DETAILED ACTION
For this Office action, Claims 29-58 are pending. Claims 43-57 are withdrawn from consideration due to a prior restriction requirement.
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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group 1, Claims 29-42 and 58, in the reply filed on 18 June 2026 is acknowledged. Additionally, applicant’s arguments with respect to Claim 58 are acknowledged and the claim will be examined along with the rest of Group 1. Examiner apologizes for the confusion on this claim. Claims 29-42 and 58 will be examined within this Office action.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 29-37, 41, 42 and 58 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Younger, US 4790938, in view of Rau, III (herein referred to as “Rau”, US Pat Pub. 2016/0280566).
Regarding instant Claim 29, Younger discloses a cleaning device for liquids (Abstract; Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; embodiment of Figures 1-3; filtration system), comprising:
a housing, which contains a liquid or through which a liquid flows (Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; filter system 2 that treats liquid flowing through); and
a cleaning body, which is accommodated within the housing and to which the liquid can be supplied (Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; filter body 4);
wherein a material of the cleaning body is designed such that impurities contained in the liquid can be introduced and adsorbed therein (Abstract; filter body absorbs the particulates from the water),
wherein the cleaning body is adjacent to a cover (Figure 3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; pan 10 body may be considered cover, see that filter body 4 is adjacent),
wherein the cleaning body comprises fiber material (Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32 urethane is a fiber based polymer),
wherein the cleaning body comprises a top layer and a bottom layer (Figures 2 and 3; see that filter body 4 has a top and bottom),
wherein the top layer contains fibers which at an outer free edge of the top layer are outwardly directed with their respective free ends away from the bottom layer, whereby the top layer of the cleaning body has an open surface on an outer edge into which contaminants and/or dirt particles can be introduced (Figures 2-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; fibers create continuous fluid flow paths branching from the top for liquid 12 with contaminants),
wherein a density of the bottom layer is greater than a density of the top layer (Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; see that particles settle at bottom of sump/filter body 4, density would be higher at bottom with more particles), and
wherein the top layer can be supplied with the liquid (Figures 2-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; see liquid 12 on top of filter body 4).
However, the reference is silent on the cleaning body being attached to the housing or a part thereof with the bottom layer. See that the bottom layer of the filter body does rest on the housing/pan 10 (Figures 1-3).
Rau discloses a system for separating contaminants from fluids in the same field of endeavor as the instant application, as it solves the mutual problem of separating contaminants from fluids (Abstract). Rau further discloses filter connections for securing portions of a filter to a housing to create waterproof seals (Figure 6; Paragraph [0147]; see filter connections 419 and body 401).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art on the effective filing date of the invention to modify the bottom layer of the cleaning body of Younger by attaching the bottom layer to the housing as taught by Rau because Rau discloses such an attachment will provide a waterproof seal (Rau, Paragraph [0147]).
Regarding instant Claim 30, Claim 29, upon which Claim 30 is dependent, ahs been rejected above. The combined references further disclose wherein the cleaning body is attached at least to a front-side inner surface of the cover (Younger, Figure 2; Figure 3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; top surface of pan 10 interfacing with filter body 4 is inner side surface of cover).
Regarding instant Claim 31, Claim 30, upon which Claim 31 is dependent, has been rejected above. The combined references further disclose wherein the cleaning body completely covers the front-side of the inner surface of the cover (Younger, Figure 2; Figure 3; see that filter body 4 covers entirety of pan 10).
Regarding instant Claim 32, Claim 30, upon which Claim 32 is dependent, has been rejected above. The combined references further disclose wherein the cleaning body has a section that, at at least one point, projects from the front-side inner surface of the cover (Younger, Figure 2; Figure 3; see that filter body projects out of pan 10 at sides).
Regarding instant Claim 33, Claim 29, upon which Claim 33 is dependent, has been rejected above. The combined references further disclose wherein the cleaning body is attached to a carrier plate (Younger, Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; see screen 8),
wherein the carrier plate can be fastened to the housing by the cover (Younger, Figure 1; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; screen retains filter body 4 and would be fastened to pan to do so).
Regarding instant Claim 34, Claim 30, upon which Claim 34 is dependent, has been rejected above. The combined references further disclose wherein a carrier structure with a flat holding element is attached to the front side inner surface of the cover (Younger, Figure 1; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; screen 8),
wherein the cleaning body is attached to a rear side of the flat holding element turned towards the front-side inner surface of the cover (Younger, Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; see orientation of screen 8 with pan 10), and
wherein a further cleaning body is fastened to an opposite surface of the flat holding element (Younger, Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; top surface of screen serves as a primary cleaning body for particulates).
Regarding instant Claim 35, Claim 34, upon which Claim 35 is dependent, has been rejected above. The combined references further disclose wherein the flat holding element is attached to the carrier structure in such a manner that its surfaces are arranged parallel to the front-side surface of the cover (Younger, Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Lines 17-Col. 4, Line 32; see orientation of screen 8 and pan 10, both are parallel).
Regarding instant Claim 36, Claim 30, upon which Claim 36 is dependent, has been rejected above. The combined references further disclose wherein at least one plate is attached to an inner circumferential surface of the cover (Younger, Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; see screen 8 attached to pan 10),
wherein the plate is arranged parallel to the front-side inner surface of the cover and at a distance therefrom (Younger, Figures 1-3; Younger, Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; see orientation of screen 8 and pan 10, both are parallel, thickness of filter body 4 provides distance),
wherein the cleaning body is attached to a rear side of the plate turned towards the front-side inner surface of the cover (Younger, Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; filter body 4 is connected to screen 8 on a side facing the pan 10), and
wherein an inlet opening is provided for the plate at or in an upper region thereof and an outlet opening for the liquid is provided at or in a lower region thereof (Younger, Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; screen 8 comprises inlet for liquid to interface with filter body 4 at top, outlet providing access at bottom of screen).
Regarding instant Claim 37, Claim 36, upon which Claim 37 is dependent, has been rejected above. The combined references further disclose wherein the inlet opening is formed by a flattening of the plate, such that the liquid can enter pas the flattening from above into an intermediate space, which is bounded by the rear side of the plate and by the front-side inner surface of the cover (Younger, Figures 1-3; Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; flat screen provides flow to the filter body 4 in the intermediate space between pan 10 and screen 8).
Regarding instant Claim 41, Claim 36, upon which Claim 36 is dependent, has been rejected above. The combined references further disclose wherein at least three recesses are formed along an outer circumference of the plate (Younger, Figure 1; see holes in circumference of pan 10), and
wherein the at least three recesses are spaced evenly apart from each other (Younger, Figure 1; at least three of the holes shown in Figure 1 may be spaced evenly apart from the others of the three).
Regarding instant Claim 42, Claim 29, upon which Claim 42 is dependent, has been rejected above. The combined references further disclose wherein the cleaning body is attached to an inner circumferential surface of the cover (Younger, Figures 1-3; filter 4 and its location within pan 10), and
wherein the cleaning body completely covers the inner circumferential surface of the cover (Figures 1-3; see coverage of filter body 4).
Regarding instant Claim 58, Claim 29, upon which Claim 58 is dependent, has been rejected above. The combined references further disclose a hydraulic circuit for a machine, in which an oil-based liquid or hydraulic oil is circulated, wherein at least one cleaning device according to claim 29 is incorporated or integrated into the hydraulic circuit (see Claim 29 rejection above; Younger, Col. 3, Line 17-Col. 4, Line 32; see that system may be used for transmission oil filtration).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 38-40 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. Claim 38, upon which Claims 39 and 40 are dependent, has claim limitations that at this time are considered allowable. The claims are objected due to their dependency on Claim 37, which is rejected above. A more detailed reasons for allowance will be provided upon allowance of the entire claim set.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lapoint, US Pat Pub. 2016/0230623, is a filtration assembly comprising at least one fluid inlet and one fluid outlet for a housing with a filter within said housing (Abstract; Figure 3; Paragraph [0011]; Paragraph [0045]).
Houser, US 3480149, provides a flat casing filter device with similar orientations to that of the instant application (See Figures, Abstract).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD C GURTOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)272-3189. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am-5:30pm MT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin Lebron can be reached at (571) 272-0475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RICHARD C GURTOWSKI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773 07/29/2026
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