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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is responsive to the claims filed 5/14/2025. Claims 1 – 14 are pending in this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed 5/14/2025, 5/15/2025 and 5/27/2025 are pending in this application.
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 1 – 14 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, it is not clear what applicant means by the limitation “tilts of inner circumferential rib tilted portions between inner circumferential rib base ends and inner circumferential rib tips of the inner circumferential direction ribs are gentler than tilts of outer circumferential rib tilted portions between outer circumferential rib base ends and outer circumferential rib tips of the outer circumferential direction ribs”. Examiner, for this office action, is interpreting the limitation to mean the slope of the outer ribs from the base of the sealing is steeper than the slope of the inner rib from the base of the sealing member.
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)(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 1 – 2, 7- 8, 13 - 14, as far as they are definite, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chinese Patent Document (CN 115218001).
Regarding claim 1, as far as it is definite, the Chinese Patent document discloses a sealing material (41, Fig. 1) for a rotary valve, the sealing material being disposed between a rotor (20, Fig. 1) and a housing (10, Fig. 1) that houses the rotor (20, Fig. 1), comprising: a main body part (412, Fig. 7) extending along a circumferential direction of the rotor and an axis direction of the rotor; and ribs (shown in Fig. 7) projecting from the main body part (412, Fig. 7) in a radial direction of the rotor, wherein the ribs include circumferential direction ribs extending along the circumferential direction, the circumferential direction ribs include inner circumferential direction ribs – examiner is interpreting the element 4131 shone in figure 7 to meet this limitation - projecting inward in the radial direction and outer circumferential direction ribs – shown in figure 7 - projecting outward in the radial direction. The slopes of the inner and outer ribs disclosed by the reference read on the limitations as interpreted.
Regarding claim 2, as far as it is definite, the Chinese Patent document discloses the circumferential direction ribs include two rib groups provided on both end portions – top and bottom Fig. 6 -- in the axis direction, and each of the rib groups includes two the outer circumferential direction ribs, and one the inner circumferential direction rib between two the outer circumferential direction ribs.
Regarding claims 7 and 13, as far as they are definite, the Chinese Patent document discloses a slidability improving layer (413, Fig. 6) made of a material (Teflon) having a friction coefficient less than a friction coefficient of the outer circumferential direction ribs is provided on a surface of the inner circumferential direction ribs.
Regarding claims 8 and 14, as far as they are definite, the Chinese Patent document discloses the main body part includes anti-rotation parts (4141, Fig. 7) projecting outward in the radial direction so as to face a wall portion of the housing in the circumferential direction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 – 6, 9 – 12 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Patent Application Publication to Dragojlov et al. (2023/0279954) and US Patent Application Publication to Yan et al. (2024/0301985) both disclosing seals for multi-way rotary valves.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to UMASHANKAR VENKATESAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5602. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner' s supervisors Craig Schneider can be reached at (571) 272-3607 or Ken Rinehart can be reached at (571) 272-4881. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/UMASHANKAR VENKATESAN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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