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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 12-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 12-22
Claim 12 recites the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the inlet." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the respective outlet side." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 13-22 are also rejected for being dependent on a rejected base claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the regulating housing." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 25, 27 and 30 are also rejected for being dependent on a rejected base claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation " individual opening cross-sections." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 25, 27 and 30 are also rejected for being dependent on a rejected base claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation " the distance." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 25, 27 and 30 are also rejected for being dependent on a rejected base claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation " the respective travel position." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 25, 27 and 30 are also rejected for being dependent on a rejected base claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation " the sequence.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 28 and 31 are also rejected for being dependent on a rejected base claim.
Claim 16 recites the limitation " the regulating piston.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites the limitation " the fluid pressure.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 17 recites the limitation " the regulating piston.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the regulating housing." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17 recites the limitation " the opening cross-sections." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "each inlet." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the regulating housing." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 18 recites the limitation " the opening cross-sections." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation " the opening cross-sections." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation " the respective fluid channel." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim
Claim 19 recites the limitation " the assignable fluid chamber." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim
Claim 20 recites the limitation " the respective further fluid channel." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim
Claim 20 recites the limitation " the same type." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim
Claim 21 recites the limitation " the central channel." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 21 recites the limitation " the respective check valve." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim
Claim 21 recites the limitation " the regulating piston.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 21 recites the limitation " the energy accumulator.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 22 recites the limitation " this measuring restrictor.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 22 recites the limitation " this fluid connection.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 23 recites the limitation "the regulating housing." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 23 recites the limitation " individual opening cross-sections." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 23 recites the limitation " the distance." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 23 recites the limitation " the respective travel position." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 24 recites the limitation " the sequence.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 25 recites the limitation " the sequence.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 26 recites the limitation " the regulating piston.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 26 recites the limitation " the fluid pressure.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 26 recites the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 27 recites the limitation " the regulating piston.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 27 recites the limitation " the fluid pressure.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 27 recites the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 28 recites the limitation " the regulating piston.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 28 recites the limitation " the fluid pressure.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 28 recites the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 29 recites the limitation " the regulating piston.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 29 recites the limitation "the regulating housing." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 29 recites the limitation " the opening cross-sections." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 30 recites the limitation " the regulating piston.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 30 recites the limitation "the regulating housing." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 30 recites the limitation " the opening cross-sections." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 31 recites the limitation " the regulating piston.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 31 recites the limitation "the regulating housing." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 31 recites the limitation " the opening cross-sections." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Note: Applicant is remined the 112rejections outlined above present clarity issues on the scope of the claims, as such the claims are being treated on their merits as best understood.
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.
Claims 12-14, 16-23 and 26-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jervis (GB 2406618) hereinafter Jervis.
Regarding Claim 12 JERVIS teaches a supply device for at least one hydraulic consumer (24, 26) , such as a working cylinder (Fig 1 and 3), comprising a fluid supply device (Fig 1 and 3), which is connected to a supply circuit (Fig 1) that has at least two fluid pumps (12, 16) , for the respective hydraulic consumer (24, 26), an open- loop control device (20, 22) which controls the supply of fluid to the respective hydraulic consumer (24, 26) in an inlet (Fig 1), and at least one closed- loop control device (41), wherein the respective outlet sides (see Fig below) of the fluid pumps (12, 16) are connected to the inlet of the fluid supply using the open-loop control device (20, 22), thereby bypassing the closed- loop control device (41)(Fig 1, 3), and wherein the respective closed- loop control device (41)in the return feed line from the respective consumer releases a modifiable opening cross-section (by utilizing variable orifice 48, 54), which can be assigned to each of the outlet sides (see Fig below) of the fluid pumps (12, 16), to a low-pressure or return port (see Fig below).
Regarding Claim 13 JERVIS teaches wherein the closed- loop control device (41) has a control valve (48, 54) with a regulating housing (Fig 2) and a regulating piston (48, 54), which is longitudinally displaceable therein, and wherein the regulating housing has a plurality of fluid inlets, to each of which a fluid pump can be assigned (Fig 1-2).
Regarding Claims 14 and 23 JERVIS teaches wherein the individual opening cross-sections are bounded in pairs by control edges in the regulating piston (48, 54) and regulating housing and wherein, as the distance between the control edges of a pair increases (Fig 1-2), the associated opening cross-section increases accordingly, depending on the respective travel position of the regulating piston (48, 54) in the regulating housing in one direction (note since valves 48,54 are variable orifice see Fig 1).
Regarding Claims 16 and 26-28 JERVIS teaches wherein, on the one hand, the regulating piston (48, 54) is acted upon on its mutually opposing end faces by a compression spring (49) and, on the other hand, by the fluid pressure at the inlet or outlet of the open-loop control device (Fig 2).
Regarding Claims 17 and 29-31 JERVIS teaches wherein the regulating piston (48, 54) together with the regulating housing defines individual fluid chambers (see Fig below), which are each co-formed by a diameter reduction in the regulating piston (48, 54), and wherein, when the opening cross-sections are closed, the fluid chambers are connected exclusively to the low-pressure or return port (30) (see Fig below) and, when the opening cross-sections are released, are additionally in fluid communication with the fluid supply device (Fig 2).
Regarding Claim 18 JERVIS teaches wherein each inlet (Fig 1-2) for a fluid pump (12, 16) opens out in the regulating housing into an associated fluid channel, which opens out into an assigned fluid chamber when the opening cross-sections are released (Fig 1-2).
Regarding Claim 19 JERVIS teaches wherein, when the opening cross-sections (Fig 2) are released, the respective fluid channel opens out via the assignable fluid chamber (see Fig below) into an adjacent further fluid channel (see Fig below), which leads to the low-pressure or return port (30) (see Fig below) .
Regarding Claim 20 JERVIS teaches wherein one fluid channel leading via a fluid connection is connected to the respective hydraulic consumer (24, 26) in the manner of a central channel, and wherein the respective further fluid channels of the same type open into the central channel against the action of a check valve (18) (Fig 2).
Regarding Claim 21 JERVIS teaches wherein a branch channel (see Fig below) opens out into the central channel downstream of the respective check valve (28) (Fig 1), which branch channel leads to the other end face of the regulating piston (48, 54), which opposes the end face with the energy accumulator (spring 49,55), and receives the fluid pressure from the open-loop control device (Fig 1-2).
Regarding Claim 22 JERVIS teaches wherein an adjustable measuring restrictor (that are witched accordingly by springs see Fig 1), as part of the open-loop control device (20, 22), is connected in a fluid connection to the hydraulic consumer (24, 26) and wherein a pump line originating from one of the fluid pumps (12, 16) opens into a fluid connection between this measuring restrictor and a closed-loop control device (41) (Fig 1-2).
Regarding Claim 23 JERVIS teaches wherein the individual opening cross-sections are bounded in pairs by control edges in the regulating piston (48, 54) and regulating housing and wherein, as the distance between the control edges of a pair increases, the associated opening cross-section increases accordingly, depending on the respective travel position of the regulating piston (48, 54) in the regulating housing in one direction.
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15 and 24-25 are objected to but would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the above stated 112 rejection including all the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABIY TEKA whose telephone number is (571)-272-9804. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11-9 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathaniel Wiehe can be reached at (571) 272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ABIY TEKA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
