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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Glime II et al (US 20170343115), hereinafter Glime.
Regarding claim 1, Glime (FIG 4) discloses “A fluid control valve, comprising:
a valve housing (120) which includes an inflow passage (123a) and a discharge passage (124a);
a valve seat (125) which is disposed between the inflow passage and the discharge passage (with respect to flow passage);
a valve body (130) disposed inside the valve housing and including a seal portion (132) brought into contact with (down from FIG 4) and separated from (FIG 4) the valve seat; and
a bellows (137) having a first (top) axial end portion fixed to the valve housing (via 137b) and a second (bottom) axial end portion fixed to the valve body (via 137a),
wherein the valve body includes the seal portion (132) and a base portion (131) which axially extends from the seal portion (upwards) toward the first axial end portion of the bellows (see FIG 4), and
the second (bottom axial end portion of the bellows is fixed to the seal portion on an outer diameter side (diametrical periphery of 132) with respect to the base portion (131) of the valve body (diametrically outside of 131).”
Regarding claim 2, Glime (FIG 4) discloses “further comprising a biasing member (160) configured to bias the seal portion of the valve body in a valve closing direction (downward).”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Devices similar to the application are disclosed by Shinohara et al (US 5678803), Kajitani (US 20030197141), Keinreich et al (US 20150285382), and Enzaki et al (US 20030052297).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK C WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)431-0767. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-5:00 PM.
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, Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PATRICK C WILLIAMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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