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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 8, 11 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20040222325 A1(Regev).
As to claim 1, Regev ‘325 discloses a controllable valve unit (electrically controlled valve 84) configured to be positioned along an irrigation line (see fig.5), said controllable valve unit is configured to be selectively shiftable between a first open position and a second closed position thereby selectively controlling flow of irrigation therethrough (see paragraph [0041]), wherein said controllable valve unit comprises at least one magnet (permanent magnet shuttle 10), thereby enabling switching of said valve between said first open and said second closed positioned by selective application of magnetic field in its surroundings (see paragraph [0041]).
As to claim 3, Regev ‘325 discloses a controllable valve unit is configured to be placed downstream of a pressure reduction mechanism, thereby eliminating a need for holding full pressure by said valve unit (see fig.6).
As to claim 8, Regev ‘325 discloses a controllable valve unit configured as a two-state plunger valve, said two-state plunger valve comprises a shuttle carrying said at least one magnet and being configured to traverse between said first open position and said second closed position (see paragraph [0041]).
As to claim 11, Regev ‘325 discloses wherein the controllable valve unit maintains its positions for a predetermined period while not requiring power supply input (see paragraph [0041]).
As to claim 20, Regev ‘325 discloses a controllable valve unit (electrically controlled valve 84) for controlling fluid flow rate therethrough, the controllable valve unit comprises a housing, an input connector for accepting input flow (see fig.6), an output aperture (orifice 30) for outputting flow, and a moveable plunger (bolt 18, sliding gate 26 and permanent magnet shuttle 10); said moveable plunger is formed of at least one permanent magnet (permanent magnet shuttle 10) and is moveable between a first position defining a first effective fluid aperture, and a second position defining a second effective fluid aperture, different than the first effective fluid aperture (see paragraph [0041]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-19 are allowed.
Claims 2, 4-7, 9 and 10 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter claims 12-19: The prior art did not teach or suggest an irrigation dripper unit as claimed by the applicant, specifically an irrigation dripper unit wherein said controllable valve comprises a moveable sealing member moveable between at least a first open position and a second closed position; wherein said moveable sealing member carries at least one permanent magnet, thereby enabling selective shifting of said sealing member between said first open position and a second closed position by external magnetic field, together in combination with the other claimed features of applicant’s invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sibbel ‘827, Yoshikawa et al ‘333 and Soderlind ‘863 disclose irrigation control valves with magnetic operation.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN J GANEY whose telephone number is (571)272-4899. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arthur Hall can be reached at (571)270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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STEVEN J. GANEY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3752
/STEVEN J GANEY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752
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