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 Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Currently, no claim limitation is being interpreted as invoking 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
Claims 1, 8-15, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2002/0288978 to Corghi (Corghi) in view of US Patent Application Publication 2022/0063570 to Brown (Brown).
Regarding claim 1, Corghi discloses an inflating device (100) for inflating a tyre, comprising: an air feed line (200), configured to allow air to flow from an air feed source (F) to the tyre (P) in an inflating direction; an inflating module (300) interposed between the feed source and the tyre (location shown in Fig. 1B) and including: a primary valve (301), located on the air feed line and movable between a closed position, where it prevents air from flowing into the tyre, and an open position, where it allows the air to flow ([0084]); a first branch (201a) extending from the air feed line at a point upstream or downstream of the primary valve in the inflating direction (Fig. 1B); a shutoff valve (303), located on the first branch and movable between a closed position and an open position, to connect the first branch to the primary valve, to switch it between the open position and the closed position ([0090]); a control leg (202), configured to allow feeding air to the shutoff valve from a point on the feed line, the feeding of air causing the shutoff valve to switch from the open position to the closed position in response to the predetermined pressure value being exceeded ([0091] and [0093]); a relief duct (201a’), extending from the first branch and configured to gradually discharge air to the external atmosphere when the shutoff valve is at the closed position ([0095]); an auxiliary safety module (700), including: a secondary valve (500), located on the air feed line (see Fig. 1B), downstream of the inflating module and movable between a closed position, where it prevents air from flowing in the feed line between the inflating module and the tyre, and an open position, where it allows the air to flow ([0118]). Corghi does not disclose the device being characterized in that the auxiliary safety module includes: a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure value downstream of the inflating module; a control unit including a memory and a processor and programmed to control the secondary valve as a function of the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor. Brown teaches a tire inflation assembly including a secondary valve (42) located on an air feed line (12, 22); a pressure sensor (44) configured to detect a pressure value downstream of the inflating module; a control unit (30) including a memory (inherent that the type of controller disclosed includes memory for storing programming) and a processor (control circuit 40) and programmed to control the secondary valve as a function of the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor ([0022]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included a pressure sensor and controller as taught by Brown in the system of Corghi to automatically monitor the air pressure and control the valve based on the pressure, to prevent over-pressurization of the tire.
Regarding claim 8, Brown further discloses the pressure sensor is located upstream of the secondary valve (Fig. 4) and the secondary valve is normally closed (the valve only opened when air is being supplied to the tire and is therefore normally closed). These features are present in the combination as set forth above.
Regarding claim 9, Corghi further discloses which a distribution valve (400) is closed and interrupts the line between the air feed source and the pressure sensor (when modified to include the sensor of Brown), and an open condition, in which the distribution valve is open ([0116]), but does not disclose the control unit is programmed to detect switching of the distribution valve to an interrupted condition and is programmed to move the secondary valve from the closed position to the open position responsive to such switching. However, Corghi discloses manual control of the distribution valve. Brown uses the controller for automatic control and it would be further obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the controller of Brown to automatically control the distribution valve and the secondary valve in response to the state of the distribution valve, such that a user is not required to know the correct times to open and close the valves.
Regarding claim 10, Brown further discloses the control unit has an operational configuration and an intervention configuration, in which it displaces the valve to the closed position ([0022]), the control unit being configured to remain in the intervention configuration until a reset signal is generated (once the valve is closed it is not opened until a signal is generated to open the valve again). This feature is present in the combination set forth above.
Regarding claim 11, Brown further teaches a pushbutton (50), configured to generate the reset signal. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further included a pushbutton as taught by Brown in the system of Corghi for allowing a user to reset the system.
Regarding claim 12, Brown further teaches an indicator (speaker 46, light 48), configured to indicate a state of the control unit, distinguishing between the operational configuration and the intervention configuration (the speaker and light notify the user when the operating state changes; see [0023]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further included an indicator as taught by Brown in the system of Corghi to notify a user when the operating state of the system changes (for example, indicating complete filling or indicating an error).
Regarding claim 13, Corghi further discloses the inflating module comprises a second branch (201b), extending from the air feed line; the first branch extends from the air feed line at a point upstream of the primary valve (Fig. 1B); the shutoff valve is located on the first branch or on the second branch and is movable between a closed position and an open position, to connect the first branch or the second branch to the primary valve, to switch it between the open position and the closed position ([0088]-[0089], Fig. 1B); and the control leg is configured to allow air to be fed to the shutoff valve from a point in the feed line downstream of the primary valve in the inflating direction ([0091]).
Regarding claim 14, Corghi further discloses the inflating module includes: a first cylinder (302a), operatively connected to the primary valve and fed by the first branch, the first cylinder being configured to cause the primary valve to open ([0085]), a second cylinder (302b), operatively connected to the primary valve and fed by the second branch, the second cylinder being configured to cause the primary valve to close ([0086]), wherein: the shutoff valve is located on the first branch and when it is at the closed position, it occludes the first branch to prevent fluid communication between the feed line and the first cylinder, and when it is at the open position, it allows fluid communication, in order to switch the primary valve between the open position and the closed position ([0088]-[0089]), and the relief duct, extends between a connection of the shutoff valve to the first cylinder and the atmosphere and is configured to gradually discharge air from the first cylinder to the outside atmosphere when the shutoff valve is closed ([0095]-[0098]).
Regarding claim 15, Corghi as modified by Brown discloses a method for controlling a process for inflating a tyre, wherein the inflating process is implemented by an inflating device (the structure of the device recited in the method claim is the same as that recited by claim 1 and is taught by the combination of Corghi and Brown set forth above) comprising: an air feed line, configured to allow air to flow from an air feed source to the tyre; an inflating module, interposed between the air feed source and the tyre and including: a primary valve, located on the air feed line and movable between a closed position, where it prevents the air from flowing through the feed line into the tyre, and an open position, where it allows the air to flow; a first branch extending from the air feed line at a point upstream or downstream of the primary valve in the inflating direction; a shutoff valve, located on the first branch and movable between a closed position and an open position, to connect the first branch to the primary valve, to switch it between the open position and the closed position; a control leg, configured to feed air to the shutoff valve from a point on the feed line so as to switch the shutoff valve from the open position to the closed position in response to the predetermined pressure value being exceeded; a relief duct, extending from the first branch to gradually discharge air to the external atmosphere when the shutoff valve closes; an auxiliary safety module, including: a secondary valve, located on the air feed line, downstream of the inflating module and movable between a closed position, where it prevents air from flowing in the feed line between the secondary valve and the tyre, and an open position, where it allows the air to flow; - connecting the feed line to the air source (Fig. 1B); - feeding air through the first branch so as to move the primary valve to the open position ([0088]); - feeding air to the shutoff valve through the control leg ([0091]); - measuring a pressure value of the air entering the tyre (by using the pressure sensor of Brown); - comparing the measured pressure value with a predetermined pressure value (the actual pressure and the predetermined pressure are compared; [0022] of Brown); - in response to the comparison, driving the shutoff valve between the open position and the closed position so that, if the pressure value is greater than the predetermined pressure value, the shutoff valve is switched from the open position to the closed position ([0022] of Brown); - continuing to feed air to switch the primary valve from the open position to the closed position so as to interrupt air feed to the tyre ([0091] and [0093]); - discharging air to an outside atmosphere through an air passage in the relief duct ([0095]), characterized in that the auxiliary safety module includes a pressure sensor (sensor 44 of Brown) configured to detect a pressure value downstream of the inflating module, and a control unit (control unit 30 of Brown), including a memory (inherent that the type of controller disclosed includes memory for storing programming) and a processor (40), and the method comprises the following steps: - via the pressure sensor, detecting a pressure value downstream of the inflating module (via the pressure sensor, the pressure downstream of the inflating module is detected); - driving the secondary valve via the control unit as a function of the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor (when the pressure exceeds a predetermined value, the controller operates the valve).
Regarding claim 19, Corghi as modified by Brown further discloses - inflating the tyre according to an inflation cycle ([0141]), and - via the control unit, driving the secondary valve as a function of a trend of the inflation cycle (the control unit operates the valve based on the pressure which is a trend of the inflation cycle).
Regarding claim 20, Corghi discloses an inflating device (100) for inflating a tyre, comprising: an air feed line (200), configured to allow air to flow from an air feed source (F) to the tyre (P) in an inflating direction; an inflating module (300) interposed between the feed source and the tyre (location shown in Fig. 1B) and including: a primary valve (301), located on the air feed line and movable between a closed position, where it prevents air from flowing into the tyre, and an open position, where it allows the air to flow ([0084]); a first branch (201a) extending from the air feed line at a point upstream or downstream of the primary valve in the inflating direction (Fig. 1B); a shutoff valve (303), located on the first branch and movable between a closed position and an open position, to connect the first branch to the primary valve, to switch it between the open position and the closed position ([0090]); a control leg (202), configured to allow feeding air to the shutoff valve from a point on the feed line, the feeding of air causing the shutoff valve to switch from the open position to the closed position in response to the predetermined pressure value being exceeded ([0091] and [0093]); a relief duct (201a’), extending from the first branch and configured to gradually discharge air to the external atmosphere when the shutoff valve is at the closed position ([0095]); an auxiliary safety module (700), including: a secondary valve (500), located on the air feed line (see Fig. 1B), downstream of the inflating module and movable between a closed position, where it prevents air from flowing in the feed line between the inflating module and the tyre, and an open position, where it allows the air to flow ([0118]), , wherein the inflating device is configured for inflating the tyre according to an inflation cycle ([0141]). Corghi does not disclose the device being characterized in that the auxiliary safety module includes: a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure value downstream of the inflating module; a control unit including a memory and a processor and programmed to control the secondary valve as a function of the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor; and the control unit is programmed to control the secondary valve as a function of a trend of the inflation cycle. Brown teaches a tire inflation assembly including a secondary valve (42) located on an air feed line (12, 22); a pressure sensor (44) configured to detect a pressure value downstream of the inflating module; a control unit (30) including a memory (inherent that the type of controller disclosed includes memory for storing programming) and a processor (control circuit 40) and programmed to control the secondary valve as a function of the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor ([0022]) and a function of a trend of the inflation cycle (the control unit operates the valve based on the pressure which is a trend of the inflation cycle). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included a pressure sensor and controller as taught by Brown in the system of Corghi to automatically monitor the air pressure and control the valve based on the pressure, to prevent over-pressurization of the tire.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7 and 16-18 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the cited documents do not disclose “the inflating module is configured to apply pressure intermittently, so as to determine an inflation cycle in which active stretches, where the air feed line is open, are alternated with passive stretches, where the air feed line is interrupted; the memory includes a reference time value; the control unit is programmed to control the secondary valve as a function of the trend of the inflation cycle and of the reference time.” The cited documents do not disclose “ the control unit has an electrically powered configuration and an electrically unpowered one and, responsive to the switching between the unpowered configuration and the powered configuration, is programmed to command the secondary valve to open and close a plurality of times in succession.” Finaly, the cited documents do not disclose the method steps of claims 16-18 which are include limitations similar to those of claims 2 and 7.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICOLAS A ARNETT whose telephone number is (571)270-5062. The examiner can normally be reached M- F, 8AM - 3PM.
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/NICOLAS A ARNETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753 March 5, 2026