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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Haghdoost et al. (U.S. Publication 2019/0186035), hereinafter “Haghdoost.
In regards to claim 1, Haghdoost discloses a valve comprising a valve body (1605) comprising an inlet port and outlet port fluidically coupled the inlet port through an internal fluid passage, wherein the valve comprises an actuator configured to permit or block flow of fluid between the inlet port and the outlet port valve by blocking or opening the internal fluid passage (para. [0274]), wherein at least one surface of the inlet port, the outlet port or the actuator comprises a coated surface, wherein the coated surface comprises a surface coating, and wherein the surface coating comprises an alloy layer comprising (i) molybdenum or tungsten and (ii) at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, chromium, tin, phosphorous, iron, magnesium and boron or at least one compound comprising one or more of nickel, cobalt, chromium, tin, phosphorous, iron, magnesium or boron. See para. [0275] which discloses that one or more surfaces of the valve may comprise a surface coating which may include the recited materials.
In regards to claim 2, the alloy layer is present on all external surfaces of the valve (para. [0274]).
In regards to claim 3, the alloy layer is present on inner surfaces of the valve that contact the fluid (para. [0274]).
In regards to claim 4, the molybdenum or tungsten is present in the surface coating at 40% or less by weight based on a weight of the surface coating, or at 20% or less by weight based on a weight of the surface coating, or at 10% or less by weight based on a weight of the surface coating, or at 40% or less by weight based on a weight of the alloy layer, or at 20% or less by weight based on a weight of the alloy layer, or at 10% or less by weight based on a weight of the alloy layer. See para. [0013].
In regards to claim 5, the surface coating comprises a surface roughness Ra of less than 1 micron. See para. [0213] which discloses that microstructures having an average diameter of the is 0.5 microns or less may be present in the coating.
In regards to claim 6, the alloy layer consists essentially of nickel and molybdenum or consists essentially of nickel, molybdenum and phosphorous, or consists essentially of nickel and tungsten or consists essentially of nickel, tungsten and phosphorous. See para. [0275].
In regards to claim 7, the surface coating comprises a surface roughness Ra of less than 1 micron, and the molybdenum or tungsten is present in the alloy layer at 20% or less by weight based on a weight of the surface coating, and the surface coating excludes precious metals. See paras. [0213] and [0275].
In regards to claim 8, the alloy layer is an electrodeposited alloy layer. See para. [0275].
In regards to claim 9, the surface coating is free of any precious metals. See para. [0275] which discloses that the coating may include a variety of material compositions which do not include precious metals.
In regards to claim 10, the alloy layer is an exposed outer layer of the surface coating. See para. [0274].
In regards to claim 11, the exposed outer layer (i) consists essentially of molybdenum or tungsten and only one element or compound comprising nickel, cobalt, tin, phosphorous, iron, chromium or boron, or (ii) consists essentially of molybdenum or tungsten and only two elements or compounds comprising of nickel, cobalt, tin, phosphorous, iron, chromium or boron, or (iii) consists essentially of molybdenum, nickel and only element or compound comprising tungsten, cobalt, tin, phosphorous, iron, chromium or boron or (iv) consists essentially of tungsten, nickel and only element or compound comprising molybdenum, cobalt, tin, phosphorous, iron, chromium, magnesium or boron. See para. [0275].
In regards to claim 12, comprising an intermediate layer between the alloy layer and the surface of the valve including the surface coating. See para. [0275].
In regards to claim 13, the alloy layer is present as an exposed outer layer of the surface coating, wherein the exposed outer layer is an electrodeposited alloy layer, and wherein the electrodeposited alloy layer excludes precious metals. See paras. [0274] and [0275].
In regards to claim 14, an additional layer formed on the alloy layer. See para. [0275].
In regards to claim 15, the alloy layer is present as an electrodeposited alloy layer, and wherein the electrodeposited alloy layer excludes precious metals. See para. [0275].
In regards to claim 16, the surface of the valve comprising the surface coating comprises a textured surface. See para. [0289].
In regards to claim 17, the coated surface comprises a textured surface. See para. [0203].
In regards to claim 18, the textured surface comprises a surface roughness Ra of more than 1 micron and less than 30 microns. See para. [0213].
In regards to claim 19, the textured surface comprises a surface roughness Ra of more than 0.5 microns and less than 15 microns. See para. [0213].
In regards to claim 20, the coated surface is free of precious metals. See para. [0275].
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
