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 statement(s) was/were filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) was/were considered by the examiner.
Specification
The published disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Para. [0028] “ball 104” should be changed to -- ball 141 --.
Para. [0034] “carriage 203” should be changed to -- carriage 202 --.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 11 and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1: “supply pressure valve” should be changed to -- supply valve --.
Claim 11: “the first supply lobe” should be changed to -- the supply lobe --.
Claim 11: “the piston” should be changed to -- the pilot piston --.
Claim 12” the first supply lobe” should be changed to -- the supply lobe --.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 11, 12, and 15-20 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 11 recites, “that the vent valve and the supply valve may be unactuated simultaneously”. Such phrasing is unclear and indefinite. The recitation indicates that the vent valve and the supply valve move from an actuated position to an unactuated position simultaneously, which is not the office’s understanding of applicant’s invention. Rather, it is the office’s understanding that the vent valve and the supply valve may be in the unactuated position simultaneously. See claim 19 for similar issues.
Claim 11 recites that, “only one of the vent valve and the supply valve may be simultaneously actuated.” It is unclear and indefinite how applicant intends simultaneous actuation of a single valve. Rather, it is the office’s position that only one of the vent valve and the supply valve may be actuated at a time.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "second supply lobes" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 05/28/2026 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of U.S. Patents 11828376 and 12320438 has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 are allowed.
Claim 11 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
Claims 12, and 15-20 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to R.K. Arundale whose telephone number is 571-270-3453. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (9:30AM-6:00PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached by phone. Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881, and 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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/ROBERT K ARUNDALE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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