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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/16/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed on March 16th, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-2, 4-15, and 17-22 remain pending in the application. Claims 3, and 16 have been withdrawn from consideration. Claim 1’s rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) has been withdrawn due to amendments made to the claim.
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 1-2, 4, 5, 14-15, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woo (KR Patent No. 1042155) in view of Ogden (US Patent No. 5697577).
Regarding Claim 1, Woo teaches an apparatus for dispensing toilet tissue, comprising (Paragraph 1, Automatic toilet paper dispenser): a) a housing (Figure 1, Housing 110 and Toilet Paper Storage 120); b) a heating element configured to produce heated air mounted on the housing and proximate the toilet tissue (Figure 2, Hot Air fan 190 and Heat Wire 191 inside Housing 110. Paragraph 35, Hot Air Fan provides heat to toilet paper); c) a germicidal lamp located within the housing, the germicidal lamp arranged and configured to irradiate the toilet tissue (Figure 2 and 4, Ultraviolet Ray LEDs 161 and Ultraviolet Irradiating Unit 160. Paragraph 45 Ultraviolet Ray irradiated the toilet paper); and d) a control device, the control device operatively connected to the heating element and the germicidal lamp, the control device initiating operation of the heating element and the germicidal lamp (Figure 2, Control unit 230. Paragraph 38-39, Operation Unit 220 works with Control Unit 230 to transmit operation control signals to the Ultraviolet Irradiating Unit 160, and the hot air fan 190).
Woo fails to teach that the housing comprising two facing surfaces the two facing surfaces curving proximately above and below at least a portion of the toilet tissue, wherein the two facing surfaces assist in directing heat from the heating element to the toilet tissue.
Ogden teaches an apparatus for dispensing toilet paper (Col 1 line 6-7, Apparatus for dispensing toilet paper) where the housing comprising two facing surfaces (Figure 2, C-shaped tube 26 with lip 32 and 34 and Door 28), the two facing surfaces curving adjacent to and above and below at least a portion of the toilet tissue without interfering with rotation of the toilet tissue during dispensing (Figure 2 and 4, C-shaped tube 26 along with Door 28 cover both the top and bottom of Toilet tissue and don’t interfere with the rotation of the toilet paper), wherein the two facing surfaces assist in directing heated air from the heating element to the toilet tissue (Figure 2 and Col 5 Line 51-57, Heating pad 86 with heating wires 88 that curve along the inside of the C-shaped tube 26 and heats the toilet tissue, The curve of the tube 26 and heating wires reads as helping direct the heat along the curved toilet paper roll).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo to incorporate a curved housing that assists in heating as stated in Ogden. The structure of the housing allows for the heating wires to curve and heat the toilet paper roll from multiple angles. (Figure 2 and 4, C-shaped tube 26).
Regarding Claim 2, Woo teaches that the heating element is located within the housing (Figure 2, Hot Air fan 190 and Heat Wire 191 inside Housing 110), and the housing includes a first void through which the toilet tissue is dispensed (Figure 1, Tissue Outlet 111).
However, Woo fails to teach a rotatably mounted toilet tissue.
Ogden teaches an apparatus for dispensing toilet paper (Col 1 line 6-7, Apparatus for dispensing toilet paper) where the toilet tissue is rotatably mounted within at least a portion of the housing (Figure 2, Toilet is rotatable mounted in the housing 10).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo to incorporate a rotatably mounted toilet tissue as stated in Ogden. The rotating structure allows for toilet paper to roll freely without obstructions (Col 4 Line 1-6, Advantages of rotatably mounted tissue paper).
Regarding Claim 4, Woo in view of Ogden teaches that the control device includes on/off switches and a timer for the heating element (Woo: Paragraph 38-39, Operation Unit 220 has a On-Off Button. Also has a built-in timer function for any one operation including Hot Air fan 190 and Heat Wire 191).
Regarding Claim 5, Woo in view of Ogden teaches the control device includes a timer for the germicidal lamp (Woo: Paragraph 38-39, Has a built-in timer function for any one operation including Ultraviolet Irradiating Unit 160).
Regarding Claim 14, Woo teaches a method of dispensing from a roll of toilet tissue in an ergonomic manner (Paragraph 1, Automatic toilet paper dispenser), comprising: a) transmitting heated air to at least the outer layers of the roll of toilet tissue from a heating element configured to produce heated air located on or within a housing (Figure 2, Hot Air fan 190 and Heat Wire 191 inside Housing 110. Paragraph 35, Hot Air Fan provides heat to toilet paper); b) shining a germicidal lamp on the outer layers of the roll of toilet tissue from a light source located within the housing (Figure 2 and 4, Ultraviolet Ray LEDs 161 and Ultraviolet Irradiating Unit 160. Paragraph 45 Ultraviolet Ray irradiated the toilet paper); and c) providing a control device, the control device operatively connected to the heating element and the germicidal lamp and arranged and configured for selectively operation of the heating element and the germicidal lamp (Figure 2, Control unit 230. Paragraph 38-39, Operation Unit 220 works with Control Unit 230 to transmit operation control signals to the Ultraviolet Irradiating Unit 160, and the hot air fan 190, can be selective in operations).
Woo fails to teach that the housing comprising two facing surfaces the two facing surfaces curving proximately above and below at least a portion of the toilet tissue, wherein the two facing surfaces assist in directing heat from the heating element to the toilet tissue.
Ogden teaches an apparatus for dispensing toilet paper (Col 1 line 6-7, Apparatus for dispensing toilet paper) where the housing comprising two facing surfaces (Figure 2, C-shaped tube 26 with lip 32 and 34 and Door 28), the two facing surfaces curving adjacent to and above and below at least a portion of the toilet tissue without interfering with rotation of the toilet tissue during dispensing, (Figure 2 and 4, C-shaped tube 26 along with Door 28 cover both the top and bottom of Toilet tissue and don’t interfere with the rotation of the toilet paper), wherein the two facing surfaces assist in directing heated air from the heating element to the toilet tissue (Figure 2 and Col 5 Line 51-57, Heating pad 86 with heating wires 88 that curve along the inside of the C-shaped tube 26 and heats the toilet tissue, The curve of the tube 26 and heating wires reads as helping direct the heat along the curved toilet paper roll).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo to incorporate a curved housing that assists in heating as stated in Ogden. The structure of the housing allows for the heating wires to curve and heat the toilet paper roll from multiple angles. (Figure 2 and 4, C-shaped tube 26).
Regarding Claim 15, Woo teaches providing a first void in the housing through (Figure 2, Housing 110), which the toilet tissue is dispensed (Figure 1, Tissue Outlet 111).
However, Woo fails to teach a rotatably mounted toilet tissue.
Ogden teaches a method for dispensing toilet paper (Col 1 line 6-7, Apparatus for dispensing toilet paper) include rotatably mounting the roll of toilet tissue in the housing (Figure 2, Toilet is rotatable mounted in the housing 10).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo to incorporate a rotatably mounted toilet tissue as stated in Ogden. The rotating structure allows for toilet paper to roll freely without obstructions (Col 4 Line 1-6, Advantages of rotatably mounted tissue paper).
Regarding Claim 17, Woo in view of Ogden teaches operatively connecting user preference controls to the control device to provide user preferred timing and level of heat from the heating element, user preferred timing for the germicidal lamp, and user defined operation and timing of a courtesy light (Woo: Figure 1-2 and Paragraph 38-39, Operation Unit 220 for user inputs is connected to Control Unit 230 to transmit operation control signals to the Ultraviolet Irradiating Unit 160, and the hot air fan 190 regarding operation time).
Regarding Claim 21, Woo fails to teach that the two facing surfaces comprise an upper arcuate projection and a lower arcuate projection.
Ogden teaches an apparatus for dispensing toilet paper (Col 1 line 6-7, Apparatus for dispensing toilet paper) where the two facing surfaces comprise an upper arcuate projection and a lower arcuate projection (Figure 2 and 4, C-shaped tube 26 along with Door 28 cover both the top and bottom of Toilet Paper).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo to incorporate a curved housing that assists in heating as stated in Ogden. The structure of the housing allows for the heating wires to curve and heat the toilet paper roll from multiple angles. (Figure 2 and 4, C-shaped tube 26).
Regarding Claim 22, Woo fails to teach that the upper and lower arcuate projections do not meet such that at least a portion of the toilet tissue is exposed outside of the housing.
Ogden teaches an apparatus for dispensing toilet paper (Col 1 line 6-7, Apparatus for dispensing toilet paper) where the upper and lower arcuate projections do not meet such that at least a portion of the toilet tissue is exposed outside of the housing (Figure 2-3, C-shaped tube 26 along with Door 28 allows a portion of the Toilet paper to be exposed to the outside).
Claims 6, 10, 11, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woo (KR Patent No. 1042155) in view of Ogden (US Patent No. 5697577) and further in view of Desrosiers (WO Patent No. 2008147904) and Ye (CN Patent No. 106214044).
Regarding Claim 6, Woo in view of Ogden fails to teach a control device that includes a processor and a memory.
Desrosiers teaches a wipe dispenser (Paragraph 2, wipe dispenser) where the control device includes a microprocessor and a memory, the microprocessor being programmable to individual user preferences and to store the individual user preferences in the memory (Paragraph 53 and 56, Microprocessor 162 is able to store instructions in memory 164 for the dispenser procedures including user preference).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden to include a processor and a memory as stated in Desrosiers. The processor and memory allow the dispenser to give user a variety of options and control over dispenser (Paragraph 56, Advantages of Processor and Memory).
Furthermore, Woo in view of Ogden and Desrosiers fails to teach that one these preference is with regard to duration and heating of toilet tissue.
Ye teaches a toilet paper discharge device (Paragraph 1, Toilet paper discharge device) where a control device can set duration and temperature of the toilet tissue heating (Paragraph 39, Toilet paper is heated by micro-unit for a duration until the temperature reaches a user set temperature).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden and Desrosiers to include controlling duration and heating of toilet tissue as stated in Ye. This keeps the toilet paper at a constant temperature and humidity decide by the user (Paragraph 38-39, Controlling duration and heating of tissue).
Regarding Claim 10, Woo in view of Ogden and Ye fails to teach a toilet paper dispenser with a light.
Desrosiers teaches a wipe dispenser (Paragraph 2, wipe dispenser) comprising a courtesy light (Paragraph 60, Courtesy light and night light feature).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden and Ye to include a courtesy light as stated in Desrosiers. A courtesy light helps in the process of dispensing toilet paper (Paragraph 60, Advantages of a courtesy light).
Regarding Claim 11, Woo in view of Ogden and Desrosiers fails to teach a control device that is arranged and configured to communicate with a smart device and to receive user selected preferences from the smart device related to at least one of the heating element, the germicidal lamp, and the courtesy light.
Ye teaches a toilet paper discharge device (Paragraph 1, Toilet paper discharge device) where the control device is arranged and configured to communicate with a smart device and to receive user selected preferences from the smart device related to at least one of the heating element, the germicidal lamp, and the courtesy light (Paragraph 28 and Figure 10, Electric heating film 4 is connected to the micro control unit, which is connected to a wireless transmission module, the transmission module communicates with the external control terminal 10 that is able to control the dispenser).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden and Desrosiers to include a smart device connection as stated in Ye. A smart device connection can remotely inform user of dispenser operation (Paragraph 29, Advantages of a smart device).
Regarding Claim 18, Woo in view of Ogden fails to teach a control device that includes a processor and a memory.
Desrosiers teaches a wipe dispenser (Paragraph 2, wipe dispenser) where the control device includes a microprocessor and a memory, the microprocessor being programmable to individual user preferences and to store the individual preferences in the memory (Paragraph 53 and 56, Microprocessor 162 is able to store instructions in memory 164 for the dispenser procedures including user preference).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden to include a processor and a memory as stated in Desrosiers. The processor and memory allow the dispenser to give user a variety of options and control over dispenser (Paragraph 56, Advantages of Processor and Memory).
Furthermore, Woo in view of Ogden and Desrosiers fails to teach that one these preference is with regard to duration and heating of toilet tissue.
Ye teaches a toilet paper discharge device (Paragraph 1, Toilet paper discharge device) where a control device can set duration and temperature of the toilet tissue heating (Paragraph 39, Toilet paper is heated by micro-unit for a duration until the temperature reaches a user set temperature).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden and Desrosiers to include controlling duration and heating of toilet tissue as stated in Ye. This keeps the toilet paper at a constant temperature and humidity decide by the user (Paragraph 38-39, Controlling duration and heating of tissue).
Regarding Claim 19, Woo in view of Ogden and Desrosiers fails to teach a control device that is arranged and configured to communicate with a smart device and to receive user selected preferences from the smart device related to at least one of the heating element, the germicidal lamp, and the courtesy light
Ye teaches a toilet paper discharge device (Paragraph 1, Toilet paper discharge device) where the control device is arranged and configured to communicate with a smart device and to receive user selected preferences from the smart device related to at least one of the heating element, the germicidal lamp, and the courtesy light (Paragraph 28 and Figure 10, Electric heating film 4 is connected to the micro control unit, which is connected to a wireless transmission module, the transmission module communicates with the external control terminal 10 that is able to control the dispenser).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden and Desrosiers to include a smart device connection as stated in Ye. A smart device connection can remotely inform user of dispenser operation (Paragraph 29, Advantages of a smart device).
Claims 7, 8, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woo (KR Patent No. 1042155) in view of Ogden (US Patent No. 5697577) and further in view of Goble (US Patent No. 10034586).
Regarding Claim 7, Woo in view of Ogden fails to teach a toilet paper dispenser with a motion sensor initiating operation operatively connected to the control device, and wherein the motion sensor is arranged and configured to initiate at least one of the heating element and the germicidal lamp.
Goble teaches a tissue and wipe dispenser (Col 1 line 16-20, Tissue and Wipe Dispenser) with a motion sensor (Col 9 Line 35-40, Motion Sensor 610), the motion sensor initiating operation operatively connected to the control device (Col 10 Line 28-32, Battery can operate and control other components), and wherein the motion sensor is arranged and configured to initiate at least one of the heating element and the germicidal lamp (Col 9 Line 35-40, Motion Sensor initiates Heating Element to heat Tissue).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden to include a motion sensor as stated in Goble. The motion sensor can save on energy costs of heating the wipes (Col 9 Line 39-42, Advantages of a motion sensor).
Regarding Claim 8, Woo in view of Ogden fails to teach a toilet paper dispenser with a motion sensor, where the motion sensor is located on the top of the housing, whereby a user motion above the housing enables the motion sensor.
Goble teaches a tissue and wipe dispenser (Col 1 line 16-20, Tissue and Wipe Dispenser) with a motion sensor (Col 9 Line 35-40, Motion Sensor 610) where the motion sensor is located on a top of the housing, whereby a user motion above the housing enables the motion sensor (Figure 11 a top view of Tissue Dispenser, Motion Sensor 610 Located on top to detect motion).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden to include a motion sensor as stated in Goble. The motion sensor can save on energy costs of heating the wipes (Col 9 Line 39-42, Advantages of a motion sensor).
Regarding Claim 20, Woo in view of Ogden fails to teach a toilet paper dispenser with a that senses the motion of a user with a motion sensor operatively connected to the control switches, the motion sensor arranged and configured to initiate at least one of the heating element and the germicidal lamp.
Goble teaches a tissue and wipe dispenser (Col 1 line 16-20, Tissue and Wipe Dispenser) that senses motion of a user with a motion sensor (Col 9 Line 35-40, Motion Sensor 610) operatively connected to the control device (Col 10 Line 28-32, Battery can operate and control other components), the motion sensor arranged and configured to initiate at least one of the heating element and the germicidal lamp (Col 9 Line 35-40, Motion Sensor initiates Heating Element to heat Tissue).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden to include a motion sensor as stated in Goble. The motion sensor can save on energy costs of heating the wipes (Col 9 Line 39-42, Advantages of a motion sensor).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woo (KR Patent No. 1042155) in view of Ogden (US Patent No. 5697577) and further in view of Goble (US Patent No. 10034586) and Ye (CN Patent No. 106214044).
Regarding Claim 9, Woo in view of Ogden and Goble fails to teach a toilet paper dispenser with a motion sensor that is located on the bottom of the housing, whereby a user motion below the housing enables the motion sensor.
Ye teaches a toilet paper discharge device (Paragraph 1, Toilet paper discharge device) where a motion sensor is located on the bottom of the housing, whereby a user motion below the housing enables the motion sensor (Figure 1, Infrared Sensor 6 Located on the bottom of the Housing detects motion).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden and Goble to include a motion sensor as stated in Ye. The motion sensor helps sense the proximity of a human body to activate the toilet dispenser. (Paragraph 10, Advantages of a motion sensor).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woo (KR Patent No. 1042155) in view of Ogden (US Patent No. 5697577) and further in view of Ye (CN Patent No. 106214044).
Regarding Claim 12, Woo in view of Ogden fails to teach a heating element that is a polyimide heater film.
Ye teaches a toilet paper discharge device (Paragraph 1, Toilet paper discharge device) where the heating element is a polyimide heater film (Paragraph 31, The electric heating element is a polyimide heater film).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden to include a polyimide heater film as stated in Ye. A polyimide heater film is a low-temperature radiation electrothermal film, and has excellent insulating strength (Paragraph 22, Advantages of a polyimide heater film).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woo (KR Patent No. 1042155) in view of Ogden (US Patent No. 5697577) and further in view of Ye (CN Patent No. 106214044) and Julius (US Patent No. 7252209).
Regarding Claim 13, Woo in view of Ogden and Ye fails to teach a heating element mounted on the outside of the housing.
Julius teaches a dispenser for wet wipes (Col 1 Line 5, Wet wipe dispenser) where the heating element is mounted on an external surface of the housing (Col 5 Line 33-36 and Figure 10A-10B, Heater is on both side of the opening therefore at least one is outside the housing).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Woo in view of Ogden and Ye to mount the heating element on the outside surface of the housing as stated in Julius. This helps keep wipe at desired temperature (Col 9 Line 15-25, Advantages of an outside heating element).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments and amendments, see Pages 7-10, filed March 16th, 2026 with respect to Claims 1 and 14 have been fully considered and are not persuasive.
The applicants argue that the structures of Woo and Ogden are incompatible when it comes to the curved shape of Ogden housing versus the rectangular shape of Woo housing, as well as the arrangement of the heating elements.
However, the test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of those references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 425, 208 USPQ 871, 881 (CCPA 1981). The shape of the Housing has major importance as the components can be rearranged and the applicants own claimed invention utilizes a housing that has rectangular and circular portion combined, therefore the claim that these types of housing are incompatible has no merits.
Applicant's arguments, see Pages 10-12, filed March 16th, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicants argue that the heating methodologies of the of Woo and Ogden are incompatible. Woo heating methodology utilizes heated air flow using a heat wire and a blower fan, while Ogden uses heating wire with no air flow. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the combination of Woo and Ogden would work as both utilize heating wires, a radiant heat transfer, for the heat source. Woo also utilizes a fan to blow air over heating wires, therefore its widely known to use heating wires in forced air convention. Furthermore, the test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of those references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 425, 208 USPQ 871, 881 (CCPA 1981).
Conclusion
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/HAMZEH HICHAM AMIN/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/JUSTIN C DODSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
