Appeal 2007-2815
Application 10/498,809
BACKGROUND
Vehicle drive systems “may have one or more engines, electric
motors, fuel cells, power electronics units and/or batteries, all of which may
give off waste heat” (Specification 1). When using a reversible vapor
compression system to heat or cool the passenger compartment of a vehicle,
“it is desirable to use waste heat from the drive system of the vehicle, and/or
from ambient air, as a heat source for the vapor compression system when it
is operated in heat pump mode” (id.).
The Specification discloses a “vapor compression system for vehicle
comfort cooling and heating where the system can utilize waste heat both
from the vehicle drive system and from ambient air as a heat source in
heating mode, and as heat sink in cooling mode” (id. at 2). The
Specification states that “[t]he system is primarily intended for (but not
limited to) use in vehicles having a coolant fluid circuit that exchanges heat
with an internal combustion engine, an electric motor or a hybrid drive
system” (id.).
DISCUSSION
1. CLAIMS
Claims 29 and 30 are on appeal. Claims 31-42 are also pending but
have been withdrawn from consideration by the Examiner.
The claims have not been argued separately and therefore stand or fall
together. 37 C.F.R. § 41.37(c)(1)(vii). Claim 29 is representative and reads
as follows:
29. A reversible vapor compression system for heating and
comfort cooling of a vehicle cabin or passenger compartment,
2
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