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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 09/02/2025 is acknowledged.
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 1-2, 11-12, and 19-20 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 and 19 recite the limitation “the fuel tank of the motor vehicle” in the preamble. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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, 11-12, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Towai (Towai Technologies, “Fuel Additive Dosers – Product & Supply Information,” https://web.archive.org/web/20210923090945/http://www.towaitech.com/documents.html, Sept. 23rd, 2021).
Regarding claim 1 , Towai discloses the dosing system for use with a motor vehicle having a fuel tank for dosing an additive into the fuel tank of the motor vehicle (“Automatic Additive Doser Product Information” image, reproduced below, shown for attachment to trucks to “continuously monitor fuel tank level” of vehicles under “Intelligent Additive Dosing”) , the dosing system comprising: a reservoir configured to contain the additive (“Key Features” include a “Durable HDPE” reservoir); a pump fluidly coupled to the reservoir, the pump configured to transfer additive from the reservoir (“Intelligent Additive Dosing” the dosing system dispenses additive on its own and notes under optional features “a larger additive pump” which means the base has a pump, an optional larger one is noted), a fill adapter that is configured to be attached to the fuel tank of the motor vehicle, the fill adapter that is coupled to the pump, a controller is configured to dispense a predetermined amount of additive from the reservoir (“Intelligent Additive Dosing” doses predetermined amounts automatically via the pump, solenoid, and as per “Ease of Installation” notes it “connects to existing fuel tank level sender and software determines amount of fuel added”), through the fill adapter and into the fuel tank of the motor vehicle prior to or while the fuel tank being filled (“A Breakthrough” notes the vehicle automatically is dosed during fueling).
Regarding claim 11, Towai discloses the dosing system of claim 1, further including a housing, that is configured to contain the reservoir, the pump and the controller (Shown devices in the below image are all self-contained in a housing).
Regarding claim 12, Towai discloses the dosing system of claim 11, further including an umbilical cord that extends from the housing to the fill adapter and is configured to allow for the passage of additive from the reservoir to the fuel tank of the motor vehicle (“Photo Gallery of Installations” shown below, this shows the system with a cord which carries fuel and information attached to the fuel tank).
Regarding claim 19, Towai discloses a dosing system for use with a motor vehicle according to claim 1 above, and wherein the system includes a controller and the fill adapter fluidly coupled to the reservoir and electrically connected to the controller, the controller, after receiving a signal from the fill adapter, is configured to disperse a predetermined amount of additive from the reservoir, through the full adapter and into the fuel tank of the motor vehicle (as per the “Product Information” below , the system includes parts for connection to a fuel tank which includes sensors for monitoring fuel status and dispensing fuel automatically).
Regarding claims 2 and 20, Towai discloses the dosing system of claims 1 and 19, wherein the fill adapter is configured to be coupled to a filler neck of the fuel tank of the motor vehicle (“Product Range” shows a configuration where the doser E makes use of a device A and leads to a Nozzle D which is for connecting to a vehicles filler neck when filling a vehicle’s fuel tank).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Atkinson et al (WO 9503482) discloses a vehicle dosing system for dosing additives into fuel tanks automatically (Abstract).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN A LATHERS whose telephone number is (571)272-1050. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10a-6p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lindsay Low can be reached at 5712721196. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN A LATHERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747