Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 18, 2026
Application No. 19/027,265

FAN SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ENGINE COOLING

Non-Final OA §102§103§DP
Filed
Jan 17, 2025
Examiner
PICON-FELICIANO, RUBEN
Art Unit
3747
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Applied Industrial Technologies Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
68%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 1m
To Grant
82%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 68% — above average
68%
Career Allow Rate
483 granted / 708 resolved
-1.8% vs TC avg
Moderate +13% lift
Without
With
+13.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 1m
Avg Prosecution
61 currently pending
Career history
769
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.0%
-39.0% vs TC avg
§103
46.3%
+6.3% vs TC avg
§102
37.2%
-2.8% vs TC avg
§112
13.0%
-27.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 708 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103 §DP
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 . 2. This Office Action is sent in response to Applicant's Communication received on January 17, 2025 for application number 19/027,265. This Office hereby acknowledges receipt of the following and placed of record in file: Specification, Drawings, Abstract, Oath/Declaration, and Claims. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on January 17, 2025 was submitted in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Disposition of Claims Claims 22-37 are pending in this application. Claims 22-37 are rejected. Double Patenting The non-statutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A non-statutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the claims at issue are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969). A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a non-statutory double patenting ground provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b). The USPTO internet Web site contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit http://www.uspto.gov/forms/. The filing date of the application will determine what form should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp. Claims 22-37 are rejected on the ground of non-statutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-14 of U.S. Patent No. 12,228,067 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claim 22 is just claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,228,067 B2 with minor English language syntax differences. Further on, claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,228,067 B2 anticipates claim 22 of the instant present application. Still further, please refer to the following table for the correspondence of claims between the present application and U.S. Patent No. 12,228,067 B2: Application(19/027,265)Claims Patent(U.S. 12,228,067 B2)Claims 22 1 23 2 24 3 25 3 26 4 27 4 28 6 29 7 30 8 31 8 32 9 33 9 34 10 35 10 36 11 37 13 Therefore, claims 1-14 of U.S. Patent No. 12,228,067 B2 anticipates claims 22-37 of the instant present application separately alone or altogether. 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. (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 22-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by (Maruta – US 6,311,488 B1). Regarding claim 22, Maruta discloses: A method for controlling a fan speed for use in engine cooling of an engine (1: Fig. 8) comprising: providing a pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) driven by the engine and fluidly coupled to a motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8); said motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8) is configured to cool a cooling medium and maintain said cooling medium at a temperature that falls within a setpoint temperature range; said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) is a fixed pump or a variable pump (pump 2: Fig. 8); and, providing a fan drive system (42: Fig. 8) that is configured to implement an algorithm that is used of at least two of a) directly control said fan speed to facilitate in maintaining a cooling medium at a set temperature or within a set temperature range (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45), b) build a cooling safety margin in response to an engine output torque percentage that is below an output torque percentage set point (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45), and c) predict an engine torque demand increase; said fan drive system (42: Fig. 8) is a hydraulic system and/or an electric system; said fan drive system includes a microcontroller (controller 13’: Fig. 8) that is used to run said algorithm; said fan drive system includes a single-direction fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8) or a bi-directional fan (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); said algorithm is used to cause said fan speed to be maintained at a nominal fan speed until said cooling medium exceeds a maximum set point temperature (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); and using said fan drive system to control said fan speed (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); and wherein said fan drive system is configured to increase a speed of said motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8) in response to low cooling demand by said engine to maintain said cooling medium at a minimum setpoint temperature and wherein said increase in said speed of said motor-driven fan corresponds to an engine output that is below a threshold value (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); and wherein said fan drive system is configured to decrease said speed of said motor-driven fan in response to high cooling demand by said engine which corresponds to an engine output that is above said threshold value and said decrease in said speed of said motor-driven fan occurs until said cooling medium reaches a maximum setpoint temperature, and wherein said minimum and maximum setpoint temperature are different temperatures (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); and wherein said engine output is torque and said torque not used by said pump is available for use by other working systems driven by said engine (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); and wherein said algorithm compares a setpoint temperature to a temperature of said cooling fluid to either cause 1) said controller to maintain said speed of said fan at a normal speed when said temperature of a said cooling fluid is not greater than said setpoint temperature (Maruta Col. 19, Ln. 53-59), or 2) said controller to increase said speed above said normal speed of said fan when said temperature of a said cooling fluid is greater than said setpoint temperature (Maruta Col. 19, Ln. 53-59). Regarding claim 28, Maruta discloses: A method for controlling a fan speed for use in engine cooling of an engine (1: Fig. 8) comprising: providing a pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) driven by the engine (1: Fig. 8) and which pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) fluidly coupled to a motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8); said motor-drive fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8) is configured to cool a cooling medium and to maintain said cooling medium at a temperature that falls within a setpoint temperature range (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); and, providing a fan drive system (42: Fig. 8) that is configured to implement an algorithm to a) directly control said fan speed to facilitate in maintaining a cooling medium at a set temperature or within a set temperature range instead of an operating temperature range of the cooling medium (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45), b) build a cooling safety margin in response to an engine output torque percentage that is below an output torque percentage set point (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45), and c) predict an engine torque demand increase (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); said set temperature is a temperature determined within an operating range (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); said fan drive system is a hydraulic system and/or an electric system (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45 and Fig. 8); said fan drive system (42: Fig. 8) includes a microcontroller that is used to run said algorithm (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45 and Fig. 8); said fan drive system (42: Fig. 8) includes a single-direction fan or a bi-directional fan (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45 and Fig. 8); said algorithm is used to cause said fan speed to be maintained at a nominal fan speed until said cooling medium exceeds a maximum set point temperature (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45 and Fig. 8); and using said fan drive system (42: Fig. 8) to control said fan speed (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45 and Fig. 8); and wherein said fan drive system (42: Fig. 8) is configured to increase a speed of said motor-driven fan in response to low cooling demand by said engine, and wherein an increase in said speed of said motor-driven fan is configured to maintain said cooling medium at a minimum setpoint temperature and corresponds to an engine output that is below a threshold value and, wherein said fan drive system is configured to decrease said speed of said motor-driven fan in response to high cooling demand by said engine, and wherein said decrease in said fan speed corresponds to an engine output that is above said threshold value and occurs until said cooling medium reaches a maximum setpoint temperature (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45 and Fig. 8); said minimum and maximum setpoint temperature are different temperatures, and, wherein said engine output is torque and said torque not used by said pump is available for use by other working systems driven by said engine (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45 and Fig. 8). Regarding claim 23, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 22, and further on Maruta also discloses: a supply tank (tank 9: Fig. 8) for containing cooling fluid; said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) is a fixed displacement pump; said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) is fluidly connected to said supply tank (tank 9: Fig. 8) to enable said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) to draw said cooling fluid from said supply tank (tank 9: Fig. 8); said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) is fluidly connected to said motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8) to enable said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) to supply said cooling fluid to said motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8). Regarding claim 24, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 22, and further on Maruta also discloses: a pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8); said pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8) is fluidly connected to said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8); said pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8) is configured to control said supply of cooling fluid from said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) to said motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8). Regarding claim 25, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 23, and further on Maruta also discloses: a pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8); said pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8) is fluidly connected to said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8); said pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8) is configured to control said supply of cooling fluid from said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) to said motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8). Regarding claim 26, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 22, and further on Maruta also discloses: wherein said algorithm uses pressure information from one or more proportional relief valves in relationship to information from an electronic circuit of said motor driven fan that is used by said fan drive system to control said speed of said motor-driven fan (Fig. 8 and Col. 37, Ln. 36-38). Regarding claim 27, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 23, and further on Maruta also discloses: wherein said algorithm uses pressure information from one or more proportional relief valves in relationship to information from an electronic circuit of said motor driven fan that is used by said fan drive system to control said speed of said motor-driven fan (Fig. 8 and Col. 37, Ln. 36-38). Regarding claim 29, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 28, and further on Maruta also discloses: a supply tank (tank 9: Fig. 8) for containing cooling fluid; said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) is a fixed displacement pump; said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) is fluidly connected to said supply tank (tank 9: Fig. 8) to enable said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) to draw said cooling fluid from said supply tank (tank 9: Fig. 8); said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) is fluidly connected to said motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8) to enable said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) to supply said cooling fluid to said motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8). Regarding claim 30, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 28, and further on Maruta also discloses: a pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8); said pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8) is fluidly connected to said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8); said pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8) is configured to control said supply of cooling fluid from said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) to said motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8). Regarding claim 31, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 29, and further on Maruta also discloses: a pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8); said pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8) is fluidly connected to said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8); said pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8) is configured to control said supply of cooling fluid from said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) to said motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8). Regarding claim 32, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 28, and further on Maruta also discloses: wherein said algorithm uses pressure information from one or more proportional relief valves in relationship to information from an electronic circuit of said motor driven fan that is used by said fan drive system to control said speed of said motor-driven fan (Fig. 8 and Col. 37, Ln. 36-38). Regarding claim 33, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 31, and further on Maruta also discloses: wherein said algorithm uses pressure information from one or more proportional relief valves in relationship to information from an electronic circuit of said motor driven fan that is used by said fan drive system to control said speed of said motor-driven fan (Fig. 8 and Col. 37, Ln. 36-38). Regarding claim 34, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 28, and further on Maruta also discloses: wherein said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) is a fixed pump or a variable pump. Regarding claim 35, Maruta discloses the method according to claim 33, and further on Maruta also discloses: wherein said pump (pump 2: Fig. 8) is a fixed pump or a variable pump. 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. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness. Claims 36-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (Maruta – US 6,311,488 B1), in view of (Schuricht – US 2008/0238607 A1). Regarding claim 36, Maruta discloses: A method for controlling a fan speed (Fig. 8) for use in engine cooling comprising: providing a fan drive system (42: Fig. 8) that includes a control system; said control system is configured to implement an algorithm to a) directly control said fan speed to facilitate in maintaining a cooling medium within a set temperature range (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45), b) build a cooling safety margin in response to an engine (1: Fig. 8) output torque percentage that is below an output torque percentage set point (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45), and c) predict an engine torque demand increase (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); said control system includes a microprocessor (controller 13’: Fig. 8) that is used to run said algorithm (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); said set temperature range is a temperature range that is determined within an operating range (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); said fan drive system is a hydraulic system, an electric system, and/or a variable clutch drive system; and using said fan drive system to control said fan speed (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); and wherein said algorithm i) causes said fan speed to be maintained at a nominal fan speed until said cooling medium exceeds a maximum set point temperature, ii) causes said fan speed to increase from said nominal fan speed to a maximum fan speed when said cooling medium exceeds said maximum set point temperature, iii) causes said fan speed to decrease from said maximum fan speed to said nominal fan speed when said cooling medium is below said maximum set point temperature and when said fan speed is operating at a speed that is greater than said nominal fan speed, and iv) maintains said fan speed at a nominal fan speed when said cooling medium is below said set temperature range; said nominal fan speed is greater than a minimum fan speed and less than a maximum fan speed when said fan drive system is operating and is actively cooling said cooling medium (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45); said maximum set point temperature is greater than said set temperature range; and wherein said algorithm uses information from two or more or a) a fan controller output related to current in relationship to a cooling demand related to temperature to provide information to said fan drive system for controlling said speed of said motor-driven fan, Citation (Maruta Col. 19, Ln. 53-59): When the controller 13 determines the target fan R.P.M. Na corresponding to the temperature t (the actuation pressure oil temperature t1, for example) detected by the temperature sensor 27, it outputs to the proportional-control solenoid valve 14 in the swash plate drive mechanism 17 a current command i to cause the cooling fan 8 to be turned at that target fan R.P.M. Na. b) revolution speed of said motor driven fan in relationship to a cooling demand related to temperature to provide information to said fan drive system for controlling said speed of said motor-driven fan (Col. 3, Ln. 30-60 and Col. 19, Ln. 31-45), c) revolution speed of said motor-driven fan in relationship to a pressure of one or more proportional relief valves to provide information to said fan drive system for controlling said speed of said motor-driven fan, Citation (Maruta Col. 18, Ln. 28-33): The proportional-control solenoid valve 14 receives as inputs the electric-current commands i output by the controller 13, whereby the valve positions are changed, and applies pilot pressure oil at a pilot pressure Pp corresponding to the electric current valve i to a pilot port in the switching valve 15. d) current in relationship to a fan controller's output of PWM duty as a percentage, or e) revolution speed of said motor-driven fan in relationship to current across a fan's electronic circuit. Citation (Maruta Col. 20, Ln. 16-30): The controller 13, in the manner described earlier, computes a current command i to make the R.P.M. N of the cooling fan 8 the target fan R.P.M. Na, and outputs that current command i to the proportional-control solenoid valve 14 in the swash plate drive mechanism 17. As a consequence, the swash plate angle .alpha. of the swash plate 5a in the fan-drive hydraulic pump 5 is varied in correspondence with the target fan R.P.M. Na noted above. Thus from the fan-drive hydraulic pump 5 is discharged pressure oil in a flow volume Q corresponding to that target fan R.P.M. Na. As a result, into the fan-drive hydraulic motor 7 will flow pressure oil with a flow volume Q corresponding to that target fan R.P.M. Na. Thus the cooling fan 8 will be turned at the target fan R.P.M. Na and optimal cooling will be performed. But Maruta does not explicitly and/or specifically meet the following limitations: (A) wherein said algorithm uses information from pressure of one or more proportional relief valves in relationship to a current across an electronic circuit of said motor driven fan to provide information to said fan drive system for controlling said speed of said motor-driven fan. However, regarding limitation (A) above, Schuricht discloses/teaches the following: Based on the parameter value signals provided by sensors 16 and the actual fan speed signal provided by fan speed sensor 20a, controller 22 may determine a fan demand and reference the maps stored in the computer readable memory to generate a corresponding fan demand signal. In response, controller 22 may generate a desired fan speed signal, a nominal desired fan speed signal, a difference signal, an offset fan speed signal, and an adjusted fan speed signal during operation. It is to be appreciated that the signals referred to herein may include analog current and/or voltage signals, encoded digital signals, or any other suitable signals representing the various values of interest. For example, these signals may each comprise a fixed- or variable-frequency, pulse width modulated (PWM) square wave current and/or voltage signal in which a duty cycle thereof determines a speed to which fan 20 may be driven (e.g., substantially proportional or inversely proportional to duty cycle). Alternatively, or additionally, each signal may comprise fixed- and/or variable-frequency voltage and/or current signal in which an amplitude thereof determines a speed to which fan 20 is driven (e.g., substantially proportional or inversely proportional to amplitude). However, it is to be appreciated that the signals referred to herein may comprise any suitable signals used to accomplish the disclosed fan control algorithm (Schuricht [0020]). Controller 22 may interpolate, retrieve, or otherwise determine a value between a minimum value and a maximum value based on the minimum and maximum achievable fan speeds, the desired fan speed signal, and/or the tables in the computer readable storage (e.g., duty cycle percentage, a gain, etc.). In one aspect, the nominal desired fan speed may comprise the desired fan speed signal pulse width modulated (PWM) based on the value (e.g., duty cycle percentage). Alternatively, or additionally, the nominal desired fan speed signal may comprise the desired fan speed signal augmented or attenuated by the value (e.g., a gain). However, it is to be appreciated that the nominal fan speed signal may include any type of signal generated based on the desired fan speed signal and used to drive fan 20 by way of means 18 (Schuricht [0023]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the engine control system of Maruta incorporating additional instructions using the motor duty ratio in relationship with the current to control the motor-driven fan as taught by Schuricht in order to avoid the fan to reach a maximum speed and provide more cooling than necessary given the circumstances, which may be inefficient and/or avoiding/reducing driving the fan to a maximum possible speed that in turn may damage the fan, the means used to drive the fan, or other components of the control system (Schuricht [0004]). Regarding claim 37, Maruta as combined above disclose the method according to claim 36, and further on Maruta as combined above also discloses: a pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8); said pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8) is fluidly connected to said pump (2: Fig. 8); said pressure controlling valve system (68, 69, 41, 49, 73, 74, 75, 77: Fig. 8) is configured to control said supply of cooling fluid from said pump (2: Fig. 8) to said motor-driven fan (cooling fan 8: Fig. 8). Pertinent Prior Art The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US 7,841,307 B2 - Itoga Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ruben Picon-Feliciano whose telephone number is (571)-272-4938. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday within 11:30 am-7:30 pm ET. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lindsay M. Low can be reached on (571)272-1196. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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. /RUBEN PICON-FELICIANO/Examiner, Art Unit 3747 /GRANT MOUBRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 17, 2025
Application Filed
Apr 01, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103, §DP (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
68%
Grant Probability
82%
With Interview (+13.3%)
3y 1m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
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