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 § 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 10-12 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.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the critical position" in line 4 and “the counterpart element” in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 11-12 are dependent upon claim 10.
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) 1-2, 4-6, 10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Doi (DE 11201605328 T5 translation cited in IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Doi figures 1-4 teach a distribution device comprising:
a housing (assembly of 18 body, 24 housing section, 22 body portion, 20 base portion) further comprising:
an inlet port (96 feeder port);
a plurality of outlet ports (98 outlet ports);
an electromotively drivable, rotatably adjustable distributor (16 rotor) which is arranged in the housing in the form of a disk on which a liquid-receiver and a liquid-guide are formed, the liquid receiver and liquid guide further comprising:
an end-face radial groove (78 groove) which directs the liquid to the desired locations in the distribution device;
a sensor arrangement (74 detected object, 76 detection sensor) for determining the position of the radial groove (DN), the sensor arrangement further comprising:
a signal transducer (76 detection sensor) which is fixed in position with respect to the housing; and
a metallic portion (74 detected object as a magnet) which is fixed in position with respect to the distributor disk and interacts with the signal transducer;
wherein the distributor disk is rotatably adjustable into defined positions relative to the housing in order to allow liquid supply via the individual outlet ports.[page 8]
Doi teaches the rotary drive source 52 on the basis of this control signal performs a drive, then rotate the drive shaft 54 and the worm gear 56 at a fixed rate in a fixed direction, and the rotor 16 rotates by the engagement between the drive gear 60 and the output gear 68 in the body 12 at a fixed angle clockwise (the direction of an arrow C in FIG 3 ) thereby reading on an electromotively drivable, rotatably adjustable distributor (16 rotor) .[page 8]
Doi teaches the rotation of the rotor 16 causes the multiple valve bodies 82 to block flow of the fluid to outlet ports 98. Doi further teaches in a state in which the outlet port 98 is switched to another, the washing fluid in a pressurized state from the tank, not shown via the supply line to the supply port 96 and is then fed through the outlet line to a desired wash nozzle after passing through a new outlet port 98 to which the outlet port 98 was switched through the connecting groove 78 has passed through. As a result, the washing fluid of the washing nozzle becomes through the other outlet port 98 coming from the outlet port 98 in the original state of the switching valve 10 differs, is supplied and then sprayed on a desired area of a vehicle, whereby the area is cleaned thereby reading on the rotatably adjustable distributor (16 rotor) which is arranged in the housing in the form of a disk on which a liquid-receiver and a liquid-guide are formed.[page 8]
Regarding claim 2, Doi teaches detection sensor 76 for example is a magnetic sensor thereby reading on the signal transducer is designed in the form of an inductive signal transducer.[page 5]
Regarding claim 4, Doi teaches the rotary drive source 52 on the basis of this control signal performs a drive, then rotate the drive shaft 54 and the worm gear 56 at a fixed rate in a fixed direction, and the rotor 16 rotates by the engagement between the drive gear 60 and the output gear 68 in the body 12 at a fixed angle clockwise (the direction of an arrow C in FIG 3 ) thereby reading a liquid distribution actuator, comprising a distribution device of claim 1; and an electric motor for driving the rotatably adjustable distributor of the distribution device.[page 8] Doi further teaches rotary drive source 52 has, for example is a DC motor.[page 4]
Regarding claim 5, Doi teaches multiple outlet connections 98 are connected to washing
nozzles via the outlet pipes (not shown in the drawing) to spray the washing liquid on surfaces such as a windshield of a vehicle thereby reading on a cleaning apparatus for a vehicle for cleaning a large number of cleaning locations on the vehicle, wherein the cleaning apparatus has at least one liquid distribution actuator of claim 4.[page 8]
Regarding claim 6, Doi teaches multiple outlet connections 98 are connected to washing
nozzles via the outlet pipes (not shown in the drawing) to spray the washing liquid on surfaces such as a windshield of a vehicle thereby reading on a vehicle having a cleaning apparatus of claim 5.[page 8]
Regarding claim 10, Doi teaches by detecting the detected object 74 of the rotor 16 by means of the detection sensor 76, it is then determined that the other end of the connecting groove 78 by further rotation of the rotor 16 is disposed at a position at which the other end to a desired outlet port 98 facing, and at a position at which the connecting groove 78 with the supply connection 96 is in communication thereby reading on the sensor arrangement is used for determining the position of the radial groove of the distributor disk relative to the housing, and, for position determination thereby reading on the sensor arrangement is used for determining the position of the radial groove of the distributor disk relative to the housing.[page 8]
Doi teaches the output of the control signal from the controller (not shown) to the drive section 14 is stopped. This will cause the rotation of the rotor 16 stopped in a state in which the supply port 96 and a new outlet port 98 each other through the connection groove 78 keep in touch. By doing that, the valve body 82 are arranged at positions where the valve body 82 other outlet connections 98 facing, which differ from those in the original state, and by the restoring force of the springs 92 against the seat sections 101 In addition, at the same time, the pipelines are being pressed 98a the outlet connections 98 locked. Thereby, a valve-closed state (a non-communicating state) is reached, in which the other outlet ports 98 as the outlet port 98 , through which the washing fluid is discharged, are closed thereby suggesting wherein undesired application of a liquid to an outlet port, associated with the radial groove in the critical position, of the distribution device is avoided in a critical position, identified by the sensor arrangement, of the radial groove in which the signal transducer interacts with the counterpart element or there is no such interaction and in which there is no driver request for application of liquid.[page 8]
Regarding claim 12, Doi teaches the undesired application of liquid is avoided by way of a shut-off element (valve body 82) associated with the outlet port (98) being actuated.[page 8]
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doi (DE 11201605328 T5 translation cited in IDS) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Popov (US 2020/0041031).
Regarding claim 3, Doi is silent to the signal transducer is designed in the form of a Hall sensor.
Popov is directed towards an fluid distribution apparatus. Popov teaches the sensor unit can comprise Hall effect sensors, which are provided for detecting a rotary position of the rotor.[0020]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide a Hall sensor as taught in Popov as it an art recognized equivalent of the detection sensor of Doi as they perform the same function of detecting a position of the rotor.(MPEP 2144.06)
Claim(s) 7-9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doi (DE 11201605328 T5 translation cited in IDS) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Arunmozhi (US 2022/0065745).
Regarding claim 7, Doi teaches by detecting the detected object 74 of the rotor 16 by means of the detection sensor 76, it is then determined that the other end of the connecting groove 78 by further rotation of the rotor 16 is disposed at a position at which the other end to a desired outlet port 98 facing, and at a position at which the connecting groove 78 with the supply connection 96 is in communication thereby reading on the sensor arrangement is used for determining the position of the radial groove of the distributor disk relative to the housing, and, for position determination.[page 8]
Although Doi teaches he output of the control signal from the controller (not shown) to the drive section 14 is stopped. This will cause the rotation of the rotor 16 stopped in a state in which the supply port 96 and a new outlet port 98 each other through the connection groove 78 keep in touch. By doing that, the valve body 82 are arranged at positions where the valve body 82 other outlet connections 98 facing, which differ from those in the original state, and by the restoring force of the springs 92 against the seat sections 101 In addition, at the same time, the pipelines are being pressed 98a the outlet connections 98 locked. Thereby, a valve-closed state (a non-communicating state) is reached, in which the other outlet ports 98 as the outlet port 98 , through which the washing fluid is discharged, are closed, Doi is silent to a conveying pump which is fluidically connected to the distribution device is deactivated.[page 8]
Arunmozhi is directed towards a sensor cleaning system where figure 3 teaches the reservoir 64, the pump 34, the valves 36, and the nozzles 40 are fluidly connected to each other (i.e., fluid can flow from one to the other). Fluid flows from the pump 34 to the valves 36 and from each valve 36 to the respective nozzle 40. The nozzles 40 are supplied from the valves 36, which are supplied from the pump 34.[0036]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide a pump as taught in Arunmozhi to supply washing fluid to the distribution device of Doi.
Regarding claim 8, Arunmozhi teaches upon determining that a timer has expired, perform the steps of instructing the pump to operate, instructing the valve to close, receiving the data from the sensor, and setting the flag upon determining that the nozzle is outputting fluid onto the sensor thereby suggesting the position of the radial groove is determined again at defined time intervals.[0019]
Regarding claim 9, Arunmozhi teaches upon determining that a timer has expired, perform the steps of instructing the pump to operate, instructing the valve to close, receiving the data from the sensor, and setting the flag upon determining that the nozzle is outputting fluid onto the sensor thereby suggesting the position of the radial groove (DN) is determined again in a manner triggered by a defined event.[0019]
Regarding claim 11, Although Doi teaches he output of the control signal from the controller (not shown) to the drive section 14 is stopped. This will cause the rotation of the rotor 16 stopped in a state in which the supply port 96 and a new outlet port 98 each other through the connection groove 78 keep in touch. By doing that, the valve body 82 are arranged at positions where the valve body 82 other outlet connections 98 facing, which differ from those in the original state, and by the restoring force of the springs 92 against the seat sections 101 In addition, at the same time, the pipelines are being pressed 98a the outlet connections 98 locked. Thereby, a valve-closed state (a non-communicating state) is reached, in which the other outlet ports 98 as the outlet port 98 , through which the washing fluid is discharged, are closed, Doi is silent to a conveying pump, wherein the undesired application of liquid is avoided by way of the conveying pump which is fluidically connected to the distribution device being switched off.
Arunmozhi is directed towards a sensor cleaning system where figure 3 teaches the reservoir 64, the pump 34, the valves 36, and the nozzles 40 are fluidly connected to each other (i.e., fluid can flow from one to the other). Fluid flows from the pump 34 to the valves 36 and from each valve 36 to the respective nozzle 40. The nozzles 40 are supplied from the valves 36, which are supplied from the pump 34.[0036]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide a pump as taught in Arunmozhi to supply washing fluid to the distribution device of Doi.
Furthermore, have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention for the undesired application of liquid is avoided by way of the conveying pump which is fluidically connected to the distribution device being switched off when valve of Doi is in the closed state.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CRISTI J TATE-SIMS whose telephone number is (571)272-1722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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CRISTI J. TATE-SIMS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/CRISTI J TATE-SIMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711