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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 1/13/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-12 in the reply filed on 1/12/2026 is acknowledged.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract exceeds 150 words. Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 6-7 and 11 is/are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 6, line 1, “the extension direction” should read --an extension direction--.
In claim 6, line 2, “the extension direction” should read --an extension direction--.
In claim 6, lines 2-3, “the pipe diameter” should read --a pipe diameter--.
In claim 6, line 3, “the pipe diameter” should read --a pipe diameter--.
In claim 7, line 1, “the ratio” should read --a ratio--.
In claim 11, line 2 “an gas inlet port” should read --a gas inlet port--.
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) 1-2 and 4-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu (US 20170280884).
Regarding claim 1, Liu discloses an inflation system, characterized by comprising:
a first gas channel (channel of 123 extending to 151 and channel of 104) having a gas inlet port (208) and a gas outlet port (outlet port near 206), wherein the gas inlet port is used for being connected to a gas supply apparatus (101, 131), and the gas outlet port is used for communicating with a gas chamber of an inflated object (a chamber of the inflatable body, ¶ 0087-0089); the first gas channel is able to be switched between a first state and a second state (¶ 0076-0078; see Fig. 8-10); and
a second gas channel (112, 142) arranged in parallel to the first gas channel, the second gas channel is arranged on an outer wall (wall of 104) of the first gas channel, the second gas channel is used for communicating with the gas chamber (¶ 0087-0088), and a gas pressure sensor (149) is provided on the second gas channel (¶ 0087-0088);
in the first state, a gas pressure in the gas chamber measured by the gas pressure sensor does not reach a set value, and the first gas channel is able to inflate the gas chamber (¶ 0076-0078); and
in the second state, the gas pressure in the gas chamber measured by the gas pressure sensor reaches the set value, and the first gas channel is able to stop inflating the gas chamber (¶ 0076-0078).
Regarding claim 2, Liu discloses a switching apparatus (118) is provided on the first gas channel, in the first state, the switching apparatus is in an on state (state shown in Fig. 8); in the second state, the switching apparatus is in an off state (state shown in Fig. 10).
Regarding claim 4, Liu discloses in the first state, the gas supply apparatus is in an operation state (¶ 0076-0078); in the second state, the gas supply apparatus is in an out-of-operation state (¶ 0076-0078).
Regarding claim 5, Liu discloses a port (port of 142) of the second gas channel in communication with the gas chamber is on the same side of the first gas channel as the gas outlet port (see Fig. 2 and 11), the first gas channel and the second gas channel are used for communicating with a same inflation interface (interface of the inflatable body, ¶ 0087-0089) of the gas chamber.
Regarding claim 6, Liu discloses the extension direction of the first gas channel is parallel to the extension direction of the second gas channel (¶ 0087-0088; see Fig. 2-4 and 11)), the pipe diameter of the second gas channel is smaller than the pipe diameter of the first gas channel (the diameter of 142 is smaller than the diameter of 123, see Fig. 11), and an end (151) of the first gas channel in the extension direction which is not in communication with the gas chamber is closed (see Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 7, Liu discloses the ratio of the pipe diameter of the second gas channel to the pipe diameter of the first gas channel is 1/20 to 1/2 (the diameter of 123 is greater than twice the diameter of 142, see Fig. 11).
Regarding claim 8, Liu discloses an outer wall (outer wall of 112) of the second gas channel is provided with an extension channel (channel of 112) in communication with the second gas channel, and the gas pressure sensor is arranged on the extension channel (¶ 0087-0088; see Fig. 3-4).
Regarding claim 9, Liu discloses the first gas channel and the second gas channel are respectively used for communicating with inflation interfaces (interfaces of the inflatable body, ¶ 0087-0089) at different positions of the gas chamber (see Fig. 2-4 and 11).
Regarding claim 10, Liu discloses the first gas channel is also provided with a one-way valve (118) inside, and in the first state, the one-way valve is in an on state (state shown in Fig. 8); in the second state, the one-way valve is in an off state (state shown in Fig. 10).
Regarding claim 11, Liu discloses the system further comprises a third gas channel (141, 146, 152), which is provided with an gas inlet port (152) and a gas outlet port (141), the gas inlet port of the third gas channel is connected with the gas supply apparatus (see Fig. 3-4), and the gas outlet port of the third gas channel is used for being connected with a bubble spraying interface of the inflated object (141 is capable of being connected with a bubble spraying interface of the inflatable body).
Regarding claim 12, Liu discloses the first gas channel and the third gas channel are connected with the gas supply apparatus through a three-way structural member (147).
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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 20170280884) in view of Pelehach (US 3949095).
Regarding claim 3, Liu discloses substantially all of the elements of the present invention as stated above in the rejection of claim 2.
However, Liu does not explicitly disclose the switching apparatus is a solenoid valve as claimed.
Pelehach discloses a solar energy pool heating apparatus wherein the switching apparatus (25) is a solenoid valve (col. 5, ll. 16-28). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the switching apparatus of Liu, to explicitly be a solenoid valve as claimed, as taught by Pelehach, since it was known in the art to use a solenoid valve that is energized or de-energized as an exhaust valve (col. 5, ll. 16-28).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record in the PTO-892 form and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Huang (US 11384769) is directed to the state of the art as disclosing a smart electric air pump including a first venting hole (106), an air replenishing pump (20), a housing (104), a central control unit (103), a main air pump (101), and a second venting hole (123).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM R KLOTZ whose telephone number is (571)272-0274. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 11AM-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David P Angwin can be reached on (571)270-3735. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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WILLIAM R. KLOTZ
Examiner
Art Unit 3754
/DAVID P ANGWIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3754