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 § 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) 1-15 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hall 8,220,839.
In regard to claim 1, Hall discloses a connection structure, wherein:
the connection structure (fig. 2) is provided with a medium channel (78);
at least part of the medium channel being configured for insertion of an external
connector (18) and allowing a variable axial position of the external connector (18) relative to the medium channel (78).
In regard to claim 2, wherein the medium channel comprises at least an adaptive portion
(28) and an adjustable portion (16) that are sequentially arranged in the axial direction thereof, the adaptive portion (28) is configured to be adapted to the external connector (18) and to allow a variable position of the external connector (18) relative to the adaptive portion (28) in the axial direction of the medium channel, and the adjustable portion (16) is provided to receive a part (80) that is of the external connector (18) and that is beyond the adaptive portion (28) (portion 80 of the adjustable portion 18 extends axially beyond and axially inward of the adaptive portion 28).
In regard to claim 3, wherein the medium channel (78) is provided with two medium
ports arranged opposite to each other (opposite ends of 16) in the axial direction thereof, and the adaptive portion (28) and the adjustable portion (16) are arranged in the vicinity of at least one of the medium ports (right side of 16).
In regard to claim 4, wherein an inner limit portion (surface 68 of the ball valve that abuts
against the end surface of 80) is arranged in the medium channel (78), the inner limit portion protrudes from a channel wall (16) of the medium channel toward the inner side of the medium channel, the inner limit portion is located on a movable path of the external connector (18), and the adaptive portion (28), the adjustable portion (16), and the inner limit portion (68) are sequentially arranged in the axial direction of the medium channel (see fig. 2).
In regard to claim 5, wherein the inner limit portion (68) extends in the circumferential
direction of the medium channel, and a plane in which the inner limit portion is located is perpendicular to the axis of the medium channel (see fig. 2).
In regard to claim 6, wherein the medium channel comprises at least a first channel segment (bore of 16) and a second channel segment (bore of 62) that communicate in the axial direction thereof, the radial dimension of the first channel segment is larger than that of the second channel segment, a step (68) is formed at a connection position of the first channel segment and the second channel segment, the first channel segment (bore of 16) is provided with the adaptive portion (28) and the adjustable portion (16), and the adaptive portion (28) and the step (68) define the axial dimension of the adjustable portion (80 travels axially between 34 and 68).
In regard to claim 7, wherein the connection structure comprises an outer limit portion (34) configured with at least part of the adaptive portion (28), the outer limit portion is away from the adjustable portion (16) in the axial direction of the medium channel, the outer limit portion (34) is provided with a first abutting surface arranged facing away from the adjustable portion (16), and the first abutting surface is provided to abut against a second abutting surface (12) of the external connector (18) to define the axial distance by which the external connector (18) is inserted into the medium channel.
In regard to claim 8, wherein the first abutting surface (34) extends in the circumferential direction of the medium channel, and a plane in which the first abutting surface is located is perpendicular to the axis of the medium channel (see fig. 1).
In regard to claim 9, wherein the connection structure comprises a cylindrical wall portion (16 and 28 contain cylindrical walls), an inner cylindrical wall of the cylindrical wall portion forms at least part of the adaptive portion (28 has a cylindrical wall on the interior of 34), the cylindrical wall portion is away from the adjustable portion (16) in the axial direction of the medium channel, an end face (34) that is of the cylindrical wall portion and the faces away from the adjustable portion is provided to abut against the second abutting surface (12) of the external connector to define the axial distance by which the external connector is inserted into the medium channel, and the end face (see fig. 2).
In regard to claim 10, wherein the radial dimensions of the adjustable portion and the adaptive portion are consistent (the interior bore of 16 and 34 are identical).
In regard to claim 11, wherein a channel wall of the adaptive portion (16) is provided with an adaptive area to be adapted to an annular seal (26), and the annular seal (26) is provided to seal the connection structure (16, 28) and the external connector (18).
In regard to claim 12, wherein the connection structure comprises a first connection structure and a second connection structure;
The first connection structure (either 80 on 18 or threads 20) is provided with a part of the medium channel, the second connection structure (either 34 on 28 or threads 22) is provided with another part of the medium channel, and the first connection structure (20) and the second connection structure (22) are detachably connected in the axial direction of the medium channel.
In regard to claim 13, wherein the axis of the medium channel is at an angle to the horizontal line (the channel of fig. 2 can be oriented at any angle relative to a horizontal line), and the first connection structure (20) is arranged on an upper side of the second connection structure (22); and
The channel wall of the another part of the medium channel of the second connection structure (22) is provided with a first adaptive area (flanged end of 18 and 80) to be adapted to a first annular seal (26), and the first annular seal (26) is provided to seal the second connection structure (22) and the external connector (18).
In regard to claim 14, wherein the first connection structure (20) and the second connection structure (22) are respectively provided with a first accommodating area (recess at the end of 16 for accepting 26) and a second accommodating area (flanged end at 80) on two opposite sides in the axial direction of the medium channel, the first accommodating area is provided to accommodate a part of a second annular seal (26), the second accommodating area is provided to accommodate another part of the second annular seal (26), the second annular seal (26) is provided to seal the first connection structure (20) and the second connection structure (22) (claim 14 depends from claim 12 and not 13, so a first seal has not yet been claimed).
In regard to claim 15, wherein the axis of the medium channel is at an angle to the horizontal line (the medium channel can be oriented at any angle relative to a horizontal line), and the first connection structure (20) is arranged on an upper side of the second connection structure (22); and
The channel wall of the part of the medium channel of the first connection structure is provided with a second adaptive area (recess for seal 26) to be adapted to a third annular seal (26) (claim 15 depends from claim 12 and not 14, so a first and second seal have not yet been claimed), and the third annular seal (26) is provided to seal the first connection structure (20) and the external connector (18).
In regard to claim 17, the first connection structure (80) is a flange structure, and the second connection structure (34) is a flange structure.
Claim(s) 1, 12 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hermes et al. 9,163,671.
In regard to claim 1, Hermes et al. discloses a connection structure, wherein:
the connection structure (fig. 2) is provided with a medium channel (12);
at least part of the medium channel being configured for insertion of an external
connector (bore 12 is capable of receiving an external connector) and allowing a variable axial position of the external connector relative to the medium channel (the smooth bore of 2 is capable of allowing an external connector to slide within the bore).
In regard to claim 12, wherein the connection structure comprises a first connection structure (9) and a second connection structure (3);
The first connection structure (9) is provided with a part of the medium channel (9 is part of 1 containing the medium channel 12) , the second connection structure (3) is provided with another part of the medium channel (3 is located on portion 2 containing medium channel 12), and the first connection structure (9) and the second connection structure (3) are detachably connected in the axial direction of the medium channel (the socket containing 3 is axially displaceable over the spigot containing 9).
In regard to claim 16, wherein the first connection structure comprises a first base portion (1), a first cylindrical wall portion (10) and a second cylindrical wall portion (spigot inserted into socket portion of 2) are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the first base portion (1), and an inner cylindrical wall of the first cylindrical wall portion communicates with an inner cylindrical wall of the second cylindrical wall portion to form a part of the medium channel (spigot of 1 communicates with cylindrical wall of 2 to create the medium channel); and
the second connection structure comprises a second base portion (flange wall of 2 leading from 2 to the socket wall at 8), an annular countersink (4) and a cylindrical wall portion (2) are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the second base portion (flanged portion of 2 creating the socket), the second cylindrical wall portion (spigot inserted into socket portion of 2) is inserted into the annular countersink (4), an end face of the second cylindrical wall portion abuts against a surface of the annular countersink, and the first base portion and the second base portion converge in the axial direction of the medium channel (see fig. 2).
Claim(s) 1 and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. 2023/0008523.
In regard to claim 1, Kim et al. discloses a connection structure, wherein:
the connection structure (15) is provided with a medium channel (13);
at least part of the medium channel being configured for insertion of an external
connector (110) and allowing a variable axial position of the external connector (110) relative to the medium channel (13).
In regard to claim 18, A heat exchange device 12, wherein the heat exchange device 12 comprises an external connector (110) and the connection (15) according to claim 1, the external connector (110) being inserted into at least part of the medium channel of the connection structure (15) and having a variable axial position relative to the medium channel (see paragraph 44, where the expansion portion 15 allows for upward and downward movement of the nipple 110, allowing for filling of the separation space 143, also see paragraph 43 where the nipple and heat exchanger are made from different materials, so one would expand or contract at a different rate relative to the other, causing one to move relative to the other).
In regard to claim 19, wherein the heat exchanger device further comprises a first fastener (10) and a second fastener (flange at the end of 110 for connecting to another component), the first fastener (10) is connected to the connection structure (15), one port (left open end of 110) of the external connector (110) is inserted into at least part of the medium channel (13) and has a variable axial position relative to the medium channel, and another port of the external connector (right end of 110) is connected to the second fastener (flange at the end of 110 for connecting to another component).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 20 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. Tomlinson, Kalbacher and Guengoer disclose similar couplings that are common and well known in the art that allow for axial movement.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID E. BOCHNA whose telephone number is (571)272-7078. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Troutman can be reached at (571) 270-3654. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID BOCHNA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679