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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on February 27, 2026 has been entered.
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, 6-10 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Saarem et al. (US5779148. Saarem hereinafter).
With respect to claim 1, Saarem discloses a sprinkler (Figs. 1-5), comprising:
a sprinkler body (13);
a nozzle housing (15) at a distal (upper) end of the sprinkler body for dispensing water from the sprinkler;
a water flow path (arrows shown in Fig. 1) through the sprinkler body and the nozzle housing defined at least in part by a first flow tube (23 and 21); and
a valve (generally 19) along the flow path including:
a valve seat (51) disposed on the first flow tube, the valve seat (upper surface) facing downstream (upward against the lower portion of a valve tube 53. Fig. 4) and
a valve plunger (elements shown in Fig. 2) manually rotatable (can be manually rotated) independently of (relative to) the sprinkler body (via 17) and the nozzle housing (via 57) between a closed (15 in retracted) position where the plunger prevents flow of water past the valve seat into the nozzle housing and an open position (Fig. 1) where the plunger is spaced from the valve seat permitting flow of water past the valve seat into the nozzle housing (Figs 4 and 5. The valve plunger of Saarem is capable of being manually rotated independently of the sprinkler body and the nozzle housing in open, closed and in-between open-closed positions).
With respect to claim 2, Saarem discloses the valve plunger including an actuation shaft (71) and a valve body (the lower end of the valve tube 53) extending from an inboard (inner) end of the actuation shaft, the valve body configured to sealingly engage the valve seat in the closed position (Col. 4, lines 28-37 and Col. 6, lines 25-44).
With respect to claim 6, Saarem discloses wherein the valve seat is defined by a downstream end (of 37) of the first flow tube (Fig. 3).
With respect to claim 7, Saarem discloses wherein the first flow tube extends at least in part within a second flow tube (at 53), wherein the downstream end of the first flow tube (pointed by reference number 23 in Fig. 1) and the valve seat are disposed within (under 53) the second flow tube.
With respect to claim 8, Saarem discloses wherein the first flow tube and the second flow tube are two separate components that are coupled together (Figs. 1 and 4).
With respect to claim 9, Saarem discloses wherein the first flow tube includes an upstream portion (21 adjacent 23) and a downstream valve portion (at 51), the valve portion comprising the valve seat.
With respect to claim 10, Saarem discloses wherein the valve portion has a reduced outer diameter relative to an outer diameter of the upstream portion (outer diameter of 51 is smaller than the outer diameter of 21) and projects concentrically within a second flow tube (at 53).
With respect to claim 13, Saarem discloses wherein the first flow tube is upstream of a second flow tube (at 53) and coupled thereto, and the second flow tube includes an upstream portion (lower end) and a downstream portion (upper end), the upstream portion having a larger diameter (transition at conical shoulder 115) relative to the downstream portion.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 9-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Citron (US4729511).
With respect to claim 1, Citron discloses a sprinkler (Figs. 1-5), comprising:
a sprinkler body (18);
a nozzle housing (14) at a distal (upper) end of the sprinkler body for dispensing water from the sprinkler;
a water flow path (Fig. 3) through the sprinkler body and the nozzle housing defined at least in part by a first flow tube (24, 22 and 14); and
a valve (33, 70 and 71) along the flow path including:
a valve seat (30 of 34 and 71) disposed on the first flow tube, the valve seat facing (upper edge of 30 and top rim of 71 faces upwards) downstream, and
a valve plunger (25 and 33) manually rotatable (can be manually rotated) independently of (relative to) the sprinkler body (via 65) and the nozzle housing (via thread at 29) between a closed position (Fig. 2) where the plunger prevents flow of water past the valve seat into the nozzle housing and an open position (Fig. 3) where the plunger is spaced from the valve seat permitting flow of water past the valve seat into the nozzle housing (The valve plunger of Citron is capable of being manually rotated independently of the sprinkler body and the nozzle housing in open, closed and in-between open-closed positions).
With respect to claim 2, Citron discloses the valve plunger including an actuation shaft (body of 25 and 33) and a valve body (70; upper and lower edges of 30. Fig. 2; threaded surface at 24; left and right sides of 38 and spring 65) extending from an inboard (inner) end of the actuation shaft, the valve body configured to sealingly engage the valve seat in the closed position (Fig. 2).
With respect to claim 3, Citron discloses the actuation shaft having an outboard end (at 28) accessible through a cap (29) of the nozzle housing that can be rotated to cause movement of the valve plunger along a central (vertical) axis, the valve plunger further comprising a guide shaft (defining 26) comprising threading (female thread mating with the threaded plug 29), the valve body disposed between (within) the actuation shaft and the guide shaft.
With respect to claim 4, Citron discloses wherein the guide shaft engages a threaded passage (passage at 23 and passage encircled by the female thread mating with the threaded plug 29) upstream of the valve seat within the first flow tube .
With respect to claim 5, Citron discloses wherein the valve body has rotational movement relative to the valve seat when the actuation shaft is rotated (25 is rotatable relative to 18. Figs. 2 and 3).
With respect to claim 6, Citron discloses wherein the valve seat is defined by a downstream end (of 24) of the first flow tube (Fig. 3).
With respect to claim 9, Citron discloses wherein the first flow tube includes an upstream portion (lower end) and a downstream valve portion (upper end), the valve portion comprising the valve seat.
With respect to claim 10, Citron discloses wherein the valve portion has a reduced outer diameter relative to an outer diameter of the upstream portion (of 22) and projects concentrically within a second flow tube (at 25).
With respect to claim 11, Citron discloses wherein the valve seat comprises first (upper and lower edges of 30. Fig. 2) and second helical surfaces (threaded surface at 24) and the valve plunger comprises corresponding first (left and right sides of 38) and second (65) helical surfaces, wherein in the closed position the first and second helical surfaces of the valve seat and the first and second helical surfaces of the valve plunger contact one another to prevent flow of water past the valve seat (Fig. 2).
With respect to claim 12, Citron discloses wherein a downstream end of the first helical surface of the valve seat is adjacent (near) to an upstream end of the second helical surface of the valve seat (Fig. 2).
With respect to claim 13, Citron discloses wherein the first flow tube is upstream of the second flow tube and coupled thereto, and a second flow tube (at 25) includes an upstream portion (lower end) and a downstream portion (upper end), the upstream portion having a larger diameter (at 51) relative to the downstream portion.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-22 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
The drawings objections and the 35 U.S.C. 112(a) rejection are withdrawn in view of the Applicant’s persuasive argument and clarification.
With respect to the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejections anticipated by Saarem, the Applicant argues that Saarem’s valve plunger is automatically move axially as a result of the water pressure. Therefore, Saarem’s valve plunger cannot be manually rotatable independently of the sprinkler body and the nozzle housing between a closed position where the plunger prevents flow of water past the valve seat into the nozzle housing and an open position where the plunger is spaced from the valve seat permitting flow of water past the valve seat into the nozzle housing.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. First, the Saarem’s valve plunger automatically move axially as a result of the water pressure does not automatically prevent the Saarem’s valve plunger from performing the functional limitations in claim 1. Second, since the valve plunger of Saarem (elements shown in Fig. 2) is loosely connected to the sprinkler body (via spring 17) and the nozzle housing (via spring 57) and no element is designed to prevent the rotational movement of the valve plunger of Saarem relative to the sprinkler body (13) and the nozzle housing (15). Therefore, the Saarem’s valve plunger is manually rotatable (can be manually rotated) independently of (relative to) the sprinkler body (via 17) and the nozzle housing (via 57) between a closed (15 in retracted) position where the plunger prevents flow of water past the valve seat into the nozzle housing and an open position (Fig. 1) where the plunger is spaced from the valve seat permitting flow of water past the valve seat into the nozzle housing (Figs 4 and 5. The valve plunger of Saarem is capable of being manually rotated independently of the sprinkler body and the nozzle housing in open, closed and in-between open-closed positions). Third, there are three possible positions of the valve plunger relative to the valve seat (51), namely, “open position,” “closed position” and “in-between open-closed position.” In all these three possible valve positions, the Saarem’s valve plunger can be manually rotated independently of (relative to) the sprinkler body (13) and the nozzle housing (15).
The applicant also argues that Citron fails to disclose the amended limitations in claim 1. The applicant’s argument has been considered but is moot due to the new interpretation of the Citron reference. The Applicant actually broadened the claims. The nozzle housing is now being interpreted as sprinkler head 14 (see detailed new rejection elaborated above).
Conclusion
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/CHEE-CHONG LEE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752 March 21, 2026