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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed December 9, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1-12, 14-16 and 18-22 remain pending in the application.
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.
Claims 1-8, 12, 16, 18 and 20-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U. S. Patent Publication 2022/0220954 to Gim in view of U. S. Patent Publication 2011/0116944 to Rohl, U. S. Patent 3,318,253 to Campolong, and U. S. Publication 2017/0159659 to Robillard.
Referring to claim 1, Gim teaches a system comprising:
(a) an electric motor (100) (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0031]-[0036]);
(b) an air compressor (200) coupled to the electric motor (100) so that rotation of the electric motor (100) drives the air compressor (200) (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0031]-[0036]);
(c) a hydraulic pump (300) coupled to the electric motor (100) so that rotation of the electric motor (100) drives the hydraulic pump (300) (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0031]-[0036]); and
(d) a container comprising at least one sidewall, wherein the container defines an interior, wherein the electric motor (100), the hydraulic pump (300), and the air compressor (200) are all received within the interior of the container, wherein the hydraulic pump (300) defines at least one opening (300b) configured to communicate hydraulic fluid therethrough (Figures 1 and 2, Fig. 1 annotated below; paragraphs [0033]-[0039], wherein Gim teaches “a housing that defines an outer shape of the air compressor 1” in paragraph [0037], wherein a housing is a container, and as such the outer shape of the assembly 1 shown in Fig. 1, annotated below, is a housing/container having sidewalls and an interior as claimed).
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Annotation of Gim Figure 1.
Gim teaches a rotation axis 150 which transfers a rotation of the drive motor 100 to the compressor 200 and the pump 300 (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0033]-[0036]), but is silent as to the details of the axis. Rohl teaches a system wherein:
a drive comprising an output shaft (16), a compressor (18) comprises a drive shaft (34) coupled to the output shaft (16) of the drive and a hydraulic pump (20) comprises a drive shaft (50) coupled to the output shaft (16) of the drive (via shaft 34) (Figures 1-4; paragraphs [0014]-[0018]).
It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to modify the system taught by Gim with the shafts taught by Rohl in order to connect the motor to the compressor and pump in the arrangement already taught by Gim so that the motor drives the compressor and pump as already taught by Gim, and further since it has been held that a simple substitution of one known element, the shafts taught by Rohl, for another, the undiscussed shafts of Gim, to obtain predictable results, connecting the motor to the compressor and the pump, was an obvious extension of prior art teachings, KSR, 550 U.S. at 419, 82 USPQ2d at 1396, MPEP 2141 III B.
While, as explained above, Gim teaches a housing that is a container, and also discusses a discharge port 300b leading to a discharge line 30 of the hydraulic pump, wherein the “discharge line 30 may supply oil to the rotation axis”, Gim is otherwise silent as to the details of this discharge port and the housing/container. Rohl teaches a system comprising:
a container (22, 24, 26, 40, 44) comprising at least one sidewall (the walls of the container shown in Figures 1-3), wherein the container (22, 24, 26, 40, 44) defines an interior (containing at least the internals of the pump and compressor), and wherein the container (22, 24, 26, 40, 44) defines at least one opening (48) configured to communicate pumped fluid therethrough (Figures 1-4; paragraphs [0014]-[0017]).
It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to modify the system taught by Gim with the container output taught by Rohl in order to additionally use the hydraulic fluid for uses outside the container and pump (Rohl paragraph [0014]).
Gim and Rohl are silent as to cooling of the motor. Campolong teaches a system wherein:
a fluid pathway (shown by arrows) extending along an electric motor (inside 14), wherein the fluid pathway is configured to receive coolant (from 78) (Fig.; col. 5 line 39 - col. 7 line 17).
It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to modify the system taught by Gim with the motor cooling taught by Campolong in order to keep the motor from overheating. As taught by Robillard in paragraph [0057], it is well known in the art that electric motors produce heat, which therefore needs to be accounted for in the design of a pump, and Gim is silent as to this known design concern.
Referring to claim 2, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, but Gim is silent as to the details of the axis. Rohl further teaches a system wherein:
the drive shaft (34) of the air compressor (18) is coupled to the drive shaft (50) of the hydraulic pump (20) so that that the air compressor (18) and the hydraulic pump (20) are configured rotate at a same speed (Figures 1-4; paragraphs [0014]-[0018], wherein Rohl teaches that the pump drive shaft 50 is directly connected to the compressor drive shaft 34 and therefore configured to rotate at a same speed).
Referring to claim 3, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches a system wherein:
the output shaft of the electric motor (100), the drive shaft of the air compressor (200), and the drive shaft of the hydraulic pump (300) are configured to rotate about a single axis (150) (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0033]-[0036], wherein it is disclosed that the axis 150 connects the motor 100 to the compressor 200 or the hydraulic pump 300).
Referring to claim 4, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches a system wherein:
the electric motor (100) comprises a housing, wherein one of the compressor (200) or the hydraulic pump (300) is coupled to the housing of the electric motor (100) (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0031]-[0036]).
Referring to claim 5, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 4, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches a system wherein:
the hydraulic pump (300) has a housing, wherein the compressor (200) has a housing, wherein the other of the air compressor (200) or the hydraulic pump (300) is coupled to the housing of the one of the air compressor (200) or the hydraulic pump (300) (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0031]-[0036]).
Referring to claim 6, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches a system wherein:
the electric motor (100) comprises a housing, wherein the compressor (200) comprises a housing, wherein the housing of the compressor (200) is coupled to the housing of the electric motor (100) (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0031]-[0036]).
Referring to claim 7, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach teaches a system comprising all the limitations of claim 6, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches a system wherein:
the hydraulic pump (300) has a housing, wherein the housing of the hydraulic pump (300) is coupled to the housing of the air compressor (200) (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0031]-[0036]).
Referring to claim 8, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach teaches a system comprising all the limitations of claim 7, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches a system wherein:
the housing of the hydraulic pump (300) is directly coupled to the housing of the air compressor (200), and wherein the housing of the air compressor (200) is directly coupled to the housing of the electric motor (100) (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0031]-[0036]).
Referring to claim 12, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches a system wherein:
the air compressor (200) is a piston compressor (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0031]-[0036]).
Referring to claim 16, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, but Gim and Rohl are silent as to cooling of the motor. Campolong further teaches a system wherein:
the electric motor (inside 14) has an outside periphery and an interior, wherein the system further comprises: (a) a first coolant line (75) partially defining the fluid pathway for coolant along the electric motor (inside 14), wherein a first segment of the first coolant line (75) is positioned along the outside periphery (75 outside 14) of the motor (75 inside 14) and a second segment (portion of 75 inside 14) of the first coolant line (75) is positioned along the interior of the electric motor (inside 14); and (b) a second coolant line (78) operably connected to the first coolant line (75) and partially defining the fluid pathway along the electric motor (inside 14), wherein a first segment (portion inside 14) of the second coolant line (78) is positioned along the interior of the electric motor (inside 14) and a second segment (portion outside 14) of the second coolant line (78) is positioned along the outside periphery of the electric motor (inside 14) (Fig.; col. 6 lines 57-69).
Referring to claim 18, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 8, as detailed above, but Gim does not teach the details of the housing. Rohl does not teach an electric motor. Campolong further teaches a system wherein:
the electric motor (inside 14) with two oppositely facing sides, wherein first (75) and second (78) coolant lines are proximate to one of the oppositely facing sides of the motor, and wherein a pump (15) is positioned adjacent to the other oppositely facing sides (Fig.; col. 5 lines 41-61 and col. 6 lines 57-69).
Gim does not teach a cylindrical shaped motor, Rohl does not teach an electric motor and Campolong is silent as to the shape of the electric motor. Robillard teaches a cylindrically shaped electric motor (Figures 1-3; paragraphs [0049]).
It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art use the cylindrical motor shape taught by Robillard for the motor of Gim because it has been held that a simple substitution of one known element, the cylindrical motor shape of Robillard, for another, the non-cylindrical motor shape of Gim, to obtain predictable results, providing a motor drive, was an obvious extension of prior art teachings, KSR, 550 U.S. at 419, 82 USPQ2d at 1396, MPEP 2141 III B.
Furthermore, the Applicant has not provided any reason why the shape of the electric motor is critical to the claimed invention, and therefore it would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to use a cylindrical motor shape, as an obvious matter of design choice since applicant has not disclosed that different shapes solve any stated problems or are for any particular purpose, and it appears that the invention would perform equally well with different shapes.
Referring to claim 20, Gim teaches a method comprising:
coupling an electric motor (100) to an air compressor (200) so that rotation of the electric motor (100) drives the air compressor (200) (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0031]-[0036]);
coupling the electric motor (100) to a hydraulic pump (300) so that rotation of the electric motor (100) drives the hydraulic pump (300) (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0031]-[0036]).
positioning the electric motor (100), the hydraulic pump (300), and the air compressor (200) within a container (Figures 1 and 2, Fig. 1 annotated above; paragraphs [0033]-[0039], wherein Gim teaches “a housing that defines an outer shape of the air compressor 1” in paragraph [0037], wherein a housing is a container, and as such the outer shape of the assembly 1 shown in Fig. 1, annotated above, is a housing/container having sidewalls and an interior as claimed).
Gim teaches a rotation axis 150 which transfers a rotation of the drive motor 100 to the compressor 200 and the pump 300 (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0033]-[0036]), but is silent as to the details of the axis. Rohl teaches a method wherein:
coupling an output shaft (16) of a drive to a drive shaft (34) of a compressor (18) and a drive shaft (50) of a hydraulic pump (20) so that rotation of the drive drives the compressor (18) and the hydraulic pump (20) (Figures 1-4; paragraphs [0014]-[0018]).
It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to modify the method taught by Gim with the shafts taught by Rohl in order to connect the motor to the compressor and pump in the arrangement already taught by Gim so that the motor drives the compressor and pump as already taught by Gim.
Gim teaches use of the hydraulic pump in a vehicle (paragraph [0003], [0033] and [0035]), but does not teach coupling of the hydraulic pump to at least one of: a hydraulic steering system of a vehicle, a hydraulic braking system of a vehicle, or an auxiliary system of a vocational vehicle. Rohl further teaches a method comprising:
fluidly coupling the hydraulic pump (20) to at least one of: a hydraulic steering system of a vehicle, a hydraulic braking system of a vehicle, or an auxiliary system of a vocational vehicle (paragraph [0014]).
It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to use the method taught by Gim, as modified by Rohl, in the vehicles taught by Rohl in order to use the pump for additional uses beyond the disclosed use of providing fluid to the rotation axis already taught by Gim, and further since it has been held that a simple substitution of one known element, the shafts taught by Rohl, for another, the undiscussed shafts of Gim, to obtain predictable results, connecting the motor to the compressor and the pump, was an obvious extension of prior art teachings, KSR, 550 U.S. at 419, 82 USPQ2d at 1396, MPEP 2141 III B.
Gim and Rohl are silent as to cooling of the motor. Campolong teaches a method wherein:
an electric motor (inside 14) defines at least a portion of a fluid pathway (shown by arrows) for receiving coolant (from 78) (Fig.; col. 5 line 39 - col. 7 line 17).
It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to modify the method taught by Gim with the motor cooling taught by Campolong in order to keep the motor from overheating. As taught by Robillard in paragraph [0057], it is well known in the art that electric motors produce heat, which therefore needs to be accounted for in the design of a pump, and Gim is silent as to this known design concern.
Referring to claim 21, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches a vehicle comprising:
an electric propulsion system (part of a hybrid vehicle); and the system as in claim 1 (Figures 1 and 2; paragraphs [0027], [0033] and [0035]).
Referring to claim 22, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches use of the hydraulic pump in a vehicle (paragraph [0003], [0033] and [0035]), but does not teach coupling of the hydraulic pump to at least one of: a hydraulic steering system of a vehicle, a hydraulic braking system of a vehicle, or an auxiliary system of a vocational vehicle. Rohl further teaches a system wherein:
the hydraulic pump (20) is configured to generate sufficient pressure in the hydraulic fluid for operation of an auxiliary function of a vocational vehicle or for operating steering or braking of a vehicle (paragraph [0014]).
It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to use the system taught by Gim, as modified by Rohl, in the vehicles taught by Rohl in order to use the pump for additional uses beyond the disclosed use of providing fluid to the rotation axis already taught by Gim.
Claims 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication 2022/0220954 to Gim in view of U. S. Patent Publication 2011/0116944 to Rohl, U. S. Patent 3,318,253 to Campolong, U. S. Publication 2017/0159659 to Robillard and U. S. Patent Publication 2019/0154029 to Jochman.
Referring to claim 9, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches a system wherein:
the hydraulic pump (300) comprises an outlet (300b), the system further comprising: a first pressure sensor (it would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art that the system disclosed by Gim must include a pressure sensor connected to the control in order to operate as otherwise disclosed) in communication with the outlet of the hydraulic pump (300); a first valve (500) that is configured to reduce a pressure at the outlet of the hydraulic pump (300); and a controller (50) in operable communication with the motor (100), the pressure sensor and the first valve (500), wherein the controller (50) is configured to operate the first valve (500) to selectively reduce the pressure at the outlet of the hydraulic pump (300) (Fig. 1; paragraphs [0038]-[0040]).
Gim does not teach a pressure sensor or valve for the compressor. Rohl, Campolong and Robillard do not teach a pressure sensor or valve. Jochman teaches a system wherein:
an air compressor (102) comprises an outlet (connected to 116), the system further comprising: a pressure sensor (108) in communication with the outlet of the air compressor (102); and a controller (114) in operable communication the pressure sensor (108) and a valve (111), wherein the controller (114) is configured to operate the valve (111) to selectively reduce the pressure at the outlet of the air compressor (102) (Fig. 1; paragraph [0051]).
It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to modify the system taught by Gim with the valve, sensor and controller taught by Jochman in order to prevent excessive discharge pressure which could damage the system.
Referring to claim 10, Gim, Rohl, Campolong, Robillard and Jochman teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 9, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches a system wherein:
the first valve (500) is configured to reduce a pressure at the outlet of the hydraulic pump (300), wherein the controller (50) is configured to operate the first valve (500) to control the pressure at the outlet of the hydraulic pump (300) (Fig. 1; paragraphs [0038]-[0040]).
Gim does not teach a pressure sensor or valve for the compressor. Rohl, Campolong and Robillard do not teach a pressure sensor or valve. Jochman further teaches a system wherein:
the system further comprising a valve (116) that is configured to reduce a pressure at the outlet of an air compressor (102), wherein the controller (114) is in operable communication with the valve (111), wherein the controller (114) is configured to operate the valve (111) to control the pressure at the outlet of the air compressor (102) (Fig. 1; paragraph [0051]).
Referring to claim 11, Gim, Rohl, Campolong, Robillard and Jochman teach teaches a system comprising all the limitations of claim 9, as detailed above, and Gim further teaches a system wherein:
the controller (50) is configured to selectively turn the electric motor (100) on or off (Fig. 1; paragraphs [0038]-[0040]).
Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U. S. Patent Publication 2022/0220954 to Gim in view of U. S. Patent Publication 2011/0116944 to Rohl, U. S. Patent 3,318,253 to Campolong, U. S. Publication 2017/0159659 to Robillard and U.S. Patent 8,647,080 to Tsubai.
Referring to claim 14, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, but do not teach a container defines a plurality of openings to receive connectors (Gim is silent as to how the container is attached to the support show in Fig. 1). Tsubai teaches a system wherein:
a container (1) defines a plurality of openings (3B) that are configured to receive therethrough connectors (11, 510) for connecting the container (1) to a mounting surface (81) (Fig. 1; col. 3 lines 9-39 and col. 4 lines 14-25).
It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to modify the system taught by Gim with the openings and connectors taught by Tsubai in order to secure the system to/within a larger system.
Referring to claim 15, Gim, Rohl, Campolong, Robillard and Tsubai teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 14, as detailed above, but Gim does not teach the details of the container, but do not teach a container defines a plurality of openings to receive connectors (Gim is silent as to how the container is attached to the support show in Fig. 1). Tsubai further teaches a system comprising:
said connectors (11, 510), wherein the connectors (11, 510) comprise vibration isolators (11) and fasteners (510), wherein the connectors (11, 510) extend through respective openings (3B) of the plurality of openings (3B) (Fig. 1; col. 3 lines 9-39 and col. 4 lines 14-25).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U. S. Patent Publication 2022/0220954 to Gim in view of U. S. Patent Publication 2011/0116944 to Rohl, U. S. Patent 3,318,253 to Campolong, U. S. Publication 2017/0159659 to Robillard and U. S. Patent Publication 2014/0216094 to Hoshika.
Referring to claim 19, Gim, Rohl, Campolong and Robillard teach a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, but Gim does not teach the details of the housing. Rohl, Campolong and Robillard do not teach an insulating material. Hoshika teaches a system comprising:
an insulating material (10) positioned around a system (Fig. 1; paragraphs [0016], [0017] and [0019]-[0025]).
It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to modify the system taught by Gim with the insulating material taught by Hoshika in order to dampen the noise of the system (paragraphs [0002] and [0004]).
Hoshika is silent as to the sound absorption coefficient of the insulating material. However, Hoshika teaches that the variable of the sound absorption coefficient effects the resulting sound deadening (paragraphs [0002] and [0004]). The sound absorption coefficient is accordingly a result effective variable. It would have been obvious before the invention was effectively filed, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to use a insulating material which comprises a sound absorption coefficient from 0.3 to about 1.0, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, and since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233, In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on December 9, 2025 have been considered, but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
The Applicant argues that there is no motivation to modify the container of Gim to include the now recited opening for hydraulic fluid communication. Remarks 2-3. However, in the rejection above, Rohl is cited for such a motivation. The Examiner also notes that Gim merely says that the pumped fluid may be used for the rotation axis, but says nothing further which precludes the additional uses taught by Rohl.
The Applicant argues that there is no use for cooling, as taught by Campolong, with the Gim system, since Gim does not discuss the problem of heat generated by the motor. Remarks 3. However, as detailed above, Robillard teaches that all electric motors generate heat which must be accounted for in the design thereof.
The Applicant argues that the “purpose, operation, and associated environment of Gim are not in any way related to that of … Campolong,” and that as such “each system has its own unique and non-transferrable structure for achieving its specific purpose.” Remarks 3. However, Gim and Campolong each teach electric motor driven pumps. The Examiner finds no reason why, and the Applicant has provided no specific reasons or examples of why, the cited teachings relevant to the motor of Campolong are not adaptable by one of ordinary skill in the art to the motor of Gim. The Applicant appears to rely solely on the different uses of these pumps for support of this argument, without identifying why the cited structures of Campolong would not work in the system of Gim. The Examiner notes that the motivations driving the structure used in Campolong do not need to be the same as the motivations for using the cited structures of Campolong in the system/method of Gim, as long as a motivation of some sort for the combination exists.
The Applicant argues that Gim provides no indication that sound insulation is required and further already provides a means for solving the problem of noise. Remarks 4. However, noise is an inherent product of operating the disclosed system of Gim and as taught by Gim, noise is undesirable. Gim paragraph [0005]. The alleged solution for noise taught by Gim is merely for reducing noise during startup and provides no solution to the noise produced during regular operation. Gim paragraph [0005]. Hoshika provides a solution and motivation for solving this inherent problem of noise, as detailed above.
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 BRYAN MATTHEW LETTMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7860. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm.
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/BRYAN M LETTMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746