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 Objections
Claim16 is objected to because of the following informalities: a comma (,) is needed in the preamble right after “claim 12” to be consistent with other claims. Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "183", “184”, and "190" have both been used to designate “hinge” including “the first hinge” with reference character 183”, see paragraphs 0028, 0029, 0031. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 12-14 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Elliston et al. (US 20210121013).
Regarding claim 12, Elliston discloses a pressure cooker (20, i.e. called a cooking system) comprising:
a cooker body (not labeled/shown, i.e. a body of the cooking system 20); and
a lid (24), positionable above the cooker body (not labeled/shown, i.e. a body of the cooking system 20), comprising:
a heater 70 (fig. 4) configured to provide heat to the cooker body;
a fan (78) adjacent to the heater 70 (fig. 4) and configured to provide air flow to the cooker body (¶ 0050);
a motor (80), coupled to the fan (78) and configured to drive the fan (¶ 0051);
one or more first protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members), configured to engage with the cooker body to lock the cooker body (not labeled/shown, i.e. a body of the cooking system 20) and the lid (24) to preserve pressure in the cooker body (not labeled/shown, i.e. a body of the cooking system 20) (¶ 0045);
a valve (64) configured to release pressure in the cooker body (¶ 0047);
a tab (60, i.e. called an outwardly extending protrusion/the mode selector) operably coupled with the one or more first protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members) and movable to engage or disengage the one or more first protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members) with the cooker body by sliding along a predetermine route (62, i.e. called the opening/slot) (¶ 0041, 0046, 0070); and
a handle (not labeled, see figures 2 and 8), extending outwardly to form a periphery of the lid (24) at a side opposite to a hinge (35) about which the lid pivots, the handle comprising a closed trench (see figure 8) in which the tab (60) is movable (¶ 0037, 0040).
With respect to claim 13, Elliston discloses wherein the handle (not labeled, see figures 2 and 8) defines an outermost periphery of the lid (24) opposite to the hinge (35).
With respect to claim 14, Elliston discloses wherein the tab (60, i.e. called an outwardly extending protrusion/the mode selector) is movable along a first slot (see figure 16B) positioned at a forward-facing sidewall located above the handle (not labeled, see figures 2 and 8).
With respect to claim 16, Elliston discloses wherein the tab (60) is movable from a first position (see figure 16B) to a second position (see figure 16C) and the tab (60) is configured to disengage the one or more first protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members) with the cooker body when it arrives the second position (see figure 16C).
With respect to claim 17, Elliston discloses wherein the tab (60) is movable from the second position (see figure 16C) to a third position (see figure 16A) and the tab (60) is configured to disengage a latch (i.e. the fastening mechanism) of the lid (24) from the cooker body when the tab (60) moves from the second position (see figure 16C) to the third position (see figure 16A) (¶ 0041, 0045).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Elliston et al. (US 20210121013) in view of Charopoulos et al. (US 20230276973).
Regarding claim 1, Elliston discloses a pressure cooker 20 (fig. 1, i.e. called a cooking system), comprising:
a cooker body (not labeled/shown, i.e. a body of the cooking system 20); and
a lid (24), positionable above the cooker body (see figure 2 for example), comprising:
a heater 70 (fig. 4) configured to provide heat to the cooker body (¶ 0049);
a fan (78) proximate the heater (70) and configured to provide air flow to the cooker body (¶ 0050);
a motor (80) coupled to and configured to drive the fan (78) (¶ 0051);
one or more first protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members) configured to engage with the cooker body to lock the lid (24) to the cooker body to preserve pressure in the cooker body (¶ 0044-0046);
a tab (60, i.e. called an outwardly extending protrusion/the mode selector) operably coupled with the one or more first protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members) and movable between a first position (see figure 16B) and a second position (see figure 16C) to engage or disengage the one or more first protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members) with the cooker body by sliding along a predetermine route (62, i.e. called an opening/slot; Also see figs. 16A, 16B, and 16C) (¶ 0046), wherein the tab (60)is positioned at a side of the one or more first protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members) opposite to a center of the lid (¶ 0041, 0063, 0070).
Elliston discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above, except for a connector positioned inside the lid and coupled to the one or more first protrusions and the tab, the connector comprising a first arm extending through an external facing first slot.
However, Charopoulos et al. teaches a connector (see figure 3) positioned inside the lid (5) and coupled to the one or more first protrusions (18, i.e. called locking projections) and the tab (17, i.e. called a projection), the connector comprising a first arm (10, i.e. called an actuating means) extending through an external facing first slot (15a, i.e. called a first stop edge of the guide groove 15) (¶ 0085-0086).
The combination of references are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of a preparation vessel. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Elliston and Charopoulos before him or her, to include such connector components of Charopoulos because the actuating means acts indirectly or directly on the lid, or a locking element arranged on the preparation vessel or the lid, in order to lock or unlock the lid, in particular in a form-fitting manner. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been obvious because it allows to prepare food in the preparation space under pressure while maintaining a high level of user safety (¶ 0041).
With respect to claim 2, Elliston in view of Charopoulos discloses the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Charopoulos further discloses the connector further comprises a second arm (10a, i.e. actuating arms) extending upwardly through a second slot (15b) above the first arm (10, i.e. called an actuating means), the second slot (15b) being contoured with the first slot (15a), and wherein the first slot (15a) and the second slot (15b) are concentric (¶ 0110).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Elliston and Charopoulos before him or her, to include such connector components of Charopoulos because the actuating means acts indirectly or directly on the lid, or a locking element arranged on the preparation vessel or the lid, in order to lock or unlock the lid, in particular in a form-fitting manner. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been obvious because it allows to prepare food in the preparation space under pressure while maintaining a high level of user safety (¶ 0041).
With respect to claim 3, Elliston in view of Charopoulos discloses the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Charopoulos further discloses wherein the lid (5) further comprises a ring (16a, i.e. a locking ring) on which the one or more first protrusions (18, i.e. called locking projections) are formed, the lid (5) comprising a third arm (10a, i.e. also called actuating arms with the same reference number) operably coupled to the connector and the ring (16a, i.e. a locking ring), wherein the third arm extends through a third slot (i.e. a central of the guide groove 15) contoured with the first slot (15a, i.e. called a first stop edge of the guide groove 15) (¶ 0079).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Elliston and Charopoulos before him or her, to include such ring arrangements of Charopoulos because the actuating means acts indirectly or directly on the lid, or a locking element arranged on the preparation vessel or the lid, in order to lock or unlock the lid, in particular in a form-fitting manner. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been obvious because it allows to prepare food in the preparation space under pressure while maintaining a high level of user safety (¶ 0041).
With respect to claim 4, Elliston in view of Charopoulos discloses the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Charopoulos further discloses wherein the connector further comprises a fourth arm (i.e. the central portion of the actuating means 10) extending in a direction opposite the second position, the lid (5) further comprising a latch (31, i.e. called mating locking contours) movable between an engaged position (see figure 4) where the latch (31)is engaged with the cooker body (not labeled, i.e. a preparation vessel 2) and a disengaged position (see figure 4) where the latch (31, i.e. called mating locking contours) is not engaged with the cooker body (not labeled, i.e. a preparation vessel 2), the fourth arm (i.e. the central portion of the actuating means 10) being configured to move the latch (31) from the engaged position (see figure 4) to the disengaged position (see figure 4), to allow a biasing force to at least partially open the lid (5), after the tab (17, i.e. called a projection) is moved to disengage the one or more first protrusions (18, i.e. called locking projections) with the cooker body (not labeled, i.e. a preparation vessel 2) (¶ 0094-0097).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Elliston and Charopoulos before him or her, to include such arm and latch arrangements of Charopoulos because the actuating means acts indirectly or directly on the lid, or a locking element arranged on the preparation vessel or the lid, in order to lock or unlock the lid, in particular in a form-fitting manner. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been obvious because it allows to prepare food in the preparation space under pressure while maintaining a high level of user safety (¶ 0041).
With respect to claim 5, Elliston in view of Charopoulos discloses the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Charopoulos further discloses wherein the lid (5) further comprises a base defining the third slot (i.e. a central of the guide groove 15), and a cantilever (39, i.e. called a foldable extension) connected to the base at a first hinge (40), the fourth arm (i.e. the central portion of the actuating means 10) being configured to engage the cantilever (39, i.e. called a foldable extension), such that the cantilever pivots about the first hinge (40) to move the latch from the engaged position to the disengaged position (¶ 0106).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Elliston and Charopoulos before him or her, to include such slot and support structure arrangements of Charopoulos because the actuating means acts indirectly or directly on the lid, or a locking element arranged on the preparation vessel or the lid, in order to lock or unlock the lid, in particular in a form-fitting manner. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been obvious because it allows to prepare food in the preparation space under pressure while maintaining a high level of user safety (¶ 0041).
With respect to claim 6, Elliston in view of Charopoulos discloses the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Charopoulos further discloses wherein the latch (31) pivots about a second hinge and is biased by a spring for maintaining the engaged position (¶ 0039, 0094-0097).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Elliston and Charopoulos before him or her, to include such latching arrangements of Charopoulos because the actuating means acts indirectly or directly on the lid, or a locking element arranged on the preparation vessel or the lid, in order to lock or unlock the lid, in particular in a form-fitting manner. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been obvious because it allows to prepare food in the preparation space under pressure while maintaining a high level of user safety (¶ 0041).
With respect to claim 7, Elliston in view of Charopoulos discloses the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Elliston further discloses wherein the tab (60, i.e. called an outwardly extending protrusion/the mode selector) is movable between the second position (e.g. a pressure cooking operation) and a third position (e.g. a third mode of operation - a combination pressure cooking and air frying mode), and the tab (60) is biased toward the second position (e.g. a pressure cooking operation) when it moves from the second position to the third position (e.g. a third mode of operation - a combination pressure cooking and air frying mode) (¶ 0063).
With respect to claim 9, Elliston in view of Charopoulos discloses the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Elliston further discloses wherein the lid (24) is biased toward an open position (see figure 2) when the tab (60) is moved to disengage the one or more first protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members) in the lid from the cooker body (not labeled/shown) (¶ 0040).
With respect to claim 11, Elliston in view of Charopoulos discloses the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Elliston further discloses wherein the lid (24) further comprises a handle extending outwardly from the lid (24) adjacent the first slot (62) to form a closed trench (see figure 8), the tab (60) being movable within the trench (¶ 0037).
Claim(s) 8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Elliston et al. (US 20210121013) in view of Charopoulos et al. (US 20230276973) as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Hasegawa (US 20230276972).
Regarding claim 8, Elliston et al. in view of Charopoulos et al. discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above, except for wherein the lid further comprises a spring configured to bias the connector toward the second position when the tab moves from the second position to the third position.
However, Hasegawa teaches wherein the lid (20) further comprises a spring (40, i.e. called a spring-loaded hinge assembly) configured to bias the connector toward the second position when the tab moves from the second position to the third position (¶ 0009, 0050).
The combination of references are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of a pressure cooker. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Elliston and Hasegawa before him or her, to include such spring arrangements Hasegawa because the lid is moveable between the open position and the closed position (and vice versa). The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been obvious because it allows access to the interior of the base and a closed position that prevents access to the interior of the base (¶ 0006).
With respect to claim 10, Elliston et al. in view of Charopoulos et al. and Hasegawa discloses the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Hasegawa further discloses wherein the lid (20) is biased by a spring (40, i.e. called a spring-loaded hinge assembly) positioned at a periphery of the cooker body opposite the tab (¶ 0009, 0050).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Elliston and Hasegawa before him or her, to include such spring arrangements Hasegawa because the lid is moveable between the open position and the closed position (and vice versa). The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been obvious because it allows access to the interior of the base and a closed position that prevents access to the interior of the base (¶ 0006).
Claim(s) 15 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Elliston et al. (US 20210121013) in view of Hasegawa (US 20230276972).
Regarding claim 15, Elliston discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above, except for wherein the hinge including a biasing element to open the lid.
However, Hasegawa teaches wherein the hinge including a biasing element (40, i.e. called a spring-loaded hinge assembly) to open the lid (20) (¶ 0009, 0050).
The combination of references are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of a pressure cooker. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Elliston and Hasegawa before him or her, to include such a biasing element of Hasegawa because the lid is moveable between the open position and the closed position (and vice versa). The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been obvious because it allows access to the interior of the base and a closed position that prevents access to the interior of the base (¶ 0006).
With respect to claim 18, Elliston in view of Hasegawa discloses the limitation of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Elliston further discloses a pressure cooker (20, i.e. called a cooking system), comprising:
a cooker body (not labeled/shown, i.e. a body of the cooking system 20); and
a lid (24), positionable above the cooker body (not labeled/shown, i.e. a body of the cooking system 20) and comprising:
a heater 70 (fig. 4), configured to provide heart to the cooker body (not labeled/shown, i.e. a body of the cooking system 20);
a fan (78), adjacent to the heater 70 (fig. 4) and configured to provide air flow to the cooker body (not labeled/shown, i.e. a body of the cooking system 20) (¶ 0050);
a motor (80), coupled to the fan (78) and configured to drive the fan (¶ 0051);
one or more first protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members), configured to engage with the cooker body to lock the cooker body and the lid (24) to preserve pressure in the cooker body (¶ 0045);
a latch (i.e. the fastening mechanism), coupled to the lid (24) and the cooker body (not labeled/shown, i.e. a body of the cooking system 20); and
a tab (60, i.e. called an outwardly extending protrusion/the mode selector), operably coupled with the one or more first protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members) and movable from a first position (see figure 16B), when the one or more protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members) are engaged with the cooker body (not labeled/shown, i.e. a body of the cooking system 20), to a second position (see figure 16C), when the one or more protrusions (56, 58, i.e. called engagement members) are disengaged with the cooker body, and then to a third position (see figure 16A), when the latch (i.e. the fastening mechanism) is moved from an engaged position with the cooker body to a disengaged position (¶ 0041, 0045), except for the latch configured to prevent a biasing force from opening the lid.
However, Hasegawa teaches the latch (40, i.e. called a spring-loaded hinge assembly) configured to prevent a biasing force from opening the lid (20) (¶ 0009, 0050).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Elliston and Hasegawa before him or her, to include such latching of Hasegawa because the lid is moveable between the open position and the closed position (and vice versa). The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been obvious because it allows access to the interior of the base and a closed position that prevents access to the interior of the base (¶ 0006).
With respect to claim 19, Elliston in view of Hasegawa discloses the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Hasegawa further discloses wherein the lid (20) is configured to move under the biasing force to a partially opened position after the latch (40, i.e. called a spring-loaded hinge assembly) is disengaged by the movement of the tab from the second position toward the third position (¶ 0045, 0050, 0057).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Elliston and Hasegawa before him or her, to include such latching arrangements of Hasegawa because the lid is moveable between the open position and the closed position (and vice versa). The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been obvious because it allows access to the interior of the base and a closed position that prevents access to the interior of the base (¶ 0006).
With respect to claim 20, Elliston in view of Hasegawa discloses the limitations of the claimed invention as set forth above of which Elliston further discloses wherein the lid (24) further comprises a handle (not labeled, see figures 2 and 8) extending outwardly to form a periphery of the lid (24) at a side opposite to a hinge (35) about which the lid pivots, the handle comprising a closed trench (see figure 8) in which the tab (60, i.e. called an outwardly extending protrusion/the mode selector) is movable (¶ 0037, 0040).
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Siu et al. (US 20210000292).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KET D DANG whose telephone number is (571)270-7827. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Wednesday 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven W. Crabb can be reached at (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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/KET D DANG/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/STEVEN W CRABB/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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