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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Chen et al (20140290659).
Chen, Fig. 1-4, discloses control valve 21,25,27,17,11,13, comprising a valve body assembly 21,25,27,17,13and a valve core assembly 11, wherein the valve body assembly is provided with a first cavity (bottom portion connected to 1B1 and 1B2 in fig 2) and a second cavity (top portion of 13 connected to 1A1 and 1A2 in fig 2), at least part of the valve core assembly 11 is located in the first cavity, and at least another part of the valve core assembly 11 is located in the second cavity; the valve body assembly is provided with a first communication port (opening of 1A2 in 13) and a second communication port (opening of 1B2 in 13), wherein the second communication port (opening of 1B2 in 13) is located at a wall (cylindrical surface of 13) defining the first cavity (bottom portion connected to 1B1 and 1B2 in fig 2), and the first communication port (opening of 1A2 in 13) is located at a wall defining the second cavity (top portion of 13 connected to 1A1 and 1A2 in fig 2); the valve body assembly has a first connection port (connection of 21 to 23), and both the first communication port (opening of 1A2 in 13) and the second communication port (opening of 1B2 in 13) are in communication with the first connection port (connection of 21 to 23); the valve core assembly has at least a first operating position group (Fig 4) and a second operating position group (Fig 3); when in the first operating position group, the valve core assembly is configured to close the second communication port and open the first communication port; and when in the second operating position group, the valve core assembly is configured to close the first communication port and open the second communication port.
Claim(s) 1, 6-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Beasley (5269347).
Regarding claim 1, Beasley, Fig. 1-4, discloses a control valve, comprising a valve body assembly 28 and a valve core assembly 26,36,30, wherein the valve body assembly is provided with a first cavity 22a and a second cavity 24a, at least part 26 of the valve core assembly is located in the first cavity 22a, and at least another part 30 of the valve core assembly is located in the second cavity 24a; the valve body assembly is provided with a first communication port (opening for 24 at bottom of 24a) and a second communication port (opening for 22 at bottom of 22a), wherein the second communication port (opening for 22 at bottom of 22a) is located at a wall defining the first cavity 22, and the first communication port (opening for 24 at bottom of 24a) is located at a wall defining the second cavity 24a; the valve body assembly has a first connection port 20, and both the first communication port (opening for 24 at bottom of 24a) and the second communication port (opening for 22 at bottom of 22a) are in communication with the first connection port 20; the valve core assembly has at least a first operating position group ( 90 degree stem rotation from Fig 1) and a second operating position group (Fig 1 position); when in the first operating position group ( 90 degree stem rotation from Fig 1), the valve core assembly is configured to close the second communication port and open the first communication port; and when in the second operating position group (Fig 1 position), the valve core assembly is configured to close the first communication port and open the second communication port.
As to claim 6, the valve body assembly comprises a housing 14,16,18 and a partition wall portion (portion of housing between 22a,24a), wherein the partition wall portion is at least partially located in the housing, and the partition wall portion separates the first cavity 22a from the second cavity 24a; the partition wall portion is sealed with the valve core assembly (at 36), and the partition wall portion is sealed with the housing (at 16,18).
As to claim 7, partition wall portion (portion of housing between 22a,24a) is provided with a first through hole (bore for 36), at least part 36 of the valve core assembly is located in the first through hole, and the valve core assembly is sealed with a wall (bore) defining the first through hole.
As to claim 8, the valve core assembly 26,36,30, comprises a first valve core portion 38 and a second valve core portion 30, wherein the first valve core portion is in transmission connection (by 36) with the second valve core portion, at least part of the first valve core portion 28 is located in the first cavity 22a, and at least part of the second valve core portion 30 is located in the second cavity 24a; and an outer wall of the first valve core portion 28 is a part of a virtual spherical shape, and an outer wall of the second valve core portion 30 is a part of a virtual spherical shape.
Claim(s) 1, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Maggard (20070039653).
As to claim 1, Maggard, Fig 1-4, discloses a control valve, comprising a valve body assembly 28 and a valve core assembly 42-48, wherein the valve body assembly is provided with a first cavity (portion of 12 crossing 16) and a second cavity (portion of 12 crossing 14), at least part of the valve core assembly 42-48 is located in the first cavity, and at least another part of the valve core assembly 42-48 is located in the second cavity; the valve body assembly is provided with a first communication port (opening of 14 into 12 on the right side of 12) and a second communication port (opening of 16 into 12 on the right side of 12), wherein the second communication port (opening of 16 into 12 on the right side of 12) is located at a wall defining the first cavity (portion of 12 crossing 16), and the first communication port opening of 14 into 12 on the right side of 12) is located at a wall defining the second cavity (portion of 12 crossing 14); the valve body assembly has a first connection port 18, and both the first communication port and the second communication port are in communication with the first connection port 18; the valve core assembly has at least a first operating position group (Fig 1) and a second operating position group (Fig 2); when in the first operating position group, the valve core assembly is configured to close the second communication port and open the first communication port; and when in the second operating position group, the valve core assembly is configured to close the first communication port and open the second communication port.
As to claim 15, Maggard discloses a thermal management system (valve switching to avoid overheating, Para 5), comprising the control valve according to claim1.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Beasley (5269347) in view of Hoshi et al (8356627 ).
Beasley fails to disclose sealing members between communication ports and valve balls. Hoshi, Fig 1, teaches rotary valve with ball members 13a,13b and a sealing member 22 between each communication port and the valve ball.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed by Beasley with a sealing member between each communication port and the valve ball as taught by Hoshi in order to prevent interface leakage.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 2-5, 9, 11-14, 16-18 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