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 .
Preliminary Amendment
Receipt is acknowledged of the preliminary amendment filed on 02/16/2024.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract is too long and contains at least one of the phrases that can be implied, such as the phrase “disclosed herein”. Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: the title is not descriptive. A new title that would include the inventive features of the claimed invention is respectfully requested.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites “a valve chamber (23)”, “constriction (24)”, and “valve chamber (24)” without explaining whether these limitations refer to the same element or different ones.
The claim discloses “pressure sensor assembly (7)” to “determine the dynamic air pressure from a measured static air pressure and a measured total air pressure”, to measure “the static air pressure at the constriction of the air flowing through the tubular pipe body”, and to measure “the total air pressure” without explaining whether the assembly comprises multiple different devices for performing the corresponding functions or a single device for performing the different functions. Further clarification is respectfully requested.
Claims 2-14 are rejected as being dependent on the rejected base claim.
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.
Claims 1 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lyons (Pat. No. US 6,742,539) (hereafter Lyons).
Regarding claim 1, Lyons teaches a valve arrangement (1) for controlling airflow and for determining air pressure, wherein the valve arrangement (1) comprises:
a. a pressure sensor assembly (7) configured to determine the dynamic air pressure from a measured static air pressure and a measured total air pressure (i.e., a pressure measuring means, such as a transducer (not shown) could similarly engage another port 52 to sense the pressure level of fluid 66 traveling through passage 48. Therefore, there is essentially no time delay from the instant the pressure measuring means sends an electrical signal to control apparatus 88, to the time control apparatus 88 sends an electrical signal to a pressure regulating means which is contained within control apparatus 88 to move valve member 56 to control fluid flow through valve 30) (see Column 14, lines 23-60);
b. a tubular pipe body (2) comprising
a first opening (21) (i.e., inlet 42) (see Fig. 4) and a second opening (22) (i.e., outlet 44) (see Fig. 4) and defining a valve chamber (23) (i.e., flow passage 37) (see Fig. 4) between the first opening and the second opening,
wherein the tubular pipe body (2) defines a constriction (24) of the valve chamber (23) between the first opening (21) and the second opening (22) along a longitudinal direction (LO) of the tubular pipe body (2) (i.e., valve seat 58) (see Fig. 4),
wherein the tubular body (2) comprises a static pressure chamber (25) in fluidic communication with the pressure sensor assembly (i.e., a pressure measuring means, such as a transducer (not shown) could similarly engage another port 52 to sense the pressure level of fluid 66 traveling through passage 48. Therefore, there is essentially no time delay from the instant the pressure measuring means sends an electrical signal to control apparatus 88, to the time control apparatus 88 sends an electrical signal to a pressure regulating means which is contained within control apparatus 88 to move valve member 56 to control fluid flow through valve 30) (see Fig. 4),
wherein the static pressure chamber (25) is configured such that the static air pressure at the constriction of the air flowing through the tubular pipe body is measured by the pressure sensor assembly (i.e., a pressure measuring means, such as a transducer (not shown) could similarly engage another port 52 to sense the pressure level of fluid 66 traveling through passage 48. Therefore, there is essentially no time delay from the instant the pressure measuring means sends an electrical signal to control apparatus 88, to the time control apparatus 88 sends an electrical signal to a pressure regulating means which is contained within control apparatus 88 to move valve member 56 to control fluid flow through valve 30) (see Fig. 4);
c. a first support element (31) (i.e., support structure 38) (see Fig. 4) and a second support element (32) (i.e., control body 36 defines a preferably circular conical portion 45 terminating in a rounded leading end 41) (see Fig. 4), wherein the first support element (31) and the second support element (32) are arranged in the valve chamber (23) between the first opening (21) and the second opening (22) (i.e., support structure 38 includes control body 36 which extends in both directions, preferably along central axis 40, for directing working fluid 66 therearound. Extending from support structure 38 in a direction toward inlet 42) (see Fig. 4),
wherein the first support element (31) and the second support element (32) each extend transversely through the valve chamber (24) (i.e., support structure 38 includes control body 36 extend perpendicular to the central axis 40) (see Fig. 4),
wherein the first support element (31) and/or the second support element (32) comprises one or more air channels (33) (i.e., support structure passages 48) (see Fig. 5) being in fluidic communication with the pressure sensor assembly (i.e., via support structure ports 52) (see Fig. 5),
wherein the one or more air channels are configured such that the total air pressure is measured by the pressure sensor assembly (i.e., control of second valve 114 is based on comparative fluid parameter readings, such as pressure, from another location, using a measuring device such as downstream transducer 116, which conveys an electrical signal through line 113 to control apparatus 88 which then instructs valve 114 to actuate through electrical connection 117) (see Column 16, lines 32-46); and
d. a valve body (4) being movably arranged in the valve chamber (23) (i.e., pressure of working fluid 66 in the pipeline can be sensed at support structure 38 using any one of ports 52, preferably located at the center of valve 30. A flow measuring means 111, such as a transducer, may engage port 52 to sense fluid 66 travelling through passage 48. Flow measuring means 111 may then send an electrical signal through electrical connection 88e to control apparatus 88. Simultaneously, a pressure measuring means, such as a transducer (not shown) could similarly engage another port 52 to sense the pressure level of fluid 66 traveling through passage 48) (see Column 14, lines 23-60),
wherein the valve body (4) is configured such that the valve body (4) is movable towards the constriction (24) upon which air flow through the tubular pipe body (2) is decreased (i.e., valve member 56 is carried by control body 36 for being shifted by driven movement along an axis in control body 36 relatively toward and away from valve seat 58) (see Column 7, lines 11-24).
Regarding claim 12, Lyons teaches a ventilation unit comprising a valve arrangement (1) according to claim 1 and a first ventilation tube being connected to the first opening (21) of the tubular pipe body (2) (i.e., via inlet 46) (see Fig. 4) and a second ventilation tube being connected to the second opening (22) of the tubular pipe body (2) (i.e., via outlet 44) (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 13, Lyons teaches a method for determining the air pressure of an air flow, in particular the dynamic air pressure of an air flow, comprising: providing a valve arrangement (1) according to claim 1; measuring the static pressure of the air flow at the constriction with the pressure sensor assembly (7) (i.e., a pressure measuring means, such as a transducer (not shown) could similarly engage another port 52 to sense the pressure level of fluid 66 traveling through passage 48) (see Column 14, lines 23-60); measuring the total air pressure of the air flow with the pressure sensor assembly (7) (i.e., a measuring device such as downstream transducer 116, which conveys an electrical signal through line 113 to control apparatus 88) (see Column 16, lines 32-46).
Regarding claim 14, Lyons teaches that the dynamic air pressure is determined by a difference between the measured total air pressure and the measured static pressure (i.e., control of second valve 114 is based on comparative fluid parameter readings, such as pressure, from another location, using a measuring device such as downstream transducer 116, which conveys an electrical signal through line 113 to control apparatus 88 which then instructs valve 114 to actuate through electrical connection 117) (see Column 16, lines 32-46).
Claims 2-11 are objected to as being dependent on the rejected base claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: see PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRAN M. TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-0307. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 11:30am - 7:00pm.
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/Tran M. Tran/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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