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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: [0098] references Fig. 5B, however no such figure is present in the drawings. It appears that Fig. 6B should be referenced.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 4 is 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 4 recites “the valve housing”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ganzel (US# 2014/0131154).
Ganzel disclose all the limitations of the instant claim including; an electronic brake system comprising: a reservoir 19 configured to store oil; a master cylinder 20 configured to operate in conjunction with a brake pedal 42 and generate hydraulic pressure in response to a pedal effort of the brake pedal; and a simulator valve 74/1374 provided between the reservoir 18 and the master cylinder and configured to be opened so that the oil in the master cylinder flows to the reservoir when the brake pedal is pressed, wherein the simulator valve comprises a plunger (figure 16) configured to reciprocate in a longitudinal direction of the simulator valve when an electromagnetic force is applied [0050], and wherein a diameter of a hole 1362, into which the oil is introduced from the master cylinder, is set within a predetermined diameter range in which pressure at an upper side and pressure at a lower side of the plunger based on the plunger are maintained within a predetermined pressure range. Note Ganzel discloses a fixed orifice 1362 limiting the flow from the master cylinder chamber to the valve and would operate to limit the pressure range in the same manner as Applicant’s invention.
Regarding claim 11, Ganzel discloses a simulator valve 1374 for an electronic brake system, which is provided between a reservoir and a master cylinder, the simulator valve comprising: a valve main body unit including a plunger configured to reciprocate in a longitudinal direction when an electromagnetic force is applied; and a seat unit coupled to any one side of the valve main body unit and configured to open or close a flow path in accordance with an operation of the valve main body unit so that oil flows from the master cylinder toward the reservoir, wherein the seat unit is configured such that a size of a hole, which is formed so that the oil is introduced from the master cylinder, is set within a predetermined diameter range in which pressure at an upper side and pressure at a lower side of the plunger based on the plunger are maintained within a predetermined pressure range. Note Ganzel discloses a fixed orifice 1362 limiting the flow from the master cylinder chamber to the valve and would operate to limit the pressure range in the same manner as Applicant’s invention. Also note the annotated figure below.
PNG
media_image1.png
688
751
media_image1.png
Greyscale
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 2-10, 12-15 and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganzel (US# 2014/0131154) in view of Lee (US# 2019/0049037)
Ganzel discloses all the limitations of the instant claim with exception to the details of the simulator valve. Some of the basic elements are apparent in figure 16, but not the details of the valve seats and closures. Lee discloses a brake system and further teaches a simulator valve comprising: a valve main body unit 1230-1260 configured to be operated by an electromagnetic force; and a seat unit 110/1210/1293/1291 coupled to any one side of the valve main body unit and configured to open or close a flow path, which is directed from the master cylinder toward the reservoir, in accordance with an operation of the valve main body unit. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the valve structure of Lee for the solenoid 1374 of Ganzel to provide a brake system having reduced noise, vibration and harshness [0007].
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Lee teaches the valve main body unit comprises: a valve housing (1120 in figure 2, unlabeled in figure 4) having therein a through-portion formed in a longitudinal direction; a valve core 1260 inserted into the valve housing at one side of the valve housing; and an armature 1230 provided in the valve housing and configured to reciprocate in a longitudinal direction of the valve housing when the electromagnetic force is applied, and wherein the plunger 1291 is coupled to the other side of the valve housing and reciprocates in the longitudinal direction of the valve housing in conjunction with the armature.
Regarding claims 4 and 13, Lee teaches a plunger body 1291 having one side positioned inside the valve housing 1120, and the other side positioned outside the valve housing; and a plunger flange (note flange receiving spring 1292) extending in a radial direction at one side of the plunger body, and wherein the plunger body has a first inclined surface (surface engaging 1293) formed to connect a lower surface and a lateral surface thereof.
Regarding claims 5 and 14, Lee teaches the seat unit comprises: a seat housing 1210 coupled to the other side of the valve housing and having first 1200A and second 1200B flow path holes so that the oil flows from the master cylinder to the reservoir; and a seat block 1293 provided in the seat housing and having an orifice formed at a center of the seat block and formed through the seat block in a longitudinal direction.
Regarding claims 6 and 15, Lee teaches the seat block 1293 has a second inclined surface formed to connect an inner peripheral surface of the orifice and an upper surface of the seat block.
Regarding claim 7, Lee teaches the second flow path hole 1200B is a hole formed to communicate with the reservoir, and the second flow path hole is formed at a lower side of the seat housing.
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Lee teaches the first flow path hole 1200A is formed such that a central axis passing through a center of the first flow path hole is positioned above the upper surface of the seat block 1293.
PNG
media_image2.png
454
604
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claims 9 and 19, the valve of Lee has an imaginary line passing through a center of the first flow path hole is in contact with the first inclined surface, and the oil introduced through the first flow path hole collides with the first inclined surface such that a flow direction is changed to a direction directed toward the orifice. Note the annotated figure below for the imaginary line. The inclined wall of the seat of 1291 would appear to provide the recited flow direction change.
PNG
media_image3.png
633
604
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 10, the valve of Lee is arranged such that before the plunger moves upward, the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are in close contact with each other, and a portion between the first flow path hole and the second flow path hole is blocked.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-17 and 20 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRADLEY T KING whose telephone number is (571)272-7117. The examiner can normally be reached 10:30-5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Siconolfi can be reached at 571 272-7124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/BRADLEY T KING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
BTK
Prosecution Insights