DETAILED ACTION
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 15 is allowed.
Claims 10-13 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.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed on 4/15/2025 is acknowledged by the examiner.
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.
(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.
Claims 1-9 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Abba EP1211427A1 (“Abba”).
Regarding Claim 1, Abba discloses a servo valve (1, figs. 1-4) comprising: a housing (51, para 0018, see fig. 4) defining a wetted zone (housing 22 for fluid transfer valve assembly 20) for holding a fluid; a fluid transfer valve assembly (fluid transfer valve assembly 20) disposed in the housing, the fluid transfer valve assembly comprising a fluid supply port (27 in transfer valve assembly 20) and a control port (26 in transfer valve assembly 20); a spool (34 in transfer valve assembly 20) arranged to control flow of fluid through a fluid pathway from the fluid supply port (27) to the control port (26), wherein the spool (34) is movable along a spool axis (axis that is longitudinal to spool 34); a lever (64) pivotally mounted (lever 64 is mounted on pin 56) to the housing and engaged with the spool (34) via a hinged connection (68), wherein the lever (64) is arranged to pivot (about pin axis E) and axially move the spool along the spool axis; and a seal (seal assemblies 61, para 0026) configured to isolate the wetted zone (transfer valve assembly housing 21) from a non-wetted zone (pin 56 and valve housing 51); wherein the spool (34) is positioned within the wetted zone (first transfer valve assembly housing 21); and wherein the lever (65) is positioned at least partially within the wetted zone (see fig. 4).
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ABBA – FIGURES 1, 2, and 4
Regarding Claim 2, Abba discloses the lever (65) is mounted to a shaft (10), the shaft (10) being rotatable about a shaft axis (A).
Regarding Claim 3, Abba discloses the shaft axis (A) is perpendicular (see figs. 1-4) to the spool axis (C) and at a radial distance (see fig. 4) from the spool axis (C) such that the shaft axis (A) and spool axis (C) do not intersect.
Regarding Claim 4, Abba discloses the shaft (10) is positioned at least partially within the wetted zone (see fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 5, Abba discloses the seal (61) is a rotative seal (para 0026 “a common pin 55, which has an axis E parallel to axis D and perpendicular to axes A, B and C, is fitted through valve body 51 inside a transverse through seat 62, and is supported inside seat 62 in rotary manner by conventional supporting and sealing assemblies 61”).
Regarding Claim 6, Abba discloses the lever (65) is a first lever and the servo valve (1) comprises a second lever (46) in the non-wetted zone (see fig. 4) configured to rotate or pivot the first lever (65).
Regarding Claim 7, Abba discloses the control port (26) is a first control port and the fluid transfer valve assembly (20) further comprises a second control port (27, see fig. 2) and a return port (25).
Regarding Claim 8, Abba discloses the hinged connection (68) comprises a ball joint (ball on rod 65) and socket (socket in spool 35)(see fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 9, Abba discloses actuator comprising: one or more servo valves (1) according to claim 1 (see fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 14, Abba discloses a servo valve (1, figs. 1-4) comprising: a housing (51, para 0018, see fig. 4) defining a wetted zone (housing 22 for fluid transfer valve assembly 20) for holding a fluid; a fluid transfer valve assembly (fluid transfer valve assembly 20) disposed in the housing, the fluid transfer valve assembly comprising a fluid supply port (27 in transfer valve assembly 20) and a control port (26 in transfer valve assembly 20); a spool (34 in transfer valve assembly 20) arranged to control flow of fluid through a fluid pathway from the fluid supply port (27) to the control port (26), wherein the spool (34) is movable along a spool axis (axis that is longitudinal to spool 34); a lever (64) pivotally mounted (lever 64 is mounted on pin 56) to the housing and engaged with the spool (34) via a hinged connection (68), wherein the lever (64) is arranged to pivot (about pin axis E) and axially move the spool along the spool axis; and a rotative seal (seal assemblies 61; para 0026 “a common pin 55, which has an axis E parallel to axis D and perpendicular to axes A, B and C, is fitted through valve body 51 inside a transverse through seat 62, and is supported inside seat 62 in rotary manner by conventional supporting and sealing assemblies 61”) configured to isolate the wetted zone (transfer valve assembly housing 21) from a non-wetted zone (pin 56 and valve housing 51); wherein the spool (34) is positioned within the wetted zone (first transfer valve assembly housing 21).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daphne Barry whose telephone number is (571)272-9966 and fax number is (571) 273-9966. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday 9 AM-6 PM (eastern).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor either Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at (571) 272-4881 or Craig Schneider can be reached at (571) 272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAPHNE M BARRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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