`Reply to 0A dated July 12, 2011
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`AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS:
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`This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the
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`application:
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`Listing of Claims:
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`Claim 1 (Currently Amended): A refrigeration apparatus comprising:
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`a refrigerant circuit in which a refrigerant discharged from a compressor having a
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`discharge side and a suction side is condensed and then evaporated to exert a cooling
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`function; and
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`a tank connected to a pipe of the compressor on [[a]] solely the suction side of the
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`discharge side and suction side via a pressure reducing unit, the pressure reducing unit
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`being connected in parallel with a check valve, the direction of the tank being the forward
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`direction of the check valve.
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`Claim 2 (Currently Amended): A refrigeration apparatus comprising:
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`a high-temperature—side refrigerant circuit and a low-temperature—side refrigerant
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`circuit each constituting an independent refrigerant closed circuit in which a refrigerant
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`discharged from a compressor having a discharge side and a suction side is condensed
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`and then evaporated to exert a cooling function, an evaporator of the high-temperature-
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`side refrigerant circuit and a condenser of the low—temperature—side refrigerant circuit
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`constituting a cascade heat exchanger, an evaporator of the low-temperature-side
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`refrigerant circuit achieving an extremely low temperature; and
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`2
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`US. Patent Application Serial No.: 12/300,703
`Reply to 0A dated July 12, 2011
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`a tank connected to a pipe of the compressor of the low-temperature-side
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`refrigerant circuit on [[a]] solely the suction side of the discharge side and suction side
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`via a pressure reducing unit, the pressure reducing unit being connected in parallel with a
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`check valve, the direction of the tank being the forward direction of the check valve.
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`Claim 3 (Currently Amended): A refrigeration apparatus comprising:
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`a compressor having a discharge side and a suction side, a condenser, an
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`evaporator, and a plurality of intermediate heat exchangers and a plurality of pressure
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`reducing units connected in series so that a refrigerant fed back from the evaporator
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`circulates, wherein a plurality of types of non-azeotropic mixed refiigerants are
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`introduced, a condensed refrigerant in the refrigerants fed through the condenser is
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`allowed to join the intermediate heat exchanger via the pressure reducing unit, and a non-
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`condensed refrigerant in the refrigerants is cooled by the intermediate heat exchanger to
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`successively condense the refrigerant having a lower boiling point, and the refrigerant
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`having the lowest boiling point is allowed to flow into the evaporator via the final-stage
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`pressure reducing unit to obtain an extremely low temperature,
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`the refrigeration apparatus further comprising:
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`a tank connected to a pipe of the compressor on [[a]] solely the suction side of the
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`discharge side and suction side via the pressure reducing unit, the pressure reducing unit
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`being connected in parallel with a check valve, the direction of the tank being the forward
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`direction of the check valve.
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`US. Patent Application Serial No.: 12/300,703
`Reply to OA dated July 12, 2011
`
`Claim 4 (Currently Amended): A refrigeration apparatus comprising:
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`a high-temperature—side refrigerant circuit and a low-temperature-side refrigerant
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`circuit each constituting an independent refrigerant closed circuit in which a refrigerant
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`discharged from a compressor having a discharge side and a suction side is condensed
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`and then evaporated to exert a cooling function, the low-temperature-side refrigerant
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`circuit having the compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a plurality of intermediate
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`heat exchangers and a plurality of pressure reducing units connected in series so that the
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`refrigerant fed back from the evaporator circulates, wherein a plurality of types of non-
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`azeotropic mixed refrigerants are introduced, a
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`condensed refrigerant in the refrigerants fed through the condenser is allowed to
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`join the intermediate heat exchanger via the pressure reducing unit, a non-condensed
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`refrigerant in the refrigerants is cooled by the intermediate heat exchanger to successively
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`condense the refrigerant having a lower boiling point, the refrigerant having the lowest
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`boiling point is allowed to flow into the evaporator via the final-stage pressure reducing
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`unit, an evaporator of the high-temperature-side refrigerant circuit and the condenser of
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`the low-temperature-side refrigerant circuit constitute a cascade heat exchanger, and the
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`evaporator of the low—temperature-side refrigerant circuit obtains an extremely low
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`temperature,
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`the refrigeration apparatus further comprising:
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`a tank connected to a pipe of the compressor of the low-temperature-side
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`refrigerant circuit on [[a]] solely the suction side of the discharge side and suction side
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`via the pressure reducing unit, the pressure reducing unit being connected in parallel with
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`a check valve, the direction of the tank being the forward direction of the check valve.
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`4
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