DETAILED ACTION
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 4, 11, and 15 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.
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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 5 line 3 recites “a second component”. It should state “the second component to avoid a lack of antecedent basis under 112(b) or 112 second paragraph. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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 1, 2, 5-11, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Goldsche WO 2021204562 (“Goldsche”).
Regarding Claim 1, Goldsche discloses a valve apparatus (100, fig. 9 and ann. fig. 10) comprising; a base body (170) formed from a soft component and having a first sealing portion (ann. fig. 10) for sealing against a first component (ann. fig. 10) and a connecting-sealing portion (ann. fig. 10) for sealing and connecting to a second component (ann. fig. 10), and wherein the base body (170) bounds a passageway (124) and comprises a covering side (ann. fig. 10) and a connecting side (ann. fig. 10); a valve element (ann. fig. 10), wherein the valve element (172) is arranged in the region of the passageway (124) of the base body (170); and a securing element (178) formed from a hard component and having a latch portion (ann. fig. 10), wherein, in a final assembly position (100 illustrated in fig. 9 and ann. fig. 10), the latch portion (ann. fig. 10) is received in the base body (170) so as to limit at least a movement of a connecting portion of the connecting-sealing portion (side wall of connecting seal portion seals with first components as illustrated in ann. fig. 10) of the base body (170) radially inwards in order to thereby secure the final assembly position of the valve apparatus (100).
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GOLDSCHE – ANNOTATED FIGURE 10
Regarding Claim 2, Goldsche discloses the valve apparatus (100) is free of connecting means.
Regarding Claim 5, Goldsche discloses the connecting-sealing portion comprises the connecting portion (ann. fig. 10) as well as a second (ann. fig. 10) and a third (ann. fig. 10) sealing portion for sealing on the connecting side (ann. fig. 10) and on the covering side (ann. fig. 10) against an edge of a second component (ann. fig. 10) bounding an opening (106) for receiving the valve apparatus (172).
Regarding Claim 6, Goldsche discloses a radially circumferential securing recess (ann. fig. 10) extending approximately in the axial direction (ann. fig. 10) is formed in a casing wall of the base body (170), wherein the securing recess (ann. fig. 10) is bounded radially outward by a connecting wall, which comprises on its outer side the connecting portion (ann. fig. 10) for abutting and connecting to a second component (ann. fig. 10), and wherein the latch portion (ann. fig. 10) of the approximately annular securing element (ann. fig. 10) likewise extends in the axial direction (ann. fig. 10) and, in the final assembly position (fig. 9 and ann. fig 10), is arranged in the securing recess (ann. fig. 10).
Regarding Claim 7, Goldsche discloses pins (73) extending in the axial direction (52) and pin recesses formed correspondingly on the securing element (47) are molded onto the valve element (46), or vice versa, in order to connect the securing element (47) to the valve element (46) in a form-fit manner and to fix it in the final assembly position (72).
Regarding Claim 8, Goldsche discloses the second sealing portion (ann. fig. 10) of the base body (170) comprises on the connecting side a second sealing lip (ann. fig. 10) that extends radially outward and is radially circumferentially molded onto the base body (170) and is structurally configured so that, in the final assembly position (fig. 9 and ann. fig. 10), it is pressed in a sealing manner against an edge of the second component (ann. fig. 10) on the connecting side upon being subjected to a pressure prevailing within the first component (ann. fig. 10).
Regarding Claim 9, Goldsche discloses the third sealing portion (ann. fig. 10) of the base body (170) comprises on the covering side a third sealing lip (third sealing portion, ann. fig. 10) that extends radially outward and is radially circumferentially molded onto the base body (170) and is structurally configured so that, in the final assembly position (fig. 9 and ann. fig. 10), it sealingly abuts the edge of the second component (ann. fig. 10) on the covering side with a predetermined force.
Regarding Claim 10, Goldsche discloses the first sealing portion (ann. fig. 10) of the base body (170) comprises on the connecting side a second sealing lip (ann. fig. 10) that extends radially outward and is radially circumferentially molded onto the base body (170) and is structurally configured so that, in the final assembly position (fig. 9 and ann. fig. 10), it sealingly abuts the first component (ann. fig. 10) on the connecting side (ann. fig. 10) with a predetermined force.
Regarding Claim 11, Goldsche discloses the valve apparatus (100) is round in configuration.
Regarding Claim 13, if a prior art device, in its normal and usual operation, would necessarily perform the method claimed, then the method claimed will be considered to be anticipated by the prior art device. When the prior art device is the same as a device described in the specification for carrying out the claimed method, it can be assumed that the device will perform the claimed process. See MPEP 2112.02.
Goldsche discloses a valve apparatus (100, fig. 9 and ann. fig. 10) comprising; a base body (170) formed from a soft component and having a first sealing portion (ann. fig. 10) for sealing against a first component (ann. fig. 10) and a connecting-sealing portion (ann. fig. 10) for sealing and connecting to a second component (ann. fig. 10), and wherein the base body (170) bounds a passageway (124) and comprises a covering side (ann. fig. 10) and a connecting side (ann. fig. 10); a valve element (ann. fig. 10), wherein the valve element (172) is arranged in the region of the passageway (124) of the base body (170); and a securing element (178) formed from a hard component and having a latch portion (ann. fig. 10), wherein, in a final assembly position (100 illustrated in fig. 9 and ann. fig. 10), the latch portion (ann. fig. 10) is received in the base body (170) so as to limit at least a movement of a connecting portion of the connecting-sealing portion (side wall of connecting seal portion seals with first components as illustrated in ann. fig. 10) of the base body (170) radially inwards in order to thereby secure the final assembly position of the valve apparatus (100).
Regarding Claim 14, Goldsche discloses the valve apparatus (100) is free of catching means for connecting to one of the components.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hofer US 10164227, Ahn et al. US 10923695, Kellner et al. US 12504082, Duprey et al. US PG PUB 20030022061, Kurth et al. US PG PU 20070108216, Janmey US PG PUB 20090181287, Heim et al. US PG PUB 20130032219, Kleinke et al. US PG PUB 20180292020, Jaspers et al. US PG PUB 20200365858, Zbiral et al. US PG PUB 20210320375, Schleiden et al. US PG PUB 20220344772, Dvorak US PG PUB 20240063500, Ploppa et al. US PG PUB 20240186650, and Schleiden US PG PUB 20240274970 disclose degassing valves.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daphne Barry whose telephone number is (571)272-9966 and fax number is (571) 273-9966. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday 9 AM-6 PM (eastern).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor either Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at (571) 272-4881 or Craig Schneider can be reached at (571) 272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAPHNE BARRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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