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
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.
(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) 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Klockner (DE102020202570).
Regarding claim 1, Klockner discloses a method for cleaning a sensor surface on a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a pressurized fluid system (abstract and Paragraph 43) comprising:
a main reservoir (6) disposed on the vehicle (Paragraphs 1 and 43), the main reservoir including pressurized cleaning fluid (Paragraph 33) (Paragraph 34, pressurized air may be in the tank, making the tank pressurized);
a pressurized reservoir (10) disposed on the vehicle (Paragraph 37) and located distal from the main reservoir (Figure 1);
a pump (20) disposed on the vehicle (Figure 1) and fluidly connected with the main reservoir for directing pressurized cleaning fluid from the main reservoir to the pressurized reservoir (Paragraph 32);
at least one spray nozzle (11) disposed on the vehicle adjacent to the sensor surface (Paragraph 36, the spray nozzle may be adjacent the sensor surface) and located proximal to of the pressurized reservoir (Figure 1); and
at least one actuator (9, 8) coupled to the at least one spray nozzle for controlling flow of pressurized fluid from the pressurized reservoir to the at least one spray nozzle (Paragraph 36);
operating the at least one actuator into an open position and enable the pressurized cleaning fluid to flow to the at least one spray nozzle (Paragraph 36);
dispensing the pressurized cleaning fluid from the at least one spray nozzle toward the sensor surface (Paragraph 37); and
operating the at least one actuator into a closed position and reducing flow of the pressurized cleaning fluid flowing to the at least one spray nozzle (Paragraph 42, Closing of the valve is suggested, as the disclosure speaks of metering; Metering includes opening and closing of the valve, as understood by one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention; Closing of the valve stops discharge of the fluid).
Regarding claim 2, Klockner discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the pressurized fluid system further comprises a compressed air source (2) disposed on the vehicle (Figure 1) and pneumatically connected to at least one of the at least one actuator (Figure 1; The source is pneumatically connected to actuators 8 and 9 through the reservoir), tubing (15) connecting the at least one actuator and the at least one spray nozzle (Figure 1), and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
directing compressed air from the compressed air source into the pressurized fluid to generated a charged pressurized fluid (Paragraphs 33-34, pressurized air from the compressed air source can pass through the return valve into the already pressurized liquid source and generate a charged pressurized fluid); and dispensing the charged pressurized fluid from the at least one spray nozzle toward the sensor surface (Paragraphs 32 and 37, the super-charged fluid may be discharged from the nozzle to the sensor surface).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klockner in view of Weigert (US 2019/0271579).
Regarding claim 3, Klockner discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: moving the at least one actuator into a closed position after the at least one actuator was in an open position for a period of time (Paragraph 35, the distribution device is operated for a sufficient time; A sufficient time is interpreted as a period of time), but fails to disclose that this time is predetermined.
Weigert discloses a method wherein a time is predetermined (Paragraph 67, the predetermined time is the time necessary to discharge a particular volume of fluid).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klockner with the disclosures of Weigert, providing the actuator to be open for a predetermined period of time, in order to maintain determination of an amount of discharged fluid (Paragraphs 8-9).
Regarding claim 4, Klockner discloses the method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: moving the at least one actuator into a closed position (Paragraph 35), but fails to disclose the closing occurs after a predefined volume of pressurized cleaning fluid was sprayed from the at least one spray nozzle.
Weigert discloses a method wherein discharge is stopped after a volume of fluid discharged (Paragraphs 66-67).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klockner with the disclosures of Weigert, providing the actuator to be open for a predetermined volume, in order to effectively manage discharge of the fluid (Paragraphs 8-9).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER R. DANDRIDGE whose telephone number is (571)270-1505. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 9am-7pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arthur O. Hall can be reached at (571)270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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CHRISTOPHER R. DANDRIDGE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3752
/CHRISTOPHER R DANDRIDGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752
