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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 12-15, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2016/0348929) in view of Feldstein (US 7,552,914) and Hsu (US 2008/0128926).
With regards to claim 1, Lee et al. teaches a humidifier (1) capable of the intended use of humidifying room air comprising: a housing (10); a water tank (3) in the housing, said water tank defining a reservoir for containing water (stores water inside); a water filter (filter assembly 4) in the housing and configured to capture dissolved solids contained in the water as water passes through the water filter (can remove organic matter, minerals, and the like and may use reverse osmosis or nanofiltration; para [0066]); a humidification chamber (chamber about the humidifying pad 20) positioned adjacent an outlet (outflow port 11) of said housing, said humidification chamber being able to generate a water mist from the water (if enough air flow goes through the chamber a mist can be generated into the air flowing past the wet pad); a motorized fan (fan assembly 6 includes a motor 61 and fan 60; para [0076]) operable to create a flow of air moving from the humidification chamber to an exterior of the housing (through inlet 12, past the pads 20 in the humidification chamber, and out the outlet 11); a pump (5) configured to drive water from the reservoir (inside tank 3), through the water filter (4) and then into the humidification chamber; and a control system (control unit) operable to control the pump and fan and the humidification chamber to generate the water mist and to cause the water mist to be entrained in the flow of air moving from the humidification chamber to the exterior of the housing (by controlling the pump and fan this occurs) (para [0166]; [0175] and others) (para [0060]; fig 1-4A).
Lee et al. does not teach a UV light source as claimed. Feldstein teaches a humidifier and teaches filtering the water which can then be further sterilized by a UV sterilizer (abstract; column 4, lines 41-56). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have added a UV sterilizer (light source) in order to further purify and sterilize the water after filtration.
The combination results in an ultraviolet light source (UV sterilizer) configured to kill pathogens contained in the water as they are exposed to the UV light source (the function of the sterilizer). Additionally the pump would drive the water through a region exposed to light from the UV light source as claimed.
The combination does not expressly state that the control system controls the operation of the UV light source; however, Lee et al. teaches a controller for the whole system and thus it would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to control the UV light with the controller as well in order to automate the whole system.
In the instance the applicant disagrees the humidification chamber is capable of forming a mist it is additionally presented that Hsu teaches a humidifier and teaches that an ultrasonic vibrator with a piezoelectric can vibrate a wick in order to eject a water mist into the air to humidify it (para [0018]; abstract). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have added a vibrator as taught by Hsu in order to help add water to the air from the wick/pad 20. The combination results in forming the claimed mist. It would be obvious to control the vibrator with the controller in order to automate the system.
With regards to claim 2, Lee et al. teaches that the water tank (3) is located at or near a bottom of the housing and the humidification chamber is located at or near the top of the housing (fig 4A). Lee et al, however, teaches the pump between the filter and water tank and not the filter between the pump and water tank as claimed. Feldstein places the filter (11) between the water source (5) and the pump (12) (fig 1). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have placed the filter before or after the pump as both are taught in the prior art as possible options and motivated by an expectation of successfully providing purified water to a humidifier.
With regards to claim 3, Feldstein as discussed in claim 1 teaches placing the UV light after the filtration. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have placed the UV light anywhere along the supply path after the filter including between the filter and pump motivated by an expectation of successfully providing purified and sterilized water to a humidifier.
With regards to claim 4, Lee et al. further comprises an air filter in the housing (in front of filter pad 20), wherein the motorized fan is positioned to draw air through the air filter and to the humidification chamber (para [0065]).
With regards to claim 5, the housing comprises a plurality of openings in a wall of the housing (intake 12 shown with multiple openings; fig 1) and adjacent the filter, and the motorized fan is positioned to draw ambient air into the housing through the openings in the wall, through the air filter, and to the humidification chamber (the taught function and flow path).
With regards to claim 6, Lee et al. teaches filter, humidification chamber, fan instead of the claimed order of filter, fan, humidification chamber. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have placed the fan at other locations along the desired flow path including between the filter and humidification chamber motivated by an expectation of successfully delivering the desired filtered air to the humidification chamber.
With regards to claim 7, Lee et al. does not teach the humidification chamber arrangement as claimed. Hsu teaches a humidification chamber that has a piezoelectric element (ultrasonic vibrator 3) and a wick member (22) below the piezoelectric element and extending into an adjacent water reservoir (bottom of chamber) (abstract; fig 2; para [0018]). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have substituted one humidification chamber arrangement for another motivated by an expectation of successfully humidifying air.
Hsu does not specify that the piezoelectric element is a disc. It is shown as a flat plate (fig 3). A persona having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have used a disc shaped piezoelectric element motivated by an expectation of successfully providing the desired vibration (shape being a design choice).
Hsu does not teach a plurality of wicks. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have duplicated the number of wicks in order to achieve the desired amount of water transport by capillary action for the desired humidification.
With regards to claim 12, a person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have shaped the housing as desired motivated by an expectation of successfully providing the taught device. MPEP 2144.04 IV B.
With regards to claim 13, Lee et al. teaches a humidifier (1) capable of the intended use of humidifying room air comprising: a housing (10); a water tank (3) in the housing, said water tank defining a reservoir for containing water (stores water inside); a water filter (filter assembly 4) in the housing and configured to capture dissolved solids contained in the water as water passes through the water filter (can remove organic matter, minerals, and the like and may use reverse osmosis or nanofiltration; para [0066]); a humidification chamber (chamber about the humidifying pad 20) positioned adjacent an outlet (outflow port 11) of said housing, said humidification chamber being able to generate a water mist from the water (if enough air flow goes through the chamber a mist can be generated into the air flowing past the wet pad); a motorized fan (fan assembly 6 includes a motor 61 and fan 60; para [0076]) operable to create a flow of air moving from the humidification chamber to an exterior of the housing (through inlet 12, past the pads 20 in the humidification chamber, and out the outlet 11); a pump (5) configured to drive water from the reservoir (inside tank 3), through the water filter (4) and then into the humidification chamber; and a control system (control unit) operable to control the pump and fan and the humidification chamber to generate the water mist and to cause the water mist to be entrained in the flow of air moving from the humidification chamber to the exterior of the housing (by controlling the pump and fan this occurs) (para [0166]; [0175] and others) (para [0060]; fig 1-4A).
Lee et al. does not teach a UV light source as claimed. Feldstein teaches a humidifier and teaches filtering the water which can then be further sterilized by a UV sterilizer (abstract; column 4, lines 41-56). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have added a UV sterilizer (light source) in order to further purify and sterilize the water after filtration.
The combination results in an ultraviolet light source (UV sterilizer) configured to kill pathogens contained in the water as they are exposed to the UV light source (the function of the sterilizer). Additionally the pump would drive the water through a region exposed to light from the UV light source as claimed.
The combination does not expressly state that the control system controls the operation of the UV light source; however, Lee et al. teaches a controller for the whole system and thus it would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to control the UV light with the controller as well in order to automate the whole system.
As to the first through fourth tubes, Lee et al. shows tubes connecting a flow path between all the components (fig 4a). The combination above would seemingly result in a flow path of reservoir to pump to filter to UV to humidification chamber instead of the claimed reservoir to filter to UV to pump to humidification chamber. The difference being the pump before the filter instead of after the UV light.
Feldstein places the filter (11) between the water source (5) and the pump (12) (fig 1). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have placed the filter before or after the pump as both are taught in the prior art as possible options and motivated by an expectation of successfully providing purified water to a humidifier.
Feldstein as discussed above teaches placing the UV light after the filtration. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have placed the UV light anywhere along the supply path after the filter including between the filter and pump motivated by an expectation of successfully providing purified and sterilized water to a humidifier.
The combination results in the four tubes connected as claimed.
In the instance the applicant disagrees the humidification chamber is capable of forming a mist it is additionally presented that Hsu teaches a humidifier and teaches that an ultrasonic vibrator with a piezoelectric can vibrate a wick in order to eject a water mist into the air to humidify it (para [0018]; abstract). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have added a vibrator as taught by Hsu in order to help add water to the air from the wick/pad 20. The combination results in forming the claimed mist. It would be obvious to control the vibrator with the controller in order to automate the system.
With regards to claim 14, Lee et al. teaches a fifth tube (flow passage 33) leading from the humidification chamber back to the reservoir (fig 4a).
With regards to claim 15, Lee et al. further comprises an air filter in the housing (in front of filter pad 20), wherein the motorized fan is positioned to draw air through the air filter and to the humidification chamber (para [0065]).
With regards to claim 18, the housing comprises a plurality of openings in a wall of the housing (intake 12 shown with multiple openings; fig 1) and adjacent the filter, and the motorized fan is positioned to draw ambient air into the housing through the openings in the wall, through the air filter, and to the humidification chamber (the taught function and flow path).
With regards to claim 19, Lee et al. teaches a humidifier (1) capable of the intended use of humidifying room air comprising: a housing (10); a water tank (3) in the housing, said water tank defining a reservoir for containing water (stores water inside); a water filter (filter assembly 4) downstream from the water tank in the housing and configured to capture dissolved solids contained in the water as water passes through the water filter (can remove organic matter, minerals, and the like and may use reverse osmosis or nanofiltration; para [0066]); a humidification chamber (chamber about the humidifying pad 20) positioned adjacent an outlet (outflow port 11) of said housing, said humidification chamber being able to generate a water mist from the water (if enough air flow goes through the chamber a mist can be generated into the air flowing past the wet pad); a motorized fan (fan assembly 6 includes a motor 61 and fan 60; para [0076]) operable to create a flow of air moving from the humidification chamber to an exterior of the housing (through inlet 12, past the pads 20 in the humidification chamber, and out the outlet 11); a pump (5) upstream of the humidification chamber configured to drive water from the reservoir (inside tank 3), through the water filter (4) and then into the humidification chamber; and a control system (control unit) operable to control the pump and fan and the humidification chamber to generate the water mist and to cause the water mist to be entrained in the flow of air moving from the humidification chamber to the exterior of the housing (by controlling the pump and fan this occurs) (para [0166]; [0175] and others) (para [0060]; fig 1-4A).
Lee et al. does not teach a UV light source as claimed. Feldstein teaches a humidifier and teaches filtering the water which can then be further sterilized by a UV sterilizer (downstream of the filter) (abstract; column 4, lines 41-56). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have added a UV sterilizer (light source) downstream of the filter in order to further purify and sterilize the water after filtration.
The combination results in an ultraviolet light source (UV sterilizer) configured to kill pathogens contained in the water as they are exposed to the UV light source (the function of the sterilizer). Additionally the pump would drive the water through a region exposed to light from the UV light source as claimed.
The combination does not expressly state that the control system controls the operation of the UV light source; however, Lee et al. teaches a controller for the whole system and thus it would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to control the UV light with the controller as well in order to automate the whole system.
Lee et al, however, teaches the pump between the filter and water tank and not the filter between the pump and water tank as claimed. Feldstein places the filter (11) between the water source (5) and the pump (12) (fig 1). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have placed the filter before or after the pump as both are taught in the prior art as possible options and motivated by an expectation of successfully providing purified water to a humidifier.
In the instance the applicant disagrees the humidification chamber is capable of forming a mist it is additionally presented that Hsu teaches a humidifier and teaches that an ultrasonic vibrator with a piezoelectric can vibrate a wick in order to eject a water mist into the air to humidify it (para [0018]; abstract). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have added a vibrator as taught by Hsu in order to help add water to the air from the wick/pad 20. The combination results in forming the claimed mist. It would be obvious to control the vibrator with the controller in order to automate the system.
With regards to claim 20, Lee et al. further comprises an air filter in the housing (in front of filter pad 20), wherein the motorized fan is positioned to draw air through the air filter and to the humidification chamber (para [0065]).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2016/0348929) in view of Feldstein (US 7,552,914) and Hsu (US 2008/0128926) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Fitsch et al. (US 2016/0138818).
With regards to claim 8, the combination does not specify that the UV light is UVC light. Fitsch et al. teaches a humidifier with UV light sterilizer and that UVC light is preferable (para [0027], [0037]). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have made the UV light be UVC light as it is taught as a preferred range for UV sterilization.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2016/0348929) in view of Feldstein (US 7,552,914) and Hsu (US 2008/0128926) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Zhang “The perks of being purely inorganic”.
With regards to claim 9, Lee et al. teaches that the filter can remove ions (para [0067]). Felstein also teaches using a deionization filter (column 4, lines 32-40). Neither specifies using an inorganic filter material for the deionization filter.
Zhang teaches benefits of using an inorganic deionization filter material over a traditional organic one including more durable (endurance of operating conditions) and less bacterial contamination (less contamination). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have used an inorganic material in order to provide a durable and less bacterially contaminated ion exchange filter to remove the ions as desired.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2016/0348929) in view of Feldstein (US 7,552,914) and Hsu (US 2008/0128926) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Cordis (US 2,963,035).
With regards to claim 10, the combination does not specify that the pump is a peristaltic constant displacement pump. Cordis teaches a fluid apparatus and teaches using a peristaltic constant displacement pump (column 1, line 72 to column 2, line 4). The device is inexpensive and rugged (column 1, lines 46-48). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have used a peristaltic constant displacement pump in order to provide a pump that is inexpensive and rugged that provides fluid at a constant rate and the fluid does not go through complex pump parts (it is in a tube that is compressed to pump).
Claim(s) 11, 16, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2016/0348929) in view of Feldstein (US 7,552,914) and Hsu (US 2008/0128926) as applied to claim 1 and 13 above and further in view of Lev et al. (US 2011/0221078).
With regards to claim 11, Lee et al. teaches conduits between the various components (fig 4d). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have used tubing to connect the components of the humidifier in order to successfully transport the water as taught. Lee et al. does not specify that the tubing is made of plastic having an antimicrobial additive.
Lev et al. teaches using a plastic resin including an antimicrobial additive in order to prevent bacteria buildup in a humidifier (para [0024]). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have made components of the humidifier in contact with the water such as the reservoir and tubing connections out of plastic with antimicrobial additive in order to prevent bacterial build up in the humidifier.
With regards to claims 16 and 17, Lee et al. does not teach that the tubes and water tank are made of plastic with an antimicrobial additive. Lev et al. teaches using a plastic resin including an antimicrobial additive in order to prevent bacteria buildup in a humidifier (para [0024]). A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have made components of the humidifier in contact with the water such as the reservoir and tubing connections out of plastic with antimicrobial additive in order to prevent bacterial build up in the humidifier.
Conclusion
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/DONALD R SPAMER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1799