Appeal No. 97-2608
Application No. 08/568,146
The objective of the appellants’ invention is to provide
improved cooling for the motor that drives the compressor in a
closed refrigeration system. Claim 1, the sole independent
claim, recites the components of a closed refrigeration
system, and includes “means for supplying an expanded flow” to
the motor-compressor for cooling the motor. As disclosed,
this comprises a subsystem including a temperature sensor and
processor which operate an expansion valve that can allow
liquid refrigerant exiting from an economizer to be expanded
to the gaseous state and then introduced into the motor to
cool the motor.
It is the examiner’s position that the subject matter of
claim 1 is rendered obvious by the combined teachings of
Heinrichs in view of Kimura and Shaw. It is his view that 3
Heinrichs teaches everything recited in claim 1, except for
the economizer, which would have obvious to one of ordinary
skill in the art in view of the teachings of either of the
secondary references. We do not agree.
3While the rejection states Kimura and Shaw, these
references actually are applied in the alternative.
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