DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This application is in response to the claims filed 6/20/2025.
Claims 1-16 are presented for examination.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/11/2025 and 7/31/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 9-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ren et al. in CN215860987.
Regarding claim 1, Ren discloses a volute assembly, comprising: a volute comprising a volute body and a discharge tube 11 (Fig. 2 and 8), wherein the volute body defines an inner chamber (flow space), the discharge tube defines a discharge flow channel, the volute body and the discharge tube are connected with each other (fluidly), and the discharge flow channel is in communication with the inner chamber; and a volute tongue 20 (having flow surface 21; Fig. 8), wherein the volute tongue is detachably mounted to the volute (see mounting posts 241 for screws) and is configured such that the inner chamber and the discharge flow channel are located on opposite sides of the volute tongue in a mounted configuration of the volute tongue with the volute.
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Regarding claim 2, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 1, wherein the volute assembly further comprises: at least one connecting member, wherein the volute tongue is configured to be mounted to the volute via the at least one connecting member (see Fig. 3; screws go through holes 251, 252 and into posts 241, 242; those screws are the equivalent connecting members).
Regarding claim 3, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 2, wherein: the volute is provided with at least one volute connecting hole thereon (see the holes 251, 252 in Fig. 3), and the volute tongue is provided with at least one volute tongue connecting hole thereon (see holes in posts 241, 242 in Fig. 3), and the connecting member (a screw/bolt) is configured to be inserted into the volute connecting hole and the volute tongue connecting hole to mount the volute tongue to the volute.
Regarding claim 4, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 3, wherein: the volute further comprises a volute connecting portion 12 (Fig. 3), and the volute connecting portion is connected with the volute body and the discharge tube 11 (Fig. 8) and the at least one volute connecting hole is disposed on the volute connecting portion (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 4,wherein: the volute connecting portion comprises a volute connecting portion inner face and a volute connecting portion outer face that are arranged to oppose each other, the volute connecting portion inner face faces the inner chamber, and the volute connecting portion outer face faces the discharge flow channel and the at least one volute connecting hole 251, 252 is recessed from the volute connecting portion inner face to the volute connecting portion outer face (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 5 wherein: the volute tongue comprises a volute tongue inner face and a volute tongue outer face that are arranged to oppose each other, the volute tongue inner face faces the inner chamber, and the volute tongue outer face faces the discharge flow channel (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 9, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 6, wherein: the volute tongue comprises a volute tongue free end portion (flow surface 21) and a volute tongue connecting end portion (having posts 241, 242) that are arranged to oppose each other, the volute tongue comprises an abutting portion, the abutting portion extends from the volute tongue connecting end portion and along a circumference of the volute assembly (Fig. 3 and 8), and the abutting portion is configured to abut against the volute connecting portion, and the at least one volute tongue connecting hole is provided on the abutting portion (Fig. 3; the tongue attaches to the scroll).
Regarding claim 10, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 9, wherein: a guide structure is provided on the volute tongue connecting end portion and the volute connecting portion to guide mounting of the volute tongue to the volute connecting portion (Fig. 3; posts 241, 242 may be considered guide structures).
Regarding claim 11, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 9, wherein: a contact surface between the abutting portion and the volute connecting portion is planar (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 12, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 11,wherein: on an inclined section, a value range of an angle between the contact surface and a central axis of the volute assembly is: equal to or greater than 30 degrees and equal to or smaller than 60 degrees (here; “an angle” is not defined and has no reference such that “an angle” may be arbitrarily defined such that claim 12 is anticipated).
Regarding claim 13, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 6, wherein: the volute tongue further comprises a volute tongue first face and a volute tongue second face that are arranged to oppose each other, and the volute tongue first face and the volute tongue second face are arranged between the volute tongue inner face and the volute tongue outer face, and the volute tongue first face and the volute tongue second face each abut against the volute body (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 14, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 4, wherein: a cross-section of the discharge flow channel is circular (Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 15, this claim recites a product-by-process limitation that affords no patentably distinguishable feature over Ren. See MPEP 2113.
Regarding claim 16, Ren discloses the volute assembly of claim 1, wherein: the volute body comprises an opening portion, and the opening portion is ring-shaped (the axial opening for flow to the impeller; see Fig. 8 and 13).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art of record, either alone or in combination, is silent to the specifically set forth volute tongue shape required of the claim. Claim 8 depends on claim 7.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.Relevant Prior Art:
CN206144853 discloses a centrifugal fan volute with a detachable volute tongue attached to the volute with screws.
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/ELDON T BROCKMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3799
