses (Fig. 9, 20) a well-based energy storage and power generation system, comprising:
a lifting well (1130A) having an internal ascending channel for lifting a gravity block (1300), a top of the lifting well being provided with a second truss beam (1510);
a falling well (1130B) having an internal descending channel for the gravity block to fall, a top of the falling well being provided with a third truss beam (1510);
a track (1180) connecting the tops of the lifting well and the falling well, and a tunnel (1180) connecting bottoms of the lifting well and the falling well, the tunnel allowing the gravity block to move from the bottom of the descending channel to the bottom of the ascending channel [0062-0063];
a power generation device (1500) mounted above the falling well, the output shaft of the power generation device being connected to a drum, the drum being wound with a steel wire rope, one end of the steel wire rope being fixed to the drum, the steel wire rope having a connecting end connected to the gravity block, the connecting end of the steel wire rope being suspended in the falling well [0068].
Pedretti further discloses the device enables energy to be stored and delivered when necessary [0002-0003].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify Rowe, by providing the lifting well and falling well, as taught by Pedretti, for the purpose of enabling energy to be stored and delivered when necessary.
The modified device of Rowe/Pedretti further fails to explicitly state that the well-based energy storage and power generation system, comprising:
the second truss beam being provided with a second pulley;
the third truss beam being provided with a third pulley;
the piston assembly comprising support rollers, and a connecting rope, wherein the support rollers are mounted on a sidewall of the piston block, the piston block is connected to an inner wall of the sliding chamber via the support rollers, the sealing structure being located between a pair of support rollers, one end of the connecting rope is fixed to the connecting frame, and a free end of the connecting rope is connected to the gravity block and is suspended in the lifting well via guidance by the first and second pulleys;
an isolation device located between the sliding chamber and the solution pool, the isolation device having a telescopic end face that isolates contact between the gas in the sliding chamber and a liquid in the solution pool;
the connecting end of the steel wire rope being suspended in the falling well via guidance by the third pulley.
Withstanding the formalities/rejections listed previously, Claims 1 contains allowable subject matter. The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the independent claim, and specifically does not show the claimed components and structural relationships stated above. Although the modified device of Rowe/Pedretti discloses a piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, there is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Rowe to incorporate the details of the claimed components and structural relationships stated above, along with the other claimed components of the piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in the independent claim.
Claims 2-16 depend from claim 1.
Regarding claim 17, Rowe discloses (Fig. 1-3) a piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, comprising:
a gas-powered well (10), a piston assembly (12), and a power generation device (“engine”, Col 1 Ln 45-47);
wherein the gas-powered well is arranged horizontally in an axial direction (see Fig. 2) and comprises an internal sliding chamber (14) for reciprocating motion of the piston assembly (Col 2 Ln 47 - Col 3 Ln 9);
wherein the wall of the gas-powered well is provided with independent gas injection, liquid injection, and liquid discharge pipelines, the gas injection pipeline being used to inject a gas that is highly soluble in water into the gas-powered well (Col 2 Ln 47 - Col 3 Ln 9), an outlet (22) of the gas injection pipeline being located inside the sliding chamber;
wherein an output shaft of the power generation device is connected to a drum (depicted as a crank shaft);
wherein the piston assembly is located in the sliding chamber of the gas-powered well and comprises a piston block (12), a connecting frame (portion of (12) connected to (18)), a sealing structure (depicted sealing rings on (12)) being provided between the side wall of the piston block and the inner wall of the sliding chamber, , the connecting frame being fixed on top of the piston block.
Rowe fails to explicitly state that the piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, comprising:
an isolation device;
wherein the gas-powered well comprises a solution pool being arranged on one side of the sliding chamber, the solution pool and the sliding chamber forming an L-shaped structure, and a truss column configured to provide traction to the piston assembly being arranged on an other side of the gas-powered well, the truss column being provided with a steering pulley;
wherein an outlet of the liquid injection pipeline being located at the bottom of the solution pool, and an inlet of the liquid discharge pipeline being located at the bottom of the solution pool;
wherein the power generation device is mounted on the truss column;
wherein the piston assembly comprises support rollers, and a connecting rope, the support rollers being mounted on a side wall of the piston block, the piston block being connected to an inner wall of the sliding chamber via the support rollers, the sealing structure being located between a pair of support rollers, one end of the connecting rope being fixed to the connecting frame, and an other end of the connecting rope being guided by the steering pulley and wound on the drum;
wherein the isolation device is located between the sliding chamber and the solution pool and has a telescopic end face configured to isolate the gas in the sliding chamber from contact with the liquid in the solution pool.
Withstanding the formalities/rejections listed previously, Claims 17 contains allowable subject matter. The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the independent claim, and specifically does not show the claimed components and structural relationships stated above. Although Rowe discloses a piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, there is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Rowe to incorporate the details of the claimed components and structural relationships stated above, along with the other claimed components of the piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in the independent claim.
Claims 18-19 depend from claim 17.
Regarding claim 20, Rowe discloses (Fig. 1-3) a piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, comprising:
a gas-powered well (10), a piston assembly (12), a connecting rod (18), a crankshaft (depicted in Fig. 3), and a power generation device (“engine”, Col 1 Ln 45-47);
wherein the gas-powered well comprises an internal sliding chamber (14) for reciprocating motion of the piston assembly (Col 2 Ln 47 - Col 3 Ln 9), and a wall (16) of the gas-powered well being provided with independent gas injection (22), liquid injection (34), and liquid discharge (16) pipelines, the gas injection pipeline being used to inject a gas that is highly soluble in water into the gas-powered well (Col 2 Ln 47 - Col 3 Ln 9);
wherein the piston assembly is located in the sliding chamber of the gas-powered well and comprises a piston block (12), a connecting frame (portion of (12) connected to (18)), a connecting rod (18), and the crankshaft, a sealing structure (depicted sealing ring on (12)) being provided between the side wall of the piston block and the inner wall of the sliding chamber, the connecting frame being fixed on top of the piston block, and the connecting frame being connected to the crankshaft via the connecting rod (depicted in Fig. 3);
wherein an output shaft of the power generation device is connected to one end of the crankshaft (Col 1 Ln 45-47).
Rowe fails to explicitly state that the piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, comprising: an isolation device;
wherein the gas-powered well comprises a solution pool being disposed at a bottom of the sliding chamber, an outlet of the gas injection pipeline being located at the bottom of the sliding chamber, an outlet of the liquid injection pipeline being located at [[the]] a bottom of the solution pool, and an inlet of the liquid discharge pipeline being located at the bottom of the solution pool;
wherein the piston assembly comprises support rollers, the support rollers being mounted on a side wall of the piston block, the piston block being connected to an inner wall of the sliding chamber via the support rollers, the sealing structure being located between a pair of the support rollers;
wherein the isolation device is located between the sliding chamber and the solution pool and has a telescopic end face configured to isolate the gas in the sliding chamber from contact with a liquid in the solution pool.
Withstanding the formalities/rejections listed previously, Claims 20 contains allowable subject matter. The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the independent claim, and specifically does not show the claimed components and structural relationships stated above. Although Rowe discloses a piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system, there is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Rowe to incorporate the details of the claimed components and structural relationships stated above, along with the other claimed components of the piston-type gas-powered well-based energy storage and power generation system. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in the independent claim.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Relevant Art
The following is a listing of relevant art:
US 20130174554 A1, WO 2021119765 A1 discloses a device comprising a lifting/descending well.
US 0493722 A, US 4333313 A, US 4037415 A discloses a device comprising a distillation/absorption or ammonia powered engine
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW WIBLIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9836. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NATHANIEL WIEHE can be reached on 571-272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW WIBLIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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