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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 8-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/3/25.
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 4 and 6-7 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 4 recites the limitation "the cap portion and the inner neck portion". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes the claim is assumed to recite, “a cap portion and an inner neck portion”.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "each end plug". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes the claim is assumed to recite, “the end plug”.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "at least one end plug". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes the claim is assumed to recite, “the end plug”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamimoto CN 213253359 in view of Jun Yoshino et al. US 2014/0001113.
Claim 1, Kamimoto teaches a filter cartridge (300) comprising: a filter body (314) having a first and second end and an inner peripheral surface, an end plug (310) disposed in the first end of the filter body, the end plug having an inner end extending into the filter body, an outer end and an outer peripheral surface wherein the end plug is configured to move axially away from the filter body in response to fluid pressure within the filter body (fig. 3, pg. 2, par 4 and 8, pg. 3, par 1, pg. 5, par 6). Kamimoto does not specifically teach a seal between the end plug and the filter body. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would immediately recognize that a seal would be necessary between the end plug and the filter body to prevent fluid from leaking out of the cartridge and the only portion of the end plug in contact with the filter body is the outer peripheral surface in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the filter body (fig. 3).
Yoshino teaches a filter cartridge comprising: a filter body (10) having a first and second end and an inner peripheral surface, an end plug (20) disposed in the first end of the filter body, the end plug having an inner end extending into the filter body, an outer end and an outer peripheral surface, a peripheral seal (30) located between the outer peripheral surface of the end plug and the inner peripheral surface of the filter body, where the end plug is capable of moving axially away from the filter body (1-6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the seal arrangement of Yoshino as it assures adequate tightness of the closure of the open end of the housing by the lid (par 25).
Claims 2, Kamimoto further teaches a face seal (306) on an outer end surface of the end plug and surrounding a fluid port (304) located on the outer end surface of the end plug (fig. 3).
Claim 6, Yoshino further teaches two peripheral seals are provided between the outer peripheral surface of the end plug and the inner peripheral surface of the filter body (fig. 1-6).
Claim 3, Kamimoto further teaches the end plug is a first end plug, and further comprising: a second end plug (318) disposed in the second end of the filter body, the second end plug having an inner end extending into the filter body, an outer end and an outer peripheral surface, and a fluid port (322) formed in the outer end where the second end plug is configured to move axially away from the filter body in response to fluid pressure within the filter body (fig. 3, pg. 2, par 4 and 8, pg. 3, par 1, pg. 5, par 6, pg. 6, par 7, pg. 7, par 3). Kamimoto does not specifically teach a seal between the second end plug and the filter body. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would immediately recognize that a seal would be necessary between the second end plug and the filter body to prevent fluid from leaking out of the cartridge. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the seal of Yoshino for the same reasons stated above with respect to claim 1.
Claim 4, Kamimoto further teaches the end plugs include a stepped portion disposed between a cap portion and an inner neck portion, the stepped portion having a larger diameter than that of the inner neck portion and a smaller diameter than that of the cap portion (fig. 3).
Claim 5, Yoshino further teaches the end plug includes a stepped portion disposed between a cap portion and an inner neck portion, the stepped portion having a larger diameter than that of the inner neck portion and a smaller diameter than that of the cap portion, and a recess aligned with the stepped portion and disposed between the cap portion and the end plug and the respective end of the filter body, wherein the recess is capable of receiving a removal tool (fig. 6).
Claim 7, Kamimoto further teaches the end plug further includes a secondary face seal (306) surrounding a secondary fluid port (304) (fig. 3).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN M KURTZ whose telephone number is (571)272-8211. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-5.
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/BENJAMIN M KURTZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1779