DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the communication(s) filed on 7/25/2024.
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 .
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.
Claims 6-14, 16-19 and 21 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.
Claims 6-14, 16-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite because of the recitation of “preferably” recited in at least claims 6-11, 13-14, 16 and 21. The claims are indefinite because it is unclear as to whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention.
Additionally, claim 21 recites “a relevant main combustion chamber”, it is unclear as to how a relevant main combustion chamber relates to the “main combustion chamber”. It appears the applicant may have intended to claim “the main combustion chamber” and it has been interpreted as such for the purpose of examination.
Regarding claim 8, the phrase "for example" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 10, the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
The claims are generally narrative and indefinite, failing to conform with current U.S. practice. They appear to be a literal translation into English from a foreign document and are replete with grammatical and idiomatic errors.
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 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) 1-3, 5-7, 11, 14-16 and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Maier et al. (US 20170167358 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Maier discloses a method for producing an internal combustion engine (fig. 1), comprising a precombustion chamber (34) and an ignition device (30) that protrudes (fig. 2, 3) into the precombustion chamber (34), and a precombustion chamber injector (32) that supplies fuel to the precombustion chamber (34), wherein a precombustion chamber module (20) having an integral cavity (fig. 2, 3), forming the precombustion chamber (34), is manufactured as a separate component from a cylinder head (6) (it is clear from fig. 1 that precombustion chamber module (prechamber assembly 20) are manufactured as separate components and the assembly is inserted into the cylinder head 6 thereafter), wherein the precombustion chamber module (20) comprises, in addition to the integral cavity (fig. 2, 3) forming the precombustion chamber (34), at least one transfer port (22) for fluidic connection between the precombustion chamber (34) and main combustion chamber (8), and the precombustion chamber module (20) is produced as a whole or at least in part by means of an additive method, by 3D printing (see at least paragraph 0055, 0056, and 0023: prechamber body 26, 28 which are part of the precombustion chamber module (prechamber assembly 20) is made using 3D printing (additive manufacturing)).
Regarding claim 2, Maier futher discloses herein the precombustion chamber module serves as a support for receiving the precombustion chamber injector and/or the ignition device (see at least fig. 2, 3).
Regarding claim 3, Maier futher discloses wherein the precombustion chamber module is equipped with the ignition device and/or the precombustion chamber injector prior to installation into the cylinder head (it appears from fig. 1, that the precombustion chamber module is equipped with the ignition device and the injector prior to installation into the cylinder head since it would make little sense to install the prechamber and make it significantly harder to install the ignition device and injector thereafter).
Regarding claim 5, Maier futher discloses wherein the precombustion chamber module is provided with a connecting channel (46, 48, 50) in order to fluidically connect the precombustion chamber injector, inserted (via bore 46) into the precombustion chamber module, to the integral cavity (fig. 2, 3).
Regarding claim 6, Maier futher discloses wherein an inside wall of the connecting channel is manufactured having a non-cylindrical contour (48), a conical contour (fig. 2, 3), at least in portions, within a continuous length portion, wherein a remaining length region is created having a cylindrical contour (46, 50).
Regarding claim 7, Maier futher discloses wherein the connecting channel is manufactured having an angled course at least in portions, wherein a trajectory over which the connecting channel is manufactured having a helical course in a longitudinal direction, at least in portions (see at least fig. 2, 3).
Regarding claim 11, Maier futher discloses wherein the precombustion chamber module is manufactured in two parts or in multiple parts, wherein a first component 26 of the precombustion chamber module (20) comprising the integral cavity (fig. 2, 3) that forms the precombustion chamber (34), and the at least one transfer port (22), as well as the connecting channel, is produced by means of the additive method (paragraph 0055), while one or more further components (28) of the precombustion chamber module are manufactured by means of another method (paragraph 0055).
Regarding claim 14, Maier futher discloses wherein wherein the precombustion chamber module is manufactured having receiving drilled holes for the ignition device and the precombustion chamber injector, longitudinal axes of which holes do not extend in parallel with one another and imaginary axis continuations of which intersect with one another (fig. 2, 3).
Regarding claim 15, Maier futher discloses wherein the precombustion chamber module (20) is manufactured having a longitudinal axis of the integral cavity forming the precombustion chamber (34) that is in parallel with the longitudinal axis of a receiving drilled hole for receiving the ignition device (fig. 2, 3).
Regarding claim 16, wherein the cylinder head is manufactured as a standard cylinder head which can selectively be equipped with differently designed precombustion chamber modules, depending on a desired fuel supply design of the internal combustion engine, wherein selection of the precombustion chamber module preferably depends on whether the precombustion chamber is intended to be used purely as an ignition amplifier, or as a fuel supply path for direct injection into the main combustion chamber (the cylinder head of Maier as with any cylinder head can be adapted to fit various differently designed precombustion chambers depending on their fuel supply design, see at least fig. 2, 3).
Regarding claim 20, Maier discloses an internal combustion engine (fig. 1), produced according to the method according to claim 1 (see rejection to claim 1), wherein the precombustion chamber serves as an ignition amplifier (function of a prechamber).
Regarding claim 21, Maier discloses an internal combustion engine (fig. 1), produced according to the method according to claim 1 (see rejection to claim 1), wherein the precombustion chamber injector (32) also serves for supplying fuel into the main combustion chamber via the precombustion chamber, wherein the precombustion chamber injector is configured such that an amount of fuel that can be supplied for partial load operation and/or full load operation can be supplied exclusively via the precombustion chamber (see at least fig. 1-3, only one fuel injector 32 is used for partial and full load operation).
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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maier et al. (US 20170167358 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Maier discloses the invention except for wherein the precombustion chamber assembly having the injector and the ignition device is tested before installation into a cylinder head. The examiner is taking Official Notice that it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to test components for functionality before installing it to prevent engine performance issues after installation and wasting time.
Claims 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maier et al. (US 2017/0167358 A1), in view of Willi (US 2016/0326946 A1).
Regarding claim 17, Maier discloses the invention above, but is silent as to wherein the cylinder head is configured to cool a prechamber using one or more cooling channels.
Willi discloses a prechamber of an internal combustion engine placed into a cylinder head or block using cooling passage(s) (33) to cool the prechamber and/or engine (fig. 1 and paragraph 0039 in conjunction) in order to provide sufficient cooling to the prechamber.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the reference of Maier to having the prechamber in the cylinder head being cooled using a cooling passage similar to Willi in order provide sufficient cooling to a prechamber of an internal combustion engine.
Regarding claim 18, Maier as modified further discloses wherein during manufacture by means of an additive method one or more ribs are formed on the outside wall of the precombustion chamber module or on the outside wall of the first component of the precombustion chamber module. (paragraph 0082 and fig. 1: rib 92 around the prechamber is formed on the prechamber body outter wall which is manufactured using additive methods).
Regarding claim 19, Maier discloses the invention above, but is silent as to wherein the cavity does not have a rotationally symmetrical geometry.
Willi discloses a prechamber having asymmetrical geometry being formed using additive methods (see at least fig. 3 and paragraph 0082).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the reference of Maier to having an asymmetric prechamber specifically for the nozzle tip in order to increase mixing in the main combustion chamber.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XIAO EN MO whose telephone number is (571)272-9970. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-5:30 EST.
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/XIAO EN MO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747 /DEVON C KRAMER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3741
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