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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6, 7, 11, 14, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zorzetto et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2023/0118332; hereinafter referred to as Zorzetto).
With respect to claim 1, Zorzetto discloses and illustrates a pressure sensor device comprising: an upper housing (20); a lower housing (30) joined to the upper housing, the lower housing defining an inlet (32), a chamber (the chamber is shown filled with a compensation element 8), and a passageway (P) extending between the inlet and the chamber (see at least Figure 17), wherein the lower housing is configured to receive a fluid (via inlet 32); a sensor element (5) affixed to the lower housing to prevent the fluid from exiting the chamber (see at least Figure 17), the sensor element is configured to detect a pressure of the fluid (see at least the abstract); and a compensator assembly (8) disposed in the chamber (see at least Figure 17), the compensator assembly including: a holder (9), and a compressible element (12) positioned in the holder (see at least Figure 17), the compressible element is sealed from the fluid (see at least Figure 17).
With respect to claim 2, the pressure sensor device of claim 1, wherein the sensor element is configured to be in contact with the fluid is shown in at least Figure 17 as the membrane M at the end of the passage and Figure 3 shows that the Membrane M is in the area of the detection element 6 of the sensor body 2)
With respect to claim 3, the pressure sensor device of claim 1, wherein the holder (9) includes a spacer (4c’) and a cap (4) affixed to the spacer, wherein the compressible element (12) is positioned between the spacer and the cap (see at least Figure 17), and wherein the compressible element is sealed from the fluid in the passageway (see at least Figure 17).
With respect to claim 6, the pressure sensor device of claim 3, further including a retainer (11) disposed in the chamber, and wherein the retainer is configured to retain the compensator assembly in the chamber (see at least Figure 17).
With respect to claim 7, the pressure sensor device of claim 6, further including a seal component (10) positioned between the sensor element (5) and the retainer (11) (see at least Figure 3), and wherein the seal component is configured to prevent the fluid from exiting the chamber (see at least Figure 3).
With respect to claim 11, Zorzetto discloses and illustrates a pressure sensor device comprising: an upper housing (20); a lower housing (30) joined to the upper housing, the lower housing defining an inlet (32), a chamber (the chamber is shown filled with a compensation element 8), and a passageway (P) extending between the inlet and the chamber (see at least Figure 17), wherein the lower housing is configured to receive a fluid (via inlet 32); a sensor element (5) affixed to the lower housing to prevent the fluid from exiting the chamber (see at least Figure 17), the sensor element is configured to detect a pressure of the fluid (see at least the abstract); and a compensator assembly (8) disposed in the chamber (see at least Figure 17), the compensator assembly including: a spacer (4c’), a cap (4) affixed to the spacer (see at least Figure 17), and a compressible element (12)positioned between the spacer and the cap (see at least Figure 17), the compressible element is sealed from the fluid (see at least Figure 17).
With respect to claim 14, the pressure sensor device of claim 11, further includes a retainer (11) disposed in the chamber (see at least Figure 17), and wherein the retainer is configured to retain the compensator assembly in the chamber (see at least Figure 17).
With respect to claim 15, the pressure sensor device of claim 14, further includes a seal component (10) positioned between the sensor element (5) and the retainer (11) (see at least Figure 3), and wherein the seal component is configured to prevent the fluid from exiting the chamber (see at least Figure 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 5, 8-10, 12, and 13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The spacer with the plurality of channels in claims 4 and 12, the cap bead from claims 5 and 13, the spool in claim 8, are feathers of the sensor not disclosed, taught, or suggested in view of the prior art of record. Claims 9 and 10, which depend either directly or indirectly from claim 8, would be deemed as allowable as well.
Claims 16-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: With respect to claim 16, while Zorzetto discloses and illustrates a pressure sensor device comprising: an upper housing (20); a lower housing (30) joined to the upper housing, the lower housing defining an inlet (32), a chamber (the chamber is shown filled with a compensation element 8), and a passageway (P) extending between the inlet and the chamber (see at least Figure 17), wherein the lower housing is configured to receive a fluid (via inlet 32); a sensor element (5) affixed to the lower housing to prevent the fluid from exiting the chamber (see at least Figure 17), the sensor element is configured to detect a pressure of the fluid (see at least the abstract); and a compensator assembly (8) disposed in the chamber (see at least Figure 17), Zorzetto fails to disclose, teach, suggest, or otherwise render as obvious the compensator assembly including:
a ring defining a ring cavity, a spool positioned in the ring cavity, and a compressible element positioned in the ring cavity adjacent the spool, the compressible element is sealed from the fluid. Claims 17-20, which depend either directly or indirectly from claim 16 would be allowable as well.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RODNEY T FRANK whose telephone number is (571)272-2193. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5:30pm.
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/RODNEY T FRANK/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
May 30, 2026
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