DETAILED ACTION
1. This action is in response to applicant's amendment received on 6/26/2026. Amended claims 2-3, 9, 11-12, 18, and 20 are acknowledged and the following new grounds of rejection below are formulated.
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 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 (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 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) 2-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schneider (U.S. Publication 2019/0085694), hereinafter “Schneider”.
Regarding claim 2, Schneider discloses a method of operating a linear generator comprising: a cylinder (24) comprising a reaction section (42), at least one intake port (26), and at least one exhaust port (28, paragraphs 45-46), wherein the reaction section is between the at least one intake port arranged at a first axial end of the cylinder along a cylinder axis (shown in figure 5) and the at least one exhaust port arranged at a second axial end of the cylinder along the cylinder axis opposite the first axial end (shown in figure 5); and a pair of translators (30 and 32) arranged to move along a bore of the cylinder (shown in figure 4), the method comprising: causing the pair of translators to expose the at least one intake port and the at least one exhaust port to the reaction section to allow uniflow scavenging (uniflow scavenging happens as intake ports are on left side and exhaust ports are on right side); causing a first fuel-air mixture comprising a first fuel-air ratio to propagate, during a first time period (intake stroke), of uniflow scavenging, into the reaction section of the uniflow scavenging; and causing a second fuel-air mixture comprising a second fuel-air ratio, larger than the first fuel-air ratio (exhaust stroke), to propagate, during a second time period (time period during exhaust stroke) of uniflow scavenging later than the first time period, into the reaction section. Examiner notes that the intake stroke has a lower air fuel ratio than the exhaust stroke.
Regarding claim 3, Schneider discloses the method of claim 2, wherein allowing the uniflow scavenging comprises propagating reactants and exhaust along the cylinder axis in an axial direction within the cylinder towards the at least one exhaust port (28).
Regarding claim 4, Schneider discloses the method of claim 2, wherein, during a third time period, after the second time period, the reaction section contains the first fuel-air mixture, the second fuel-air mixture, and a residual mass fraction. Examiner notes that the intake stroke has a lower air fuel ratio than the exhaust stroke.
Regarding claim 5, Schneider discloses the method of claim 2, wherein causing the first fuel-air mixture and the second fuel- air mixture to propagate into the reaction section comprises causing at least one fuel injector (shown in figure 5 and inherent) to provide fuel to air propagating through the at least one intake port (301) into the reaction section (shown in figure 5).
Regarding claim 6, Schneider discloses the method of claim 2, further comprising causing the pair of translators (34 connected to 30 and 32) to seal the reaction section (42) from the at least one intake port (26) and the at least one exhaust port (28) after the uniflow scavenging (shown in figure 5).
Regarding claim 7, Schneider discloses the method of claim 2, further comprising causing air to be provided to the at least one intake port (26), wherein the first fuel-air mixture comprises a first portion of the air (air for intake stroke), and wherein the second fuel-air mixture comprises a second portion of the air (air for exhaust stroke).
Regarding claim 8, Schneider discloses the method of claim 2, further comprising causing exhaust to be generated based on a reaction of reactants in the reaction section, wherein the uniflow scavenging corresponds to a flow of the exhaust from the reaction section (42) through the at least one exhaust port (28, shown in figure 5).
Regarding claim 9, Schneider discloses the method of claim 8, wherein: the exhaust is generated in the reaction section during a preceding stroke of the pair of translators (30 and 32); and the first fuel-air mixture and the second fuel-air mixture propagate from the first axial end of the cylinder to the second axial end of the cylinder to displace at least some of the exhaust in the reaction section (shown in figure 5).
Regarding claim 10, Schneider discloses the method of claim 2, wherein causing the pair of translators to expose the at least one intake port (26) comprises: causing the pair of translators (30 and 32) to expose the reaction section to a first region of an intake manifold (inherent that engine has intake manifold) comprising the first fuel-air mixture during the first time period (intake stroke); and causing the pair of translators to then expose the reaction section (42) to a second region of the intake manifold comprising the second fuel-air mixture during the second time period (exhaust stroke). Examiner notes that the translators (30 and 32) are constantly actuating and depending upon when the intake stroke or exhaust stroke is happening, the translators have the capability to expose different areas of the intake manifold.
Regarding claim 11, Schneider discloses a linear generator comprising: a cylinder comprising: a reaction section arranged in a bore of the cylinder; at least one intake port arranged at a first axial end of the cylinder along a cylinder axis; and at least one exhaust port arranged at a second axial end of the cylinder along the cylinder axis opposite the first axial end; a pair of translators configured to move along the bore; and processing circuitry configured to: cause the pair of translators to expose the at least one intake port and the at least one exhaust port to the reaction section to allow uniflow scavenging from the at least one intake port to the at least one exhaust port; cause a first fuel-air mixture comprising a first fuel-air ratio to propagate, during a first time period of the uniflow scavenging, into the reaction section; and cause a second fuel-air mixture comprising a second fuel-air ratio, larger than the first fuel-air ratio, to propagate, during a second time period of the uniflow scavenging later than the first time period, into the reaction section. Refer to the rejection of claim 2 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Regarding claim 12, Schneider discloses the linear generator of claim 11, wherein allowing the uniflow scavenging comprises propagating reactants and exhaust along the cylinder axis in an axial direction within the cylinder towards the at least one exhaust port. Refer to the rejection of claim 3 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Regarding claim 13, Schneider discloses the linear generator of claim 11, wherein, during a third time period after the second time period, the reaction section contains the first fuel-air mixture, the second fuel-air mixture, and a residual mass fraction. Refer to the rejection of claim 4 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Regarding claim 14, Schneider discloses the linear generator of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to cause the first fuel-air mixture and the second fuel-air mixture to propagate into the reaction section by causing at least one fuel injector to provide fuel to air propagating through the at least one intake port into the reaction section. Refer to the rejection of claim 5 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Regarding claim 15, Schneider discloses the linear generator of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to cause the pair of translators to seal the reaction section from the at least one intake port and the at least one exhaust port after the uniflow scavenging. Refer to the rejection of claim 6 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Regarding claim 16, Schneider discloses the linear generator of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to cause air to be provided to the at least one intake port, wherein the first fuel-air mixture comprises a first portion of the air, and wherein the second fuel-air mixture comprises a second portion of the air. Refer to the rejection of claim 7 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Regarding claim 17, Schneider discloses the linear generator of claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to cause exhaust to be generated based on a reaction of reactants in the reaction section, and wherein the uniflow scavenging corresponds to a flow of the exhaust from the reaction section through the at least one exhaust port. Refer to the rejection of claim 8 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Regarding claim 18, Schneider discloses the linear generator of claim 17, wherein: the exhaust is generated in the reaction section during a preceding stroke of the pair of translators; and the first fuel-air mixture and the second fuel-air mixture propagate from the first axial end of the cylinder to the second axial end of the cylinder to displace at least some of the exhaust in the reaction section. Refer to the rejection of claim 9 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Regarding claim 19, Schneider discloses the linear generator of claim 11, further comprising an intake manifold comprising a first region, a second region axially outward of the first region, and a partition (sleeve valve body 340 angle change, paragraphs 53-55) separating the first region from the second region (adjusting the sleeve valve 340), wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the pair of translators to expose the at least one intake port by: causing the pair of translators to first expose the reaction section to the first region comprising the first fuel-air mixture during the first time period (power mode); and causing the pair of translators to then expose the reaction section to the second region (different orientation of the sleeve valve 340) comprising the second fuel-air mixture during the second time period (efficiency mode).
Regarding claim 20, Schneider discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions, which, when processed by processing circuitry, causes the processing circuitry to: cause a pair of translators to expose at least one intake port and at least one exhaust port to a reaction section of a cylinder to allow uniflow scavenging, wherein the at least one intake port is arranged at a first axial end of the cylinder along a cylinder axis, wherein the at least one exhaust port is arranged at a second axial end of the cylinder along the cylinder axis opposite the first axial end, and wherein the reaction section is arranged between the at least one intake port and the at least one exhaust port; cause a first fuel-air mixture comprising a first fuel-air ratio to propagate, during a first time period of the uniflow scavenging, into the reaction section; and cause a second fuel-air mixture comprising a second fuel-air ratio, larger than the first fuel- air ratio, to propagate, during a second time period of the uniflow scavenging later than the first time period, into the reaction section. Refer to the rejection of claim 2 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Regarding claim 21, Schneider discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, further comprising instructions that cause the processing circuitry to generate at least one control signal configured to cause at least one fuel injector to provide fuel to air propagating through the at least one intake port into the reaction section. Refer to the rejection of claim 5 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 11, and 20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection relies on the new Schneider reference.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Refer to PTO-892.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/SYED O HASAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747 9/2/2026
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