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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Objections
Claim 25 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 25 line 7, “super imposed” should read --superimposed-- to remedy a typo. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 6-7, 9-15, 18-19, and 21-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wienecke (DE 102008013593).
Wienecke discloses:
1. (Currently Amended) A hydraulic system comprising: a hydraulic device (24) with a first device port (25) and a second device port (26); a differential buffer (Fig. 6, 50) with a first buffer port (apparent from Fig. 6) and a second buffer port (apparent from Fig. 6); a first flow path (38) that fluidly connects the first device port to the first buffer port; and a second flow path (40) that fluidly connects the second device port with the second buffer port; wherein, in at least a first mode of operation, the first device port is a device inlet port and the second device port is a device outlet port (24 is a bidirectional pump that can reverse its inlets and outlets, see paragraph [0024]), wherein the differential buffer includes a first buffer chamber 42 and a second buffer chamber 44 that are fluidly separated by a buffer piston 56 slidably received in the differential buffer, wherein the first buffer chamber is fluidly connected to the first buffer port and the second buffer chamber is fluidly connected to the second buffer port (apparent from Fig. 6), and wherein the buffer piston is configured to oscillate and is biased towards a neutral position (paragraph [0038] discloses piston 56 urged to a piston center position by springs 48), and wherein the first flow path and the second flow path are effectively balanced flow paths (flow paths 38 and 40 are balanced in an analogous manner as applicants device, having no other valves or structures in the first and second flow paths as claimed).
3. (Currently Amended) The system of claim 1, further comprising a first spring configured to resist motion of the buffer piston in a first direction and a second spring configured to resist motion of the buffer piston in a second direction opposite the first direction (see Fig. 6, springs 58).
6. (Currently Amended) The system of claim 3, wherein the buffer piston is configured to move in the first direction when a pressure in the first buffer chamber is greater than a pressure in the second buffer chamber and in the second direction, opposite the first direction, when the pressure in the second buffer chamber is greater than the pressure in the first buffer chamber (apparent from the Figures, see paragraph [0029], etc.).
7. (Original) The system of claim 6, wherein when the buffer piston moves in the first direction a first volume of the first buffer chamber expands and a second volume of the second buffer chamber contracts, and wherein when the buffer piston moves in the second direction opposite the first direction, the second volume of the second buffer chamber expands and the first volume of the first buffer chamber contracts (apparent from the Figures, see paragraph [0029], etc.).
9. (Previously Presented) The system of claim 3, wherein the hydraulic device is selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor (24 is a hydraulic pump)
10. (Previously Presented) The system of claim 3, wherein the first flow path has a first compliance and the second flow path has a second compliance, and wherein the first compliance is within 20% of the second compliance within a predetermined frequency range (this limitation is implicitly disclosed since the first and second flow paths 38, 40 are symmetrical/identical, the net compliances of both flow paths are expected to be similar or identical, which is within 20% of each other, similar to applicant’s device).
11. (Previously Presented) The system of claim 3, wherein the first fluid flow path has a first impedance and the second fluid flow path has a second impedance, and wherein the first impedance is within 20% of the second impedance within a predetermined frequency range (this limitation is implicitly disclosed since the first and second flow paths 38, 40 are symmetrical/identical, the impedances of both flow paths are expected to be similar or identical, which is within 20% of each other, similar to applicant’s device).
12. (Previously Presented) The system of claim 3, wherein the differential buffer includes a third port and a fourth port, and wherein the third and fourth ports are in fluid communication with a hydraulic load (apparent from Fig. 2 and Fig. 6).
13. (Original) The system of claim 12, wherein the hydraulic load is an active suspension actuator (absent further limitations pertaining to what an “active suspension actuator” requires, the actuator 27 of Wienecke will be interpreted to be meet active suspension actuator limitation since applicant’s disclosed “active suspension actuator 150” is a hydraulic cylinder similar to Wienecke’s hydraulic cylinder 27, and both actuators function similarly by extending and retracting using fluid pressure).
14. (Currently Amended) An active suspension actuator system, comprising: a hydraulic device including a first device port and a second device port; a differential buffer with a first buffer chamber and a second buffer chamber that are fluidly separated by a buffer piston slidably received in the differential buffer, wherein the buffer piston is configured to oscillate and is biased towards a neutral position, wherein the first buffer chamber is fluidly connected to the first port of the hydraulic device through a first flow path and the second buffer chamber is fluidly connected to the second port of the hydraulic device through a second flow path, wherein, in at least a first mode of operation, the first device port is a device inlet port and the second device port is a device outlet port, and wherein the first flow path and the second flow path are effectively balanced flow paths; and a hydraulic actuator with a first actuator chamber and a second actuator chamber that are fluidly separated by an actuator piston slidably received in the hydraulic actuator, wherein the first actuator chamber is fluidly connected to the first buffer chamber and the second actuator chamber is fluidly connected to the second buffer chamber (see claim 1 and 14 rejection for similar claim limitation mapping and discussion, all limitations are either discussed or apparent from Wienecke’s figures).
15. (Original) The system of claim 14, further comprising a first spring configured to resist motion of the buffer piston in a first direction and a second spring configured to resist motion of the buffer piston in a second direction opposite the first direction (see claim 3 rejection for similar limitation mapping and discussion).
18. (Previously Presented) The system of claim 15, wherein the buffer piston is configured to move in a first direction when a pressure in the first buffer chamber is greater than a pressure in the second buffer chamber and in a second direction, opposite the first direction, when the pressure in the second buffer chamber is greater than the pressure in the first buffer chamber (see claim 6 rejection for similar claim limitation mapping and discussion).
19. (Original) The system of claim 18, wherein when the buffer piston moves in the first direction a first volume of the first buffer chamber expands and a second volume of the second buffer chamber contracts, and wherein when the buffer piston moves in the second direction opposite the first direction, the second volume of the second buffer chamber expands and the first volume of the first buffer chamber contracts (see claim 7 rejection for similar claim limitation mapping and discussion).
21. (Previously Presented) The system of claim 14, wherein the hydraulic device is selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor (see claim 9 rejection for similar claim limitation mapping and discussion).
22. (Previously Presented) The system of claim 14, wherein a first flow path extending between and including the first device port and the first buffer chamber has a first compliance and a second flow path extending between and including the second device port and the second buffer chamber has a second compliance, and wherein the first compliance is within 20% of the second compliance within a predetermined frequency range (see claim 10 rejection for similar claim limitation mapping and discussion).
23. (Previously Presented) The system of claim 14, wherein a first flow path extending between and including the first device port and the first buffer chamber has a first impedance and a second flow path extending between and including the second device port and the second buffer chamber has a second impedance, and wherein the first impedance is within 20% of the second impedance within a predetermined frequency range (see claim 11 rejection for similar claim limitation mapping and discussion).
24. (Currently Amended) The system of claim 14, wherein the differential buffer includes a third port fluidly coupled to the first buffer chamber and a fourth port fluidly coupled to the second buffer chamber, and wherein the third port of the differential buffer is fluidly connected to the first actuator chamber and the fourth port is fluidly connected to the second actuator chamber (see claim 12 rejection for similar claim limitation mapping and discussion).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 25, 33, 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wienecke (DE 102008013593)
Wienecke renders obvious:
25. (Currently Amended) A method of mitigating flow pulsations in a hydraulic system with a differential buffer, the method comprising: applying flow pulsations from a first port of a pump to a first flow path fluidly connected to a first buffer chamber of the differential buffer and applying flow pulsations from a second port of the pump to a second flow path fluidly connected to a second buffer chamber of the differential buffer, wherein the flow pulsations at the first port are superimposed on a nominal flow at the first port and the pulsations at the second port are super imposed on a nominal flow at the second port, wherein the first flow path and the second flow path are effectively balanced, wherein the flow pulsations in the first buffer chamber are effectively equal in magnitude and at least partially out of phase with the flow pulsations in the second buffer chamber, and wherein in at least one mode of operation the first port of the pump is an outlet port and the second port of the pump is an inlet port; and displacing a buffer piston disposed between the first buffer chamber and the second buffer chamber due at least in part to a phase difference between the flow pulsations in the first and second buffer chambers, wherein displacing the buffer piston includes oscillating the buffer piston and biasing the buffer piston towards a neutral position, and as a result of the displacement, at least partially canceling the flow pulsations in the first buffer chamber and the second buffer chamber (see previous claim rejections for similar claim limitation mapping and discussion, while Wienecke does not explicitly disclose the pulsations and the oscillation of the buffer, applicant’s claimed system appear to be the same as Wienecke’s system, therefore it is expected that both systems would operate in the same manner with the same functions and results, which includes wherein the flow pulsations at the first port are superimposed on a nominal flow at the first port and the pulsations at the second port are super imposed on a nominal flow at the second port, wherein displacing the buffer piston includes oscillating the buffer piston and biasing the buffer piston towards a neutral position, and as a result of the displacement, at least partially canceling the flow pulsations in the first buffer chamber and the second buffer chamber, due to the effectively balanced flow paths and the nature of a reversible hydraulic motor,
it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have either recognized or modified the device of Wienecke to have used any suitable hydraulic motor embodiment that has reciprocating pistons that would cause the suction of fluid from one port and pressurized output of fluid flow from the second port which would result in pulsations in the system, and due to the structural configuration of the system of Wienecke, would operate in the same manner as claimed in claim 25).
33. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 25, wherein the hydraulic device is selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor (24 is a hydraulic pump).
34. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 25, wherein the phase difference of the hydraulic flow pulsations on each side of the buffer piston are between or equal to 140 degrees and 220 degrees out of phase (see previous claim rejections for similar claim limitation mapping and discussion, according to applicant’s specification, having low difference in impedance and compliance of both flow paths results in a phase difference around 180 degrees, since the flow paths are symmetrical, they are expected to have equivalent compliance and impedance and therefore also have a phase difference around 180 degrees, since prior art hydraulic circuit configuration is similar to the claimed invention, it is expected that they would function similar with regards to the pulsation phases).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Dustin T Nguyen whose telephone number is (571)270-0163. The examiner can normally be reached M - F: 8:00am - 4:30pm.
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/DUSTIN T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745 September 26, 2025