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
Applicant's arguments filed 09/23/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that prior art Theuβl does not disclose the limitation “a first position. . . valve body is arranged in contact with a valve seat.” The Examiner disagrees. As seen in Fig. 1, the valve body, 8, associated with the outlet, 6, is in contact with valve opening, 7, which has a seat in which fluid is prevented from entering. Therefore, Theuβl does disclose “a first position. . . valve body is arranged in contact with a valve seat.” Please note that in Fig. 2, the valve body, 8, associated with the outlet, 5, also corresponds to “a first position. . . valve body is arranged in contact with a valve seat.”
Applicant also argues that prior art Theuβl does not disclose the limitation “a second position. . . valve body is spaced apart from the valve seat.” Similar to the response above as seen in Fig. 2, the valve body, 8, associated with the outlet, 6, is not contact with valve opening, 7, which as evidence by the flow of fluid entering the outlet, 6. Therefore, Theuβl does disclose “a second position. . . valve body is spaced apart from the valve seat.” Please note that in Fig. 1, the valve body, 8, associated with the outlet, 5, also corresponds to “a second position. . . valve body is spaced apart from the valve seat.”
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) 1–18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Theuβl et al. (AT 17071 U1).
Regarding Claim 1, Theuβl et al. discloses a system for monitoring a position of a valve body (8) in a valve unit for a coolant circuit of an at least partially electrically powered vehicle, the system comprising: a valve housing (2) for accommodating a valve body (Fig. 1), wherein the valve body is configured to be transferable in the valve housing between a first position (Fig. 1), in which the valve body is arranged in contact with a valve seat (13) and closes the valve unit, and a second position (Fig.2), in which the valve body is spaced apart from the valve seat and the valve unit is at least partially open, a piston rod (12) for transmitting a drive movement to the valve body, wherein the piston rod comprises a recess (14) for accommodating a permanent magnet (9), and a sensor unit (10) arranged fixedly in relation to the valve seat and configured to detect a position of a permanent magnet accommodated in the recess of the piston rod (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 2, Theuβl et al. discloses the transfer of the valve body (8) in the valve housing (2) between a first position and a second position takes place in the direction of a piston rod longitudinal axis (21) as seen in Figs. 1–2.
Regarding Claim 3, Theuβl et al. discloses the valve body (8) and the recess (Theuβl Annotated Fig. 3) are arranged spaced apart from each other in the direction of the piston rod (12) longitudinal axis (21), Fig. 4.
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Figure 1 - Theuβl Annotated Fig. 3
Regarding Claim 4, Theuβl et al. discloses a distance between the valve body (8) and the recess (Theuβl Annotated Fig. 3) in the direction of the piston rod (12) longitudinal axis (21) is greater than a diameter of the valve body (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 5, Theuβl et al. discloses the recess (Theuβl Annotated Fig. 3) is arranged radially spaced with respect to a piston rod (12) longitudinal axis (21) and facing a side wall of the valve housing (2), Fig. 3.
Regarding Claims 6–7, Theuβl et al. discloses the recess comprises a latching mechanism for fixing a permanent magnet wherein the latching mechanism comprises a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm for gripping around a permanent magnet (Theuβl Annotated Fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 8, Theuβl et al. discloses the valve housing (2) comprises a bearing element (Fig. 1, where the bearing element is bounded by element 11 and surrounds the piston rod) for axially guiding the piston rod (12) when transferring between a first position and a second position (Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 9, Theuβl et al. discloses an anti-rotation device for preventing rotation of the piston rod relative to the valve housing (Para. 32).
Regarding Claim 10, Theuβl et al. discloses the anti-rotation device comprises a guide means (See Claim 13 for the details) for guiding the recess when transferring the valve body (8) between a first position and a second position (Fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 11, Theuβl et al. discloses the latching mechanism comprises a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm (Theuβl Annotated Fig. 3) for gripping around a permanent magnet (9), and wherein the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm (Theuβl Annotated Fig. 3) are configured to slide on the guide means when transferring the valve body between a first position (Fig. 1) and a second position (Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 12, Theuβl et al. discloses the guide means comprises a first guide arm and a second guide arm, wherein the first guide arm and the second guide arm (Theuβl Annotated Fig. 3) axially guide the recess (See Figs. 1–2 where the magnet slides from the bottom to the top).
Regarding Claim 13, Theuβl et al. discloses the anti-rotation device (14) is arranged on the bearing element, wherein the piston rod is configured to be non-rotatable in relation to the bearing element.
Regarding Claim 14, Theuβl et al. discloses the sensor unit (10) comprises a Hall sensor (Para. 37).
Regarding Claim 15, Theuβl et al. discloses the valve housing (3) comprises a housing for the recess of the sensor unit (10) and a control electronics for the system, wherein the housing is arranged directly adjacent to a side wall of the valve housing (Para. 23), Fig. 1.
Regarding Claim 16, Theuβl et al. discloses valve unit for a coolant circuit of an at least partially electrically driven vehicle, comprising a system according to claim 1 (Para. 1).
Regarding Claim 17, Theuβl et al. discloses comprising a control valve or a changeover valve (Figs. 1–4).
Regarding Claim 18, Theuβl et al. discloses a vehicle comprising a system according to claim 1 (Para. 1).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 Angelisa L. Hicks whose telephone number is 571-272-9552. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9:30AM-5:00PM EST).
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/Angelisa L. Hicks/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3753