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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 2, 6, 7, 10, 17, 18, and 20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species A-C and E, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 03/31/2026.
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 s8-9 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.
Claim 9, the limitation “the seat insert includes a boss extending radially inward from the end, the boss abutting the seat insert” is indefinite as it is unclear how the seat insert abuts the boss if the boss is a part of the seat insert. It seems the limitation should read –the seat includes a boss…--
Claim 8, the limitation “the seat insert is rotatably coupled” is indefinite because it is unclear if this limitation means the seat insert is coupled so it can rotate once coupled, or if the coupling is achieved via rotation of some associated element or the insert itself.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 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.
Claims 1 and 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Kruppe et al. (US 20190107218).
Kruppe et al. disclose:
1. (Original) A relief valve (100) comprising: a valve body (102, 104) defining a fluid passageway between a first opening (106) and a second opening (108); a valve seat (114) coupled to the valve body at the first opening of the valve body (as seen in fig. 1), the valve seat having a cylindrical body (to be threaded into 104); a seat insert (144) disposed on an end of the valve seat (as seen in fig. 1); and a pallet (112) moveable, based on a pressure differential across the pallet, between a closed position in which the pallet is engaged with the seat insert to block fluid flow through the valve seat (position seen in fig. 1) and an open position in which the pallet is spaced from the seat insert to enable fluid flow through the valve seat (position seen in fig. 2).
3. (Original) The relief valve of claim 1, wherein the pallet includes a pallet seal (142) and the seat insert has a lip to engage the pallet seal when the pallet is in the closed position (lip seen in fig. 2 extending toward 112).
4. (Original) The relief valve of claim 1, wherein the valve seat includes an opening defined by: a first surface (as seen in labeled fig. 2 below); and a second surface (as seen in labeled fig. 2 below) perpendicular to the first surface; a third surface (as seen in labeled fig. 2 below) parallel to the first surface and perpendicular to the second surface; and a cavity (in which leg of 144 is situated) disposed at an intersection of the first surface and the second surface.
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5. (Original) The relief valve of claim 4, wherein the seat insert includes a shoulder (shoulders forms the surfaces of the cavity) disposed within the cavity.
Claims 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Kruppe et al. (US 20190107214).
Kruppe et al. disclose:
11. (Original) A pressure and vacuum relief valve (100, 200, 300) including: a valve body (102) defining a fluid passageway between a first opening (106), a second opening (108, 110), and a third opening (112, 114), the first opening to be fluidly connected to a pressure system [0002]; a first relief assembly (200) to control fluid flow through the second opening, the first relief assembly including: a valve seat (204) having an end; a removeable insert (seal ring seen at top of 204 in fig. 2) disposed within the end, the removeable insert extending circumferentially within the valve seat (in order to seal); and a flow control member (202) moveable between an open position and a closed position, the flow control member to form an interface with the removeable insert in the closed position (as seen in fig. 4); and a second relief assembly (300) to control fluid flow through the third opening (as seen in fig. 2).
12. (Original) The pressure and vacuum relief valve of claim 11, wherein the valve seat is a first valve seat (204), the end is a first end, the flow control member is a first flow control member, the removeable insert is a first removeable insert, the open position is a first open position, the closed position is a first closed position, the interface is a first interface (as seen in fig. 2), and wherein the second relief assembly further includes: a second valve seat (304) including a second end; a second flow control member (302) moveable between a second open position and a second closed position, the second flow control member to form a second interface with the second valve seat in the second closed position; and a second removeable insert disposed within the second end (as seen in fig. 2).
13. (Original) The pressure and vacuum relief valve of claim 12, wherein the first removeable insert and the second removable insert are interchangeable (as they are duplicates of each other).
14. (Original) The pressure and vacuum relief valve of claim 11, wherein the first relief assembly is capable of use as a pressure relief assembly, and the second relief assembly is capable of use as a vacuum relief assembly (note, the limitations “pressure” and “vacuum” are directed to the intended use of the relief valves and have not specified particular structural differences).
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 8-9 are rejected, as best understood, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kruppe et al. (US 20190107218) in view of Maalouf et al. (US 5156181).
Kruppe ‘218 discloses the invention as essentially claimed, except for wherein the seat insert is rotatably coupled to the end of the valve seat; and wherein the seat insert includes a boss extending radially inward from the end, the boss abutting the seat insert in a first relative position, and the boss not abutting the seat insert in a second relative position.
Maalouf et al. teach a related valve having a removable valve seat insert (132, 152), wherein the seat insert is rotatably coupled to the end of the valve seat (152 is inserted then rotated to lock with tabs 156); and wherein the seat includes a boss (156) extending radially inward from the end, the boss abutting the seat insert in a first relative position, and the boss not abutting the seat insert in a second relative position (when 166 are arranged in the spaces between 156), for the purpose of providing a mounting arrangement for the insert that allows removability for replacement and which is retained in a manner that does not cause stress concentrations (col. 3, ll. 14-24).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to modify the invention of Kruppe ‘218, wherein the seat insert is rotatably coupled to the end of the valve seat; and wherein the seat insert includes a boss extending radially inward from the end, the boss abutting the seat insert in a first relative position, and the boss not abutting the seat insert in a second relative position, as taught by Maalouf et al., for the purpose of providing a mounting arrangement for the insert that allows removability for replacement and which is retained in a manner that does not cause stress concentrations.
Claims 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kruppe et al. (US 20190107214) in view of Kruppe et al. (US 20190107218).
Kruppe ‘214 discloses the invention as essentially claimed, but does not show specific details of the insert of the seat, and therefore does not disclose wherein the end includes an opening defined by: a first surface; a second surface perpendicular to the first surface; a third surface parallel to the first surface and perpendicular to the second surface; and a cavity disposed at an intersection the first surface and the second surface; and wherein the removeable insert includes a flange disposed within the cavity.
Kruppe ‘218 teaches a related relief valve with an insert in an opening in an end of a valve seat, wherein the opening is defined by: a first surface (as seen in labeled fig. 2 above); and a second surface (as seen in labeled fig. 2 above) perpendicular to the first surface; a third surface (as seen in labeled fig. 2 above) parallel to the first surface and perpendicular to the second surface; and a cavity (in which leg of 144 is situated) disposed at an intersection of the first surface and the second surface; and wherein the removeable insert includes a flange (leg of 144 in the cavity) disposed within the cavity, for the purpose of providing a particular sealing arrangement that ensures fluid tight sealing between the valve head and the valve seat ([0017]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Kruppe ‘218, such that the end includes an opening defined by: a first surface; a second surface perpendicular to the first surface; a third surface parallel to the first surface and perpendicular to the second surface; and a cavity disposed at an intersection the first surface and the second surface; and wherein the removeable insert includes a flange disposed within the cavity, as taught by Kruppe ‘214, for the purpose of providing a particular sealing arrangement that ensures fluid tight sealing between the valve head and the valve seat, in a manner yielding predictable results.
Claim 19 is rejected, as best understood, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kruppe et al. (US 20190107214) in view of Maalouf et al. (US 5156181).
Kruppe ‘214 discloses the invention as essentially claimed, except for wherein the removeable insert is retained to the valve seat via a twist lock interface.
Maalouf et al. teach a related valve having a removable valve seat insert (132, 152), wherein the removeable insert is retained to the valve seat via a twist lock interface (152 is inserted then rotated to lock with tabs 156), for the purpose of providing a mounting arrangement for the insert that allows removability for replacement and which is retained in a manner that does not cause stress concentrations (col. 3, ll. 14-24).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to modify the invention of Kruppe et al., such that wherein the removeable insert is retained to the valve seat via a twist lock interface, as taught by Maalouf et al., for the purpose of providing a mounting arrangement for the insert that allows removability for replacement and which is retained in a manner that does not cause stress concentrations.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2859767, GB 189504895, and US 1570681 each disclose related valves having twist locking features of a seat.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARINA TIETJEN, whose telephone number is 571-270-5422. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (10:30AM-7:00PM CST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached by phone. Tom Barrett can be reached at 571-272-4746, Ken Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881, and Craig Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MARINA A TIETJEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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