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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is responsive to the amendment filed 6/1/2026. Applicant amened claims 1 – 10; claims 1 – 10 are pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant in response to an objection to the specification amended the title of the invention. The amended title is accepted and the previous objection to the specification is withdrawn.
Examiner notes the limitation “the armature (7) is guided in a guide geometry (13)” is broadly interpreted. The armature restrained in movement by an element encompassing the armature will read on the limitation “the armature (7) is guided in a guide geometry (13)”.
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).
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, 4, 7, 9 - 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent to Ueda et al. (4,170,339).
Regarding claim 1, Ueda et al. disclose a shut-off valve (Fig. 1) including a solenoid assembly (40, Fig. 1), which comprises a solenoid actuator having a solenoid (40, Fig. 1) and an armature (34, Fig. 1), which is pre- tensioned by a spring element (42, Fig. 1) with a pre-tensioning force acting in a closing direction, wherein the armature (34, Fig. 1) is movable along an axis (rotational motion about the pivot) of movement in an opening direction to open the shut-off valve via a magnetic force against the pre-tensioning force of the spring element (42, Fig. 1), to open a fluidic connection between a fluid inlet (14, Fig. 1) and a fluid outlet (16, Fig. 1), which is blocked without the magnetic force, by a magnetic force pulling on the armature (34, Fig. 1), wherein the solenoid assembly is designed in such a way that a purposefully asymmetrical magnetic force distribution results relative to the axis of movement, by means of surfaces 52 and 53, of the armature (34, Fig. 1), and wherein the armature (34, Fig. 1) is guided in a guide geometry – between the pivot point and the element 46 - configured to allow the armature (34, Fig. 1) to tilt relative to the guide geometry during opening of the shut-off valve.
Regarding claim 2, Ueda et al. disclose the armature (34, Fig. 1) movable along its axis of movement is configured to can also be tilted by the asymmetric magnetic force distribution relative to its axis of movement by means of surfaces 52, 53.
Regarding claim 4, Ueda et al. disclose the armature (34, Fig. 1) has an asymmetrical shape relative to its axis of movement because of the pivot.
Regarding claim 7, Ueda et al. disclose a central (with respect to the valve member 18) outlet passage (16, Fig. 1) and a decentral inlet passage (14, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 9, Ueda et al. disclose a method of operating a shut-off valve (Fig. 1) wherein the armature (34, Fig. 1) is tilted by the asymmetric magnetic force distribution when the shut-off valve (Fig. 1) is opened to realize a greater flow of fluid.
Regarding claim 10 , Ueda et al. disclose a solenoid assembly (Fig. 1)
Claims 1 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent to Seltner et al. (11,521,773).
Regarding claim 1, Seltner et al. disclose a shut-off valve (Fig. 1) including a solenoid assembly, which comprises a solenoid actuator having a solenoid (MS, Fig. 1) and an armature (A, Fig. 1), which is pre- tensioned by a spring element (RS, Fig. 1) with a pre-tensioning force acting in a closing direction, wherein the armature (A, Fig. 1) is movable along an axis of movement in an opening direction to open the shut-off valve via a magnetic force against the pre-tensioning force of the spring element (RS, Fig. 1), to open a fluidic connection between a fluid inlet (FA1, Fig. 1) and a fluid outlet (FA2, Fig. 1), which is blocked without the magnetic force, by a magnetic force pulling on the armature (A, Fig. 1), wherein the solenoid assembly is designed in such a way that a purposefully asymmetrical magnetic force distribution results relative to the axis of movement (Fig. 4) and wherein the armature (34, Fig. 1) is guided in a guide (SSF Fig. 4) configured to allow the armature (A, Fig. 1) to tilt relative to the guide geometry during opening of the shut-off valve.
Regarding claim 8, Seltner et al. disclose shut-off valve (Fig. 1) is designed as a seat valve with a closed position in which the armature (A, Fig. 1) is symmetrically arranged relative to its axis of movement (Fig. 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5 – 6 are 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
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 UMASHANKAR VENKATESAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5602. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner' s supervisors Craig Schneider can be reached at (571) 272-3607 or Ken 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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/UMASHANKAR VENKATESAN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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