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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/04/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 02/04/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-11 are pending in the application. Claim 3 is withdrawn.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) and/or PCT Article 7, Paragraph (1). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims, when they are necessary for the understanding of the invention. Therefore, the following must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s).
the central portion of the fuel suction channel
No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required: the central portion of the fuel suction channel is not mentioned in the specification.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-2 & 4-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
As to Claim 1, the limitation “the pump head is formed with an accommodation recess portion, that communicates with one end of the plurality of fuel suction channels”, in Lines 15-16, is indefinite in light of the specification. The limitation reads as though each of the plurality of fuel suction channels communicates with the claimed one end. However, when referencing the specification and instant application Figure 4, there is no indication the accommodation recess portion 101 communicates with a single end of each of the plurality of fuel suction channels 71. As such, the structure which is claimed differs from the structure which is disclosed, rendering the claim indefinite. Additionally, there appears to be a comma splice in the limitation. For the purpose of examination, the limitation will be interpreted as the pump head is formed with an accommodation recess portion[[,]] that communicates with one end of each of the plurality of fuel suction channels.
The limitation “the plurality of suction valve units include a suction valve, a suction valve casing supporting valve so that it can be moved internally”, in Lines 17-18, is indefinite. It is not clear how to interpret the phrase “a suction valve casing supporting valve”, the term “it”, or what structure “it” is internal to. For the purpose of examination, the limitation will be interpreted as each of the plurality of suction valve units include a suction valve, a suction valve casing supporting the suction valve so that [[it]]the suction valve can be moved internally within the suction valve casing.
The limitation “a fixing member provided on the side opposite to the fuel suction channel side relative to the suction valve casing, and a compressing coil spring disposed within the fixing member and contacting the suction valve”, in Lines 19-21, is indefinite. The terms “the side” and “the fuel suction channel side” lack antecedent basis. Additionally, the limitation is grammatically confusing. For the purpose of examination, the limitation will be interpreted as a fixing member provided on a first side of the suction valve casing, the first side opposite to a fuel suction channel side of the suction valve casing, and a compressing coil spring disposed within the fixing member which contacts the suction valve.
The limitation “the suction valve casing is arranged on the fuel suction channel side of the accommodation recess portion”, in Lines 22-23, should read --the suction valve casing is arranged on a fuel suction channel side of the accommodation recess portion.
A semicolon should be added to the end of the limitation “the fixing member is arranged in contact with the suction valve casing, and positions and fixes the suction valve casing to the pump head”, in Lines 24-26.
The limitation “the pump head is provided with a fuel-suction-side communication channel formed along a direction intersecting the fuel suction channel, radially offset from the central position of the fuel suction channel and connected to the fuel line from a fuel tank storing the fuel”, in Lines 27-29, is indefinite. Instant application Paragraph 0033 states the fuel-suction-side communication channel 85 is comprised of communication channels 104/105 and openings 106/107, resulting in three directions which may be used, but it is not clear which of the three directions is being referenced in the limitation. Additionally, it does not appear any of the three directions ever intersect the fuel suction channel 71 in instant application Figure 4. As such, it is not clear which direction is being referenced or which direction intersects the fuel suction channel, as claimed.
It is not clear which fuel suction channel, of the plurality of fuel suction channels is being claimed with both iterations of the claimed fuel suction channel in the limitation.
It is not clear which structure is “radially offset from the central position of the fuel suction channel”.
The term “the central position” lacks antecedent basis.
Additionally, the limitation is indefinite when considered in combination with the preamble, a fuel pump. The limitation positively claims both the fuel line and the fuel tank as part of the fuel pump. However, when referencing instant application Paragraph 0013 and instant application Figure 1, one of ordinary skill in the art would conclude the fuel and fuel tank are separate from the claimed fuel pump. Since the fuel tank and fuel line are positively claimed as being part of the fuel pump, the scope of the claimed invention is indefinite in light of the specification. For the purpose of examination, the fuel tank and fuel line will not be interpreted as part of the claimed fuel pump.
The term “the fuel line” lacks antecedent basis.
For the purpose of examination, the limitation will be interpreted as the pump head is provided with a fuel-suction-side communication channel formed along a direction intersecting an axis of each of the plurality of fuel suction channels, each of the fuel-suction-side communication channels extending radially each axis of the plurality of fuel suction channels and connected to a fuel line from a fuel tank storing the fuel to be pressurized by the plungers.
The limitation “the suction valve casing has an opening formed therein, which extends from the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface of the suction valve casing and communicates with the fuel-suction-side communication channel at the end portion on the outer peripheral surface side”, in Lines 29-32, is indefinite. Instant application Paragraph 0033 states the fuel-suction-side communication channel 85 is comprised of communication channels 104/105 and openings 106/107. When referencing instant application Figure 4, it appears the claimed openings are Elements 104/105. However, the limitation claims the openings as though the openings are different structure from the claimed fuel-suction-side communication channel. As such, it is not clear if the openings are part of the fuel-suction-side communication channel or separate from the fuel-suction-side communication channel. For the purpose of examination, the claimed opening will be interpreted as part of the fuel-suction-side communication channel to align with the disclosed invention.
The term “the outer peripheral surface” lacks antecedent basis.
The term “the inner peripheral surface” lacks antecedent basis.
The term “the end portion” lacks antecedent basis.
The term “the outer peripheral surface side” lacks antecedent basis. Additionally, it is not clear which structure the outer peripheral surface side is part of.
The limitation “the fuel suction channel communicates with the end portion on the inner peripheral surface side of the opening”, in Lines 33-34, is indefinite. It is not clear which fuel suction channel of the plurality of fuel suction channels is being referenced in the limitation.
The term “the end portion” lacks antecedent basis.
The term “the inner peripheral surface side of the opening” lacks antecedent basis.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/04/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The amendments to the claims resulted in new 112(b) rejections, new drawing objections, and new specification objections.
All rejections are maintained.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID BRANDT whose telephone number is (303)297-4776. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 10-6, MT.
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/DAVID N BRANDT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783