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 § 103
The following is a quotation of AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-9, 12, and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roise et al. (US 11648880 B1) in view of Hedrington (US 20050229792).
Regarding claim 1, Roise discloses
A cooking device (grill 101, fig.4), comprising:
a first heating surface (grate 170, fig.8) including a heating element (burners 180, 181, 182, fig.9), the heating element (burners 180, 181, 182) configured to electrically couple with a power source [Col.1, lines 52-55 cited: “…system includes a battery pack for electrically powering the cooking device and/or receiving power from the vehicle electrical system…”];
a configurable surface (bottom surface of cover 120, fig.8); and
a first hinge (hinge brackets 157a, 157b, 157c, fig.8) coupled with the first heating surface (grate 170) and the configurable surface (bottom surface of cover 120).
However, Roise does not disclose a handle coupled with a recess defined by the first heating surface, the handle configured to move, about an axis positioned beneath the first heating surface, between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the handle is positioned at least partially beneath the first heating surface in the stowed position and in the deployed position.
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Hedrington discloses a cooking device (cooking appliance 10, figs.1 and 4), comprising: a handle (handle 16, fig.1) coupled with a recess (elongate slot 54, fig.4) defined by the first heating surface (heating plate 12, fig.1) , the handle (handle 16) configured to move (handle 16), about an axis positioned beneath the first heating surface [Par.0039 cited: “…elongate slot 54 extends along a longitudinal axis of foot portion 50 to permit foot portion 50 of first spaced leg 44 to slide laterally away from heating plate 12…”], between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the handle (handle 16) is positioned at least partially beneath the first heating surface (heating plate 12) in the stowed position and in the deployed position [foot portion 50, fig.4, us positioned beneath the heating plate 12].
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the cooking apparatus of Roise, by including a handle coupled with a recess defined by the first heating surface, the handle configured to move, about an axis positioned beneath the first heating surface, between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the handle is positioned at least partially beneath the first heating surface in the stowed position and in the deployed position, as taught by Hedrington, in order to support the heating plate in the draining position causing a potential hazardous situation if the cooking appliance tips over (Par.0004, Hedrington).
Regarding claim 2, Roise discloses
the hinge (hinge brackets 157a, 157b, 157c, fig.8) configured to fold the heating surface (grate 170, fig.8) with the configurable surface (bottom surface of cover 120, fig.8).
Regarding claim 3, Roise discloses
the power source including a battery (battery of pickup truck, fig.3) of an electric vehicle (pickup truck, fig.3); a cooking module (housing of grill 101, fig.8) configured to couple with the electric vehicle (pickup truck) and the cooking module (housing of grill 101) configured to decouple from the electric vehicle (pickup truck), and the cooking module (housing of grill 101) configured to electrically couple with the battery (battery of pickup truck) of the electric vehicle (pickup truck) and the cooking module (housing of grill 101) configured to electrically decouple from the battery (battery of pickup truck) of the electric vehicle (pickup truck); the cooking module (housing of grill 101) configured to house at least one of the first heating surface (grate 170, fig.8) or the configurable surface (bottom surface of cover 120, fig.8); and the heating surface (grate 170) configured to operate with the cooking module (housing of grill 101) decoupled from the electric vehicle (pickup truck).
Regarding claim 5, Roise discloses
a supporting module (support flange 116, fig.8) configured to rest on a door of an electric vehicle (intended use); and the supporting module (support flange 116) configured to support at least a portion of the apparatus (barbeque grill 101, fig.8).
Regarding claim 7, Roise discloses
a compartment (grill body 140, fig.9) configured to store a component (burners 180, 181, 182, fig.9); and the compartment including a railing (hinge bar 156, fig.9), the railing (hinge bar 156) configured to adjust the compartment (grill body 140) from a first position (closed position) to a second position (opened position), wherein the compartment (grill body 140) is disposed beneath the configurable surface (bottom surface of cover 120, fig.8) with the compartment (grill body 140) in the first position (closed position) and wherein at least a portion of the compartment (grill body 140) extends beyond the configurable surface (bottom surface of cover 120) with the compartment (grill body 140) in the second position (opened position); wherein the component (burners 180, 181, 182) is accessible with the compartment (grill body 140) in the second position (opened position).
Regarding claim 8, Roise discloses
the heating surface (grate 170, fig.8) including: a heating element (burners 180, 181, 182, fig.9) configured to heat at least a portion of the heating surface (grate 170); an input device (burner controls 151, 152, 153, fig.5) configured to adjust an amount of heat produced by the heating element (burners 180, 181, 182); and the input device (burner controls 151, 152, 153) including an optical indicator [burner controls 151, 152, 153, has indicators, fig.5], the optical indicator (indicators) configured to provide an indication of a temperature of the heating surface (grate 170).
Regarding claim 9, Roise discloses
a hook (docking plate 110, fig.5), the hook (docking plate 110) configured to couple the apparatus (barbeque grill 101, fig.8) with an electric vehicle responsive to the hook (docking plate 110) engaging with a latch of the electric vehicle (intended use); and the latch disposed within a door of the electric vehicle (intended use).
Regarding claim 12, Roise discloses
a first configuration (barbeque grill 101, fig.8, opened position), wherein the heating surface (grate 170, fig.8) is accessible with the apparatus (barbeque grill 101) in the first configuration (opened position); and a second configuration (barbeque grill 101, fig.8, closed position), wherein the apparatus (barbeque grill 101) is placed in the second configuration (closed position) responsive to the hinge (hinge brackets 157a, 157b, 157c, fig.8) folding the heating surface (grate 170) with the configurable surface (bottom surface of cover 120); and the apparatus (barbeque grill 101) configured to stow in a vehicle with the apparatus (barbeque grill 101) in the second configuration (closed position).
Regarding claim 21, Roise discloses
a first supporting module (feet 145a, b, c, d, fig.5) coupled to the first heating surface (grate 170, fig.8) configured to rest on a door of an electric vehicle (intended use) with the cooking device (grill 101, fig.4) in a deployed position; and a second supporting module (outer surface of cover 120, fig.8) coupled to the configurable surface (bottom surface of cover 120, fig.8) and configured to rest on the door of the electric vehicle (intended use) with the cooking device in the deployed position (grill 101).
Regarding claim 22, Roise discloses
the first heating surface (grate 170, fig.8) and the configurable surface (bottom surface of cover 120, fig.8) are configured to rest on a door of an electric vehicle (intended use) with the cooking device in a deployed position (grill 101, fig.4).
Claims 10-11 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roise et al. (US 11648880 B1) in view of Hedrington (US 20050229792 A1), and further in view of Jung et al. (US 20210068582 A1).
Regarding claim 10, the modification of Roise and Hedrington discloses substantially all the features as set forth above but does not disclose the heating surface produces heat by at least one of induction heat, conduction heat, convection heat or radiant heat.
Jung discloses an apparatus (cooking device 100, fig.1) comprising: heating surface (heating surface of cooker 150, fig.2) produces heat by at least one of induction heat, conduction heat, convection heat or radiant heat [Par.0067 cited: “…cooker 150 may be a heating device for baking a food material, a steamer used in the cooking process of the food material, or the like. The cooker 150 may be various types of heating means according to a cooking method…”].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at before the effective filling date of the invention to replace burners of Roise, by including induction heat, conduction heat, convection heat or radiant heat, as taught by Jung, in order to provide an automatic electrical heating.
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Regarding claim 11, the modification of Roise and Hedrington discloses substantially all the features as set forth above but does not disclose a data processing system, the data processing system comprising at least one processor, coupled with memory.
Jung discloses an apparatus (cooking device 100, fig.1) comprising: a data processing system (processor 130, memory 140, fig.2), the data processing system (processor 130, memory 140), comprising at least one processor (processor 130), coupled with memory (memory 140).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at before the effective filling date of the invention to modify an apparatus of Roise, by including a data processing system, the data processing system comprising at least one processor, coupled with memory, as taught by Jung, in order detect, via a graphical user interface, an indication to adjust a temperature of the heating surface; and adjust, responsive to the indication, the temperature of the heating surface.
Regarding claim 23, the modification of Roise and Hedrington discloses substantially all the features as set forth above, Roise further discloses a supporting module (feet 145a, b, c, d, fig.5) configured to: rest on a door of an electric vehicle (indented use); and support at least a portion of the cooking device (grill 101, fig.4), but does not disclose the heating surface produces heat by at least one of induction heat, conduction heat, convection heat or radiant heat.
Jung discloses an apparatus (cooking device 100, fig.1) comprising: heating surface (heating surface of cooker 150, fig.2) produces heat by at least one of induction heat, conduction heat, convection heat or radiant heat [Par.0067 cited: “…cooker 150 may be a heating device for baking a food material, a steamer used in the cooking process of the food material, or the like. The cooker 150 may be various types of heating means according to a cooking method…”].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at before the effective filling date of the invention to replace burners of Roise, by including induction heat, conduction heat, convection heat or radiant heat, as taught by Jung, in order to provide an automatic electrical heating.
Response to Amendment/Argument
With respect to prior art Washington et al. (US 20150173480 A1), the applicant’s amendment/argument filed on 08/13/2026, have been considered and it is persuasive, such that the Rejection 102 under Washington reference, has been withdrawn.
With respect to prior art Roise et al. (US 11648880 A1), the applicant’s amendment/argument filed on 08/13/2026, has been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. The newly cited Hedrington reference discloses a cooking device (cooking appliance 10, figs.1 and 4), comprising: a handle (handle 16, fig.1) coupled with a recess (elongate slot 54, fig.4) defined by the first heating surface (heating plate 12, fig.1) , the handle (handle 16) configured to move (handle 16), about an axis positioned beneath the first heating surface [Par.0039 cited: “…elongate slot 54 extends along a longitudinal axis of foot portion 50 to permit foot portion 50 of first spaced leg 44 to slide laterally away from heating plate 12…”], between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the handle (handle 16) is positioned at least partially beneath the first heating surface (heating plate 12) in the stowed position and in the deployed position [foot portion 50, fig.4, us positioned beneath the heating plate 12].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Fung et al. (US 20150033957 A1) is considered as the relevant prior art in field of a cooling appliance, as shown in figs.1 and 3, with a first heating surface, a heating element, a configurable surface, a first hinge, and a handle, but does not disclose the handle is positioned at least partially beneath the first heating surface…
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1834. The examiner can normally be reached 9.00am-5.00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Crabb can be reached on 571-270-5095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHUONG T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
08/23/2026
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