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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I, and subspecies A3, claims 1-13 in the reply filed on 3/4/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground that there is no search burden on the Examiner to search for the novelty of both Groups I and II. This is not found persuasive because Group I, drawn to a fluid dispenser encompassing pumps, check valves, manifold and controller in which Group II, omits the pumps and controller from the dispensing system of Group I. It appears, the search for the invention of Group II does not require a plurality of pumps and controller within the dispensing system. Therefore, claims 14-20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Group II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant did not timely traverse the restriction (election) requirement in the second reply filed on 3/4/2026. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Objections
The following claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, the phrase “at least one target surface”; and further in claims 1 and 10, the phrase “target surface” do not properly relate to the respective “plurality of fluid dispenser”.
A double inclusion limitation appears for the following term that has been cited previously:
In claim 12, lines 5, 6, 7, for "fluid".
In claims 6 and 11, the term “it” may not properly refer to the intended limitations.
Appropriate corrections are required.
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.
Claims 1-4 and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Maiefski (US 4,433,795).
Regarding claim 1, Maiefski discloses A fluid dispensing system for a vehicle (fig.1-15) comprising: one or more pumps (12, col 4, ll.59-68 and col 5, ll.8-27), each of the one or more pumps including an inlet connected to a source of fluid and an outlet (see fig.1, inlet and outlet from 26 and 28, source 54); a plurality of fluid dispensers (“multiple” 41), each of the plurality of fluid dispensers being fluidically connected to the one or more pumps (see fig.1), the plurality of fluid dispensers being configured to direct a stream of fluid towards a target surface (“glass”); a control circuit (10) operatively connected to each of the one or more pumps, the control circuit being configured to activate the one or more pumps to wash at least one target surface (see connection of 10 to 12 and 18 in fig.1); a manifold (36 or 40) including one or more fluid inlets connected to each of the one or more pumps and a plurality of fluid outlets each connected to one or more of the plurality of fluid dispensers (see fig.1, inlet from 38 to 40 and outlet from 40 to 42); and at least one check valve configured to prevent backflow from the manifold to at least one or more pumps, the at least one check valve being one of: a first position arranged at the outlet of the corresponding one or more pumps and at a second position arranged between the one or more pumps and the manifold and at a third position integrated into the manifold (see col. 5, ll.59-68 and col. 6, ll.1-14, “check valves” are mounted to the manifold 40; and prevents backflow, col. 6, ll.51-61).
Regarding claim 2, Maiefski discloses the manifold includes a manifold chamber defined between the one or more fluid inlets and the plurality of fluid outlets, the at least one check valve being arranged in the manifold chamber (chamber of 40 and inlets from 38 and outlets to 42).
Regarding claim 3, Maiefski discloses the at least one check valve includes a check valve assembly including a frame, at least one movable portion being pivotally connected to the frame (operation structure of the check valve inherently includes a frame and movable portion).
Regarding claim 4, Maiefski discloses the manifold includes a housing having an inlet housing part supporting one or more fluid inlets and an outlet housing part supporting the plurality of fluid outlets, the frame being mounted between the inlet housing part and the outlet housing part (see fig.1, the frame is in between the couplings of the inlets and outlets to the housing 40).
Regarding claim 9, Maiefski discloses a ring circuit connected between at least two of the plurality of fluid outlets, the ring circuit supporting one or more of the plurality of fluid dispensers, wherein the manifold is a one-single device (see the ring at the outlet of 40).
Regarding claim 10, Maiefski discloses the control circuit is configured to receive or determine required fluid demands of the target surface to be delivered towards the target surface, and wherein the control circuit is configured to operate which pump or pumps has/have to be operated depending on the fluid demands (col 8, ll.3-55; see “operation mode” and “special mode”).
Regarding claim 11, Maiefski discloses at least one control valve configured to be actuated by the control circuit, wherein the at least one control valve is arranged between the manifold and at least one of the plurality of fluid dispensers, including in the manifold or in the at least one of the plurality of fluid dispensers (gun 18 includes a valves via switches 108, also, see fig.1, connection of 18 to 20 and 10).
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 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Maiefski (US 4,433,795) in view of Westerberg (US 1,091,552).
Maiefski is silent in disclosing at least one of the plurality of fluid dispensers is a telescopic fluid dispenser being capable of extending from a rest position to an extended position and retracting from the extended position to the rest position, wherein the at least one control valve comprises a fluid inlet for receiving fluid from the source of fluid, a first fluid outlet for discharging fluid into the telescopic fluid dispenser, and a second fluid outlet for allowing fluid to flow back away from the telescopic fluid dispenser when retracting from the extended position to the rest position. However, Westerberg teaches the commonality of having at least one of the plurality of fluid dispensers being a telescopic fluid dispenser capable of extending from a rest position to an extended position and retracting from the extended position to the rest position, wherein the at least one control valve comprises a fluid inlet for receiving fluid from the source of fluid, a first fluid outlet for discharging fluid into the telescopic fluid dispenser, and a second fluid outlet for allowing fluid to flow back away from the telescopic fluid dispenser when retracting from the extended position to the rest position (see fig.1-3, telescopic movement of valve 6 in A; page 1, ll.108-112 and ll.47-56). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the application to modify the fluid dispenser of Maiefski to a telescopic one as taught by Westerberg, in order to improve efficiency and quality of the dispensing system.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Maiefski (US 4,433,795) in view of Tuyls (US 2013/0119089).
Maiefski is silent in disclosing one of the plurality of fluid outlets defines a fluid return path configured to carry excess fluid from the manifold back to the source of fluid. However, Tuyls teaches the commonality of having a dispensing system with
one of the plurality of fluid outlets defines a fluid return path configured to carry excess fluid from the manifold back to the source of fluid (see [0049] and [0057-58], return fluid from manifold 62 to supply line). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the application to add a fluid return line as taught by Tuyls to the manifold of Maiefski, in order to conserve the supply fluid.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-8 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.
State of the Prior Arts
Regarding claim 1, the prior arts to Cooper (US 2014/0079652), Nadeem (US 2009/0211605), Rawlings (US 2002/0071916), Needham (US 2017/0120263), MA (CN 101582372 B), Rous (GB 2253338 A), DiGianfilippo (US 2004/0087888) and Satarino (US 2018/0141522) as cited in PTO-892, either individually or in combination are disclosing/teaching significant pertinent structures or features to the applicant’s claimed invention with regard to a fluid dispensing system having one or more pumps with an inlet connected to a source of fluid and an outlet; a plurality of fluid dispensers being fluidically connected to the one or more pumps, the plurality of fluid dispensers directing a stream of fluid towards a target surface; a control circuit operatively connected to each of the one or more pumps in activating the one or more pumps to wash at least one target surface; a manifold including one or more fluid inlets connected to each of the one or more pumps and a plurality of fluid outlets each connected to one or more of the plurality of fluid dispensers; and at least one check valve within the manifold preventing backflow from the manifold to at least one or more pumps. It appears that claim 1 does not provide any inventive concept over the cited prior arts.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bob Zadeh whose telephone number is (571)270-5201. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm E.
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/BOB ZADEH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754