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 Objections
The objection to claims 5 and 10 are withdrawn in view of the amendment filed 25 June 2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The rejection of claims 2, 11, and 16 under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) is overcome by the amendment of “web member” to “web portion.”
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 (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 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) 16 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al (US 11,287,295 B2).
Regarding claim 16, Park et al. discloses a flowmeter (fig. 4) comprising: a body (100) having a flow input end (111) and a flow output end (112) and defining a flow channel therebetween (flow channel between inlet port 111 and outlet port 112; fig. 4) and a recess (recessed portion of housing including rotating portion 200; fig. 4) in fluid communication with the flow channel; a paddle wheel (200) positioned in the recess and extending into the channel and being rotatable about a shaft (210) in response to flow through the channel (c. 2, ll. 12-13), said paddle wheel (200) including a web portion (web portion surrounding shaft 210; fig. 10A) and a plurality of spaced apart radial members (220) extending from the web member where each radial member (220) includes a detecting portion (321) that blocks a light beam as the paddle wheel (200) rotates (c. 14, ll. 43-49), wherein each radial member (220) includes a first curved segment (323) coupled to one end of the detecting portion (321) and a second curved segment (323) coupled to an opposite end of the detecting portion (321) so that the first curved segment, the second curved segment and the detecting portion (321) define a central opening (blade 220 has a left curved segment 323 and a right curved segment 323 and curved segments 323 and blocking portion 321 define a central opening; figs. 10A and 10B).
Regarding claim 19, Park et al. discloses a cartridge (130; fig. 2) inserted into the recess and secured to the body (sub-housing 130 is inserted into the recess in housing 100), said cartridge (130) including a cavity and said paddle wheel (200) being rotatably mounted within the cavity on the shaft (sub-housing 130 includes a cavity in which rotating portion 200 is rotatably mounted on shaft 210; fig. 2).
Although Park et al. discloses the flowmeter is used with water, one or ordinary skill would have known that it may be used to monitor gas.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Park et al. to monitor gas flow as it is use of a known technique to improve similar devices in the same way.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al (US 11,287,295 B2) in view of Peters (US 4,733,570).
Regarding claim 18, Park et al. discloses the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 16.
Park et al. is silent on the flow channel being tapered.
Peters teaches a flowmeter (fig. 1) wherein a flow channel (11) includes a cylindrical input portion (12) at an input end, a cylindrical output portion (13) at an output end, a cylindrical center portion (holding rotor 21) between the cylindrical input portion (12) and the cylindrical output portion (13), a first tapered portion (a tapered portion at hose 12) between the cylindrical input portion (12) and the cylindrical center portion and a second tapered portion (tapered portion at hose 13) between the cylindrical output portion (13) and the cylindrical center portion, and wherein the cylindrical input portion (12) and the cylindrical output portion (13) have a larger diameter than the cylindrical center portion (hoses 12 and 13 have a larger diameter than a center portion of housing 11; fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Park et al. with the flow channel of Peters to improve flowmeter measurement by directing flow away from walls toward a center of a pipe.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al (US 11,287,295 B2) in view of Demura et al. (US 2021/0206000 A1).
Regarding claim 20, Park et al. discloses the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 16.
Park et al. is silent on using the flowmeter in a painting robot.
Demura et al. discloses a flowmeter system (flow rate adjusting device 76 meters flow; ¶ [0044]; fig. 1) is part of a purge and pressurization system (70) associated with a painting robot (20) that purges hazardous gases from the robot (20) before robot operation (purging device 70 purges hazardous gases from robot 20 before operation; ¶ [0039]) and maintains positive pressure within the robot (20) during operation of the robot (pressurize inside container of robot 20 is higher than atmospheric pressure; ¶ [0043]), said flowmeter system (76) being located in the robot (at least a portion of flow rate adjusting device 76 is located in robot 20; fig. 1); and processing electronics (80) being located outside of the robot (10) in a non-hazardous environment (purge controlling module 80 is located outside of robot 10 in a second area, which does not have an explosive atmosphere; ¶ [0027]); wherein the robot (20) is a painting robot (¶ [0028]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Park et al. to be used in the robot painting system of Demura et al. to provide accurate metering of flow in a painting system that purges flammable gas (Demura et al., ¶ [0026]).
Claim(s) 1, 7, 8, and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over of Amemori et al. (US 5,668,327) in view of Demura et al. (US 2021/0206000 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Amemori et al. teaches a flowmeter system (fig. 8) comprising: a flowmeter including a body (body of channel 31) having a flow input end (left end; fig. 8) and a flow output end (right end; fig. 8) and defining a flow channel (31) therebetween and a recess (recess where turbine 30 is disposed; fig. 8) in fluid communication with the channel (the recessed portion is in fluid communication with channel 31), a paddle wheel (30) positioned in the recess and extending into the channel (31) and being rotatable on a shaft in response to gas flow through the flow channel (turbine 30 is rotatable on a shaft in response to fluid flow through channel 31; c. 6, ll. 31-34), an optical input cable coupled to the body proximate the recess (optical input cable coupled to light emitting element 32 is coupled to the body of channel 31; fig. 9); an optical output cable coupled to the body proximate the recess (optical output cable coupled to light receiving element 33 is coupled to the body of channel 31; fig. 9); and processing electronics (34, 35) including an optical source (34) providing a light beam on the optical input cable that crosses the recess and is received by the optical output cable (light emitting unit 34 provides a light beam signal on the optical input cable which causes a light beam to cross the recess and be received by the optical output cable; c. 6, ll. 60-64), said processing electronics (34, 35) that receives the light beam from the optical output cable (calculation unit 35 receives the light beam signal from light receiving element 33 through the optical output cable; c. 6, ll. 64-65), wherein the light beam is intermittently interrupted by the paddle wheel (30) as the paddle wheel (30) rotates so that the light beam on the optical output cable is a pulsed light beam (the light beam is interrupted by blades 30a as turbine 30 rotates so that the light beam on the optical output cable to calculation unit 35 is a pulsed light beam; c. 7, ll. 1-8), and wherein the processing electronics (35) converts the pulsed light beam to a rotational speed of the paddle wheel (30) that is converted to a gas flow rate through the flow channel (calculation unit 35 converts the pulsed light beam signal to frequency of light received, or rotational speed of turbine 30; c. 7, ll. 8-15).
Regarding claim 7, Amemori et al. teaches wherein the flowmeter (fig. 9) further includes a cartridge (36) inserted into the recess and secured to the body (31), said cartridge (36) including a cavity and said paddle wheel (30) being rotatably mounted within the cavity on the shaft (turbine 30 is rotatably mounted within a cavity of resin mold 36 on the shaft; figs. 8 and 9).
Although Amemori et al. discloses using a light beam to detect rotational speed of a paddle wheel (c. 7, ll. 8-15), the embodiment of Amemori et al. is silent on the processing electronics containing an optical source and a light detector.
However, in a separate embodiment, Amemori et al. teaches an optical fiber may be used for both an optical input cable and optical output cable, and processing electronics (7, 8, 9, 10; fig. 4) includes an optical source (8) providing a light beam on the optical input cable (outputting unit 8 provides a laser light beam on optical fiber cable 5; c. 4, ll. 19-21); said processing electronics (7, 8, 9, 10) further including a light detector (inputting unit 7 includes a light detector such as a photocell; c. 4, ll. 21-25).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the embodiment of Amemori et al. with the optical fiber arrangement to achieve desired sensor sensitivity and accuracy even when utilizing remote sensor processing electronics.
Amemori et al. is further silent on a check valve.
Demura et al. teaches a flowmeter system (flow rate adjusting device 76 meters flow and thus, is a flowmeter system; ¶ [0039]) comprising: a check valve (78) positioned in a flow channel (74) proximate an output end, said check valve (78) allowing gas flow through the flow channel (74) from the input end to the output end and preventing gas flow through the flow channel (74) from the output end to the input end (control valve 78 is provided at an output end of flow channel 74 and flow rate adjusting device 76 uses control valves 77 and 78 to control a flow and at least when controlled to be closed, control valve 78 performs as check-valve by preventing gas from flowing from the output end to the input end of flow channel 74; ¶¶ [0039, 0044] and fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Amemori et al. with the valve arrangement of Demura et al. to provide accurate metering of flow in a painting system while preventing flammable gas from flowing backwards into the system (Demura et al., ¶ [0028]).
Regarding claims 8 and 9, Amemori et al. is silent on using the flowmeter in a painting robot.
Demura et al. discloses a flowmeter system (flow rate adjusting device 76 meters flow and thus, is a flowmeter system; ¶ [0039]) is part of a purge and pressurization system (70) associated with a robot (20) that purges hazardous gases from the robot (20) before robot operation (purging device 70 purges hazardous gases from robot 20 before operation; ¶ [0039]) and maintains positive pressure within the robot (20) during operation of the robot (pressurize inside container of robot 20 is higher than atmospheric pressure; ¶ [0043]), said flowmeter system (76) being located in the robot (at least a portion of flow rate adjusting device 76 is located in robot 20; fig. 1); and processing electronics (80) being located outside of the robot (10) in a non-hazardous environment (purge controlling module 80 is located outside of robot 10 in a second area, which does not have an explosive atmosphere; ¶ [0027]); wherein the robot (20) is a painting robot (¶ [0028]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Amemori et al. to be used in the robot painting system of Demura et al. to provide accurate metering of flow in a painting system that purges flammable gas (Demura et al., ¶ [0026]).
Claim(s) 2 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amemori et al. (US 5,668,327) in view of Demura et al. (US 2021/0206000 A1) and further, in view of Park et al. (US 11,287,295 B2).
Regarding claims 2 and 3, Amemori et al. in view of Demura et al. disclose the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 1.
Amemori et al. in view of Demura et al. are silent on details of the paddle wheel.
Park et al. teaches a flowmeter (fig. 4) wherein a paddle wheel (200) includes a web portion (web portion surrounding shaft 210; fig. 10A) and a plurality of spaced apart radial members (220) extending from the web member where each radial member (220) includes a detecting portion (321) that blocks a light beam as the paddle wheel (200) rotates (c. 14, ll. 43-49); wherein each radial member (220) includes a first curved segment (323) coupled to one end of the detecting portion (321) and a second curved segment (323) coupled to an opposite end of the detecting portion (321) so that the first curved segment, the second curved segment and the detecting portion (321) define a central opening (blade 220 has a left curved segment 323 and a right curved segment 323 and curved segments 323 and blocking portion 321 define a central opening; figs. 10A and 10B).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Amemori et al. in view of Demura et al. with the paddle wheel of Park et al. to provide an accurate flowmeter with improved durability (Park et al., c. 1, l. 64 – c. 2, l. 2).
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amemori et al. (US 5,668,327) in view of Demura et al. (US 2021/0206000 A1) and further, in view of Schieber (US 5,866,824).
Regarding claim 5, Amemori et al. in view of Demura et al. disclose the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 1.
Amemori et al. in view of Demura et al. are silent on a flow conditioner.
Schieber teaches a flowmeter (20; figs. 1 and 2) including a gas flow conditioner (28) mounted to an input end of a body (flow straightening assembly 28 is mounted an inlet port 24 of housing 22; fig. 1), said gas flow conditioner (28) including a plurality of holes (openings between vanes 29; fig. 2) through which the gas flows and into a flow channel so as to reduce turbulence in the gas flow (flow straightening assembly 28 reduces flow disturbances; c. 11, ll. 60-64).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Amemori et al. in view of Demura et al. with the flow conditioner of Schieber to improve flowmeter accuracy by reducing turbulence upstream of a flow measurement (Schieber, c. 11, ll. 60-64).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amemori et al. (US 5,668,327) in view of Demura et al. (US 2021/0206000 A1) and further, in view of Peters (US 4,733,570).
Regarding claim 6, Amemori et al. in view of Demura et al. disclose the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 1.
Amemori et al. in view of Demura et al. are silent on the flow channel being tapered.
Peters teaches a flowmeter (fig. 1) wherein a flow channel (11) includes a cylindrical input portion (12) at an input end, a cylindrical output portion (13) at an output end, a cylindrical center portion (holding rotor 21) between the cylindrical input portion (12) and the cylindrical output portion (13), a first tapered portion (a tapered portion at hose 12) between the cylindrical input portion (12) and the cylindrical center portion and a second tapered portion (tapered portion at hose 13) between the cylindrical output portion (13) and the cylindrical center portion, and wherein the cylindrical input portion (12) and the cylindrical output portion (13) have a larger diameter than the cylindrical center portion (hoses 12 and 13 have a larger diameter than a center portion of housing 11; fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Amemori et al. in view of Demura et al. with the flow channel of Peters to improve flowmeter measurement by directing flow away from walls toward a center of a pipe.
Claim(s) 10 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Demura et al. (US 2021/0206000 A1) in view of Amemori et al. (US 5,668,327) and further, in view of Schieber (US 5,866,824).
Regarding claim 10, Demura et al. discloses a flowmeter system (flow rate adjusting device 76 meters flow and thus, is a flowmeter system; ¶ [0039]) that is part of a purge and pressurization system (70) associated with a painting robot (20) that purges hazardous gases from the robot (20) before robot operation (purging device 70 purges hazardous gases from robot 20 before operation; ¶ [0039]) and maintains positive pressure within the robot (20) during operation of the robot (pressurize inside container of robot 20 is higher than atmospheric pressure; ¶ [0043]), said flowmeter system (76) comprising: a check valve (78) positioned in a flow channel (74) proximate an output end, said check valve (78) allowing gas flow through the flow channel (74) from the input end to the output end and preventing gas flow through the flow channel (74) from the output end to the input end (control valve 78 is provided at an output end of flow channel 74 and flow rate adjusting device 76 uses control valves 77 and 78 to control a flow and at least when controlled to be closed, control valve 78 performs as check-valve by preventing gas from flowing from the output end to the input end of flow channel 74; ¶¶ [0039, 0044] and fig. 1); the flowmeter system (76) being located in the robot (at least a portion of flow rate adjusting device 76 is located in robot 20; fig. 1); and processing electronics (80) being located outside of the robot (10) in a non-hazardous environment (purge controlling module 80 is located outside of robot 10 in a second area, which does not have an explosive atmosphere; ¶ [0027]).
Demura et al. is silent on details of the flowmeter system.
Amemori et al. teaches a flowmeter system (fig. 8) comprising: a flowmeter including a body (body of channel 31) having a flow input end (left end; fig. 8) and a flow output end (right end; fig. 8) and defining a flow channel (31) therebetween and a recess (recess where turbine 30 is disposed; fig. 8) in fluid communication with the channel (the recessed portion is in fluid communication with channel 31), a paddle wheel (30) positioned in the recess and extending into the channel (31) and being rotatable on a shaft in response to gas flow through the flow channel (turbine 30 is rotatable on a shaft in response to fluid flow through channel 31; c. 6, ll. 31-34), an optical input cable coupled to the body proximate the recess (optical input cable coupled to light emitting element 32 is coupled to the body of channel 31; fig. 9); an optical output cable coupled to the body proximate the recess (optical output cable coupled to light receiving element 33 is coupled to the body of channel 31; fig. 9); and processing electronics (34, 35) providing a light beam on the optical input cable that crosses the recess and is received by the optical output cable (light emitting unit 34 provides a light beam signal on the optical input cable, the output light beam crossing the recess and being received by the optical output cable; c. 6, ll. 60-64), said processing electronics (34, 35) that receives the light beam from the optical output cable (calculation unit 35 receives the light beam signal from light receiving element 33 through the optical output cable; c. 6, ll. 64-65), wherein the light beam is intermittently interrupted by the paddle wheel (30) as the paddle wheel (30) rotates so that the light beam on the optical output cable is a pulsed light beam (the light beam is interrupted by blades 30a as turbine 30 rotates so that the light beam on the optical output cable to calculation unit 35 is a pulsed light beam; c. 7, ll. 1-8), and wherein the processing electronics (35) converts the pulsed light beam to a rotational speed of the paddle wheel (30) that is converted to a gas flow rate through the flow channel (calculation unit 35 converts the pulsed light beam to frequency of light received, or rotational speed of turbine 30; c. 7, ll. 8-15), said processing electronics (34, 35) being located outside of the flowmeter (fig. 9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Demura et al. with the impeller flowmeter Amemori et al. to provide a flowmeter allowing for detection of instantaneous rotational speed and to ensure proper metering (Amemori et al., c. 1, ll. 59-61).
Although Amemori et al. discloses using a light beam to detect rotational speed of a paddle wheel (c. 7, ll. 8-15), the embodiment of Amemori et al. is silent on the processing electronics containing an optical source and a light detector.
However, in a separate embodiment, Amemori et al. teaches an optical fiber may be used for both an optical input cable and optical output cable, and processing electronics (7, 8, 9, 10; fig. 4) includes an optical source (8) providing a light beam on the optical input cable (outputting unit 8 provides a laser light beam on optical fiber cable 5; c. 4, ll. 19-21); said processing electronics (7, 8, 9, 10) further including a light detector (inputting unit 7 includes a light detector such as a photocell; c. 4, ll. 21-25).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to further modify the apparatus of Demura et al. with the optical fiber arrangement of Amemori et al. to achieve desired sensor sensitivity and accuracy even when utilizing remote sensor processing electronics.
Demura et al. is further silent on a flow conditioner.
Schieber teaches a flowmeter (20; figs. 1 and 2) including a gas flow conditioner (28) mounted to an input end of a body (flow straightening assembly 28 is mounted an inlet port 24 of housing 22; fig. 1), said gas flow conditioner (28) including a plurality of holes (openings between vanes 29; fig. 2) through which the gas flows and into a flow channel so as to reduce turbulence in the gas flow (flow straightening assembly 28 reduces flow disturbances; c. 11, ll. 60-64).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Demura et al. with the flow conditioner of Schieber to improve flowmeter accuracy by reducing turbulence upstream of a flow measurement (Schieber, c. 11, ll. 60-64).
Regarding claim 15, Demura et al. is silent on details of the flowmeter system.
Amemori et al. teaches wherein the flowmeter (fig. 9) further includes a cartridge (36) inserted into the recess and secured to the body (31), said cartridge (36) including a cavity and said paddle wheel (30) being rotatably mounted within the cavity on the shaft (turbine 30 is rotatably mounted within a cavity of resin mold 36 on the shaft; figs. 8 and 9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Demura et al. in view of Schieber with the impeller flowmeter Amemori et al. to provide a flowmeter allowing for detection of instantaneous rotational speed and to ensure proper metering (Amemori et al., c. 1, ll. 59-61).
Claim(s) 11 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Demura et al. (US 2021/0206000 A1) in view of Amemori et al. (US 5,668,327) and further, in view of Schieber (US 5,866,824), and further, in view of Park et al. (US 11,287,295 B2).
Regarding claims 11 and 12, Demura et al. in view of Amemori et al. in view of Schieber disclose the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 10.
Demura et al. in view of Amemori et al. in view of Schieber are silent on details of the paddle wheel.
Park et al. teaches a flowmeter (fig. 4) wherein a paddle wheel (200) includes a web portion (web portion surrounding shaft 210; fig. 10A) and a plurality of spaced apart radial members (220) extending from the web member where each radial member (220) includes a detecting portion (321) that blocks a light beam as the paddle wheel (200) rotates (c. 14, ll. 43-49); wherein each radial member (220) includes a first curved segment (323) coupled to one end of the detecting portion (321) and a second curved segment (323) coupled to an opposite end of the detecting portion (321) so that the first curved segment, the second curved segment and the detecting portion (321) define a central opening (blade 220 has a left curved segment 323 and a right curved segment 323 and curved segments 323 and blocking portion 321 define a central opening; figs. 10A and 10B).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Demura et al. in view of Amemori et al. in view of Schieber with the paddle wheel of Park et al. to provide an accurate flowmeter with improved durability (Park et al., c. 1, l. 64 – c. 2, l. 2).
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Demura et al. (US 2021/0206000 A1) in view of Amemori et al. (US 5,668,327) and further, in view of Schieber (US 5,866,824), and further, in view of Peters (US 4,733,570).
Regarding claim 14, Demura et al. in view of Amemori et al. in view of Schieber disclose the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 10.
Demura et al. in view of Amemori et al. in view of Schieber are silent on the flow channel being tapered.
Peters teaches a flowmeter (fig. 1) wherein a flow channel (11) includes a cylindrical input portion (12) at an input end, a cylindrical output portion (13) at an output end, a cylindrical center portion (holding rotor 21) between the cylindrical input portion (12) and the cylindrical output portion (13), a first tapered portion (a tapered portion at hose 12) between the cylindrical input portion (12) and the cylindrical center portion and a second tapered portion (tapered portion at hose 13) between the cylindrical output portion (13) and the cylindrical center portion, and wherein the cylindrical input portion (12) and the cylindrical output portion (13) have a larger diameter than the cylindrical center portion (hoses 12 and 13 have a larger diameter than a center portion of housing 11; fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Demura et al. in view of Amemori et al. in view of Schieber with the flow channel of Peters to improve flowmeter measurement by directing flow away from walls toward a center of a pipe.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 13, and 17 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.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest “wherein each radial member further includes opposing airfoil members on opposite sides of the first curved segment and opposing airfoil members on opposite sides of the second curved segment, and wherein the airfoil members are configured so that lift and drag on the airfoil members as the gas flows over the airfoil members causes increased rotation of the paddle wheel” in combination with the remaining claim elements as recited in claim 4.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest “wherein each radial member further includes opposing airfoil members on opposite sides of the first curved segment and opposing airfoil members on opposite sides of the second curved segment, and wherein the airfoil members are configured so that lift and drag on the airfoil members as the gas flows over the airfoil members causes increased rotation of the paddle wheel” in combination with the remaining claim elements as recited in claim 13.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest “wherein each radial member further includes opposing airfoil members on opposite sides of the first curved segment and opposing airfoil members on opposite sides of the second curved segment, and wherein the airfoil members are configured so that lift and drag on the airfoil members as the gas flows over the airfoil members causes increased rotation of the paddle wheel.” in combination with the remaining claim elements as recited in claim 17.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 10 of the Response filed 24 June 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) in view of Amemori et al. have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of a separate embodiment taught in Amemori et al.
Additionally, with regard to Demura, Applicant argues that “flow rate adjusting device 76 is not a flowmeter that measures that flow rate of a fluid and the control valve 78 is not a check valve and clearly is not a check valve position in a flow channel proximate the output end of a flowmeter body that allows gas to flow through the flow channel from the input end to the output end and prevents gas flow through the flow channel from the input end to the output end and prevents gas flow through the flow channel from the output end to the input end, as claimed” (Response, page 10). However, flow rate adjusting device 76 of Demura meters flow (¶ [0039]) and is thus interpreted as “a flowmeter system” as recited in claim 10. Additionally, control valve 78 is provided at an output end of flow channel 74 and allows gas to flow from an input end to the output end of flow channel 74. At least when controlled to be closed, control valve 78 performs as check-valve by preventing gas from flowing from the output end to the input end of flow channel 74 (¶¶ [0039, 0044]).
Lastly, with regard to rejection of independent claim 16 in view of Park, Applicant asserts that “the Examiner’s statement that ‘blade 220 has a left curved segment 223 and a right curved segment 223 and curved segment 223’ has no meaning” (Response, page 12). However, as recited a few lines above that, on page 4 of the Office action sent 10 April 2026, Park et al. discloses “each radial member (220) includes a first curved segment (323) coupled to one end of the detecting portion (321) and a second curved segment (323) coupled to an opposite end of the detection portion (321).” This clear typographical error from curved segment “223” to “323” is corrected in the Office action above.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Erika J. Villaluna whose telephone number is (571)272-8348. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00 am - 5:30 pm.
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/ERIKA J. VILLALUNA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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