Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/744,507

SOLENOID VALVE AND COIL ASSEMBLY OF ELECTRONIC BRAKE SYSTEM

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Jun 14, 2024
Priority
Nov 14, 2023 — RE 10-2023-0157521
Examiner
LEWIS, TISHA D
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
HL Mando Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
97%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allowance Rate
1091 granted / 1244 resolved
+27.7% vs TC avg
Moderate +10% lift
Without
With
+9.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 2m
Avg Prosecution
33 currently pending
Career history
1270
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.8%
-39.2% vs TC avg
§103
34.8%
-5.2% vs TC avg
§102
26.8%
-13.2% vs TC avg
§112
30.7%
-9.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1244 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
DETAILED ACTION The following is a first action on the merits of application serial no. 18/744507 filed 6/14/2024. 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 . Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement filed 6/14/24 has been considered. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 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, 3, 8, 10, 14 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim 20210319947 in view of Park 6186603. As to claim 1, Kim discloses a coil assembly (120) of a solenoid valve (20) disposed in a bore (within 10) of a hydraulic block (10) having inlet flow (shown within side of 10 in Figure 2) and outlet flow paths (shown within bottom of 10 in Figure 2), the coil assembly comprising: a bobbin (110) having a through hole defined by an inner surface of the bobbin, the bobbin including a winding portion around which a coil is wound ([0047]); the coil wound around the winding portion of the bobbin to generate a magnetic force according to an electrical signal (via 50-130); a case (140), wherein at least a part of the bobbin is disposed inside the case; and a first heat transfer material ([0050]-[0051]) disposed between the top of hydraulic block (10) and the case (140) in which at least a part of the bobbin is disposed. However, Kim doesn’t explicitly disclose the material between a recessed portion formed at an end of the bore of the block and the case as recited. Park discloses a coil assembly (7a) of a solenoid valve (7) disposed in a bore (within 31) of a hydraulic block (31) and shows that it is well known in the art to provide a heat transfer material (50) disposed between a recessed portion formed at an end of the bore of the hydraulic block (multiple bores within 31 as shown in Figure 2) and a case (18) in which the coil assembly is disposed. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the heat transfer material in Kim between a recessed portion formed at end of block bore and bobbin case in view of Park to disperse heat generated from the solenoid valves effectively, thereby preventing damage of the coils during operation of assembly. As to claim 3, Kim discloses wherein the bobbin has a metal material ([0054]). As to claim 8, Kim discloses a solenoid valve (20) disposed in a bore (within 10) of a hydraulic block (10) having an inlet flow and outlet flow paths, the solenoid valve comprising: a magnet core (surrounding 220) disposed in the bore of the hydraulic block and having a through hole in the magnet core; a sleeve (230) coupled to an outer surface of the magnet core; an armature (220) disposed in the sleeve; a valve seat (surrounding 210) fixed in the through hole of the magnet core and including an orifice (210); a plunger (220 functions as plunger; [0045]) movably positioned in the through hole of the magnet core to open or close the orifice of the valve seat; a return spring (not reference, but shown between 210 and 220 in Figure 9) configured to press the plunger toward the armature; and a coil assembly (120) configured to provide a magnetic force to the armature, wherein the coil assembly comprises: a bobbin (110) having a through hole defined by an inner surface of the bobbin, the bobbin including a winding portion around which a coil is wound ([0047]); the coil wound around the winding portion of the bobbin to generate a magnetic force according to an electrical signal (via 50-130); a case (140), wherein at least a part of the bobbin is disposed inside the case; and a first heat transfer material ([0050]-[0051]) disposed between the top of hydraulic block (10) and the case (140) in which at least a part of the bobbin is disposed. However, Kim doesn’t explicitly disclose the material between a recessed portion formed at an end of the bore of the block and the case as recited. Park discloses a coil assembly (7a) of a solenoid valve (7) disposed in a bore (within 31) of a hydraulic block (31) and shows that it is well known in the art to provide a heat transfer material (50) disposed between a recessed portion formed at an end of the bore of the hydraulic block (multiple bores within 31 as shown in Figure 2) and a case (18) in which the coil assembly is disposed. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the heat transfer material in Kim between a recessed portion formed at end of block bore and bobbin case in view of Park to disperse heat generated from the solenoid valves effectively, thereby preventing damage of the coils during operation of assembly. As to claim 10, Kim discloses wherein the bobbin has a metal material ([0054]). As to claim 14, Kim discloses an electronic brake system ([0041]) comprising: a hydraulic block (10) in which a bore (within 10) provided with inlet flow and outlet flow paths are formed; a solenoid valve (20) disposed in the bore; and an electronic controller (40) configured to control to open or close the solenoid valve, wherein the solenoid valve comprises: a magnet core (surrounding 220) disposed in the bore of the hydraulic block and having a through hole in the magnet core; a sleeve (230) coupled to an outer surface of the magnet core; an armature (220) disposed in the sleeve; a valve seat (surrounding 210) fixed in the through hole of the magnet core and including an orifice (210); a plunger (220 functions as plunger; [0045]) movably positioned in the through hole of the magnet core to open or close the orifice of the valve seat; a return spring (not reference, but shown between 210 and 220 in Figure 9) configured to press the plunger toward the armature; and a coil assembly (120) configured to provide a magnetic force to the armature, wherein the coil assembly comprises: a bobbin (110) having a through hole defined by an inner surface of the bobbin, the bobbin including a winding portion around which a coil is wound ([0047]); the coil wound around the winding portion of the bobbin to generate a magnetic force according to an electrical signal (via 50-130); a case (140), wherein at least a part of the bobbin is disposed inside the case; and a first heat transfer material ([0050]-[0051]) disposed between the top of hydraulic block (10) and the case (140) in which at least a part of the bobbin is disposed. However, Kim doesn’t explicitly disclose the material between a recessed portion formed at an end of the bore of the block and the case as recited. Park discloses a coil assembly (7a) of a solenoid valve (7) disposed in a bore (within 31) of a hydraulic block (31) and shows that it is well known in the art to provide a heat transfer material (50) disposed between a recessed portion formed at an end of the bore of the hydraulic block (multiple bores within 31 as shown in Figure 2) and a case (18) in which the coil assembly is disposed. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the heat transfer material in Kim between a recessed portion formed at end of block bore and bobbin case in view of Park to disperse heat generated from the solenoid valves effectively, thereby preventing damage of the coils during operation of assembly. As to claim 16, Kim discloses wherein the bobbin has a metal material ([0054]). Claim(s) 2, 9 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Park as applied to claims 1, 8 and 14 above, and further in view of Jencks et al 4166262. Kim in view of Park discloses a heat transfer material (50 in Park) disposed between a recessed portion formed at an end of the bore of the hydraulic block (multiple bores within 31 as shown in Figure 2 in Park) and a case (18 in Park) in which the coil assembly is disposed, but doesn’t disclose that the material is a heat conductive resin as recited. Jencks discloses a coil assembly of a solenoid valve and shows that it is well known in the art to provide a heat transfer material (32; column 2, lines 55-65) between a coil assembly case (14) and a device surface (V-1) that is made of a heat conductive resin. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Kim in view of Park with a heat conductive resin further in view of Jencks to increase durability and reduce degrading of assembly during operation. Claim(s) 4, 11 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Park as applied to claims 1, 8 and 14 above, and further in view of Ohtani et al 4216454. Kim in view of Parks discloses a bobbin made of metal material ([0054 in Kim), but doesn’t explicitly disclose the material is aluminum or aluminum alloy as recited. Ohtani discloses a coil assembly of a solenoid and discloses that it is well known in the art to have a bobbin (16) made of aluminum (column 3, lines 62-65). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Kim in view of Park with an aluminum bobbin further in view of Ohtani to ensure excellent thermal resistance of assembly during operation. Claim(s) 5-7, 12, 13, 18 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Park as applied to claims 1, 8 and 14 above, and further in view of JP 201138630 (with machine translation and also IDS cited art). Kim in view of Park discloses a coil assembly within a case, but doesn’t disclose a heat transfer material disposed between the coil and an inner surface of the case. JP discloses a coil assembly of a solenoid valve and shows that it is well known in the art to provide a heat transfer material (35) between a coil (34) and an inner surface of a case (30), wherein the heat transfer material includes a heat conductive resin (abstract) and contacts the coil and the inner surface of the case (abstract) in which the material is provided as a gap pad contacting the coil and the inner surface of the case (as shown in Figure 1). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Kim in view of Park with a heat transfer material between the coil and case further in view of JP to disperse heat generated from the solenoid valves effectively, thereby preventing damage of the coils during operation of assembly. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. -Mueller et al 6048041 discloses a coil assembly of a solenoid valve and shows that it is well known in the art to provide a resin material (36) between an end bore of a valve block (12) and a case (26) of coil assembly (material is only heat resistance, not conductive). -DE 19725289 discloses a coil assembly of a solenoid and shows that it is well known in the art to provide a heat transfer material (19) between the coil case (23) and top of valve block (2). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TISHA D LEWIS whose telephone number is (571)272-7093. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 8:30am to 5:00pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anna M Momper can be reached at 571-270-5788. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. Tdl /TISHA D LEWIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619 July 10, 2026
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Prosecution Timeline

Jun 14, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 15, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
88%
Grant Probability
97%
With Interview (+9.5%)
2y 2m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1244 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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