DETAILED ACTION
This action is a first action on the merits. The claims filed September 25, 2023 have been entered. Claims 1-20 are pending and addressed below.
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 statements (IDS) filed on September 25, 2023 and September 12, 2024 have been considered by the Examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dinant et al., US 2019/0168583 (hereinafter Dinant).
Claim 1: Dinant disclose a vent system (outlet device 1) for a motor vehicle (ventilation of a vehicle interior V, see Fig 1, par [0051]), the vent system comprising:
a vent conduit (housing H of outlet device 1) defining a vent conduit inlet (air inlet orifice 11) (see Fig 1);
a vent outlet (air outlet orifice 12) separated from the vent conduit inlet (air inlet orifice 11) (as shown in Fig 1, par [0051]);
a first vent channel (first air channel C1) including a first vent channel inlet (at arrow F2 in Fig 1) in fluid communication with the vent conduit inlet (11) and a first channel nozzle (opposing circumferential section 23a) defining a first fluid flow path to the vent outlet (12) along a first direction (first partial volume flow direction 5); and
a second vent channel (second air channel C2) including a second vent channel inlet (at arrow F1 in Fig 1) in fluid communication with the vent conduit inlet (11) and a second channel nozzle (opposing circumferential section 23b) defining a second fluid flow path to the vent outlet (12) along a second direction (second partial volume flow direction 6) convergent with the first direction (at outlet flow FE) (see par [0051], [0059]).
Claim 11: Dinant discloses dash panel for a motor vehicle (shown in Fig 10), the dash panel comprising:
an upper dash panel (located above 1 in Fig 10);
a lower dash panel (located below 1 in Fig 10) spaced apart from the upper dash panel (as shown in Fig 10);
a vent outlet (air outlet orifice 12) disposed between the upper dash panel (located above outlet device 1) and the lower dash panel (located below outlet device 1) (as shown in Fig 9-10); and
a vent system (outlet device 1) disposed between the upper dash panel (located above outlet device 1) and the lower dash panel (located below outlet device 1) (shown in Fig 10) and in communication with the vent outlet (12) (as shown in Fig 9-10), the vent system (1) including:
a vent conduit inlet (air inlet orifice 11);
a vent conduit (housing H of outlet device 1) including a first vent channel (first air channel C1) including a first vent channel inlet (at arrow F2 in Fig 1) in fluid communication with the vent conduit inlet (11) and a first channel nozzle (opposing circumferential section 23a) defining a first fluid flow path to the vent outlet (12) along a first direction (first partial volume flow direction 5); and
a second vent channel (second air channel C2) including a second vent channel inlet (at arrow F1 in Fig 1) in fluid communication with the vent conduit inlet (11) and a second channel nozzle (opposing circumferential section 23b) defining a second fluid flow path to the vent outlet (12) along a second direction (second partial volume flow direction 6) convergent with the first direction (at outlet flow FE) (see par [0051], [0059]).
Claims 2 and 12: Dinant discloses further comprising a primary flap (first flap 50 and second flap 60) disposed in the vent conduit inlet (11) and configured to selectively obstruct the first vent channel inlet (C1) or the second vent channel inlet (C2) (see Fig 1, par [0064]).
Claims 3 and 13: Dinant discloses wherein the first vent channel (C1) and the second vent channel (C2) are each at least partially defined by a separator panel (central body 30 with first air-directing surface 31 and second air-directing surface 32) disposed between the primary flap (50, 60) and the vent outlet (12).
Claims 4 and 14: Dinant discloses further comprising a first secondary vane (vertical fins 71, 72, 73. 74, 75) disposed in the first vent channel (C1) (see Fig 1, 3, 5) and a second secondary vane (vertical fins 71, 72, 73. 74, 75) disposed in the second vent channel (C2) (see Fig 1, 3, 5), each of the first secondary vane (vertical fins 71, 72, 73. 74, 75) and the second secondary vane (vertical fins 71, 72, 73. 74, 75) configured to selectively rotate to direct a flow of air in a lateral direction (vertical fins are pivotally mounted to the housing 10 with providing a respective fin-adjustment axis D71, D72, D73, D74, D75, see Fig 3-7, par [0088]-[0090]).
Claims 5 and 15: Dinant discloses the first secondary vane (vertical fins 71, 72, 73. 74, 75) and the second secondary vane (vertical fins 71, 72, 73. 74, 75) are recessed from the vent outlet (12) (as shown in Fig 3-7, par [0090]-[0091]).
Claims 6 and 16: Dinant discloses wherein a height of at least one of the first vent channel (C1) and the second vent channel (C2) tapers along the direction from the vent conduit inlet (11) to the vent outlet (12) (as shown Fig 3).
Claims 7 and 17: Dinant discloses wherein the first vent channel (C1) extends along a first arcuate (curved) path (first inner surface section 21) and the second vent channel (C2) extends along a second arcuate (curved) path (second inner surface section 22) (as shown in Fig 3, par [0060]).
Claims 8 and 18: Dinant discloses wherein the first channel nozzle (circumferential section 23a) includes a first nozzle outlet (opening at 23a) defining a first nozzle axis (axis of 23a) and the second channel nozzle (circumferential sections 23b) includes a second nozzle outlet (opening at 23b) defining a second nozzle axis (axis of 23b) that converges with the first nozzle axis (opposing circumferential sections 23a, 23b meet each other in an intersection point P23 or intersection line in the first reference plane E1, see Fig 3, par [0059]).
Claims 9 and 19: Dinant discloses wherein the first nozzle outlet (at 23a) is disposed adjacent to the second nozzle outlet (at 23b) at the vent outlet (opening at 23a is next to the opening at 23b, Fig 3, par [0059]).
Claims 10 and 20: Dinant discloses wherein the first nozzle outlet (at 23a) is separated from the second nozzle outlet (at 23b) at the vent outlet (separated by fin adjustment device A70 and central body 30, Fig 3, par [0061], [0093]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The disclosures of Habte, US 11,007,844 drawn to a multi-channel air vent assembly, Ostertag et al., German Pat. No. DE 10 2019 133 471 A1 drawn to an instrument panel for a motor vehicle, and Paris, US 2020/0406721 drawn to an air vent are applicable to the claims but were not relied upon in the current rejections.
Claims 1-20 are rejected. No claims are allowed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CAROLINE N BUTCHER whose telephone number is (571)272-1623. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10-6 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tara E Schimpf can be reached at (571) 270-7741. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CAROLINE N BUTCHER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3676