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 Status
Claims 1-24 and 33-34 have been canceled.
Claims 25 and 35 are withdrawn.
Claims 26-32 and 36-42 are rejected.
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.
Claim(s) 26-32 and 36-42 are finally rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chandra et al. (US 2019/0351352) [hereinafter Chandra] in view of Li et al. (US 2020/0001211) [hereinafter Li].
With respect to claim 26, Chandra discloses a water filter assembly 200, as shown in Fig. 3, having: a body 230 and a filter head 210 or 250, forming a fluid-tight seal with the body 230, as shown in Fig. 4, the filter head 210, 250, including ingress and egress fluid ports 212, 214, 233, 242, and a correlated magnetic structure 272, 274, connected to or integral with an axially-extending portion of the filter head 210, 250, as shown in the figure below, the axially-extending portion further including a notch or cutout 280, 290, 275, 277, proximate the correlated magnetic structure 272, 274, as shown in Fig. 6, wherein the correlated magnetic structure includes a magnet 272, 274, as shown in Fig. 6.
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Chandra lacks the magnet having a plurality of magnetic field emission sources having positions and polarities relating to a predefined spatial force function that corresponds to a predetermined alignment of said magnetic field emission sources.
Li teaches a filter cartridge 30 connected to a manifold 12, as shown in Fig. 4A, by means of a magnetic structure 34, 16, as shown in Fig. 4A. Each magnet 34, 16, is a correlated magnet. Li teaches correlated magnets are used to attach first and second components and that a first component includes a first field emission structure and the second component includes a second field emission structure, wherein each field emission structure includes multiple magnetic field emission sources (magnetic array) having positions and polarities relating to a predefined spatial force function that corresponds to a predetermined alignment of the field emission structures, and the components are adapted to be attached to each other when the first field emission structure is in proximity of the second field emission structure (see paragraphs 0002-0007). The advantage of using these correlated magnets is that there is very little positive holding force outside the region where there is a strong alignment force, and this removes the possibility of attachment when the components are misaligned (see paragraph 0014). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use correlated magnets having a plurality of magnetic field emission sources having positions and polarities relating to a predefined spatial force function that corresponds to a predetermined alignment of said magnetic field emission sources, as taught by Li, in order to provide improve the alignment between the body and the head and provide a strong connection between the head and body (see paragraph 0014).
With respect to claim 27, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the correlated magnetic structure 272, 274, is located on or provided within a tab 275, 277, extending in an axial direction from said filter head 250, as shown in Fig. 6 of Chandra.
With respect to claim 28, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the tab 275, 277, extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the filter cartridge body 230, as shown in Fig. 6 of Chandra.
With respect to claim 29, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the tab 275, 277, is radially offset from the ingress and egress fluid ports 212, 214, 233, 242, as shown in Fig. 6 of Chandra.
With respect to claim 30, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the correlated magnetic structure 272, 274, extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the filter cartridge body 230, as shown in Fig. 6 of Chandra.
With respect to claim 31, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the correlated magnetic structure 272, 274, is radially offset from the ingress and egress fluid ports 212, 214, 233, 242, as shown in Fig. 6 of Chandra.
With respect to claim 32, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the correlated magnetic structure magnet 272, 274, has a radially outwardly-facing surface that presents in a direction away from a center axis of the filter head 210, 250, as shown in Fig. 6 of Chandra.
With respect to claim 36, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the predefined spatial force function is a net magnetic repulsion force (see paragraph 0062 of Li).
With respect to claim 37, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the notch or cutout 280, 290, 275, 277, presents in a direction away from a center axis of the filter head 210, 250, as shown in Fig. 6 of Chandra.
With respect to claim 38, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the notch or cutout 280, 290, is configured to receive a projection or protrusion 338 extending from a latch portion 334 of a mating filter manifold 250 when the filter cartridge is inserted therein and the latch portion 334 is in a latched position, as shown in Fig. 12 of Chandra.
With respect to claim 39, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the ingress and egress fluid ports 212, 214, 233, 242 are radially offset from a center axis of the filter head 210, 250, as shown in Fig. 6 of Chandra.
With respect to claim 40, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the correlated magnetic structure magnet radially outwardly-facing surface comprises the plurality of magnetic field emission sources (see paragraphs 0002-0007 of Li).
With respect to claim 41, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the correlated magnetic structure magnet radially outwardly-facing surface extends no further than an outermost radial extension of said filter cartridge body 230, as shown in Fig. 6 of Chandra.
With respect to claim 42, Chandra as modified by Li discloses wherein the notch or cutout 280, 290, 275, 277, at least partially extends through the filter head axially-extending portion, as shown in the figure above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed October 27, 2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument that Chandra does not disclose any embodiment where the filter cartridge head comprises both a magnetic structure extending axially therefrom and a notch or cutout proximate the magnetic structure capable of receiving a projection or protrusion extending from a latch portion of a mating filter manifold: This argument is not persuasive. Chandra teaches these limitations as stated above.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., the filter cartridge head 274 includes a magnetic structure 240 extending axially therefrom and a notch or cutout 246 proximate the magnetic structure for receiving a latch protrusion 224 of a latch 220 attached to or at least partially- integral with the filter manifold 250. Upon axial insertion, magnetic communication between the filter cartridge polymagnet 240 and a complementary polymagnet 254 of the filter manifold latch, causes latch 220 to pivot about pivot axis 222 to a latching position, overcoming the force of return spring 226 and thereby causing the latch protrusion 224 to extend into filter head notch or cutout 246 proximate polymagnet 240, locking the filter cartridge within the manifold in an installed position against pressurized fluid flow) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MADELINE GONZALEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-5502. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5:30.
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/MADELINE GONZALEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773
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