DETAILED ACTION
Final
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 Amendment/Arguments
Claims 1-7 and 9-10 are pending. Applicant indicates that claims 1, 4, 6, 7 are currently amended. Claim 8 is canceled and appears to be brought into parent claim 7. Currently amended claims 1, 4 and 6 are not properly marked up via 37 CFR 1.121. Nonetheless, a careful review as determined the amended limitations as best seen in comparison to the originally filed and rejected claim set. Accordingly, the amendments are treated as best as possible to advance prosecution on the merits. It appears that the amendments have corrected the 35 USC 112 second paragraph rejections along with the claim objections. The petition for correction of priority has been addressed by the office of petitions. The certified copy has been received and noted.
The remarks regarding that the primary reference Kanai does not teach a higher level control device is not found persuasive as Kanai implements such a higher level MOSFET drive control circuit for the current control of the solenoid valve. Applicants remarks cannot be found persuasive in that they are narrowly construed in light of the broad reasonable interpretation of the claim limitations themselves as required.
Applicant also remarks that Kanai in step S5 is based on mere timer, but that is not the case, as Kanai is measuring/sensing the current level via 78 to determine when or if the current setting value Ia for when the armature meets the core, or the attracting member 34, is met (as discussed below.)
Respectfully, the remarks on page 7 of the response filed on 1/5/2026 are not commensurate in scope as they do not address the limitations, and arguably would require reading limitations from either the written description or the remarks themselves into the claim language.
The amendments have been considered, the rejections adjusted to address the amended limitations. Accordingly this action must be made Final.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kanai (US 10006560.)
Kanai discloses in claim 1; A solenoid valve (10 figure 1 and see Col 12 ln 32-36), comprising a valve housing (surrounding the valve element 12), in which a fluid channel (extending downward and transversely from the seat 48) with a valve opening (port 52) is formed, further comprising a valve member (12/46), which valve member is moveably received in the fluid channel between a first functional position (closed/closing/dropped) and a second functional position (open/holding), a solenoid coil (18/66) to provide magnetic forces to the valve member, a valve control (control unit 14 and device 60 figure 2) to provide electrical energy to the solenoid coil, wherein the valve control comprises a timer (timing circuit 76), which timer is activated upon a provision of a first movement signal (signal to energize solenoid S1/S2 figure 3) to the valve control, wherein the first movement signal is provided by a higher-level control device (drive circuit 68 which is a MOSFET, and can be considered a higher level current load control, Col 14 ln 13-21) to the valve control and is directed to a transfer of the valve member from the first functional position into the second functional position (i.e. switching control so as to move from closed to open) or (the use of “or” indicates alternative grouping under MPEP 2131) which timer is activated upon a sensor-based determination (current detection resistance circuit 78/80/82 is a current sensor) of an arrival of the valve member in the first functional position (closed or at the current setting value from zero crossing point at closed figures 5 and 7, and if the current value Ia of the plunger movement 46 has attached to the attracting member 34 per Col 15 ln 30-40), wherein the timer has a first state (time t1 figure 7 that correlates to the inductance levels less than 2.5 H such as 1.3H or 1.5H figure 7, and as discussed in Col 20 ln 1-68) before a predefined time span (the predetermined dropout detection time (or less) from when the current starts at zero cross timing and when the predetermined setting current Ia is measured, Col 20 ln 58-68) has elapsed and wherein the timer has a second state (t2 figure 7) after the predefined time span has elapsed and the valve control interrogates the state of the timer (via current sensing device 78, id) and provides on a further movement signal, which is provided by [the]/a higher-level control device to the valve control (id), alternatively, a first quantity of electrical energy to the solenoid coil if the timer is in the first state (i.e the required inductance as discussed) or a second quantity of electrical energy (i.e. the 2.5H required inductance as discussed) to the solenoid coil if the timer is in the second state wherein the first quantity of electrical energy (1.5 or 1.3H ) is smaller than the second quantity of electrical energy (i.e. 2.5H, where as discussed, during the dropout of the current or detachment of plunger from the hold level, the electrical energy is not fully dissipated and applying lesser amount of current to maintain or reinitialize the position of the armature requires less electrical energy (less inductance to overcome, 1.5H or less).)
Kanai discloses in claim 2: The solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve opening and the valve member are formed as a pairing from the group (alt grouping under MPEP 2131): spool channel and valve spool, valve seat and valve seat sealing element (see figure 1 as discussed above), valve opening and valve diaphragm.
Kanai discloses in claim 3: The solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve member blocks the valve opening in the first functional position (spring biased closed) and releases the valve opening in the second functional position (open.)
Kanai discloses in claim 4: The solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve control provides a holding current (current setting value Ia-Ib figure 4, Fig. 5) to the solenoid coil when the valve member reaches the second functional position to hold the valve member in the second functional position until a second movement signal arrives (Col 25 ln 48), which is provided by the higher-level control device and is directed towards a transfer of the valve member from the second functional position into the first functional position (from open to closed.)
Kanai discloses in claim 5: The solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical energy quantity and the second electrical energy quantity differ from one another by at least one variable from the group (alt grouping under MPEP 2131): coil voltage, coil current, provision time (the amount of time, although the time/voltage/current/inductance(resistance) are all interrelated variables of the electrical energy.)
Kanai discloses in claim 6: The solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve control is configured for the sensor-based determination of the arrival of the valve member by a detection of a coil current through the solenoid coil (via current sensing device 78 figure 2 and Col 20 ln 62-64) and is configured to use the detected coil current to determine whether the valve member is in the first functional position or in the second functional position (id.)
Kanai discloses in claim 7: [An apparatus (figures 1 and 2, figures 6 and 8) that operates] A method for operating a solenoid valve (10 figure 1 and see Col 12 ln 32-36), for moving a valve member (12/46) of the solenoid valve between a first functional position (closed) and a second functional position (open) by a magnetic field of a solenoid coil (18), which solenoid coil receives a coil current from a valve control (control unit 14 and device 60 figure 2) as a function of a movement signal (signal to energize solenoid S1 Fig. 3), comprising the following steps: [p/]Provision of a first movement signal (via timing circuit 76) from a higher-level control device (drive circuit 68 which is a MOSFET, and can be considered a higher level current load control, Col 14 ln 13-21) to the valve control to transfer the valve member from the first functional position to the second functional position (i.e. move from closed to open), provision of a second movement signal (S6) from the higher-level control device (id) to the valve control in order to transfer the valve member from the second functional position (open/holding) to the first functional position (closed), wherein a timer determines a period of time (the predetermined dropout detection time (or less) from when the current starts at zero cross timing and when the predetermined setting current Ia is measured, Col 20 ln 58-68) which begins when the valve member arrives in the first functional position (indication of dropped plunger for t1) or when the second movement signal is provided to the valve control, and wherein for a subsequent transfer of the valve member from the first functional position to the second functional position (second state t2), a quantity of electrical energy (1.5 or 1.3H) is supplied to the solenoid coil by the valve control, which quantity of electrical energy depends on the determined period of time and lies within a predetermined energy interval (less than or equal to the required 2.5H, where as discussed, during the dropout of the current or detachment of plunger from the hold level, the electrical energy is not fully dissipated and applying lesser amount of current to maintain or reinitialize the position of the armature requires less electrical energy (less inductance to overcome, 1.5H or less) ; wherein the valve control provides a first electrical energy quantity (1.5H or 1.3H etc per figure 7) to the solenoid coil when a further first movement signal is provided to the valve control within a predetermined maximum value (current setting value of Ia) for the time interval, or wherein the valve control provides a second electrical energy quantity (2.5H figure 7) to the solenoid coil, when the further first movement signal is provided to the valve control outside the predetermined maximum value for the time span (for t2 and as discussed Col 20 ln 58-68), wherein the first amount of electrical energy is smaller than the second amount of electrical energy (as discussed.)
Kanai discloses in claim 9: The method according to claim 7, wherein the valve control detects a coil current through the magnet coil (via current sensing device 78) and uses the detected coil current to determine an arrival of the valve member in the first and/or in the second functional position (Col 20 ln 58-– Col 21 ln 9.)
Kanai discloses in claim 10: The method according to claim 7, wherein the valve control provides a holding current (I hold level figure 5) to the solenoid coil when the valve member reaches the second functional position (open/hold) and wherein the valve control provides the holding current to the solenoid coil until the second movement signal arrives (i.e. the dropped plunger/dropout sensing as discussed), which is directed towards a transfer of the valve member from the second functional position into the first functional position (i.e. towards the closed position.)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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 MATTHEW W JELLETT, whose telephone number is 571-270-7497. 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. Ken 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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/Matthew W Jellett/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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