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 3 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.
Regarding claim 3, the limitation “an outlet end” is unclear if applicant is referring to the previously introduced “outlet end” of claim 1 or is referring to separate independent end.
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) 1-4, 6-13, 17, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Parker et al. (U.S. Patent No. 2,415,258).
Regarding claim 1, Parker et al. disclose a pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7) comprising: a valve housing (5) having an inlet end (at 6) having an inlet end wall (upper wall surface of 15), an outlet end (at 7), and an inner cavity (8) defined within the valve housing (5) extending from the inlet end to the outlet end (Fig. 1); an inlet opening (6) formed within the inlet end wall (Fig. 1) and defining a valve seat (17); a valve ball (18) arranged within the inner cavity (8) and configured to sealingly engage (Column 2 lines 50-54) with the valve seat (17) to seal the inlet opening (6) when the valve ball (18) is seated in the valve seat (17); a ball carrier (23) arranged within the inner cavity (8) and positioned to retain the valve ball (18) between the ball carrier (23) and the inlet end wall (Fig. 1); a biasing element (24) arranged within the inner cavity (8) and configured to bias the ball carrier (23) toward the inlet end wall (Fig. 1); an end stop element (11) configured to threadedly engage (Column 2 lines 40-42) with an interior surface of the valve housing (5), wherein the biasing element (24) is biased against a stop surface (14) of the end stop element (11); and a locking nut (25) configured to threadedly engage with an end of the end stop element (11) and secure the end stop element (11) to the valve housing (5).
Regarding claim 2, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), further comprising a locking washer (washer illustrated between the locking nut and housing, Fig. 1) arranged between the locking nut (25) and the valve housing (5).
Regarding claim 3, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the valve housing (5) has a locking surface (surface facing 25) at an outlet end (upper end) of the valve housing (5), wherein the locking washer (Fig. 1) is secured between the locking nut (25) and the locking surface (upper surface of 5).
Regarding claim 4, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), further comprising a locking cable (Fig. 1) configured to connect (cable locks the housing and nut together that together connect the stop element) the valve housing (5), the locking nut (25), and the end stop element (11).
Regarding claim 6, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the inlet opening (6) is defined by a cylindrical portion (Fig. 1) and a conical portion (20), wherein the cylindrical portion (Fig. 1) extends from an exterior surface (Fig. 1) of the inlet end wall to a valve seat depth (21), and the conical portion (20) extends from the valve seat depth (21) to an interior surface of the inlet end wall (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the conical portion (20) defines a valve seat angle between 45° and 75° (Column 3 lines 4-38).
Regarding claim 8, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the conical portion (20) defines a valve seat angle of between 60° and 70° (Column 3 lines 4-38).
Regarding claim 9, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the valve housing (5) comprises a first housing portion (non threaded portion inside 8, Fig. 1) defining a first subcavity (Fig. 1) and a second housing portion (threaded portion inside 8, Fig. 1) defining a second subcavity (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 10, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the valve ball (18), ball carrier (23), and biasing element (24) are arranged within the first subcavity (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 11, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the first housing portion (Fig. 1) has a smooth interior surface (non-threaded surface) that defines the first subcavity (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 12, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the second housing portion (Fig. 1) has a threaded interior surface (10), wherein the end stop element (11) is configured to threadedly engage (Column 2 lines 40-42) with the threaded interior surface (10) of the second housing portion (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 13, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the end stop element (11) is configured to fill at least a portion of each of the first subcavity (Fig. 1) and the second subcavity (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 17, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the end stop element (11) comprises a support portion (inner portion, Fig. 1), a first threaded portion (threaded portion connected to 5), and a second threaded portion (threaded portion connected to 25).
Regarding claim 19, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the first threaded portion (Fig. 1) comprises a first thread (connected to 5) on an exterior surface of the end stop element (11), wherein the first thread (Fig. 1) is configured to threadedly engage with threads (Column 2 lines 40-42) on an interior surface of the valve housing (5).
Regarding claim 20, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein the second threaded portion (Fig. 1) comprises a second thread (connected to 25) on an exterior surface of the end stop element (11), wherein the second thread (Fig. 1) is configured to threadedly engage (Column 3 lines 45-48) with the locking nut (25).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 14-16 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parker et al. (U.S. Patent No. 2,415,258) in view of Grillo (U.S. Patent No. 4,930,553).
Regarding claims 14 and 18, Parker et al. disclose the essential features of the claimed invention but lack disclosure wherein a filter is installed within a filter support cavity of the end stop element within the first subcavity.
Grillo teaches a pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-5) comprising a valve housing (12) having an inlet end (14) and an opposite outlet end (16), and an inner cavity (Fig. 1) defined within the valve housing (12), a valve ball (38) arranged within the inner cavity and configured to sealingly engage with a valve seat (32), and a filter (48) within the inner cavity (Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the valve of Parker et al. with a filter as taught by Grillo for the advantage of preventing unwanted particles or debris from flowing out of the housing through the outlet end.
Regarding claim 15, Parker et al. disclose the pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-7), wherein a fluid flow path (Fig. 1) is defined through the pressure relief valve when the valve ball (18) is unseated from the valve seat (17), the fluid flow path extending from the inlet opening (6), around the valve ball (18), to an outlet opening (8), but lacks disclosure wherein the fluid flow path is extending from the inlet opening, around the valve ball, through one or more flow apertures of the ball carrier, past the biasing element, through a flow passed defined within the end stop element, to an outlet opening defined by an end of the end stop element.
Grillo teaches a pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-5) comprising a valve housing (12) having an inlet end (14) and an opposite outlet end (16), and an inner cavity (Fig. 1) defined within the valve housing (12), a valve ball (38) arranged within the inner cavity and configured to sealingly engage with a valve seat (32), a fluid flow path (Fig. 3) extending from an inlet opening (52), around the valve ball (38), through one or more flow apertures (40) of a ball carrier (36), past a biasing element (46), through a flow passed (Fig. 3) defined within an end stop element (72), to an outlet opening (Column 6 lines 36-43) defined by an end of the end stop element (72).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the flow path of Parker et al. by rearranging the valve assembly with a flow path as taught by Grillo, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claim 16, Parker et al. disclose the essential features of the claimed invention but lack disclosure wherein the end stop element defines a keyway at an end thereof, the keyway configured to receive a key to cause rotation of the end stop element and adjust an axial position of the end stop element relative to the valve housing.
Grillo teaches a pressure relief valve (Figs. 1-5) comprising a valve housing (12) having an inlet end (14) and an opposite outlet end (16), and an inner cavity (Fig. 1) defined within the valve housing (12), and an end stop element (72) threadably connected (Column 6 lines 29-43) to the valve housing (12), wherein the end stop element (72) defines a keyway (Figs. 1-4 clearly illustrate the keyway for receiving a tool to assist in threading the element 72 to the housing) at an end thereof, the keyway (Figs. 1-4) configured to receive a key (a tool or key as is well known in the art) to cause rotation of the end stop element (72) and adjust an axial position of the end stop element (72) relative to the valve housing (12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the end stop element of Parker et al. with a keyway as taught by Grillo, for the advantage of providing access to a key or tool to assist in threadably connecting the end stop element to the valve housing.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 is 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Dickson (U.S. Patent No. 1,305,964) disclose a pressure relief valve comprising a similar valve housing threadably connected to an end stop element that is threadably connected to a locking nut.
Goss et al. (U.S. Patent No. 3,592,222) disclose a pressure relief valve comprising a valve housing having a wire connected to the housing through apertures.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Reinaldo Sanchez-Medina, telephone number 571-270-5168, fax number 571-270-6168. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (7:30AM-4:00PM EST).
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/REINALDO SANCHEZ-MEDINA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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