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) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Webb (4166607).
Regarding claim 1, Webb discloses a connecting flange 17 for a control valve for reducing torsion (in bellows 25 by eliminating rod rotation) , the control valve being capable of adjusting a process fluid flow of a process plant, the connecting flange comprising: a hollow-cylinder-like connecting body 17 configured to connect a control rod 14,15 of the control valve to a coupling structure 12 attachable to a valve housing 2 of the control valve, wherein the substantially hollow-cylinder-like connecting body includes at least one anti-rotation means (holes for 18) which is configured to fix (rotationally) the connecting flange to the coupling structure in a circumferential direction.
As to claim 2, the at least one anti-rotation means is formed as at least one recess (holes for 18).
As to claim 3, the recess (edges of hexagonal hole are seen as recesses) is formed as a notch (top recess for heads of 18)) extending in an axial direction of the connecting flange 17; a depth of the recess is smaller than a thickness of the hollow-cylinder-like connecting body 17.
Claim(s) 1, 4-7, 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Luo et al (CN 103939625 A).
As to claim 1, Luo (Fig 9,10) discloses a connecting flange 8 for a control valve for reducing torsion (at valve seat interface by eliminating rotary motion), the control valve having ability to adjust a process fluid flow of a process plant, the connecting flange comprising: a hollow-cylinder-like connecting body 8 configured to connect a control rod 4 of the control valve to a coupling structure 2 attachable to a valve housing 11 of the control valve or a housing cover (2,11) of the control valve, wherein the substantially hollow-cylinder-like connecting body 8 includes at least one anti-rotation means (outer radial protrusions of 8) which is configured to fix the connecting flange to the coupling structure 2 or the housing cover housing cover (2,11) in a circumferential direction.
As to claim 4, Luo (Fig 9,10) discloses a connecting flange 8 for a control valve for reducing torsion (at valve seat interface by eliminating rotary motion), the control valve being having ability to adjust a process fluid flow of a process plant, the connecting flange comprising: a hollow-cylinder-like connecting body 8 configured to connect a control rod 4 of the control valve to a coupling structure 2 attachable to a valve housing of the control valve or a housing cover 2,11 of the control valve, wherein the hollow-cylinder-like connecting body includes at least one anti-rotation means (outer radial protrusions of 8), the at least one anti-rotation means being formed by an outer shape of the hollow-cylinder-like connecting body 8, wherein the outer shape has a cross-section which deviates from a circular cross-section.
As to claim 5, the outer shape of the at least one anti-rotation means (outer radial protrusions of 8) is matched to a shape of a connecting flange receptacle (complementary receiving space in 2) of the coupling structure 2 or of the housing cover 2,11.
As to claim 6, the outer shape of the substantially hollow-cylinder-like connecting body 8 has a cross-section that is: irregular (due to protrusions).
As to claim 7, Luo (Fig 9,10) discloses a connecting flange 8 for a control valve for reducing torsion (at valve seat interface by eliminating rotary motion), the control valve being capable of adjusting a process fluid flow of a process plant, the connecting flange 8 comprising: a hollow-cylinder-like connecting body 8 configured to connect a control rod 4 of the control valve to a coupling structure 2 attachable to a valve housing of the control valve or a housing cover 2,11 of the control valve, wherein the hollow-cylinder-like connecting body includes at least one anti-rotation means (hexagonal inner hole of 8) configured to fix the control rod 4 to the connecting flange in a circumferential direction.
As to claim 13, Luo discloses a housing cover 2,11 for a control valve capable of adjusting a process fluid flow of a process plant, the housing cover 2,11 comprising: a through-opening for configured for a control rod 4; and a connecting flange receptacle shape (space for 8 in 2) with a cross-section which deviates from a circular cross-section configured to receive and/or fix a connecting flange 8 according to claim 1 to prevent rotation.
As to claim 14, Luo (Fig 9,10) discloses a coupling structure 2 for a control valve capable of adjusting a process fluid flow of a process plant, the coupling structure comprises: a through-opening for a control rod 4; and a connecting flange receptacle (space for 8 in 2) which has a shape with a cross-section which deviates from a circular cross-section configured to receive and/or fix a connecting flange 8 according to claim 1 to prevent rotation.
As to claim 15, the coupling structure 2 further comprises a base body (radially outer portion of 2) and a receiving part (radially inner portion of 2) , the receiving part comprising: (a) the connecting flange receptacle (space for 8), the base body and the receiving part being formed in such a way that the receiving part is at least anti-rotatably (being integrally fixed) arrangeable in a receiving recess ( interior part) delimited by the base body.
As to claim 16, Luo (Fig 9,10) discloses a control valve capable of a process fluid flow of a process plant, the control valve comprising: a valve housing 1 with an inlet opening 18, an outlet opening 19, and a passage opening (valve seat) arranged between the inlet opening and the outlet opening; a housing cover 2 arranged opposite the passage opening with a through-opening for a control rod 4; and a connecting flange 8 according to claim 1.
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) 11,12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo et al (CN 103939625 A) in view of Cheng (CN 105952915 A).
Regarding claim(s) 11, Luo discloses valve rod 4 having hexagonal shape in a hexagonal opening of flange as anti- rotation means but fails to disclose rod having a an axial recess receiving a key of flange as anti-rotation means. Cheng, teaches rod 2 having a an axial recess 4 receiving a key 5 of flange as anti-rotation means.
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 Luo with rod having a an axial recess receiving a key of flange as taught by as an art-recognized functionally equivalent substitute anti-rotation means yielding predictable results of rotationally fixing the rod to flange.
As to claim 12, Luo as modified fails to disclose rod having a second opposite groove opening for a second flange key. However, Official Notice is taken that a second opposite groove opening for a second flange key, for the purpose of increased anti-rotation ability are widely known and notoriously old in the art. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to employ a second opposite groove opening for a second flange key in the device of Luo as modified for the purpose of increased anti-rotation ability as is widely known and notoriously old in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 8-10, 17-20 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).
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/ATIF H CHAUDRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753