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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, and 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2022219587 A1 to Rachow et al. (Rachow).
In reference to independent claim 1, Rachow discloses:
A nozzle assembly (10) comprising:
at least two nozzle passage portions (30, 32), wherein a fluid is introduced into the at least two nozzle passage portions (via 28); and
a plurality of discharge ports (26) configured to discharge the fluid flowing through the at least two nozzle passage portions (see [0030]),
wherein the fluid introduced into the at least two nozzle passage portions is configured to flow independently of each other (see [0030]).
In reference to independent claim 7, Rachow discloses:
A sensor cleaning system comprising:
an environment sensor (100); and
a nozzle assembly (see Figs. 5-7) connected to the environment sensor (100) (see Fig. 5 and [0029]) and configured to spray a fluid onto the environment sensor (100) (see [0029]-[0030]), wherein the nozzle assembly comprises:
at least two nozzle passage portions (see Fig. 6), wherein the fluid is introduced into the at least two nozzle passage portions (see [0030]); and
a plurality of discharge ports (26) configured to discharge the fluid flowing through the at least two nozzle passage portions toward the environment sensor (100) (see [0029]), and wherein the fluid introduced into the at least two nozzle passage portions is configured to flow independently of each other (see [0030]).
In reference to dependent claim 10, Rachow further discloses: the at least two nozzle passage portions are respectively connected to a first passage and a second passage (30, 32) through which the fluid is supplied (via first and second check valves 31, 33; see Fig. 6 and [0030]).
In reference to dependent claim 13, Rachow further discloses: the nozzle assembly is integrated with the environment sensor (100) (see Fig. 5).
In reference to dependent claim 14, Rachow further discloses: the environment sensor is a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensor (see [0027]) mounted to a vehicle (see [0003]).
In reference to dependent claim 15, Rachow further discloses: the sensor cleaning system is configured to clean the environment sensor mounted to a vehicle (see [0005]).
In reference to independent claim 1, Rachow alternatively discloses:
A nozzle assembly (60) comprising:
at least two nozzle passage portions (not shown), wherein a fluid is introduced into the at least two nozzle passage portions (see [0034]); and
a plurality of discharge ports (90) configured to discharge the fluid flowing through the at least two nozzle passage portions (see [0034]),
wherein the fluid introduced into the at least two nozzle passage portions is configured to flow independently of each other (see [0034]).
In reference to dependent claim 4, Rachow alternatively discloses: a guide surface (66) facing a discharge port of the plurality of the discharge ports (90), wherein the guide surface is configured to guide the fluid to flow through the discharge port (see [0034]).
In reference to dependent claim 6, Rachow alternatively discloses: the fluid is compressed air (see [0034]).
In reference to independent claim 7, Rachow alternatively discloses:
A sensor cleaning system (see Figs. 11-14) comprising:
an environment sensor (100); and
a nozzle assembly (60) connected to the environment sensor (100) (see Fig. 14) and configured to spray a fluid onto the environment sensor (100) (see [0034]), wherein the nozzle assembly comprises:
at least two nozzle passage portions (not shown), wherein the fluid is introduced into the at least two nozzle passage portions (see [0034]); and
a plurality of discharge ports (90) configured to discharge the fluid flowing through the at least two nozzle passage portions toward the environment sensor (100) (see [0034]), and wherein the fluid introduced into the at least two nozzle passage portions is configured to flow independently of each other (see [0034]).
In reference to dependent claim 11, Rachow alternatively discloses: a main passage (not shown) branched into the first passage and the second passage (see [0032]-[0034]), wherein the main passage allows compressed air to be supplied thereinto (see [0032]-[0034]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, and 12 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ngoc T Nguyen whose telephone number is (571)272-7176. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Helena Kosanovic can be reached at (571) 272-9059. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NGOC T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3799
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