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 .
Response for Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group II (claims 6-8) in the reply filed on 09/10/2025 is acknowledged. Non-elected Groups I (claims 1-5) is withdrawn from consideration. Since the applicant did not point out errors of restriction; therefore, the restriction will be treated as without traverse. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/06/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 –
(a1) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Hulett et al. (US 20150135966 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Hulett discloses
A method (block diagram of a beverage apparatus 1000, fig.1H) of forming a single serving of coffee, the method (block diagram of a beverage apparatus 1000) comprising the steps of:
disposing a hardened coffee concentrate (beverage material, Par.0170) into a coffee concentrate grinder (grinder assembly 1024, fig.1H) [hopper assembly 1022, fig.1H, contains beverage material];
actuating the coffee concentrate grinder (grinder assembly 1024) to grind the hardened coffee concentrate into a smaller sized flakes (grinded beverage) [Par.0170 cited: “…grinder assembly 1024 can grind beverage material from the hopper assembly 1022, and then provide to the brewing assembly 1010 a predetermined amount of ground material…”];
receiving the flakes (grinded beverage) of hardened coffee concentrate (beverage material) into a mixing chamber (brewing assembly 1010, fig.1H) [Par.0160 cited: “…brewing assembly 1010 can receive heated water from the water measuring and transporting assembly 1008, receive ground material from the grinder assembly 1024, brew a beverage, and then provide the brewed beverage to the dispensing assembly 1014…”];
actuating a heater (boiler 1004, fig.1H) and pump (pump, Par.0162) to flow water from a water reservoir (water intake assembly 1002, fig.1H) to the mixing chamber (brewing assembly 1010) [Par.0162 cited: “…a pump for directing water to the brewing assembly 1010…”], flowing between 7 ounces to 20 ounces of water into the mixing chamber (brewing assembly 1010) [controller 1026, fig.1H, can be used to perform the function, Par.0161 cited: “…controller 1026 can determine the amount of water provided to the brewing assembly 1010 based on a number of flow meters in the beverage apparatus 1000 …”].
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Regarding claim 7, Hulett discloses
the actuating the grinder (grinder assembly 1024, fig.1H) includes the step of actuating the grinder (grinder assembly 1024) until the hardened coffee concentrate (beverage material, Par.0170) is converted into small sized flakes (grinded beverage) less than 1 mm in diameter [controller 1026, fig.1H, can be used to perform the function, Par.0170 cited: “…controller 1026 may indicate one of multiple grind sizes (e.g., coarse, normal, fine) to the grinder assembly 1024, as the grind size may affect the taste and other characteristics of the brewed coffee…”].
Regarding claim 8, Hulett discloses
sensing a closed position where a cap is put on an opening of a housing of a coffee dispenser (dispensing assembly 1014, fig.1H), and the actuating the coffee concentrate grinder (grinder assembly 1024, fig.1H) step is initiated when the closed position of the cap is sensed [Par.0166 cited: “…one or more sensors may conduct initial and/or intermediate quality control checks in addition to, or in place of, a final quality control check…”, Par.0167 cited: “…the controller 1026 may deactivate or close the fluid transporting assembly 1012 to prevent the dispense of the brewed beverage. As another example, if the container is present during a cleaning cycle, then the controller 1026 may deactivate or close the fluid transporting assembly 1012 to prevent rinse water from dispensing into the container. The cup-sensing unit may include any type of sensor, such as an optical, mechanical, or ultrasonic sensor…”].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1834. The examiner can normally be reached 9.00am-5.00pm.
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.
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/PHUONG T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
09/17/2025