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 .
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.
Claims 1, 2, and 4-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zawisza et al (EP 1 936 171 A1 hereinafter “Zawisza”).
In regards to claim 1:
Zawisza teaches a cylinder head (29) for an internal combustion engine (10), the cylinder head comprising a gas inlet port (21) for supplying gas to a combustion chamber (16) of the internal combustion engine (10), the cylinder head (29) further having a combustion-chamber facing area, and a flow-guiding protruding portion (42) disposed in, or at, the gas inlet port, wherein the flow-guiding protruding portion is configured to redirect incoming gas exiting the gas inlet port toward a localized region of the combustion-chamber facing area defining at least one potentially hot zone at, or on, the combustion-chamber facing area of the cylinder head (Paragraph [0048]).
In regards to claim 2:
Zawisza teaches the at least one potentially hot zone comprises an ignition device (9).
In regards to claim 4:
Zawisza teaches the cylinder head further comprises one or more exhaust gas ports (22).
In regards to claim 5:
Zawisza teaches the at least one potentially hot zone is defined by a region of the combustion-chamber facing area adjacent the one or more exhaust gas ports (Shown in Figure 1 of Zawisza).
In regards to claim 6:
Zawisza teaches the flow-guiding protruding portion has a substantial extension in a radial direction of the gas inlet port and a substantial extension along a circumferential direction of the gas inlet port (Shown in Figure 2 of Zawisza).
In regards to claim 7:
Zawisza teaches the flow-guiding protruding portion is provided in the form of an arc-shaped washer portion, the arc-shaped washer portion having a curvature being arranged and configured to direct gas in the direction towards the at least one potentially hot zone (Shown in Figure 1 and 2 of Zawisza).
In regards to claim 8:
Zawisza teaches wherein the flow-guiding protruding portion is an integral part of a circular washer (Shown in Figure 2 of Zawisza).
In regards to claim 9:
Zawisza teaches the flow-guiding protruding portion is a separate part configured to be attached to the gas inlet port.
In regards to claim 10:
Zawisza teaches the flow-guiding protruding portion comprises a combustion-facing surface being flush with an inner surface of the cylinder head (Shown in Figure 2 of Zawisza and Paragraphs [0037] and [0038]).
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.
Claims 3 and 11-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zawisza in view of Klingbeil et al (US 11,598,271 hereinafter “Klingbeil”).
In regards to claim 3:
Zawisza does not teach wherein the at least one potentially hot zone comprises a fuel injector part of a fuel injector.
Klingbeil teaches a potential hot zone comprising a fuel injector part of a fuel injector (412).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the application to modify the engine of Zawisza to have the fuel injector having fuel injector parts as taught by Klingbeil in order to directly inject fuel into the combustion chamber, which in turn will mix with the air and be subsequently combusted producing a power stroke.
In regards to claim 11:
Zawisza teaches an internal combustion engine (ICE) system comprising a cylinder head according to claim 1, the ICE system further comprising: the ICE further having a cylinder (14A), a reciprocating piston (17) moveable in the cylinder (14A), a combustion chamber (16) at least partly defined by the cylinder head (29) and the cylinder (14A), and an ignition device (9) configured to ignite the gaseous fuel within the combustion chamber (16).
Zawisza does not teach the ICE configured to operate on a gaseous fuel.
Klingbeil teaches an ICE configured to operate on a gaseous fuel (Col 14, Lines 44-45).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the application to have the ICE of Zawisza to operate on a gaseous fuel as taught by Kuroki in order to use a known alternative fuel known for particular combustion characteristics and energy content (Col 1, Lines 15-25).
In regards to claim 12:
Zawisza as modified teaches the ICE is a pre-mixed internal combustion engine operable on hydrogen (Klingbeil Col 1, Lines 14-57).
In regards to claim 13:
Zawisza teaches the ICE is a diffusion-based internal combustion engine system operable on hydrogen (Klingbeil Col 14, Lines 28-30).
In regards to claim 14:
Zawisza as modified teaches a fuel injector (412 of Klingbeil) arranged in the cylinder head.
In regards to claim 15:
Zawisza as modified teaches a fuel injector (422 of Klingbeil) arranged upstream the gas inlet ports.
In regards to claim 16:
Zawisza teaches a vehicle comprising the internal combustion engine (ICE) system of claims 11 (Col 1, Lines 14-25 of Zarisza).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant has amended the claims to recite the flow guiding protruding portion is configured to redirect incoming gas exiting the gas inlet port toward a localized region of the combustion-chamber facing area defining at least one potentially hot zone at, or on, the combustion-chamber facing area of the cylinder head, and Applicant argues that the prior art does not teach this limitation. Examiner respectfully disagrees, wherein the flow-guiding protruding portion of Zarisza redirects incoming gas exiting the gas inlet port (Paragraph [0046] translated recites “Advantageously, the deflector element 42 has a concave face turned towards the inside of the intake duct 21, so that this deflector element 42 forms a springboard for the intake gas flow, which is thus deflected from its trajectory when it impacts the deflector element.”). Zarisza explicitly states that the flow if incoming gas is redirected. Furthermore, the entire combustion chamber is a combustion-chamber facing area, and as air enters the combustion chamber, that is delimited by the piston, the cylinder, and the cylinder head, all of these surfaces that delimit the combustion chamber is a combustion-chamber facing area and are localized to the combustion-chamber, and air entering the combustion chamber will be directed to the combustion-chamber facing area, and with no additional structural limitations defining a hot zone, air entering the combustion chamber will always be directed to a hot zone, as combustion of air and fuel will raise the temperature of the combustion chamber. Furthermore, “at least one potentially hot zone” does not positively recite a hot zone, and that every surface of the combustion chamber of the engine prior to engine start up is a potential hot zone, and once the engine has warmed up, every surface of the combustion chamber will be hot and zones can be inferred when no limitations are used to describe where the zones exist.
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 JAMES JAY KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-7610. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Logan Kraft can be reached at (571) 270-5065. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAMES J KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LOGAN M KRAFT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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