DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the communication(s) filed on 9/04/2025.
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 Arguments
With regard to the arguments of the prior art not disclosing the newly amended subject matter in claims 1 and 11, see rejection below.
With regard to In re Aller not being applicable, the examiner would like to respectfully disagree. The ranges recited in the claims are merely preferred ranges and discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. Furthermore, looking into the specification, the ranges recited in the claim do not appear to produce any unexpected results. The prior art discloses a fuel injector having a ratio (d1/d2) between a first diameter of the first circular contour and a second diameter of the second circular contour extending concentrically about the first circular contour similar to the present application (see fig. 1 of present application). See annotated figure below.
PNG
media_image1.png
610
1217
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP S63208664A (art submitted by applicant byway of IDS dated 4/16/2025).
Regarding claim 1, JP S63208664A discloses A fuel injector (fig. 1, 7) of an internal combustion engine configured to supply fuel to a combustion chamber of a cylinder (fig. 6) of the internal combustion engine, comprising: a main body (1); a first nozzle needle (3) moveably guidable in a first needle guide (fig. 1, 7); a first needle fuel chamber (2a) that interacts with the first nozzle needle (3) for a first liquid fuel, which can be coupled via first channels (14) to the combustion chamber (fig. 6) of the cylinder (fig. 6), wherein the first channels are connected to the first needle fuel chamber via first internal openings (fig. 1, 7); a second nozzle needle (8) moveably guided in a second needle guide (fig. 1, 7); and a second needle fuel chamber (7a) that interacts with the second nozzle needle (8) for a second liquid fuel, which can be coupled via second channels (15) to the combustion chamber of the cylinder (fig. 6), wherein the second channels (15) are connected to the second needle fuel chamber (7a) via second inner openings (fig. 1, 7); wherein the first internal openings are arranged on a first circular contour and the second inner openings on a second circular contour extending concentrically about the first circular contour (fig. 1, 7), wherein longitudinal centre axes of the first channels are offset from longitudinal centre axes of the second channels (fig. 1, 7).
JP S63208664A discloses the claimed invention except for wherein the ratio (d1/d2) between a first diameter of the first circular contour and a second diameter of the second circular contour is between 0.1 and 0.5. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to having the ratio (d1/d2) between a first diameter of the first circular contour and a second diameter of the second circular contour as being between 0.1 and 0.5, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 2, JP S63208664A further discloses wherein the second needle fuel chamber is arranged, at least in portions, concentrically about the first needle fuel chamber (see fig. 1, 7; right before disbursing into the fuel channels, chamber 7a is concentric about 2a near the tip portion).
Regarding claim 3, JP S63208664A further discloses wherein the longitudinal centre axes of the first channels are substantially parallel to the longitudinal centre axes of the second channels within the injector and fluidically (see fig. 1, 7).
Regarding claims 4 and 5, JP S63208664A discloses the nozzle holes as being in parallel, the examiner is taking Official notice that it would have been an obvious design choice to having the nozzle hole spray direction as converging or diverging instead, in order to control the direction that the fuel is being injected.
Regarding claim 6, JP S63208664A discloses the claimed invention except for wherein the ratio (d1/d2) between a first diameter of the first circular contour and a second diameter of the second circular contour is between 0.2 and 0.3. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to having the ratio (d1/d2) between a first diameter of the first circular contour and a second diameter of the second circular contour as being between 0.2 and 0.3, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 7, JP S63208664A further discloses wherein the main body comprises a first recess, in which a first insert is arranged, wherein the first insert is configured as the first needle guide for the first nozzle needle, the first needle fuel chamber, and the first channels (fig. 1, 7).
Regarding claim 8, JP S63208664A further discloses wherein the main body provides the second needle fuel chamber and the second channels (fig. 1, 7).
Regarding claim 9, JP S63208664A further discloses wherein the main body comprises a second recess, in which a second insert is arranged, wherein the second insert is configured as the second needle guide for the second nozzle needle (fig. 1, 7).
Regarding claim 10, JP S63208664A further discloses wherein the first liquid fuel serves for igniting a second fuel (see at least Abstract).
Regarding claim 11, JP S63208664A discloses an internal combustion engine, comprising: a cylinder equipped for igniting (fig. 6), with a first fuel, a second fuel for combustion in the cylinder (figs. 1, 6, 7); and a fuel injector (1, fig. 1, 7) for the cylinder (fig. 6) comprising: a main body (1); a first nozzle needle (3) moveably guidable in a first needle guide (fig. 1, 7); a first needle fuel chamber (2a) that interacts with the first nozzle needle for a first liquid fuel, which can be coupled via first channels (14) to a combustion chamber of the cylinder (fig. 6), wherein the first channels (14) are connected to the first needle fuel chamber (2a) via first internal openings (fig. 1, 7); a second nozzle needle (8) moveably guided in a second needle guide (fig. 1, 7); and a second needle fuel chamber (7a) that interacts with the second nozzle needle (8) for a second liquid fuel, which can be coupled via second channels (15) to the combustion chamber of the cylinder (fig. 6), wherein the second channels (15) are connected to the second needle fuel chamber (7a) via second inner openings (fig. 1, 7); wherein the first internal openings are arranged on a first circular contour and the second inner openings on a second circular contour extending concentrically about the first circular contour (fig. 1, 7), wherein longitudinal centre axes of the first channels are offset from longitudinal centre axes of the second channels (fig. 1, 7).
JP S63208664A discloses the claimed invention except for wherein the ratio (d1/d2) between a first diameter of the first circular contour and a second diameter of the second circular contour is between 0.1 and 0.5. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to having the ratio (d1/d2) between a first diameter of the first circular contour and a second diameter of the second circular contour as being between 0.1 and 0.5, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
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 XIAO EN MO whose telephone number is (571)272-9970. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-5:30 EST.
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, Phutthiwat Wongwian can be reached at 571-270-5426. 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.
/XIAO EN MO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747