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 .
Claim Status
Claims 1-9 and 13-14 are rejected.
Claims 10-12 and 15-18 have been cancelled.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on February 27, 2026, has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
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.
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) 1-9 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102((a)(1)) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Klein et al. (US 2007/0131606) [hereinafter Klein].
With respect to claim 1, Klein discloses a filter device (removable filter cartridge), as shown in Fig. 1, having: a filter housing 22 with an internal volume containing a filter 10 configured to filter a liquid, as shown in Fig. 1; and a sealing valve 44, 46, including a first end coupled to an open end of the filter housing 22 and a second end configured to removably couple the removable filter cartridge and the sealing valve 44, 46, to a tank 40 (filter head), as shown in Fig. 1, the sealing valve 44, 46, configured to be actuated between an open position and a closed position by sliding the sealing valve 44, 46, as shown in Figs. 1-2, wherein the open position allows liquid flow into and out of the internal volume of the filter housing 22, as shown in Fig. 2, and the closed position seals the internal volume of the filter housing 22, as shown in Fig. 1, the sealing valve 44, 46, configured to be actuated from the open position to the closed position while the sealing valve 44, 46, is removably coupled to the filter head 40 and maintain the seal while the removable filter cartridge remains uncoupled, as shown in Fig. 1.
Klein lacks the sealing valve being configured to remain coupled to the filter housing when the removable filter cartridge is uncoupled from the filter head such that the removable filter cartridge is removable from the filter head as a unit. However, this limitation has been considered to be a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention which must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. In this case, Klein teaches that the filter head 40 (fluid means/tank) may be decoupled from the unit 22, 10, to replace the element 10 after loosening the cover part 24 (see paragraph 0021). Furthermore, the housing 22 is attached to the valve 44 and filter head 40 by means of a screw connection (see paragraph 0017). Therefore, it would be inherent and/or obvious that the sealing valve 44, 46, disclosed by Klein is capable of remaining coupled to the filter housing 22 when the removable filter cartridge is uncoupled from the filter head 40 such that the removable filter cartridge is removable from the filter head 40 as a unit, as claimed by applicant.
With respect to claim 2, Klein discloses wherein the sealing valve 44, 46, is configured to be actuated by hand between the open position and the closed position (see paragraph 0018).
With respect to claim 3, Klein discloses wherein the sealing valve 46 includes a connecting device 44 (valve body), a blocking part 46 (valve plate), and an inlet passageway 54 and an outlet passageway 52 extending through the valve body 44 and configured to direct the liquid into and from the filter housing 22, as shown in Fig. 1, the valve plate 46 in the closed position blocking the inlet passageway 54 and the outlet passageway 52, as shown in Fig. 1
With respect to claim 4, Klein discloses wherein the valve plate 46 includes a first through hole 58 and a second through hole 58, as shown in Fig. 1, in the open position, the first through hole 58 is aligned with the inlet passageway 54 allowing the liquid to flow through the inlet passageway 54, as shown in Fig. 2, and the second through hole 58 is aligned with the outlet passageway 52 allowing liquid to flow through the outlet passageway 52, as shown in Fig. 2, and in the closed position, a first portion 56 of the valve plate 46 blocks the inlet passageway 54 and a second portion 56 of the valve plate 46 blocks the outlet passageway 52, as shown in Fig. 1.
With respect to claim 5, Klein discloses wherein the valve plate 46 includes: a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, as shown in Fig. 1, the first through hole 58 extending through the valve body 44 from the first side to the second side, as shown in Fig. 2, a first seal 50 on the first side of the valve plate 46 surrounding the first through hole 58, as shown in Fig. 2, the first seal 50 configured to provide sealing between the valve plate 46 and the valve body 44 in the open position, as shown in Fig. 2, and a second seal 50 on the first side of the valve plate 46 surrounding the first portion 56 of the valve plate 46, the second seal 50 configured to provide sealing between the valve plate 46 and the valve body 44 in the closed position, as shown in Fig. 1.
With respect to claim 6, Klein discloses wherein the valve plate 46 includes: a third seal 50 on the second side of the valve plate 46 surrounding the first through hole 58, the first seal 50 and the second seal 50 configured to provide sealing between the valve plate 46 and the valve body 44 in the open position, as shown in Fig. 2, and a fourth seal 50 on the second side of the valve plate 46 surrounding the first portion 56 of the valve plate 46, as shown in Fig. 1, the third seal 50 and the fourth seal 50 configured to provide sealing between the valve plate 46 and the valve body 44 in the closed position, as shown in Fig. 1.
With respect to claim 7, Klein discloses wherein the sealing valve 44, 46, is configured to be actuated between the open position and the closed position by sliding the sealing valve 44, 46, the sealing valve 44, 46, including a valve body 44 coupled to the filter housing 22 and a valve plate 46 slidable in the valve body 44 to actuate the sealing valve 44, 46, between the open position and the closed position, as shown in Figs. 1-2.
With respect to claim 8, Klein discloses wherein the sealing valve 44, 46, includes a handle 74 affixed to the valve plate 46, as shown in Fig. 2, the valve seal configured to be actuated between the open position and the closed position by pushing the handle 74 towards the valve body 44, as shown in Fig. 2, and pulling the handle 74 away from the valve body 44, as shown in Fig. 1.
With respect to claim 9, Klein discloses wherein the valve body 44 has a substantially cylindrical shape with an axis, as shown in Fig. 1, the valve plate 46 has a substantially planar shape, as shown in Fig. 1, and the valve plate 46 moves between the open position and the closed position by moving along a direction at or about perpendicular to the axis of the substantially cylindrical shape of the valve body 46, as shown in Figs. 1-2.
With respect to claim 13, Klein discloses a filter device (removable filter cartridge), as shown in Fig. 1, having: a sealing valve 44, 46, comprising: a first end configured to be removably coupled to a filter head 40, as shown in Fig. 1, for removably coupling the filter cartridge and the sealing valve 44, 46, as shown in Fig. 1; and a second end configured to be coupled to a filter housing 22 to form the removable filter cartridge, as shown in Fig. 2, the filter housing 22 having an internal volume containing a filter 10, as shown in Fig. 1, the sealing valve 44, 46, configured to be actuated between an open position and a closed position by sliding the sealing valve 44, 46, wherein the open position is configured to direct fluid from the filter head 40 into the filter housing 22 and then from the filter housing 22 back to the filter head 40, as shown in Fig. 2, and the closed position is configured to seal the internal volume of the filter housing 22, as shown in Fig. 1, the sealing valve 44, 46, configured to be actuated from the open position to the closed position while the sealing valve 44, 46, is removably coupled to the filter head 40 and maintain the seal while the removable filter cartridge remains uncoupled, as shown in Fig. 1.
Klein lacks the sealing valve being configured to remain coupled to the filter housing when the removable filter cartridge is uncoupled from the filter head such that the removable filter cartridge is removable from the filter head as a unit. However, this limitation has been considered to be a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention which must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. In this case, Klein teaches that the filter head 40 (fluid means/tank) may be decoupled from the unit 22, 10, to replace the element 10 after loosening the cover part 24 (see paragraph 0021). Furthermore, the housing 22 is attached to the valve 44 and filter head 40 by means of a screw connection (see paragraph 0017). Therefore, it would be inherent and/or obvious that the sealing valve 44, 46, disclosed by Klein is capable of remaining coupled to the filter housing 22 when the removable filter cartridge is uncoupled from the filter head 40 such that the removable filter cartridge is removable from the filter head 40 as a unit, as claimed by applicant.
With respect to claim 14, Klein discloses wherein the sealing valve 44, 46, is configured to be actuated between the open position and the closed position by sliding the sealing valve 44, 46, the sealing valve 44, 46, including a valve body 44 coupled to the filter housing 22 and a valve plate 46 slidable in the valve body 44 to actuate the sealing valve between the open position and the closed position, as shown in Figs. 1-2.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 27, 2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument that Klein lacks the new limitations added to claims 1 and 13, i.e., the sealing valve being configured to remain coupled to the filter housing when the removable filter cartridge is uncoupled from the filter head such that the removable filter cartridge is removable from the filter head as a unit: Klein teaches that the filter head 40 (fluid means/tank) may be decoupled from the unit 22, 10, to replace the element 10 after loosening the cover part 24 (see paragraph 0021). Furthermore, the housing 22 is attached to the valve 44 and filter head 40 by means of a screw connection (see paragraph 0017), which is known in the art that a screw connection is removable. Therefore, it would be inherent and/or obvious that the sealing valve 44, 46, disclosed by Klein is capable of remaining coupled to the filter housing 22 when the removable filter cartridge is uncoupled from the filter head 40 such that the removable filter cartridge is removable from the filter head 40 as a unit, as claimed by applicant, and since the new limitations added to claims 1 and 13 are considered to be recitations of the intended use of the claimed invention which must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MADELINE GONZALEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-5502. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5:30.
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/MADELINE GONZALEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773