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 § 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) 11-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ruda (2018/0050358).
Regarding claim 11, Ruda shows an apparatus comprising: a painting-agent conducting device (3), wherein the painting-agent conducting device is configured for use with a spray gun (1), and is releasably engageable with the spray gun (fig 2), wherein the painting-agent conducting device includes a supply line (10), a connection to the supply line (top of 10), and an outlet line (8), wherein the outlet line extends from the supply line to an outlet (22), wherein the supply line and the outlet line are arranged at an angle to each other (fig 2), a mechanical guide (58, 28 and the outer surface of 8), wherein the mechanical guide extends parallel to the outlet line (fig 7), is arranged on an exterior of the supply line (fig 7), and is configured to guide the painting-agent conducting device on a path to a stop (where 3 abuts the gun) on the spray gun during engagement of the painting-agent conducting device with the spray gun.
Regarding claim 12, wherein the mechanical guide comprises at least one of a web (58, 28 are webs) or a groove.
Regarding claim 13, wherein the mechanical guide comprises at least one of a mandrel (8, 10) or a bore.
Regarding claim 14, wherein portions of the mechanical guide are arranged on opposite sides on the exterior of the supply line (58 is on opposite sides of 10, fig 7).
Regarding claim 15, further comprising: a web (58 and 28 are a web), wherein the web connects the supply line and the outlet line and extends in a vertex of the angle between the supply line and the outlet line (fig 7).
Regarding claim 16, wherein the angle is an obtuse angle (fig 7), and further comprising a web (58 and 28 are a web), wherein the web connects the supply line and the outlet line and extends in a vertex of the angle between the supply line and the outlet line (fig 7).
Regarding claim 17, further including the spray gun (1), wherein the spray gun includes a counterpart, wherein the counterpart (54 and the receiving space for 10) interacts with the mechanical guide.
Regarding claim 18, Ruda shows an apparatus comprising: a spray gun (1), a painting-agent conducting device (3), wherein the painting-agent conducting device is releasably engageable with the spray gun (fig 2), wherein the painting-agent conducting device includes an outlet line (8), wherein the outlet line extends along an axis (fig 2), wherein the outlet line is configured to deliver a painting-agent from an outlet along the axis, a guide (58), wherein the guide extends parallel to the axis and in an opposed direction relative to the outlet (fig 7), wherein the spray gun includes a pair of disposed contact surfaces (the side surfaces of 11 that contact 10 and 58), wherein the contact surfaces are configured to operatively engage the guide of the painting-agent conducting device on opposed sides (fig 2), wherein the disposed contact surfaces enable movement of the painting-agent conducting device along the axis with the guide intermediate of the contact surfaces and prevent relative movement of the guide and the painting-agent conducting device in a direction transverse to the axis (fig 1,42) , a stop (where 3 abuts 1), wherein the stop limits engaging movement of the painting-agent conducting device along the axis into engagement with the spray gun (fig 2).
Regarding claim 19, wherein the gun includes a paint needle (20), wherein the paint needle extends along the axis, wherein the guide extends in a guide plane, wherein the guide plane does not intersect with the axis (fig 2, 7).
Regarding claim 20, further including a cup (5), wherein the cup is configured to hold a painting-agent, wherein the cup is releasably engageable with the painting-agent conducting device (fig 1).
Regarding claim 21, Ruda shows an apparatus comprising: a paint spray gun (1), wherein the paint spray gun includes a body (66, 2), a paint delivery fitting (3), wherein the paint delivery fitting is releasably engageable with the body (fig 2), wherein the paint spray gun includes an axially extending body recess (the hole for 8), a radially extending body slot (11), wherein the radially extending body slot extends radially outward from the body recess (fig 3, 4), a pair of disposed facing contact surfaces (each side of 11), wherein the contact surfaces are disposed radially outward of the body slot (fig 2, 3), a stop (the back surface near 11), wherein stop extends transverse of the contact surfaces (fig 2), wherein the paint delivery fitting includes a central coupling portion (8), wherein in an operative position of the paint delivery fitting the central coupling portion extends along the body axis and in engaged relation with the gun body (fig 2), includes an outlet (outlet of 8) configured to deliver paint at an outer axial end, and a needle receiving opening at an axial end opposed of the outlet (inlet to 8), a branch coupling portion (10), wherein in the operative position the branch coupling portion extends radially outward from the central coupling portion and in the body slot, includes an outer connection (top of 10) configured to receive paint therein, extends at an obtuse angle relative to a body axis portion that extends inward from the outlet (fig 7), is configured to deliver paint from the outer connection to the central coupling portion (fig 7), and includes a guide (58 and 28 or 12), wherein in the operative position the guide extends parallel to the body axis and radially outward therefrom (fig 7, 4, 31), extends intermediate of the contact surfaces is in abutting engagement with the stop (fig 2, 7), wherein in the operative position the paint delivery fitting is prevented from being moved relative to the body in a direction perpendicular to the body axis (fig 2), and is separable from the gun by movement along the body axis in a direction away from the stop (fig 2).
Regarding claim 22, wherein the outer connection is configured to be releasably engageable with a paint cup (5), wherein in the operative position the paint cup extends above the gun body (fig 1).
Regarding claim 23, wherein the branch delivery portion further includes at least one external web (58, 28 are webs) or groove, wherein in the operative position each web or groove is disposed radially above the body axis, and is in engaged relation with a respective groove or web in the gun body (fig 2, 58 engages with the body in a groove, or empty space that can be considered a grove).
Regarding claim 24, wherein the branch delivery portion further includes at least one external web or groove (58, 28), wherein the operative position each web or groove is disposed radially above the body axis (fig 7), extends in a direction transverse of the radial direction, and is in engaged relation with a respective groove or web of the gun body (fig 2, 58 engages with the body in a groove, or empty space that can be considered a grove).
Regarding claim 25, wherein the paint delivery fitting includes one of a mandrel (8) or a bore, wherein in the operative position the mandrel or the bore is in engaged relation with the respective bore or mandrel of the gun body (fig 2).
Regarding claim 26, wherein in the operative position the guide (12) extends below a guide engaging surface (inside of 6) on the gun body, wherein the guide engaging surface includes an oblique guide surface portion (hole in 12), wherein in movement of the paint delivery fitting along the body axis toward the operative position, guide engagement with the oblique guide surface portion causes the guide to be directed below the guide engaging surface (fig 7, 2, 30, 31).
Regarding claim 27, further comprising: a strengthening web (28, 58), wherein the web extends in a vertex of the obtuse angle (fig 7).
Regarding claim 28, wherein the guide extends in a guide plane, wherein the guide plane does not intersect with the body axis (fig 7, the horizontal part of 58 does not intersect the axis).
Regarding claim 29, wherein the gun body includes a circular contact surface, wherein the radially extending body slot extends in the contact surface (fig 3), wherein in the operative position of the paint delivery fitting, the paint delivery fitting is in abutting engagement with the contact surface (fig 2).
Regarding claim 30, wherein the paint spray gun includes a movable needle (20),wherein the needle is selectively movable along the body axis within the central coupling portion.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON J BOECKMANN whose telephone number is (571)272-2708. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am to 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arthur Hall can be reached at (571) 270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON J BOECKMANN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752 9/16/2025