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 Objections
Claim 9 depends from claim 7 which has been cancelled. The examiner has treated claim 9 as depending from claim 2, following the dependencies of previous claim sets.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1, 5-6, and 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Czabala (US Patent No. 5,916,349) in view of GB 2107830 (herein Balma) in view of Ribas et al (US Patent No. 8,257,061).
Czabala teaches:
limitations from claim 1, a compressor for providing compressed air for a vehicle compressed air system (this limitation is considered intended use, the prior art meets the structural limitations of the claim and therefore is capable of providing compressed air), the compressor comprising: an inlet chamber (leftmost chamber in FIG. 2, via valve 38) formed by an inlet chamber wall (wall of head 10; FIG. 2) and provided with an inlet opening (~38) for sucked-in air; an outlet chamber (rightmost chamber in FIG. 2, via valve 40) is formed by an outlet chamber wall (wall of head 10; FIG. 2) and provided with an outlet opening (~40) for air compressed by the compressor and a heat flow reduction device (29) which is configured to reduce at least one of a heat flow from a component of the compressor is connected to the inlet chamber wall to the sucked-in air in the inlet chamber and a heat flow from the compressed air in the outlet chamber to a component of the compressor is connected to the outlet chamber wall (C. 3 Line 66 through C. 4 Line 3); a compression space housing (18) which is configured such that the sucked-in air is compressed therein, wherein the heat flow reduction device has a second thermal insulation material (20) between at least one of the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall on one side and contacting the compression space housing on another side (FIG. 2-3; C. 3 Lines 52-54 and C. 4 Lines 4-23); a connector portion (head 10) for the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber, and a valve plate (12) between the connector portion and a compression space housing (FIG. 2-3);
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Czabala teaches projecting regions extending at the outside of the valve plate, but these regions do not extend outward from the other components;
However, Balma teaches a compressor (FIG. 1) having an inlet/outlet connector housing (4), valve plate (5), and compression space housing (1); wherein, as a heat flow reduction device, the valve plate has a region on each end which projects outward from the connector portion and the compression space housing (fins 6 extending from valve plate 12; see FIG. 1 and FIG. 5; Page 2 C. 1 Lines 4-9);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of compressors at the time the invention was filed to provide fins on the valve plate of Czabala, as taught by Balma, in order to further remove heat from the compressor during operation (see Page 2 C. 2 Lines 90-94 of Balma).
Czabala teaches a contact surface (where head 10 and valve plate 12 meet, including some level of cutout as shown in the annotated Figure above), but does not explicitly teach that the cutout reduces a cross-sectional area as claimed;
However, Ribas teaches a compressor (FIG. 3, 7 for example) including a connector housing (10), compression housing (2), and valve plate (7); and wherein cutouts of the connector housing wall portions form an air gap at a connection surface of the connector housing and valve plate such that a cross-section at the surface is reduced (20; FIG. 7; C. 5 Lines 7-18);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of compressors at the time the invention was filed to provide cutouts in the compressor of Czabala, as taught by Ribas, in order to further reduce heat transfer between the compressed gas and other compressor components (C. 5 Lines 15-18).
Czabala further teaches:
limitations from claim 5, further comprising: the compressor having a connector portion (portions of head 10 between the chambers) for the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber, and a valve plate (12) between the connector portion and the compression space housing (see FIG. 2), wherein the valve plate forms a portion of the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall (the bottoms of each chamber in head 10 are open and abut plate 12; FIG. 2), and wherein the heat flow reduction device (29) has a first thermal insulation material (29) at least between one of the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall on one side and the valve plate on the other side (FIG. 2; C. 3 Line 66 through C. 4 Line 3);
limitations from claim 6, wherein the first thermal insulation material (29) is provided between both the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall on one side and the valve plate on the other side (see FIG. 2-3);
limitations from claim 11, wherein the region which projects from the compression space housing is configured to act as a cooling fin (the projecting regions as shown in annotated FIG. 2 above, are connected to heat producing components 12, 18, 10 and are open to ambient air, therefore at least some level of cooling effect is inherent);
limitations from claim 12, wherein a cross-sectional area of the inlet chamber, in a region of the inlet valve (38) corresponding approximately to a cross-sectional area of a component of the inlet valve in the inlet chamber configured as the heat flow reduction device (barrier 29, in the circled area of FIG. 2 annotated below, which approximately corresponds to the valve at 38);
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limitations from claim 13, wherein a cross-sectional area of the outlet chamber, in a region of the outlet valve (40) corresponding approximately to a cross-sectional area of a component of the outlet valve in the outlet chamber configured as the heat flow reduction device (barrier 29, in the circled area of FIG. 2 annotated below, which approximately corresponds to the valve at 40);
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limitations from claim 14, further comprising a portion, axially adjoining the inlet opening, of the inlet chamber, wherein a cross-sectional area which corresponds approximately to a cross-sectional area of the inlet opening is configured as the heat flow reduction device (barrier 29, in the circled area of FIG. 2 annotated below, which approximately corresponds to the opening at 38);
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limitations from claim 15, further comprising a portion, axially adjoining the outlet opening, of the outlet chamber having, wherein a cross-sectional area which corresponds approximately to a cross-sectional area of the outlet opening is configured as the heat flow reduction device (barrier 29, in the circled area of FIG. 2 annotated below, which approximately corresponds to the opening at 40);
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Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US Patent No. 5,288,212) in view of in view of Ribas et al (US Patent No. 8,257,061) in view of GB 2107830 (herein Balma).
Lee teaches:
limitations from claim 1, a compressor for providing compressed air for a vehicle compressed air system (this limitation is considered intended use, the prior art meets the structural limitations of the claim and therefore is capable of providing compressed air), the compressor comprising: an inlet chamber (within chamber 30) formed by an inlet chamber wall (30) and provided with an inlet opening (33 to 13a) for sucked-in air; an outlet chamber (S’ within chamber 31) is formed by an outlet chamber wall (31) and provided with an outlet opening (13b to the hole in base 15 leading to silencer 19) for air compressed by the compressor and a heat flow reduction device which is configured to reduce at least one of a heat flow from a component of the compressor is connected to the inlet chamber wall to the sucked-in air in the inlet chamber and a heat flow from the compressed air in the outlet chamber to a component of the compressor is connected to the outlet chamber wall (the space “C” between walls 30 and 31 for example; C. 6 Lines 54-58); a connector portion (15) for the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber, and a valve plate (~10-14) between the connector portion and a compression space housing (FIG. 4);
Lee teaches that the compressor includes a compression space housing (6) which is configured such that the sucked-in air is compressed therein, but does not teach a second thermal insulation material between the inlet/outlet chamber wall on one side and contacting the compression space housing on another side or that a cutout reduces a cross-sectional area as claimed;
However, Ribas teaches a compressor (FIG. 3, 7 for example) including a connector housing (10), compression housing (2), and valve plate (7); and wherein cutouts of the connector housing wall portions form an air gap at a connection surface of the connector housing and valve plate such that a cross-section at the surface is reduced (20; FIG. 7; C. 5 Lines 7-18), and wherein an insulation material (9) between the connector housing and the compression housing (C. 4 Lines 65-67);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of compressors at the time the invention was filed to provide cutouts and thermal insulation materials in the compressor of Lee, as taught by Ribas, in order to further reduce heat transfer between the compressed gas and other compressor components (C. 5 Lines 15-18).
Lee does not teach valve plate regions that extend outward from the other components;
However, Balma teaches a compressor (FIG. 1) having an inlet/outlet connector housing (4), valve plate (5), and compression space housing (1); wherein, as a heat flow reduction device, the valve plate has a region on each end which projects outward from the connector portion and the compression space housing (fins 6 extending from valve plate 12; see FIG. 1 and FIG. 5; Page 2 C. 1 Lines 4-9);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of compressors at the time the invention was filed to provide fins on the valve plate of Lee, as taught by Balma, in order to further remove heat from the compressor during operation (see Page 2 C. 2 Lines 90-94 of Balma).
Lee further teaches:
limitations from claim 2, wherein the heat flow reduction device has at least parts of the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall configured such that a first air gap (C) is configured between two opposite surfaces of the outlet chamber wall and the inlet chamber wall (see FIG. 4; C. 6 Lines 54-58);
limitations from claim 3, wherein the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall are configured as separate components (covers 30 and 31; C. 5 Lines 5-9);
limitations from claim 5, further comprising: the compressor having a connector portion for the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber (the chambers (within 30 and 31 are connected at least through the cylinder 6 and valve components 10-12), a compression space housing (6) configured such that the sucked-in air is compressed therein, and a valve plate (15) between the connector portion and the compression space housing (see FIG. 4), wherein the valve plate forms a portion of the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall (bottom portions of 30-31 as seen in FIG. 4), and wherein the heat flow reduction device has a first thermal insulation material (32) at least between one of the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall on one side and the valve plate on the other side (FIG. 4; C. 6 Lines 29-35);
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lindell et al (US Patent No. 3,986,798) in view of Ribas et al (US Patent No. 8,257,061) in view of GB 2107830 (herein Balma).
Lindell teaches:
limitations from claim 1, a compressor for providing compressed air for a vehicle compressed air system (this limitation is considered intended use, the prior art meets the structural limitations of the claim and therefore is capable of providing compressed air), the compressor comprising: an inlet chamber (16) formed by an inlet chamber wall and provided with an inlet opening (14) for sucked-in air; an outlet chamber (8) is formed by an outlet chamber wall and provided with an outlet opening (18) for air compressed by the compressor and a heat flow reduction device which is configured to reduce at least one of a heat flow from a component of the compressor is connected to the inlet chamber wall to the sucked-in air in the inlet chamber and a heat flow from the compressed air in the outlet chamber to a component of the compressor is connected to the outlet chamber wall (fins 24 and the gaps therebetween); a connector portion (1, 5) for the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber, and a valve plate (4) between the connector portion and a compression space housing (1; FIG. 1);
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Lindell teaches that the compressor includes a compression space housing (1) which is configured such that the sucked-in air is compressed therein, but does not teach cutouts as claimed or a second thermal insulation material between the inlet/outlet chamber wall on one side and contacting the compression space housing on another side;
However, Ribas teaches a compressor (FIG. 3, 7 for example) including a connector housing (10), compression housing (2), and valve plate (7); and wherein cutouts of the connector housing wall portions form an air gap at a connection surface of the connector housing and valve plate such that a cross-section at the surface is reduced (20; FIG. 7; C. 5 Lines 7-18), and wherein an insulation material (9) between the connector housing and the compression housing (C. 4 Lines 65-67);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of compressors at the time the invention was filed to provide cutouts and thermal insulation materials in the compressor of Lindell, as taught by Ribas, in order to further reduce heat transfer between the compressed gas and other compressor components (C. 5 Lines 15-18).
Lindell teaches valve plate regions that extend outward from the other components (see outer portions of plate 4 in FIG. 1), but does not explicitly teach these components as part of the heat flow reduction device;
However, Balma teaches a compressor (FIG. 1) having an inlet/outlet connector housing (4), valve plate (5), and compression space housing (1); wherein, as a heat flow reduction device, the valve plate has a region on each end which projects outward from the connector portion and the compression space housing (fins 6 extending from valve plate 12; see FIG. 1 and FIG. 5; Page 2 C. 1 Lines 4-9);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of compressors at the time the invention was filed to provide fins on the valve plate of Lindell, as taught by Balma, in order to further remove heat from the compressor during operation (see Page 2 C. 2 Lines 90-94 of Balma).
Lindell further teaches:
limitations from claim 2, wherein the heat flow reduction device has at least parts of the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall configured such that a first air gap (between fins 24) is configured between two opposite surfaces of the outlet chamber wall and the inlet chamber wall (see FIG. 1);
limitations from claim 4, wherein the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall are formed integrally (FIG. 1), and the first air gap is configured such a way that the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall are spaced apart from one another at least partially (via the fins and gaps therebetween, see FIG. 1 annotated above);
limitations from claim 9, further comprising: the compressor having a second contact surface being formed between the compression space housing on one side and the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall on the other side, wherein the heat flow reduction device has, in at least one of the inlet chamber wall, the outlet chamber wall and the compression space housing, next to the second contact surface, a second cutout which is configured such that a third air gap is formed next to the second contact surface (see annotated FIG. 1 below);
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Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Spurny et al (US Patent No. 6,016,833) in view of Czabala (US Patent No. 5,916,349) in view of GB 2107830 (herein Balma) in view of Ribas et al (US Patent No. 8,257,061).
Spurny teaches:
limitations from claim 16, a vehicle compressed air system (C. 1 Lines 7-12 for example), having a piston compressor (C. 2 Lines 5-6 teaching a piston compressor);
Spurny teaches specifics of a valve plate, but does not teach the limitations of claim 1, including the heat-flow-reduction components of the compressor head;
Czabala teaches:
limitations from claim 16, a compressor for providing compressed air for a vehicle compressed air system (this limitation is considered intended use, the prior art meets the structural limitations of the claim and therefore is capable of providing compressed air), the compressor comprising: an inlet chamber (leftmost chamber in FIG. 2, via valve 38) formed by an inlet chamber wall (wall of head 10; FIG. 2) and provided with an inlet opening (~38) for sucked-in air; an outlet chamber (rightmost chamber in FIG. 2, via valve 40) is formed by an outlet chamber wall (wall of head 10; FIG. 2) and provided with an outlet opening (~40) for air compressed by the compressor and a heat flow reduction device (29) which is configured to reduce at least one of a heat flow from a component of the compressor is connected to the inlet chamber wall to the sucked-in air in the inlet chamber and a heat flow from the compressed air in the outlet chamber to a component of the compressor is connected to the outlet chamber wall (C. 3 Line 66 through C. 4 Line 3); a compression space housing (18) which is configured such that the sucked-in air is compressed therein, wherein the heat flow reduction device has a second thermal insulation material (20) between at least one of the inlet chamber wall and the outlet chamber wall on one side and contacting the compression space housing on another side (FIG. 2-3; C. 3 Lines 52-54 and C. 4 Lines 4-23); a connector portion (head 10) for the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber, and a valve plate (12) between the connector portion and a compression space housing (FIG. 2-3);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of compressors at the time the invention was filed to provide a heat-insulating compressor head taught by Czabala in the automotive system of Spurny, in order to reduce the transfer of heat to unwanted portions of the compressor (see C. 2 Lines 1-25 of Czabala);
Czabala teaches projecting regions extending at the outside of the valve plate, but these regions do not extend outward from the other components;
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However, Balma teaches a compressor (FIG. 1) having an inlet/outlet connector housing (4), valve plate (5), and compression space housing (1); wherein, as a heat flow reduction device, the valve plate has a region on each end which projects outward from the connector portion and the compression space housing (fins 6 extending from valve plate 12; see FIG. 1 and FIG. 5; Page 2 C. 1 Lines 4-9);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of compressors at the time the invention was filed to provide fins on the valve plate of Czabala, as taught by Balma, in order to further remove heat from the compressor during operation (see Page 2 C. 2 Lines 90-94 of Balma).
Czabala teaches a contact surface (where head 10 and valve plate 12 meet, including some level of cutout as shown in the annotated Figure above), but does not explicitly teach that the cutout reduces a cross-sectional area as claimed;
However, Ribas teaches a compressor (FIG. 3, 7 for example) including a connector housing (10), compression housing (2), and valve plate (7); and wherein cutouts of the connector housing wall portions form an air gap at a connection surface of the connector housing and valve plate such that a cross-section at the surface is reduced (20; FIG. 7; C. 5 Lines 7-18);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of compressors at the time the invention was filed to provide cutouts in the compressor of Czabala, as taught by Ribas, in order to further reduce heat transfer between the compressed gas and other compressor components (C. 5 Lines 15-18).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see response, filed 03/19/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-6, 9, and 11-16 under Lindell, Czabala, Lee, and Spurny have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Ribas, which teaches cutouts at a connection surface between the cylinder head and valve plate in order to reduce heat transfer.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 CHRISTOPHER S BOBISH whose telephone number is (571)270-5289. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Essama Omgba can be reached at 469-295-9278. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER S BOBISH/Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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