DETAILED ACTION
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) 14 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stier et al. (DE 102010043614 A1), hereafter Stier.
Regarding claim 14, Stier discloses a method for releasing a movable mass attached to a valve seat, the method comprising: determining a release condition between the movable mass (4) and the valve seat (2) is present; generating a drive current for an actuator that is coupled to the movable mass at a pulse width modulation switching frequency that induces a mechanical resonance in the movable mass; and releasing the movable mass from the valve seat via the mechanical resonance induced into the movable mass by the drive current ([0004], [0020]).
Regarding claim 16, Stier discloses the method according to claim 14, wherein generating the drive current for the actuator includes varying the pulse switch modulation frequency to induce the mechanical resonance in the movable mass [0020].
Regarding claim 17, Stier discloses the method according to claim 16, wherein varying the pulse width modulation frequency includes changing a hysteresis of the pulse width modulation to change an amplitude of the mechanical resonance ([0004], [0020]).
Regarding claim 18, Stier discloses the method according to claim 14, wherein releasing the movable mass includes releasing an elastomer seal that is located on the movable mass and frozen to the valve seat (Stier discloses inducing vibrations to reduce frictional losses, which would lead to the same predictable result as sticking due to freezing).
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 9-13, 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grewe et al. (DE 102021006374 A1), hereafter Grewe, in view of Stier et al. (DE 102010043614 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 19 and 20, Grewe discloses an internal combustion engine (2) operable to combust gaseous fuel (28, abstract), the internal combustion engine comprising: a gaseous fueling system (24) including at least one fuel injector (26, proportional valve) configured to inject gaseous fuel for combustion in the internal combustion engine.
Grewe is silent to the at least one fuel injector including: a valve seat with at least one opening to permit gaseous fuel flow through the valve seat; and a movable mass contactable with the valve seat to inhibit gaseous fuel flow through the valve seat; and an electronic control system operatively coupled with the gaseous fueling system, the electronic control system being configured to: determine a release condition between the valve seat and movable mass is present; and induce a vibration in the movable mass in response to the release condition to release the movable mass from the valve seat.
Stier discloses a proportional valve (1) for injecting gaseous fuel [0010] including: a valve seat (2) with at least one opening (3) to permit gaseous fuel flow through the valve seat; and a movable mass (4) contactable with the valve seat to inhibit gaseous fuel flow through the valve seat; and an electronic control system (30) operatively coupled with the gaseous fueling system, the electronic control system being configured to: determine a release condition between the valve seat and movable mass is present; and induce a vibration in the movable mass in response to the release condition to release the movable mass from the valve seat [0004]. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the proportional valve of Stier in the engine of Grewe in order to prevent sticking or frictional losses during the valve operation.
Regarding claim 2, Grewe modified with Stier discloses the internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the movable mass includes a plunger, and the plunger is reciprocally movable in the gaseous fuel injector from a first position in contact with the valve seat to a second position spaced apart from the valve seat (Stier discloses plunger 12).
Regarding claim 3, Grewe modified with Stier discloses the internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein the plunger includes an end face directed toward the valve seat, the end face including an elastomer seal that contacts the valve seat to seal the valve seat around the at least one opening to inhibit gaseous fuel flow through the valve seat (Stier discloses elastomer seal 5; Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, Grewe modified with Stier discloses the internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein: the valve seat includes a first projection along a first side of the at least one opening and a second projection along a second side of the at least one opening; and the elastomer seal engages the first projection and the second projection to sealingly contact the valve seat (Fig. 1 depicts two distinct projections on seat 2).
Regarding claim 5, Grewe modified with Stier discloses the internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein: the fuel injector includes a solenoid that is operable in response to a drive current to generate a magnetic field to induce vibration in the movable mass; and the electronic control system is configured to generate the drive current with a drive current hysteresis that is greater than a threshold amount to release the movable mass from the valve seat in response to the release condition (Stier:[0004]).
Regarding claim 6, Grewe modified with Stier discloses the internal combustion engine according to claim 5, wherein the electronic control system is configured to use pulse width modulation control to generate the drive current at the drive current hysteresis (Stier: [0006]).
Regarding claim 9, Grewe modified with Stier discloses the engine according to claim 6, wherein the electronic control system is configured to increase the drive current hysteresis of the pulse width modulation of the drive current to increase an amplitude of a force of the vibration while reducing a frequency of the generated drive current (Stier: [0020].
Regarding claim 10, Grewe modified with Stier discloses the internal combustion engine according to claim 9, wherein the frequency is between 1 kilohertz and 3 kilohertz (Stier: [0008]).
Regarding claim 11, Grewe modified with Stier is silent to the internal combustion engine according to claim 5, wherein the threshold amount for the drive current hysteresis is at least 3 amperes. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to set the threshold amount for the drive current hysteresis is at least 3 amperes since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). The applicant has not disclosed why the particular threshold is of importance and it appears that control of Stier would lead to the desired valve actuation.
Regarding claim 12, Grewe discloses the internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control system is configured to determine the release condition in response to least one of a temperature and a pressure of the gaseous fuel system [0016].
Regarding claim 13, Grewe modified with Stier internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the vibration is induced in a manner that excites a mechanical resonance of the movable mass (Stier: [0020]).
Claim(s) 7 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grewe et al. (DE 102021006374 A1), in view of Stier et al. (DE 102010043614 A1), and in further view of Czimmek (CN 102753811 A).
Regarding claims 7 and 8, Grewe modified with Stier does not disclose the electronic control system including a gate driver, and the electronic control system is configured to turn off at least a high side driver of the gate driver during pulse width modulation to generate the drive current with the drive current hysteresis; and, wherein the electronic control system is configured to turn off the high side driver and a low side driver of the gate driver during pulse width modulation to generate the drive current with the drive current hysteresis. Czimmek teaches that is known in the fuel injection control system to provide a gate driver during a switching between power supply. Hence it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the gate driver of Czimmek in the system of Grewe as modified with Stier in order to achieve valve actuation.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 15 is 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/TEUTA HOLBROOK/
Examiner
Art Unit 3747
/GEORGE C JIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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