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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nichtnennung (DE 102008018161 B3)
Regarding claim 1, Nichtnennung shows a jet regulator (fig 3), comprising: a jet acceleration unit (5) which, on an outside thereof, has a seal (14) encircling around a flow area and with respect to which on an outflow side, jet forming elements (9) are arranged which extend transversely with respect to a flow direction (fig 4); and the jet forming elements each have a free end (top of 9) at which they protrude from a carrier wall (bottom wall of 5) extending along the flow direction (fig 4), wherein the carrier wall and the jet forming elements are formed integrally as part of a single-piece housing of the jet regulator (fig 4), and the free ends (tops) of the jet forming elements and the carrier wall each form a long side of an outer contour of the jet regulator (fig 4), such that in a plane comprising the free ends of the jet forming elements and disposed parallel to the flow direction and opposite to the carrier wall, a circumferential wall of the housing has a laterally open region (the top) which forms a long side of the outer contour of the jet regulator opposite the carrier wall (fig 4), wherein the jet regulator is configured to be inserted into a sanitary fixture outlet (fig 3), wherein each of the jet forming elements has a length and a width (fig 4), wherein the length is greater than the width (fig 4), and wherein the length is parallel to the flow direction (fig 4).
Regarding claim 2, the jet acceleration unit is formed at an inflow-side end of a jet aeration region (fig 4).
Regarding claim 3, the jet regulator unit is formed as a perforated plate (11).
Regarding claim 4, further comprising an elongate, noncircular outer contour that extends transversely with respect to the flow direction (fig 4), and at least one of the free ends of the jet forming elements or the carrier wall are in each case arranged on a long side of the outer contour (fig 4, the top).
Regarding claim 5, wherein the free ends form a laterally open region in a circumferential wall (fig 4, the top of 5 is the open region).
regarding claim 6, wherein the jet forming elements end at a uniform height (fig 4).
Regarding claim 11, wherein a first subset of jet forming elements comprises fins (9, 8), and the fins at least in one region (8) of an outlet structure face outward in order to produce a diverging water flow (fig 4).
Regarding claim 12, wherein the at least one region is arranged in at least one of an edge region or a central region of the outlet structure (fig 4) of the jet regulator.
Regarding claim 14, wherein the fins arranged outside of the at least one region have a cross section (fins 9) which is oriented transversely with respect to an extent thereof and have an outer contour aligned in a flow direction (fig 4).
Regarding claim 15, Nichtnennung shows a sanitary fixture arrangement (1) comprising the jet regulator as claimed in claim 1 and the sanitary fixture outlet, the sanitary fixture outlet is provided with a jet regulator receiving area (fig 1-3) for closing the laterally open region (top of 5) of the jet regulator (5), and the laterally open region is provided by the free ends of the jet forming elements and the jet regulator receiving area covers the laterally open region of the jet regulator inserted into the jet regulator receiving area (fig 1-4).
Regarding claim 17, Nichtnennung shows a jet regulator, comprising: a jet acceleration unit (5) having a seal (14) arranged on an outside of the jet acceleration unit encircling a flow area, the jet acceleration unit further having jet forming elements (9) arranged on an outflow side of the jet acceleration unit which extend transversely with respect to a flow direction (fig 4), the jet forming elements having free ends (the top ends) at which the jet forming elements protrude from a carrier wall (bottom wall of 5) extending along the flow direction (fig 4), wherein the carrier wall and the jet forming elements are formed integrally as part of a single-piece housing of the jet regulator (fig 4), and in a plane comprising the free ends of the jet forming elements and disposed parallel to the flow direction and opposite to the carrier wall, a circumferential outer wall of the housing of the jet regulator has a laterally open region (the top of 5 is open), which forms a long side of an outer contour of the jet regulator opposite the carrier wall (fig 4 shows the lateral opening on the top side of 5), wherein the jet regulator is configured to be inserted into a sanitary fixture outlet (1), wherein each of the jet forming elements has a length and a width (fig 4), wherein the length is greater than the width (fig 4), and wherein the length is parallel to the flow direction (fig 4).
Regarding claim 18, Nichtnennung shows a fixture outlet (3) comprising: a jet regulator (5) inserted into a jet regulator receiving area (fig 3) formed by the fixture outlet (6), wherein the jet regulator features a laterally open region (the top) formed by free ends of jet forming elements (9), wherein the free ends of the jet forming elements (the top ends of 9) are arraigned in a plane disposed parallel to a flow direction and opposite to a carrier wall extending (fig 4) along the flow direction, wherein the carrier wall and the jet forming elements are formed integrally as part of a single-piece housing of the jet regulator (fig 4), and wherein the laterally open region forms a long side of an outer contour of the jet regulator opposite the carrier wall (fig 4), and wherein the jet regulator receiving area covers the laterally open region (fig 3), wherein the fixture outlet is a sanitary fixture outlet (fig 3), wherein each of the jet forming elements has a length and a width (fig 4), wherein the length is greater than the width (fig 4), and wherein the length is parallel to the flow direction (fig 4).
Claim(s) 19-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stadtler (2009/0230216)
Regarding claim 1, Stadtler shows a jet regulator (1), comprising: a jet acceleration unit (12), a seal (16) located on an outside of the jet acceleration unit and encircling around a flow area, and an outlet structure (15, 24) comprising jet forming elements (15, 24), wherein the jet acceleration unit is arranged upstream of the outlet structure in a flow direction (fig 18), wherein the jet forming elements are arranged on an outflow side of said jet acceleration unit and extend transversely with respect to the flow direction (fig 18), wherein the jet forming elements each have a free end (fig 18) at which they protrude from a carrier wall (7) extending along the flow direction, wherein the jet acceleration unit is mounted upstream of a jet aeration region (near 11, fog 18), such that a liquid flowing through the jet regulator flows first through the jet acceleration unit, then through the jet aeration region, in which the liquid is mixed with air, before a jet is formed in the outlet structure which then leaves the jet regulator on an outlet side (fig 18).
Regarding claim 20, wherein the free ends of the jet forming elements form a laterally open region in a circumferential wall of the jet regulator (fig 18).
Regarding claim 21, wherein at least one air duct (11) is formed on a housing of the jet regulator, such that air from outside can be sucked into the jet aeration region by negative pressure arising in the jet aeration region.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10, 13 and 16 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/24/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the applicant’s remarks concerning the rejection of claim 1, the examiner notes the applicant has 4 main arguments.
The applicant argues the location of the sealing ring 14 in Nichtnennung. The examiner notes that the sealing ring 14 is located on the outside of jet acceleration unit 5 as shown in figures 1nad 2. The seal 14 is inside unit 15, but not unit 5. Unit 5 is being considered the jet acceleration unit. Seal 14 also does encircle around a flow area as shown in figures 1 and 2. The flow area is the outlet 4 of element 5
The applicant argues that the jet forming elements are upstream of the outflow side side of the jet acceleration unit. The examine notes that elements 9 of Nichtnennung are upstream of the outlet 4 of Nichtnennung
The applicant argues that the outlet elements 9 do not extend transversely with respect to the flow direction. The examiner notes that elements 9 extend in a line that is transverse to the flew direction as shown in figure 4.
The applicant argues that Nichtnennung fails to teach the laterally open region of claim 1. The examiner notes that the open top of element 5 is being considered the laterally open region. This region is a lateral region depending on how element 5 is orientated.
The above rejections are being maintained.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON J BOECKMANN whose telephone number is (571)272-2708. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am to 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arthur Hall can be reached on (571) 270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON J BOECKMANN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752 3/24/2026