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 .
The amendment filed June 30, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1, 5, 6, 11 and 12 are amended. Therefore, claims 1-15 are currently pending in the application.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the secondary main air flow conduit of claim 5 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 4, 6 and 9-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(a)(2) as being anticipated by DeRosa et al., U.S. Patent 7,722,333.
As per claims 1, 12, 13 and 14, DeRosa et al. disclose a Compressed Air Distribution System (CADS) (10) [portable compressor assembly] and method for processing and distributing compressed air, the CADS (10) comprising:
a system mounting structure (12, 14) [trailer, enclosure] (col. 3, lines 5-49), wherein the system mounting structure is configured to support,
at least one compressed air input port (fig. 4, between 60 and 64) configured to receive compressed air from an outside source (60) [compressor] and communicate the compressed air to a main air flow conduit (65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 80) which includes at least one main conduit expansion output port (42) [outlet valve] (Compressor 60 is considered an outside source by definition. A compressed air distribution system doesn’t create compressed air. It cleans, processes and distributes the air. Therefore, the compressor is outside the air distribution system making the compressed air from an outside source);
a liquid separator device (66, 70) directly communicated with the main air flow conduit (65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 80), wherein the liquid separator device (66, 70) is in flow communication with the at least one compressed air inlet port to receive the compressed air introduced into the at least one compressed air inlet port and process the compressed air to remove water from the compressed air and to generate dry compressed air (col. 4, line 47 to col. 5, line 13);
a filtration device (64, 72), wherein the filtration device (64, 72) is in flow communication with the liquid separator device (66, 70) to receive the dry compressed air and process the dry compressed air to generate filtered dry compressed air (col. 4, line 34 to col. 5, line 48);
a lubricant introduction device (117), wherein the lubricant introduction device (117) is in flow communication with the filtration device (64, 72) to receive a portion of the filtered dry compressed air and process the filtered dry compressed air to generate lubricated compressed air (col. 6, lines 17-32);
at least one filtered dry compressed air output port (44), wherein the at least one filtered dry compressed air outlet port (44) is in flow communication with the filtration device (64, 72) to receive filtered dry compressed air from the filtration device, and wherein, the at least one filtered dry compressed air output port (44) is configured to controllably output the filtered dry compressed air (fig. 1 and col. 5, lines 60-67 disclose 44 is a valve and an output port); and
at least one lubricated compressed air output port (46), wherein the at least one lubricated compressed air outlet port (46) is in flow communication with the lubricant introduction device (117) to receive the lubricated compressed air from the lubrication introduction device, and wherein, the at least one lubricated compressed air output port (46) is configured to controllably output the lubricated compressed air (fig. 1 and col. 5, lines 60-67 disclose 46 is a valve and an output port).
As per claims 4 and 10, DeRosa et al. as set forth above, disclose the filtration device (64, 72) includes a filtration device output port (44) in flow communication with a main air flow conduit (65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 80) (fig. 4), wherein the main air flow conduit is configured to controllably divert compressed air flowing within the main air flow conduit to at least one of the lubricant introduction device (117) and the filtered dry compressed air output port (44) (fig. 4).
As per claims 6, 12 and 15, DeRosa et al. disclose a Compressed Air Distribution System (CADS) (10) and method for processing and distributing compressed air, the CADS (10) comprising:
at least one compressed air input port (fig. 4, between 60 and 64) configured to receive compressed air from an outside source (60);
a liquid separator device (66, 70) directly communicated with a main air flow conduit (65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 80), wherein the liquid separator device (66, 70) is in flow communication with the at least one compressed air inlet port to receive the compressed air introduced into the at least one compressed air inlet port and process the compressed air to remove water from the compressed air and to generate dry compressed air (col. 4, line 47 to col. 5, line 13);
a filtration device (64, 72), wherein the filtration device (64, 72) is in flow communication with the liquid separator device (66, 70) to receive the dry compressed air and process the dry compressed air to generate filtered dry compressed air (col. 4, line 34 to col. 5, line 48);
a lubricant introduction device (117), wherein the lubricant introduction device (117) is in flow communication with the filtration device (64, 72) to receive a portion of the filtered dry compressed air and process the filtered dry compressed air to generate lubricated compressed air (col. 6, lines 17-32); and
at least one CADS output port (44, 46), wherein the at least one CADS output port (46) is communicated with at least one of the filtration device (64, 72) and the lubricant introduction device (117), wherein the at least one CADS output port (44, 46) is configured to controllably output at least one of the filtered dry compressed air (44) and the lubricated compressed air (46).
As per claim 9, DeRosa et al. as set forth above, disclose the at least one CADS output port (44, 46) includes a lubricated compressed air output port (46) and a filtered dry compressed air output port (44), and wherein the lubricant introduction device (117) is in flow communication with the lubricated compressed air output port (46) (fig. 4).
As per claim 11, DeRosa et al. as set forth above, disclose at least one filtered dry compressed air output port (44), wherein the at least one filtered dry compressed air outlet port (44) is in flow communication with the filtration device (64, 72) to received filtered dry compressed air from the filtration device, and wherein, the at least one filtered dry compressed air output port (44) is configured to controllably output the filtered dry compressed air (fig. 1 and col. 5, lines 60-67 disclose 44 is a valve and an output port); and
at least one lubricated compressed air output port (46), wherein the at least one lubricated compressed air outlet port (46) is in flow communication with the lubricant introduction device (117) to receive the lubricated compressed air from the lubrication introduction device (117), and wherein, the at least one lubricated compressed air output port (46) is configured to controllably output the lubricated compressed air (fig. 1 and col. 5, lines 60-67 show 46 is a valve and an output port).
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.
Claims 2 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DeRosa et al., U.S. Patent 7,722,333 in view of Mammen et al., U.S. Patent Publication 2014/0109987.
As per claims 2 and 7, DeRosa et al. as set forth above, do not disclose the at least one compressed air input port includes a first compressed air input port and a second compressed air input port, wherein the first compressed air input port is larger than the second compressed air input port because a compressor is already connected to the compressed air distribution system. However, Mammen et al. in their Coupling Assembly invention teach the use of a coupling assembly (fig. 3) to accommodate mechanical attachment to various diameter fluid passages (abstract). The coupling assembly allowing different size supply conduits/fittings to supply fluid to a device. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of DeRosa et al. with a coupling system to accommodate more than one size supply conduit, as taught by Mammen et al., for the purpose of being able to replace a malfunctioning compressor with a spare compressor having a different supply diameter conduit/fitting.
Claims 3, 5 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DeRosa et al., U.S. Patent 7,722,333.
As per claims 3 and 8, DeRosa et al. as set forth above, discloses the claimed invention except for an input flow control valve configured to control flow of compressed air into the CADS via at least one of the first compressed air input port and the second compressed air input port. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add an input flow control valve near the compressed air input port since the examiner takes Official Notice of the equivalents of the compressor of DeRosa et al. and an outside source for compressed air for their use in the air distribution art and the selection of any of these known equivalents for use in a compressed air distribution system would be within the level of ordinary skill in the art. Compressors typically have control valves that function as flow control mechanisms, regulating the amount of air leaving the compressor, thereby managing the flow rate and pressure of the compressed air output depending on system needs. One of ordinary skill would therefore add an input flow control valve to the CADS to ensure proper flow rate and pressure from a non-compressor compressed air source that may lack such flow control valve.
As per claim 5, DeRosa et al. as set forth above, discloses the main air flow conduit (65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 80) includes a main conduit expansion output port (42) [outlet], wherein the main conduit expansion port (42) is configured be in flow communication with a secondary main air flow conduit (100,110) (fig. 4) to accommodate at least one lubricant introduction device (117) and filtered dry compressed air output ports (44, 46).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed June 30, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicants argue on page 11 of the Remarks that DeRosa does not receive compressed air from an outside source, and which does not directly communicate the compressed air with a liquid separator device that is configured to remove water from the compressed air, and that DeRosa teaches away from an expandable system.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicants claim a compressed air distribution system (CADS) that receives air from an outside source. The compressed air distribution system doesn’t claim to create compressed air. Rather it comes from a source other than the CADS. As more clearly explained above in the rejection of claim 1, DeRosa’s compressor is considered an outside source because the compressor is not part of the disclosed compressed air distribution structure. An outside source can be located adjacent to a CADS. Next, Applicants claim a liquid separator device directly communicated with the main air flow conduit. DeRosa discloses a main air flow conduit (65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75) (fig. 4) in direct communication with liquid separator (66) (fig. 4) that removes water from the compressed air (col. 4, line 52). Next, Applicants argue DeRosa teaches away from an expandable system in that DeRosa receives air from internal compressor. Examiner doesn’t understand how DeRosa’s compressor is an internal compressor as they do not refer to it as such. Also, Examiner does not see where Applicants claim an “expandable system”.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK KENNETH BUSE whose telephone number is (571)270-3139. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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/M.K.B/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/ANNA M MOMPER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654