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, 4-9, 11-15, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mason (US PG-pub 20200282199).
Regarding claims 1, 4-9, 11-15, and 18-20, Mason teaches (claims 1, 14, and 18) including the method steps an upper housing 13 (fig. 5) defining an inlet of the check valve, a lower housing 17 defining an outlet of the check valve, and a cavity 30 (fig. 3) formed between the upper housing and lower housing for fluidly connecting the inlet and the outlet, the lower housing comprising a biasing post 34 disposed in a central portion of the cavity; and a stepped valve member 39 to selectively permit a fluid flow in a first direction and restrict fluid backflow in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the stepped valve member seated in the cavity 30 on the biasing post such that an outer edge of the stepped valve member is resisted from engaging against the upper housing 13; (claim 4 and 5) wherein a distal end of the upper housing forms a sealing surface (via member 40; see fig. 4b); wherein in a closed state, the stepped valve member is configured to engage against the sealing surface 40 to resist the fluid flow between the sealing surface and the stepped valve member; (claims 9 and 15) wherein when a downstream pressure is applied to the stepped valve member 39, the stepped valve member is configured restrict backflow of the fluid from the outlet to the inlet; (claim 7); when a downstream pressure is applied to the stepped valve member, the stepped valve member is configured to deflect toward and engage against the sealing surface to resist fluid communication between the inlet and the cavity 30; (claims 8, 12, and 15) wherein a central axis of the biasing post is aligned with a central longitudinal axis of the check valve (see similar valve in fig. 2a; valve is aligned with post); (claims 11, 13, an 15) wherein the stepped valve member 39 has a raised portion 24 and a flat portion (central portion of the valve); (claim 13) wherein the biasing post 34 is coupled to, integrally formed with, or otherwise protrudes from an upstream internal surface of the lower housing 17; (claims 19 and 20) providing a sealing surface 40 at the upper housing, wherein the stepped valve member 39 is configured to engage against the sealing surface to resist the fluid flow in a second direction from the outlet toward the inlet; a flat portion of the stepped valve member (center portion) configured to move away from the sealing surface 40 to form a flow path between the inlet and the cavity (see fig. 7).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3, 10, 16, and 17 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Mason fails to disclose (claim 2) wherein the check valve has a conical stepped geometry; (claim 10) wherein the biasing post may include a central aperture and a two semi cylindrical slots through which fluid may flow from the inlet and into the cavity; (claim 16) wherein the stepped valve member has a raised portion and a flat portion, and wherein the raised portion is engaged against the biasing post.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to P. MACADE NICHOLS whose telephone number is (571)270-5428. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00-5:00 P.M..
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/P. MACADE NICHOLS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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