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 .
Status of the claims
Claim(s) 1, 16 is/are amended. Currently claims 1-20 are pending in this application and claims 7-8, 10, 20 are withdrawn.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cox (2225859) in view of Manthey (1318217) further in view of Hecker (1379562).
Regarding claim 1, Cox, discloses a fluid supply device comprising: a tube 19,20 comprising a flexible material and configured to allow a fluid to flow through the tube; a housing 10 comprising a storage space configured to store at least a portion of the tube, and an outlet (opening at 21) which allows the tube to extend from the storage space; a support portion 29,27,30 configured to support at least a portion of the tube in the storage space, and configured to move from an initial position of the support portion towards the outlet based on a degree of extension of the tube from the outlet; and a position maintaining portion 31 connected to the support portion and configured to apply a restoring force (col 2, line 30-40) to the support portion to return the support portion to the initial position.
Cox fails to disclose support portion having openings such that the tube passes through openings formed in the support portion. Manthey teaches a support portion similar to Cox’s support 16 having straps 22 forming openings between grooves of support 16 and strap such that the tube passes through openings formed in the support portion.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed by Cox with support portion having openings formed by straps such that the tube passes through openings formed in the support portion as taught by Manthey in order to improve securing of tube on the support.
Cox fails to disclose a plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices which are fluidically isolated from each other preventing mixing. Hecker, teaches a fluidic device 7-22 with reel which is part of plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices 7,8,11,25,24 which is fluidically isolated from other fluidic devices 8,25,24 to preventing mixing.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed by Cox with plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices which are fluidically isolated from each other preventing mixing as taught by Hecker in order to enable supplying multiple fluids.
As to claim 2, a fixing portion 28 is configured to support at least a portion of the tube in a fixed position (at top) in the storage space, wherein the fixing portion and the support portion are configured to support different portions of the tube, respectively.
As to claim 3, the support portion 27,29 is configured to move towards (upward) the fixing portion 28 while the tube is being pulled out through the outlet (opening at 21).
As to claim 5, the support portion 27,29 is disposed lower than the outlet (opening at 21) from a ground.
As to claim 6, when the tube is pulled out though the outlet (opening at 21), the support portion 27 rises from the initial position in a direction opposite to a direction of gravity, and the position maintaining portion 31 is configured to apply a force to the support portion in the direction of gravity (weight oof 31).
As to claim 11, a guide rail 12,12a provided in the storage space and configured to guide a movement of the support portion 27,29 (Fig 4).
As to claim 12, a dispenser head 20-45 is connected to a first end portion of the tube 19; and a mounting portion 21 which is provided on an outer surface of the housing and on which the dispenser head is mounted.
As to claim 13, a guide member (surfaces of rollers 21) disposed at the outlet and configured to reduce a frictional force caused by a movement of the tube through the outlet (opening at 21).
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 11, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hale (1493936) in view of Hecker (1379562).
Regarding claim 1, Hale discloses fluid supply device comprising: a tube 22-10 comprising a flexible material and configured to allow a fluid to flow through the tube; a housing 1 comprising a storage space configured to store at least a portion of the tube, and an outlet 13 which allows the tube to extend from the storage space; a support portion (9 and inner wall portion of 7) configured to support at least a portion of the tube in the storage space, and configured to move from an initial position of the support portion towards the outlet based on a degree of extension of the tube from the outlet; and a position maintaining portion (outer wall portion of 7) connected to the support portion and configured to apply a restoring force (col 2 line 100-110) to the support portion to return the support portion to the initial position.
Hale fails to disclose a plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices which are fluidically isolated from each other preventing mixing. Hecker, teaches a fluidic device 7-22 with reel which is part of plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices 7,8,11,25,24 which is fluidically isolated from other fluidic devices 8,25,24 to preventing mixing.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed by Hale with plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices which are fluidically isolated from each other preventing mixing as taught by Hecker in order to enable supplying multiple fluids.
As to claim 2, a fixing portion 11,12 configured to support at least a portion of the tube 10 in a fixed position in the storage space, wherein the fixing portion and the support portion are configured to support different portions of the tube, respectively.
As to claim 4, wherein a height of a portion of the tube supported by the fixing portion 11,12 from a ground is equal to a height of the outlet 12 from the ground.
As to claim 11, a guide rail 8,8,25a provided in the storage space and configured to guide a movement of the support portion 9.
As to claim 15, the housing further comprises an opening (at 20) provided on an outer surface of the housing and through which the tube extends from the storage space to an outside, wherein the opening (at 20) is at a same height as the outlet 13 from a ground.
Claim(s) 1, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pillin et al (GB 590766 A) in view of Hecker (1379562).
As to claim 1, Pillin (Fig. 3,4) discloses fluid supply device comprising: a tube 11 comprising a flexible material and configured to allow a fluid to flow through the tube; a housing 1 comprising a storage space configured to store at least a portion of the tube, and an outlet 21 (when flow is from right to left) which allows the tube to extend from the storage space; a support portion 51 configured to support at least a portion of the tube in the storage space, and configured to move from an initial position of the support portion towards the outlet based on a degree of extension of the tube from the outlet; and a position maintaining portion 53,60,59-to-41,61 connected to the support portion and configured to apply a restoring force to the support portion to return the support portion to the initial position.
Pillin fails to disclose a plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices which are fluidically isolated from each other preventing mixing. Hecker, teaches a fluidic device 7-22 with reel which is part of plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices 7,8,11,25,24 which is fluidically isolated from other fluidic devices 8,25,24 to preventing mixing.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed by Pillin with plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices which are fluidically isolated from each other preventing mixing as taught by Hecker in order to enable supplying multiple fluids.
As to claim 9, the position maintaining portion 53,60,59-41,61 comprises: a rotating member 37,58 configured to rotate; a tension member 59 wound around the rotating member and connected to the support portion; and an actuator 41,38 connected to the rotating member and configured to rotate the rotating member 37,58 to return the support portion to the initial position.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cox (2225859) in view of Manthey (1318217) and Hecker (1379562) further in view of Alig et al (20170347520).
Cox fails to disclose sensor configured to sense a movement of the tube. Alig, teaches (Para 8) teaches a sensing mechanism to detect movement of a retractable tube (drag hose).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed by Cox with a sensor configured to sense a movement of the tube as taught by Alig in order to provide system monitoring.
Claim(s) 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cox (2225859) in view of Manthey (1318217) and Hecker (1379562) further in view of Walther (20190359476).
Regarding claim(s) 16, Cox discloses fluid supply system comprising: fluid supply device configured to supply a fluid, wherein fluid supply device comprises: a tube 19 comprising a flexible material, and configured to allow the fluid to flow through the tube; a dispenser head 20-45 connected to an end portion of the tube; a housing 10 comprising a storage space configured to store at least a portion of the tube, and an outlet (opening at 21) which allows the tube to extend from the storage space or retracted into the storage space from an outside; a support portion 27,29,30 configured to support a portion of the tube in the storage space, and configured to move based on a degree of extension of the tube from the outlet; and a position maintaining portion 31 connected to the support portion and configured to apply a restoring force (col 2, line 30-40) to the support portion to return a portion of the tube pulled out to the outside is retracted into the storage space.
Cox fails to disclose support portion having openings such that the tube passes through openings formed in the support portion. Manthey teaches a support portion similar to Cox’s support 16 having straps 22 forming openings between grooves of support 16 and strap such that the tube passes through openings formed in the support portion.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed by Cox with support portion having openings formed by straps such that the tube passes through openings formed in the support portion as taught by Manthey in order to improve securing of tube on the support.
Cox fails to disclose a plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices which are fluidically isolated from each other preventing mixing. Hecker, teaches a fluidic device 7-22 with reel which is part of plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices 7,8,11,25,24 which is fluidically isolated from other fluidic devices 8,25,24 to preventing mixing.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed by Cox with plurality of fluidly independent parallel fluidic devices which are fluidically isolated from each other preventing mixing as taught by Hecker in order to enable supplying multiple fluids.
Cox as modified teaches multiple parallel independent fluid supply devices interconnected with each other in a horizontal direction (in view of Hecker) but fails to disclose plurality of fluid supply devices detachably interconnected with each other. Walther (Fig. 2) teaches a plurality of fluid supply device detachably (by removable fasteners 47) interconnected with each other in a horizontal direction (on horizontal bed of truck) and configured to individually supply a fluid
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed Cox as modified with plurality of fluid supply devices detachably interconnected above as taught by Walther in order to enable disassembly.
As to claim 17, the tube 19 is pulled out from the storage space by an external force, the support portion 27 is configured to move from an initial position of the support portion toward the outlet, and when the external force is released, the support portion is configured to move to the initial position by the restoring force of the position maintaining portion 31.
As to claim 18, the position maintaining portion 30 is configured to apply the restoring force to the support portion through the gravity.
As to claim 19, (in view of Walther the plurality of fluid supply devices each has) a fixing portion 28 positioned in the storage space and configured to support at least a portion of the tube at a different position from the support portion 27, and the fixing portion is configured to support the tube in a fixed position in the storage space.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendment has overcome the rejection of record. However, a new ground of rejection is applied to the amended claims. Hecker is cited to show prior art teaching/incorporation of multiple fluidically independent non-mixing fluidic devices. Manthey is cited to show teaching of openings in support.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Atif Chaudry at phone number 571-270-3768. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (9:30AM-6:00PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached by phone. Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881, or Craig Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ATIF H CHAUDRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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