DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-15 are pending.
This is in response to the amendment filed 4/29/2026.
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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s argue that the nut 36, in Vincent, cannot tension the bellows 21, which is not persuasive, since the nut 36 controls the location of the stop, therefore the nut can vary where the stop is located, if the upper portion of the needle 35 is adjusted downward, and then the nut is locked down, more tension is placed on the bellows as the distal end of 30 abuts the stop at the lower end of 35, when more travel is wanted the upper needle portion 35 is adjusted upward, and then the nut is locked down, tension is still placed on the bellows but it is at a lesser extent then the prior adjustment, in either case tension can be placed on the bellows by screwing the upper portion needle 35 and abutting the distal end of 30 and then locking down the nut 36.
Since applicant’s argument is not persuasive, this action is made Final.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 4/29/2026. These drawings are accepted.
Claim Objections
Applicant’s amendments overcome the prior objections.
Claims 1 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
in claim 1, “its length” should be - -a length of the valve needle - -;
in claim 15, “needle forms an outer contour” should be changed to - -needle has an outer contour - -(The change is suggested to ensure the claim is not claiming both an apparatus and a method in the same claim), and, “its longitudinal axis”, should be, - -a longitudinal axis of the tensioning sleeve - -.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis 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) 1-6 and 8-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Vincent (US 2391808).
Regarding claim 1, Vincent discloses a fuel valve (see Fig. 1) for metered delivery of fuel (p1. Left col. Line 1) having a housing (10) which can be filled with a fluid fuel and having an outlet opening (17), and a valve needle (19,22,35) disposed in the housing which can be moved in a longitudinal direction and which interacts with a valve seat (18) to open and close the outlet opening, wherein the valve needle is surrounded for a portion of its length by a crimping bellows (21) which seals an interior internal chamber (the chamber/space within 21) wherein the crimping bellows (21) is connected at an end (the end of 21 abutting 28) facing the outlet opening to a connecting ring (28) in a fluid-tight manner, and is tensioned by a tensioning nut (36) surrounding the valve needle against a sealing seat (26, see Fig.4) on the valve needle.
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Regarding claim 2, Vincent discloses the tensioning nut (36) engages a thread (as shown clearly in Fig. 1) formed on an outer side of the valve needle (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Vincent discloses a tensioning sleeve (39) surrounding the valve needle (22,35,19) is disposed between the tensioning nut and the connecting ring, wherein the tensioning sleeve transfers a pressing force of the tensioning nut to the connecting ring (the force transferred through the connection of 37).
Regarding claim 4, Vincent discloses the valve needle (19,22,35) forms an outer contour (a round diameter) in an area of the tensioning sleeve (39), and wherein the tensioning sleeve (39) engages in a positive-locking manner so that the tensioning sleeve (39) is secured against rotation about its longitudinal axis (since the sleeve 39 is torqued down in the bore it is installed in and abuts a gasket/seal above it, it is considered as being secured against rotation from the torque).
Regarding claim 5, Vincent discloses the sealing seat (26, see Fig. 4) is conical.
Regarding claim 6, Vincent discloses a conical abutment surface (27) is formed on the connecting ring (28) with which the connecting ring rests on the sealing seat (See Fig. 1,4).
Regarding claim 8, Vincent discloses a sealing ring (the ring, being the reduced part of 19,22 between 26 and 30, in a broadest reasonable interpretation based on the location of the structure) is disposed between the connecting ring and the valve needle.
Regarding claim 9, Vincent discloses an end (upper end of 21 abutting the horizontal face of 39) of the crimping bellows facing away from the outlet opening is connected to a second ring (the gasket, being the second ring, between 37 and 39 is connected to the end of the bellows through mating part 39) to form a seal.
Regarding claim 10, Vincent discloses the second connecting ring (the gasket, being the second ring, between 37 and 39 is connected to the end of the bellows through mating part 39) abuts a shoulder (the bottom surface of 37) facing the outlet opening in the housing (10).
Regarding claim 11, Vincent discloses the second connecting ring (the gasket, being the second ring, between 37 and 39 is connected to the end of the bellows through mating part 39) is tensioned against the shoulder (bottom surface of 37) by a tensioning screw (37).
Regarding claim 12, Vincent discloses, the following when considering claims 9-11 in an alternative manner;
where for claim 9, an end (upper end of 21 abutting the horizontal face of 39 at 38) of the crimping bellows facing away from the outlet opening is connected to a second ring (at 38) to form a seal,
where for claim 10, the second connecting ring (39) abuts a shoulder (the bottom surface of 37) facing the outlet opening in the housing (10),
where for claim 11, the second connecting ring (39) is tensioned against the shoulder (bottom surface of seal/gasket abutting top of 39) by a tensioning screw (top most nut),
for claim 12, a first adjustment washer (the uppermost washer between the top most nut and lower nut 37) and a second adjustment washer (the lower washer between 37 and 39) are disposed between the second connecting ring (39) and the tensioning screw (top most nut) and/or between the second connecting ring and the shoulder.
Regarding claim 13, Vincent discloses the internal chamber is filled with a lubricant (p.1, right col. Lns. 25-26, the lubricant being fuel, “fuel pressure to flow into the interior of the bellows”).
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) 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vincent ‘808 in view of Simpson (US 1996309).
Regarding claim 7, Vincent discloses all of the claimed features of the invention although is silent to having that the sealing seat is configured as a flat annular surface and a flat abutting surface is configured on the connecting ring, which also forms an annular surface and with which the connecting ring rests on the sealing seat.
Simpson discloses a bellows valve that teaches the use of sealing seat is configured as a flat annular surface (8) and a flat abutting surface (the bottom flat surface on 9 that abuts 8) is configured on the connecting ring, which also forms an annular surface and with which the connecting ring rests on the sealing seat.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute a flat sealing surfaces as taught by Simpson for the sealing surfaces in Vincent to have the sealing seat is configured as a flat annular surface and a flat abutting surface is configured on the connecting ring, which also forms an annular surface and with which the connecting ring rests on the sealing seat, since it has been held, that an express suggestion to substitute one equivalent component (one valve seat for another) or process for another is not necessary to render such substitution obvious. Additionally, the well-known expected outcome of sealing a valve, would result from the combination.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14 and 15 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.
None of the prior art of record discloses or renders as obvious; “the tensioning sleeve directly engages the valve needle”, in combination with the rest of the limitations in claim 14, and, “ the outer contour engages an inner contour of the tensioning sleeve so that the tensioning sleeve is secured against rotation about its longitudinal axis relative to the valve needle” in combination with rest of the limitations in claim 15.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 Craig Price, whose telephone number is (571)272-2712 or via facsimile (571)273-2712. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:00AM-4:30PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Craig Schneider, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-3607, Kenneth 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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/CRAIG J PRICE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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