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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on applications filed in China on at least 23 February 2022 and 04 July 2022. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the 202210167199.1 and 202221708896.5 applications as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description:
---At least Para. [0091] mentions “blocking block A211” and “blocking block B221” it is noted that reference numbers “A211” and “B221” are not shown in the drawings. The Office notes that reference numbers “211” and “221” are present in the drawings and appears to correlate with the “blocking block A211” and the “blocking block B221”. The Office suggests that either the specification or the drawings are amended so that the information in one matches the information of the other.
---At least Para. [0112] mentions “body 101”. Reference number “101” is not shown in the drawings.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because:
---The abstract uses phrases that can be implied “The present disclosure provides…”.
A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 1-20 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.
---Claim 1 recites the following:
1. A multi-way valve, comprising a valve body and a valve core rotatably disposed in the valve body, wherein: the valve core comprises a first valve core and a second valve core, each of the first valve core and the second valve core has a valve core flow channel defined therein; and an end of the valve body is provided with a flow channel opening in communication with the valve core flow channel in the first valve core and the valve core flow channel in the second valve core, respectively.
Due to the way the claim is written, it is unclear and indefinite if the applicant is attempting to claim: a) a SINGULAR flow channel opening that is in communication with BOTH the valve core flow channel in the first valve core AND the valve core flow channel of the second valve core, OR b) AT LEAST TWO flow channel openings with a FIRST/INNER flow channel opening of the at least two flow channel openings in communication with the valve core flow channel in the first valve core and a SECOND/OUTER flow channel opening of the at least two flow channel openings in communication with the valve core flow channel in the second valve core. This issue is further aggravated in dependent claims which further makes it unclear to the actual amount of “flow channel opening(s)” being claimed or if they are the same or related. Based on the drawings and the disclosure, the Office will assume that the applicant may be attempting to claim plural flow channel openings 31 and 32. The Office suggests that the claim is amended to clarify applicant’s invention. It is further noted that amendments to claim 1 will affect the dependent claims and as such, the dependent claims need to be amended accordingly.
---Claim 5 recites the following:
5. The multi-way valve according to claim 4, wherein the valve body has an outer flow channel defined therein, the outer flow channel being in communication with the valve core flow channel in the second valve core and the outer flow channel opening.
First, notice the lack of antecedent basis for the limitation of “the outer flow channel opening”. Second, as it was noted in the rejection of claim 1 above, the “new” limitation of an “outer flow channel opening” makes it unclear and indefinite if the outer flow channel opening” is the same or somehow related to the previously recited “flow channel opening” or if they are distinct from each other. Based on the drawings and the disclosure, the Office will assume that the applicant may be attempting to claim plural flow channel openings 31 and 32 with the outer flow channel opening being opening 31. The Office suggests that the claim is amended to clarify applicant’s invention.
---Claim 8 recites the following:
8. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein: each of the valve core flow channel in the first valve core and the valve core flow channel in the second valve core is in communication with at least two flow channel openings; and the first valve core and the second valve core are formed as one piece or separate parts.
Due to the way the claim is written and the issues mentioned in claim 1 above, it is unclear and indefinite if the latter recitation of “at least two flow channel openings” is the same or related to the previous recitation of intervening claim 1 of “a flow channel opening” or if they are distinct from each other. Based on the drawings and the disclosure, the Office will assume that the applicant may be attempting to claim plural flow channel openings 31 and 32 with the outer flow channel openings being openings 31 and the inner flow channel opening being opening 32. The Office suggests that the claim is amended to clarify applicant’s invention.
---Claim 12 recites the following:
12. A multi-way valve, comprising a valve body, a valve cover disposed at an end of the valve body, and a valve core rotatably disposed in the valve body, wherein: the valve core has at least one first valve core flow channel and at least one second valve core flow channel that have openings oppositely disposed in an axial direction; and a same end of the valve cover and the valve body is provided with a flow channel opening in communication with the at least one first valve core flow channel and the at least one second valve core flow channel, respectively.
Claim 12 recites similar limitation to claim 1 and due to the way the claim is written, it makes it unclear if the applicant is attempting to claim: a) a SINGULAR flow channel opening that is in communication with BOTH the valve core flow channel in the first valve core AND the valve core flow channel of the second valve core, OR b) AT LEAST TWO flow channel openings with a FIRST/INNER flow channel opening of the at least two flow channel openings in communication with the valve core flow channel in the first valve core and a SECOND/OUTER flow channel opening of the at least two flow channel openings in communication with the valve core flow channel in the second valve core. This issue is further aggravated in dependent claims which further makes it unclear to the actual amount of “flow channel opening(s)” being claimed or if they are the same or related. Based on the drawings and the disclosure, the Office will assume that the applicant may be attempting to claim plural flow channel openings 31 and 32. The Office suggests that the claim is amended to clarify applicant’s invention. It is further noted that amendments to claim 12 will affect the dependent claims and as such, the dependent claims need to be amended accordingly.
---Claim 14 recites the following:
14. The multi-way valve according to claim 13, wherein: the valve cover has an inner flow channel opening in communication with the at least one first valve core flow channel; and an end of the valve body is provided with an outer flow channel opening in communication with the outer flow channel and the at least one second valve core flow channel.
As it was noted in the rejection of claim 12 above, the “new” limitations of an “inner/outer flow channel opening” makes it unclear and indefinite if the “inner/outer flow channel opening” is the same or somehow related to the previously recited “flow channel opening” or if they are distinct from each other. Based on the drawings and the disclosure, the Office will assume that the applicant may be attempting to claim plural flow channel openings 31 and 32 with the outer flow channel opening being opening 31 and the inner flow channel opening being opening 32. The Office suggests that the claim is amended to clarify applicant’s invention.
---Claim(s) 2-11 and 13-20, being dependent on any of the preceding claim(s) above, inherit the same deficiencies as the parent/intervening claim(s) and as such is/are rejected in the same manner, see the rejection(s) above.
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) 1-5, 8-9, 12-13 and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Ma CN-111350840.
Regarding claims 1-5, 8-9, 12-13 and 18-19, as best understood by the Office and as far as it is definite, Ma CN-111350840 teaches in Figs. 1-19 (see at least Figs. 1 and 3-7 and 11) the limitations of:
---Claim 1. A multi-way valve (see the multi-way valve assembly of Figs. 1 and 3-7 and 11), comprising a valve body (valve body assembly 200 comprising an upper valve body 220 and a lower valve body 230) and a valve core (valve core 100) rotatably disposed in the valve body, wherein: the valve core comprises a first valve core (first end 111 of the valve core 100) and a second valve core (second end 112 of the valve core 100), each of the first valve core and the second valve core has a valve core flow channel (see either one of flow passages 132, 133, 134 and 140 in the first end 111 and either one of flow passages 135, 136 and 140 in the second end 112) defined therein; and an end of the valve body is provided with a flow channel opening (see the flow channel openings of ports 210 of the lower valve body 230 of the valve body assembly 200 and /or the flow channel openings of ports 210 of the upper valve body 220 of the valve body assembly 200) in communication with the valve core flow channel in the first valve core and the valve core flow channel in the second valve core, respectively.
---Claim 2. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve core flow channel in the first valve core and the valve core flow channel in the second valve core have opposite openings (see at least Figs. 2-6).
---Claim 3. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the first valve core and the second valve core are symmetrically arranged relative to a plane perpendicular to an axis of the valve core (see at least Figs. 2-6).
---Claim 4. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, further comprising a valve cover (see the other of either one of the upper valve body 220 or the lower valve body 230 which forms a cover of the valve housing assembly 200), the flow channel opening being formed on the valve cover (see at least Figs. 1 and 11-17).
---Claim 5. The multi-way valve according to claim 4, wherein the valve body has an outer flow channel (see the flow channels of ports 210 of the lower valve body 230 of the valve body assembly 200 and /or the flow channels of ports 210 of the upper valve body 220 of the valve body assembly 200) defined therein, the outer flow channel being in communication with the valve core flow channel in the second valve core and the outer flow channel opening (see at least Figs. 1 and 11-17).
---Claim 8. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein: each of the valve core flow channel in the first valve core and the valve core flow channel in the second valve core is in communication with at least two flow channel openings (see either one of flow passages 132, 133, 134 and 140 in the first end 111 having openings that fluidly communicate with the channels and either one of flow passages 135, 136 and 140 in the second end 112 having openings that fluidly communicate with the channels); and the first valve core and the second valve core are formed as one piece or separate parts (see at least Figs. 2-6).
---Claim 9. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein: the end of the valve body provided with the flow channel opening and the valve body are formed as one piece or separate parts; and when the end of the valve body is separated from the valve body, the end of the valve body provided with the flow channel opening is fixedly mounted on the valve body as a valve cover of the valve body (see the other of either one of the upper valve body 220 or the lower valve body 230 which forms a cover of the valve housing assembly 200 and each of the upper valve body 220 and lower valve body 230 comprising flow channels that fluidly couple to the flow passages of the valve cores, see at least Figs. 1-6 and 11-17).
---Claim 12. A multi-way valve (see the multi-way valve assembly of Figs. 1 and 3-7 and 11), comprising a valve body (see either one of the upper valve body 220 and the lower valve body 230), a valve cover (see the other of either one of the upper valve body 220 and the lower valve body 230) disposed at an end of the valve body, and a valve core (valve core 100) rotatably disposed in the valve body, wherein: the valve core has at least one first valve core flow channel and at least one second valve core flow channel that have openings oppositely disposed in an axial direction (see either one of flow passages 132, 133, 134 and 140 in the first end 111 having openings that fluidly communicate with the channels and either one of flow passages 135, 136 and 140 in the second end 112 having openings that fluidly communicate with the channels, see also at least Figs. 2-6); and a same end of the valve cover and the valve body is provided with a flow channel opening (see the flow channel openings of ports 210 of the lower valve body 230 of the valve body assembly 200 and /or the flow channel openings of ports 210 of the upper valve body 220 of the valve body assembly 200) in communication with the at least one first valve core flow channel and the at least one second valve core flow channel, respectively.
---Claim 13. The multi-way valve according to claim 12, wherein: the valve core is surrounded by the valve body; and the valve body are provided with an outer flow channel (see the flow channel openings of ports 210 of the lower valve body 230 of the valve body assembly 200 and /or the flow channel openings of ports 210 of the upper valve body 220 of the valve body assembly 200) in communication with the at least one second valve core flow channel, the outer flow channel being disposed at an outer side of the valve core and an outer side of the valve cover in a radial direction (see at least Figs. 1-6 and 11-17).
---Claim 18. The multi-way valve according to claim 12, wherein the valve body comprises a support member (seal 300) disposed at an end of the valve core away from the valve cover, the support member abutting against the valve body to space the valve core apart from the valve body (see at least Figs. 1-6 and 11-17).
---Claim 19. The multi-way valve according to claim 12, further comprising an inner sealing member (seal 300) disposed at an end of the valve core away from the valve cover and abutting against the valve core (see at least Figs. 1-6 and 11-17).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7, 10-11, 14-17 and 20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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:
As best understood by the Office, the closest prior art are:
---References A (Rotary multiway valves): Qu US-12320432, Otsubo US-12247959, Wang US-11965604, Babicki US-11953104, Chapman US-11939981, Elgamil US-10487857, Tanaka US-10422433, Chen US-8079384, Wagner US-7500490, Toyama US-5787930, Joslyn US-4294285, Broeg US-4281684, Cyphelly US-3768516, Perry US-3633623, Whitlock US-3613731, Archer US-3561479, Stevenson US-2745434, Van Wagenen US-3702143, Zajac US-3537680, Pruett US-3451428, White US-2907349, Overbeke US-2653003, Van Der Werff US-2578160, Daniels US-2364697, McGill US-2209991, McGill US-2209992, Hanna US-2009616, Ma CN-111350841, Ma CN-111350840, Xia CN-200999884 and Zhu CN-1453490.
References A teaches the general state of the art of rotary multiway valves, wherein one or more coaxial valve disks are rotated to allows the routing of fluid between different inlets and outlets, thus providing a compact multiway fluid control with a single valve as opposed to using multiple 2-way valves in a similar manner as applicant’s general invention. Notice that while the closest prior art teaches various aspects of applicant’s invention, the closest prior art fails to disclose or render obvious all of the features of the claimed invention, most notably the particular structure and arrangement of the outer flow channel 2, the valve body 1, the valve cover 3, the positioning rod 5, the transmission sleeve 6, the inner and outer flow channel openings 32 and 31 and the valve core 4 and how these various components interact with one another in combination with all the limitations as claimed in claims 6-7, 10-11, 14-17 and 20 and as shown in at least Figs. 2-4 and 18-19 of the application.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID COLON-MORALES, whose telephone number 571-270-1741 and fax number is 571-270-2741. If the applicant has authorized internet communications via the filling of form PTO/SB/439, the examiner can be reached via email at david.colon-morales@uspto.gov , email communication is not permitted if the applicant has not filed an authorization for internet communication (see MPEP 502.03 for more details on internet communications). The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (7:30AM-3:30PM EST).
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/DAVID COLON-MORALES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753