DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-9, 23, and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hayashi et al., US 2004/0134282 A1 (hereinafter Hayashi).
Regarding claim 1, Hayashi teaches a sensor unit (1, Fig. 1), arranged in an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine (the intake pipe of the internal combustion engine does not appear to be a positively recited part of the structure of the sensor unit, and as such, “arranged in an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine” is considered as a non-distinguishing intended use of the sensor, as set forth in MPEP § 2114(II), which intended use the sensor of Hayashi is capable of performing), characterized by comprising:
a sensor, detecting a state quantity of intake air flowing through an intake passage defined by the intake pipe (pressure sensor 5, Fig. 1); and
a case, accommodating the sensor (case 3, Fig. 1), wherein
the case comprises: a first passage (18a, Fig. 1)
and a second passage (18b, Fig. 1), communicating with each other and each opening to the intake passage so as to expose a detection part of the sensor to the intake air flowing through the intake passage (18a and 18b connected to each other and open at the same end for receipt for gaseous fluids, Fig. 1); and
a collision wall, colliding with the intake air flowing through the intake passage in the vicinity of an opening of the second passage (collision wall 17, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 2, Hayashi teaches the invention of claim 1, as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above. Hayashi also teaches wherein the collision wall comprises a guide part that guides the intake air flowing through the intake passage toward inside the second passage (air entering 18a may be guided to exit at 18b, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Hayashi teaches the invention of claim 2, as set forth in the rejection of claim 2 above. Hayashi also teaches wherein the guide part comprises a curved surface inclined toward inside the second passage (upper portion of 17 is curved toward 18b, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, Hayashi teaches the invention of claim 3, as set forth in the rejection of claim 3 above. Hayashi also teaches wherein the guide part comprises side surfaces continuously formed on both sides of the curved surface (sides of 17 are curved in the view show in Fig. 2b).
Regarding claim 5, Hayashi teaches the invention of claim 1, as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above. Hayashi also teaches wherein the first passage has a first opening that opens on a first end face away from an inner wall surface of the intake pipe toward a central side (18a opens to the bottom of 14, Fig. 2B); and
the second passage has a second opening that opens on a second end face closer to the inner wall surface of the intake pipe than the first opening (18b opens to the bottom of 14, Fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 6, Hayashi teaches the invention of claim 5, as set forth in the rejection of claim 5 above. Hayashi also teaches wherein the case comprises a sleeve extending in a predetermined axis direction (sleeve 14, Fig. 1);
the sleeve comprises a partition wall that defines the first passage and the second passage to extend adjacent to each other (outer wall of 14, Fig. 1); and
the partition wall comprises the collision wall (17, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, Hayashi teaches the invention of claim 1, as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above. Hayashi also teaches wherein the sensor comprises: a pressure sensor, detecting a pressure of the intake air (5, Fig. 1); and
a temperature sensor, detecting a temperature of the intake air (24, Fig. 1); and
the case comprises: a case body (3, Fig. 1), accommodating the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor; and
a sleeve, joined to the case body and defining the first passage, the second passage, and the collision wall (14, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8, Hayashi teaches the invention of claim 7, as set forth in the rejection of claim 7 above. Hayashi also teaches wherein the first passage and the second passage are each formed to extend from a region facing a detection part of the temperature sensor to the intake passage (18a and 18b extend the length of sleeve 14, Fig. 1); and
a detection part of the pressure sensor is formed to face the middle of the second passage (curved surface of 5 faces in this direction, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 9, Hayashi teaches the invention of claim 8, as set forth in the rejection of claim 8 above. Hayashi also teaches wherein the case body comprises a recess that exposes the detection part of the temperature sensor (temperature sensor 24 is exposed, Fig. 1); and
the sleeve comprises a protruding wall inserted into the recess to define a portion of the first passage and the second passage in cooperation with the recess (recess wall 17, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 23, Hayashi teaches the invention of claim 1, as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above. Hayashi also teaches wherein the case comprises:
a case body, comprising a joint surface joined to the intake pipe (3, Fig. 1);
a sleeve, protruding in a predetermined axis direction from the case body and defining the first passage, the second passage, and the collision wall (14, Fig. 1); and
an annular groove, formed on an outer periphery of the sleeve and having an annular seal member fitted therein (annular groove in sleeve 14 into which o-ring 20 is inserted, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 24, Hayashi teaches the invention of claim 23, as set forth in the rejection of claim 23 above. Hayashi also teaches wherein the sleeve comprises: a large diameter cylindrical part, protruding from the joint surface (upper portion of 14 has a larger diameter than lower portion of 14, Fig. 1); and
a small diameter cylindrical part, continuous with the large diameter cylindrical part (upper portion of 14 has a larger diameter than lower portion of 14, Fig. 1); and
the annular groove is formed in the large diameter cylindrical part (annular groove in sleeve 14 into which o-ring 20 is inserted, Fig. 1).
Claims 1, 7, 8, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gorai et al., US 20220074375 A1 (hereinafter Gorai).
Regarding claim 1, Gorai teaches a sensor unit (20, Fig. 3), arranged in an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine (the intake pipe of the internal combustion engine does not appear to be a positively recited part of the structure of the sensor unit, and as such, “arranged in an intake pipe of an internal combustion engine” is considered as a non-distinguishing intended use of the sensor, as set forth in MPEP § 2114(II), which intended use the sensor of Gorai is capable of performing), characterized by comprising:
a sensor, detecting a state quantity of intake air flowing through an intake passage defined by the intake pipe (320, Fig. 3); and
a case, accommodating the sensor (100, Fig. 3), wherein
the case comprises: a first passage (B1, Fig. 3) and
a second passage, communicating with each other and each opening to the intake passage so as to expose a detection part of the sensor to the intake air flowing through the intake passage (B2, Fig. 3); and
a collision wall, colliding with the intake air flowing through the intake passage in the vicinity of an opening of the second passage (unlabeled wall separating B1 and B2, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 7, Gorai teaches the invention of claim 1, as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above. Gorai also teaches wherein the sensor comprises: a pressure sensor, detecting a pressure of the intake air (320, Fig. 3); and
a temperature sensor, detecting a temperature of the intake air (321, Fig. 3); and
the case comprises: a case body, accommodating the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor (121, Fig. 2A); and
a sleeve, joined to the case body and defining the first passage, the second passage, and the collision wall (123, 124, 135, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 8, Gorai teaches the invention of claim 7, as set forth in the rejection of claim 7 above. Gorai also teaches wherein the first passage and the second passage are each formed to extend from a region facing a detection part of the temperature sensor to the intake passage (B1 extends toward the intake passage, Fig. 3); and
a detection part of the pressure sensor is formed to face the middle of the second passage (detection part 170 of sensor 320 faces the middle of B2, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 13, Gorai teaches the invention of claim 8, as set forth in the rejection of claim 8 above. Gorai also teaches wherein the detection part of the pressure sensor comprises a pressure receiving chamber exposed to the intake air (135, Fig. 3); and
the pressure receiving chamber is formed to communicate with the second passage through a communication hole having opening area smaller than passage area of the second passage (communication hole 170, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 14, Gorai teaches the invention of claim 13, as set forth in the rejection of claim 13 above. Gorai also teaches wherein the communication hole is arranged to face a second opening of the second passage that opens to the intake passage in an extension direction of the second passage (communication hole 170, faces opening of second passage B2 that faces exit 133, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 15, Gorai teaches the invention of claim 7, as set forth in the rejection of claim 7 above. Gorai also teaches a circuit board, having the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor electrically connected thereto and accommodated in the case body (circuit board 310, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 16, Gorai teaches the invention of claim 15, as set forth in the rejection of claim 15 above. Gorai also teaches wherein the temperature sensor is a surface mount temperature sensor mounted on the circuit board (321 surface mounted on extension 310 of 310, Fig. 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-12 and 17-22 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:
Regarding claim 10, the claim is deemed to be directed to a nonobvious difference over US 20220074375 A1 and US 20040134282 A1. Claim 10 comprises the second passage comprises a bent passage between a region facing the detection part of the pressure sensor and the region facing the detection part of the temperature sensor, and the first passage comprises a bent passage in the middle thereof from the region facing the detection part of the temperature sensor to a first opening that opens to the intake passage, so as to optimize the measurement of pressure and temperature.
Regarding claim 17, the claim is deemed to be directed to a nonobvious difference over US 20220074375 A1 and US 20040134282 A1. Claim 17 comprises the first communication path comprises the first passage and a first ventilation hole, the first passage having predetermined passage area and a first passage length, the first ventilation hole leading to the first passage and having opening area smaller than the passage area of the first passage, and the second communication path comprises the second passage and a second ventilation hole, the second passage having the same passage area as the first passage and a second passage length shorter than the first passage length, the second ventilation hole leading to the second passage and having opening area smaller than the passage area of the second passage, so as to optimize the measurement of pressure and temperature.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20220170771 A1 discloses a physical quantity measuring device includes a housing having a part disposed in a main passage through which a measurement target fluid flows, a sensing element configured to detect a physical quantity of the measurement target fluid, a circuit board disposed in the housing and having a mounting area on which the sensing element is mounted, a potting resin covering an electric connecting portion between the circuit board and the sensing element; and a restricting portion disposed on the circuit board in a vicinity of the mounting area to restrict the potting resin from wetting and spreading out.
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/LEO T HINZE/
Patent Examiner
AU 2853
11 July 2026
/STEPHEN D MEIER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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