DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on February 3, 2026 has been entered.
Claims 1-6, 24 and 25 remain pending in this application. Claims 5-23 have been withdrawn.
There have been no amendments to the claims since Final Rejection dated November 3, 2025.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments dated January 13, 2025, submitted Final Rejection dated November 3, 2025, have been addressed in Advisory action dated January 13, 2026.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2 and 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Voglesang et al. (CZ 264395 A3), hereafter Vogelsang.
Regarding claim 1, Vogelsang discloses a coolant pump for an engine assembly of a vehicle (Fig. 1), the coolant pump comprising an impeller (4.1) comprising: multiple concentric ribs (impeller inner and outer rib shown on Fig. 4.3; please see annotated Fig. below) extending axially on a first side of the coolant pump impeller, the multiple concentric ribs all having ends that terminate at a common plane (Fig. 4.3); multiple vanes (Fig. 4.4 – 4.6) extending axially on a second side of the coolant pump impeller, the multiple vanes being configured to pump coolant, wherein the coolant pump impeller is a closed-style impeller that defines multiple openings that are configured to permit the coolant to pass from the first side to the second side (Fig. 1).
PNG
media_image1.png
319
455
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, Vogelsang discloses the pump in claim 1, wherein the concentric ribs extend on an intake side of the impeller and are configured to reduce backflow of the coolant, the ribs also configured to strengthen the coolant pump impeller (Fig. 1 and Fig. 4.1 – 4.6). In regards to the functional language, Vogelsang discloses ribs that would achieve the functional recitation (i.e. reducing backflow of the coolant and/or strengthening the coolant pump impeller).
Regarding claim 24, Vogelsang discloses the coolant pump of claim 1, wherein the multiple concentric ribs include an inner rib and an outer rib, the outer rib circumscribing an outermost circumference of the impeller (Fig. 4.3).
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.
Claim(s) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vogelsang et al. (CZ 264395 A3), in view of Elsesser (US 2020/0256351 A1).
Regarding claims 3-5, Vogelsang discloses an impeller wherein the rib nearer an outer edge is taller than the rib nearer a middle of the impeller. Vogelsang is silent to having an engine assembly includes a pump housing with a common planar internal face, wherein the concentric ribs extend toward the common planar internal face of the pump housing and the ribs having inner edges being positioned closely adjacent the common planar internal face;
wherein the internal face is recessed, an outermost rib end terminating adjacent a step of the recess; and,
wherein the vanes on the second side of the impeller extend outwardly from a central hub that surrounds an axis of rotation of the impeller such that the vanes extend across at least one of the concentric ribs on the first side as viewed from an axial direction, and wherein a curved wall extends between the ribs on the first side and the vanes on the second side of the impeller, the curve of the wall extending from closer to the first side to closer to the second side of the impeller as the wall extends radially outwardly from the multiple openings between the vanes at inner ends of the vanes near an impeller hub, and wherein the ribs nearer an outer edge of the impeller are taller than the ribs nearer a middle of the impeller.
Elsesser discloses a coolant pump impeller (10, [0030]; Fig. 1B and Fig. 1C) for an engine assembly of a vehicle, the coolant pump impeller comprising: multiple concentric ribs (42, 44) extending axially on a first side of the coolant pump impeller; multiple vanes (18) extending axially on a second side of the coolant pump impeller, the multiple vanes being configured to pump coolant, wherein the coolant pump impeller is a closed-style impeller that defines multiple openings that are configured to permit the coolant to pass from the first side to the second side (Fig. 7, wherein the concentric ribs extend toward the internal face of the pump housing and the ribs having inner edges being positioned closely adjacent the internal face (Fig. 7); wherein the internal face is a planar surface (Fig. 1B and Fig. 1C), wherein the vanes on the second side of the impeller extend outwardly from a central hub that surrounds an axis of rotation of the impeller such that the vanes extend across at least one of the concentric ribs on the first side as-viewed from an axial direction, and wherein a curved wall extends between the ribs on the first side and the vanes on the second side of the impeller, the curve of the wall extending from closer to the first side to closer to the second side of the impeller as the wall extends radially outwardly from the multiple openings between the vanes at inner ends of the vanes near an impeller hub (as shown in Fig. 1A and 1B). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a housing of Elsesser in the pump structure of Vogelsang, such that it the concentric rib is adjacent to the internal planar face in order to decrease thrust load on the shaft.
Claims 6 and 25 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vogelsang et al. (CZ 264395 A3) in view of Elsesser (US 2020/0256351 A1), and in further view of Zielberg et al. (US 2018/0320695 A1), hereafter Zielberg.
Regarding claim 6, Vogelsang modified with Elsesser is silent to a coolant pump housing formed integral with a crankcase of the engine assembly. Zielberg discloses a coolant pump housing (10), formed integral with a crankcase of the engine assembly (Fig. 1; [0043]). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the coolant pump of Vogelsang as modified with Elsesser integral with the crankcase as taught by Zielberg in order to transfer coolant through the engine walls.
Regarding claim 25, Vogelsang discloses the coolant pump of claim 1, wherein the multiple concentric ribs include an inner rib and an outer rib, the outer rib circumscribing an outermost circumference of the impeller (Fig. 4.3).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TEUTA B HOLBROOK whose telephone number is (571)270-3276. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8am-4:30pm 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, LINDSAY LOW can be reached at 571-272-1196. 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.
/TEUTA HOLBROOK/
Examiner
Art Unit 3747
/GEORGE C JIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747