DETAILED ACTION
Receipt and entry of Applicant’s Preliminary Amendment dated November 14, 2025 is acknowledged.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vance et al. (Vance) (Patent/Publication Number US 2019/0284971).
Regarding claims 1 and 14, Vance discloses a valve train assembly (12, 111) for an internal combustion engine (Figures 3-4) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0027-0028, 0103]), the valve train assembly comprising: a rocker arm assembly (SRFF, 110, 120, 130, 200, 210) for actuating a valve (2001, 2003) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0027-0028]), the rocker arm assembly comprising a rocker arm body (110) defining a valve end of the rocker arm assembly, the rocker arm body rotatable about a main rocker shaft (300, 302) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0030, 0033-0034]); a first spring (506, 507, 5060, 5070) comprising a coiled body portion positioned on one end of the pivot rod, the first spring configured to apply a biasing force to the rocker arm assembly, and a pivot rod that extends outwardly from opposite sides of a bracket (120, 130) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0030] The third roller (inner roller) 310 can be mounted on an independent bearing axle, such as second axle 300, between the inner arms 220, 230. The inner arms 220, 230 can pivot on a pivot axle, such as first axle 302. The pivot axle can connect the inner arm assembly 209 to distal ends of the outer arms 120, 130. First axle 302, as pivot axle, can also connect the at least one biasing mechanism, center spring 509, to the rocker arm.) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0030, 0033, 0057-0062]); a lost motion assembly (209) attached to the rocker arm assembly, the lost motion assembly comprising a roller (400, 410, 310) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0031] When the inner arm assembly 209 pivots on the pivot axle, “lost motion” is said to occur, and the inner arms 200, 210 can pivot to permit variable valve lift events from zero valve lift (full cylinder deactivation, or full lift loss) through to some amount less than full lift. Alternatively, the inner arms can be latched via a latch seat to permit a high lift event, greater than a normal lift event, while a normal lift event takes place on the rollers of the outer arms.) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0027-0031]); a latch pin assembly (900, 901, 906, 700) for selectively coupling the rocker arm body and the lost motion assembly together, the latch pin assembly having a latched position wherein the rocker arm body and the lost motion assembly are coupled and an unlatched position wherein the rocker arm body and the lost motion assembly are uncoupled (e.g. See Paragraphs [0041] In the example of FIGS. 4A-4F, a hydraulic latch is shown for the latch mechanism 900. A latch finger 906 can reciprocate so that a latch seat 901 can extend from and retract in to an inner latch port 118 in the pivot body 111 of the SRFF. The latch finger 906 can fluidly communicate with hydraulic port 116 so that fluid can be fed through the HLA 3000 or through a latch fluid port 905, or a fluid circuit can be established therethrough. Latch port 118 in stepped, as is the latch finger 906 so that a shoulder can fill a portion 1190 of latch cavity when the latch finger 906 is extended, and the shoulder can fill another portion 1191 of latch cavity with latch finger 906 is retracted. Latch plug 904 can receive and bias a latch spring 902 that can bias the latch finger 906 to the extended position. As above, other latch mechanisms can be substituted for the hydraulic latch illustrated without departing from the SRFF operation principles described herein.) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0038-0044, 0086]); a cam (1001, 1002, 1003) disposed on a cam shaft (1000), the cam configured to engage the roller of the lost motion assembly (e.g. See Paragraphs [0039] In FIGS. 4E & 4F, the latch mechanism 900 is in an unlatched position and latch arm 220 has rotated past the latch to “lose” the motion of the center cam lobe 1003 on the inner arm assembly 209. Outer cam lobes 1001, 1002 can roll on the outer first and second rollers 400, 410.) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0033, 0039]); and an anti-dislodgement element (209, 202, 212, 700, 701, 703, 500, 506, 507, ) configured to limit a rotation of the rocker arm body when the latch pin assembly is in the unlatched position and the rocker arm body is at predetermined angle (e.g. See Paragraphs [0050] In FIGS. 6A, 6B, & 6E, the rocker arm is shown in a latched position, while FIGS. 6C & 6D show the inner arm pivoted away from the latch mechanism while in the unlatched position. The travel of the inner arm assembly 209 can be limited as by one of travel limit techniques herein, such as the pump-down stop techniques below or such as being restricted by the valve pallet 112, as above.) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0043, 0050, 0066-0067, 0086]).
Regarding claim 15, Vance further discloses wherein the bracket of the rocker arm assembly comprises a first leg and a second leg parallel to the first leg, wherein the roller is disposed between the first and second legs of the bracket (e.g. See Paragraphs [0030-0034, 0057-0063]).
Regarding claim 16, Vance further discloses wherein a peg extends through the first and
second legs of the bracket, the peg configured to engage a top of the rocker arm body (e.g. See Paragraphs [0063] Alternative rocker arms are shown in FIGS. 8A-8D. These Figures comprise separate springs 5060, 5070 mounted to the pivot axle 302. Springs 5060 & 5070 can be torsion springs with tangential spring ends extending at approximately 90 degrees. The slim design permits straight inner arms 200, 210 within substantially straight outer arms 120, 130 for a tight footprint. And, the latch assembly 900 can be laterally restricted to fit between the outboard (outer) sides 121, 131 of the outer arms 120, 130 for a slim design. Latch arm 220 can pivot between outer arms 120, 130 as above.) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0030-0034, 0057-0062]).
Regarding claim 17, Vance further discloses wherein a first leg of the first spring (509) is positioned on top of the peg to apply the biasing force onto the peg and the bracket such that the peg acts as a stop to limit pivoting of the bracket (e.g. See Paragraphs [0035] FIGS. 4A-4G show alternative views of an SRFF having a lost motion spring 509 over the valve end of the main body 110 and cantilevered outer rollers 400, 410. The latch mechanism 900 for the center lost motion mechanism is in-line with the main profile of the SRFF. The in-line shape can be understood by looking at the planar cross-section of FIG. 4D, where the in-line shape is the result of a co-planar relationship of the first axle 302 (pivot axle) that joins the inner arms 220, 230 to the outer arms 120, 130, the bearing (or second) axle 300, and the main axis of the latch mechanism 900.) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0030, 0035-0038]).
Regarding claim 18, Vance further discloses wherein, when the latch pin assembly is in the
unlatched position, the bracket pivots about the pivot rod away from the biasing force of the first
spring (e.g. See Paragraphs [0030, 0035-0038, 0046-0049]).
Regarding claim 19, Vance further discloses wherein the anti-dislodgement element is disposed on the cam shaft and dimensioned to engage the rocker arm body when the rocker arm
body is at the predetermined angle (e.g. See Paragraphs [0050] In FIGS. 6A, 6B, & 6E, the rocker arm is shown in a latched position, while FIGS. 6C & 6D show the inner arm pivoted away from the latch mechanism while in the unlatched position. The travel of the inner arm assembly 209 can be limited as by one of travel limit techniques herein, such as the pump-down stop techniques below or such as being restricted by the valve pallet 112, as above.) (e.g. See Paragraphs [0030, 0035-0038, 0046-0050]).
Regarding claim 20, Vance further discloses wherein the anti-dislodgement element provides a physical stop to prevent over-rotation of the rocker arm body (e.g. See Paragraphs [0030, 0035-0038, 0046-0050]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-13 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; and also to overcome the claim objections set forth in this Office action, such as to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 101, 112 2nd paragraph, and double patenting.
Since allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant is encouraged to submit Final Formal Drawings (If Needed) in response to this Office action. The early submission of formal drawings will permit the Office to review the drawings for acceptability and to resolve any informalities remaining therein before the application is passed to issue. This will avoid possible delays in the issue process.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and consists of seven patents:
Edke et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 2022/0307389), Zurface et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 2014/0041608), Foster et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 10781729), Hayman et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 2004/0074459), Cecur et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 2020/0072090), Mandell et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 2021/0340886), and Patil et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 2023/0042443), all discloses a valve train assembly for use with an internal combustion engine.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Primary Examiner Binh Tran whose telephone number is (571) 272-4865. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors, Mark Laurenzi, can be reach on (571) 270-7878. The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are (571) 273-8300 for regular communications and for After Final communications.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
Binh Q. Tran
/BINH Q TRAN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3748
August 22, 2026
Prosecution Insights