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 § 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 6-8, 12-14 and 20 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. In claim 6, there is lack of antecedent basis for “the inner ring”. Claims 7, 8, 12-14 and 20 fall with claim 6.
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.
Claims 1 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kang (KR 102236107):
Regarding claim 1, Kang discloses electric stirrer and charging base system comprising an electric stirrer comprising: a stirrer body (100, 110); a stirring component (111) at the bottom end of the stirrer body; and a supporting part (112) provided on the bottom of the stirrer body; and a charging base comprising: a charging base body (200, 210); a bearing part (the well of 200) provided in the charging base body; wherein the stirrer body is supported on the bearing part of the charging base body through the supporting part (see Fig. 1), so that the stirring component is located below the stirrer body and suspended (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 15, a bracket (see Figs. 1 and 5) and/or a hanger (210) is provided on the charging base body; wherein the charging base body stands on a horizontal surface through the bracket or is attached to a wall through the hanger.
Claims 1 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gilbert (US 1,811,499):
Regarding claim 1, Gilbert discloses electric stirrer and charging base system comprising an electric stirrer comprising: a stirrer body (29); a stirring component (25,26,27,28) at the bottom end of the stirrer body; and a supporting part (31,35) provided on the bottom of the stirrer body; and a charging base comprising: a charging base body (11); a bearing part (19) provided in the charging base body; wherein the stirrer body is supported on the bearing part of the charging base body through the supporting part (see Figs. 1 and 3), so that the stirring component is located below the stirrer body and suspended (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 15, a bracket (7) and/or a hanger is provided on the charging base body; wherein the charging base body stands on a horizontal surface through the bracket or is attached to a wall through the hanger.
Claims 1 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gilbert (US 1,781,381):
Regarding claim 1, Gilbert discloses electric stirrer and charging base system comprising an electric stirrer comprising: a stirrer body (19,20,21); a stirring component (17 and/or 18) at the bottom end of the stirrer body; and a supporting part (16) provided on the bottom of the stirrer body; and a charging base comprising: a charging base body (11); a bearing part (12) provided in the charging base body; wherein the stirrer body is supported on the bearing part of the charging base body through the supporting part (see Figs. 1 and 3), so that the stirring component is located below the stirrer body and suspended (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 15, a bracket (10) and/or a hanger is provided on the charging base body; wherein the charging base body stands on a horizontal surface through the bracket or is attached to a wall through the hanger.
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.
Claims 2 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang (KR 102236107) in view of Swanke (US 3,422,330). The system of Kang was discussed above:
Regarding claim 2, Kang further discloses that a first conductive part (124) provided in the stirrer body; abuts a second conductive part provided in the charging base body (see [0017]). However, Kang does not expressly state that circuitry is implemented on boards. Swanke explains that implementing circuitry on boards provides the benefit of compactness (see col. 4, lines 13-15). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have implemented the circuitry of the stirrer body and base body in boards to realize the benefit of compactness as taught by Swanke.
Regarding claim 16, in Kang a bracket (see Figs. 1 and 5) and/or a hanger (210) is provided on the charging base body; wherein the charging base body stands on a horizontal surface through the bracket or is attached to a wall through the hanger.
Claims 1 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang (KR 102236107) in view of Gilbert (US 1,811,499). Although, as explained above, these claims are anticipated by Kang, it also would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have alternatively or additional supported the stirrer body from the bottom surface of the motor casing as taught by Gilbert (see Figs. 1 and 3).
Claims 2, 3, 9, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang (KR 102236107) in view of Gilbert (US 1,811,499) as applied to claims 1 and 15, and further in view of Swanke (US 3,422,330):
Regarding claim 2, Kang further discloses that a first conductive part (124) provided in the stirrer body; abuts a second conductive part provided in the charging base body (see [0017]). However, Kang does not expressly state that circuitry is implemented on boards. Swanke explains that implementing circuitry on boards provides the benefit of compactness (see col. 4, lines 13-15). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have implemented the circuitry of the stirrer body and base body in boards to realize the benefit of compactness as taught by Swanke.
Regarding claim 3, Gilbert further teaches a vacant site (in 19); wherein an outer diameter of the supporting part decreases gradually in the direction of approaching the stirring component; wherein the bearing part is formed at an inner ring of the vacant site; wherein the inner diameter of the vacant site decreases gradually from the top end of the charging base body to the bottom end of the charging base body; and wherein the inner diameter of the charging base body matches the outer diameter of the supporting part (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 9, the combined teaching include notch on the surface of the charging base body; wherein the notch is communicated with the vacant site and for the stirring component to pass (see Figs. 1, 3 and 5 of Gilbert).
Regarding claim 16, in Kang a bracket (see Figs. 1 and 5) and/or a hanger (210) is provided on the charging base body; wherein the charging base body stands on a horizontal surface through the bracket or is attached to a wall through the hanger.
Regarding claim 17, in Kang a bracket (see Figs. 1 and 5) and/or a hanger (210) is provided on the charging base body; wherein the charging base body stands on a horizontal surface through the bracket or is attached to a wall through the hanger.
Claims 1 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang (KR 102236107) in view of Gilbert (US 1,781,381). Although, as explained above, these claims are anticipated by Kang, it also would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have alternatively or additional supported the stirrer body from the bottom surface of the motor casing as taught by Gilbert (see Figs. 1 and 3).
Claims 2, 6, 12, 16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang (KR 102236107) in view of Gilbert (US 1,781,381) as applied to claims 1 and 15, and further in view of Swanke (US 3,422,330):
Regarding claim 2, Kang further discloses that a first conductive part (124) provided in the stirrer body; abuts a second conductive part provided in the charging base body (see [0017]). However, Kang does not expressly state that circuitry is implemented on boards. Swanke explains that implementing circuitry on boards provides the benefit of compactness (see col. 4, lines 13-15). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have implemented the circuitry of the stirrer body and base body in boards to realize the benefit of compactness as taught by Swanke.
Regarding claim 6, Gilbert further teaches a vacant site (in 12) and a supporting surface is provided at the inner ring of the vacant site; wherein the bottom surface of the supporting part is a flat surface; wherein the bearing part is formed at the inner ring of the vacant site; wherein the supporting surface is a flat surface; and wherein the supporting surface matches the bottom surface of the supporting part (see Figs. 1 and 3).
Regarding claim 12, the combined teaching include notch on the surface of the charging base body; wherein the notch is communicated with the vacant site and for the stirring component to pass (see Figs. 1 and 3 of Gilbert).
Regarding claim 16, in Kang a bracket (see Figs. 1 and 5) and/or a hanger (210) is provided on the charging base body; wherein the charging base body stands on a horizontal surface through the bracket or is attached to a wall through the hanger.
Regarding claim 20, in Kang a bracket (see Figs. 1 and 5) and/or a hanger (210) is provided on the charging base body; wherein the charging base body stands on a horizontal surface through the bracket or is attached to a wall through the hanger.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 5, 10, 11, 18 and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 7, 8, 13 and 14 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID L SORKIN whose telephone number is (571)272-1148. The examiner can normally be reached 7am-3:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Claire X Wang can be reached at (571) 270-1051. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DAVID L. SORKIN
Examiner
Art Unit 1774
/DAVID L SORKIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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