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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, rejection of claims 1-2 and 4-20 is withdrawn.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 08/13/2025. These drawings are acceptable.
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.
Claims 1, 2 and 4-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Applicant Admitted Prior Art figures 1-3 (hereafter known as “AAPA”) in view of McMahon [20050190024] and further in view of Bergs [US 2021/0302386].
Claim 1, AAPA [figures 1-3] disclose a solenoid valve comprising: a solenoid coil [100] around which a coil is wound in a cylindrical shape; a housing [200] configured to surround an outer side of the solenoid coil; a bobbin [top flange of bobbin 300; 310] disposed above the solenoid coil; a lower case [400] disposed below the solenoid coil; and an inner case [500] provided in a cylindrical shape so that the solenoid coil is wound therearound, disposed inside the solenoid coil, and in contact with the lower case, wherein the lower case and the inner case are formed of iron [paragraphs 0045 and 0046].
AAPA fails to teach that the bobbin, lower case and inner case are separate parts.
McMahon teaches an electromagnet comprising a bobbin [28/47] can be molded as one piece or as individual pieces and secured together afterwards [paragraph 0026].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to Construct the bobbin of AAPA from multiple parts instead of a single part as taught by McMahon, since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlichman, 168 USPQ 177, 179.
AAPA in view of McMahon fails to teach that the lower case and the inner case are formed of iron.
Bergs teaches that an electromagnet can be formed with an iron bobbin [lower case and the inner case] in order to create a magnetic flux pat [paragraph 0086].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the lower case and the inner case are from iron as taught by Bergs, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Claim 2, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 1, wherein AAPA further discloses that the inner case is formed integrally with the lower case [figures 1-3].
Claim 4, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 1, wherein AAPA further discloses that the lower case is provided in a hollow disc shape, and the inner case is provided in a hollow cylindrical shape [figures 1-3].
Claim 5, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 1, AAPA discloses further comprising: a hydraulic adjustment device [600] configured to be in contact with a lower end of the lower case [figure 1].
Claim 6, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 1, AAPA discloses further comprising: a lead wire [700] coupled to the bobbin [3300] and formed long in an axial direction [figures 1-3].
Claim 7, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 1, wherein AAPA further discloses that the bobbin includes: a bobbin body provided in a hollow disc shape; and a bobbin protrusion connected to the bobbin body and protruding upward [figures 1-3].
Claim 8, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 7, AAPA discloses further comprising: a lead wire [700] accommodated in the bobbin protrusion and formed long in an axial direction [figures 1-3].
Claim 9, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 1, wherein AAPA further discloses that the housing o200p includes: a housing side [220] surface disposed close to a side surface of the solenoid valve; and a housing upper part [210] configured to cover an upper side of the solenoid valve [figure 1].
Claim 10, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 9, wherein AAPA further discloses that the bobbin includes: a bobbin body provided in a hollow disc shape; and a bobbin protrusion connected to the bobbin body, protruding upward, coupled to the bobbin [figures 1-3], and configured to accommodate a lead wire [700] formed long in an axial direction, and the housing upper part [210] includes an opening [211] so that the bobbin protrusion passes therethrough [figure 1].
Claim 11, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 9, wherein AAPA further discloses that the inner case is provided in a hollow cylindrical shape, and the housing upper part includes a hollow cylindrical shape to communicate with the hollow cylindrical shape of the inner case [figures 1-3].
Claim 12, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 11, wherein AAPA further discloses that a hollow inner circumferential surface of the inner case and a hollow outer circumferential surface of the housing upper part are in contact with each other so that the housing upper part fixes the inner case [figures 1-3].
Claim 13, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 9, wherein AAPA further discloses that the lower case is provided in a hollow disc shape, the housing side surface is provided in a hollow cylindrical shape, and a hollow inner circumferential surface of the housing side surface and a disc-shaped outer circumferential surface of the lower case are in contact with each other so that the housing side part fixes the lower case [figures 1-3].
Claim 14, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 6, wherein AAPA disclose that the lead wire is provided as a plurality of lead wires [paragraph 0050].
Claim 15, AAPA as modified discloses the solenoid valve of claim 5, wherein AAPA discloses that the hydraulic adjustment [600] device is formed of aluminum [paragraph 0027]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make hydraulic adjustment of aluminum, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Claims 16-20, the method of assembling a solenoid valve including a solenoid coil is obvious in the product structure as outlined in the rejection of claims 1-15 by AAPA in view of McMahon.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 12/29/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 1, 2 and 4-20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Bergs [US 2021/0302386] as outlined above. Bergs discloses the use of iron bobbin in order to direct magnetic flux [paragraph 0086], that structure would inherently improve thermal conductivity as iron is more thermally conductive than plastic or resin.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 Bernard Rojas whose telephone number is (571)272-1998. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. thru Fri. 7:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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/BERNARD ROJAS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837