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 1-24 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 1-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) because of the recitation of “and a longitudinal axis of one of components inserted into the at least one precombustion chamber module,”. It is unclear as to what “one of components” is referring to, therefore making it unclear as to what “one of components” is being “inserted” into the precombustion chamber module.
Additionally, Claims 1-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) because of the recitation “out of the precombustion chamber injector or ignition device”. It is unclear as to what is out of the precombustion chamber injector or the ignition device. It is unclear as to if the applicant means the precombustion chamber is out of the precombustion chamber injector or the ignition device.
Furthermore, it appears unclear as to if the precombustion chamber, or the precombustion injector, or the ignition device is extending obliquely into the main combustion chamber relative to the longitudinal axis of the main combustion chamber.
Claims 3-4, 7-11 and 19 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.
Regarding claims 22-23, 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).
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-14, 16, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Puschnik et al. (US 2022/0120210 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Puschnik discloses n internal combustion engine having a precombustion chamber (fig. 1-5), comprising: a main combustion chamber (7) in a cylinder of the internal combustion engine for combusting a fuel/air mixture, and an active precombustion chamber (5, fig. 1-5) having an ignition device protruding therein (spark plug 8) for igniting a fuel/air mixture located in the precombustion chamber and having a precombustion chamber injector (gas valve 9) that supplies fuel to the precombustion chamber (5), wherein at least one precombustion chamber module is provided, which is configured as a component separate from a cylinder head and is inserted into the cylinder head (Fig. 1-5), and wherein the at least one precombustion chamber module comprises a cavity that forms the precombustion chamber (5) and has at least one transfer port (6) for fluidically connecting the precombustion chamber (5) and main combustion chamber (7), wherein the at least one precombustion chamber module serves to functionally fix the precombustion chamber injector (9) and/or the ignition device (8) (fig. 1-5), and a longitudinal axis of one of components inserted into the at least one precombustion chamber module, out of the precombustion chamber injector or ignition device, extends obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the main combustion chamber (at least gas valve 9 extends obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the main combustion chamber).
Regarding claim 2, Puschnik further discloses wherein an obliquely extending longitudinal axis of one of the components out of the precombustion chamber injector or ignition device and the longitudinal axis of the main combustion chamber form an angle which is in a range between 10° and 60° (fig. 1-5).
Regarding claim 3, Puschnik further discloses wherein the longitudinal axis of one of the components out of the precombustion chamber injector or ignition device and the longitudinal axis of the main combustion chamber intersect, wherein preferably the longitudinal axis of the other component is in parallel with, preferably congruent with, the longitudinal axis of the main combustion chamber (fig. 1-5).
Regarding claim 5, Puschnik further discloses wherein the longitudinal axis of the cavity forming the precombustion chamber is congruent with the longitudinal axis of the ignition device or of a drilled hole for receiving the ignition device within the at least one precombustion chamber module (paragraph 0007, fig. 1-5, when the offset is 0 it meets this limitation).
Regarding claim 6, Puschnik further discloses wherein the longitudinal axis of the precombustion chamber injector and the longitudinal axis of the drilled hole for receiving the ignition device define a plane which is located in parallel with a plane spanned by movement axes of a combustion chamber intake valve lifter and/or in parallel with a plane spanned by movement axes of a combustion chamber exhaust valve lifter (fig. 1-5).
Regarding claim 7, Puschnik further discloses wherein a connecting channel is formed inside the at least one precombustion chamber module, via which connecting channel the fuel emerging from the precombustion chamber injector enters the cavity forming the precombustion chamber, wherein the connecting channel is preferably shaped, in a longitudinal direction, in such a way that the fuel entering the cavity creates an eddy therein (fig. 1-5).
Regarding claim 8, Puschnik further discloses wherein an inside wall of the connecting channel has a non-cylindrical contour, preferably a conical contour, at least in portions, preferably within a continuous length portion, and preferably a remaining length region has a cylindrical contour (fig. 1-5, best seen in fig. 3, 4).
Regarding claim 9, Puschnik further discloses wherein the connecting channel has a curved course at least in portions, wherein a trajectory over which the curvature extends is preferably in one plane and/or the connecting channel has a helical course in the longitudinal direction, at least in portions (fig. 1-5).
Regarding claim 10, Puschnik further discloses wherein the at least one precombustion chamber module is configured in one or more parts, wherein in a case of a multipart configuration sub-regions of the at least one precombustion chamber module, which are subject to high precision requirements with regard to dimensional compliance and surface quality, are preferably concentrated in a common component of the at least one precombustion chamber module, particularly preferably the cavity including the at least one transfer port and a connecting channel from the precombustion chamber injector to the cavity are configured in the common component (fig. 1-5, see at least paragraph 0022).
Regarding claim 11, Puschnik further discloses wherein the ignition device is accessible from outside, for an exchange, without removing a cylinder head cover, wherein the sub-region of the ignition device protruding out of the cylinder head is preferably located outside of a surface spanned by the movement axes of the combustion chamber intake valve lifter and the combustion chamber exhaust valve lifter (see at least paragraph 0022).
Regarding claim 12, Puschnik further discloses wherein the longitudinal axis of the cavity forming the precombustion chamber intersects with the longitudinal axis of the main combustion chamber (prechamber in the middle, see at least fig. 1-5).
Regarding claim 13, Puschnik further discloses wherein a plurality of transfer ports of different port lengths are provided, and/or at least some of the plurality of transfer ports penetrate a precombustion chamber wall into the main combustion chamber not perpendicularly but rather obliquely, in order to ideally brig about turbulence of fluid guided through the plurality of transfer ports and/or of ignition torches (fig. 1-5).
Regarding claim 14, Puschnik further discloses wherein outlet openings of the plurality of transfer ports facing the main combustion chamber emerge, forming a common annular group, on a dome of the at least one precombustion chamber module protruding into the main combustion chamber (fig. 1-5)
Regarding claim 16, Puschnik further discloses wherein a seat ring (o-ring seal shown in black but no labeled in drawings 1-5) is arranged between the at least one precombustion chamber module in a region of the at least one transfer port and a contact surface of the at least one precombustion chamber module on the cylinder head, in particular in a region of a flame plate (fig. 1-5).
Regarding claim 22, Puschnik further discloses wherein the internal combustion engine can be operated with an operating mode according to which the active precombustion chamber serves exclusively as an ignition amplifier (function of an active precombustion chamber).
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 Puschnik et al. (US 2022/0120210 A1), in view of Maier et al. (US 2017/0167358 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Puschnik discloses the invention above.
Puschnik is not relied upon to disclose wherein the longitudinal axis of the precombustion chamber injector is in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the main combustion chamber.
Maier discloses an active precombustion chamber, wherein the fuel injector is in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the main combustion chamber (fig. 2-3).
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 Puschnik to having the fuel injector of Maier being in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the main combustion chamber in order to save space.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Puschnik et al. (US 2022/0120210 A1), in view of Hampson et al. (US 2017/0122184 A1).
Regarding claim 15, Puschnik discloses the invention above.
Puschnik is not relied upon to teach wherein the ignition device is introduced into the internal combustion engine from an air intake side of the cylinder head.
Hampton discloses an active precombustion chamber for an internal combustion engine, wherein the ignition device is introduced into the internal combustion engine from an air intake side of the cylinder head compared to the fuel injector (fig. 1).
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 Puschnik to having the ignition device on the intake side to allow for proper mixing before ignition.
Claims 17 and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Puschnik et al. (US 2022/0120210 A1), in view of Willi (US2016/0326946 A1).
Regarding claim 17, Puschnik discloses the invention above.
Puschnik is not relied upon to teach wherein the cavity forming the precombustion chamber does not have a rotationally symmetrical geometry, wherein a volume-enlarging partial widening of the cavity is provided.
Willi discloses a precombustion chamber having asymmetrical geometry (fig. 3).
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 in order to improve mixing of air/fuel.
Regarding claim 20, Puschnik discloses the invention above.
Puschnik is not relied upon to teach cooling channels formed in the cylinder head to cool the outside wall around the precombustion chamber cavity.
Willi discloses a precombustion chamber for an internal combustion engine placed into a cylinder head or block using cooling passages (33) to cool the precombustion chamber and/or engine (fig. 1, 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 Puschnik in order to provide sufficient cooling to a prechamber of an internal combustion engine.
Regarding claim 21, Puschnik as modified by Willi further discloses wherein one or more ribs are formed on the outside wall of the at least one precombustion chamber module, in a region of surrounding cooling channels (see at least fig. 1 of Willi).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Puschnik et al. (US 2022/0120210 A1).
Regarding claim 18, Puschnik discloses the invention except for wherein the precombustion chamber injector is attached to the at least one precombustion chamber module by means of a holding clamp using screws. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to hold the injector to the precombustion chamber by means of a holding clamp using screwed since holding clamps and screws are a well known and effective method of securing one object to another.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Puschnik et al. (US 2022/0120210 A1), in view of Chiera et al. (US 2021/0079835 A1).
Regarding claim 19, Puschnik discloses the invention above.
Puschnik is not relied upon to teach a sensor inside the precombustion chamber.
Chiera discloses an active precombustion chamber having a pressure sensor (118) (fig. 1, 2) in order to measure the pressure inside the precombustion chamber.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the reference of Puschnik to having the pressure sensor of Chiera inside a precombustion chamber in order to measure the pressure inside the precombustion chamber.
Claims 23-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Puschnik et al. (US 2022/0120210 A1), in view of Bays et al. (US 20200123462 A1).
Regarding claim 23, Puschnik discloses the invention above.
Puschnik is not relied upon to teach supplying more than one type of fuel to the internal combustion engine.
Bays discloses an engine wherein ethanol-lean fuel is supplied to an engine via port fuel injection and ethanol is supplied to the engine via direct injection (paragraph 0049).
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 Puschnik to having direct and port fuel injectors for supplying fuel of Bays to improve fuel economy.
Regarding claim 24, Puschnik as modified by Bays further discloses wherein the internal combustion engine, the active precombustion chamber of which serves as an ignition amplifier, comprises at least two separate fuel reservoirs in order to be able to supply different fuels to the active precombustion chamber and the main combustion chamber (fig. 1 and paragraph 0049 of Bays).
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.
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 supervisor, Logan Kraft can be reached at 571-270-5065. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/XIAO EN MO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
Prosecution Insights