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 Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities. Claim 3 recites the phrase “allowing the coins discharged from the coin hoppers pass through” in lines 3. It is suggested that the word “to” should be inserted after “hoppers” and before “pass”.
Additionally, Claim 3, lines 4 and 6 recite the term “slope parts”. It is suggested that the term be changed to “sloped parts” for better form and grammar. See also other recitations in other claims such as Claims 4 and 5.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7, lines 6 and 7, mentions the phrase “the coin hopper includes a spring biasing the standing part and a stopper arranged on the back side and advances/retreats”. It is unclear what advances/retreats.
Claims 8-12 recite the same unclear and indefinite phrase.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Abe et al (US 2003/0148729 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Abe discloses
a coin handling apparatus (1), comprising:
coin hoppers (10H, 100H) as illustrated in figure 2 and (50H, 500H), as illustrated in figure 17 and as mentioned at paragraphs 51, 109 and 111, for example, storing coins and discharging the stored coins one by one, as mentioned in paragraphs 5 and 22;
a partition plate, i.e., first and second partitions (D1, D2) as illustrated in figure 2 and third and fourth partitions (2D3, 2D4) as mentioned at paragraph 110 and as illustrated in figure 17, separating a space where the coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H), are housed, i.e., coin storing section (1S), upper storing section (201U) and lower/under storing section (201L) as mentioned at paragraphs 52, 115 and 116 and as illustrated in figures 2 and 18, from paths, i.e., dispensing passageway (15, 215), as illustrated in figures 2 and 17, and as mentioned at paragraphs and 109-111, for the coins discharged from the coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H); and
a case, i.e., housing frame (1F), as mentioned at paragraph 49 and as illustrated in figure 2, housing the coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H),
wherein the partition plate (D1, D2) is a door, i.e., lid (1R, 201R), as illustrated in figures 2 and 17 and as mentioned in paragraphs 52 and 110, for example, provided in a side surface on one side of the case (1F), and
the coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H) are exposed by opening the door (1R, 201R).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et al (US 2003/0148729 A1) in view of Park et al (US 10,342,363 B2).
Regarding Claim 2, Abe teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 2, Abe further teaches wherein the door, i.e., lid (1R) includes a first door (1R, 201R) connected to the case (1F), i.e., via hinge and a pathway/path/passageway (14, 15, 16, 214, 215, 216) as mentioned at paragraphs 52 and 110, for the coins discharged from the coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H), with partitions, i.e., first partition (D1), second partition (D2), third partition (2D3) and fourth partition (2D4) as illustrated in figures 2 and 17, for example,
when the first door (1R, 201R) is closed, the first door (1R, 201R) separates the space, i.e., coin storing section (1S) as mentioned at paragraph 50, where the coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H) are housed from the paths (14, 15, 16, 214, 215, 216) for the coins discharged from the coin hoppers (14, 15, 16, 214, 215, 216).
Regarding Claim 2, Abe does not expressly teach
wherein the door includes a first door connected to the case and a second door connected to the first door,
when the first door is closed, the first door separates the space where the coin hoppers are housed from the paths for the coins discharged from the coin hoppers, and,
when the first door and the second door are closed, paths for the coins discharged from the coin hoppers are formed between the first door and the second door.
Regarding Claim 2, Abe does not expressly teach, but Park teaches
wherein the door includes a first door, i.e., main door (40), as illustrated in figure 2 and as mentioned at col. 6, lines 35-46, connected to the case (10), i.e., via upper hinge (401) and lower hinge (402), and a second door, i.e., sub door (50), connected to the first door (40),
when the first door (40) is closed, the first door (40) separates the space, i.e., the refrigerator compartment (12) as illustrated in figures 1 and 2, for example, where the coin hoppers are housed from the paths, i.e., shelves/door basket (43) for the coins discharged from the coin hoppers, and,
when the first door (40) and the second door (50) are closed, paths, i.e., the door baskets (43), for the coins discharged from the coin hoppers are formed between the first door (40) and the second door (50).
Regarding Claim 2, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided wherein the door includes a first door connected to the case and a second door connected to the first door,
when the first door is closed, the first door separates the space where the coin hoppers are housed from the paths for the coins discharged from the coin hoppers, and,
when the first door and the second door are closed the door baskets for the coins discharged from the coin hoppers are formed between the first door and the second door, as taught by Park, in Abe’s coin handling apparatus, for the purpose of further protecting the paths/chutes/pathways while also enabling access for maintenance such as clearing coin jams.
Claim(s) 3 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et al (US 2003/0148729 A1) in view of Park et al (US 10,342,363 B2) and further in view of Deglau (US 5,176,238).
Regarding Claims 3 and 5, Abe teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 3, Abe teaches
wherein the first door (1R, 201R) includes discharge ports, i.e., openings (18, 18R, 218A, 218B) as illustrated in figures 2 and 17 and as mentioned at paragraphs 57, 87, 113 and 114, arranged so as to correspond to the respective coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H) and allowing the coins discharged from the coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H) (to) pass through, and slope parts arranged so as to correspond to the respective discharge ports (18, 18R, 218A, 218B) and protruding to the second door, i.e., first, second, third and fourth partition plates (D1, D2, 2D3, 2D4), to guide the coins passing through the discharge ports (18, 18R, 218A, 218B) diagonally downward, and
the second door (18, 18R, 218A, 218B) is arranged so as to face the first door (1R, 201R) and contacting the parts to form paths for the coins discharged from the coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H) with the first door (1R, 201R).
Regarding Claim 3, Abe does not expressly teach
sloped parts.
Regarding Claim 3, Abe does not expressly teach, but Deglau teaches
sloped parts, i.e., pathways (22, 28, 32, 36, 42) as illustrated in figures 1 and 2, for example.
Regarding Claim 3, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided sloped parts, as taught by Deglau, in Abe’s coin handling apparatus, for the purpose of creating coin chutes that are able to direct coins downward towards their intended target locations from the coin hoppers, as is well known in the coin handling art.
Regarding Claim 5, Abe teaches
wherein a plurality of coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H) are aligned in each of a plurality of tiers which are at least two tiers or more including an upper tier, i.e., upper storing section (201U), and a lower tier, i.e., lower storing section (201L), as illustrated in figure 17 and as mentioned at paragraph 115, and
the discharge ports (18, 18R, 218A, 218B) corresponding to the coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H) arranged in the lower tier (201L) are disposed at a vertical direction of the slope parts corresponding to the coin hoppers (10H, 100H, 50H, 500H) arranged in the upper tier (201U) as illustrated in figure 17, for example.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et al (US 2003/0148729 A1) in view of Park et al (US 10,342,363 B2), further in view of Deglau (US 5,176,238) and further in view of MacKay et al (US 11,972,654 B2).
Regarding Claim 4, Abe teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 4, Abe does not expressly teach
wherein the second door has recessed parts at positions corresponding to the slope parts, and the slope parts are fitted to the recessed parts when the second door is closed.
Regarding Claim 4, Abe does not expressly teach, but MacKay teaches
wherein the second door, i.e., rear cover (326) as illustrated in figure 4, has recessed parts, i.e., construed as being concave structures such as vertical channels/retaining structures (404a-404d), at positions corresponding to the slope parts, i.e., connecting rods (330), as mentioned at col. 11, lines 42-62, and the slope parts (330) are fitted to the recessed parts (404a-404d) when the second door (326) is closed, i.e., interpreted as being fully assembled.
Regarding Claim 4, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided wherein the second door has recessed parts at positions corresponding to the slope parts, and the slope parts are fitted to the recessed parts when the second door is closed, as taught by MacKay, in Abe’s coin handling apparatus, for the purpose of attaching coin chutes to the partition plates, first and second doors to create a single assembly, as is well known in the coin handling art.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et al (US 2003/0148729 A1) in view of Park et al (US 10,342,363 B2), further in view of Deglau (US 5,176,238) and further in view of Ikuta Yoshiaki et al (US 4,558,711), a.k.a., “Ikuta”.
Regarding Claim 6, Abe teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 6, Abe does not expressly teach
further comprising:
a first belt arranged below the coin hoppers and conveying the coins discharged from the coin hoppers;
a second belt arranged with inclination, receiving the coins from the first belt and conveying the coins to a higher position than a height where the first belt is arranged; and
a dispensing port from which the coins delivered from the second belt are dispensed.
Regarding Claim 6, Abe does not expressly teach, but Ikuta teaches
further comprising:
a first belt, i.e., conveyor belt (53a), as illustrated in figure 1 and as mentioned at col. 4, line 59-col. 5, line 10, arranged below the coin hoppers, i.e., coin tubes/cylinders (45) and conveying the coins discharged from the coin hoppers (45) as illustrated in figure 1;
a second belt, i.e., conveyor belt (53b) arranged with inclination, as illustrated in figure 1, receiving the coins from the first belt (53a) and conveying the coins to a higher position than a height where the first belt (53a) is arranged; and
a dispensing port, i.e., coin receiving unit (13) and opening (14), from which the coins delivered from the second belt (53b) are dispensed, as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 6, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided further comprising:
a first belt arranged below the coin hoppers and conveying the coins discharged from the coin hoppers;
a second belt arranged with inclination, receiving the coins from the first belt and conveying the coins to a higher position than a height where the first belt is arranged; and
a dispensing port from which the coins delivered from the second belt are dispensed, as taught by Ikuta, in Abe’s coin handling apparatus, for the purpose of directing coins from a lower dispensed are to a higher output port, based upon the footprint of the device desired, as is well known in the coin handling art.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et al (US 2003/0148729 A1) in view of Umeda (US 2019/0073851 A1).
Regarding Claim 7 Abe teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 7, Abe does not expressly teach
wherein a base fixing the coin hopper so as to be attachable/detachable is provided inside the case,
the base has a standing part on a side facing the door,
the coin hopper includes a spring biasing the standing part and a stopper arranged on the back side and advances/retreats,
the base has an engaging part at a position corresponding to the stopper, and
the coin hopper is biased by the spring in a direction apart from the standing part, and the coin hopper is fixed to the base in a state where the stopper inserted into the engaging part abuts on a surface of the engaging part on the door side.
Regarding Claims 7, Abe does not expressly teach, but Umeda teaches
wherein a base (234) fixing the coin hopper (232) so as to be attachable/detachable is provided inside the case, i.e., housing (102), as illustrated in figures 1, 11 and 14,
the base (234) has a standing part, i.e., electrical connector (254, 254F, 254M), or denomination pin (268), as illustrated in figure 14, on a side facing the door,
the coin hopper (232) includes a spring, i.e., elastic body (not shown), as mentioned at paragraph 127, second sentence, biasing the standing part and a stopper (282) arranged on the back side and advances/retreats, i.e., interpreted as moving left and right, as illustrated in figure 14,
the base (234) has an engaging part, i.e., stopper hole (286), at a position corresponding to the stopper (282), and
the coin hopper (232) is biased by the spring in a direction apart from the standing part (254, 254F, 254M, 268), i.e., in direction (B) as indicated by the arrow in figure 14 pointing to the left, and the coin hopper (232) is fixed to the base (234) in a state where the stopper (282) inserted into the engaging part (286) abuts on a surface of the engaging part (286) on the door side, i.e., interpreted as the direction towards the left in the direction of (B).
Note that it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. See In re Einstein, 8 USPQ 167.
Note that it would have been obvious as a matter of design choice to have caused the engaging part to abut on a surface of the engaging part on the door side based upon the most expedient location for the stopper and based upon which direction the hopper will be removed, i.e., towards the opening covered by the door.
Regarding Claim 7, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided wherein a base fixing the coin hopper so as to be attachable/detachable is provided inside the case,
the base has a standing part on a side facing the door,
the coin hopper includes a spring biasing the standing part and a stopper arranged on the back side and advances/retreats,
the base has an engaging part at a position corresponding to the stopper, and
the coin hopper is biased by the spring in a direction apart from the standing part, and the coin hopper is fixed to the base in a state where the stopper inserted into the engaging part abuts on a surface of the engaging part on the door side, as taught by Umeda, in Abe’s coin handling apparatus, for the purpose of further enabling movement of the coin hoppers for access for maintenance such as clearing coin jams, for example.
Claim(s) 8 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et al (US 2003/0148729 A1) in view of Park et al (US 10,342,363 B2) and further in view of Umeda (US 2019/0073851 A1).
Regarding Claims 8 and 11, Abe teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 8, see the rejection of Claim 7, above.
Regarding Claim 11, see the rejection of Claim 7, above.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et al (US 2003/0148729 A1) in view of Park et al (US 10,342,363 B2), further in view of Deglau (US 5,176,238) and further in view of Umeda (US 2019/0073851 A1).
Regarding Claims 9, Abe teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 9, see the rejection of Claim 7, above.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et al (US 2003/0148729 A1) in view of Park et al (US 10,342,363 B2), further in view of Deglau (US 5,176,238), further in view of MacKay et al (US 11,972,654 B2) and further in view of Umeda (US 2019/0073851 A1).
Regarding Claims 10, Abe teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 10, see the rejection of Claim 7, above.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe et al (US 2003/0148729 A1) in view of Park et al (US 10,342,363 B2), further in view of Deglau (US 5,176,238), further in view of Ikuta Yoshiaki et al (US 4,558,711), a.k.a., “Ikuta” and further in view of Umeda (US 2019/0073851 A1).
Regarding Claims 12, Abe teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 12, see the rejection of Claim 7, above.
Conclusion
Applicant is encouraged to contact the Examiner should there be any questions about this rejection or in an endeavor to explore potential amendments or potential allowable subject matter.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mann ‘679 is cited as teaching a door, i.e., front face of cabinet (1a) with front face (5a) of cabinet (2a) with upper door (2) as illustrated in figures 1 and 3a, for example.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEFFREY ALAN SHAPIRO whose telephone number is (571)272-6943. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday generally between 8:30AM and 6:30PM.
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, Anita Y Coupe can be reached at 571-270-3614. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JEFFREY A SHAPIRO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
November 29, 2025