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
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 14, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent 2,077,980 (hereinafter Bell).
Regarding claim 1, a coffee grinder, comprising: a bean hopper (28) configured to store a quantity of coffee beans; a grinder outlet configured to dispense ground coffee (see annotated fig. below); a grinding mechanism (27) disposed intermediate the bean hopper and the grinder outlet and configured to grind coffee beans from the bean hopper and dispense ground coffee through the grinder outlet; and a coffee grinder bin (7, 15) sized and configured to be removably positioned underneath the grinder outlet to receive the ground coffee dispensed through the grinder outlet, the coffee grinder bin including:
a coffee grinder bin (fig. 1), comprising: a container body (7, 15) sized and configured to be removably positioned underneath a grinder outlet (see annotated fig. below) to receive the ground coffee dispensed through the grinder outlet, the container body defining an upwardly- facing inlet configured to receive the ground coffee dispensed through the grinder outlet (see annotated fig. below) and a downwardly-facing outlet configured to dispense the ground coffee received through the upwardly-facing inlet (see annotated fig. below); a funnel (sidewall of container forms funnel; see fig. 6) disposed within the container body and configured to convey the ground coffee received through the upwardly-facing inlet to the downwardly- facing outlet, the funnel narrowing in cross-section in a direction from the upwardly-facing inlet to the downwardly-facing outlet; and a closure mechanism (17, 18) movable between closed and open configurations, wherein in the closed configuration, the closure mechanism substantially blocks the downwardly-facing outlet to retain the ground coffee received through the upwardly-facing inlet within the container body, and in the open configuration, the closure mechanism substantially uncovers the downwardly-facing outlet to allow the ground coffee received through the upwardly-facing inlet to be dispensed through the downwardly-facing outlet (pg. 1, col. 2, ln. 5-23).
Regarding claim 2, Bell discloses a housing (4) supporting the grinder outlet and defining a bin recess (10) configured to support the coffee grinder bin with the upwardly-facing inlet opposing the grinder outlet (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Bell discloses wherein the grinder outlet and the upwardly- facing inlet having matching cross-sectional profiles (note annotated fig. below).
Regarding claim 4, Bell discloses wherein the container body (7, 15) is sized and configured such that the grinder outlet and the upwardly-facing inlet contact one another when the coffee grinder bin is disposed in the bin recess (note annotated fig. below).
Regarding claim 14, Bell discloses wherein the closure mechanism (17, 18) is biased to the closed configuration (via the handle 21).
Regarding claim 19, Bell discloses a coffee grinder bin (fig. 1), comprising: a container body (7, 15) sized and configured to be removably positioned underneath a grinder outlet (see annotated fig. below) to receive the ground coffee dispensed through the grinder outlet, the container body defining an upwardly- facing inlet configured to receive the ground coffee dispensed through the grinder outlet (see annotated fig. below) and a downwardly-facing outlet configured to dispense the ground coffee received through the upwardly-facing inlet (see annotated fig. below); a funnel (sidewall of container forms funnel; see fig. 6) disposed within the container body and configured to convey the ground coffee received through the upwardly-facing inlet to the downwardly- facing outlet, the funnel narrowing in cross-section in a direction from the upwardly-facing inlet to the downwardly-facing outlet; and a closure mechanism (17, 18) movable between closed and open configurations, wherein in the closed configuration, the closure mechanism substantially blocks the downwardly-facing outlet to retain the ground coffee received through the upwardly-facing inlet within the container body, and in the open configuration, the closure mechanism substantially uncovers the downwardly-facing outlet to allow the ground coffee received through the upwardly-facing inlet to be dispensed through the downwardly-facing outlet (pg. 1, col. 2, ln. 5-23).
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Regarding claim 20, Bell discloses a method of dispensing coffee grounds, the method comprising:positioning a coffee grinder bin in a grinding position disposed underneath a grinder outlet of a coffee grinder, the coffee grinder bin including a container body defining an upwardly-facing inlet and a downwardly-facing outlet and a closure mechanism that substantially blocks the downwardly-facing outlet when in a closed configuration;grinding coffee beans with the coffee grinder when the coffee grinder bin is positioned underneath the grinder outlet and the closure mechanism is in the closed configuration to dispense ground coffee out of the grinder outlet and into the container body through the upwardly-facing inlet; removing the coffee grinder bin from the grinding position and positioning the coffee grinder bin over a brewing receptacle; and actuating the closure mechanism to move the closure mechanism from the closed configuration to an open configuration that substantially uncovers the downwardly-facing outlet such that the ground coffee dispensed into the container body is dispensed through the downwardly-facing outlet and into the brewing receptacle (pg. 2, col. 1, ln. 16-col. 3, ln. 7).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-13 and 15-18 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Patent 11,026,537 is directed to the state of the art of friction activated ground coffee dosing dispensers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANIE M LOEPPKE whose telephone number is (571)270-5208. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-5PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Angwin can be reached at (571) 270-3735. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JANIE M LOEPPKE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
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