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
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) 1-2, 4-7, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Martin et al. (US 2006/0157116).
With regards to claim 1:
Martin et al. discloses (refer to Fig. 1 and 2 below) an apparatus for use with a relief valve, the apparatus comprising:
a valve body (1) having a first aperture (1b) with a first diameter and a second aperture (1a) with a second diameter greater than the first diameter, the first and second apertures arranged along a longitudinal direction of the valve body;
a spindle (12, 4) extending through the first (1b) and second (1a) apertures, the spindle including:
a first portion (12, 4e) guided by a first wall of the first aperture (1b), and
a second portion (4b) adjacent the first portion, the second portion guided by a second wall of the second aperture (1a); and
a valve seat (9) supported by the spindle at the second portion of the spindle (4).
[AltContent: textbox (BC)][AltContent: arrow]
PNG
media_image1.png
1542
1200
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Fig. 1
[AltContent: textbox (L)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (CF)][AltContent: arrow]
PNG
media_image2.png
1198
1278
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Fig. 2
With regards to claim 2:
Martin et al. discloses (refer to Fig. 2 above) the apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including a nozzle (6) with an internal channel that is directed toward the valve seat (9), the internal channel having a first diameter.
With regards to claim 4:
Martin et al. discloses the apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the body includes a chamfer (CF) between the first aperture (1b) and the second aperture (1a).
With regards to claim 6:
Martin et al. discloses the apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve seat (9) includes a flared portion (where the head of screw (22) seated) at a distal end of the spindle.
With regards to claim 7:
Martin et al. discloses the apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including a spring (3) operatively coupled to the spindle (12, 4) to counteract pressure of fluid flowing toward the valve seat (9).
With regards to claim 19:
In making and/or using the device of Martin et al., one would necessarily perform a method of assembling or retrofitting a relief valve, the method comprising:
providing a spindle (12, 4) with a first stepped profile to a second stepped profile of a valve body (1) of the relief valve; and
providing a valve seat (9) to the spindle, the valve seat (9) including at least one of a drafted surface or a flared head.
With regards to claim 20:
Martin et al. discloses the method as defined in claim 19, wherein the valve body (1) is a first valve body, and further including removing a second valve (14) body from the relief valve prior to placing the first valve body in the relief valve.
Claim(s) 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ziege (US 3,001,545).
With regards to claim 15:
Ziege discloses (refer to Fig. 3 below) a valve seat (14) for use with a relief valve, the valve seat comprising:
a base portion (29) having a first diameter, the base portion to be at least partially disposed in a spindle (22); and
an interface portion (14), the interface portion having a second diameter greater than the first diameter, the interface portion having a flared head (H) to contact a nozzle (12) of the relief valve.
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (DA)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (RE)]
PNG
media_image3.png
1476
1095
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Fig. 3
With regards to claim 16:
Ziege discloses the valve seat as defined in claim 15, further including a rounded edge (RE) at a distal end of the interface portion (14).
With regards to claim 17:
Ziege discloses the valve seat as defined in claim 15, wherein the base portion (29) and the interface portion (14) defined a drafted outer surface (at the rounded edge RE) therebetween.
With regards to claim 18:
Ziege discloses the valve seat as defined in claim 15, wherein the base portion includes drafted walls (DA).
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) 3 and 8-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Martin et al..
With regards to claim 3:
Martin et al. discloses (refer to Fig. 1 above) the apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the body includes a body cavity (BC) adjacent a distal end of the spindle, the body cavity having a second diameter, except wherein a ratio of the second diameter to the first diameter is in a range from approximately 8 to 12. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Martin et al. to have the ratio of the second diameter to the first diameter is in a range from approximately 8 to 12 to fit the space allowable for a particular application/system, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or working ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
With regards to claim 8:
Martin et al., as modified, discloses (refer to Fig. 1-2 above) a relief valve comprising:
a nozzle (6) defining a channel with a first diameter; and
a body(1, 25) defining a first opening (1b) to receive a spindle (12, 4), the first opening having a first stepped profile to receive a second stepped profile of the spindle, the body defining a second opening (BC) to surround a distal portion of the nozzle (6), the second opening having a second diameter, wherein a ratio of the second diameter to the first diameter is in a range between approximately 8 to 12.
With regards to claim 9:
Martin et al., as modified, discloses the relief valve as defined in claim 8, wherein the first stepped profile includes a chamfer (CF) between first (29) and second (32) chambers having different diameters from one another.
With regards to claim 10:
Martin et al., as modified, discloses the relief valve as defined in claim 8, further including the spindle (4), the spindle supporting a valve seat (9) with a drafted surface.
With regards to claim 11:
Martin et al., as modified, discloses the relief valve as defined in claim 10, wherein the valve seat (9) includes a flared head.
With regards to claim 12:
Martin et al., as modified, discloses (refer to Fig. 2 above) the relief valve as defined in claim 10, wherein the spindle includes a lip (L) to extend to proximate a distal end of the valve seat (9).
With regards to claim 13:
Martin et al., as modified, discloses the relief valve as defined in claim 8, wherein the body (1, 25) and the spindle (12, 4) define a clearance interface therebetween.
With regards to claim 14:
Martin et al., as modified, discloses the relief valve as defined in claim 8, wherein the second opening (BC) includes a cylindrical aperture.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Martin et al., and in view of Seelman (US 3,610,276).
With regards to claim 5:
Martin et al. discloses (refer to Fig. 1 above) the apparatus as defined in claim 1 (see rejected claim 1 above).
Martin et al. does not disclose the spindle includes a relief between the first and second portions.
Seelman discloses (refer to Fig. 4 below) a pressure relief valve having
a valve body (3) having a first aperture (8) with a first diameter and a second aperture (22) with a second diameter greater than the first diameter, the first and second apertures arranged along a longitudinal direction of the valve body;
a spindle (20) extending through the first and second apertures, the spindle including:
a first portion (21) guided by a first wall of the first aperture, and
a second portion (10) adjacent the first portion, the second portion guided by a second wall of the second aperture; wherein
the spindle includes a relief between the first (21) and second (10) portions.
PNG
media_image4.png
1500
1209
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Fig. 4
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the spindle of Martin et al.’s apparatus to include a relief recess between the first and second portions of the spindle as disclosed by Seelman to relieve the stress concentration at the corner thereof which is common knowledge to the ordinary skilled person in the machinery field.
Martin et al., as modified, discloses the apparatus as defined in claim 5.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Minh Le, whose telephone number is 571-270-3805. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:30AM-5:00PM 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 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.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MINH Q LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
