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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I including claims 1-5, 7, 10, 17-18, 21-23, 25-26, 30, 32 and 36-37 in the reply filed on October 3, 2025 is acknowledged.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7, 10, 17, 18 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim 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. Claim 7 recites the limitation "the load passage" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 10, 17, 18 and 21 are rejected due to their dependance on claim 7.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim 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. Claim 10 recites the limitation "the inlet passages" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
(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 1-5, 7, 10, 22 and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(a)(2) as being anticipated by Edler et al., U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0195423.
As per claim 1, Edler et al. disclose a cartridge injector (10) (fig. 1) comprising:
a cartridge body (12) defining a central cavity (18) extending along an actuation axis (AL);
a poppet (60) [valve member] at least partially disposed within the cartridge body (12), the poppet (60) actuatable along the actuation axis between a first poppet position and a second poppet position (figs. 18A-D); and
a lubricant passage (54) (fig. 1) [valve passage] extending axially within the cartridge body (12) on the actuation axis, the lubricant passage (54) configured to provide a pathway for lubricant to flow between an inlet passage (14, 56, 100) [inlet, inlet chamber, radial passage] of the cartridge injector and an outlet passage (26, 24, 16) [delivery chamber inlet port, delivery chamber, outlet] of the cartridge injector.
As per claim 2, Edler et al. as set forth above, discloses the poppet (60) is configured to fluidly isolate the inlet passage (14) from the outlet passage (16) with the poppet in the first poppet position (figs. 18A, B) and with the poppet in the second poppet position (figs. 18C, D) (paras [0051, 0052]).
As per claim 3, Edler et al. as set forth above, discloses the poppet (30) is configured to fluidly isolate the inlet passage (14) from the outlet passage (16) with the poppet in any position intermediate the first poppet position and the second poppet position (paras [0051, 0052]).
As per claim 4, Edler et al. as set forth above, discloses the poppet (30) divides the lubricant passage (54) into a load passage (fig. E-1) fluidly connected to the inlet passage (56) and a dose passage (fig. E-1) fluidly connected to the outlet passage (24), and wherein the load passage is disposed coaxially with the dose passage on the actuation axis (AL) (fig. 1).
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As per claim 5, Edler et al. as set forth above, discloses no springs are disposed in the lubricant passage (54) (fig. 1).
As per claim 7, Edler et al. as set forth above, discloses the inlet passage (14) extends through the cartridge body (12) from an exterior of the cartridge body (12) (fig. 10) to the load passage (fig. E-1).
As per claim 10, Edler et al. as set forth above, discloses the inlet passages (100) are formed through an end shaft (98) [insert member] of the cartridge body, the end shaft (98) extending from a main body portion of the cartridge body, the end shaft (98) disposed coaxially (figs. 1, 14) with the actuation axis (AL).
As per claim 22, Edler et al. as set forth above, discloses a transfer passage (52) extending through the cartridge body (12) to the lubricant passage (54), the transfer passage (52) disposed axially between the inlet passage (100) and the outlet passage (16) (fig. 1).
As per claim 32, Edler et al. as set forth above, discloses the poppet (60) further comprises:
a meter shuttle (60) having a supply head (66B) [second plug section] (fig. 18A) at a first axial end of the meter shuttle, a dose head (66A) [first plug section] at a second axial end of the meter shuttle, and a shaft (near 64, fig. 18A) extending axially between the supply head (66B) and the dose head (66A);
wherein with the poppet (60) in the first poppet position (figs. 18A, B) the dose head (66a) seals the lubricant passage (54) at a location axially between a transfer passage (52) extending through the cartridge body to the lubricant passage (54) and the outlet passage (26, 24, 16) to fluidly disconnect the outlet passage and the transfer passage; and
wherein with the poppet (60) in the second poppet position (figs. 18C, D) the supply head (66B) seals the lubricant passage (54) at a location axially between the transfer passage (52) and the inlet passage (56) to fluidly disconnect the outlet passage and the transfer passage (paras [0050, 0051]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17, 18, 21, 23, 25, 26, 30, 36 and 37 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK KENNETH BUSE whose telephone number is (571)270-3139. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Victoria Augustine can be reached at 313 446-4858. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M.K.B/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/Victoria P Augustine/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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