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 § 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.
Claim 4 is 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.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the first guide.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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) [ 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rau (US 2018/0274508).
Regarding claim 1 and 16, Rau discloses a fuel injector (title) for delivering gaseous fuel to an internal combustion engine (Abstract, device is intended for use with engines and is capable of injecting gaseous fuels fulfilling the intended use), the fuel injector comprising:
a nozzle body 2 having a nozzle bore (Fig. 5, shown);
a valve needle 3 disposed for axial movement within the nozzle bore and including a valve head 27 engageable with a valve seat6 to control gaseous fuel delivery through at least one outlet of the fuel injector (Fig. 5 and Abstract, the device is for controlling fuel injection); and
wherein the valve 3 needle comprises a first thinned portion 25, the first thinned portion being flexible so as to allow lateral bending of the valve needle responsive to compression of the valve head against the valve seat (Fig. 2 and 5, ¶ [0022] and [0025], elastic portion 25 shown with a reduced diameter which is capable of deforming longitudinally due to pressure, wherein plastic deformation in a longitudinal direction inherently causes some amount of deflection/bending in a lateral direction as well).
Regarding claim 2, Rau discloses the fuel injector claim 1, comprising a first guide comprising a radially inner contact surface disposed for contacting the valve needle to at least partly radially align the valve head with the valve seat (Fig. 5 and ¶ [0044], a guide section is included)
Regarding claim 3, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim 1,wherein the valve head is disposed axially between the first thinned portion and the valve seat (Fig. 5, shown).
Regarding claim 4, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim 3, wherein the valve needle comprises a first widened portion 31 at an end of the valve needle nearer the valve seat to define the valve head , the valve head defining a valve needle seating surface for seating against the valve seat (Fig. 5, shown head seated on seat 6), wherein the radially inner contact surface of the first guide is configured to contact a radially outer surface of the valve head to radially align the valve needle seating surface with the valve seat (Fig. 5, shown wider guide portions of needle).
Regarding claim 5, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim 4, wherein the radially outer surface of the valve head is parallel, in an axial direction, to the radially inner contact surface of the first guide (Fig. 5, shown).
Regarding claim 7, Rau discloses the f fuel injector of claim 4, wherein the valve head includes a convex surface to define the valve needle seating surface (Fig. 5, shown).
Regarding claim 8, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim 4, wherein the first thinned portion tapers in an axial direction from the valve head , then flares in the axial direction along at least part of the rest of the length of the first thinned portion (Fig. 5, shown)
Regarding claim 9, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim 8, wherein a thinnest part of the first thinned portion is located axially closer to the valve head than an axial mid-point of the first thinned portion (Fig. 5, is portion 3 and the area above guide portion 30 are equal in width then they are all the thinnest portions and the bottom of portion 3 is closer to a tip than the middle or top of it).
Regarding claim 10, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim 3, wherein the valve needle comprises a second thinned portion that is axially separated from the first thinned portion by a second widened portion (Fig. 5, shown upper thinner portion above section 30 and below section 31).
Regarding claim 11, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim 10, wherein the second thinned portion tapers in an axial direction from the second widened portion , then flares in the axial direction along at least part of the rest of the length of the second thinned portion (Fig. 5, shown second thin portion also includes a tapering end towards the section 30).
Regarding claim 12, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim 10,wherein a thinnest part of the second thinned portion is located axially further from the second widened portion than an axial mid-point of the second thinned portion (Fig. 5, shown).
Regarding claim 13, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim] 10 , wherein the first and second thinned portions are of relatively different axial lengths and/or have different longitudinal profile (Fig. 5, shown).
Regarding claim 14, Rau discloses the fuel injector of any preceding claim comprising a second guide comprising a radially inner contact surface disposed for contacting the valve needle to radially align the valve needle with the nozzle bore (Fig. 5, shown needle has two areas for guide portions with the inner sections of the housing 2).
Regarding claim 15, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim 14, wherein the valve needle comprises a third thinned portion that is disposed on a side of the second guide that is axially distal to the valve head, the third thinned portion being flexible so as to allow bending of the valve needle responsive to lateral forces imposed upon it during use (Fig. 5, the needle has 4 separate thin sections and at least two of them can be considered a third thinned portion).
Regarding claim 17, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim 16, comprising a spring 24 for pushing the valve needle in the direction of the valve seat, wherein the thinned portion and the spring at least partly axially overlap (Fig. 5, shown).
Regarding claim 18, Rau discloses the fuel injector of claim 17, comprising an actuator that, when actuated, urges the valve needle away from the valve seat and compresses the spring , such that tension within the thinned portion is increased (Fig. 5, shown control 18 actuating to control the vavle).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art fails to disclose or make obvious a valve needle that bends and in doing so causes the valve head (which contacts the valve seat) to pivot laterally with regards to the valve, wherein it is understood in the art the longitudinal direction of a valve is along a lengthwise axis of the valve needle.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN A LATHERS whose telephone number is (571)272-1050. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10a-6p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lindsay Low can be reached at 5712721196. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN A LATHERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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