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 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 7 and 16 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.
Regarding claim 7, the limitation “the locating structure” has insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claim 16, the limitation “the locating structure” has insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 6-11, and 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lv et al. (Pub. No. US 2011/0012038).
Regarding claim 1, Lv et al. disclose a valve needle assembly (Fig. 1), comprising: a valve sleeve (15), the valve sleeve having a cavity (Fig. 1), and the valve sleeve (15) having a first end and a second end arranged opposite each other (Fig. 1); a bushing (12) movably arranged in the cavity (paragraphs 26-27), the bushing being in limiting fit (paragraphs 26-27) with the first end of the valve sleeve (15), and the bushing (12) being configured for driving the valve sleeve (15) to move; a spring (13) arranged in the cavity (Fig. 1), wherein a first end of the spring (13) is connected with the bushing (12), and a second end of the spring (13) is connected with the second end (Fig. 1) of the valve sleeve (15); and a sealing member (16) fixedly arranged (paragraph 26) at the second end of the valve sleeve (15), the sealing member (16) being configured for closing a valve port (18).
Regarding claim 2, Lv et al. disclose the valve needle assembly (Fig. 1) further comprising: a fixing member (fixing component between 15 and 16) arranged between the valve sleeve (15) and the sealing member (16), the fixing member (paragraph 26) being configured for fixing the sealing member (16) to the valve sleeve (15).
Regarding claim 6, Lv et al. disclose the valve needle assembly (Fig. 1) wherein the valve needle assembly further comprises: a positioning structure (step structure in between 15 and 16, Fig. 1) arranged between the second end of the valve sleeve (15) and the sealing member (16).
Regarding claim 7, Lv et al. disclose the valve needle assembly (Fig. 1) wherein an end face (Fig. 1) of an end of the sealing member (16) facing the valve sleeve (15) is provided with a first step structure (Fig. 1), an end face (Fig. 1) of the second end of the valve sleeve (15) is provided with a second step structure (Fig. 1), and the first step structure cooperates with the second step structure to form the locating structure (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8, Lv et al. disclose the valve needle assembly (Fig. 1) wherein an outer diameter (Fig. 1) of the sealing member (40) is the same as an outer diameter (Fig. 1) of the second end of the valve sleeve (15).
Regarding claim 9, Lv et al. disclose the valve needle assembly (Fig. 1) further comprising a sealing cover (fixed upper cover of 15, Fig. 1), wherein the sealing cover (Fig. 1) is fixedly arranged at the first end of the valve sleeve (15), and the sealing cover (Fig. 1) is configured for limiting a displacement (paragraphs 26-27) of the bushing (12) in the valve sleeve (15).
Regarding claim 10, Lv et al. disclose an electronic expansion valve (Fig. 1), wherein the electronic expansion valve comprises: a valve body (1 & 2) having a valve port (18); a screw rod (4) arranged in the valve body (1 & 2); the valve needle assembly (Fig. 1), the valve needle assembly is movably arranged in the valve body (1 & 2), the valve needle assembly is arranged corresponding to the valve port (18), the screw rod (4) is in drive connection with the bushing (12) of the valve needle assembly, and the screw rod (4) drives the valve sleeve (15) to move by the bushing (12).
Regarding claim 11, Lv et al. disclose the electronic expansion valve (Fig. 1) wherein the valve needle assembly further comprises: a fixing member (fixing component between 15 and 16) arranged between the valve sleeve (15) and the sealing member (16), the fixing member (paragraph 26) being configured for fixing the sealing member (16) to the valve sleeve (15).
Regarding claim 15, Lv et al. disclose the electronic expansion valve (Fig. 1) wherein the valve needle assembly further comprises: a positioning structure (step structure in between 15 and 16, Fig. 1) arranged between the second end of the valve sleeve (15) and the sealing member (16).
Regarding claim 16, Lv et al. disclose the electronic expansion valve (Fig. 1) wherein an end face (Fig. 1) of an end of the sealing member (16) facing the valve sleeve (15) is provided with a first step structure (Fig. 1), an end face (Fig. 1) of the second end of the valve sleeve (15) is provided with a second step structure (Fig. 1), and the first step structure cooperates with the second step structure to form the locating structure (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 17, Lv et al. disclose the electronic expansion valve (Fig. 1) wherein an outer diameter (Fig. 1) of the sealing member (40) is the same as an outer diameter (Fig. 1) of the second end of the valve sleeve (15).
Regarding claim 18, Lv et al. disclose the electronic expansion valve (Fig. 1) further comprising a sealing cover (fixed upper cover of 15, Fig. 1), wherein the sealing cover (Fig. 1) is fixedly arranged at the first end of the valve sleeve (15), and the sealing cover (Fig. 1) is configured for limiting a displacement (paragraphs 26-27) of the bushing (12) in the valve sleeve (15).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-5 & 12-14 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.
Zhan (Pub. No. US 2015/0184768) disclose a similar valve needle assembly.
Zhan et al. (Pub,. No. 2015/0114495) disclose a similar valve needle assembly.\
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Reinaldo Sanchez-Medina, telephone number 571-270-5168, fax number 571-270-6168. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (7:30AM-4:00PM EST).
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/REINALDO SANCHEZ-MEDINA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753