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 § 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 and 7–9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Minervini et al. (USPN 7647940 B2) in view of Nolle et al. (USPN 8332179 B2).
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Figure 1 - Minervini Annotated Fig. 12A
Regarding Claim 1, Minervini discloses a pneumatic valve arrangement (10/20) comprising: at least two solenoid valves (Valve 1/ Valve 2), and at least two process valves (Process valve 1/Process valve 2), the process valves (Process valve 1/Process valve 2) each including a working piston (Minervini Annotated Fig. 12A) which delimits a pressure chamber (Minervini Annotated Fig. 12A), the solenoid valves (Valve 1/ Valve 2) being each set up to open or close a flow path from a pressure source (Fig. 12A, where the pressure source is the supply air) to an associated process valve (Process valve 1/Process valve 2) to apply a working medium on the pressure chamber (Minervini Annotated Fig. 12A) of the associated process valve (Process valve 1/Process valve 2) to open and/or close (Col. 10, Lines 43–55, where the controller is capable of positioning the process valve in either the open/closed position) the process valve (Process valve 1/Process valve 2), each process valve (Process valve 1/Process valve 2) including a position measuring system (Col. 1, Line 63–Col. 2, Line 1) which is set up to continuously detect an open position (Col. 10, Lines 29–30, where a Hall Effect sensor can be used to determine the position and where magnetic waves are continuous and as a result the sensor Hall Effect sensor can continuously monitor the position) of the process valve (Process valve 1/Process valve 2) but does not disclose a valve island having at least two solenoid valves or the position measuring systems of the at least two process valves via one single digital communication interface arranged on the valve island.
Nolle teaches a valve island (11a/b) including a control unit (12) which is communicatively connected to the position measuring systems (65).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the utility of Minervini to be an integrated valve positioner and solenoid valve for an electropneumatic hybrid drive of Noelle so that the integrated valve positioner and solenoid valve of Minervini performs the integrated valve positioner and solenoid valve in the electropneumatic hybrid drive of Noelle.
Per the Minervini–Noelle combination Minervini’s pneumatic valve arrangement (Minervini Figs. 12A/B) replaces each of Noelle’s valve modules (Noelle 16) and fluid power elements (Noelle 17).
The Minervini–Noelle combination teaches the valve island (Noelle 11a/b) including a control unit (Noelle 12) which is communicatively connected to the position measuring systems (Minervini Col. 1, Line 63–Col. 2, Line 1) of the at least two process valves (Minervini Process valve 1/Process valve 2) via one single digital communication interface (Noelle 12) arranged on the valve island (Noelle 11a/b).
Regarding Claim 2, the Minervini–Noelle combination teaches the position measuring system (Minervini Col. 1, Line 63–Col. 2, Line 1) is set up to detect the position of the working piston (Minervini Annotated Fig. 12A and Col. 7, Lines 11–16, where the mechanical component is the working piston).
Regarding Claim 3, the Minervini–Noelle combination teaches each process valve (Minervini Process valve 1/Process valve 2) comprises a monitoring unit (Minervini 414) in which the data measured by the position measuring system (Minervini Col. 1, Line 63–Col. 2, Line 1) are recorded, the control unit (Noelle 12) of the valve island (Noelle 11a/b) being communicatively connected to the monitoring unit (Minervini 414) via the digital communication interface (Noelle Col. 5, Lines 22–30, Where digital connection corresponds to wireless communication and where Noelle discusses the communication interface being wired or wireless. As a result, Minervini’s 414 monitoring unit is digitally connected to Noelle’s control unit 12).
Regarding Claim 4, the Minervini–Noelle combination teaches each process valve (Minervini Process valve 1/Process valve 2) comprises a pressure sensor (Minervini 46) which is connected in a signaling manner to the monitoring unit (Minervini 414), as described in Minervini Col. 11, Lines 55–58 which discloses the controller (valve controller) monitoring the pressure sensor signals.
Regarding Claim 5, the Minervini–Noelle combination teaches the control unit (Noelle 12) is set up to determine the pressure required to fully open the process valve (Minervini Process valve 1/Process valve 2) based on the valve position detected by the position measuring system (Minervini Col. 1, Line 63–Col. 2, Line 1) and the pressure detected by the pressure sensor (Minervini 46).
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Figure 2 - Noelle Annotated Fig. 1
Regarding Claim 7, the Minervini–Noelle combination teaches each process valve (Minervini Process valve 1/Process valve 2) comprises an optical signaling unit (Minervini 24) and in that the monitoring unit (Minervini 414) is set up to drive the optical signaling unit (Minervini 24) to visualize a valve state (Minervini Col. 7, Lines 17–20 which discusses the optical signaling unit/position indicator operatively connected to the valve controller. Because the monitoring unit is a part of the valve controller the optical signaling unit/position indicator the Minervini–Noelle combination teaches the limitations herein).
Regarding Claim 8, the Minervini–Noelle combination teaches starting from the communication interface (Noelle 12) of the valve island (Noelle 11a/b), one single main cable (Noelle Fig. 1 and Col. 5, Lines 22–30 where a main cable/bus is used to connect the communication interface to the valve island) runs to the process valves (Minervini Process valve 1/Process valve 2), secondary cables (Noelle Annotated Fig. 1) branching off from the main cable (Noelle Fig. 1 and Col. 5, Lines 22–30 where a main cable/bus is used to connect the communication interface to the valve island) to the process valves (Minervini Process valve 1/Process valve 2).
Regarding Claim 9, the Minervini–Noelle combination teaches the secondary cables (Noelle Annotated Fig. 1) are electronically connected to the main cable T-plugs (Noelle Annotated Fig. 1).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Minervini et al. (USPN 7647940 B2) in view of Nolle et al. (USPN 8332179 B2) in further view of Friman et al. (US PGPub 20220333714 A1).
Regarding Claim 6, the Minervini–Noelle combination teaches the control unit (Noelle 12) but does not specifically teach the control unit set up to deduce a leakage based on the pressure measured in the pressure chamber. Minervini discloses that their invention is used to conduct diagnostics to prevent valve failure (Col. 15, Lines 15–30). This would include leakage, as leakage leads to valve failure.
Friman teaches a control unit (5 and Para. 54, where the control unit is the remote computing component) that controls the valve positioner apparatus which includes input from the pressure sensor (PS ) and the position sensor (22) as explained in paragraphs 46 and 49, and is also represented in Fig. 1. Friman teaches this limitation in order to prevent damage to the actuating system which ultimately causes valve failure (Para. 57).
Thus, the control unit (Noelle 12) is set up to deduce a leakage based on the pressure measured (Friman Paras. 57–58) in the pressure chamber (Minervini Annotated Fig. 12A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the control unit of the Minervini–Noelle combination with a capability to determine leakage using pressure as taught by Friman in order to valve failure.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Thompson et al. (US PGPub 20200132219 A1) teaches a pneumatic valve with a position sensor.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Angelisa L. Hicks whose telephone number is 571-272-9552 and email is Angelisa.Hicks@USPTO.gov. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9:30AM-5:00PM EST).
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/Angelisa L. Hicks/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3753