DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-7 are pending.
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 Objections
Claims 3-4 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 3, line 6, “said end portions” should be changed to --said end portions of the actuation stem-- to differentiate from the end portion of the first chamber recited in claim 1.
In claim 4, line 7, “said parts” should be changed to --said first and second parts-- to distinguish from other parts recited, such as the flanged part.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-7 are rejected (wherein claims 2-3 and 6-7 inherit their rejections due to their dependencies) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, the term "particularly " in line 1 renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
In claim 1, lines 3-4, it is unclear what constitutes “a substantially axially symmetrical geometry with a circular base with respect to a longitudinal axis.” As understood, the recitation refers to the valve body having a substantially circular cross-section, at least in some sections.
In claim 1, lines 6-7, it is unclear what “respectively” refers to in the recitation of “said first chamber being of a type that is open at an end portion thereof for insertion therein of a valve assembly and an actuation assembly.” As understood, “respectively” is unnecessary and should be deleted.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "said sealing seats of said sealing berths of said ball" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. As understood, the recitation refers to the sealing seats and sealing berths introduced in claim 2.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "said first part of said sleeve" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. As understood, the recitation refers to said sleeve or the first of said sleeve introduced in claim 4.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 5 (as understood: all) are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Karasto (DE 102017201001).
Regarding claim 1, Karasto discloses in Figs. 1-4 a ball valve, particularly for air conditioning and/or refrigeration systems (wherein the recitation of the device being “particularly for air conditioning and/or refrigeration systems” is seen as being indefinite and a statement of intended use that isn’t seen as defining over the prior art per MPEPE 2111.02), comprising:
- a valve body 2 which has a substantially axially symmetrical geometry with a circular base (in the same manner as the applicant’s valve body) with respect to a longitudinal axis and defines inside the valve body 2 a first chamber (in which the sleeve 8 is disposed) and a second chamber (in which the actuator stem 14 is disposed) which communicate with each other through a central hole; said first chamber being of a type that is open at an end portion thereof for insertion therein of a valve assembly (comprising ball 3) and an actuation assembly (comprising actuator stem 14), respectively; said valve body 2 comprising a hollow connecting portion (on the side of the ball 3 with port 11), located and extending along said longitudinal axis on an opposite side with respect to said first chamber and configured to be connected to a first connecting pipe of a refrigeration system or the like (because the device is inherently able to be connected to pipes at either end for a source per the threads indicated on the sleeve 8 and port 11, and because the recitation of “or the like” is broad);
- said valve assembly being accommodated in said first chamber and having an actuation axis which is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;
- said actuation assembly being accommodated in said second chamber along said actuation axis;
- a sleeve 8 which is removably associated with said valve body 2 at said end portion by virtue of screw means (comprising the threaded exterior of the sleeve 8 that screws the sleeve 8 into the valve body 2, as disclosed in paragraph 48) so as to close said first chamber; said sleeve 8 being configured to be connected to a second connecting pipe of a refrigeration system or the like (because the device is inherently able to be connected to pipes at either end for a source per the threads indicated on the sleeve 8 and port 11, and because the recitation of “or the like” is broad).
Regarding claim 2, Karasto discloses in Figs. 1-4 that said valve assembly comprises: - a ball 3, which is accommodated in said first chamber and is provided with a through hole having a diameter greater than or equal to an inside diameter of said hollow connecting portion; - two sealing berths 5, 9 accommodated respectively in two sealing seats obtained respectively on said valve body 2 and on said sleeve 8 so as to support said ball 3 and hold the ball 3 in position (by either directly abutting the ball 3, like seal 5, or indirectly like seal 9 via seal 6).
Regarding claim 3, Karasto discloses in Figs. 1-5 that said actuation assembly comprises an actuation stem 14, 17, 18 (comprising stem 14 and the fasteners 17, 18 contiguous and rigidly fixed to the stem 14) which extends along said actuation axis and has a first end portion 15 in a shape mating arrangement with a respective contoured cavity of said ball 3 for a rotation of said ball 3 about said actuation axis and a second end portion 18 which is opposite with respect to said first end portion 15 and protrudes from said valve body 2 through a passage hole defined in said second chamber along said actuation axis; between said end portions 15, 18 there being an intermediate portion which is radially enlarged and accommodated in a respective radially enlarged part of said second chamber so as to define an undercut for preventing extraction and ejection of said actuation stem 14, 17, 18.
Regarding claim 5, Karasto discloses in Figs. 1-4 that said screw means comprise a male threaded portion defined on an outer surface of said first part of said sleeve 8 (that fits in the valve body 2) and a female threaded portion defined on an inner surface of said first chamber at said end portion (of the valve body 2).
Claims 1 and 5 (alternatively: both; as understood: both) are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yorhe (CN 202901355).
Regarding claim 1, Yorhe discloses a ball valve, particularly for air conditioning and/or refrigeration systems, comprising:
- a valve body 1 which has a substantially axially symmetrical geometry with a circular base (in the same manner as the applicant’s valve body) with respect to a longitudinal axis and defines inside the valve body 12 a first chamber (in which the sleeve 8 is disposed) and a second chamber (in which the actuator stem 3 is disposed) which communicate with each other through a central hole; said first chamber being of a type that is open at an end portion thereof for insertion therein of a valve assembly (comprising ball 2) and an actuation assembly (comprising actuator stem 3), respectively; said valve body 1 comprising a hollow connecting portion (on the side of the ball 3 with conduit 5), located and extending along said longitudinal axis on an opposite side with respect to said first chamber and configured to be connected to a first connecting pipe 5 of a refrigeration system or the like;
- said valve assembly being accommodated in said first chamber and having an actuation axis which is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;
- said actuation assembly being accommodated in said second chamber along said actuation axis;
- a sleeve 8 which is removably associated with said valve body 1 at said end portion by virtue of screw means (comprising the threaded connection of the sleeve 8 to the valve body 2, as disclosed in paragraph 29) so as to close said first chamber; said sleeve 8 being configured to be connected to a second connecting pipe 6 of a refrigeration system or the like.
Regarding claim 5, Yorhe discloses that said screw means comprise a male threaded portion defined on an outer surface of said first part of said sleeve 8 (that fits in the valve body 1) and a female threaded portion defined on an inner surface of said first chamber at said end portion (of the valve body 1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1, 4, and 6-7 (alternatively: 1; as understood: all) are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yorhe in view of Wu (US 6,185,821).
Regarding claims 1 and 4, Yorhe discloses that said sleeve 8 comprises: - a first part designed to be accommodated in said first chamber, said first part defining one of said sealing seats of said sealing berths 13 of said ball 2; - a second part, which is opposite with respect to said first part along said longitudinal axis and is configured for association thereof with said second connecting pipe 6 of a refrigeration system or the like;- a flanged part, which is intermediate with respect to said parts along said longitudinal axis and is configured to abut against said valve body at said end portion.
Yorhe lacks the flanged part of the sleeve abutting against a respective flanged rim defined by said valve body at said end portion.
Wu teaches in Figs. 4-6 a sleeve 3 that is removably associated with a valve body 2 at an end portion of a first chamber of the valve body 2 by virtue of screw means (comprising at least one of the threaded bolts/screws/pins to which nuts are threaded/screwed) so as to close said first chamber (of the valve body 2), said sleeve 3 being configured to be connected to a second connecting pipe, and the sleeve 3 comprises: the flanged part of the sleeve 3 abutting against a respective flanged rim defined by said valve body 2 at said end portion.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the valve disclosed by Yorhe so that the screw means connecting the sleeve to the valve body comprises a plurality of threaded bolts/screws/pins that passes through flanges on the sleeve and valve body to secure the flanges together, as Wu teaches, to provide a redundant, stronger, and more resilient connection of the sleeve to the valve body than the configuration disclosed by Yorhe, in which the sleeve has threads to thread into threads of the valve body. For example, if one of the bolts is damaged, the plurality of bolts taught by Wu allow for other bolts to maintain/facilitate the connection of the sleeve to the valve body, and the plurality of bolts make it harder for the sleeve to back out of the valve body, unlike the sleeve being directly threaded to the valve body by a single set of threads.
Regarding claim 6, Wu teaches in Figs. 1-4 that the screw means of the sleeve 3 further comprises at least two pins 7 engaging in respective holes 6 defined partly on said flanged part (of the sleeve 3) and partly on said flanged rim (of the valve body 2) along a direction which is parallel to said longitudinal axis
Regarding claim 7, Yorhe discloses a charging assembly 7, 9-11 (paragraph 31) associated with said valve body 1 at said hollow connecting portion.
Claim 1-2, 4 and 6 (alternatively: all; as understood: all) are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karasto in view of Wu (US 6,185,821).
Alternatively regarding claim 2, alternative to the sealing berths 5, 9 disclosed by Karasto, which include working with a third seal 6 that directly abuts/seals against the ball 3, Wu teaches in Figs. 4-6 only two seals/two sealing berths 23, 33 respectively seated in the valve body 2 and the sleeve 3, and directly abutting/sealing against the ball (col. 4, lines 29-35).
Therefore, 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 valve disclosed by Karasto to only comprise two sealing berths that are respectively seated in the valve body and the sleeve, and supporting the ball by directly abutting/sealing against the ball, as Wu teaches, to simplify the assembly and manufacturing by reducing the number of parts.
Regarding claims 1 and 4, Karasto discloses in Figs. 1-4 that said sleeve 8 comprises: - a first part designed to be accommodated in said first chamber, said first part of the sleeve 8 in the first chamber defining one of said sealing seats of said sealing berths 9 of said ball 3; - a second part, which is opposite with respect to said first part along said longitudinal axis and is configured for association thereof with said second connecting pipe of a refrigeration system or the like;- a flanged part, which is intermediate with respect to said parts along said longitudinal axis and is configured to abut against said valve body at said end portion.
Karasto lacks the flanged part of the sleeve abutting against a respective flanged rim defined by said valve body at said end portion.
Wu teaches in Figs. 4-6 a sleeve 3 that is removably associated with a valve body 2 at an end portion of a first chamber of the valve body 2 by virtue of screw means (comprising at least one of the threaded bolts/screws/pins to which nuts are threaded/screwed) so as to close said first chamber (of the valve body 2), said sleeve 3 being configured to be connected to a second connecting pipe, and the sleeve 3 comprises: a first part designed to be accommodated in said first chamber, said first part defining one of said sealing seats 321 of said sealing berths of said ball, and the flanged part of the sleeve 3 abutting against a respective flanged rim defined by said valve body 2 at said end portion.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the valve disclosed by Karasto so that the screw means connecting the sleeve to the valve body comprises a plurality of threaded bolts/screws/pins that passes through flanges on the sleeve and valve body to secure the flanges together, as Wu teaches. The plurality of bolts making up the screw means taught by Wu provide a redundant, stronger, and more resilient connection of the sleeve to the valve body than the configuration disclosed by Karasto, in which the sleeve has threads to thread into threads of the valve body. For example, if one of the bolts is damaged, the plurality of bolts taught by Wu allow for other bolts to maintain/facilitate the connection of the sleeve to the valve body, and the plurality of bolts make it harder for the sleeve to back out of the valve body, unlike the sleeve being directly threaded to the valve body by a single set of threads.
Alternatively regarding claim 4, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to also modify the sealing of the ball in Karasto between the ball and the sleeve to be accomplished by a single sealing berth directly abutting the ball and the sleeve, as Wu teaches, as opposed to the two seals disclosed by Karasto, to simplify the assembly and manufacturing by reducing the number of parts.
Regarding claim 6, Wu teaches in Figs. 1-4 that the screw means of the sleeve 3 further comprises at least two pins 7 engaging in respective holes 6 defined partly on said flanged part (of the sleeve 3) and partly on said flanged rim (of the valve body 2) along a direction which is parallel to said longitudinal axis
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Examiner Jonathan Waddy, whose telephone number is 571-270-3146. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (10:00AM-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 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 Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center for authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
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) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
/J. W./
Examiner, Art Unit 3753
/KENNETH RINEHART/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3753
Prosecution Insights