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 1-12 in the reply filed on 4/29/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clark et al. U.S. Patent U.S. Patent 6,813,964 (hereinafter “Clark”) in view of Yasuda WO 2021/095492 (hereinafter “Yasuda”).
Regarding claim 1, Clark discloses a fluid resistance element comprising: a channel delineating member and having one or a plurality of resistance channels (e.g. abstract; Fig. 8a-8h); and a covering member made from a metal (e.g. col. 9, lines 33-63) and covering an outer peripheral surface of the channel delineating member (e.g. abstract; Fig. 8a-8h), wherein the covering member has a bulged portion on an inner peripheral surface of the covering member, the bulged portion bulging toward the outer peripheral surface of the channel delineating member (e.g. abstract; Fig. 8a-8h), but does not explicitly disclose the channel delineating member being made from a ceramic.
Regarding claim 5, Clark discloses the fluid resistance element according to claim 1, wherein the covering member includes a downstream channel that is provided downstream of the channel delineating member, and into which a fluid passed through the one or plurality of resistance channels is guided (e.g. abstract; Fig. 8a-8h), but does not disclose the downstream channel includes a small-diameter portion having a channel diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the channel delineating member.
Regarding claim 10, Clark discloses a fluid controller comprising: the fluid resistance element according to claim 1 that is provided in a channel through which a fluid flows (e.g. abstract; Fig. 8a-8h); a sensor channel that connects an upstream side and a downstream side of the channel (e.g. col. 2, lines 10-25); and a flow rate regulation valve provided to the channel (e.g. col. 2-3, lines 57-67 and 1-47; col. 4, lines 15-23), but does not explicitly disclose an upstream electric resistance element and a downstream electric resistance element provided on the sensor channel.
Regarding claim 1, Yasuda discloses a channel delineating member being made from a ceramic (e.g. pg. 3-6; Fig. 3). Regarding claim 5, Yasuda discloses a downstream channel includes a small-diameter portion having a channel diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the channel delineating member (e.g. pg. 3-6; Fig. 3). Regarding claim 10, Yasuda discloses an upstream electric resistance element and a downstream electric resistance element provided on the sensor channel (e.g. pg. 3-6; Fig. 3).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize a ceramic channel delineating member with a channel that varies in diameter size and implements electric resistance elements. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this since ceramic is a material that is tough and durable, channels with varying diameters enable more precise flow regulation, and electric resistance elements assist in sensing the conditions of the channel.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify obvious to combine Clark with Yasuda to obtain the invention as specified in claims 1-12.
Regarding claim 2, Clark discloses the fluid resistance element according to claim 1, wherein the bulged portion extends in a circumferential direction, on the inner peripheral surface of the covering member (e.g. abstract; Fig. 8a-8h).
Regarding claim 3, Clark discloses the fluid resistance element according to claim 1, wherein the covering member has a recessed portion on an outer peripheral surface of the covering member, the recessed portion being recessed radially inward toward the outer peripheral surface of the channel delineating member (e.g. abstract; Fig. 8a-8h).
Regarding claim 4, Clark discloses the fluid resistance element according to claim 1, wherein the covering member has a tubular shape, and has a housing space in which the channel delineating member is housed, wherein a predetermined section having the housing space is thinner than other sections, the predetermined section and the other sections being sections of the covering member in an axial direction (e.g. abstract; Fig. 8a-8h).
Regarding claim 6, Yasuda discloses the fluid resistance element according to claim 5, wherein the downstream channel includes an increasing diameter portion that is provided downstream of the small-diameter portion and that has a channel diameter increasing from an upstream side toward a downstream side (e.g. pg. 3-6; Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 7, Yasuda discloses the fluid resistance element according to claim 1, wherein the covering member has a decreasing diameter portion that is provided on an upstream side of the channel delineating member, and in which a channel diameter decreases from an upstream side toward a downstream side (e.g. pg. 3-6; Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 8, Yasuda discloses the fluid resistance element according to claim 1, wherein opposing axial end portions of the covering member provide welded portions that are welded to other tube members, respectively (e.g. pg. 3-6; Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 9, Clark discloses a fluid controller comprising: the fluid resistance element according to claim 1 that is provided in a channel through which a fluid flows (e.g. abstract; Fig. 8a-8h); an upstream pressure sensor and a downstream pressure sensor provided on an upstream side and a downstream side of the fluid resistance element, respectively, in the channel (e.g. col. 2, lines 10-25); and a flow rate regulation valve provided in the channel (e.g. col. 2-3, lines 57-67 and 1-47; col. 4, lines 15-23).
Regarding claim 11, Yasuda discloses a fluid resistance element, wherein the channel includes a plurality of the fluid resistance elements that are provided in series or in parallel (e.g. pg. 3-6; Fig. 3 and 4(A)-4(C)).
Regarding claim 12, Yasuda discloses a fluid resistance element, wherein the plurality of fluid resistance elements have respective resistances that are mutually different (e.g. pg. 3-6; Fig. 3 and 4(A)-4(C)).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES R KASENGE whose telephone number is (571)272-3743. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30am to 4pm EST.
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CK
July 3, 2026
/CHARLES R KASENGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116
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