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 17-20 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 17 recites the limitation "the conduit section" in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The limitation is interpreted to reference the conduit portion.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the injector section" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The limitation is interpreted to reference the injector portion.
The remaining claims are rejected due to dependency from claim 17.
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) 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Short (US 20100252653) in view of Haltiner (US 6,328,232).
Regarding claim 1, Short discloses a fuel system comprising:
a fuel injector (114) including an injector housing (120) having a fuel inlet (upper surface of 134) and a fuel outlet (115) formed therein (Figure 5a), and an electrical connector (Figure 2, the electrical connector of overmold 112) projecting from the injector housing (Figures 1 and 2); a fuel conduit (302) connected to the fuel injector (Figure 1),
a boot (112, 308) including an elongate boot body defining a longitudinal axis (Figure 1) and having an inner boot surface extending circumferentially around the longitudinal axis and forming a central cavity extending between an injector portion of the elongate boot body receiving the fuel injector (the lower portion receiving the valve seat, and a conduit portion of the elongate boot body receiving the fuel conduit (figure 1, the upper portion receives the projecting edges of 114) (Figure 1, the inner surface of the boot body defines a central cavity which receives all of the elements of the injector), and a plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions (the protrusions of wall 308) in contact with the fuel injector (Figure 5A) so as to maintain an air gap between the fuel injector and the inner boot surface (Figure 5A, the protrusions provide for a gap within 302 between the inner surface of the boot and an outer surface of the fuel injector), but fails to disclose the injector portion having a window formed at least partially therein receiving the electrical connector.
Short discloses that the protective cover may be an over mold or other type of protection. Haltiner discloses a protective cover (30) that includes a window formed therein receiving an electrical connector (Figure 1 depicts the electrical connector 20 being received in a window of the protective cover).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Short with the disclosures of Haltiner, protective cover 112 of the boot with the protective cover of Haltiner (30), as the configurations were known in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and the modification would have yielded predictable results, including protection of the injector in a system where the protective structure is not a critical element.
Short in view of Haltiner further discloses a boot (Haltiner, 30, Short 308) including an elongate boot body defining a longitudinal axis (Haltiner, Figure 1) and having an inner boot surface (Short, Figure 1, 144) extending circumferentially around the longitudinal axis and forming a central cavity extending between an injector portion of the elongate boot body receiving the fuel injector (Short, the lower portion receiving the valve seat, and a conduit portion of the elongate boot body receiving the fuel conduit (Short, figure 1, the upper portion receives the projecting edges of 114) (Figure 1, the inner surface of the boot body defines a central cavity which receives all of the elements of the injector); and
the injector portion having a window formed at least partially therein receiving the electrical connector (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 1), and a plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions (Short, the protrusions of wall 308) in contact with the fuel injector (Short, Figure 5A) so as to maintain an air gap between the fuel injector and the inner boot surface (Short, Figure 5A, the protrusions provide for a gap within 302 between the inner surface of the boot and an outer surface of the fuel injector) (In the interest of compact prosecution, Examiner notes that Haltiner alone anticipates claim 1; the interpreted elements are highlighted in annotated figure 1).
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Examiner’s Annotated Figure 1
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Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2
Regarding claim 2, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the fuel system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions (Short, the protrusions of wall 308) are spaced apart in at least one of a circumferential aspect or an axial aspect (axially) and project radially inward from the inner boot surface (Short, Figure 5A).
Regarding claim 3, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the fuel system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions are spaced apart in the at least one of a circumferential aspect or an axial aspect in a regular pattern (Axial, Figure 5B).
Regarding claim 4, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the fuel system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions include at least one of ribs or bumps (Ribs, Figure 5B).
Regarding claim 5, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the fuel system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions are elongated in an axial direction (Figure 5B).
Regarding claim 6, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the fuel system of claim 1 wherein the injector portion defines a larger inner diameter dimension (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2), and the conduit portion defines a smaller inner diameter dimension (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2), and the injector portion includes a radially inward wall (308) forming an opening (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2) in communication with the central cavity (fuel enters the opening from the central cavity through hole 115).
Regarding claim 7, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the fuel system of claim 6, wherein the conduit portion forms a second opening (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2) in communication with the central cavity and includes a radially inward protrusion engaged in a groove formed in the fuel conduit (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2, the protrusion is engaged in the groove 130 formed in the body 120 (figure 3a), which is positioned in the fuel conduit 302 (figure 5A)).
Regarding claim 8, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the fuel system of claim 7 wherein the fuel conduit includes a double-walled fuel conduit (As modified the layering of Haltiner, 30, Short 308 provide for a double-walled fuel conduit) defining an interwall space fluidly connected to the air gap (Figure 5A, the space is defined about the protrusions of wall 308 connected to the airgap, between the left and right walls of the fuel conduit).
Regarding claim 9, Short in view of Haltiner discloses a boot assembly for a fluid system comprising:
a fuel injector (Short, 114) including an injector housing (Short, 120) having a fuel inlet (upper surface of 134) and a fuel outlet (115) formed therein (Figure 5a), and an electrical connector projecting from the injector housing (As modified, Haltiner, Figure 1);
a boot (Haltiner, 30, Short 308) including an elongate boot body defining a longitudinal axis (Haltiner, Figure 1) and having an inner boot surface (Short, Figure 1, 144) extending circumferentially around the longitudinal axis and forming a central cavity extending between an injector portion of the elongate boot body;
and the elongate body further including a window formed at least in part in the injector portion (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 1) and receiving the electrical connector (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 1), and a plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions (Short, the protrusions of wall 308) in contact with the fuel injector (Short, Figure 5A) so as to maintain an air gap between the fuel injector and the inner boot surface (Short, Figure 5A, the protrusions provide for a gap within 302 between the inner surface of the boot and an outer surface of the fuel injector).
Regarding claim 10, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the boot assembly of claim 9 wherein the plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions (Short, the protrusions of wall 308) are spaced apart in at least one of a circumferential aspect or an axial aspect (axially) and project radially inward from the inner boot surface (Short, Figure 5A).
Regarding claim 11, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the boot assembly of claim 9 wherein at least a portion of the inner boot surface is uniformly cylindrical within the conduit section (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2, the upper most portion of wall 308 is uniformly cylindrical in the conduit section), and the conduit section includes a radially inward protrusion extending circumferentially around the longitudinal axis (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2).
Regarding claim 12, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the boot assembly of claim 9 wherein the plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions include at least one of ribs or bumps (Ribs, Figure 5B).
Regarding claim 13, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the boot assembly of claim 12 wherein at least some of the plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions are elongated (Figure 5B).
Regarding claim 14, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the boot assembly of claim 13 wherein the plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions includes at least three longitudinally extending ribs (Figure 5B).
Regarding claim 15, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the boot assembly of claim 12 wherein the plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions are spaced apart in both a circumferential aspect and an axial aspect (Figure 5B, the protrusions extend circumferentially and axially, and are spaced as such).
Regarding claim 16, Short in view of Haltiner discloses the boot assembly of claim 9 wherein the injector portion defines a larger inner diameter dimension defined at locations between the plurality of standoff protrusions (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2, the axial inner diameter between the left and right sides of the protrusion is larger than that of the conduit portion), and the conduit portion delines a smaller inner diameter dimension (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2), and the injector portion includes a radially inward wall (308) forming a first opening in communication with the central cavity (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2), and the conduit portion includes a radially inward protrusion extending circumferentially around the longitudinal axis (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2).
Claim(s) 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Short (US 20100252653).
Regarding claim 20, Short discloses the boot of claim 19, but fails to disclose wherein the plurality of standoff protrusions includes a plurality of bumps.
Short Figure 6B embodiment discloses a configuration where a plurality of standoff protrusions includes bumps (546).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Short with the disclosures of Figure 6B, replacing the protrusions with bumps, as the configurations were known in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, and the modification would have yielded predictable results, including definition of a standoff area in the portion in a structure where the standoff shape is not a critical element.
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) 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Short.
Regarding claim 17, Short discloses a boot for a fuel injector and conduit assembly in a fuel system comprising:
an elongate boot body (308) defining a longitudinal axis and including an injector portion, a conduit portion (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 3), an outer boot surface the outer surface adjacent overmold 112), and an inner boot surface extending circumferentially around the longitudinal axis and forming a central cavity extending from an open first axial end formed in the injector portion to an open second axial end formed in the conduit section (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 3); the elongate body further including a plurality of standoff protrusions within the injector section (the protrusions of 308); and
the plurality of standoff protrusions projecting radially inward from the inner boot surface and defining a circle centered on the longitudinal axis (Figure 5A) so as to support a fuel injector (120, 114) within the injector portion at an air gap clearance (Examiner’s Annotated Figure 2) from the inner boot surface (Figure 5A).
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Examiner’s Annotated Figure 3
Regarding claim 18, Short discloses the boot of claim 17 wherein the plurality of radially inward standoff protrusions include at least one of ribs or bumps (Ribs, Figure 5B).
Regarding claim 19, Short discloses the boot of claim 18 wherein the plurality of standoff protrusions includes a plurality of ribs (Figure 5B).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER R. DANDRIDGE whose telephone number is (571)270-1505. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 9am-7pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arthur O. Hall can be reached at (571)270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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CHRISTOPHER R. DANDRIDGE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3752
/CHRISTOPHER R DANDRIDGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752