mindDETAILED 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Claims 15-41 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 04/10/2026.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: TIRE MONITORING APPARATUS INCLUDING A SUPPORT PERMANENTLY ENCAPSULATING THE CIRCUIT BOARD AND BATTERY ABOUT THE VALVE BODY.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-10 & 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sheikh-Bahaie et al (US 20080110267 A1) “hereinafter Sheikh-Bahaie as cited in IDS filed on 02/07/2024”.
In regards to claim 1, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches a tire monitoring apparatus comprising: a circuit board (52); a battery (85); a valve body (17) intermediate the circuit board (52) and the battery (85), the valve body (17) having an attachment end portion (20, i.e. threaded end) for connecting to a valve stem (17) of a tire (Paragraphs 0076-0078), a filling end portion for receiving pressurized air (Paragraph 0099), and an internal passageway (14, i.e. inlet opening) to permit air to travel from the filling end portion to the attachment end portion (20) (Paragraph 0098); a sensor (86) of the circuit board (52) configured to detect a variable of air in the internal passageway (14) of the valve body (17) (Paragraphs 0082 & 0083; Figure 4); communication circuitry (76, 78, i.e. antennas) of the circuit board (52) operable to wirelessly communicate data associated with the variable of the air (Paragraph 0085); a support (56, i.e. cover) permanently encapsulating the circuit board (52) and the battery (85) about the valve body (17) (Paragraphs 0079, 0090 & 0097); and the support (56) comprising a structural member (120, i.e. housing body) molded onto the valve body (17) and an embedding member (190) securing the circuit board (52) and the battery (85) to the structural member (120) (Paragraph 0097; Figure 3).
In regards to claim 2, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches wherein the embedding member (190) comprises potting (190) (Paragraph 0096).
In regards to claim 3, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches wherein the circuit board (52) is mounted to the structural member (120) via a hook and fastener connection (i.e. ancillary component mounts) of the support (56) (Paragraph 0084).
In regards to claim 5, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches a sealing member (140) extending about the sensor (86); and the sealing member (140) is engaged with the circuit board (52) and at least one of the structural member (120) and the valve body (17) (Paragraph 0090).
In regards to claim 6, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches wherein the valve body (17) includes a side wall having a through opening (90, i.e. pressure sensing opening) therein; wherein the sensor (86) includes a sensing portion adjacent the through opening (90) (Paragraph 0090); and an o-ring (204) extending about the through opening (90) and the sensing portion, the o-ring (204) compressed between the sensor (86) and the valve body (17) (Paragraph 100).
In regards to claim 7, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches wherein the circuit board (52) comprises openings; and wherein the battery (85) comprises a battery cell and terminals extending on either side of the valve body (17) from the battery cell into the openings of the circuit board (52) (Paragraphs 0081 & 0096).
In regards to claim 8, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches wherein the terminals of the battery (85) have different widths; and wherein the openings of the circuit board (52) have different widths (See Figures 3-5) .
In regards to claim 9, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches wherein the structural member (120) is a housing (54); wherein the embedding member (190) comprises potting in the housing (54) (Paragraph 0079); and wherein the support comprises caps connected to the housing (54) on opposite sides of the valve body (17) (Paragraph 100).
In regards to claim 10, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches wherein the support (54) comprises a cap (56) connected to the structural member (120), the cap (56) having an opening (196); and wherein a portion of the embedding member (190) is in the opening (196) (Paragraph 0079).
In regards to claim 12, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches wherein the battery (85) is embedded in the embedding member (190) (Paragraph 0096).
In regards to claim 13, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches wherein the structural member (120) is an inner support and the embedding member (190) is an outer body molded over the inner support (Paragraph 0096).
In regards to claim 14, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches wherein the valve body (17) comprises a tubular wall (13, i.e. body) extending about the internal passageway (14); and a valve core (28) supported by the tubular wall (13) (Paragraph 0076 & 0077).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 & 11 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: In the Examiner’s opinion in regards to claim 4, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches a tire monitoring apparatus comprising: a circuit board (52); a battery (85); a valve body (17) intermediate the circuit board (52) and the battery (85), the valve body (17) having an attachment end portion (20, i.e. threaded end) for connecting to a valve stem (17) of a tire (Paragraphs 0076-0078), a filling end portion for receiving pressurized air (Paragraph 0099), and an internal passageway (14, i.e. inlet opening) to permit air to travel from the filling end portion to the attachment end portion (20) (Paragraph 0098); a sensor (86) of the circuit board (52) configured to detect a variable of air in the internal passageway (14) of the valve body (17) (Paragraphs 0082 & 0083; Figure 4); communication circuitry (76, 78, i.e. antennas) of the circuit board (52) operable to wirelessly communicate data associated with the variable of the air (Paragraph 0085).
However, Sheikh-Bahaie does not teach the structural limitations of the tire monitoring apparatus further comprising the structural member including first and second recesses on opposite sides of the valve body wherein the battery is in the first recess, and the circuit board is in the second recess wherein the embedding member is in the first recess and the second recess to secure the battery and the circuit board in the first and second recesses where the stated limitations are not suggested in addition to not being anticipated or taught in combination with the remaining limitations of independent claim 1 upon overcoming the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1).
In the Examiner’s opinion in regards to claim 11, Sheikh-Bahaie teaches a tire monitoring apparatus comprising: a circuit board (52); a battery (85); a valve body (17) intermediate the circuit board (52) and the battery (85), the valve body (17) having an attachment end portion (20, i.e. threaded end) for connecting to a valve stem (17) of a tire (Paragraphs 0076-0078), a filling end portion for receiving pressurized air (Paragraph 0099), and an internal passageway (14, i.e. inlet opening) to permit air to travel from the filling end portion to the attachment end portion (20) (Paragraph 0098); a sensor (86) of the circuit board (52) configured to detect a variable of air in the internal passageway (14) of the valve body (17) (Paragraphs 0082 & 0083; Figure 4); communication circuitry (76, 78, i.e. antennas) of the circuit board (52) operable to wirelessly communicate data associated with the variable of the air (Paragraph 0085).
However, Sheikh-Bahaie does not teach the structural limitations of the tire monitoring apparatus further comprising the structural member including a housing having upper and lower openings wherein the embedding member includes at least a portion in the housing, the support includes upper and lower caps covering the upper and lower openings of the housing, and the caps include arms with openings and wherein the embedding member includes anchor portions extending in the openings of the arms of the caps to connect the caps and the housing where the stated limitations are not suggested in addition to not being anticipated or taught in combination with the remaining limitations of independent claim 1 upon overcoming the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yoshihiro (JP 2006015793 A) - The present invention relates to an air pressure sensor unit and a tire air pressure monitoring system using the air pressure sensor unit.
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/J.L.J/ Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/PETER J MACCHIAROLO/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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