DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species 26 (Figs. 42 and 43 and claims 1-3, 5, 9, 10, and 12) in the reply filed on 10/08/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10/08/2025.
The status of the claims for this application is as follows.
Claims 1-12 are currently pending.
Claims 4, 6-8, and 11 are currently withdrawn.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because of missing hatching, see Figs, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8-11, 13-25, 27, 28, 30, 39, and 42-49. All instances of this issue must be corrected in/for all the figures.
The drawings are also objected to because the drawings have been improperly labeled. For example: see Fig. 42, where the sheet labeled “FIG. 42” contains two separate Figures. These separate Figures must be labeled individually, such as, FIG. 42(A) and FIG. 42(B), see 37 C.F.R. 1.84. All instances of this issue must be corrected in/for all the figures.
The drawings are objected because the reference characters are not properlyapplied. No single reference character can be used for two different parts or for a givenpart and a modification of such part, see MPEP 608.01 (g). For example, see Figs. 42 and 43 reference numerals 11, 12, 5, 21, 3, 2, and 1. All instances of this issue must be corrected in/for all the figures.
The hatching must be used to indicate section portions of an object, and must be made by regularly spaced oblique parallel lines spaced sufficiently apart to enable the lines to be distinguished without difficulty. Hatching should not impede the clear reading of the reference characters and lead lines. If it is not possible to place reference characters outside the hatched area, the hatching may be broken off wherever reference characters are inserted. Hatching must be at a substantial angle to the surrounding axes or principal lines, preferably 45°. A cross section must be set out and drawn to show all of the materials as they are shown in the view from which the cross section was taken. The parts in cross section must show proper material(s) by hatching with regularly spaced parallel oblique strokes, the space between strokes being chosen on the basis of the total area to be hatched. The various parts of a cross section of the same item should be hatched in the same manner and should accurately and graphically indicate the nature of the material(s) that is illustrated in cross section. The hatching of juxtaposed different elements must be angled in a different way. In the case of large areas, hatching may be confined to an edging drawn around the entire inside of the outline of the area to be hatched. Different types of hatching should have different conventional meanings as regards the nature of a material seen in cross section (37 C.F.R. 1.84 (h)(3)).
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.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The present disclosure provides…” and because the abstract of the disclosure refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
Claims 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, and 12 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.
Claims 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, and 12 are written in such a manner as to claim structural
features, in the alternatives, that appear to not be part of the elected species. The claims are unclear as to what applicant is seeking protection for with regards to the elected species because the claims appear to claim subject matter not belonging to the elected species. How do the claims properly define the elected species?
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) 1-3, 5, 9, 10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cooley (US 2012/0090713).
Re Clm 1: Cooley discloses a communicating structure (see
Figs. 1-9), comprising:
a first body (200), comprising a first flow path (see the internal path) which is movably provided with a first block body (see the body of 200); and
a second body (100), comprising a second flow path (see the internal path) which is movably provided with a second block body (see the body of 100).
Re Clm 2: Cooley discloses wherein the first block body or the second block body has a stop portion (where they abut, see Figs. 2 and 7), or the stop portion limits a movement position of the first block body, the second block body, a first operating portion of the first block body or a second operating portion of the second block body, or the stop portion is provided with at least one flow passage, or the flow passage is in communication with the second flow path or the first flow path, or wherein the first block body or the second block body has a torsion spring or an elastic element, or the torsion spring or the elastic element has one end press against the first body or the second body and one other end press against the first block body or the second block body, or for the first block body or the second block body that is rotatable or turnable to normally press against a position at which the first flow path or the second flow path is closed, or for the first block body or the second block body to normally press against a position at which the first flow path or the second flow path is open.
Re Clm 3: Cooley discloses wherein the first body, the first flow path, the first block body, the second body, the second flow path or the second block body is provided with a fluid block body or a fluid absorption body (see the internal structure of 100 and/or 200, see Figs. 2 and 7), or wherein the first block body, the second block body, the fluid block body or the fluid absorption body is a corresponding structure, for the first block body and the second block body to come into contact with, resist against or elastically resist against each other in between, or wherein the fluid block body or the fluid absorption body is an O-ring, a ring, an elastic body, foam, a cotton body, a suction fluid valve, a sponge body, a siphon, a foam body, a fiber body, a suction cotton body, a recyclable material body, a decomposable material body, a glue body, a buffer body or a fluid absorbing object, or wherein the first block body or the second block body has a fluid absorption body, or a push position of the first block body or the second block body has a fluid absorption body, or push positions of the first block body and the second block body have a fluid absorption body, or wherein the first block body or the second block body is installed with, interferes with, has, in contact with or is adjacent to a fluid block body or a fluid absorption body, or wherein the first block body or the second block body is a fluid block body or a fluid absorption body, or wherein a part of a fluid block body or a fluid absorption body corresponding to any object is an arc, a slope, a step, a plane, a curve, a recess, a protrusion or a structure capable of fitting with, interfering with or getting close to any object, or wherein a fluid block body or a fluid absorption body is capable of absorbing a fluid of the first block body or the second block body or between two block bodies, or the first block body, the second block body, the first body or the second body has a fluid absorption body, wherein a position of the fluid absorption body does not come into contact with a fluid when the fluid flows, for the fluid absorption body to absorb a fluid not closed by the first block body or the second block body, or a fluid residing between the first block body, the second block body or the first body or the second body, when one of the first block body and the second block body is closed, when both of the first block body and the second block body are closed, or when the first body and the second body are separated.
Re Clm 5: Cooley discloses wherein the first body or the second body is provided with an elastic element, two ends of the elastic element respectively press the first body and the first block body, or two ends of the elastic element (107) respectively press against the second body and the second block body, or the second body is provided with an elastic element, two ends of the elastic element respectively press against the second body and the second block body (see Figs. 2 and 7), or an elastic force of the elastic element is less than a dynamic force or a thrust force of a fluid flowing to the second flow path, or an elastic force of the elastic element is less than a dynamic force or a thrust force of a fluid flowing from the first body to the second flow path, or an elastic force of the elastic element is less than a dynamic force or a thrust force of a fluid flowing from the first body to the second body to push the second block body to open the second flow path, or wherein the second body has a limiting force or a limiting structure for limiting the second block body, or the limiting force or the limiting structure is less than a dynamic force or a thrust force of a fluid flowing from the first body to the second flow path so as to push the second block body to open the second flow path, or the limiting force or the limiting structure is an elastic force, an elastic structure, a structure capable of reciprocating motion, a force capable of reciprocating motion, a fluid force, a gas force or electrically driven force.
Re Clm 9: Cooley discloses wherein the second body is provided with a resist portion (107), the resist portion limits a receding position of the second block body (see Figs. 2 and 7), or the resist portion is provided with at least one through hole, and the through hole is in communication with the second flow path, or the second body pushes the first block body to open the first flow path closed by a resist portion and the first block body, or for a fluid to push the second block body to open the second flow path, or wherein the second body pushes the first block body to open the first flow path closed by a resist portion and the first block body, for a fluid to push the second block body to open the second flow path, or wherein an elastic element is comprised to press against the second body and the second block body, for opening the second flow path when a force of a fluid is greater than a force of the elastic element, or the force of the fluid is reduced when the second body moves in a direction for closing the first flow path, or the flow path is closed when the force of the elastic element is greater than the force of the fluid, or the force of the fluid is reduced or the force of the fluid is stopped when the second body moves in a direction for closing the first flow path, and when the force of the elastic element is greater than the force of the fluid or when the force of the fluid is stopped, the second flow path is closed or the first flow path is closed, or the first flow path or the second flow path is simultaneously closed, or the first flow path is first closed and then the second flow path is closed, or the second flow path is first closed and then the first flow path is closed, or a direction in which the second body moves in a direction for closing the first flow path is moving toward the second body.
Re Clm 10: Cooley discloses wherein the second body pushes the first block body to open the first flow path closed by a resist portion (214 and/or 107) and the first block body, the resist portion is for the second block body to move in a direction for opening the second flow path for a fluid to push the second block body to open the second path (see Figs. 2 and 7), or the second body pushes the first block body to open the first flow path closed by a resist portion and the first block body, or the resist portion pushes the second block body to open the second flow path, or wherein the first body is provided with a resist portion, and the resist portion has at least one circulation portion to communicate a fluid, or for the second body to push the first block body to open the first flow path for the fluid to flow into the second body through the circulation portion, or for the second body to push the first block body to open the first flow path and for the resist portion to push the second block body for the fluid to flow into the second body.
Re Clm 12: Cooley discloses wherein the first block body or the second block body is provided with a first flow path (between 502A and 502B), a second flow path (between 502B and 502C) or a communicating portion, the first flow path, the second flow path or the communicating portion and another communicating portion are located at different heights (see Figs. 2 5-7), height differences (see Figs. 2 5-7), up and down positions (see Figs. 2 5-7) or up and down position differences, or for a fluid to flow from a high position to a low position so that the fluid flows to a low position when the first block body or the second block body that is at a higher position is closed, or to reduce or completely block a fluid between the first block body and the second block body when both of the first block body and the second block body are closed, or wherein the second block body and the second body or the first body have a flow space in between, or for a fluid located between the first block body and the second block body to flow from the flow space to or flow into the second body when the second body is closed, or for a fluid located between the first body and the second body to flow from the flow space to or flow into the second body when the second body is closed, or the second block body has a fluid block body, or the second block body has a fluid block body at a position capable of delaying or later closing the flow space, or for closing inflow or outflow of a fluid in the flow space after the fluid passes through the flow space, or for closing the flow space, or for reducing or decreasing a fluid between the first block body and the second block body, or for reducing or decreasing a fluid between the first body and the second body.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following documents have structural features (valve(s)) which are similar to the applicant’s claimed invention; FR-1500819-A, CA-2688883-A1, US-2921436-A, US-20120090713-A1, US-6237633-B1, and US-5042840-A.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES A LINFORD whose telephone number is (571)270-3066. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Troutman can be reached at (571) 270-3654. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JAMES ALBERT LINFORD
Examiner
Art Unit 3679
02/03/2026
/Matthew Troutman/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3679