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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 10/20/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendments filed 10/20/2025 have been entered. Accordingly, the 112 rejections have been overcome. Claims 1-5, 9-19 and 21-23 remain pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 1-5, 9, 10, 14, 19, 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tewari (US 2019/0276297) in view of Escobar (US 2006/0283882) and Wing (US 2017/0088410 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Tewari discloses (Fig-4-5-8) a beverage dispensing system comprising:
at least one bottle attachment portion (200, Fig-5), each of the at least one bottle attachment portion comprising a first end (side having bottle engagement at 206/204) with a first attachment feature configured to releasably engage a spout (contact of bottle 502 at 204/206, see figure 8) of a bottle (502);
an opposed second end (end opposite first end) which provides a second attachment feature (204 to housing 102 and or 212/213 to supply lines) and a fluid passageway (air and liquid passages of 212/213, see [0075]) extending between the first end and the second end of the at least one bottle attachment portion (as necessitated in transferring fluids to/from bottle);
a housing (102) which includes an upper surface defining at least one recess (where 211 of bottle attachment portion 200 exists within housing 102, see figure 8), each of the at least one recess provides a housing attachment feature (where 212/213 connects to fluid delivery system) configured to releasably engage the second attachment feature of a corresponding one of the at least one bottle attachment portion (see barb fittings figure 8, “the first and second connectors 212 and 213 may be arranged to attach to a distribution line such as a hose, a pipe, tubing, and so on, through which a beverage ingredient or air (or other gases) may flow.” [0079]), each of the at least one recess comprising an opening enabling fluid to pass therethrough (fluid passage disclosed above [0078]);
a support surface (108) configured to support a drinks vessel (700) thereon; and
an actuator (solenoid valve “the distribution system may include one or more pumps arranged to cause the one or more beverage ingredients to flow within the beverage system, as well as one or more valves (e.g., solenoid driven valves) associated with the beverage ingredient containers to selectively control the flow of gases and beverage ingredients into and out of the containers.” [0037]) configured to initiate dispensing of a beverage in the bottle (as disclosed above [0037]), stored in a bottle (502), via the fluid passageway into the drinks vessel (“Fig. 4 depicts one embodiment of a distribution system 400 arranged to dispense beverage ingredients from the beverage ingredient containers 500 into a beverage cup (such as cup 700 shown in Fig. 2).” [0064]);
wherein a controller (150) is adapted to receive a command signal (controller programming) and is operative to select a predetermined volume (desired quantity of beverage dispensed as disclosed below [0068]) of the beverage to be dispensed (controller provides controlled volume dispensing “For example, the flow sensors may be arranged to measure a volume of liquid flowing from a beverage container through a distribution line 134 and to an associated outlet 110, and the volume measured by the flow sensor may be used by an associated controller to determine how much of a particular beverage ingredient has been dispensed. The controller may control the pump 126 and/or valves 132 based on the volume measured by the flow sensor to dispense a desired quantity of a particular beverage ingredient.” [0068]); and
the at least one bottle attachment portion further comprises an optic bottle
the controller is further adapted to cause a color of the direct illumination of the at least the portion of the
Tewari is silent regarding the bottle attachment portion comprising the optic bottle insert received within the spout of the bottle, directly illuminating an inside of the bottle
However Escobar teaches the bottle attachment portion comprising the optic bottle insert (portion of 30 below bottle top stop portion 35, see figure 3) received within the spout of the bottle, directly illuminating an inside of the bottle (interior of bottle is illuminated “The oscillator output signal causes the LEDs to be energized in a periodic manner, and the resulting flashes of light are directed toward the content of the bottle to produce the desired effect.” [0029]).
The advantage of the bottle attachment portion comprising the optic bottle insert received within the spout of the bottle, directly illuminating an inside of the bottle, is to provide visually appealing light to an interior of a bottle “The oscillator output signal causes the LEDs to be energized in a periodic manner, and the resulting flashes of light are directed toward the content of the bottle to produce the desired effect. If plural LEDs and produce respective differently colored light, the visual effects are particularly appealing.” [0029] the light being indicative of any number of actions “a toggle or actuator switch 17 coupled to the electronic assembly in order to selectively apply actuation voltage from the voltage source to the light source. Switch 17 is typically of the type that is actuated by motion (e.g., tipping of the bottle during pouring), but may alternatively be of the type that is actuated by sound, vibration, voice, light sensitivity, touch, change in resistance, ultrasonic signal, radio frequency (RF) signal, infra-red signal and/or temperature.” [0022].
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Tewari and Ancher before him or her, to modify the bottle restraint system of Tewari to include inside bottle illumination system of Escobar because illuminating a bottle interior is a visually appealing method of representing information/events relative to operation of bottle.
Tewari as modified is silent regarding illumination color change based on the selected predetermined volume of the beverage to be dispensed into the drinks vessel.
However Wing teaches illumination color change (beverage characteristic may be related to illumination color change “A light source is oriented to illuminate at least part of the base liquid as it moves along the dispensing path. A characteristic of light from the light source corresponds to a characteristic of the beverage. The characteristic of the light is at least one of color, intensity, direction, and timing” [0021]) based on the selected predetermined volume of the beverage to be dispensed into the drinks vessel (Beverage characteristic may be beverage volume selection “We use the term "beverage characteristics" broadly to include, for example, any qualities exhibited by the beverage, such as its volume, base liquid, additives and combinations of additives, strength of dilution of additives, temperature, and level of carbonation, to name a few.” [0118]).
The advantage of illumination color change based on the selected predetermined volume of the beverage to be dispensed into the drinks vessel, is to inform the user of beverage characteristics of the pour, such as volume, “A characteristic of light from the light source corresponds to a characteristic of the beverage. The characteristic of the light is at least one of color, intensity, direction, and timing” [0021] “We use the term "beverage characteristics" broadly to include, for example, any qualities exhibited by the beverage, such as its volume” [0118].
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Tewari as modified and Wing before him or her, to modify the bottle illumination system of Tewari to include the volume based illumination color change of Wing, because providing illuminating color change may relay a beverage characteristic to the user.
Regarding claim 2, Tewari discloses the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 1, Tewari further discloses wherein the control receives the command signal via a keypad (emphasis added “Moreover, a beverage system may include one or more user data input devices (such as buttons, dials, knobs, a keyboard, a touch screen or other)” [0090]).
Regarding claim 3, Tewari discloses the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 1, Tewari further discloses wherein the control receives the command signal via a wireless receiver (mobile device controller interface disclosed below [0090]), the command signal having been transmitted from a wireless transmitter in a mobile communication device (emphasis added “the input device and/or information display device may be a mobile device (such as a smart phone, a tablet, etc.) that communicates wirelessly to the system control circuit (e.g., via a Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi protocol) such that a user may wirelessly control the operation of the beverage system.” [0090]).
Regarding claim 4, Tewari discloses the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 3, Tewari further discloses wherein the wireless transmitter is a transmitter operating in accordance with BLUETOOTH (RTM) protocol in a smartphone (emphasis added “the input device and/or information display device may be a mobile device (such as a smart phone, a tablet, etc.) that communicates wirelessly to the system control circuit (e.g., via a Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi protocol) such that a user may wirelessly control the operation of the beverage system” [0090]).
Regarding claim 5, Tewari discloses the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 4, Tewari further discloses wherein the smartphone has application specific software (APP) (App of mobile device runs controller “a user interface may include a mobile application configured to run on a mobile device to control the beverage system.” [0091]) which is operative to present a user with a menu for selecting a user defined combination of fluids constituting the beverage to be dispensed (combination/mixed beverages “the actuator is constructed and arranged to move the agitator to mix one or more beverage ingredients received in the receptacle to form a beverage.” [0006]) and when selected transmits the command signal (“A user may select a desired beverage from the user interface to request the beverage, and the mobile application may communicate the beverage request to an associated beverage system to prepare the beverage.” [0091]).
Regarding claim 9, Tewari discloses the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 1, Tewari further discloses in which the first attachment feature of the at least one bottle attachment portion comprises the at least one LED (emphasis added “In other embodiments, one or more beverage ingredient containers may be illuminated (e.g., via lighting elements associated with container fittings), and the lighting elements may selectively illuminate a particular container as a beverage ingredient is being dispensed therefrom.” [0095]).
Regarding claim 10, Tewari discloses the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 1 Tewari further discloses, in which the housing comprises another LED (lighting anticipated additionally to housing “In one embodiment, one or more lighting elements may be associated with a track and/or carriage, and the lighting elements may be selectively illuminated and/or change color depending on the status of a beverage preparation process” emphasis added [0094]) configured in use to illuminate an external surface of the bottle releasably engaged thereto (dispersing of illumination inherent to omni directional nature of LED light sources).
Regarding claim 14, Tewari discloses the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 1, Tewari further discloses in which the support surface (108) of the housing comprises another LED configured in use to illuminate a receptacle positioned thereon (carriage 108 in support of cup 700 may be illuminated “In one embodiment, one or more lighting elements may be associated with a track and/or carriage, and the lighting elements may be selectively illuminated and/or change color depending on the status of a beverage preparation process.” [0094] LED light source “While LED based lighting elements (such as LED rings) are described herein, it should be understood that any suitable lighting element may be employed, such as neon lights and/or incandescent lights, as the current disclosure is not limited in this regard.” [0079]).
Regarding claim 19, Tewari discloses a bottle attachment portion (200) comprising a first end (side having bottle engagement at 206/204) providing a first attachment feature configured to releasably engage a spout of a bottle (contact of bottle 502 at 204/206, see figure 8);
an opposed second end (end opposite first end) providing a second attachment feature (204 to housing 102 and or 212/213 to supply lines), a fluid passageway extending (air and liquid passages of 212/213, see [0075]) between the first end and the second end of the bottle attachment portion, and an optic bottle
a controller (controller of selective illumination disclosed above [0095]) is adapted to cause a color of the directed illumination of the at least the portion of the status of beverage preparation “the lighting elements may be selectively illuminated and/or change color depending on the status of a beverage preparation process.” [0095]).
Tewari is silent regarding the optic bottle being an insert directly illuminating an inside of the bottle.
However Escobar teaches the optic bottle being an insert directly illuminating an inside of the bottle (interior of bottle is illuminated “The oscillator output signal causes the LEDs to be energized in a periodic manner, and the resulting flashes of light are directed toward the content of the bottle to produce the desired effect.” [0029]).
The advantage of the optic bottle being an insert directly illuminating an inside of the bottle, is to provide visually appealing light to an interior of a bottle “The oscillator output signal causes the LEDs to be energized in a periodic manner, and the resulting flashes of light are directed toward the content of the bottle to produce the desired effect. If plural LEDs and produce respective differently colored light, the visual effects are particularly appealing.” [0029] the light being indicative of any number of actions “a toggle or actuator switch 17 coupled to the electronic assembly in order to selectively apply actuation voltage from the voltage source to the light source. Switch 17 is typically of the type that is actuated by motion (e.g., tipping of the bottle during pouring), but may alternatively be of the type that is actuated by sound, vibration, voice, light sensitivity, touch, change in resistance, ultrasonic signal, radio frequency (RF) signal, infra-red signal and/or temperature.” [0022].
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Tewari and Escobar before him or her, to modify the bottle restraint system of Tewari to include inside bottle illumination system of Escobar because illuminating a bottle interior is a visually appealing method of representing information/events relative to operation of bottle.
Tewari as modified is silent regarding based on a selected predetermined volume of a beverage to be dispended into the bottle.
However Wing teaches illumination color changed (beverage characteristic may be related to illumination color change “A light source is oriented to illuminate at least part of the base liquid as it moves along the dispensing path. A characteristic of light from the light source corresponds to a characteristic of the beverage. The characteristic of the light is at least one of color, intensity, direction, and timing” [0021]) based on a selected predetermined volume of a beverage to be dispended into the bottle. (Beverage characteristic may be beverage volume selection “We use the term "beverage characteristics" broadly to include, for example, any qualities exhibited by the beverage, such as its volume, base liquid, additives and combinations of additives, strength of dilution of additives, temperature, and level of carbonation, to name a few.” [0118]).
The advantage of illumination color change based on a selected predetermined volume of a beverage to be dispended into the bottle, is to inform the user of beverage characteristics of the pour, such as volume “A characteristic of light from the light source corresponds to a characteristic of the beverage. The characteristic of the light is at least one of color, intensity, direction, and timing” [0021] “We use the term "beverage characteristics" broadly to include, for example, any qualities exhibited by the beverage, such as its volume” [0118].
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Tewari as modified and Wing before him or her, to modify the bottle illumination system of Tewari to include the volume based illumination color change of Wing, because providing illuminating color change may relay a beverage characteristic to the user.
Regarding claim 21, Tewari as modified teaches the bottle attachment portion as claimed in claim 19, Tewari as already modified teaches in which the optic bottle insert extends outwardly from the first end of the bottle attachment portion (as already modified by Escobar, light/LED 15 ant end of insert 13, see figures 1 and 2c).
Regarding claim 22, Tewari as modified teaches the bottle attachment portion as claimed in claim 21, Tewari as already modified teaches in which the optic bottle insert is substantially elongate in shape (as already modified by Escobar, light/LED 15 ant end of insert 13, see figures 1 and 2c).
Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tewari in view of Escobar and Wing and in further view of Ancher (EP 2325134 B1).
Regarding claim 11, Tewari discloses the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 10, Tewari is silent regarding in which the housing further comprises at least one bottle support portion configured in use to be located adjacent and/or abut a base of the bottle.
However Ancher teaches (Fig-3) in which the housing (2) further comprises at least one bottle support portion (16) configured in use to be located adjacent and/or abut a base (base of bottle 13) of the bottle (13) (“The holders are configured to hold the bottles 13 in an inverted position; the sleeve 14 is configured to receive and hold the neck portion of the bottle 13 and the stopper 16 is resilient or springloaded to press down onto the bottom of the bottle 13 and to press it into the sleeve 14.” [0024]).
The advantage of in which the housing further comprises at least one bottle support portion configured in use to be located adjacent and/or abut a base of the bottle, is to provide a quick sleeve connection of bottle to housing with security of spring “The shown holders comprise as a first portion a sleeve 14 with apertures 15 and as an optional second portion a mushroom-shaped stopper 16, but different holders may be provided. The holders are configured to hold the bottles 13 in an inverted position; the sleeve 14 is configured to receive and hold the neck portion of the bottle 13 and the stopper 16 is resilient or springloaded to press down onto the bottom of the bottle 13 and to press it into the sleeve 14.” [0024].
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Tewari and Ancher before him or her, to modify the bottle restraint system of Tewari to include the bottom of bottle restraint system of Ancher because a sleeve along with a mushroom restraint enables quickly receiving a bottle while maintaining spring enforced retention.
Regarding claim 12, Tewari as modified teaches the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 11, Tewari as already modified teaches in which the or each of the at least one bottle support portion is aligned with and spaced apart from a corresponding recess of the housing (where 200 exits in housing 207, see figure 6 of Tweari. Or see figure 3 of Ancher having space between housing portion 5 and bottle receiving portion 20).
Regarding claim 13, Tewari as modified teaches the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 12, Tewari as already modified teaches in which the or each of the at least one bottle support portion further comprises another LED (28 of Ancher) configured in use to illuminate an external surface (as already modified by Archer, see LED 28 at base of bottle 13) of a base portion (see archer figure 3, base of 13 at LED 28) of the bottle releasably engaged to the housing (as already modified by Ancher “In an embodiment, the sleeve 14 and/or stopper 16 may comprise one or more light sources 28, e.g. LEDs. Such light source may be configured to direct light predominantly into an at least partly translucent or transparent bottle 13 and/or the contents thereof, which may give the bottle 13 and/or its contents a glowing appearance. This may be facilitated by providing the sleeve 14 and/or the stopper 16 with one or more light sources 28 arranged at or near a position where the bottle 13 is (expected to be) in close contact with the sleeve 14 or the stopper 16.” [0036]).
Claims 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tewari in view of Escobar and Wing and in further view of Jones (US 8,880,427).
Regarding claim 15, Tewari discloses the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 1, Tewari is silent regarding further comprising a payment terminal in communication with the controller.
However Jones teaches further comprising a payment terminal in communication with the controller (payment window interface “Payment information may be obtained by accessing the customer repository 304 or a customer repository 204 associated with the beverage provider. Alternatively, a payment window (not shown) may be presented to the user to obtain payment information” (column 30, lines 41-50) interface may be mobile device to include non-contact/NFC “the beverage-pour tracking device 126 can be a magnetic button, a NFC device, an application on a smartphone, or any other device that can be associated with a user at a customer repository 204 and can be used to cause a tap activator to send an activation request to a controller system 120.” (column 15, lines 39-44)).
The advantage of further comprising a payment terminal in communication with the controller, is to provide means of payment for the sale of beverage “a payment window (not shown) may be presented to the user to obtain payment information” (column 30, lines 41-50) and activation of the beverage dispensing “and can be used to cause a tap activator to send an activation request to a controller system 120.” (column 15, lines 39-44)).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Tewari and Jones before him or her, to modify the beverage system of Tewari to include the beverage payment system and related activation of Jones because a payment terminal enables the collection of funds for selling a beverage with enabling activation of beverage dispensing.
Regarding claim 16, Tewari as modified teaches the beverage dispensing system as claimed in claim 15, Tewari as already modified teaches wherein the payment terminal includes a contactless payment terminal (NFC (Near Field Communication) interface anticipated by Jones “the beverage-pour tracking device 126 can be a magnetic button, a NFC device, an application on a smartphone, or any other device that can be associated with a user at a customer repository 204 and can be used to cause a tap activator to send an activation request to a controller system 120.” (Jones column 15, lines 39-44)).
Regarding claim 17, Tewari discloses a distributed bar comprises a plurality of beverage dispensing systems as claimed in claim 1, Tewari is silent regarding wherein the plurality of beverage dispensing systems are connected to a central controller or server, the central controller or server is operative to communicate with a plurality of remote wireless devices, thereby enabling customers to place a drinks order and the central controller or server to indicate to each wireless device, the location of the beverage dispensing system from where to collect a drink once payment is received.
However Jones teaches which are connected to a central controller or server (302), the central controller or server is operative to communicate with a plurality of remote wireless devices (interface may be mobile devices of users to include non-contact/NFC “the beverage-pour tracking device 126 can be a magnetic button, a NFC device, an application on a smartphone, or any other device that can be associated with a user at a customer repository 204 and can be used to cause a tap activator to send an activation request to a controller system 120.” (column 15, lines 39-44)), thereby enabling customers to place a drinks order (payment accounts associated to user “Payment information may be obtained by accessing the customer repository 304 or a customer repository 204 associated with the beverage provider. Alternatively, a payment window (not shown) may be presented to the user to obtain payment information” (column 30, lines 41-50)) and the central controller or server to indicate to each wireless device, the location of the beverage dispensing system from where to collect a drink once payment is received (location of beverage devices provided to user “The metadata can include any type of information related to the beverage dispensers 102. For example, the site-specific beverage tracking system 124 can store the location of each beverage dispenser 102 at a beverage provider. This location information may be manually entered by a user or may be determined based on location sensing technology (e.g., GPS, wireless signal triangulation, etc.), some of which may be part of the tap activator 128. Advantageously, by storing the location of the beverage dispensers 102, the site-specific beverage tracking system 124 can identity to a user a location of a beverage dispenser that includes a beverage the user desires, or a location of a beverage dispenser 102 that needs a new container 104, maintenance, or cleaning.” (column 10, lines 24-36)).
The advantage of which are connected to a central controller or server, the central controller or server is operative to communicate with a plurality of remote wireless devices, thereby enabling customers to place a drinks order and the central controller or server to indicate to each wireless device, the location of the beverage dispensing system from where to collect a drink once payment is received, is to provide payment collection “Payment information may be obtained by accessing the customer repository 304 or a customer repository 204 associated with the beverage provider. Alternatively, a payment window (not shown) may be presented to the user to obtain payment information” (column 30, lines 41-50) and notify user where the beverage is available “by storing the location of the beverage dispensers 102, the site-specific beverage tracking system 124 can identity to a user a location of a beverage dispenser that includes a beverage the user desires, or a location of a beverage dispenser 102 that needs a new container 104, maintenance, or cleaning.” (column 10, lines 24-36).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Tewari and Jones before him or her, to modify the beverage system of Tewari to include the payment system and beverage dispensing locating system of Jones because a payment terminal enables the collection of funds for selling a beverage and providing location of beverage enables user to acquire beverage.
Regarding claim 18, Tewari as modified teaches the distributed bar as claimed in claim 17, Tewari as already modified teaches wherein the central controller or server is operative to communicate a payment receipt (Jones as modifying provides transactions recorded “The customer data can include any type of data associated with customers of the beverage providers. For example, the customer data can include the identity of a customer, prepaid credits associated with the customer, reservation data for reserving beverages, identity of what the customer drank, how much the customer drank, any ratings supplied by the customer for the beverages poured and/or for the beverage provider, when the customer visited the beverage provider and for how long, etc.” (Jones column 12 lines 41-49)) and a location of the beverage dispensing system to each wireless device upon receipt of the payment from the customer (Jones as already modified provides location of beverage system available from server “by storing the location of the beverage dispensers 102, the site-specific beverage tracking system 124 can identity to a user a location of a beverage dispenser that includes a beverage the user desires, or a location of a beverage dispenser 102 that needs a new container 104, maintenance, or cleaning.” (Jones column 10, lines 24-36).
Claim 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tewari in view of Escobar and Wing and in further view of Adams (US 2014/0001144).
Regarding claim 23, the bottle attachment portion as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a bayonet mechanism located at or adjacent the second end thereof.
However Adams teaches a bayonet mechanism (Bayonet connector as connection to bottle system “The preferred method of attachment to a bottle neck is with interior threading, however, the mechanism attachment accommodations may be recesses, bosses, guide holes, tabs, snap fit connector, bayonet connector or other similar means or any other alignment and connection mechanism to what is needed to accommodate a particular manufactures' means of attachment to their brand's bottle neck.” [0044]) located at or adjacent the second end thereof (a bayonet connector is anticipated equivalent connection means of Tewari, see above [0044] and see MPEP 2144.06 II Substituting Equivalents known for the same Purpose).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Tewari and Adams before him or her, to modify the beverage connector system of Tewari to include the bayonet connection means of Adams because various connections to bottle systems are known and are anticipated to working equivalently.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Spencer H Kirkwood whose telephone number is (469)295-9113. The examiner can normally be reached 12:00 am - 9:00 pm Eastern.
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, Steven Crabb can be reached on (571) 270-5095. 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.
/Spencer H. Kirkwood/ Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/STEVEN W CRABB/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761