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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant’s amendment has overcome the rejection of record. However, a new ground of rejection is applied to the amended claims.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the a plurality of stopper grooves formed in the groove of the lid as recited in claim 1, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 3, 5, and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Since the disclosure lacks any disclosure of the lid having a plurality of stopper grooves formed in the bottom of the groove around the central axis of the lid. The disclosure does disclose a plurality of stopper grooves formed in the bottom of the groove around the central axis of the bottom wall, but the claim is currently further limiting either the groove of the lid or bottom wall with the plurality of stopper grooves.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 5, and 7 are 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.
Regarding claim 1, it is unclear how the groove around the central axis of the lid can have a plurality of stopper grooves formed in the bottom of the groove since the disclosure does not disclose such a feature.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (Pub. No. US 2024/0060569) in view of Hu (U.S. Patent No. 12,169,025).
Regarding claim 1, Wang et al. disclose a manifold (Figs. 1-11) comprising: a resin-made manifold main body (paragraph 27) including a plurality of housings (10 and 17) joined to each other (paragraphs 27-30) and having a plurality of flow paths (141-144 and 1711-1741) therein; and a rotary valve (15) that regulates a flow of a fluid flowing through the flow paths (paragraph 19), wherein a first housing (10) that is one of two housings having joint portions (Fig. 4) joined to each other among the plurality of housings (paragraphs 27-30) constituting the manifold main body (10 and 17) includes a cylindrical valve accommodation portion (13) that is allowed to accommodate and support (paragraphs 20 and 25) the rotary valve (15), at least part (131) of the valve accommodation portion (13) protrudes toward a second housing (17) side relative to the joint portions (Fig. 2), the second housing (17) being the other of the two housings, the valve accommodation portion (13) has an opening (top opening connected to the actuator 20) into which the rotary valve (15) is allowed to be inserted and a bottom wall (paragraph 25) that is allowed to support the rotary valve (15), and the second housing (17) has a through hole (179), and the bottom wall is disposed radially inside (paragraph 27) the through hole (179) of the second housing (17); and a lid (20) that covers the opening (Fig. 1) and is fixed to the first housing (10), wherein the rotary valve (15) includes a rotor (15) that rotates about a central axis (Fig. 5) of the valve accommodation portion (30) to regulate a flow of the fluid (paragraph 19), and a seal member (16) disposed between the rotor (15) and the valve accommodation portion (30), but lack disclosure of at least one of the bottom wall and the lid of the valve accommodation portion has a groove around the central axis, the seal member is held by being inserted into the groove, the seal member includes a plurality of rotation stoppers, in the bottom of the groove, a plurality of stopper grooves is formed into which the rotation stoppers are inserted.
Hu teaches a manifold (Figs. 1-18) comprising a main body (10) having a cylindrical valve accommodation portion (102, Fig. 12), wherein the valve accommodation portion (102) has an opening (Fig. 12) for allowing a rotary valve (20) to be inserted and a bottom wall (11), the bottom wall (11) having an annular groove (124) around the central axis (Fig. 12), and a seal member (40) that is held by being inserted (Column 9 lines 18-41) into the annular groove (124), the seal member (40) includes a plurality of rotation stoppers (stoppers in between notches 46, Fig. 11) that are inserted into a plurality of stopper grooves (127, in between 126 Fig. 17) that are formed in the bottom (Figs. 10-18) of the annular groove (124).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the manifold of Wang et al. with a sealing member as taught by Hu for the advantage of limiting a position of the sealing member and preventing the sealing member from being separated from the valve body (Column 9 lines 18-41).
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (Pub. No. US 2024/0060569) in view of Hu (U.S. Patent No. 12,169,025), and further in view of Gray (U.S. Patent No. 11,454,330).
Regarding claim 3, Wang et al. modified above disclose the essential features of the claimed invention but lack disclosure wherein an inner diameter of the valve accommodation portion decreases from an opening side toward a bottom wall side.
Gray teaches a manifold (Figs. 1-25) comprising a chamber (30) as a valve accommodation portion (30) for a rotary valve (50), wherein the inner diameter (Fig. 5, Column 6 lines 29-42) of the valve accommodation portion (30) decreases from an opening side (23) toward a bottom side wall (22).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the manifold of Wang et al. with a change in diameter of the valve accommodation portion as taught by Gray, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the form or shape of a component. A change in form or shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1976).
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (Pub. No. US 2024/0060569) in view of Hu (U.S. Patent No. 12,169,025), and further in view of Lin et al. (Pub. No. US 2020/0011437).
Regarding claim 5, Wang et al. modified above disclose the essential features of the claimed invention but lack disclosure wherein the first housing includes a fixing portion fixed to a support frame.
Lin et al. teach a manifold (Figs. 1-9) comprising a housing (1) including a valve accommodation portion (101) for a rotary valve (2), wherein the housing (1) includes a fixing portion (50) for fixing to a support frame (paragraph 30).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the housing of Wang et al., with a fixing portion as taught by Lin et al. for the advantage of enabling the manifold to be connected/mounted to a vehicle (paragraph 30).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (Pub. No. US 2024/0060569) in view of Hu (U.S. Patent No. 12,169,025), and further in view of Gray (U.S. Patent No. 11,454,330), and even further in view of Lin et al. (Pub. No. US 2020/0011437).
Regarding claim 7, Wang et al. modified above disclose the essential features of the claimed invention but lack disclosure wherein the first housing includes a fixing portion fixed to a support frame.
Lin et al. teach a manifold (Figs. 1-9) comprising a housing (1) including a valve accommodation portion (101) for a rotary valve (2), wherein the housing (1) includes a fixing portion (50) for fixing to a support frame (paragraph 30).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the housing of Wang et al., with a fixing portion as taught by Lin et al. for the advantage of enabling the manifold to be connected/mounted to a vehicle (paragraph 30).
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 Reinaldo Sanchez-Medina, telephone number 571-270-5168, fax number 571-270-6168. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (7:30AM-4:00PM 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 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/REINALDO SANCHEZ-MEDINA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753