DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-17 are pending, and claims 18-20 have been cancelled.
This action is in response to the amendment filed 7/28/2026.
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 7/28/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages filed 7/28/2026, with respect to the pending claims have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections of the previous pending claims have been withdrawn.
However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection for claims 8,9,12 and 13 are set forth due to indefiniteness in these claims.
Since the amendments necessitated the new grounds for rejections, this action has been made Non-Final.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-7,10,11 and 14-17 are allowable. The restriction requirement between species/inventions, as set forth in the Office action mailed on 7/15/2025, has been reconsidered in view of the allowability of claims to the elected invention pursuant to MPEP § 821.04(a). The restriction requirement is hereby withdrawn as to any claim that requires all the limitations of an allowable claim. Specifically, the restriction requirement of 7/15/2025 is fully withdrawn. Claims 3-9,12,13 and 15-17, directed to non-elected species are no longer withdrawn from consideration because the claim(s) requires all the limitations of an allowable claim. However, note the following 35 USC 112 rejections listed below regarding the rejoinder request for some of the claims.
In view of the above noted withdrawal of the restriction requirement, applicant is advised that if any claim presented in a divisional application is anticipated by, or includes all the limitations of, a claim that is allowable in the present application, such claim may be subject to provisional statutory and/or non-statutory double patenting rejections over the claims of the instant application.
Once a restriction requirement is withdrawn, the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 121 are no longer applicable. See In re Ziegler, 443 F.2d 1211, 1215, 170 USPQ 129, 131-32 (CCPA 1971). See also MPEP § 804.01.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: at least the numerals 710,910 and 1110 (any/all numbers in the drawings are to be mentioned in the specification).
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the limitations in claims 10 – 12, and, the “first surface” (claim 14) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 8, 9, 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, regards as the invention.
Claims 8, 9, 12 and 13 do not have support for the limitations recited in claims 8 and 12, when combined with the limitations in claim 1.
In claim 8, where the limitations in claim 1, are directed to, “all of the plurality of mounting holes on the mounting surface lie on a single axis that is parallel to and offset from a second axis passing through a center of the mounting surface”. There is no support for an additional four mounting holes that lie on a single axis.
The limitations in claim 12 are unclear as to what is intended to be defined by “a second one of the valve”? Additionally the limitations, in claim 12, are unclear as to how the second set of holes on “the mounting surface” also lie on a single axis?
It appears that embodiments are attempting to be mixed together with claim 1, that do not have support in the originally filed specification.
Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7,10,11 and 14-17 are allowed.
None of the prior art of record discloses or renders as obvious, “a plurality of mounting holes formed in the mounting surface, wherein all of the plurality of mounting holes on the mounting surface lie on a single axis that is parallel to and offset from a second axis passing through a center of the mounting surface, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis”, in combination with the rest of the limitations in claim 1.
None of the prior art of record discloses or renders as obvious, “the first surface having a first set of holes and consisting of a single alignment pin to align the plurality of mounting holes with the first set of holes, wherein openings of the first set of holes on the first surface of the mounting bracket and a base of the single alignment pin attached to the mounting bracket lie on the first surface of the mounting bracket; and a single alignment hole arranged in an asymmetric position on the mounting surface to receive the single alignment pin”, in combination with the rest of the limitations in claim 14.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Craig Price, whose telephone number is (571)272-2712 or via facsimile (571)273-2712. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:00AM-4:30PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Craig Schneider, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-3607, Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CRAIG J PRICE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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