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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-4 and 15 in the reply filed on 4/24/26 is acknowledged.
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 (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 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 1-4 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pugh (2024/0003292).
With respect to Claim 1, Pugh teaches a silencer (Figures 1-3 and 5-7, #56, when the screen is formed as in Figures 5-7 – [0021], [0032]-[0033]), comprising: a body (84) having a first end (85), a second end (88), and a bore (defined by housing #84 interior #100) that extends therebetween, the bore (100) having a longitudinal axis (94), the body (84) comprising: a first portion (90) configured to attach (via duct #54) the first end (85) to a pressure relief valve (52) to receive a flow of fluid into the bore (100), and a second portion (86) comprising flow-disrupting features (defined by chevron shaped vanes #152 and recesses #150 having openings #98 therein) that extend into the flow, the flow-disrupting features (150/152/98) configured to change properties of the flow as between an inlet flow (74) at the first end (85) of the body (84) and an outlet flow (76/135) that exhausts from the bore (100) at the second end (88) of the body (84).
With respect to Claim 2, Pugh teaches wherein the flow-disrupting features (150/152/98) extend from the second end (88) into the flow (note that the entire screen #86 having flow disrupting features #98 extends into the flow).
With respect to Claim 3, Pugh teaches wherein the flow-disrupting features (150/152/98) comprise chevrons (152) disposed about the longitudinal axis (94).
With respect to Claim 4, Pugh teaches, wherein the flow-disrupting features (150/152/98) comprise chevrons (defined vanes #152 located on the left-hand side of axis #138in Figure 6) disposed about the longitudinal axis (94), each chevron bending inwardly toward the longitudinal axis (94).
With respect to Claim 15, Pugh teaches pressure relief valve (Figures 1-3 and 5-7, #52), comprising: a valve body (defined by body of #52) with an inlet and an outlet; a silencer (#56, when the screen is formed as in Figures 5-7 – [0021], [0032]-[0033]) coupled (via duct #54) with the outlet (outlet of #52), the silencer comprising, a body (84) with a bore (defined by housing #84 interior #100) that forms first opening (118), a second opening (defined by opening at end of bore at end #88 and covered by screen #86), and a longitudinal axis (94) extending therebetween; and a flow-disrupting device (defined by screen #86 having chevron shaped vanes #152 and recesses #150 having openings #98 therein) coupled to the body, wherein the flow-disrupting device (150/152/98) is configured to change properties of flow so as to reduce noise as between a first flow that exits the outlet of the valve body (body of #52) into the first opening (118) of the bore (100) and a second flow (76/135) that exits (via screen #86) the second opening (defined by opening at end of bore at end #88 and covered by screen #86) of the bore ([0021]).
Claims 1-4 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Smagghe (4,007,908).
With respect to Claim 1, Smagghe teaches a silencer (Figures 1a-c, #3/4/5/6/7), comprising: a body (3) having a first end (narrow upstream end of #3a adjacent #2), a second end (downstream end portion #3b), and a bore (interior space of #3) that extends therebetween, the bore having a longitudinal axis, the body (3) comprising: a first portion (upstream threaded portion) configured to attach the first end (narrow upstream end of #3a adjacent #2) to a pressure relief valve (1, see abstract - note “pressure reducing valve”) to receive a flow of fluid into the bore (interior space of #3), and a second portion (defined by portion of #3 accommodating structure #4a/4b/5/6/7) comprising flow-disrupting features (5/6/7) that extend into the flow, the flow-disrupting features (5/6/7) configured to change properties of the flow as between an inlet flow (flow at upstream end of #3) at the first end of the body and an outlet flow (slow exiting end #3b) that exhausts from the bore at the second end (3b) of the body (3) (Col 4, Lines 28-36).
With respect to Claim 2, Smagghe teaches wherein the flow-disrupting features (5/6/7) extend from the second end (3b) into the flow.
With respect to Claim 3, Smagghe teaches wherein the flow-disrupting features (5/6/7) comprise chevrons (5) disposed about the longitudinal axis.
With respect to Claim 4, Smagghe teaches, wherein the flow-disrupting features (5/6/7) comprise chevrons (defined by ones of herringbone/chevrons #5 that bend inwardly toward the longitudinal axis) disposed about the longitudinal axis, each chevron bending inwardly toward the longitudinal axis.
With respect to Claim 15, Smagghe teaches pressure relief valve (Figures 1a-1c, #1, see abstract - note “pressure reducing valve”), comprising: a valve body (defined by body of #1) with an inlet and an outlet; a silencer (#3/4/5/6/7) coupled with the outlet (outlet of #1), the silencer comprising, a body (3) with a bore (interior space of #3) that forms first opening (upstream end opening of #3), a second opening (downstream end opening of #3), and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; and a flow-disrupting device (5/6/7) coupled to the body (3), wherein the flow-disrupting device (5/6/7) is configured to change properties of flow so as to reduce noise as between a first flow that exits the outlet of the valve body (body of #1) into the first opening (upstream end opening of #3) of the bore and a second flow that exits the second opening downstream end opening of #3) of the bore (Col 4, Lines 28-36).
a silencer (Figures 1a-c, #3/4/5/6/7), comprising: a body (3) having a first end (narrow upstream end of #3a adjacent #2), a second end (downstream end portion #3b), and a bore (interior space of #3) that extends therebetween, the bore having a longitudinal axis, the body (3) comprising: a first portion (upstream threaded portion) configured to attach the first end (narrow upstream end of #3a adjacent #2) to a pressure relief valve (#1, see abstract - note “pressure reducing valve”) to receive a flow of fluid into the bore (interior space of #3), and a second portion (defined by portion of #3 accommodating structure #4a/4b/5/6/7) comprising flow-disrupting features (5/6/7) that extend into the flow, the flow-disrupting features (5/6/7) configured to change properties of the flow as between an inlet flow (flow at upstream end of #3) at the first end of the body and an outlet flow (slow exiting end #3b) that exhausts from the bore at the second end (3b) of the body (3).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Pertinent arts of record relating to Applicant’s disclosure are disclosed in the PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEREMY AUSTIN LUKS whose telephone number is (571)272-2707. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9:00-5:00).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dedei Hammond can be reached at (571) 270-7938. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JEREMY A LUKS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
