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 .
Response to Amendment
This action is responsive to the amendment dated 7/29/2026. Claims 1-4 and 7-8 remain pending. Claims 7-8 are newly presented. Any new ground(s) of rejection below have been made due to applicant’s amendment. This action is Final.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required: there is no description currently in the specification for the amended language of the reservoir space width in claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code 102 not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 3, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Parks et al. (U.S. 1,556,804).
Parks discloses a cooling module comprising: a manifold (50, 70) to which a valve (57) configured to control flow of a fluid by rotation about a rotational axis of the valve (the vertical axis in figs. 3 and 6-7) is attached and in which a fluid flow path (such as a path through, for example, 83, or another flow path such as 85 or any of the various flow paths through the valve assembly) configured to allow the fluid to flow therethrough is formed, wherein the manifold includes a foreign matter reservoir (b, 95, 95’, 95”, 88) having a flow path cross-sectional area larger than a flow path cross-sectional area of the fluid flow path (see the cross-sectional area of b, and further including 95, 95’, 95”, and 88; fig. 7 shows the cross-sectional area of b being larger than the cross-sectional area of 83, which is unlabeled in fig. 7 but located within b as depicted in fig. 7) and storing a foreign matter flowing through the fluid flow path (this is an intended use of a material handled and has not been given patentable weight, the reservoir is capable of storing any type of material including “foreign matter”), the flow path cross-sectional area of the foreign matter reservoir being parallel to the flow path cross-sectional area of the fluid flow path (as explained above, see the cross-sectional area of b, 95, 95’, 95”, and 88 in figs. 1 and 7 which is parallel to 83), the foreign matter reservoir fluidly connects the valve and one of an inflow port (such the port from 82/a leading to the interior of the valve) configured to allow the fluid to flow therethrough into the valve and an outflow port (this limitation is written in the alternative as the applicant recites the fluid connection of the valve and “one of” the inflow port and outflow port, as the valve is fluidly connected to an inflow port, the claim is deemed to be met; however, see also the port leading from the valve to b) configured to allow the fluid to flow therethrough out of the valve to the fluid flow path (fig. 1, as fluid flows through the various chambers, see the description in pg. 2, ll. 36-80), and the foreign matter reservoir has a reservoir space located, when viewed in a cross-section that is parallel to the rotational axis of the valve, lower than the fluid flow path (95, 95’, 95” and 88, which, as shown in fig. 7, is lower than the fluid flow path at 83; it is noted this is similar in structural location to the applicant’s reservoir 11, which has portions at the same level as the rotary valve, (11R and 11T), as well as a portion (11U) below the valve, Parks similarly has a portion (b) that is located at the same level as the valve and portions (95, 95’, 95”, and 88) below the valve), the reservoir having a width, viewed in the cross-section, at least as wide as a width of the fluid flow path (a cross-sectional view extending along an axis vertically in fig. 1 where the cross-sectional view for fig. 7 is indicated but linearly, which extends through 95, 95”, and 95’, notice the width of 95, 95”, and 95’ extending vertically in fig. 1, which is wider than a width of the fluid flow path at 83 (also extending vertically) in fig. 1), so that foreign matter that flows in the fluid flow path with the fluid and has a specific gravity larger than the fluid drops out from the fluid flow path directly into the reservoir space (this is an intended use of a material handled and has not been given patentable weight, the reservoir is capable of storing any type of material including foreign matter of any specific gravity as it is lower than the fluid flow path, notice also in fig. 7 95’ (and also 95 and 95”) being in direct communication with the chambers b and f).
Regarding claim 3, Parks further discloses wherein the manifold includes a first housing (50) and a second housing (70) joined to the first housing (best shown in fig. 3), and the foreign matter reservoir is formed between the first housing and the second housing (as it is within the manifold and thus between the first and second housings).
Regarding claim 7, Parks discloses a cooling module comprising: a manifold (50, 70) to which a valve (57) configured to control flow of a fluid by rotation about a rotational axis of the valve (the vertical axis in figs. 3 and 6-7) is attached and in which a fluid flow path configured to allow the fluid to flow therethrough is formed (such as a path through, for example, 85), wherein the manifold includes a foreign matter reservoir (f, 95’, 88) having a flow path cross-sectional area larger than a flow path cross-sectional area of the fluid flow path (see the cross-sectional area of f , 95’ and 88 in fig. 7 which extends vertically greater than the horizontal fluid flow passage at the left end in fig. 7) and storing a foreign matter flowing through the fluid flow path (this is an intended use of a material handled and has not been given patentable weight, the reservoir is capable of storing any type of material including “foreign matter”), the flow path cross-sectional area of the foreign matter reservoir being parallel to the flow path cross-sectional area of the fluid flow path (as explained above, see the cross-sectional area of f , 95’ and 88 in fig. 7 which extends vertically greater than the horizontal fluid flow passage at the left end in fig. 7), the foreign matter reservoir fluidly connects the valve and one of an inflow port (such the port from 82/a leading to the interior of the valve) configured to allow the fluid to flow therethrough into the valve and an outflow port (this limitation is written in the alternative as the applicant recites the fluid connection of the valve and “one of” the inflow port and outflow port, as the valve is fluidly connected to an inflow port, the claim is deemed to be met; however, see also the port leading from the valve to b) configured to allow the fluid to flow therethrough out of the valve to the fluid flow path (fig. 1, as fluid flows through the various chambers, see the description in pg. 2, ll. 36-80), the foreign matter reservoir has a reservoir space located, when viewed in a cross-section that is parallel to the rotational axis of the valve, lower than the fluid flow path (95, 95’, 95” and 88, which, as shown in fig. 7, is lower than the fluid flow path which extends horizontally at the left end in fig. 7; it is noted this is similar in structural location to the applicant’s reservoir 11, which has portions at the same level as the rotary valve, (11R and 11T), as well as a portion (11U) below the valve, Parks similarly has a portion (f) that is located at the same level as the valve and portions (95’, 88) below the valve) so that foreign matter that flows in the fluid flow path with the fluid and has a specific gravity larger than the fluid drops out from the fluid flow path into the reservoir space (this is an intended use of a material handled and has not been given patentable weight, the reservoir is capable of storing any type of material including foreign matter of any specific gravity as it is lower than the fluid flow path), the manifold includes a first housing (50) and a second housing (70) joined to the first housing (best shown in fig. 3), and the foreign matter reservoir is formed between the first housing and the second housing (as it is within the manifold and thus between the first and second housings).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code 103 not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 2, 4, and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parks in view of Johnson (U.S. 4,470,429).
Parks discloses the claimed invention and while fluid necessarily must be provided motive force in order to flow through the valve, Parks does not explicitly disclose the foreign matter reservoir being connected to a suction port through which the fluid is sucked into a pump configured to pressure-feed the fluid.
Johnson discloses it was known in the art to have a similar multi-way valve that has a port that is connected to a suction valve to provide the motive force for the fluid through the valve (col. 1, ll. 23-28, col. 1, ll. 31-35, col. 3, ll. 17-22).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the assembly of Parks by having a suction pump be attached to one of the ports as taught by Johnson as Parks is silent as to the means to provide the motive force to the fluid and a suction pump is a known, inexpensive, and reliable means of providing motive force to a fluid.
Regarding claim 4, Parks as modified further discloses wherein the manifold includes a first housing (50) and a second housing (70) joined to the first housing (best shown in fig. 3), and the foreign matter reservoir is formed between the first housing and the second housing (as the reservoir is within the manifold and thus between the first and second housings).
Regarding claim 8, Parks discloses the claimed invention and while fluid necessarily must be provided motive force in order to flow through the valve, Parks does not explicitly disclose the foreign matter reservoir being connected to a suction port through which the fluid is sucked into a pump configured to pressure-feed the fluid.
Johnson discloses it was known in the art to have a similar multi-way valve that has a port that is connected to a suction valve to provide the motive force for the fluid through the valve (col. 1, ll. 23-28, col. 1, ll. 31-35, col. 3, ll. 17-22).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the assembly of Parks by having a suction pump be attached to one of the ports as taught by Johnson as Parks is silent as to the means to provide the motive force to the fluid and a suction pump is a known, inexpensive, and reliable means of providing motive force to a fluid.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant first argues on page 7 that Parks does not disclose the newly added limitations relating to the reservoir space width. The applicant states that the reservoir spaces are substantially narrower in width than their respective fluid flow paths in Parks. It is first noted that the claim does not require the reservoir space having a width at least as wide as a width of their “respective” flow paths. The location of the flow path that is being compared to is not specifically defined in the claim. Upon a new interpretation of Parks (the new interpretation due to this amended language), Parks has a width of the reservoir space 95, 95’, 95”, and 88 in the vertical direction in figure 1 that is at least as wide as a width of the fluid flow path at 83 in figure 1.
The applicant further argues on pages 7-8 that 88 is not formed between the body 50 and the bonnet 70 and thus the foreign matter reservoir is not between the first and second housings. The examiner respectfully disagrees as, as best shown in figure 6, the two housings include 50 and 70. 50 includes housing structure that extends downward from 70 to the end at 93 in fig. 6. Element 88, as well as elements 95, 95’, and 95” are all located between this bottom surface of 50 and the top surface of 70, and thus, is between these the two housings. If the reservoir was not between the first and second housings, the reservoir would not be located in the device.
For at least the above reasons, applicant’s arguments have not been found persuasive.
Applicant’s amendment has required further search and/or consideration and/or revision of the rejection and, as such, this action is made Final.
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 MICHAEL R REID whose telephone number is (313)446-4859. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9am-5pm est.
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 supervisors can be reached by phone. Craig Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607, or Ken 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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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) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
/MICHAEL R REID/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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