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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
An information disclosure statement has not been received. If the applicant is aware of any prior art or any other co-pending applications not already of record, he/she is reminded of his/her duty under 37 CFR 1.56 to disclose the same.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s submission filed 06/11/1026 includes changes to the claims, remarks and arguments related to the previous rejection. The above have been entered and considered. Claims 1-3, 5, 8-23 are currently pending.
Response to Arguments
With regard to the 112(b) rejection:
Applicant has amended Claims 1 & 16 to resolve the clarity of the two signals as a distinct first signal and second signal. The 112(b) rejection of the claims is withdrawn.
With regard to the 103 rejection:
Examiner noted that Claims 4-5 and 7 contain previously allowable subject matter. Claim 1 is h amended to include the allowable subject matter of Claim 4 and new independent Claim 21 reflects the allowable subject matter of Claim 7. With dependent claims, the allowable claims are Claims 1-3, 5, 8-15 and 21-23.
Applicant amends independent Claim 16 add a new limitation that requires additional search and consideration:
"wherein the main input port is not in communication with the oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule, the reference input port is not in communication with the oil-filled main pressure sensing capsule, and the oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule is mounted in a substantially same orientation as the oil-filled main pressure sensing capsule such that acceleration and vibration act on both capsules in a same direction."
With regard to Claims 16-20 have been considered in light of the previous references. The arguments and amended claims do not overcome the prior art at the time of the filing of the invention. Upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of a new reference of DeRosa.
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.
Claims 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 16 & 20 recites the limitation “the oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule is mounted in a substantially same orientation as the oil-filled main pressure sensing capsule such that acceleration and vibration act on both capsules in a same direction” where the arrangement of the capsules are in “the same orientation”. The arrangement is unclear as it requires a structural reference (e.g. same size, same central horizontal axis through midline, same elements or attached to same housing).
All dependent claims are rejected for their dependence on a rejected base claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-3,5, 8-15 & 21-23 are allowed.
The following is an Examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance and indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claims 1 & 21 as taught by prior art. The closest prior art is Kurtz (US 4695817) (Kurz Fig. 4) discloses an oil-filled differential pressure transducer assembly, comprising: a main input port configured to receive a main pressure; a reference input port configured to receive a reference pressure; an oil-filled differential pressure sensing capsule configured to output a differential pressure signal responsive to the main pressure received at the main input port and the reference pressure received at the reference input port, and a common error signal responsive to a common stimulus acting on the oil-filled differential pressure sensing capsule.
Regarding Claim 1. Kurtz, nor the prior art discloses Applicant’s (Fig. 3b) wherein the oil-filled compensating capsule (312) is in communication with the main input port (320).The configuration provides identical pressure inputs to the main input port and the compensating capsule yielding a common input pressure to compensate against the central reference pressure in 306.
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Regarding Claim 21. Kurtz nor the prior art discloses Applicant’s (Fig. 3c) [0043] both a first side and a second side of the differential compensating capsule (312) are in communication with the reference input port (306). The differential compensating capsule (312) is measures with reference input pressures a compensation of the value of the reference input pressure.
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Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 16-18 & 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1 & 2) as being anticipated by Kurtz (US 4695817: “Kurtz”).
Claim 16. Kurtz discloses a compensated oil-filled differential pressure transducer assembly (Fig. 5), comprising: a main input port (72) configured to receive a main pressure (P1); a reference input port (81) configured to receive a reference pressure (P2); an oil-filled main pressure sensing capsule (74) configured to output a main pressure signal [Col. 12 lines 8-30] responsive to the main pressure (P1) received at the main input port (72) and a first common error signal responsive to a common stimulus acting on the oil-filled main pressure sensing capsule (74) [Col. 12 lines 8-30], the oil- filled main pressure sensing capsule (74) comprising a main pressure sensing element (73) in communication with the main input port (72) [Col. 12 lines 8-30]; and an oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule (82) mounted in a same orientation as the oil-filled main pressure sensing capsule (74) (Fig. 5: 74 and 82 are the same construction, elements and reside in the same plane) [Col. 7 lines 12-30], the oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule (82) configured to output a reference pressure signal responsive to the reference pressure (P2) received at the reference input port (81) [Col. 12: 7-30] and a second common error signal responsive to the common stimulus acting on the oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule (82) [Col. 7 lines 12-30: a differential transducer which provides an output which is the difference between two pressures. In the case of a gage sensor, one of these pressures, referred to here as the reference pressure, is atmospheric pressure and the other pressure is the pressure being monitored or the measured pressure. Essentially, a gage transducer produces an output which is the difference between atmospheric pressure and a monitored pressure], the oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule (82) comprising a reference pressure sensing element (85) in communication with the reference input port (81) [Col. 12: 7-30] wherein the main input port (72) is not in communication with the oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule [Col. 12 lines 12-30: The internal cavity 90 is completely isolated … If any water accumulates within the cavities 90, it will not contaminate the pressure transducers 73 and 82 due to the fact that they are completely isolated from both the external environment and from the internal cavity 90 of the transducer 70], the reference input port (71) is not in communication with the oil-filled main pressure sensing capsule (74) [Col. 12 lines 12-30], and the oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule (82) is mounted in a substantially same orientation (same plane, with same construction and elements as shown in figure 5) as the oil-filled main pressure sensing capsule (74) such that acceleration and vibration act on both capsules in a same direction (Fig. 5: 74 and 82 are the same construction, elements and reside in the same plane) [Col. 7 lines 12-30].
Claim 17. Dependent on the assembly of claim 16. Kurtz further discloses a compensation circuit (Fig. 5) configured to output a compensated pressure output signal based on a difference between the main pressure signal (P1) and the reference pressure signal (P2) [Col. 7 lines 12-30: a differential transducer which provides an output which is the difference between two pressures. In the case of a gage sensor, one of these pressures, referred to here as the reference pressure, is atmospheric pressure and the other pressure is the pressure being monitored or the measured pressure. Essentially, a gage transducer produces an output which is the difference between atmospheric pressure and a monitored pressure].
Claim 18. Dependent on the assembly of claim 17. Kurtz further discloses the compensation circuit (Fig. 5) is configured to bias [FIG. 1, the bridge 10 has a biasing source designated +EXC and -EXC respectively for plus and minus voltage bias applied between the sides of the bridge and designated as +V AND -V] one or more of the main pressure sensing element (Fig. 1 positive circuit R1-4) and the reference pressure sensing element (Fig. 1 negative circuit R5-6) [Col. 7 lines 30-42: FIG. 1 will produce an output voltage which will be corrected according to the pressure applied to the negative port. Hence as one can see from the mathematics, by proper selection of the resistor magnitude and the sensitivity of the resistors, one will now obtain an output voltage from the bridge circuit of FIG. 1 which is as always referenced to the ambient pressure. It is noted that arranging the circuit and relative sensitivities of the two arrays as indicated is very advantageous].
Claim 20. Dependent on the assembly of claim 16. Kurtz further discloses the oil-filled main pressure sensing capsule (Fig. 5: 74) [Col.11 lines 60-67: The transducer 73 is contained within a cavity of the housing with the top surface of the transducer coupled to a stainless-steel diaphragm 74. The internal cavity of the transducer is again oil filled with a bottom header 75 serving as the bottom plate for the cavity] and the oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule (82) are configured substantially equivalent [Col 12 lines 7-15: A second pressure port 81 is also associated with a separate transducer structure 82 which structure is again maintained within a cavity and interfaces with a steel isolation diaphragm 84 and an associated header 85. This cavity again may be oil filled with the sensor leads emanating from transducer 82]
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 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kurtz (US 4695817: “Kurtz”).
Claim 19. Dependent on the assembly of claim 16. Kurtz’s embodiment of Fig. 5 does not explicitly disclose:
the oil-filled main pressure sensing capsule and the oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule each comprise a sealable oil-filling tube configured for filling and sealing an oil cavity.
Kutrz’s embodiment of figure 4 teaches the oil-filled main pressure sensing capsule (34) and the oil-filled reference pressure sensing capsule (40) each comprise a sealable oil-filling tube (36 & 63) configured for filling and sealing an oil cavity [Col. 10 lines 16-30: The transducer structure 40 is also associated with a tube 63 to allow the internal cavity associated with the transducer structure to be filled with oil as for transducer 34].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Kurtz’s Fig. 4 oil filling tubes for filling a sealed cavity with Kutz’s Fig. 5 oil-filled capsules because the oil-filling tubes increases the devices reliability and maintainability by providing a reliable input port that reduces oil contamination in the surrounding sensors during filling operations.
Prior Art Considered but Not Utilized
The prior art made of record and not relied upon and is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is provided in the following table:
Prior Art Document Identifier
Inventor
Comment
US-201701228271
Lou Derosa
Separated oil-filled capsules in a pressure sensor
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Monica S Young whose telephone number is (303)297-4785. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 08:30-05:30 MST.
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/MONICA S YOUNG/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/PETER J MACCHIAROLO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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