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 .
Status of the claims
Claims 1, 6, 10, 15, 19 is/are amended, claim 18 is/are cancelled and claim 21 is/are added. Currently claims 1-17, 19-21 are pending in this 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 8-16, 19, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Crowley (20190234314) in view of Bonsi et al (20240003435) further in view of Soren (20240084919).
Regarding claim 1, Crowley discloses valve assembly that controls a flow of fluid along a fluid line (from 14), the valve assembly comprising: a valve body 46 sized to fit within the fluid line with the valve body configured to rotate within the fluid line between an open position and a closed position (Para 32); a drive shaft 50 connected to and that extends outward from a first side of the valve body; an actuator 60 comprising a motor (60 being rotary actuator is understood as a motor) with the actuator connected to the drive shaft 50 and configured to rotate the valve body between the open position and the closed position; and a sensor 45 configured to sense a rotation position of the valve body with the sensor positioned at a second side of the valve body away from the actuator 60.
Crowley fails to disclose stops positioned at the drive shaft to limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft. Bonsi discloses a rotary valve with stops (side surfaces of 23) positioned at the drive shaft 21 cooperating with adjustable rotary path 24,22 to limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft to desired range.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Crowley with rotation limiting stops of shaft and housing as taught by Bonsi in order to confine valve movement to a desired application specific range.
Crowley as modified fails to disclose additional position sensing using motor current sensor. Soren (Para 100) discloses position sensing using motor current sensor 35 at valve end position timings in addition to rotational position sensor 13. Soren discloses current sensor recognizing extreme positions (Para 50) by detect a change in the current. when the stops limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Crowley as modified with position sensing using motor current sensor 35 and detection of valve end position by changes in current (current reaching peak) in addition to rotational position sensor as taught by Soren in order to provide redundant position sensing and provide additional system monitoring. Crowley as modified detecting extreme positions would (in view of teaching of end stops taught by Bonsi) detect current surges when the stops limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft.
As to claim 2, the sensor 45 is an optical encoder connected directly to the valve body 46.
As to claim 8, the sensor detects the rotation of the valve body based on movement on a point on a second side of the valve body that is opposite from the drive shaft 50 on a first side of the valve body.
As to claim 9, the valve body 46 is a ball valve 47.
Regarding claim 10, Crowley discloses valve assembly that controls a flow of fluid along a fluid line, the valve assembly comprising: a valve body 46 sized to fit within the fluid line and configured to rotate within the fluid line between an open position and a closed position; a spindle 49 connected to and extending outward from a second side of the valve body; an actuator 60 configured to rotate the valve body; and a rotation sensor 45 configured to detect a rotational position of the valve body.
Crowley fails to disclose stops positioned at the drive shaft to limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft. Bonsi discloses a rotary valve with stops (side surfaces of 23) positioned at the drive shaft 21 cooperating with adjustable rotary path 24,22 to limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft to desired range.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Crowley with rotation limiting stops of shaft and housing as taught by Bonsi in order to confine valve movement to a desired application specific range.
Crowley as modified fails to disclose additional position sensing using motor current sensor. Soren (Para 100) discloses position sensing using motor current sensor 35 at valve end position timings in addition to rotational position sensor 13. Soren discloses current sensor recognizing extreme positions (Para 50) by detect a change in the current. when the stops limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Crowley as modified with position sensing using motor current sensor 35 and detection of valve end position by changes in current (current reaching peak) in addition to rotational position sensor as taught by Soren in order to provide redundant position sensing and provide additional system monitoring. Crowley as modified detecting extreme positions would (in view of teaching of end stops taught by Bonsi) detect current surges when the stops limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft.
As to claim 11, Crowley shows the rotation sensor 45 is positioned directly on the spindle 49 to detect the rotational position of the valve.
As to claim 12, 13, Crowley as modified fails to disclose comparing difference between sensor readings of position and current sensors at valve end positioning times and sending an alarm if the difference is large. However, Official Notice is taken (now considered Applicant admitted prior art since the Applicant did not traverse the Official Notice in prior office action) that comparing difference between sensor readings and sending an alarm indicating sensor error if the difference is large, for the purpose of providing sensor failure alert are widely known and notoriously old in the art. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to employ comparing difference between sensor readings and sending an alarm indicating sensor error if the difference is large in the device of Crowley as modified for the purpose of providing sensor failure alert as is widely known and notoriously old in the art.
As to claim 14, Crowley discloses a housing 42 configured to connect to the fluid line with the housing comprising an interior space configured to house the spindle 49 but fails to disclose rotational sensor inside housing. However, it would have been an obvious matter of engineering choice to modify Crowley, to have rotational sensor inside housing, since applicant has not disclosed that having rotational sensor inside housing solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose and it appears that the device would perform equally well with either design. Furthermore, absent a teaching as to criticality that the rotational sensor be inside housing, this particular arrangement is deemed to have been known by those skilled in the art since the instant specification and evidence of record fail to attribute any significance (novel or unexpected results) to a particular arrangement.
As to claims 15 and 19, in making and/or using the device of Crowley, for determining a rotational position of a valve assembly that is positioned within a fluid line (from 14), one would perform the steps of activating an actuator 60 that is connected to a first side of a valve body; rotating the valve body within the fluid line with the actuator; sensing (by 45) rotation of a point (49) on a second side of the valve body that is away from the first side; and determining a rotational position of the valve body based on the sensed rotation of the point.
Crowley fails to disclose stops positioned at the drive shaft to limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft. Bonsi discloses a rotary valve with stops (side surfaces of 23) positioned at the drive shaft 21 cooperating with adjustable rotary path 24,22 to limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft to desired range.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Crowley with rotation limiting stops of shaft and housing as taught by Bonsi in order to confine valve movement to a desired application specific range.
Crowley as modified fails to disclose additional position sensing using motor current sensor. Soren (Para 100) discloses position sensing using motor current sensor 35 at valve end position timings in addition to rotational position sensor 13. Soren discloses current sensor recognizing extreme positions (Para 50) by detect a change in the current. when the stops limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Crowley as modified with position sensing using motor current sensor 35 and detection of valve end position by changes in current (current reaching peak) in addition to rotational position sensor as taught by Soren in order to provide redundant position sensing and provide additional system monitoring. Crowley as modified detecting extreme positions would (in view of teaching of end stops taught by Bonsi) detect current surges when the stops limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft.
Crowley as modified fails to disclose comparing difference between sensor readings of position and current sensors at valve end positioning times and sending an alarm if the difference is large. However, Official Notice is taken (now considered Applicant admitted prior art since the Applicant did not traverse the Official Notice in prior office action) that comparing difference between sensor readings and sending an alarm indicating sensor error if the difference is large, for the purpose of providing sensor failure alert are widely known and notoriously old in the art. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to employ comparing difference between sensor readings and sending an alarm indicating sensor error if the difference is large in the device of Crowley as modified for the purpose of providing sensor failure alert as is widely known and notoriously old in the art.
As to claim 16, Crowley discloses (valve moving between open/closed positions) receiving a command to rotate the valve body to a predetermined position within the fluid line; activating the actuator and rotating the valve body from an initial position to a second rotational position; and sensing the rotation of the point on the valve body (sensor detects both open and close positions, Fig 7).
As to claim 20, Crowley discloses rotating the valve body between a closed position and an open position.
Claim(s) 1, 7, 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fawkes (3602254) in view of Bonsi et al (20240003435) further in view of Soren (20240084919).
Regarding claim 1, Fawkes discloses valve assembly that controls a flow of fluid along a fluid line (at 12,12), the valve assembly comprising: a valve body sized to fit within the fluid line with the valve body 10,26 configured to rotate within the fluid line (by flanges 12) between an open position and a closed position; a drive shaft 18 connected to and that extends outward from a first side of the valve body; an actuator 20 comprising a motor (col 2 line 65-75) with the actuator connected to the drive shaft and configured to rotate the valve body between the open position and the closed position; and a sensor 32,36 configured to sense a rotation position of the valve body with the sensor positioned at a second side of the valve body away from the actuator.
Fawkes fails to disclose stops positioned at the drive shaft to limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft. Bonsi discloses a rotary valve with stops (side surfaces of 23) positioned at the drive shaft 21 cooperating with adjustable rotary path 24,22 to limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft to desired range.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Fawkes with rotation limiting stops of shaft and housing as taught by Bonsi in order to confine valve movement to a desired application specific range.
Fawkes as modified fails to disclose additional position sensing using motor current sensor. Soren (Para 100) discloses position sensing using motor current sensor 35 at valve end position timings in addition to rotational position sensor 13. Soren discloses current sensor recognizing extreme positions (Para 50) by detect a change in the current. when the stops limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Fawkes as modified with position sensing using motor current sensor 35 and detection of valve end position by changes in current (current reaching peak) in addition to rotational position sensor as taught by Soren in order to provide redundant position sensing and provide additional system monitoring. Fawkes as modified detecting extreme positions would (in view of teaching of end stops taught by Bonsi) detect current surges when the stops limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft.
As to claim 7, the sensor 32,36 is placed directly on the valve body 26.
As to claim 21, Fawkes discloses a spindle 42 connected to and extending outward from the valve body away from the actuator 20 and the sensor 32,36 positioned directly on the spindle 42 to detect the rotational position of the valve.
Claim(s) 1, 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al (CN 111677913 A) in view of Bonsi et al (20240003435) further in view of Soren (20240084919).
Regarding claim 1, Li, Fig. 1,2, discloses valve assembly that controls a flow of fluid along a fluid line, the valve assembly comprising: a valve body 302 sized to fit within the fluid line with the valve body configured to rotate within the fluid line between an open position and a closed position; a drive shaft (from 304, Fig 2) connected to and that extends outward from a first side of the valve body 302; an actuator 304 comprising a motor with the actuator connected to the drive shaft and configured to rotate the valve body between the open position and the closed position; and a sensor 301 configured to sense a rotation position of the valve body with the sensor positioned at a second side of the valve body away from the actuator.
Li fails to disclose stops positioned at the drive shaft to limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft. Bonsi discloses a rotary valve with stops (side surfaces of 23) positioned at the drive shaft 21 cooperating with adjustable rotary path 24,22 to limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft to desired range.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Li with rotation limiting stops of shaft and housing as taught by Bonsi in order to confine valve movement to a desired application specific range.
Li as modified fails to disclose additional position sensing using motor current sensor. Soren (Para 100) discloses position sensing using motor current sensor 35 at valve end position timings in addition to rotational position sensor 13. Soren discloses current sensor recognizing extreme positions (Para 50) by detect a change in the current. when the stops limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Li as modified with position sensing using motor current sensor 35 and detection of valve end position by changes in current (current reaching peak) in addition to rotational position sensor as taught by Soren in order to provide redundant position sensing and provide additional system monitoring. Li as modified detecting extreme positions would (in view of teaching of end stops taught by Bonsi) detect current surges when the stops limit the amount of rotation of the drive shaft.
As to claim 3, Li, discloses a housing 303 with an inlet and an outlet to mount to the fluid line and with the housing comprising an interior space sized to receive the sensor 301 to protect the sensor.
Claim(s) 4, 5, 6, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Crowley (20190234314) in view of Bonsi et al (20240003435) further in view of Soren (20240084919) in view of Lim (20150354440).
As to claims 4, 5, 17 Crowley fails to disclose a valve micro-controller controlling actuator signals based on difference between the commanded (predetermined) position of the valve body and the sensed rotational position of the valve body. Lim teaches a motor 21 controller valve having a valve micro-controller 40 controlling actuator signals based on difference (Para 48, controller 40 controls based on sensed valve opening degree and desired opening degree to achieve desired opening degree) between the commanded (predetermined, desired) position of the valve body and the sensed rotational position of the valve body.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Crowley with a valve micro-controller controlling actuator signals based on difference between the commanded position of the valve body and the sensed rotational position of the valve body as taught by Lim in order to enable automatic feedback control.
As to claim 6, Crowley as modified fails to disclose comparing difference between sensor readings of position and current sensors at valve end positioning times and sending an alarm if the difference is large. However, Official Notice is taken (now considered Applicant admitted prior art since the Applicant did not traverse the Official Notice in prior office action) that comparing difference between sensor readings and sending an alarm indicating sensor error if the difference is large, for the purpose of providing sensor failure alert are widely known and notoriously old in the art. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to employ comparing difference between sensor readings and sending an alarm indicating sensor error if the difference is large in the device of Crowley as modified for the purpose of providing sensor failure alert as is widely known and notoriously old in the art.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendment has overcome the rejection of record. However, a new ground of rejection is applied to the amended claims. Bonsi is cited to show teaching of stops limiting rotation of shaft. Soren is cited to show teaching of monitoring current surges to detect end positions.
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 Atif Chaudry at phone number 571-270-3768. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (9:30AM-6:00PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached by phone. 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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/ATIF H CHAUDRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753