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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 9/27/2025 has been entered.
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 Cleeves et al. (U.S. Publication 2012/0158273), hereinafter “Cleeves”.
Regarding claim 2, Cleeves discloses a method of operating a linear generator comprising: a cylinder (304) comprising a reaction section (314), at least one intake port (301), and at least one exhaust port (344, paragraph 44), wherein the reaction section is between the at least one intake port and the at least one exhaust port; and a pair of translators (324 and 330) arranged to move along a bore of the cylinder (shown in figure 3), 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 (paragraph 46); causing a first fuel-air mixture comprising a first fuel-air ratio to propagate, during a first time period (power mode, paragraph 10), 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 (paragraph 12), to propagate, during a second time period (efficiency mode, paragraph 10) later than the first time period, into the reaction section of the uniflow scavenging.
Regarding claim 3, Cleeves discloses the method of claim 2, wherein allowing the uniflow scavenging comprises propagating reactants and exhaust along an axial direction within the cylinder towards the at least one exhaust port (shown in figure 3, 344). Examiner notes that in figure 3, the intake comes in through port (301/302) then goes rightwards and ignites in reaction section (314) in which the exhaust gases exit towards the right at exhaust port (344/342).
Regarding claim 4, Cleeves 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 engine of Cleeves operated in an efficiency mode (higher A/F ratio) and a power mode (lower A/F ratio) and there is a time in which both are briefly within the reaction section when the mode is changed.
Regarding claim 5, Cleeves 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 (316) to provide fuel to air propagating through the at least one intake port (301) into the reaction section (paragraphs 10 and 42).
Regarding claim 6, Cleeves discloses the method of claim 2, further comprising causing the pair of translators to seal the reaction section (314) from the at least one intake port (301/302) and the at least one exhaust port (344/342) after the uniflow scavenging (shown in figure 3).
Regarding claim 7, Cleeves discloses the method of claim 2, further comprising causing air to be provided to the at least one intake port (301), wherein the first fuel-air mixture comprises a first portion of the air (air for power mode), and wherein the second fuel-air mixture comprises a second portion of the air (air for efficiency mode).
Regarding claim 8, Cleeves 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 (314) through the at least one exhaust port (344/342, shown in figure 3).
Regarding claim 9, Cleeves discloses the method of claim 8, wherein: the at least one intake port (301/302) is arranged proximal to a first axial end (left end shown in figure 3) of the cylinder and the at least one exhaust port (344/342) is arranged proximal to a second axial end *right end shown in figure 3) of the cylinder; the exhaust is generated in the reaction section during a preceding stroke of the pair of translators (324/330); 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 3).
Regarding claim 10, Cleeves discloses the method of claim 2, wherein causing the pair of translators to expose the at least one intake port (301) comprises: causing the pair of translators (324/330) to expose the reaction section to a first region of an intake manifold (manifold shown in figure 3 associated with 301) 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 (314) to a second region of the intake manifold comprising the second fuel-air mixture during the second time period (efficiency mode). Examiner notes that the translators (324/330) are constantly actuating and depending upon when the power mode or efficiency mode is requested, the translators have the capability to expose different areas of the intake manifold.
Regarding claim 11, Cleeves discloses a linear generator comprising: a cylinder comprising: a reaction section arranged in a bore of the cylinder; at least one intake port; and at least one exhaust port; 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; cause a first fuel-air mixture comprising a first fuel-air ratio to propagate, during a first time period, into the reaction section during the uniflow scavenging; 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 later than the first time period, into the reaction section during the uniflow scavenging. Refer to the rejection of claim 2 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Regarding claim 12, Cleeves discloses the linear generator of claim 11, wherein allowing the uniflow scavenging comprises propagating reactants and exhaust along 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, Cleeves 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, Cleeves 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, Cleeves 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, Cleeves 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, Cleeves 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, Cleeves discloses the linear generator of claim 17, wherein: the at least one intake port is arranged proximal to a first axial end of the cylinder and the at least one exhaust port is arranged proximal to a second axial end of the cylinder; 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, Cleeves 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, Cleeves 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 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, into the reaction section during the uniflow scavenging; 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 later than the first time period, into the reaction section during the uniflow scavenging. Refer to the rejection of claim 2 for further details since the limitations are similar.
Regarding claim 21, Cleeves 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Refer to PTO-892.
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/SYED O HASAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747 3/24/2026