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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: PISTON PUMP HAVING AT LEAST THREE PUMPING CHAMBERS WITH A COVER AND BLIND CAVITIES
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.
Claim 2 and its dependents 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. Claim 2 recites “a plurality of connection channels”. Claim 2 also recites “a plurality of blind cavities” and additionally recites that an outlet mouth can be connected to “at least one from a blind cavity and a connection channel”. However, the following dependent claims to claim 2 present difficulties. Claim 3 recites “the connection conduits”. Are these new? How do they relate to the connection channels? Examiner requests clarification. Claims 4 and 6 recite “the connection conduits” as well as “the connection conduit itself”. Are these new? How do they relate to the connection channels? Examiner requests clarification. Claim 8 also recites “the connection conduits”? Are these new? How do they relate to the connection channels? Claim 4 also recites “a blind cavity”. Is this blind cavity part of the plurality of blind cavities or the singular blind cavity mentioned at the end of claim 2? How do they relate to one another? Examiner requests clarification. Claim 5 recites “the blind cavity”. Is the blind cavity mentioned in claim 2 or claim 4? Examiner requests clarification. Claim 6 recites “one blind cavity”. Is this part of the plurality of cavities or a new cavity? Does it relate to the blind cavity mentioned in claims 4 or 5? Claim 13 recites “the blind cavity” and its respective opening. Is this blind cavity part of the plurality of blind cavities or the singular blind cavity mentioned at the end of claim 2? How do they relate to one another? Examiner requests clarification.
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, 9 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hartmann (DE4338896A1).
Claim 1: Hartmann discloses a piston pump having at least three pumping chambers (Fig. 1, see English Machine translation, paragraph 19) comprising a plurality of pistons (7), a head (9) in which a plurality of through holes are made (Fig. 1), in each of which a respective piston (7) is slidably accommodated and in each of which a respective pumping chamber is at least partially contained (note pumping chamber within 9 adjacent 7 in Fig. 4), a cover (30/36) removably attached (via bolt connection at lower right of Fig. 4) to the head and having a first face (note surface of 30/36 contacting 9) in contact with the head and an opposite second face (note opposite facing surfaces of 30/36), and a delivery channel (31/33/39) made in the cover.
Claim 9: Hartmann further discloses that the cover is made of metal material and the head is made of polymer material (see paragraphs 30 and 36).
Claim 14: Hartmann further discloses that the pump is an axial piston and inclined plate type pump (Fig. 1).
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang (CN112196752A).
Claim 1: Wang discloses a piston pump having at least three pumping chambers (Fig. 1) comprising a plurality of pistons (3), a head (note head portion between 1 and 5) in which a plurality of through holes are made (Fig. 1), in each of which a respective piston (3) is slidably accommodated and in each of which a respective pumping chamber is at least partially contained (Fig. 1), a cover (1) removably attached to the head and having a first face (note surface of cover 1 contacting middle head section) in contact with the head and an opposite second face, and a delivery channel (note channel segments near along 2) made in the cover.
Claim 2: Wang further discloses that said delivery channel comprises a plurality of blind cavities (note blind cavities at/around 2 and 6) made in the cover, each having an opening made in the first face at a respective opening made in the head by a corresponding through hole (note through hole for 39) of the plurality of through holes (Fig. 1), a plurality of connection channels (note lateral connection channels that connect 2 and 6) made in the cover, each of which extends from one blind cavity to another adjacent blind cavity (Fig. 1), connecting all the blind cavities together in a loop path (Fig.1), an outlet mouth made in the cover and connected to at least one from a blind cavity and a connection channel (Examiner noting outlet for exit of fluid along 2).
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ditto (US2215827).
Claim 1: Ditto discloses a piston pump having at least three pumping chambers (Figs. 1-3) comprising a plurality of pistons (38/39), a head (13) in which a plurality of through holes are made (Fig. 1A), in each of which a respective piston (38/39) is slidably accommodated and in each of which a respective pumping chamber is at least partially contained (Fig. 1A), a cover (18) removably attached (via 163) to the head and having a first face (note surface of 18 contacting 13) in contact with the head and an opposite second face (note opposite facing surfaces of 18), and a delivery channel (note channel segments near 36/30) made in the cover.
Claim 2: Ditto further discloses that said delivery channel comprises a plurality of blind cavities (note blind cavities at/around 36/30) made in the cover, each having an opening made in the first face at a respective opening made in the head by a corresponding through hole (note through hole for 39) of the plurality of through holes (Fig. 1A), a plurality of connection channels (note lateral connection channels that connect 36 and 30 OR that connect the segments of 29 together) made in the cover, each of which extends from one blind cavity to another adjacent blind cavity (Fig. 1A), connecting all the blind cavities together in a loop path (Fig.1A), an outlet mouth made in the cover and connected to at least one from a blind cavity and a connection channel (Examiner noting that a outlet will inherently be connected with 29 to route the fluid away from the pump).
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-5, 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Saito (US 6,142,060).
Claim 1: Saito discloses a piston pump having at least three pumping chambers (Figs. 1-3) comprising a plurality of pistons (32), a head (12) in which a plurality of through holes are made (Fig. 1), in each of which a respective piston (32) is slidably accommodated and in each of which a respective pumping chamber is at least partially contained (Fig. 1), a cover (11 and associated housing element near end of 13) removably attached (via 13) to the head and having a first face (note surface of 11 contacting 12) in contact with the head and an opposite second face (note opposite facing surface of the associated housing element near end of 13), and a delivery channel (note channel portion near 52) made in the cover.
Claim 2: Saito further discloses that said delivery channel comprises a plurality of blind cavities (note blind cavities for 52) made in the cover, each having an opening made in the first face at a respective opening made in the head by a corresponding through hole of the plurality of through holes (Fig. 1), a plurality of connection channels (note connection channels that route fluid from 52 to 51 or 18) made in the cover, each of which extends from one blind cavity to another adjacent blind cavity (Fig. 1), connecting all the blind cavities together in a loop path (Fig.1, note loop connections from 52 to 18), an outlet mouth (18) made in the cover and connected to at least one from a blind cavity and a connection channel (Fig. 1).
Claim 4: Saito further discloses that the connection conduits are made as rectilinear through holes entirely contained in the cover and each extending from a blind cavity to another adjacent blind cavity (note connection conduit from 51 to 52).
Claim 5: Saito further discloses that said through holes are inclined with respect to a central axis (X) of the opening of the blind cavity (Fig. 1).
Claim 11: Saito further discloses a delivery valve (53) for each pumping chamber, wherein the connection channels are entirely downstream of the delivery valves with respect to the fluid flow direction through the pump (Fig. 1).
Claim 12: Saito further discloses that each blind cavity is selectively placed in fluid communication with a respective pumping chamber by the delivery valve (Fig. 1).
Claim 13: Saito further discloses that the blind cavity and the respective opening are at least partially occupied by a respective delivery valve (Fig. 1).
Claim(s) 1-2 and 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cattanach (GB1246811A).
Claim 1: Cattanach discloses a piston pump having at least three pumping chambers (Fig. 1) comprising a plurality of pistons (38), a head (14) in which a plurality of through holes are made (Fig. 1), in each of which a respective piston (38) is slidably accommodated and in each of which a respective pumping chamber is at least partially contained (Fig. 1), a cover (16/54) removably attached (via 17) to the head and having a first face (note surface of 16 contacting 14) in contact with the head and an opposite second face (note opposite facing surface of the associated housing element near end of 16), and a delivery channel (note exit channel near 23) made in the cover.
Claim 2: Cattanach further discloses that said delivery channel comprises a plurality of blind cavities (note blind cavities around 50) made in the cover, each having an opening made in the first face at a respective opening made in the head by a corresponding through hole of the plurality of through holes (Fig. 1), a plurality of connection channels (note connection segments that route fluid into 42 or that route fluid from 60) made in the cover, each of which extends from one blind cavity to another adjacent blind cavity (Fig. 1), connecting all the blind cavities together in a loop path (Fig.1, note loop connections that intersect with 42 and 60), an outlet mouth (note outlet opening at one side of 42) made in the cover and connected to at least one from a blind cavity and a connection channel (Fig. 1).
Claim 7: Cattanach further discloses a crankcase (12) in which a piston drive mechanism (24/26) is housed and to which the head is removably attached (via 17), and a plurality of threaded connection members (17) that cross the head and clamp the head between the cover and the crankcase (Fig. 1).
Claim 8: Cattanach further discloses a suction channel (note channel upstream and connected with 62), which is provided with an inlet mouth (note port at end of 16 for 62), formed in the cover and from which a blind hole is derived (Fig. 1), which passes through both the cover and the head and from which a plurality of connection channels branch off to the respective holes (note connections/blind holes from 60 to 64), wherein an assembly formed by the blind cavities and the connection conduits of the delivery channel surrounds said blind hole (Fig. 1).
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) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartmann (DE4338896A1) in view of Wales (GB1507974A).
Claim 10: Hartmann discloses the previous limitations but is not explicit about each through hole is at least partially lined with a tubular liner made of metal material. However, Wales teaches using a metal liner for a swash plate pump (see page 1, col. 1, lines 10-20). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to a skilled artisan to utilize the teachings of Wales into the apparatus of Hartmann as it can provide lower friction for the associated piston/plunger, improving pump efficiency.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 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.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN C ZOLLINGER whose telephone number is (571)270-7815. The examiner can normally be reached Generally M-F 9-4 EST.
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/NATHAN C ZOLLINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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