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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The lengthy specification (including drawings) has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification and drawings.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include at least the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description:
Figs. 3-5,21-22 #111b;
Figs. 3,6 #118;
Fig. 3 #212;
Fig. 3 #213;
Fig. 5 #215;
Fig. 4 #216;
Figs. 3-4,6 #217;
Fig. 6 #218;
Figs. 3-4,6,20 #290;
Please do not delete the reference signs, but instead add the reference signs to the specification without adding new matter.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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 Interpretation
Claim 1 line(s) 2-3 sets forth the limitation “the filter bracket being configured to couple to a filter”, which is interpreted as requiring a filter.
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) 1-4,7-11,13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by REID (US 7186337).
Regarding claim 1, REID teaches a quick-change filter and bracket system (title, Figs.) includin a water purifier comprising:
a filter bracket (Fig. 1 #12) connected to a water supply flow path (C5/L32-35), the filter bracket coupled to a filter, the filter comprising:
(i) a filter main body (Fig. 1 #11); and,
(ii) a filter head (Fig. 1 #42) disposed at an upper end of the filter main body,
wherein the filter bracket and the filter head are capable of coupling to each other in a horizontal direction and to separate from each other in the horizontal direction (C5/L22-25);
wherein the filter head comprises:
(i) an incoming pipe (Fig. 1 #44) that extends in the horizontal direction and is capable of guiding water to the filter main body; and
(ii) a discharge pipe (Fig. 1 #46) that extends parallel to the incoming pipe and is capable of discharging water from the filter main body; and,
wherein the filter bracket defines:
a first groove (Fig. 6 #220) that extends in the horizontal direction and is capable of receiving the incoming pipe in the horizontal direction, and
a second groove (Fig. 6 #222) that extends in the horizontal direction and is of receiving the discharge pipe in the horizontal direction (“Alternatively, of course, filter cartridges might be made with male tubes and tabs and cooperating holders may be made with female tubes and slots”; C10/L50-52).
Regarding claim 2, REID teaches the filter bracket comprises a blocking wall that is disposed between the first groove and the second groove and partitions the first groove and the second groove from each other (each inlet/outlet flow path is surrounded by a wall separating the flows; Fig. 1).
Regarding claims 3-4, REID teaches the filter bracket comprises a main flow path (e.g. Fig. 6 #218) that extends in a lateral direction intersecting the horizontal direction, the main flow path having (i) an inlet side and flow path (Fig. 6 #214) configured to receive raw water from the water supply flow path and (ii) an outlet side and flow path (Fig. 6 #216) configured to discharge purified water from the filter main body,
wherein the first groove of the filter bracket is configured to supply the raw water received through the inlet side of the main flow path to the filter main body through the incoming pipe of the filter head, and
wherein the second groove of the filter bracket is configured to receive the purified water discharged from the discharge pipe of the filter head and to discharge the purified water through the outlet side of the main flow path (C10/L33-36).
Regarding claim 7, REID teaches the water purifier capable of receiving a plurality of filters (Fig. 1 #7),
wherein the filter bracket is one of a plurality of filter brackets including:
a first filter bracket (see e.g. Fig. 6) capable of receiving one of the plurality of filters, and
a second filter bracket (multple brackets connected in Fig. 1) connected to one side of the first filter bracket and capable of receiving another of the plurality of filters.
Regarding claim 8, REID teaches a water purifier main body (Fig. 5C #140),
wherein the filter bracket comprises an extension wall (Fig. 1 #20) that extends downward and is fixed to the water purifier main body of the water purifier (the plate is mounted to the main flow path and extends up and downward; Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 9, REID teaches a fixing member (Fig. 1 #30) rotatably disposed at the filter bracket (C6/L4-6) and capable of selectively fix the filter head to the filter bracket, the fixing member capable of rotating about an axis crossing the horizontal direction (C6/L8-20).
Regarding claim 10, REID teaches the fixing member is capable of rotating in a forward direction toward the filter head (see Fig. 1),
wherein the filter head comprises a side portion that is convex in the forward direction and capable of contacting at least a portion of the fixing member based on the fixing member rotating in the forward direction, and wherein the fixing member is capable of restricting movement of the filter head based on rotating in the forward direction and contacting the side portion of the filter head (C6/L8-25; see e.g. Fig. 2 including back of the ports 44,46).
Regarding claim 11, REID teaches the fixing member comprises a gripping portion (Fig. 2 #36) that extends outward from a lower end of the fixing member and enables handling of the fixing member (C6/L17-20).
Regarding claim 13, REID teaches the filter head comprises a locking protrusion (see Annotated Fig. 3 cropped below) that protrudes forward from a front surface of the filter head, and
wherein the fixing member defines a locking groove capable of coupling to the locking protrusion based on the fixing member rotating forward toward the filter head (C6/L14-25; see also C6/L42-43 pertaining to latch systems).
Annotated Fig. 3 cropped
PNG
media_image1.png
368
648
media_image1.png
Greyscale
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claim(s) 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over REID (US 7186337) in view of JAKOP (US 20180050288).
Regarding claim 5, REID teaches an end portion of the main flow path defines an opening (e.g. an outlet; Fig. 1), but does not teach a stopper. However, JAKOP teaches oil water separator diffuser cap extension to filter cartridge (title, Figs.) including a series of stacked filters (Fig. 3 #76) in a manifold with multple outlets (Fig. 1 #66) structured to selectively receive a removable outlet plug (par. [0065]).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device of REID to include multiple outlets with an optional a removable outlet plug in order to direct fluid to flow as desired. The references are combinable, because they are in the same technological environment of filtration. See MPEP 2141 III (A) and (G).
Regarding claim 6, REID’s modified device teaches the main flow path has a first stepped portion (see Fig. 6 #214,216 in cross-section shown in Fig. 7) that is defined at an inner surface of the end portion of the main flow path, and
wherein the stopper has a second stepped portion that faces the first stepped portion (of course the stopper needs to be secured in the outlet).
Claim(s) 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over REID (US 7186337) in view of LEE (US 20180149416).
Regarding claim 12, REID teaches the filter bracket comprises:
a first protrusion (Fig. 6 #220) that extends in the horizontal direction and defines the first groove therein;
a second protrusion (Fig. 6 #222) that extends in the horizontal direction defines the second groove therein (note that in the alternative cooperating holders may be made with female tubes and slots; C10/L50-52); and,
wherein end portions of the fixing member are rotatably coupled (see Fig. 1 #30).
REID does not teach first and second shaft portions. However, LEE teaches a refrigerator (title, Figs.) including a filter container (Fig. 12 #40A) having hinge recesses (one on either side) coupled to a container cover (Fig. 12 #170A) with hinge protrusions (or shaft portions, Fig. 12 #181A). Of course one having ordinary skill in the art would recoginze that the coupling obviously could be reversed with the recess on the container cover and the protrusions on the filter container and that such a construction is an obvious equivalent pivoting means for a cover.
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device of REID to the pivoting means to include shaft portions so as to provide alternative means for pivoting the cover/fixing member. The references are combinable, because they are in the same technological environment of filtration. See MPEP 2141 III (A) and (G).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-20 have allowable subject matter over the prior art of record. The prior art neither teaches, suggests, nor makes obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art a water purifier comprising the combination of claimed elements.
Cited Art
The cited art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
SHIN (US 20240424432) discloses a filter device including a filter cap and head.
JEON (US 20190060801) discloses purification device.
Telephonic Inquiries
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LIAM A ROYCE whose telephone number is (571)270-0352. The examiner can normally be reached M-F ~08:00~15:00.
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, Benjamin Lebron can be reached at (571)272-0475. 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.
LIAM A. ROYCE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1777
/Liam Royce/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1777
Prosecution Insights