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 § 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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 13, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 13 recites, “wherein the valve core further comprises a third sealing ring disposed at a side portion of the water outlet hose, the third sealing ring being configured to sealingly engage with the water outlet hose.” It is unclear and indefinite whether the sealing ring is a component of the valve core or the water outlet hose. The drawings do not indicate a sealing ring disposed at a side portion of a water outlet hose. Additionally, claims 11 and 12 necessitate a sealing ring disposed on a side portion of an inlet hose. Accordingly, the office interprets claim 13 as necessitating that the sealing ring be disposed on a side portion of the water outlet hose.
Claim 15 necessitates “an opening direction of the boss” (emphasis added). Claim 15 depends from claim 8. Claim 8 does not necessitate a boss. However, claim 7 does necessitate a boss. Accordingly, it is unclear and indefinite whether applicant intends to introduce a boss in claim 15 or if claim 15 should actually depend from claim 7. For purposes of examination, the office regards claim 15 as depending from claim 7.
Claim 16 necessitates “a water mixing device”. Claim 16 depends from claim 1. Claim 1 necessitates a water control assembly. It is unclear and indefinite whether the water mixing device and water control assembly are distinct elements or merely different names for the same element. For purposes of examination, the office regards the water mixing device and water control assembly as being the same elements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4-6, 8-13, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hsu (U.S. Publication 2013/0199645).
In regards to claims 1 and 10, Hsu discloses a valve core, configured to directly connect to water hoses (324, 324, 325), comprising: a valve body (30); wherein a water control assembly (interior of 30 as discussed in para. [0027]) is disposed in the valve body (30); at least one water inlet mounting hole (323) is defined in the valve body (30), and is in communication with the water control assembly and is configured to directly connect to a corresponding water inlet hose (324, 324, 325) in the water hoses; the at least one water inlet mounting hole (323) comprises a circular hole configured for achieving a sealing connection with the corresponding water inlet hose (324, 324, 325); a limiting structure (321) is disposed on an outer side of the valve body (30), and is configured to limit the valve body (30) to rotating in a water outlet apparatus (10) when the valve core is mounted in the water outlet apparatus (10),wherein when the valve core is installed in the water outlet apparatus (10), the corresponding water inlet hose (324, 324, 325) is directly inserted into the at least one water inlet mounting hole (323) defined in the valve body (30) thereby realizing direct connection of the corresponding water inlet hose (324, 324,325) to the valve body (30) without requiring connection via an end face of a body of the water outlet apparatus (10) to a bottom end face of the valve core, such that no sealing member is required between the bottom end face of the valve core and the body of the water outlet apparatus, and no sealing member is required on a peripheral side of the valve core, thereby simplifying an installation method of the valve core and the hoses and providing a leak-proof effect. See Fig. 2, 6 and 8 which illustrate no sealings between the bottom end face of the valve core and the body of the water outlet apparatus, and no sealing member on a peripheral side of the valve core,
In regards to claim 2, the limiting structure (321) is a limiting spline, or a limiting block, or a limiting rib.
In regards to claim 4, an axial positioning structure (APS) is further disposed on the outer side of the valve body (30) for limiting the valve body (30) to axially moving in the water outlet apparatus (10) when the valve core is mounted in the water outlet apparatus.
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In regards to claim 5, the axial positioning structure (APS) is a positioning shaft shoulder disposed on an outer peripheral side of the valve body (30).
In regards to claim 6, the at least one water inlet mounting hole (323) comprises two water inlet mounting holes defined on a bottom of the valve body (30), and wherein the valve core further comprises a water outlet mounting hole (323) defined on the bottom of the valve body; wherein two said circular hole sections are respectively disposed on the two water inlet mounting holes for respectively connecting the two water inlet mounting holes to two corresponding water inlet hoses.
In regards to claim 8, a valve housing (314) is disposed on the valve body (30), the valve housing (314) is connected to the valve body (30) for fixing the water control assembly.
In regards to claim 9, the valve housing (314) is connected to the valve body (30) at a selectable position along an axial direction of the valve body (30)
In regards to claim 11, the at least one water inlet mounting hole (323) extends downward to form a circular hole section disposed along an axis thereof, the circular hole section being configured for mounting the corresponding water inlet hose (324, 3234, 32)
Claim 11 further recites, “and wherein a first sealing ring is disposed at an end of the corresponding water inlet hose and between the circular hole section and the corresponding water inlet hose to achieve the sealing connection.” However, neither claim 11 nor claim 10, from which claim 11 depends, positively recite a water inlet hose. Accordingly, claim 11 cannot positively recite features of the water inlet hose. Therefore, features related to the structure of the water inlet hose are not considered for patentability.
Claim 12 further defines the water inlet hose. However, neither claims 12, nor 11 nor claim 10, from which claim 12 depends, positively recite a water inlet hose. Accordingly, claim 12 cannot positively recite features of the water inlet hose. Therefore, features related to the structure of the water inlet hose are not considered for patentability.
In regards to claim 13, a water outlet mounting hole (323) defined in a bottom of the valve body (30) , the water outlet mounting hole (323) being in communication with a water outlet of the water control assembly and being configured to directly connect to a corresponding water outlet hose in the water hoses.
To the extent that claim 13 is best understood, claim 13 does not positively recite a water outlet house. Accordingly, claim 13 cannot positively recite features of the water outlet hose. Therefore, features related to the structure of the water outlet hose are not considered for patentability.
In regards to claim 16, the water control assembly comprises an operation device (313) and the water mixing device, the operation device (313) being configured to control the water mixing device to mix water.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu.
Hsu discloses all of the elements as discussed above.
Hsu does not specifically disclose the height of the limiting structure.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have designed the limiting structure dimensions to be as those necessitated by applicant as a matter of design choice so as to secure the valve core within a water outlet apparatus without impacting the operation of the device.
Claim(s) 7 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Psarouthakis (U.S. Patent 4,423,752).
Hsu discloses all of the elements as discussed above.
Hsu does not specifically disclose a boss having an opening is disposed on a lower portion of the valve body, and wherein the two water inlet mounting holes are formed through the opening of the boss, an opening direction of the opening of the boss being perpendicular to a central axis direction of the valve body, the boss being configured to mount a fixing piece for securing the corresponding water inlet hose.
However, Psarouthakis teaches a mixing valve which includes a boss (B) disposed on a lower portion of a valve body (26), and wherein two water inlet mounting holes (28, 30) are formed through the opening of the boss (B), an opening direction of the opening of the boss (B)being perpendicular to a central axis direction of the valve body (26), the boss (B) being configured to mount a fixing piece (34) for securing corresponding water inlet hose.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have designed the valve body of Hsu to include a boss as taught by Psarouthakis to provide a secure and stable coupling port for the water inlet/outlet hoses as illustrated by Psarouthakis.
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Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Yang (U.S. Patent 6,123,105).
Hsu discloses all of the elements as discussed above.
While Hsu does disclose that the valve housing is detachably connected to the valve body via threads, Hsu does not disclose that the valve housing is detachably connected to the valve body by a snap-fit engagement.
However, Yang teaches a valve core wherein a valve housing (34) is detachably connected to a valve body (35) by a snap-fit engagement (353, 354, 341, 342).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the coupling (i.e. threading) of Hsu for snap-fit engagement as taught by Yang as the simple substitution of a known coupling method for another coupling method.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Chang (U.S Publication 2006/0042705)
Hsu discloses all of the elements as discussed above.
Hsu does disclose that water control unit (30) opens and closes flow openings (312) to facilitate water mixing and water outputting. See para. [0027]. However, Hsu does not specifically disclose that the water mixing device comprises a fixed ceramic sheet and a movable ceramic sheet, the movable ceramic sheet being operable to move relative to the fixed ceramic sheet to control water flow and mixing ratio.
Chang teaches a water control unit that includes a fixed ceramic sheet (24) and a movable ceramic sheet (23), the movable ceramic sheet being operable to move relative to the fixed ceramic sheet (24) to control water flow and mixing ratio.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to having made the mixing device of Hsu utilizing a fixed ceramic sheet and a moveable ceramic sheet to provide water temperature control as taught by Chang (para. [0024]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot in light of the new grounds of rejection as outlined above.
As discussed above, Hsu discloses applicant’s invention as now claimed.
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 R.K. Arundale whose telephone number is 571-270-3453. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (9:30AM-6:00PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached by phone. Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881, and Craig Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT K ARUNDALE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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