CTNF 18/272,291 CTNF 89775 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 21-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Silvis, et al., US 2018/0049592 A1, in view of Orent, US 2008/0156913 A1 . As per Claim 21, Silvis teaches a countertop appliance (¶ 21; kitchen appliance 10 of Figure 1), comprising: a base (¶¶ 21-22; surrounded by housing 12 of Figures 1, 2 and 3); a housing operably coupled to the base and defining an adapter aperture (¶ 23; into which annular projection 16c nests), the housing including an adapter disposed within the adapter aperture (¶ 23; near annular flange 16d of Figure 3); a storage lid operably coupled to the housing (¶ 28; lid 26 of Figures 3, 4 and 5), the storage lid including: a body having a raised peripheral wall that defines a recessed portion (¶ 23; nested inside annular flange 16d of Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5) and a lip proximate to the raised peripheral wall (¶ 23; sitting outside of annular flange 16d of Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5). Silvis does not expressly teach: an elongated handle operably coupled to the recessed portion of the body; a locking tab extending outwardly from the raised peripheral wall; and a sealing member coupled to the lip of the body; and a lid selectively coupled to the storage lid and operably coupled to the housing, the lid including a locking feature that is selectively coupled to the locking tab of the storage lid. Orent teaches: an elongated handle operably coupled to the recessed portion of the body (¶ 28; handle 111 of Figures 2A and 2B); a locking tab extending outwardly from the raised peripheral wall (¶ 33; tabs 155a of Figure 4B); and a sealing member coupled to the lip of the body (¶ 28; “lip or groove 110a” of Figure 2A); and a lid selectively coupled to the storage lid and operably coupled to the housing, the lid including a locking feature that is selectively coupled to the locking tab of the storage lid (¶ 34; cover 156 of Figures 4A and 4B). At the time of the invention, a person of skill in the art would have thought it obvious to combine the appliance housing of Silvis with the handle and locking tab of Orent, in order to enable blades and bowls of different sizes to be used with the appliance. As per Claim 22, Silvis does not expressly teach that the housing further includes a handle that defines an attachment aperture, and wherein the storage lid further includes a retention feature operably coupled to the handle via the attachment aperture. Orent teaches that the housing further includes a handle that defines an attachment aperture, and that the storage lid further includes a retention feature operably coupled to the handle via the attachment aperture (¶ 29; “handles (not shown)” and “bottom 120a of medium receptacle 120” of Figures 3A and 3B). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 23, Silvis does not expressly teach that the sealing member of the storage lid is operably coupled to an upper edge of the housing. Orent teaches that the sealing member of the storage lid is operably coupled to an upper edge of the housing (¶ 28; as “lip or groove 110a” engages near spout 113 of Figure 2A). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 24, Silvis does not expressly teach that the elongated handle defines a recessed channel. Orent teaches that the elongated handle defines a recessed channel (¶ 34; as “handle 162 may include detent 162c which may ride within a corresponding groove”). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 25, Silvis teaches that the adapter has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is disposed within the adapter aperture (¶ 23; into which annular projection 16c nests). Silvis does not expressly teach that the second end is selectively disposed within the recessed channel of the elongated handle. Orent teaches that the second end is selectively disposed within the recessed channel of the elongated handle (¶ 32; “lip or groove 110a” of Figure 2A). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 26, Silvis teaches that the locking feature of the lid is operably coupled (¶ 44; “thereby acting as a safety interlock feature”) to the locking tab of the storage lid in a storage position of each of the storage lid, the lid, and the housing (¶¶ 38-39; as shown in Figure 4). As per Claim 27, Silvis teaches that the adapter is disposed within the housing in the storage position (¶ 23; annular projection 16c nested within housing 12 of Figure 3). As per Claim 28, Silvis teaches a countertop appliance (¶ 21; kitchen appliance 10 of Figure 1), comprising: a housing defining a cavity and having a bottom portion that defines an adapter aperture (¶¶ 21-22; housing 12 of Figures 1, 2 and 3); a first lid operably coupled to the housing (¶ 28; lid 26 of Figures 3, 4 and 5), the first lid including: a body having a first surface and a second surface (¶ 23; bowl 16 of Figures 2, 3 and 4). Silvis does not expressly teach: an elongated handle extending outwardly from the first surface of the body and defining a recessed channel along the second surface of the body; and a locking tab operably coupled to the body; and a second lid operably coupled to the housing and selectively coupled to the first lid. Orent teaches: an elongated handle extending outwardly from the first surface of the body (¶ 28; handle 111 of Figures 2A and 2B) and defining a recessed channel along the second surface of the body (¶ 34; as “handle 162 may include detent 162c which may ride within a corresponding groove”); and a locking tab operably coupled to the body (¶ 33; tabs 155a of Figure 4B); and a second lid operably coupled to the housing and selectively coupled to the first lid (¶ 32; lid 156 of Figures 4A and 4B). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 29, Silvis teaches that the body of the first lid further includes a raised peripheral wall and a lip, and that the first surface is a recessed surface defined by the raised peripheral wall (¶ 28; as lid comes down around and outside of annular flange 16d in Figures 3, 4 and 5). As per Claim 30, Silvis does not expressly teach that the first lid further includes a sealing member proximate to the lip of the body, and wherein the sealing member is operably and selectively coupled to the housing. Orent teaches that the first lid further includes a sealing member proximate to the lip of the body, and that the sealing member is operably and selectively coupled to the housing (¶ 28; as “lip or groove 110a” of Figure 2A sits on base 102 of Figure 1). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 31, Silvis teaches that the first lid includes a lower wall extending into the cavity of the housing, and that the sealing member is disposed on the lower wall (¶¶ 23, 25; annular flange 16d of Figures 3, 4 and 5). As per Claim 32, Silvis does not expressly teach that the second lid includes a locking feature operably coupled to the locking tab in a storage position of both of the first lid and the second lid. Orent teaches that the second lid includes a locking feature operably coupled to the locking tab in a storage position of both of the first lid and the second lid (¶ 33; lock mechanism 111a of Figure 2A and lock release mechanism 155b of Figure 4B). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 33, Silvis does not expressly teach: an adapter disposed within the cavity of the housing, and wherein the adapter is selectively disposed within the recessed channel of the elongated handle in the storage position of the first lid. Orent teaches: an adapter disposed within the cavity of the housing, and that the adapter is selectively disposed within the recessed channel of the elongated handle in the storage position of the first lid (¶ 32; “lip or groove 110a” of Figure 2A). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 34, Silvis does not expressly teach that the recessed channel defines a receiving space, and wherein the adapter is selectively disposed within the receiving space of the recessed channel. Orent teaches that the recessed channel defines a receiving space, and wherein the adapter is selectively disposed within the receiving space of the recessed channel (¶ 32; “configured for selective engagement with lip or groove 110a formed on main receptacle 110”). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 35, Silvis teaches a storage lid for a countertop appliance (¶¶ 21, 28; as lid 26 sits atop kitchen appliance 10 of Figure 1), comprising: a body having a first surface and a second surface (¶ 23; bowl 16 of Figures 2, 3 and 4) and including a raised peripheral wall disposed around the first surface (¶ 23; nested inside annular flange 16d of Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5) and a lip disposed around the second surface (¶ 23; outside annular flange 16d of Figures 3, 4 and 5). Silvis does not expressly teach: an elongated handle extending outwardly from the first surface and defining a recessed channel along the second surface of the body; a tab operably coupled to the raised peripheral wall of the body; and a sealing member disposed proximate to the lip of the body. Orent teaches: an elongated handle extending outwardly from the first surface body (¶ 28; handle 111 of Figures 2A and 2B) and defining a recessed channel along the second surface of the body (¶ 34; as “handle 162 may include detent 162c which may ride within a corresponding groove”); a tab operably coupled to the raised peripheral wall of the body (¶ 33; tabs 155a of Figure 4B); and a sealing member disposed proximate to the lip of the body (¶ 28; “lip or groove 110a” of Figure 2A). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 36, Silvis teaches that the first surface of the body comprises a recessed portion defined by the raised peripheral wall, and wherein the recessed portion includes the first surface and the second surface (¶ 28; as lid comes down around and outside of annular flange 16d in Figures 3, 4 and 5). As per Claim 37, Silvis does not expressly teach that the elongated handle extends above the raised peripheral wall of the body. Orent teaches that the elongated handle extends above the raised peripheral wall of the body (¶ 28; handle 111 of Figures 2A and 2B). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 38, Silvis does not expressly teach that the elongated handle is integrally formed with the first surface of the body. Orent teaches that the elongated handle is integrally formed with the first surface of the body (¶ 28; handle 111 of Figures 2A and 2B). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 39, Silvis does not expressly teach: a retention feature extending from the raised peripheral wall and the lip of the body. Orent teaches: a retention feature extending from the raised peripheral wall and the lip of the body (¶ 29; “handles (not shown)” and “bottom 120a of medium receptacle 120” of Figures 3A and 3B). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. As per Claim 40, Silvis does not expressly teach: a lower wall extending from the lip, wherein the sealing member is operably coupled to the lower wall. Orent teaches: a lower wall extending from the lip, wherein the sealing member is operably coupled to the lower wall (¶ 32; “a groove or lip 151a extending about an outer circumference 151 configured for selective engagement with lip or groove 110a formed on main receptacle 110” as shown in Figures 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A and 4B). See Claim 21 above for the rationale based on obviousness, motivations and reasons to combine. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ATUL TRIVEDI whose telephone number is (313)446-4908. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri; 9:00 AM-5:00 PM EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Peter Nolan can be reached at (571) 270-7016. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. ATUL TRIVEDI Primary Examiner Art Unit 3661 /ATUL TRIVEDI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3661 Application/Control Number: 18/272,291 Page 2 Art Unit: 3661 Application/Control Number: 18/272,291 Page 3 Art Unit: 3661 Application/Control Number: 18/272,291 Page 4 Art Unit: 3661 Application/Control Number: 18/272,291 Page 5 Art Unit: 3661 Application/Control Number: 18/272,291 Page 6 Art Unit: 3661 Application/Control Number: 18/272,291 Page 7 Art Unit: 3661 Application/Control Number: 18/272,291 Page 8 Art Unit: 3661 Application/Control Number: 18/272,291 Page 9 Art Unit: 3661