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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) has been considered by the examiner.
The lined through reference is not considered to be pertinent to the claimed invention.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 92, 200, and 14.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 96, 3318, 3320, 3322, and 2100.
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.
The drawings are objected to because reference character “10” and its leader line should be removed from Figures 4-9, 12, 16-24, 27, and 30-31, given the fact that it does not refer to any element shown in said Figures.
Figure 11 lacks reference characters.
Reference character “404” and its leader line should be removed from Figure 10, given the fact that it does not refer to any element shown therein.
In Figures 5 and 16, reference character “514” does not appear to denote an “o-ring”.
In Figure 14, reference character “516” does not appear to denote an “o-ring”.
In Figure 18, reference character “404” denotes an intake channel and not the interior axle end.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: The term “adopter” should be replaced with the term - -adapter- - throughout the specification to more accurately describe the invention.
In paragraph [0048], the transmission is incorrectly denoted by reference character “52” instead of - -56- -.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 3, 9-10, 17, and 129 are objected to because of the following informalities: The term “adopter” should be replaced with the term - -adapter- - throughout the specification to more accurately describe the invention throughout claims 1, 9-10, 17, and 19.
The term “on” should be replaced with the term - -one- - prior to the term “inflatable” in line 1 of claim 3, for grammatical clarity.
The term “to” should be replaced with the term - -with- - following the term “communication” in line 2 of claim 3, for grammatical clarity.
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.
Claims 1-20 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.
Claims 1 and 9 are indefinite due to the fact that it is unclear what is actually being claimed by the phrases “configured to interface” and “configured to retain”, given the fact that neither of these phrases describe any actual physical structure of the invention.
Claim 8 is indefinite due to the fact that it is unclear what is actually being claimed by the phrase “configured to function”, given the fact that this phrase fails to describe any actual physical structure of the invention.
Claim 17 is indefinite due to the fact that it is unclear how the first and second sealing bush adapters are “placed over” the first and second O-rings, respectively. No directional indicators (i.e. axially, radially, etc.) have been provided to clearly define this limitation.
Claim 17 is indefinite due to the fact that it is unclear to what other element of the invention the internal snap ring secure the CTIS subassembly.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references show tire inflation systems mounted within trumpet/bell housings.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON R BELLINGER whose telephone number is (571)272-6680. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-4.
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, Samuel (Joe) Morano can be reached at (571)272-6684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON R BELLINGER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615
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