DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1,3-5, 7-13,15-17, and 19-24 are pending and claims 2,6, 14 and 18 have been cancelled.
This action is in response to the amendment filed 12/22/2025.
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/22/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages filed 12/22/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) under 35 USC § 102/103 have been fully considered and are found persuasive.
The amendments however create further 112 rejections as discussed below.
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.
Claims 1, 3-5, 7-12, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitations, “one of the at least two body openings is a bottom body the body bottom and one of the at least two plug openings is a bottom plug opening”, which is unclear as to what is intended to be defined.
Claims 4 and 16 are unclear as to how “two of the at least two body openings are lateral body openings and two of the at least two plug openings are lateral plug openings”, when at least one of the openings is a bottom opening in claim 1 and 13.
Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-5, 7-12, and 16 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter, as best understood, based on the rejection above: None of the prior art discloses or renders as obvious, “a body comprising a body top, a body bottom, and at least two body openings, wherein the body top is a side of the body toward a stem of a plug and the body bottom is a side of the body away from the stem of the plug”, “wherein the top plug surface is a side of the plug toward the stem, and wherein the bottom plug surface is a side of the plug away from the stem”, “wherein one of the at least two body openings is a bottom body opening the body bottom and one of the at least two plug openings is a bottom plug opening”, and, “wherein an inner lateral surface of the body comprises one or more vertical linear drainage channels that are not in fluid communication with a lateral body opening, to reduce trapping fluid or to facilitate cleaning of the sanitary valve, wherein the one or more drainage channels extend above and below the plug when the plug is seated in the body, wherein the inner lateral surface of the body is between the body top and the body bottom”, in combination with the rest of the limitations in claim 1.
Claims 13,15,17 and 19-24 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: None of the prior art discloses or renders as obvious, “an inner surface of the body comprises one or more vertical linear drainage channels that are not in fluid communication with a lateral body opening, to reduce trapping fluid or to facilitate cleaning of the sanitary valve, wherein the one or more drainage channels extend above and below the plug when the plug is seated in the body; wherein the top plug surface, the lateral plug surface, the bottom of the plug, the bottom body opening, the bottom-most surface of the body, the two plug openings, the vertical linear drainage channels, and the lateral body opening are so oriented when the vertical axis is oriented vertically”, in combination with the rest of the limitations in claim 13.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Craig Price, whose telephone number is (571)272-2712 or via facsimile (571)273-2712. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:00AM-4:30PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Craig Schneider, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-3607, 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center, for more information about Patent Center and, https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx, for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
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 Form at;
https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated-interview-request-air-form .
/CRAIG J PRICE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753