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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: In line 2, applicant recites “configured to fluidly isolated” where it appears applicant intended “configured to fluidly isolate[[d]]”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-4, 10, 16, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jiang (US 2004/0050766).
Per claim 1, Jiang teaches a fluid filtration system (Fig. 1) comprising:
a filter housing body (33) having a first housing end and a second housing end opposite the first housing end (Fig. 1);
a first passage (54) extending from the second housing end;
a second passage (55) extending from the second housing end; and
a center post (42) coupled to the filter housing body and extending along a central axis of the filter housing body (Fig. 1), the center post in fluid communication with the first passage and the second passage (Fig. 1).
Per claim 2, wherein the center post is coupled to the second housing end and extends out of the first housing end (Fig. 1).
Per claim 3, wherein the center post includes a first post passage (portion “I” circled in the figure below) in fluid communication with the first passage and a second post passage (portion “II” circled in the figure ) in fluid communication with the second passage (Fig. 1).
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Per claim 4, wherein the second post passage is concentric about the first post passage (Portion II surrounds portion I in the figure reproduced above).
Per claim 10, further comprising a third passage (defined by element 41) extending from the second housing end (Fig. 1), the third passage configured to receive a flow of fluid from a housing cavity of the filter housing body (Fig. 1) and provide the flow of fluid to a reservoir upstream of one of the first passage and the second passage ([0025] the inner center post 41 has an inner passage 52 that supplies unfiltered fluid to the filter assembly 30.).
Per claim 16, Jiang teaches a filter element (Fig. 12) comprising:
a media pack (44) defining a hollow cavity (Fig. 12);
a first endplate (61a) coupled to the media pack, the first endplate comprising:
a first endplate surface (Fig. 12);
a first inner flange (12) extending axially away from the first endplate surface into the hollow cavity of the media pack (Fig. 12);
a second inner flange defining an L-shaped cross-section (comprising 89b and horizontal portion attached to the upper end of 89b, Fig. 12) and extending radially
inward from the first inner flange (Fig. 12); and
a first axial sealing member (87) positioned within a groove defined by the first inner flange and the second inner flange (Fig. 12), the first axial sealing member configured to compress against an axial center post (41) to form a first sealing engagement ([0033] In the illustrated embodiment, the outer diameter D3 of the gasket 87 is greater than diameter D1 of the center post opening 81 so that a seal can be formed around the center post opening 81 (FIG. 4).);
a second endplate (62) coupled to the media pack opposite to the first endplate, the second endplate comprising:
a second endplate surface (Fig. 12);
a third inner flange extending axially away from the second endplate surface and
toward the first endplate (Fig. 12); and
a first radial sealing member (57) contacting the third inner flange (Fig. 12).
Per claim 18, wherein a first diameter of the first endplate (for example, an inner diameter) is less than a second diameter of the second endplate (for example, an outer diameter).
Per claim 20, wherein the first axial sealing member is positioned entirely
within the hollow cavity of the media pack (Fig. 12).
Claims 1, 3, 6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stamey , Jr. et al. (US 2009/0184045).
Per claim 1, Stamey, Jr. et al. teach a fluid filtration system (Fig. 1) comprising:
a filter housing body (12) having a first housing end and a second housing end opposite the first housing end (Fig. 1);
a first passage (20) extending from the second housing end (Fig. 1, here it is shown that the passage extends at least from the inside of the second housing end to an outside of the housing);
a second passage (22) extending from the second housing end (Fig. 1, here it is shown that the passage extends at least from the inside of the second housing end to an outside of the housing); and
a center post (24) coupled to the filter housing body ([0047] An inner end 27 of the standpipe body 25 is sealingly secured to the closed end 17 of the housing body 14 by any appropriate means known in the art, such as by a threaded connection.) and extending along a central axis of the filter housing body ([0046] Referring now to FIGS. 1-7, a standpipe 24 extends vertically upward substantially coaxially to the central axis 11 of the filter housing 12.), the center post in fluid communication with the first passage (Fig. 1, here it is shown that fluid entering passage 20 ultimately exits via post 24 and second passage 22) and the second passage ([0047] The standpipe 24 includes substantially cylindrical standpipe body 25 having an internal flow passage 26 in fluid communication with the outlet port 22,).
Per claim 3, wherein the center post includes a first post passage (Fig. 1, top of the post) in fluid communication with the first passage and a second post passage (Fig. 1, top of the post) in fluid communication with the second passage.
Per claim 6, wherein the center post further comprises:
a first post end and a second post end opposite the first post end (Fig. 1), the second post end coupled to the filter housing body (Fig. 1); and
a first post aperture (30) positioned at the first post end and structured to allow fluid communication between the first passage and a housing cavity of the filter housing body ([0047] Preferably two inlet openings 30 are provided in the neck portion 29 of the standpipe body 25.).
Per claim 9, wherein the center post further comprises a post shoulder (Fig. 4, 28, topmost portion) extending radially away from the center post proximate to an end of the center post opposite the second housing end (Fig. 4), the post shoulder having a substantially circular sealing surface (Fig. 4) configured to provide an axial sealing engagement with a sealing member (Fig 4; 39) of a filter element (Fig. 1).
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Morris et al. (11,000,789).
Per claim 1, Morris et al. teach a fluid filtration system (Figs. 1, 3) comprising:
a filter housing body (14, 18) having a first housing end (14) and a second housing end (18) opposite the first housing end (Figs. 1, 3);
a first passage (22) extending from the second housing end;
a second passage (23) extending from the second housing end; and
a center post (66; Fig. 3) coupled to the filter housing body and extending along a central axis of the filter housing body (Fig. 3), the center post in fluid communication with the first passage and the second passage (Fig. 3; col. 6, lines 36-45, According to some embodiments, filter system 10 further includes a tubular guide 66 associated with (e.g., coupled to) second housing 18, such that tubular guide 66 provides flow communication between tubular element 26 and outlet port 23 via a plurality of tubular guide apertures 67 extending radially between an inner peripheral surface of tubular guide 66 and an outer peripheral surface of tubular guide 66, and configured to provide flow communication between filter media 50 and internal space 32 of tubular element 26, for example, as shown in FIG. 2.).
Per claim 2, wherein the center post is coupled to the second housing end and extends out of the first housing end (Fig. 3).
Per claim 3, wherein the center post includes a first post passage (bounded by post 66) in fluid communication with the first passage and a second post passage (bounded by the center tube 26) in fluid communication with the second passage (Fig. 3).
Per claim 4, wherein the second post passage is concentric about the first post passage (Fig. 3).
Per claim 5, further comprising:
a first post sealing member (76; Fig. 4) coupled to the center post and configured to fluidly isolated the first passage and the second passage; and
a second post sealing member (80; Fig. 4) coupled to the center post and configured to fluidly isolate a housing cavity of the filter housing body from the second passage.
Per claim 6, wherein the center post further comprises:
a first post end and a second post end opposite the first post end, the second post end coupled to the filter housing body (Fig. 4); and
a first post aperture (67) positioned at the first post end and structured to allow fluid communication between the first passage and a housing cavity of the filter housing body (Fig. 3).
Per claim 7, further comprising a second post aperture (67) extending through the center post at a position between the first post end and the second post end, the second post aperture structured to allow fluid communication between the housing cavity and the center post (Fig. 3; col. 6, lines 45-50, As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, exemplary tubular guide 66 defines a passage 68 in flow communication with tubular guide apertures 67 and extending along a longitudinal axis G aligned with (e.g., co-linear with) longitudinal axis X of tubular element 26 (see FIGS. 3 and 4).).
Per claim 8, further comprising a post shoulder (adjacent biasing member 84; Fig. 3) extending radially from the center post at a position between the first post aperture and the second post aperture (Fig. 3).
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 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stamey, Jr. et al. (‘045).
Per claim 11, Stamey, Jr. et al. disclose a fluid filtration system (Fig. 1) comprising:
a filter housing body (33) comprising a first passage (20) and a second passage (22),
a center post (24) coupled to the filter housing body and extending along a central axis of the filter housing body (Fig. 1), the center post in fluid communication with both the first passage (20) and the second passage (22; Fig. 1);
a filter housing lid (16) removably coupled (via threads, Fig. 1) to the filter housing body (Fig. 1); and
a filter element (40) configured for positioning within the filter housing body. Stamey, Jr. et al. do not explicitly disclose that the filter body is coupled to an engine interface, the engine interface including a first passage and a second passage, both the first passage and the second passage extending away from the filter housing body.
It is submitted that it would have been readily obvious for the person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) to couple the filter body of Stamey, Jr. et al., which comprises a first passage (20) and a second passage (22), to an engine interface, the engine interface including a first passage and a second passage, both the first passage and the second passage extending away from the filter housing body in order to, for example, send fluid directly to the filter body via the first passage of Stamey, Jr. et al. and receive fluid directly from the filter body via the second passage of Stamey, Jr. et al. Clearly, the PHOSITA would be motivated to minimize to an extent extraneous conduit/piping in the system.
Per claim 12, wherein the center post includes a post shoulder (Fig. 4; 28, topmost portion) extending radially away from the center post (Fig. 4), the post shoulder comprising an axial sealing surface (Fig. 4; 39) configured to form a sealing engagement with the filter element (Fig. 4).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang (‘766).
Per claim 19, Jiang discloses an outer flange extending axially away from the second endplate surface (Figs. 1, 12). Jiang et al. do not disclose a second radial sealing member contacting the outer flange.
It is submitted that it would have been a routine matter of design choice to provide the system of Jiang with a second radial sealing member contacting the outer flange in order to control fluid flow and avoid a fluid to be treated from bypassing the filter media or bypassing a desired filter media zone. It has been held that routine design choices do not involve an inventive step. See MPEP 2144.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-15 and 17 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: While claims 12 and 16 are not patentable for the reasons provided above, in the examiner’s opinion, the prior art fails to teach or render obvious the system further comprising elements having the positioning and operational elements as recited in claims 13-15 and 17, respectively.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FRED PRINCE whose telephone number is (571)272-1165. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 0900-1730.
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/FRED PRINCE/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1779