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 .
This action is a response to the amendments and remarks filed on 26 June 2026.
Response to Amendment
Claims 46 and 56-57 have been canceled. Claims 45, 49, 55 and 59 have been amended. Claims 65-67 are new. Claims 45, 47-55 and 58-67 are pending.
In response to the amendments to the claims, the rejections under 35 USC 112(b) have been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Regarding claim 45, Applicant argues that Danfoss Power Electronics AS (DE202017104205U1) fails to disclose a fluid conduit arrangement, in which distinct internal and external portions of the conduits cooperate with dirty and clean air chambers of a filtration system to enable retrofit monitoring without redesigning the underlying filtration equipment (Remarks, p. 8/11, “However”).
In response, the examiner notes that claim 45 does not recite “retrofit monitoring,” and Danfoss does appear to disclose internal conduits (Fig. 8) and external conduits (Fig. 3). Regarding the dirty and clean air chambers of a filtration system, Danfoss teaches measuring pressure differences ([0039]) at or near the inlet and outlet of the filter ([0038]), so these limitations would have been obvious, as discussed further below.
Regarding claim 55, Applicant argues that the cited prior art lacks any teaching or suggestion of connecting fluid conduits of a retrofit monitoring device to existing fluid conduits of a dust collector system, and there is no teaching of connections to first and second existing fluid conduits of a dust collector system (Remarks, p. 10/11, top).
In response, although it is noted that claim 55 does not recite a retrofit monitoring device, the previously cited prior art does not explicitly disclose first and second existing fluid conduits of a dust collector system.
For both claims 45 and 55, upon further consideration and search, new grounds of rejection, necessitated by amendment, are presented herein based upon Danfoss Power Electronics AS (DE202017104205U1) in view of Cicone (US 2014/0311109 A1) and Arthur et al. (US 2018/0140989 A1). Said new grounds of rejection are presented herein as a final rejection, based upon amendment. See MPEP 706.07(a).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 45, 48-50, and 66 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Danfoss Power Electronics AS (DE202017104205U1) in view of Cicone (US 2014/0311109 A1) and Arthur et al. (US 2018/0140989 A1).
Regarding claim 45, Danfoss discloses a pressure sensor arrangement 1 (Fig. 1; [0020]) used to measure two points inside a filter 93 (Fig. 12; [0038]) (i.e., a monitoring device for a filtration system) comprising:
pairs of pipe connection points 2 (Fig. 1; [0029]) coupled with respective differential pressure sensors 31 to 34 (Fig. 4; [0026], [0031]) (i.e., a first fluid connection fitting; a second fluid connection fitting; a differential pressure sensor in fluid communication with the first fluid connection fitting and the second fluid connection fitting);
first and second internal conduits extending between connections points 2 and pressure sensors 31 to 34 (Fig. 8, noting O-ring seals 61 used in the coupling to the pressure sensors), and hoses 20 coupled to the connection points 2 (Fig. 3; [0024]) (i.e., a first fluid conduit configured to be received by the first fluid connection fitting, the first fluid conduit comprising: a first fluid conduit internal portion extending from a first side of the differential pressure sensor to the first fluid connection fitting; a first fluid conduit external portion extending from the first fluid connection fitting; a second fluid conduit configured to be received by the second fluid connection fitting, the second fluid conduit comprising: a second fluid conduit internal portion extending from a second side of the differential pressure sensor to the second fluid connection fitting; a second fluid conduit external portion extending from the second fluid connection fitting), as shown in the annotated figure; and
PNG
media_image1.png
450
422
media_image1.png
Greyscale
a plastic cover 38 and a plastic housing 39 (Fig. 8; [0028]) (i.e., a housing, wherein the differential pressure sensor is disposed within the housing).
However, Danfoss does not explicitly disclose (i) a first fluid conduit external portion extending to a dirty air chamber of the filtration system; (ii) a second fluid conduit external portion extending to a clean air chamber of the filtration system; (iii) a control circuit configured to receive signals from the differential pressure sensor, the control circuit disposed within the housing; or (iv) a communications circuit comprising an antenna, wherein the monitoring device is configured to transfer data related to the differential pressure sensor to an external data network.
Regarding (i) and (ii), Cicone discloses a sensor module 30a (Fig. 6; [0035]) with pressure sensors 42 ([0040]) of a differential pressure sensor (Title; [0040]: “pressure drop”), the module comprising a housing (Fig. 6) and sleeves 72 ([0036]) (i.e., fluid connection fittings) connecting an internal conduit extending from each sensor 42 to conduits 32, 34 ([0036]) (i.e., external conduits). Cicone teaches that the conduits 32, 34 extend from a first port 26 and a second port 28 of a filter housing 14 holding a filter element 16 (Fig. 1; [0019]), the housing including an inlet 18 and an outlet 20 for gas that has passed through the filter element 16 ([0017]).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the arrangement of Danfoss by providing (i) a first fluid conduit external portion extending to a dirty air chamber of the filtration system; and (ii) a second fluid conduit external portion extending to a clean air chamber of the filtration system as taught by Cicone because (1) Danfoss teaches that pressure differences are measured near a filter inlet and filter outlet (Danfoss, [0038]) but does not specify further; and (2) measuring pressure drop between the inlet/dirty side of a filter housing and the outlet/dirty side of a filter housing can indicate whether a filter element is clogged (Cicone, [0041]) or needs cleaning (Danfoss, [0038]).
Regarding (iii) and (iv), Arthur discloses a differential pressure sensor 300 (Figs. 2, 3; [0053]) comprising a processor 320 programmed to receive sensed pressure data from a sensor 315 and perform analytics to determine the condition of a filter and generate alerts representative of such condition ([0041], [0059]), wherein the sensor 315 and the processor 320 are within a housing 200 ([0053]) (i.e., a control circuit configured to receive signals from the differential pressure sensor, the control circuit disposed within the housing); and comprising an antenna 335 of a wireless circuitry 325 for transmission ([0059]) of communications from the sensor representative of the condition of the filter ([0060]) for wireless coupling to a network via an internet of things (IoT) protocol (Fig. 16; [0094]) (i.e., a communications circuit comprising an antenna, wherein the monitoring device is configured to transfer data related to the differential pressure sensor to an external data network).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the arrangement of Danfoss in view of Cicone by providing (iii) a control circuit configured to receive signals from the differential pressure sensor, the control circuit disposed within the housing; and (iv) a communications circuit comprising an antenna, wherein the monitoring device is configured to transfer data related to the differential pressure sensor to an external data network as taught by Arthur because this configuration allows a differential pressure sensor to perform analytics and be coupled to a network to allow an internet of things (IoT) protocol (Arthur, [0041], [0094]).
Regarding claim 48, Danfoss teaches that the pressure sensor arrangement 1 is located outside a motor drive housing 10 (Fig. 3; [0020]), and that the pressure sensor arrangement 1 is not located within any other structure (Fig. 3), so it would have been obvious to the practitioner of Danfoss in view of Arthur that the pressure sensor arrangement is mounted outside a housing comprising the filter (Figs. 3, 9) (i.e., wherein the housing is mounted outside the filtration system).
Regarding claim 49, Arthur teaches that data from a filter may be communicated to a mobile device or directly to a cloud platform via a cellular connection ([0084], [0138]) (i.e., wherein the monitoring device is configured to transfer data related to the differential pressure sensor to a cellular tower).
Regarding claim 50, Arthur discloses a battery 330 used to power the processor, sensor, and circuitry ([0059]), so it would have been obvious for the practitioner of Danfoss in view of Cicone and Arthur to provide a power supply circuit comprising a battery so that external power supply is not needed (Arthur, Figs. 2, 3) (i.e., further comprising a power supply circuit, the power supply circuit comprising a battery).
Regarding claim 66, Danfoss in view of Cicone and Arthur does not explicitly disclose (i) an accelerometer, wherein the accelerometer is in electronic communication with the control circuit, (ii) wherein the accelerometer is disposed within the housing such that vibrations incident upon a contact surface of the housing are attenuated by less than 10% as incident upon the accelerometer.
Regarding (i), Arthur teaches that a sensor 1010 including a pressure sensor ([0080]) can include an accelerometer ([0082]) to identify when a fan motor is off or on ([0085], [0117]) to determine the comparator for the determination of the need to change a filter ([0136]).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the arrangement of Danfoss in view of Cicone and Arthur by providing (i) an accelerometer, wherein the accelerometer is in electronic communication with the control circuit as taught by Arthur because (1)an accelerometer can be used to determine the comparator for the determination of the need to change a filter (Arthur, [0085], [0136]); and (2) it would have been obvious for such a sensor to communicate with a processor for generating alerts regarding filter condition (Arthur, [0059]).
Regarding (ii), since Arthur teaches that sensors can be encased in a housing ([0053]) formed around its components (Fig. 2), with no suggestion to provide materials for attenuating or damping vibration, and since the skilled practitioner would have understood that the accelerator functions to detect vibrations originating from a fan motor of a filter system ([0085]; claim 18), absent evidence to the contrary, the accelerometer in the embodiment taught by Arthur is interpreted as causing no significant attenuation of vibration (i.e., wherein the accelerometer is disposed within the housing such that vibrations incident upon a contact surface of the housing are attenuated by less than 10% as incident upon the accelerometer).
Claim 47 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Danfoss in view of Cicone and Arthur, as applied to claim 45 above, and as evidenced by Lauw et al. (US 2019/0393762 A1).
Danfoss teaches that the filter is for filtering air for a motor drive (Fig. 12; [0037], [0038]), which was known in the art to be a filter for filtering dust, as evidenced by Lauw (Abstract: “motor drive”; [0042]: “dust filter”) (i.e., wherein the filtration system is a dust collector).
Claims 51-54 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Danfoss in view of Cicone and Arthur, as applied to claim 45 above, and further in view of Zhou (CN106334383A).
Danfoss in view of Cicone and Arthur does not explicitly disclose a temperature sensor (claim 51); the temperature sensor in fluid communication with at least one of the first fluid connection fitting and the second fluid connection fitting (claim 52); a humidity sensor (claim 53); the humidity sensor in fluid communication with at least one of the first fluid connection fitting and the second fluid connection fitting (claim 54).
Zhou discloses a sensor 4 for a dust collector filter bag (Figs. 1, 2; [0029]). Zhou teaches that the sensor 4 includes a high-temperature sensor 8, a high-temperature humidity sensor 9, and a high-temperature pressure sensor 10 ([0029]) to enable monitoring of changes in the physical properties of the filter bags and therefore intelligent monitoring of the dust collector filter bag ([0020]).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the arrangement of Danfoss in view of Cicone and Arthur by providing a temperature sensor (claim 51); the temperature sensor in fluid communication with at least one of the first fluid connection fitting and the second fluid connection fitting (claim 52); a humidity sensor (claim 53); the humidity sensor in fluid communication with at least one of the first fluid connection fitting and the second fluid connection fitting (claim 54) as taught by Zhou because detecting temperature, humidity, and pressure of filters can indicate changes in a filter’s physical properties for intelligent monitoring of the filter (Zhou, [0020]).
Claims 55, 58-60, and 67 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Danfoss in view of Arthur and Cicone.
Regarding claim 55, Danfoss implicitly discloses a method of measuring pressure at two points inside a filter (Figs. 3, 9; [0038]) (i.e., a method of monitoring a dust collector system) comprising:
mounting a pressure sensor arrangement 1 on and adjacent to a motor drive housing 10 (Figs. 3; [0020], [0021]) comprising a filter 93 (Fig. 9; [0037]) (i.e., mounting a monitoring device on or adjacent to the dust collector system);
pressure sensor arrangement 1 comprising pairs of pipe connection points 2 (Fig. 1; [0029]) coupled with respective pressure sensors 31 to 34 (Fig. 4; [0031]) (i.e., the monitoring device comprising a first fluid connection fitting; a second fluid connection fitting) coupled with respective differential pressure sensors 31 to 34 (Fig. 4; [0026], [0031]), the connection points 2 coupled to hoses 20 (Fig. 3; [0024]) (i.e., a differential pressure sensor in fluid communication with the first fluid connection fitting and the second fluid connection fitting; a first fluid conduit configured to be received by the first fluid connection fitting; a second fluid conduit configured to be received by the second fluid connection fitting); and a plastic cover 38 and a plastic housing 39 (Fig. 8; [0028]) (i.e., a housing, wherein the differential pressure sensor is disposed within the housing).
However, Danfoss does not explicitly disclose (i) a method of remotely monitoring a dust collector system; (ii) transferring pressure data related to the dust collector system to an external data network; (iii) a control circuit configured to receive signals from the differential pressure sensor, wherein the control circuit is disposed within the housing; (iv) a communications circuit comprising an antenna; (v) connecting the first fluid conduit to a first existing fluid conduit of the dust collector system; or (vi) connecting the second fluid conduit to a second existing fluid conduit of the dust collector system.
Arthur discloses a differential pressure sensor 300 (Figs. 2, 3; [0053]) comprising a processor 320 programmed to receive sensed pressure data from a sensor 315 and perform analytics to determine the condition of a filter and generate alerts representative of such condition ([0059]), wherein the sensor 315 and the processor 320 are within a housing 200 ([0053]) (i.e., a control circuit configured to receive signals from the differential pressure sensor, wherein the control circuit is disposed within the housing); and comprising an antenna 335 of a wireless circuitry 325 for transmission ([0059]) of communications from the sensor representative of the condition of the filter ([0060]) for wireless coupling to a network via an internet of things (IoT) protocol (Fig. 16; [0094]) and so that a user on a mobile device can monitor filter performance (Fig. 4; [0060]) (i.e., remotely monitoring a dust collector system; transferring pressure data related to the dust collector system to an external data network; a communications circuit comprising an antenna).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method of Danfoss by providing (i) a method of remotely monitoring a dust collector system; (ii) transferring pressure data related to the dust collector system to an external data network; (iii) a control circuit configured to receive signals from the differential pressure sensor, wherein the control circuit is disposed within the housing; and (iv) a communications circuit comprising an antenna as taught by Arthur because this configuration can perform analytics (Arthur, [0041]) and allow a user on a mobile device to monitor filter performance (Arthur, Fig. 4; [0060]).
Regarding (v) and (vi), Cicone discloses a method of monitoring a pressure drop across a filter element 16 ([0041]) using a sensor module 30a (Fig. 6; [0035]) with pressure sensors 42 ([0040]) of a differential pressure sensor (Title; [0040]: “pressure drop”), the module comprising a housing (Fig. 6) and sleeves 72 ([0036]) connecting each sensor 42 to conduits 32, 34 ([0036]) (i.e., fluid conduits). Cicone teaches that the conduits 32, 34 extend from a first port 26 and a second port 28 of a filter housing 14 holding a filter element 16 (Fig. 1; [0019]). Cicone implicitly teaches that this configuration does not require extensive hardware as with conventional sensors for measuring pressure drop across a filter element ([0006]).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method of Danfoss in view of Arthur by (v) connecting the first fluid conduit to a first existing fluid conduit of the dust collector system; and (vi) connecting the second fluid conduit to a second existing fluid conduit of the dust collector system as taught by Cicone because this configuration does not require extensive hardware as with conventional sensors for measuring pressure drop across a filter element (Cicone, [0006]).
Regarding claim 58, Danfoss teaches that the pressure sensor arrangement 1 is located outside a motor drive housing 10 (Fig. 3; [0020]), and that the pressure sensor arrangement 1 is not located within any other structure (Fig. 3), so it would have been obvious to the practitioner of Danfoss in view of Arthur that the pressure sensor arrangement is mounted outside a housing comprising the filter (Figs. 3, 9) (i.e., wherein the housing is mounted outside the filtration system).
Regarding claim 59, Arthur teaches that data from a filter may be communicated to a mobile device or directly to a cloud platform via a cellular connection ([0084], [0138]) (i.e., wherein the monitoring device is configured to transfer data related to the differential pressure sensor to a cellular tower).
Regarding claim 60, Arthur discloses a battery 330 used to power the processor, sensor, and circuitry ([0059]), so it would have been obvious for the practitioner of Danfoss in view of Arthur to provide a power supply circuit comprising a battery so that external power supply is not needed (Arthur, Figs. 2, 3) (i.e., further comprising a power supply circuit, the power supply circuit comprising a battery).
Regarding claim 67, Cicone teaches that the conduits 32, 34 extend from a first port 26 (i.e., the first existing fluid conduit is in fluid communication with an area of fluid flow that is upstream from a filtration element of the dust collector system) and a second port 28 (i.e., the second existing fluid conduit is in fluid communication with an area of fluid flow that is downstream from the filtration element of the dust collector system) of a filter housing 14 holding a filter element 16 (Fig. 1; [0019]), the housing including an inlet 18 and an outlet 20 for gas that has passed through the filter element 16 ([0017]) to measure a pressure drop across the filter element 16 ([0041]).
Claims 61-64 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Danfoss in view of Arthur and Cicone, as applied to claim 45 above, and further in view of Zhou.
Danfoss in view of Arthur and Cicone does not explicitly disclose a temperature sensor (claim 61); the temperature sensor in fluid communication with at least one of the first fluid connection fitting and the second fluid connection fitting (claim 62); a humidity sensor (claim 63); the humidity sensor in fluid communication with at least one of the first fluid connection fitting and the second fluid connection fitting (claim 64).
Zhou discloses a sensor 4 for a dust collector filter bag (Figs. 1, 2; [0029]). Zhou teaches that the sensor 4 includes a high-temperature sensor 8, a high-temperature humidity sensor 9, and a high-temperature pressure sensor 10 ([0029]) to enable monitoring of changes in the physical properties of the filter bags and therefore intelligent monitoring of the dust collector filter bag ([0020]).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method of Danfoss in view of Arthur and Cicone by providing a temperature sensor (claim 61); the temperature sensor in fluid communication with at least one of the first fluid connection fitting and the second fluid connection fitting (claim 62); a humidity sensor (claim 63); the humidity sensor in fluid communication with at least one of the first fluid connection fitting and the second fluid connection fitting (claim 64) as taught by Zhou because detecting temperature, humidity, and pressure of filters can indicate changes in a filter’s physical properties for intelligent monitoring of the filter (Zhou, [0020]).
Claim Objections
Claim 65 is 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.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
A thorough search for pertinent prior art did not locate any prior art that discloses or suggests the invention recited in claim 65.
The concept of a monitoring device for a filtration system comprising:
a first fluid connection fitting;
a second fluid connection fitting;
a differential pressure sensor in fluid communication with the first fluid connection fitting and the second fluid connection fitting;
a first fluid conduit configured to be received by the first fluid connection fitting, the first fluid conduit comprising:
a first fluid conduit internal portion extending from a first side of the differential pressure sensor to the first fluid connection fitting;
a first fluid conduit external portion extending from the first fluid connection fitting to a dirty air chamber of the filtration system;
a second fluid conduit configured to be received by the second fluid connection fitting, the second fluid conduit comprising:
a second fluid conduit internal portion extending from a second side of the differential pressure sensor to the second fluid connection fitting;
a second fluid conduit external portion extending from the second fluid connection fitting to a clean air chamber of the filtration system;
a control circuit configured to receive signals from the differential pressure sensor; a housing, wherein the differential pressure sensor and the control circuit are all disposed within the housing; and a communications circuit comprising an antenna, wherein the monitoring device is configured to transfer data related to the differential pressure sensor to an external data network (claim 45);
wherein the control circuit is not in communication with a preexisting control box of the filtration system (claim 65)
is considered to define patentable subject matter over the prior art.
The closest prior art is Danfoss Power Electronics AS (DE202017104205U1), which discloses a pressure sensor arrangement 1 (Fig. 1; [0020]) used to measure two points inside a filter 93 (Fig. 12; [0038]) comprising:
pairs of pipe connection points 2 (Fig. 1; [0029]) coupled with respective differential pressure sensors 31 to 34 (Fig. 4; [0026], [0031]);
first and second internal conduits extending between connections points 2 and pressure sensors 31 to 34 (Fig. 8, noting O-ring seals 61 used in the coupling to the pressure sensors), and hoses 20 coupled to the connection points 2 (Fig. 3; [0024]).
Danfoss does not suggest a control circuit, but a control circuit was taught by Arthur et al. (US 2018/0140989 A1, Fig. 3) in order to perform analytics ([0041]).
However, Danfoss does not suggest a preexisting control box of a filtration system, and it would not have been obvious to provide an additional controller with which a control circuit of filtration monitoring device does not communicate.
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 GABRIEL E GITMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7934. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:15-5:45pm.
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, In Suk Bullock can be reached at 571-272-3471. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/GABRIEL E GITMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1772
Prosecution Insights