DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-10 are pending.
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/Restriction
Applicant’s election without traverse of species VII, Figures 17-19, in the reply filed on 6/18/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 3-10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. The claims 3-10 are seen as being readable on Figures 8 and 11 which were not included with the elected species. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/18/2026.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/26/2023, 2/18/2025, and 6/15/2026 were filed prior to the mailing date of the mailing of this action. The submissions comply with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the line quality of the drawing figures have poor line quality for reproducibility (the drawings appear to be a copy of the original drawings) (see MPEP CFR 1.84 (l)).
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "49(45)" and "40(33)" have both been used to designate a groove (in Figure 17, 19 of the elected invention).
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 part (claim 2, no reference numeral given in drawings or specification) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
The drawings (Figures 17-19 for the elected invention) are objected to because the structural features of the three arced shaped features that surround passage 31 are unclear as to how they are configured. Are the three standing features or ported openings.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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. 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.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the length exceeds 150 words. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: the limitations,
in claim 1, line 7, “a power storage module”, should be, - -a power storage module- -;
in claim 1, “formed” should be - -located - - (so as to not mix statutory classes);
in claim 1, “body pressurizes” should be changed to - - body applies a force to - -.
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.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the bottom side".
There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation, “a columnar space passing through the main housing body”, which is unclear as what is intended to be defined, since it appears that the space at the area indicated by 31(19) only passes through the lower bottom portion of the housing and intersects with the recess 13 (as shown in applicants drawing Figure 18).
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Claim 2 recites, “the groove has a radial direction groove extending outward from a part of the pressure introducing part” is unclear as to what structure is intended to be defined based on the drawings 17,19. What structure is intended to be defined. The space “40(33)” between the raised arced seat surfaces, or the radial groove “49(45)”?
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Appropriate correction is required.
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 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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Toyohiko (JP2001057198, as supplied by applicant).
Regarding claim 1, Toyohiko disclose a pressure regulating valve 120 for a power storage module (para.0001), comprising: a housing (140, see Fig. 10) having a housing main body with an opening (the top opening of 140 covered by 160) and with a recess (148) formed in the inside and a cover body (160) that closes the opening of the housing main body; and a columnar valve element (150) that is an elastic member (para.0039, rubber) housed in the recess of the housing main body of the housing, wherein the housing main body has a pressure introduction passage (the passage within 141) formed of a through-hole into which pressure from a power storage module (130) is introduced at a bottom of the recess, and the pressure introduction passage has a pressure introducing part (the bore of 141) which is a columnar space passing through the housing main body, and a groove (the groove between the seat 142 and 150) which is connected to the pressure introducing part and opens to a surface (the bottom surface of the groove) of the bottom, the valve element is arranged so as to cover an aperture (the aperture at the top of the valve seat at 142) on the bottom side in the pressure introduction passage, the cover body has a protrusion (the long center part of 160 touching the uppermost part of 150) in contact with an end face (the uppermost end of 150) of the valve element, and the opening of the housing main body is closed with the cover body (the inner shoulder of 140 touching 160 closes the opening of 140 housing), whereby the protrusion of the cover body pressurizes the valve element, and the valve element airtightly closes the pressure introduction passage (since the protrusion contacts the upper part of the valve element it is seen as applying pressures to the valve element and closes the introduction (para.0040, the valve body 150 opens due to pressure from through hole 141)).
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Regarding claim 2, Toyohiko disclose the groove has a radial direction groove extending outward from a part of the pressure introducing part (a radial direction groove being, the flat horizontal section of 140, intersecting with the uppermost part of the hole 141 and the bottom of the curved seat 142).
In this instance for the elected Figures of the instant application, see Figure 17 below the groove being read as 49(45)/40(33), as best understood.
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(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) 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a2 as being anticipated by Hamaoka et al. (US 11909064).
Regarding claim 1, Hamaoka et al. disclose a pressure regulating valve (see Fig. 4,5) for a power storage module (1), comprising: a housing (29) having a housing main body (29) with an opening (the top opening of 29 covered by 31) and with a recess (recess in space S1) formed in the inside and a cover body (29) that closes the opening of the housing main body; and a columnar valve element (30,col.10,lns. 5-6) that is an elastic member housed in the recess of the housing main body of the housing, wherein the housing main body has a pressure introduction passage (the passage within 33) formed of a through-hole into which pressure from a power storage module (1) is introduced at a bottom (the lower section of the recess in s1) of the recess, and the pressure introduction passage has a pressure introducing part (the wall surface bore of 33) which is a columnar space passing through the housing main body, and a groove (the groove between the protruding seat at 32 to the wall of 37) which is connected to the pressure introducing part and opens to a surface (the surface of the top of the seat) of the bottom, the valve element is arranged so as to cover an aperture (the aperture at the top of the valve seat at 32) on the bottom side in the pressure introduction passage, the cover body has a protrusion (the long center part of 31 touching the uppermost part of 30) in contact with an end face (the uppermost end of 30) of the valve element, and the opening of the housing main body is closed with the cover body (the inner shoulder of 31 touching top surfaces of 36 closes the opening of housing), whereby the protrusion of the cover body “pressurizes” the valve element (since the two abut one another the cover body “pressurizes” the valve element), and the valve element airtightly closes the pressure introduction passage (since the protrusion contacts the upper part of the valve element it is seen as applying pressures to the valve element and closes the introduction (col.10,lns. 11-17)).
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Regarding claim 2, Hamaoka et al. disclose the groove has a radial direction groove extending outward from a part (the upper rounded surface of the seat) of the pressure introducing part (a radial direction groove being, the flat horizontal section of 32, between the wall of 37/36 and the bottom of the curved raised seat at 32).
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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 Craig Price, whose telephone number is (571)272-2712 or via facsimile (571)273-2712. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:00AM-4:30PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Craig Schneider, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-3607, Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CRAIG J PRICE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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