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 06/22/2026 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 Claim 3 is withdrawn.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 position of the plurality of fuel suction channels
No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: the central position of the plurality of fuel suction channels. It is noted Applicant submitted a new Figure 6 which shows the central portion of the fuel suction channel. However, this does not overcome the objection for two reason. First, a central position is claimed, not a central portion. Second, the 06/22/2026 Figure 6 is not entered for failing to meet PCTG Rules 11.2 and 11.13(a). Applicant should submit a higher quality Figure 6 to overcome the objection.
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 position 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 “each of the communication channels are connected to a fuel line from a fuel tank”, in Line 29, is indefinite in light of the preamble. The preamble defines the claimed structure as solely a fuel pump. When referencing instant application Figure 1 and instant application Paragraph 0013, one of ordinary skill would conclude the fuel tank 14 and fuel line L11 is separate from the fuel pump 11. However, the limitation positively claims the fuel tank and fuel line as part of the fuel pump, rendering the scope of the claimed invention indefinite, since the bounds of the fuel pump are not clear.
The limitation “each of openings extend from an outer circumferential surface of the suction valve casing through to an inner circumferential surface, and communicate with each of the communication channels at an end portion on the outer circumferential surface side of the openings”, in Lines 36-38, is indefinite.
The phrase “each of openings” should read –each of
The limitation claims the openings are extending through something, but it is not clear what structure the openings are extending through.
The term “an inner circumferential surface” is indefinite for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01. For the purpose of examination, the term will be interpreted as an inner circumferential surface of the suction valve casing.
The term “the outer circumferential surface side of the openings” lacks antecedent basis.
The phrase “the inner peripheral surface side of the openings”, in Line 44, lacks antecedent basis.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/22/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the drawing objections, Applicant submitted poor quality replacement figures, so the drawings were not entered, resulting in the drawing failing to overcome the objections. Even if the drawings were entered, the amendment to the spec and drawings would fail to overcome the objections since the amendments refer to a central portion, not a central position.
Regarding the specification objections, Applicant failed to overcome the objection since the amendments refer to a central portion, not a central position.
The amendments to the claims resulted in new 112(b) rejections.
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 DAVID BRANDT whose telephone number is (303)297-4776. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 10-6, MT.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bhisma Mehta can be reached at (571) 272-3383. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID N BRANDT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783
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