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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 2/24/2023, 7/11/2023, 7/13/2023, and 7/14/2025. 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 § 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.
Claim(s) 2 and 4-9 is/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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites “four regions” in line 2 and “two regions” in line 3. Claim 1 recites “two regions in a front-rear direction” in line 11. It is unclear if the two regions recited in claim 2, line 3 refer to the two regions recited in claim 1, line 11, or additional regions. Furthermore, it is unclear if the four regions recited in claim 2, line 2 include the two regions recited in claim 1, line 11, or additional regions. For examination purposes, “four regions” is interpreted to include the two regions recited in claim 1, line 11 and “two regions” is interpreted to refer to the two regions recited in claim 1, line 11.
Claim 4 recites “four regions” in line 2, “two regions” in line 3, and “three other regions” in line 11. Claim 1 recites “two regions in a front-rear direction” in line 11. It is unclear if the two regions recited in claim 4, line 3 refer to the two regions recited in claim 1, line 11, or additional regions. Furthermore, it is unclear if the four regions recited in claim 4, line 2 include the two regions recited in claim 1, line 11, or additional regions. Additionally, it is unclear if the three other regions of claim 4, line 11 are a part of the four regions recited in claim 4, line 2, or additional regions. For examination purposes, “four regions” is interpreted to include the two regions recited in claim 1, line 11, “two regions” is interpreted to refer to the two regions recited in claim 1, line 11, and “three other regions” is interpreted to be a part of the four regions recited in claim 4, line 2.
Claim 5 recites “the vicinity” in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the vicinity” is interpreted to read --a vicinity--.
Claim 6 recites “the concave portion” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the concave portion” is interpreted to read --a concave portion--.
Claim 6 recites “the inclined portion” in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the inclined portion” is interpreted to read --an inclined portion--.
Claim 6 recites “the well portion” in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the well portion” is interpreted to read --a well portion--.
Claim 7 recites “the well portion” in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the well portion” is interpreted to read --a well portion--.
Claim 7 recites “the side wall” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the side wall” is interpreted to read --a side wall--.
Claim 7 recites “the concave portion” in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the concave portion” is interpreted to read --a concave portion--.
Claim 8 recites “the inclined portion” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the inclined portion” is interpreted to read --an inclined portion--.
Claim 8 recites “the top edge” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the top edge” is interpreted to read --a top edge--.
Claim 8 recites “the well portion” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the well portion” is interpreted to read --a well portion--.
Claim 8 recites “the rear side of the well portion” in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the rear side of the well portion” is interpreted to read --a rear side of the well portion--.
Claim 9 recites “the concave portion” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the concave portion” is interpreted to read --a concave portion--.
Claim 9 recites “the well portion” in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, “the well portion” is interpreted to read --a well portion--.
Any remaining dependent claim(s) are indefinite insofar as they depend on a rejected base claim.
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) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Urata (US 10072407).
Regarding claim 1, Urata discloses a flush toilet (1) that is flushed with flush water supplied from a flush water supply source (6) to discharge waste, the flush toilet comprising:
a bowl (2) that receives waste, the bowl including:
a bowl-shaped waste receiving surface (portion of 20 forming 36),
a rim (22) formed above the waste receiving surface (see Fig. 3),
a spouting port (28, 30) that is formed in the rim and that spouts flush water, and
a pooled water portion (26) formed below the waste receiving surface (see Fig. 3), the pooled water portion having a front region (a front region of 26) on a front side and a rear region (a rear region of 26) on a rear side that are obtained by dividing the pooled water portion into two regions in a front-rear direction (see Fig. 2-3), the flush toilet including a configuration where a ratio of an inflow flow rate of flush water into the front region of the pooled water portion in a second half of flushing period in a flushing period to "a total inflow flow rate of flush water into the pooled water portion" is larger than a ratio of an inflow flow rate of flush water into the front region of the pooled water portion in a first half of flushing period to "the total inflow flow rate of flush water into the pooled water portion" (a ratio of F15 to the total inflow rate of flush water of 26 during the second half of a flushing period is larger than a ratio of F15 to the total inflow rate of flush water of 26 during a first half of a flushing period as the flow components towards 26 increase; col. 8, ll. 35-48; col. 10, ll. 10-30).
Regarding claim 2, Urata discloses the pooled water portion is divided into four regions (four regions of 26 when split along line C-C and a horizontal line taken at 28, Fig. 12) by a front-rear center line (horizontal line taken at 28, Fig. 12) that divides the pooled water portion into two regions (front and rear regions of 26) of the front region and the rear region in the front-rear direction (see Fig. 12), and a left-right center line (line C-C) that divides the pooled water portion into two regions of a right region (a right region of 26) and a left region (a left region of 26) in a left-right direction (see Fig. 12), and
in the first half of flushing period, a main flow (F3) of flush water that is formed on the waste receiving surface flows (F9-F14) into the front region and/or the rear region of either region of the right region and the left region (F9-F14 flows into F15) that is located downstream in a circulating direction (circulation direction of F1) of flush water (see Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 3, Urata discloses the waste receiving surface of the bowl comprises a concave portion (36) formed in a fan shape (see Fig. 4) that spreads from a front portion of the waste receiving surface toward the rear side (along 36b) in a planar view (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 4, Urata discloses the pooled water portion is divided into four regions (four regions of 26 when split along line C-C and a horizontal line taken at 28, Fig. 12) by a front-rear center line (horizontal line taken at 28, Fig. 12) that divides the pooled water portion into two regions (front and rear regions of 26) of the front region and the rear region in the front-rear direction (see Fig. 12), and a left-right center line (line C-C) that divides the pooled water portion into two regions of a right region (a right region of 26) and a left region (left region of 26) in a left-right direction (see Fig. 12), and
a ratio of an inflow flow rate of flush water into the front region (F15) in either region of the right region and the left region in the second half of flushing period to "the total inflow flow rate of flush water into the pooled water portion" is larger than a ratio of each of inflow flow rates of flush water into three other regions to "the total inflow flow rate of flush water into the pooled water portion" (a ratio of F15 into the right or left region of 26 during a second half of a flushing period is larger than a ratio of the inflow flow rates of flush water into each of the individual regions of 26 as the flow components towards 26 increase; col. 8, ll. 35-48; col. 10, ll. 10-30; see Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 5, Urata discloses the bowl comprises a well portion (26, portion of 14 excluding 36) that forms the pooled water portion (see Fig. 2-4),
the flush toilet further comprising a discharge trap conduit (18) connected to a bottom of the well portion (see Fig. 2-4), wherein the waste receiving surface comprises a concave portion (36) formed in a region from a front portion of the waste receiving surface to a side portion (side portion of 26 and 14) of the well portion (see Fig. 2-4),
the well portion comprises a side wall (side wall of 26 and 14) that rises vertically (see Fig. 3) and a front wall (front wall of 26 extending to 26a) that rises vertically (see Fig. 3),
the side wall comprises an inclined portion (inclined portion extending from 26a along 14, see Fig. 3) inclined so that a height of a top edge (edge of the inclined portion extending from 26a along 14) decreases toward front (see Fig. 3), and
the inclined portion extends forward from the vicinity of a rear end of the concave portion (see Fig. 3-4).
Regarding claim 6, Urata discloses a lowermost portion (36b extending to 26a) of the concave portion of the waste receiving surface is disposed below an uppermost portion (uppermost portion of 26 extending to 14) of the inclined portion of the well portion (see Fig. 3-4).
Regarding claim 7, Urata discloses the well portion further comprises an inducing portion (a rear portion of 26 and the portion of 14 excluding 36) in which a height of a top edge of the side wall (a height of the top edge near 24 is constant) is constant behind a rear end (a rear end of 36) of the concave portion (36, see Fig. 3-4).
Regarding claim 8, Urata discloses an uppermost portion (uppermost portion of 26 rising to 14) of the inclined portion of the top edge of the well portion is formed in front of a rear wall (rear wall of 26) on the rear side of the well portion (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 9, Urata discloses a maximum value of a lateral width of the concave portion (36) is smaller than a maximum value of a lateral width of the well portion (26, portion of 14 excluding 36) in a planar view (a maximum lateral width of 36 is smaller than a maximum lateral width of 26 and the portion of 14 excluding 36, see Fig. 2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record in the PTO-892 form and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hashimoto (US 10344464) is directed to the state of the art as disclosing a flush toilet including a rim portion (18), a discharge trap pipe (12), a rim spout port (24), a bowl portion (8), a waste receiving surface (16), a well portion (20), and a concave portion (40).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM R KLOTZ whose telephone number is (571)272-0274. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 11AM-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David P Angwin can be reached at (571)270-3735. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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WILLIAM R. KLOTZ
Examiner
Art Unit 3754
/DAVID P ANGWIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3754