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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Invention I in the reply filed on 2/28/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there is not a burdensome search. This is not found persuasive because the product claims have a substantially different search from the method claims.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 17-26 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 2/28/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(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 5 and 15-16 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 5 recites “an output piston, wherein the first pressure chamber of the piston-cylinder arrangement is delimited by an input piston and an output piston”. It is not clear if either of the input or output pistons of claim 5 correspond to the “a piston” of parent claim 1, or are additional pistons.
Claim 15 recites “the second pressure chamber” and “the first pressure chamber”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 16 recites “the primary three-way valve”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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, 5 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Feigel (US# 2018/0334148).
Feigel discloses all the limitations of the instant claim including; a pressure-providing device 200 having at least one pressure chamber 224/225 which can be connected to a brake circuit S1/S2; a reservoir 30 for storing a pressure medium, wherein the reservoir has a first partial reservoir 32, which can be connected via a first reservoir line 353/355 to a first pressure chamber 521 of a piston-cylinder arrangement 500, wherein the first pressure chamber of the piston-cylinder arrangement is delimited by a piston 512 or 522, which can be adjusted by an actuating device 522 or 10; and a bleed line 312, which connects a bleed outlet of the pressure-providing device 200 to the first reservoir line. Figures 4-5.
Regarding claim 2, a valve 312a/V13/V23 is arranged in the bleed line.
Regarding claim 3, the valve is a non-return valve 312a, a suction side of which is connected in a direction of the first reservoir line 353/355 and a blocking side of which is connected in a direction of the bleed outlet.
Regarding claim 5, the piston-cylinder arrangement 500 has an output piston 512, wherein the first pressure chamber 521 of the piston-cylinder arrangement is delimited by an input piston 522 and an output piston 512.
Regarding claim 15, the reservoir has a third partial reservoir 33, which can be connected via a third reservoir line 332 to the first pressure chamber 224 of the pressure-providing device.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cheon et al (US# 2020/0331442).
Cheon discloses all the limitations of the instant claim including; a pressure-providing device 120 having at least one pressure chamber which can be connected to a brake circuit 130/140; a reservoir 118 for storing a pressure medium, wherein the reservoir has a first partial reservoir (left), which can be connected via a first reservoir line to a first pressure chamber of a piston-cylinder arrangement 110, wherein the first pressure chamber of the piston-cylinder arrangement is delimited by a piston, which can be adjusted by an actuating device 119; and a bleed line, which connects a bleed outlet of the pressure-providing device 120 to the first reservoir line. See annotated figure below.
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Regarding claim 2, a valve is arranged in the bleed line.
Regarding claim 3, the valve is a non-return valve, a suction side of which is connected in a direction of the first reservoir line and a blocking side of which is connected in a direction of the bleed outlet.
Regarding claim 4, the hydraulic arrangement has a switchable valve, which is arranged in the first reservoir line, wherein the bleed line opens into a section of the first reservoir line which is arranged between the switchable valve and the first pressure chamber of the piston-cylinder arrangement. See annotated figure below.
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Regarding claim 15, the reservoir 118 has a second partial reservoir (right), which is connected via a second reservoir line to the second pressure chamber of the piston-cylinder arrangement 110.
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 1-3, 5-7, 9-10 and 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganzel (US# 2021/0155215) in view of Zimmermann et al (US# 2021/0188237).
Ganzel discloses a hydraulic arrangement including; a pressure-providing device 400 or 18 which can be connected to a brake circuit; a reservoir 20 for storing a pressure medium, wherein the reservoir has a first partial reservoir, which can be connected via a first reservoir line (28 and/or 137 and/or 149; or 26/424) to a first pressure chamber 110 or 104 of a piston-cylinder arrangement 14, wherein the first pressure chamber of the piston-cylinder arrangement is delimited by a piston 102, which can be adjusted by an actuating device 70; and a bleed line 440 or 440/137/28 , which connects a bleed outlet of the pressure-providing device 400 to the first reservoir line. Figure 1. Ganzel lacks the specific disclosure of the pressure-providing device 400 having at least one pressure chamber. Zimmermann et al disclose a similar brake arrangement and further teach both a radial piston pump 2 having at least one pressure chamber (see the figure), as well as the substitution of a second linear actuator in place of the piston pump [0070]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the pumps 408/410 as a radially pump at least one pressure chamber or as a second linear actuate have a pressure chamber, as taught by Zimmermann et al, as an obvious implementation of the pump using known and readily available structures.
Regarding claim 2, a valve 29 is arranged in the bleed line 440/28/137.
Regarding claim 3, the valve 29 is a non-return valve , a suction side of which is connected in a direction of the first reservoir line 149 and a blocking side of which is connected in a direction of the bleed outlet 440.
Regarding claim 5, the piston-cylinder arrangement 14 has an output piston 106, wherein the first pressure chamber 104 of the piston-cylinder arrangement is delimited by an input piston 102 and an output piston 106.
Regarding claim 6, in providing a second linear actuator 18 such as taught by Zimmermann et al, the pressure-providing device 400 would have a piston 306 which is designed to connect the bleed outlet and/or the bleed line to the at least one pressure chamber 342 of the pressure-providing device in one position. Figure 3 of Ganzel.
Regarding claim 7, in providing a second linear actuator 18 such as taught by Zimmermann et al,
the pressure-providing device 400 would have a first pressure chamber 342 and a second pressure chamber 340, wherein the piston 308 of the pressure-providing device separates the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber from one another, and wherein the piston is designed to connect the bleed outlet and/or the bleed line to the second pressure chamber of the pressure-providing device in a rearward position. Figure 3.
Regarding claim 9, the piston 306 of the pressure-providing device has a connecting channel 344, which is designed to connect the bleed outlet and/or the bleed line to the at least one or to the second pressure chamber of the pressure-providing device.
Regarding claim 10, in providing a second linear actuator 18 such as taught by Zimmermann et al, the bleed outlet is arranged between two seals 336/334, which are in engagement with the cylindrical outer surface of the piston 306 of the pressure-providing device.
Regarding claim 15, the reservoir 20 has a second partial reservoir (middle), which is connected via a second reservoir line 26 to the second pressure chamber 114 of the piston-cylinder arrangement, and/or the reservoir has a third partial reservoir, which can be connected via a third reservoir line to the first pressure chamber of the pressure-providing device.
Regarding claim 16, the hydraulic arrangement has a pressure sensor 218, for detecting a pressure present in the line connecting the first pressure chamber of the piston-cylinder arrangement 14 and the primary three-way valve.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 11-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRADLEY T KING whose telephone number is (571)272-7117. The examiner can normally be reached 10:30-5:00 PM.
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/BRADLEY T KING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
BTK