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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Burlage et al (5439021).
Burlage et al disclose a positioner (e.g. 200, Figs. 11-17), and a method for manufacturing a positioner, for a pneumatic actuator for operating a control element in a process engineering plant, the positioner comprising: a housing (e.g. 202) defining an interior space (e.g. 222); a support body (e.g. 206, 258) inserted into the interior space; an electropneumatic converter (e.g. 260); and a circuit board (e.g. 230) attached to the support body and comprising supply electronics (e.g. 268) configured to operate the electropneumatic converter, wherein the housing and the support body are coordinated to pneumatically subdivide the interior space into an electronics compartment (e.g. 256) configured to accommodate at least one electrical and/or electronic component (e.g. 216, 242, 268) and a converter compartment (e.g. opposite side of 258 housing 260) configured to accommodate the electropneumatic converter (e.g. Col. 12, Ln. 63 – Col. 13, Ln. 6).
Wherein the electropneumatic converter is arranged on a side of the support body facing away from the electronics compartment and/or the circuit board (e.g. as shown in Fig. 11); wherein the converter compartment comprises at least one receptacle (e.g. 208) in which the electropneumatic converter is arranged, the support body comprising a feedthrough (e.g. 270) in an area of the at least one receptacle that extends from the housing to the circuit board; wherein the converter compartment comprises at least one receptacle (e.g. Fig. 14) in which at least one pneumatic sensor (e.g. 354) is arranged, the support body comprising a feedthrough (e.g. 348) in an area of the at least one receptacle that leads to the pneumatic sensor and/or to the circuit board; wherein the pneumatic sensor is arranged on a surface of the circuit board facing the converter compartment and/or that the pneumatic sensor is held on the circuit board (e.g. Fig. 14); wherein at least one seal (e.g. Col. 12, Ln. 63 – Col. 13, Ln. 6) is held on the support body to pneumatically and/or pressure-tightly separate the converter compartment from the electronics compartment; wherein: the housing (e.g. 202) comprises a peripheral wall (e.g. as shown in Fig. 12) and a bottom (e.g. as shown in Fig. 12) at least partially surrounded by the peripheral wall with a recess corresponding to the circuit board (e.g. housed in 256); the support body is form-fitted to the interior space (e.g. Figs. 11-12); and a clearance (e.g. between 256 & 206) is provided between the support body and the housing in an area of the recess; wherein at least one cavity is formed between the circuit board and the support body (e.g. between 258 & 230 as shown in Fig. 11); wherein the support body comprises support sections configured to support the circuit board, at least one cavity being formed between the support sections (e.g. between 258 & 230 as shown in Fig. 11); wherein the circuit board is at least partially encapsulated (e.g. by 256 as shown in Figs. 11-12); wherein the support body is at least partially encapsulated (e.g. by 202, 208); and wherein the seal is arranged: between the support body and the circuit board; and/or between the support body and the housing (e.g. Fig. 11, Col. 12, Ln. 63 – Col. 13, Ln. 6).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. 8201580 is not relied upon, but is deemed to anticipate at least Claim 1. Additional references listed on form PTO-892 are cited for their relevance to the disclosed invention and demonstration of the state of the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL LESLIE whose telephone number is (571)272-4819. The examiner can normally be reached M - F 8 am - 4-30pm.
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/MICHAEL LESLIE/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
July 24, 2026
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