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 § 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 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Nafz (6000430).
Regarding claim 1, Nafz discloses control valve, comprising a valve body 30,48 assembly and a valve core assembly 60, wherein the control valve has a valve cavity, and the valve core assembly is at least partially located in the valve cavity; the valve body assembly is provided with a communication port 24,46,42,44,34,32,38,40,36, wherein the communication port is located on a wall (outer housing) defining the valve cavity, and the communication port comprises a first communication port 46, a second communication port 24, a third communication port 34, a fourth communication port 42 and a fifth communication port 44; the valve core assembly has a first communicating portion 59 and a second communicating portion 53; wherein in a first operating position (position of Fig 2) of the valve core assembly, the second communicating portion 53 is in communication with the first communication port 46, the second communicating portion 53 is in communication with the fourth communication port 42, the first communicating portion 53 is in communication with the second communication port 24, and the first communicating portion 53 is in communication with the third communication port 34; in a second operating position (when opening 54 of 53 is rotated to be aligned with 44) of the valve core assembly, the second communicating portion 53 is in communication with the first communication port 46, the second communicating portion 53 is in communication with the fifth communication port 44, the first communicating portion 53 is in communication with the second communication port 24, and the first communicating portion 53 is in communication with the third communication port 34; and a height direction (vertical direction) is defined, which is parallel to an extension direction of a valve core axis (axis of seat 62) of the valve core assembly, and in the height direction, the second communication port 24 and the third communication port 34 are provided in a staggered manner.
As to claim 2, Nafz discloses that the valve core assembly 60 is configured to rotate around the valve core valve core axis (axis of seat 62); the wall defining the valve cavity comprises a bottom wall 48 and a side wall (wall of 30), wherein the bottom wall 48 is located at a (bottom) side of the valve cavity along the height direction, and the side wall (wall of 30) extends along the height direction; and the first communication port 46, the third communication port 34, the fourth communication port 42 and the fifth communication port 44 are all located on the side wall (wall of 30), and the second communication port 24 is located on the bottom wall 48.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Ledvora et al (20200200284).
Regarding claim 1, Ledvora, Fig. 1-18 (oriented as in Fig 7,10 with actuator 64 at top), discloses a control valve, comprising a valve body assembly (fig 7-9) and a valve core assembly 58, wherein the control valve has a valve cavity 56, and the valve core assembly 58 is at least partially located in the valve cavity 56; the valve body assembly is provided with a communication port (inner ends of 224,226,228,230,232), wherein the communication port is located on a wall defining the valve cavity 56, and the communication port comprises a first communication port (inner end of 230), a second communication port (inner end of 232), a third communication port (inner end of 228), a fourth communication port (inner end of 224) and a fifth communication port (inner end of 226); the valve core assembly has a first communicating portion 20,24 and a second communicating portion 22; wherein in a first operating position (Fig 5) of the valve core assembly, the second communicating portion 22 is in communication with the first communication port 230, the second communicating portion 22 is in communication with the fourth communication port 224, the first communicating portion 20,24 is in communication with the second communication port 232, and the first communicating portion 20,24 is in communication with the third communication port 228; in a second operating position (Fig 6) of the valve core assembly, the second communicating portion 22 is in communication with the first communication port 230, the second communicating portion 22 is in communication with the fifth communication port 226, the first communicating portion 20,24 is in communication with the second communication port 232, and the first communicating portion 20,24 is in communication with the third communication port 228; and a height direction is defined, which is parallel to an extension direction of a valve core axis (vertical axis of 232) of the valve core assembly, and in the height direction, the second communication port 232 and the third communication port 228 are provided in a staggered manner.
As to claim 2, the valve core assembly is configured to rotate around the valve core axis (vertical axis of 232); the wall defining the valve cavity comprises a bottom wall (bottom wall of 50) and a side wall (side walls of 50), wherein the bottom wall is located at a side of the valve cavity along the height direction, and the side wall extends along the height direction; and the first communication port 230, the third communication port 228, the fourth communication port 224 and the fifth communication port 226 are all located on the side wall, and the second communication port 232 is located on the bottom wall.
As to claim 12, middle parts of openings of the first communication port 230, the fifth communication port 226 and the fourth communication port 224 are each located at a height in a height range of an opening of the third communication port 228.
As to claim 13, a first connection port (outer end of 226), a second connection port (outer end of 230), a third connection port (outer end of 232), a fourth connection port (outer end of 228) and a fifth connection port (outer end of 224); and the second communication port (inner end of 232) is in communication with the third connection port (outer end of 232), the fourth communication port (inner end of 224) is in communication with the fifth connection port (outer end of 224), the fifth communication port (inner end of 226) is in communication with the first connection port (outer end of 226), and the third communication port (inner end of 228) is in communication with the fourth connection port (outer end of 228), and the first communication port (inner end of 230) is in communication with the second connection port (outer end of 230).
As to claim 14, the valve core assembly 56 is substantially columnar in shape, the first communicating portion 20,24 has a first opening (outer end of 20) at an outer periphery of the valve core assembly, and a middle part of the first opening (outer end of 20) is located at a height (passage 20 being at the same height as four horizontal ports) in the height range of the opening of the third communication port 228; and the first communicating portion 20,24 is provided with a third opening (bottom end of 24) on an axial side of a valve core 56 of the valve core assembly 56, wherein the third opening (bottom end of 24) faces the bottom wall, the first communicating portion 20,24 is always in communication with the second communication port 232, and a center of the second communication port 232 is coaxial or substantially coaxial with the valve core axis of the valve core assembly.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 3-11, 15-18 is/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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Atif Chaudry at phone number 571-270-3768. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (9:30AM-6:00PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached by phone. Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881, or Craig Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ATIF H CHAUDRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753