DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-10 are pending.
This action is in response to the amendment filed 4/28/2026.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/28/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant’s argument that,
Graichen does not disclose or suggest a configuration in which, along a
direction (F'; see Fig. 1 of Graichen, reproduced below with annotation) from the center of the valve body (60) toward the radial end surface (73) of the pocket, the curved axial end surface (77) formed on a lower side of the pocket (72) gradually decreases and then increases again from the opposed lateral surfaces (75) or retaining shoulders (76) of the pocket (72), is not persuasive.
As best understood Graichen discloses a distance between opposed insertion surfaces of the single pair of the first fastening portions gradually decreases and a distance between the single pair of the first fastening portions increases again from opposed stop surfaces of the single pair of the first fastening portions (as shown in amended Figure 1 below, as best understood the limitations are met).
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When the reference is a utility patent, it does not matter that the feature shown is unintended or unexplained in the specification. The drawings must be evaluated for what they reasonably disclose and suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art. In re Aslanian, 590 F.2d 911, 200 USPQ 500 (CCPA 1979). See MPEP 2125.
Here, the drawings show the different distances in the Graichen reference.
Additionally, it is noted that there are no positive limitations recited regarding the retaining shoulders of the pocket.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action.
Drawings
The drawing filed 4/28/2026 will not be accepted due to the newly claimed subject matter as discussed below, this drawing would have been accepted otherwise.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the two distances now in claim 1, must be clearly shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). 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.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 4, 5, 7 and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
claim 1, line 7, “formed” should be - -located - -,
in claims 4 and 5, line 3, “formed” should be - -located - -,
in claim 7, page 2 of the claim, lines 1-3, “formed” should be - -located - -, and
in claim 10, pages 1, line 6, and page 2, lines 1,3, 6 and 8, “formed” should be - -located - -. The changes should be made to ensure a method is not being claimed with an apparatus in the same claim.
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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation “the second fastening portion comprises”, and, “wherein, along a direction…”, which is unclear if each of the single pair of the first fastening portions and the second fastening portion, requires the limitations that follow the wherein clause. Should this wherein clause be re-located to follow the limitations for the “a single pair of the first fastening portions”, after the limitations, of “each other”, with proper antecedent basis?
Claim 1 further recites, “a distance … increases again” which is unclear as to whether the distance previously increased, or is this second recited distance related to the first recited “a distance” where a surface has distances that change?
Claim 6 recites the limitation “and has a constant radius of curvature” which is unclear as to how the device is configured in this manner, should the limitation be,
- -and the outermost peripheral contour and an inner contour each have a constant radius of curvature - -?
Claim 10 further recites, “a distance … increases again” which is unclear as to whether the distance previously increased, or is this second recited distance related to the first recited “a distance” where a surface has distances that change?
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Graichen (US 11280414). The claims are being rejected as best understood, based on the 112 rejections above.
Regarding claim 1, Graichen discloses a valve seat assembly (see Fig. 1, below) structure comprising: a valve housing (60) comprising:
an inner wall (the inner wall of 60, at 73) and a single pair of first fastening portions (75,76) having a shape (the flat vertical shape along 75) that protrudes from the inner wall and provided to face each other; and
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a valve seat (20,21,22) provided between the single pair of first fastening portions and comprising a second fastening portion (the sides at 39 see Fig. 5 below) formed on a side to couple with the single pair of the first fastening portions,
wherein each of the single pair of the first fastening portions and the second fastening portion comprises:
an insertion surface having a curved shape (77, see Fig. 2, and the bottom of 22 at 41, see Fig. 6) and
a stop surface having a planar shape (retaining shoulder 76, see fig. 1 is flat vertically, and the vertical wall of 39 that mates with 76, see Fig. 1, both of these portions are flat and therefore have a planar shape),
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wherein, along a direction from a center of the valve housing toward the inner wall,
a distance between opposed insertion surfaces of the single pair of the first fastening portions gradually decreases and a distance between the single pair of the first fastening portions increases again from opposed stop surfaces of the single pair of the first fastening portions (as shown in amended Figure 1 above, as best understood the limitations are met).
Regarding claim 2, Graichen discloses each first fastening portion of the single pair of fastening portions comprises:
a first insertion surface extending (a portion of 75) in a vertical direction of the valve housing; and
a first stop surface (the upper portion of 76 that is perpendicular to 75) adjoining an end (the left inner top end of 75) of the first insertion surface and extending inward in an inner direction (the surface extends radially inward) of the first fastening portion.
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Regarding claim 3, Graichen discloses each first fastening portion further comprises:
a second insertion surface (the lower curved shaped portion 77 below the vertical wall of 75) extending in a curved shape from a lower end (the bottom side of the vertical part of 75) of the first insertion surface; and
a second stop surface (the bottom section portion of 76 that intersects with the insertion surface) adjoining an end (the vertical left end middle wall of the insertion surface) of the second insertion surface and extending inward in an inner direction (towards the left as shown below) of the first fastening portion.
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Regarding claim 4, Graichen discloses the second fastening portion comprises: a first seat-side insertion surface (the upper side vertical wall portion of 38) that is formed in a straight area on a side of the valve seat, and vertically extends in a vertical direction of the valve seat; and a first seat-side stop surface (the inner vertical upper wall portion of 39 that is perpendicular to the first seat-side insertion surface) adjoining an end of the first seat-side insertion surface and extending inward in an inner direction of the second fastening portion
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Regarding claim 5, Graichen discloses the second fastening portion includes: a a second seat-side insertion surface (curved portion immediately below 38) that is formed in a curved area on the side of the valve seat and extends in a curved shape from a lower end of the first seat-side insertion surface; and a second seat-side stop surface (the curved shaped portion of 22 immediately below the vertical wall of 39, as shown below) adjoining an end of the second seat-side insertion surface and extending inward in an inner direction of the second fastening portion.
Regarding claim 6, Graichen discloses as viewed in a top plan view in a plane perpendicular to a vertical centerline of the valve seat assembly, an outer peripheral contour of the valve seat on each of left and right side portions is arcuate and has a constant radius of curvature with respect to the vertical centerline, as shown below.
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Regarding claim 7, Graichen discloses the valve seat comprises: a first wall portion (see Fig. 5,6, the uppermost top horizontal flat surface of 22 at the start of the lead line for 40) formed an outer end of the valve seat; and a second wall portion (the front face 45 of 22 surrounding 27,46) formed to surround a center hole (43) of the valve seat, and an insertion groove (the groove 46) formed between the first wall portion and the second wall portion.
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Regarding claim 8, Graichen discloses further comprising a sealing portion (27) that is configured to insert into the insertion groove.
Regarding claim 9, Graichen discloses the sealing portion is an X-ring or an O-ring (since 25,27 has the shape of a circle, it is considered as an oring in the broadest reasonable interpretation).
Regarding claim 10, Graichen discloses a valve seat assembly structure (see Fig. 1, below) comprising: a valve housing (60) comprising:
an inner wall (the inner wall of 60, having 70-77); and
a single pair of first fastening portions (the wall structure on each side of the port 83 having 75,76) having a shape that protrudes from the inner wall and provided to face each other (surfaces 75 face each other);
a valve seat (20,22) formed with an insertion groove (at 46), provided between the single pair of the first fastening portions, and
having a second fastening portion (at 38,39 on 22, see Fig. 5) to couple with the single pair of the first fastening portions; and
a sealing portion (21) configured to insert into the insertion groove,
wherein the valve seat comprises a closed portion (the wall that connects surface 45 to 46);
a first wall portion (at inner lip 44, see Fig. 4) formed on an outer end of the valve seat based on the insertion groove, and
a second wall portion (46) formed inside the valve seat at a distance from the first wall portion,
wherein a chamfer portion (the angled edge on the face of 22, laying between the lead lines for numeral 38,39 in Fig. 5) obliquely provided to face the single pair of the first fastening portions is formed in a portion (the left face portion of 22 facing 25/29 in fig. 4) in which an outer portion (the surface of 45) of the closed portion and an outer portion (the thin vertical face of 44 facing 25,29 in Fig. 4) of the first wall portion are connected to each other, and
wherein a round portion (at 41) having a first curvature is formed in a portion (the lower portion of 22) in which the outer portion (the surface of 45) of the closed portion and an outer portion (the inner wall slot surface of 22 mating with 35,36) of the second wall portion are connected to each other, and
wherein, along a direction from a center of the valve housing toward the inner wall,
a distance between opposed insertion surfaces of the single pair of the first fastening portions gradually decreases and a distance between the single pair of the first fastening portions increases again from opposed stop surfaces of the single pair of the first fastening portions (as shown in amended Figure 1 above, as best understood the limitations are met).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Craig Price, whose telephone number is (571)272-2712 or via facsimile (571)273-2712. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:00AM-4:30PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Craig Schneider, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-3607, Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CRAIG J PRICE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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