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 .
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.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on applications filed in China on 30 June 2022. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 13 Dec 2024 and 16 Dec 2025 were filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In ¶ 42 “noisy can be avoided” should likely read “noise can be avoided”.
In ¶ 69, line 4 “second transitional connecting pipe 70” should likely read “second connecting pipe 70”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In Claim 1, line 6 “the other end” should likely read “an other end”.
In Claim 7, line 4 “the other end” should likely read “an other end”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 8 is 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.
Claim 8 recites the limitation “an end of the valve core towards the valve seat”. This limitation is unclear because it is unclear if this is the same end as the end from Claim 7 (“the other end of the valve core abuts against the valve seat”). Therefore, this limitation is unclear. For purposes of examination, the ends will be interpreted as being the same.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7-8 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ZHEJIANG SANHUA INTELLIGENT CONTROLS CO LTD (CN215059501; hereinafter “ZHEJIANG”; provided on the Applicant on the IDS dated 16 Dec 2025).
Regarding Claim 1, ZHEJIANG discloses a stop valve (Figure 2). The valve comprising:
a valve body (1 generally) provided with a first opening (via 15) and a second opening (via 14);
a valve core (2), wherein at least part of the valve core is located in the valve body (Figure 2), the valve core (2) is movable in the valve body (1 generally) to communicate the first opening (via 15) with the second opening (via 14) and cut off a communication between the first opening and the second opening (as the orientation of Figure 2); and
a connecting block (4 generally shown in Figure 7), wherein one end (44) of the connecting block is located outside the valve body (Figures 3 and 7), the other end (43) of the connecting block (4 generally) is fixedly connected to an end of the valve body (Figure 3), a part of the valve core extends into the connecting block (Figure 3) and is in threaded fit with the connecting block (via 22);
wherein the connecting block (4 generally) extends towards the valve body to define a seal portion along an axis of the valve core (the interaction of 23 and 42), and when the stop valve is in a fully opened state (Figure 3), the valve core (2) is capable of abutting against the seal portion and forming a linear seal therewith (¶ 43).
Regarding Claim 2, ZHEJIANG discloses where a side surface of the seal portion towards the valve body is fixedly connected to an inner sidewall of the valve body (Figures 2 and 7), and a side surface of the seal portion away from the valve body is separate from the valve core (by at least the distance of the threads as seen in Figure 7 from 42).
Regarding Claim 3, ZHEJIANG discloses where a periphery of the valve core protrudes from the inner sidewall of the valve body to define a first conical portion (Figure 6 at 23), and a conical surface of the first conical portion is capable of abutting against the seal portion and forming a linear seal therewith (Figure 3; ¶ 43).
Regarding Claim 7, ZHEJIANG discloses a valve seat (8) disposed in the valve body (Figure 2), wherein the valve seat is located between the first opening and the second opening (Figure 2) and connected to the valve body (Figure 2); and when the stop valve is in a closed state (Figure 2), one end of the valve core is connected to the connecting block (at 4 generally shown in Figure 2), and the other end of the valve core abuts against the valve seat (against 8 shown in Figure 2) and cooperates with the valve seat in a hard-seal manner or a soft-seal manner (¶ 45).
Regarding Claim 8, ZHEJIANG discloses a second conical portion (21) is defined by an end of the valve core towards the valve seat (Figure 2), a part of the second conical portion is located in the valve seat (Figure 2 with the portion of the conical portion within valve seat 8), and a conical surface of the second conical portion is capable of abutting against the valve seat and form the linear seal therewith (Figure 2; ¶ 45 with the linear seal formed by the contact of surface 71).
Regarding Claim 10, ZHEJIANG discloses where the first opening (via 15) is disposed on an end of the valve body away from the connecting block (Figure 2), the second opening (via 14) is disposed on a periphery of the valve body (Figure 2), an angle is defined between an axis of the first opening and an axis of the second opening (Figure 2); or the first opening and the second opening are both disposed on the periphery of the valve body, the axis of the first opening is parallel to the axis of the second opening, and the first opening and the second opening are disposed on different sides of the periphery of the valve body, respectively.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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) 4-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHEJIANG SANHUA INTELLIGENT CONTROLS CO LTD (CN215059501; hereinafter “ZHEJIANG”; provided on the Applicant on the IDS dated 16 Dec 2025) in view of Schreiber et al (US 5711508).
Regarding Claim 4, ZHEJIANG discloses all essential elements of the current invention as discussed above but fails to expressly disclose a guiding block located in and connected to the valve body, wherein the guiding block is arranged towards the first opening and the second opening relative to the connecting block, the guiding block is located on a periphery of a part of the valve core, and the valve core is capable of moving along a guiding direction of the guiding block to communicate the first opening with the second opening or cut off the communication between the first opening and the second opening.
Schreiber et al teaches a stop valve (Figure 1) with a guiding block (100) located in and connected to the valve body (Figure 2 of 20), wherein the guiding block is arranged towards the first opening and the second opening relative to the connecting block (Figure 2 toward 70 from connecting block 50), the guiding block is located on a periphery of a part of the valve core (of 58), and the valve core is capable of moving along a guiding direction of the guiding block to communicate the first opening with the second opening or cut off the communication between the first opening and the second opening (Figure 2).
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 valve of ZHEJIANG with the guiding block as taught by Schreiber et al for the advantage of combining prior art elements according to known methods (the guiding block of Schreiber et al within the valve of ZHEJIANG) to yield predictable results (to secure the valve core within the valve).
Regarding Claim 5, ZHEJIANG discloses where the second opening (via 14) is located on a periphery of the valve body (Figure 2), but fails to expressly disclose where a projection of the guiding block which is located on the valve body along a radial direction of the valve body does not overlap with the second opening.
Schreiber et al teaches where a projection of the guiding block which is located on the valve body along a radial direction of the valve body (Figure 1 toward 94) does not overlap with the second opening (Figure 1 shows the guiding block not overlapping any opening).
Regarding Claim 6, Schreiber et al teaches where the guiding block (100) comprises a guiding bevel (adjacent to 106) and the guiding bevel is disposed on an end of the guiding block towards the connecting block (Figure 1).
Claim(s) 9 and 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHEJIANG SANHUA INTELLIGENT CONTROLS CO LTD (CN215059501; hereinafter “ZHEJIANG”; provided on the Applicant on the IDS dated 16 Dec 2025) in view of ZHOU et al (CN 216742875).
Regarding Claim 9, ZHEJIANG discloses all essential elements of the current invention as discussed above but fails to expressly disclose a first sealing component, wherein an end of the valve core away from the connecting block is provided with a first groove, the first sealing component is disposed in the first groove; and an end surface of the valve seat towards the valve core is provided with a protrusion portion, the protrusion portion protrudes from the valve seat, and the first sealing component abuts against the protrusion portion and form a soft seal.
Zhou et al teach a stop valve (Figure 1) with a first sealing component (234), wherein an end of the valve core away from the connecting block is provided with a first groove (233), the first sealing component is disposed in the first groove (Figure 1); and an end surface of the valve seat towards the valve core is provided with a protrusion portion (171), the protrusion portion protrudes from the valve seat (Figure 1), and the first sealing component abuts against the protrusion portion and form a soft seal (Figure 1).
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 valve of ZHEJIANG with the sealing component as taught by Zhou et al for the advantage of combining prior art elements according to known methods (the sealing component of Zhou et al within the valve of ZHEJIANG) to yield predictable results (to seal the fluid flow path when the valve is closed).
Regarding Claim 11, ZHEJIANG discloses all essential elements of the current invention as discussed above but fails to expressly disclose a first connecting pipe and a second connecting pipe, wherein the first connecting pipe is fixedly connected to the first opening, and the second connecting pipe is fixedly connected to the second opening.
Zhou et al teach a stop valve (Figure 1) with a first connecting pipe (see Annotated Figure A) and a second connecting pipe (see Annotated Figure A), wherein the first connecting pipe is fixedly connected to the first opening (see Annotated Figure A), and the second connecting pipe is fixedly connected to the second opening (see Annotated Figure A).
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 valve of ZHEJIANG with the pipes as taught by Zhou et al for the advantage of combining prior art elements according to known methods (the pipes of Zhou et al within the valve of ZHEJIANG) to yield predictable results (to attach and secure the stop valve to a system).
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Annotated Figure A - ZHOU et al
Regarding Claim 12, ZHEJIANG discloses all essential elements of the current invention as discussed above but fails to expressly disclose a first transitional connecting pipe and a second transitional connecting pipe, wherein the first transitional connecting pipe is sleeved on the first connecting pipe, the second transitional connecting pipe is sleeved on the second connecting pipe, a material of the first transitional connecting pipe is different from a material of the first connecting pipe, and a material of the second transitional connecting pipe is different from a material of the second connecting pipe.
Zhou et al teach a stop valve (see Annotated Figure A) with a first transitional connecting pipe (see Annotated Figure A) and a second transitional connecting pipe (see Annotated Figure A), wherein the first transitional connecting pipe is sleeved on the first connecting pipe (see Annotated Figure A), the second transitional connecting pipe is sleeved on the second connecting pipe (see Annotated Figure A).
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 valve of ZHEJIANG with the pipes as taught by Zhou et al for the advantage of combining prior art elements according to known methods (the pipes of Zhou et al within the valve of ZHEJIANG) to yield predictable results (to attach and secure the stop valve to a system).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify the material of the first transitional connecting pipe is different from a material of the first connecting pipe, and a material of the second transitional connecting pipe is different from a material of the second connecting pipe since selection of a known material on the basis of its suitability for an intended use involves only routine skill in the art. The motivation for doing so would be to provide a commonly used material that is inexpensive and durable.
Conclusion
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/NICOLE GARDNER/
Examiner, Art Unit 3753