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 drawn to claims 1-10 and Species I directed to claims 1-4, 8 and 9 in the reply filed on 9/3/2026 is acknowledged. Accordingly claims 5-7 and 10-21 are considered withdrawn.
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.
Claim 4 is 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 4 recites: “the first conduit defines an oval-shaped opening extending through the second endcap.” It is unclear if this oval-shaped opening corresponds to the standpipe opening mentioned in parent claim 1 or if it is a separately formed opening. Based on the specification it will be assumed that the standpipe opening corresponds to this oval-shaped opening.
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)(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) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kamp et al. (herein Kamp) (US 20140284266). Regarding Claim 1:In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, Kamp discloses a filter cartridge (10), comprising: a media pack (16) defining a central cavity (cavity within center tube 56, henceforth referred to as CC); a first endcap (17) coupled to a first pack end (top end) of the media pack (as seen in Figure 6); a second endcap (18, 26, 58) coupled to a second pack end (bottom end) of the media pack (16), the second endcap (18, 26, 58) comprising: a first conduit (portion of the conduit 23 that extends through 26 and 58, henceforth referred to as FC) extending axially away from the media pack (extends axially downwards from the media pack 16, see Figure 6) and fluidly coupled to the central cavity (via channel 76), the first conduit (FC) defining a standpipe opening (opening formed by 58 that receives standpipe 24) that is sized to receive a standpipe (24) therein; and a second conduit (28) extending axially away from the media pack (as seen in Figure 6) and spaced apart from the first conduit (as seen in Figure 6), a first conduit axis (82) of the first conduit (FC) and a second conduit axis (84) of the second conduit (28) each radially offset from a central axis (86) of the central cavity (see paragraph [0047]).Regarding Claim 2:In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, Kamp discloses the filter cartridge (10), wherein the second conduit (28) is fluidly coupled to the central cavity (CC) separately from the first conduit (the first conduit is connected to the central cavity via the stand pipe 24, see paragraph [0037]. Meanwhile the second conduit 28 is separately fluidly coupled to the central cavity as mentioned in paragraph [0029]).
Claim(s) 1-3 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hawkins et al. (herein Hawkins) (US 2006/0053756).Regarding Claim 1:
In Figures 1-6, Hawkins discloses a filter cartridge (50), comprising: a media pack (54) defining a central cavity (cavity at the interior of the media pack 54 defining passages 65 and 68, henceforth referred to as CC); a first endcap (55) coupled to a first pack end (top end) of the media pack; a second endcap (56, 95) coupled to a second pack end (bottom end) of the media pack (see Figure 3), the second endcap (56) comprising: a first conduit (68) extending axially away from the media pack (conduit portion formed by 95 extends axially away from the media pack as seen in Figure 3) and fluidly coupled to the central cavity (via standpipe 52 as indicated by the flow direction arrows F in Figure 3), the first conduit (68) defining a standpipe opening (opening formed by 95) that is sized to receive a standpipe (received bottom portion of standpipe 52 as seen in Figure 2) therein; and a second conduit (65) extending axially away from the media pack (as seen in Figure 3, a bottom portion of 65 extends axially away from the media pack within 95) and spaced apart from the first conduit (as seen in Figure 3), a first conduit axis (not shown, but would be an axis passing axially through the center of 68, henceforth referred to as A1) of the first conduit (68) and a second conduit axis (not shown, but would be an axis passing axially through the center of 65, henceforth referred to as A2) of the second conduit (65) each radially offset from a central axis (not shown but would generally be an axis axially passing through the wall 64 in Figure 3 and henceforth referred to as C1) of the central cavity (as evident from Figure 3, A1 and A2 would be radially offset from C1).Regarding Claim 2:In Figures 1-6, Hawkins discloses the filter cartridge (50), wherein the second conduit (65) is fluidly coupled to the central cavity (CC) separately from the first conduit (the second conduit is fluidly connected to the central cavity as depicted by the flow direction arrows P while the first conduit is separately fluidly connected to the central cavity as depicted by the flow direction arrows F as seen in Figure 3). Regarding Claim 3:In Figures 1-6, Hawkins discloses the filter cartridge (50), wherein the first endcap (55) includes a through-hole opening (opening receiving seal 60) that is arranged coaxially with the first conduit (the through hole and the first conduit 68 can share a coaxial axis as evident from Figure 5).Regarding Claim 8:In Figures 1-6, Hawkins discloses the filter cartridge (50), wherein a portion of an outer wall of the second conduit extends radially outwardly beyond an inner perimeter of the media pack (as seen in Figure 3, the outer wall formed by 95 of the second conduit 65 extends radially outwardly beyond an inner perimeter of the media pack via conduit portion 47).Regarding Claim 9:In Figures 1-6, Hawkins discloses the filter cartridge (50), wherein the first endcap (55) includes a bypass sealing seat (seal retention flange 59, see Figure 5 and paragraph [0020]) that extends toward the second endcap (the flange 59 extends in the axial direction from top to bottom towards the bottom second endcap 56), the bypass sealing seat (59) defining a through-hole opening (opening that receives seal 60) that extends through the first endcap (as seen in Figure 5).
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.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hawkins et al. (herein Hawkins) (US 2006/0053756) in view of Abdalla et al. (herein Abdalla) (US 2012/0024771).
Regarding Claim 4:Hawkins is silent regarding whether the first conduit defines an oval-shaped opening extending through the second endcap.However, in Figures 1-6, Abdalla discloses a similar filter cartridge, wherein a conduit (conduit formed by standpipe 30) defined an ovel-shaped standpipe opening (132) that extends through an endcap (68). Abdalla states that the standpipe can be circular or any non-circular shape such as an oval (see paragraph [0024]) and when the standpipe is oval, the corresponding standpipe opening in the end cap can have a similar oval shape (see paragraph [0031]).
Hence, based on Abdalla’s teaching, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have replaced Hawkins’ standpipe 52) with an oval standpipe and to modify Hawkins’ corresponding standpipe opening (in 95) extending through the second endcap (56, 95) to also be oval to correspondingly attach to one another (as taught by Abdalla), since doing so would be obvious to try and would yield predictable results such as ensuring non-rotation of the standpipe during operation and secure attachment.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 10,307,698 – Dual conduit filter cartridge.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOMINICK L PLAKKOOTTAM whose telephone number is (571)270-7571. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 12 pm -8 pm ET.
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/DOMINICK L PLAKKOOTTAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
