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 14, 15, and 17 – 21 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 14 recites the limitation "the neighboring fold section" in the third line of page 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim subsequently recites “a neighboring fold section” in the fifth line of page 5. For the purpose of examination, both of these limitations are treated as referring to the same neighboring fold section. Claims 15 and 17 – 21 depend from claim 14 and are also rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1 – 6 and 12 – 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by DE 3925511 to Ihle (hereinafter referred to as Ihle).
In regard to claim 1, as generally shown in figures 2 and 3, Ihle discloses a method for molding a sealing device (50) onto an end fold of a pleated bellows (32) folded in a zigzag shape. The end fold can be considered to include an outer side and an inner side. The method includes: embedding in a curable sealing material the pleated bellows arranged in a casting shell assembly (12, 14), wherein embedding is limited at a rim side of the pleated bellows by a casting chamber (38) formed by the casting shell assembly (12, 14); reducing or preventing an expansion of the curable sealing material by a limitation element (30) contacting the inner side of the end fold. Alternately, the claim does not specifically define what the “inner side” of the end fold is, and the limitation element (24) can be considered to be formed on opposite shell part. Ihle discloses the casting chamber (38) surrounding the filter element. Therefore, the limitation element (24) will extend across the entire length of the end fold.
In regard to claim 2, the casting shell assembly includes a top casting shell part (14) and a bottom casting shell part (12). The method further includes: arranging the pleated bellows (32) in or at the top casting shell part (14); introducing the curable sealing material in an uncured state into a circumferentially extending channel of the bottom casting shell part (12), wherein the limitation element (24) projects upwardly from the bottom casting shell part; arranging the top casting shell part with the pleated bellows on the bottom casting shell part such that the limitation element contacts at least partially the inner side of the end fold; curing of the sealing material to form the sealing device (50); removing the pleated bellows with the sealing device formed thereon from the casting shell assembly.
In regard to claim 3, as shown in figure 2, the method further includes arranging the limitation element (30) between the inner side of the end fold and a neighboring fold section of the pleated bellows neighboring the end fold so as to prevent the curable sealing material from expanding in a direction toward the neighboring fold section.
In regard to claims 4 and 5, Ihle discloses using a polyurethane (PUR) material that is foamed as the sealing material. Such a material inherently expands upon curing.
In regard to claim 6, as shown in figure 2, the casting chamber (38) is formed such that the curable sealing material at least partially covers the outer and the inner side of the end fold.
In regard to claims 12 and 13, the filter element (44) forms a filter element obtained by the method of claim 1 of the present application and/or a filter element manufactured in a casting shell assembly according to claim 9 of the present application.
In regard to claim 14, as shown in figure 3, Ihle discloses a filter element having a pleated bellows of a filter medium (32) folded in a zigzag shape and comprising at least one end fold with an inner side and outer side. As broadly recited in the claim, the top side of the pleated bellows can be considered an outer side and the bottom side of the pleated bellows can be considered an inner side. A sealing device (50) is molded at a rim side onto the pleated bellows. The sealing device (50) covers at least partially a rim section of the outer side and of the inner side of the at least one end fold, as shown in figures 2 and 3. The outer side of the at least one end fold can be considered to form an outer rim of the pleated bellows and to delimit the pleated bellows outwardly. The inner side of the at least one end fold is shown to be positioned opposite the outer side of the at least one end fold. The sealing device (50) is shown to be spaced from a neighboring fold section of the pleated bellows neighboring the at least one end fold at least across a substantial length of the neighboring fold section. The neighboring fold section is a fold section folded at a fold edge relative to the at least one end fold.
In regard to claim 15, as shown in figure 3, the neighboring fold section is substantially free of a cured sealing material of the sealing device (50).
In regard to claim 17, the neighboring fold section is configured to be flowed through for filtration of a fluid to be filtered.
In regard to claim 18, as further shown in figure 3, fold sections of the pleated bellows (32) adjacent to the neighboring fold section are substantially free of the sealing device (50).
In regard to claims 19 and 20, as discussed above, Ihle discloses using a polyurethane (PUR) material that is foamed as the sealing material. Such a material inherently expands upon curing.
In regard to claim 21, as shown in figure 3, the cured sealing material of the sealing device (50) covers at least partially the outer side and the inner side of the at least one end fold.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 9, and 10 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The examiner agrees with applicant’s arguments, see pages 6 and 7 of the reply filed December 2, 2025, that these claims are allowable.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 2, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The examiner agrees that previous claim 8, which has been incorporated into independent claim 1, was indicated to include allowable subject matter. This indication, however, was made in error. Upon further review, Ihle is considered to teach all of the features in amended claim 1. As discussed in the rejection above, Ihle discloses the casting chamber (38) surrounding the filter element. Therefore, the limitation element (24), which in part forms the casting chamber, will extend across the entire length of the end fold. A limitation element that extends the entire length of the end fold is required to form a sealing device (50) that extends around the entire perimeter of the pleated bellows.
The examiner respectfully disagrees with applicant’s arguments, see pages 7 – 9, that Ihle fails to disclose all of the features in amended claim 14. As discussed in the rejection above, the claim does not specifically define the inner side or the outer side, and the top side of the pleated bellows can be considered an outer side and the bottom side of the pleated bellows can be considered an inner side. In this case, the outer side of the at least one end fold can be considered to form an outer rim of the pleated bellows and to delimit the pleated bellows outwardly. The inner side of the at least one end fold is shown to be positioned opposite the outer side of the at least one end fold. The sealing device (50) is shown to be spaced from a neighboring fold section of the pleated bellows neighboring the at least one end fold at least across a substantial length of the neighboring fold section. The neighboring fold section is a fold section folded at a fold edge relative to the at least one end fold.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Robert Clemente whose telephone number is (571)272-1476. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/ROBERT CLEMENTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773