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 .
Response to Amendment
This action is responsive to the amendment dated 1/27/2026. The objection to the specification has been withdrawn due to applicant’s amendment to the specification. The previous claim interpretations remain. The previous 112 rejections have been withdrawn due to applicant’s amendment. Claims 1 and 4-17 remain pending. Claims 16-17 are newly presented. This action is Final.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code 102 not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 5-7, and 9-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Koppel et al. (U.S. 2020/0003363).
Koppel discloses a valve for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle, comprising: a first valve (20) with an associated first functional element (22), a second valve (another of valve 20, which total 8 valves) with an associated second functional element (22 associated with the another of valve 20), wherein the first valve and the second valve are configured to be variable in respective switching positions thereof by rotation of the respectively associated first and second functional elements (para. 57, in particular at the top right column of pg. 5), a locking mechanism (41) comprising a driving device (41a), wherein the locking mechanism is configured to be rotatable by a drive (30, 31, 32, 33), and wherein the locking mechanism is configured to transfer the first valve from a first switching position to a second switching position of the first valve by engagement of the driving device with the first functional element and to transfer the second valve from a first switching position to a second switching position of the second valve by engagement of the driving device with the second functional element (para. 57-58), wherein the driving device further comprises a first spur gear cutout (41a; alternatively two of the four gear teeth 46 of 41a) to engage with the first functional element or with the second functional element and a second spur gear cutout (see para. 57, the last two lines in the left column of page 5 and continuing on to the right column of page 5 describing several control toothing sections 42 (which is comprised of 41a), one of the additional control toothing sections being the “second spur gear cutout”; alternatively, another two of the four gear teeth 46 of 41a) to engage with the other one of the first functional element or with the second functional element, and wherein the second gear cutout is in addition to and offset from the first spur gear cutout (another one of the toothing sections 42 as described in para. 57, the last two lines in the left column of page 5 and continuing on to the right column of page 5, which are in addition to the other toothing section 42 and radially offset from each other; alternatively another two of the four gear teeth 46 of 41a, which are circumferentially offset from the other two of the four gear teeth 46 of 41a).
Regarding claim 5, Koppel further discloses wherein the first functional element and the second functional element each comprise a spur gear (22) for engagement of the first spur gear cutout or the second spur gear cutout.
Regarding claim 6, Koppel further discloses wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a first locking contour (a contour surface of the teeth 46 that contacts the teeth 24a/24b of the gear 22) for abutment against a locking surface (a surface of the teeth of 24a and/or 24b that contacts the teeth 46) of the first functional element and/or against a locking surface of the second functional element.
Regarding claim 7, Koppel further discloses wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a second locking contour (another contour surface of the teeth 46 that contacts the teeth 24a/24b of the gear 22) for abutment against the locking surface (another surface of the teeth of 24a and/or 24b that contacts the teeth 46) of the first functional element and/or against the locking surface of the second functional element.
Regarding claim 9, Koppel further discloses a third valve (another valve 20, of which there are 8 total valves) with an associated third functional element (22 associated with the third valve 20), wherein the third valve is configured to be variable in a switching position thereof by rotation of the third functional element (para. 57, in particular at the top right column of pg. 5), and wherein the locking mechanism is configured to transfer the third valve from a first switching position to a second switching position of the third valve by engagement of the driving device with the third functional element (para. 57-58).
Regarding claim 10, Koppel further discloses wherein the first spur gear cutout is configured to engage with the second functional element and with the third functional element (by rotation, the first spur gear cutout will engage with the second and third functional element gears 22 for each of the valves, see para. 57-58).
Regarding claim 11, Koppel further discloses wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a first locking contour (a contour surface of the teeth 46 that contacts the teeth 24a/24b of the gear 22), and wherein the first locking contour (a contour surface of the teeth 46 that contacts the teeth 24a/24b of the gear 22) is configured to abut against a locking surface of the second functional element and against a locking surface of the third functional element (by rotation, the first locking contour will selectively contact surfaces of the second and third gear teeth 46 (the functional elements), these surfaces being the “locking surfaces”).
Regarding claim 12, Koppel further discloses wherein the second spur gear cutout is configured to engage with the first functional element (by rotation, either the additional spur gear cutout as described at the bottom of the left column of page 5 in paragraph 57 or alternatively; another two of the four gear teeth 46 of 41a), and the second locking contour is configured to abut against the locking surface of the first functional element.
Regarding claim 13, Koppel further discloses wherein the first functional element comprises an odd number of switching positions and the second functional element comprises an even number of switching positions (as the gear 22 rotates, especially at different intervals as the gear 42 and axle 44 rotate, the first functional element gear 22 will be able to rotate into any number of positions, including an odd number or even number).
Regarding claim 14, Koppel further discloses a third valve (another valve 20, of which there are 8 total valves) with an associated third functional element (22 associated with the third valve 20), wherein the third valve is configured to be variable in a switching position thereof by rotation of the third functional element (para. 57, in particular at the top right column of pg. 5), wherein the locking mechanism is configured to transfer the third valve from a first switching position to a second switching position of the third valve by engagement of the driving device with the third functional element (para. 57-58), and wherein the third functional element comprises an even number of switching positions (as the gear 22 rotates, especially at different intervals as the gear 42 and axle 44 rotate, the first functional element gear 22 will be able to rotate into any number of positions, including an odd number or even number).
Regarding claim 15, Koppel further discloses wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve each comprise at least one rotary slide valve (as the gear 22 rotates, especially at different intervals as the gear 42 and axle 44 rotate, the first functional element gear 22 will be able to rotate into any number of positions, including an odd number or even number).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/27/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 11, the applicant argues that the first and second spur gear cutouts of the instant application are two distinct elements offset from one another and Koppel fails to disclose these features. The examiner respectfully disagrees as Koppel discloses another one of the toothing sections 42 as described in para. 57, the last two lines in the left column of page 5 and continuing on to the right column of page 5, which are in addition to the other toothing section 42 and radially offset from each other; alternatively another two of the four gear teeth 46 of 41a, which are circumferentially offset from the other two of the four gear teeth 46 of 41a. These are distinct elements and offset from one another.
For at least the above reason(s), applicant’s arguments have not been found persuasive.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-17 are allowed.
Claims 4 and 8 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.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL R REID whose telephone number is (313)446-4859. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9am-5pm 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 supervisors can be reached by phone. Craig Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607, or Ken Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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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) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
/MICHAEL R REID/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753