DETAILED ACTION
Final Rejection
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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 31 August 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-11 are pending in the application.
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 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hollis (U.S. Patent 6,244,294).
Regarding claim 8, Hollis discloses a resin transfer vent bleeder valve system for composite manufacturing, comprising: a bleeder valve (figs. 4A-4B) configured to regulate air evacuation and resin flow during a resin transfer molding process; an integrated pressure cylinder (right portion of 32) operatively coupled to the VBV to provide controlled resin injection and pressure stabilization pneumatic movement of a valve stem (48) between a closed position and an energized position (col. 5, ll. 32 – 67 – negative pressure applied at 54 moves the stem and piston to the right as shown in fig. 4B); a multi-stage sealing mechanism (the unlabeled O-ring seals within grooves of 44 in Figs. 4A-4B); and an air piston (44) movable within the VBV, the VBV further comprising a spring-biased plug (40 with spring 50) movable relative to the valve stem (col. 5, ll. 32 – 67, when the assembly is in the 4B position, the ball is only biased by spring 50 and can move due to fluid pressure), while the valve stem is in the energized position, from an air-bleed position that substantially blocks resin (when closed in the Fig. 4B position) to a pressure-relief position that passes air and resin when mold pressure exceeds a predetermined set point (when pressure then opens 40, col. 5, ll. 39-41).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 11-12 of applicant’s response, filed 21 August 2026, with respect to claims 1, 8, and 9 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of 29 June 2026 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 11-12 of applicant’s response, filed 21 August 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 8 under 35 U.S.C. 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hollis (U.S. Patent 6,244,294).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7 and 9-11 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the closest prior art fails to anticipate or make obvious while the valve stem is in the energized position, the plug is movable relative to the valve stem between (i) a bleeder position that permits air to pass through the vent port interface while substantially preventing resin from passing and (ii) a relief position, responsive to mold pressure exceeding a predetermined set point, that permits both air and resin to pass through the vent port interface and the vent passageway, along with the other limitations in the claims.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER D BALLMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-9984. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 6:00-3:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Craig M 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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/CHRISTOPHER D BALLMAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3753
/MICHAEL R REID/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
