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
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 1-2, 6, 8-9, 12-14, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Naporra (DE 2810318. See attached translation).
Regarding claim 1, Naporra teaches a system for ventilating fumes, the system comprising:
a secondary vent hood (3, fig 1), the secondary vent hood “configured to be coupled to a surface” (This is intended function. Surface is not positively recited. Hood 3 is capable of being coupled under a surface); and
a manifold (exhaust duct 8, fig 1), the manifold having a first end (left end) and a second end (right end), wherein: the manifold is fluidly coupled to the secondary vent hood at the first end and “configured to be fluidly coupled to a primary vent hood at the second end, the manifold configured to be coupled to the surface” (This is intended function. Primary vent hood is not positively recited. The manifold is capable of being coupled to another vent hood).
Regarding claim 2, Naporra teaches a blower, the blower being located inside of the secondary vent hood (a blower inherently is provided in the vent hood).
Regarding claim 6, Naporra teaches the manifold comprises a flexible construction (See fig 6, a hose 35 is provided. See [0039], hose 35 is part of exhaust duct).
Regarding claim 8, Naporra teaches the system “is configured to be placed above a kitchen countertop” (This is functional limitation. The system of hood and manifold is capable of being placed above a kitchen countertop).
Regarding claim 9, Naporra teaches the secondary vent hood “is configured to be placed above a countertop appliance” (This is functional limitation. The system of hood is capable of being placed above a countertop appliance).
Regarding claim 12, Naporra teaches “the surface is an underside of a cabinet set.” (This is intended function. Surface is not positively recited)
Regarding claim 13, Naporra teaches a blower disposed within the primary vent hood (This is intended function. Primary vent hood is not positively recited).
Regarding claim 14, Naporra teaches a method for ventilating fumes, the method comprising: receiving fumes (see airflow shown in arrows in fig 1. Fumes are inherently received) into a secondary vent hood (3, fig 1), the secondary vent hood “configured to be coupled to an underside of a surface” (This is intended function. Surface is not positively recited. Hood 3 is capable of being coupled under a surface); transporting fumes (using a blower that is inherently provided in the hood) from the secondary vent hood through a manifold (exhaust duct 8, fig 1) with a blower (a blower inherently is provided in the vent hood), the manifold fluidly coupled to the secondary vent hood and the manifold “configured to be coupled to the underside of the surface” (This is intended function. Surface is not positively recited); and exhausting fumes through a primary vent hood (2, fig 1), the primary vent hood fluidly coupled to the manifold (see fig 1 for air flow).
Regarding claim 19, Naporra teaches the secondary vent hood is configured to be placed above a countertop appliance (hob 4, fig 1) and the fumes originate from the countertop appliance.”
Regarding claim 20, Naporra teaches the primary vent hood is configured to be placed above a stovetop (2, fig 1).
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.
Claims 3-4 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naporra (DE 2810318. See attached translation) in view of Gan (CN 112555934. See attached translation).
Regarding claim 3, Naporra teaches all the limitations in claim 1, but fails to teach a plurality of secondary vent hoods, each of the plurality of secondary vent hoods configured to be coupled to the surface and fluidly coupled to the manifold.
Gan teaches a plurality of secondary vent hoods (21 to 2N, fig 1), each of the plurality of secondary vent hoods “configured to be coupled to a surface and fluidly coupled to a manifold” (hoods are coupled to a manifold 3. Surface isn’t positively recited to be part of the system).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Naporra as taught by Gan by adding plural vent hoods to the system in order to exhaust more fumes in a large space, such as a commercial kitchen.
Regarding claim 4, Naporra in view of Gan teaches a plurality of blowers, wherein each of the plurality of secondary vent hoods has at least one of the plurality of blowers disposed therein (a blower is inherently provided in each exhaust hood).
Regarding claim 15, Naporra teaches all the limitations of claim 14, but fails to teach that the step of ventilating fumes through the secondary vent hood further comprising ventilating fumes through a plurality of secondary vent hoods, each of the plurality of secondary vent hoods fluidly coupled to the manifold.
Gan teaches ventilating fumes (via hoods 21 to 2N) through a plurality of secondary vent hoods (21 to 2N, fig 1), each of the plurality of secondary vent hoods fluidly coupled to a manifold (3, fig 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Naporra as taught by Gan by adding plural vent hoods to the system in order to exhaust more fumes in a large space, such as a commercial kitchen.
Claims 5 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naporra (DE 2810318. See attached translation) in view of Erdmann (US 20080053426).
Regarding claim 5, Naporra teaches all the limitations in claim 1, but fails to teach a filter, the filter being disposed inside of the secondary vent hood.
Erdmann teaches a filter (2, fig 1), the filter being disposed inside of a vent hood (1, fig 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Naporra as taught by Erdmann by adding filters to the vent hood in order to filter harmful particles and exhaust clean air to outside environment.
Regarding claim 18, Naporra teaches all the limitations in claim 14, but fails to teach filtering the fumes with a filter, wherein the filter is arranged in the secondary vent hood.
Erdmann teaches filtering the fumes with a filter (2, fig 1), the filter being disposed inside of a vent hood (1, fig 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Naporra as taught by Erdmann by adding filters to the vent hood in order to filter harmful particles and exhaust clean air to outside environment.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naporra (DE 2810318. See attached translation) in view of Livchak (US 20090264060).
Regarding claim 7, Naporra teaches all the limitations in claim 1, but fails to teach the manifold (which is a flow guiding device) is fluidly coupled to the secondary vent hood (which is another flow guiding device) with a quick-connect coupler.
Livchak teaches a quick-connect coupler (393 or 394, fig 3d. [0105] “quick-connector 393 and 394 may be provided to connect a pipe or another header tube indicated at 390.”) is used to connect two fluid flow guiding device (390 and 384).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Naporra as taught by Livchak by using quick connect coupler to connect the manifold and the vent hood in order to provide a mechanism to allow fast connection for installation.
Claims 10-11 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naporra (DE 2810318. See attached translation) in view of Siegel (US 6920874).
Regarding claims 10-11, Naporra teaches all the limitations in claim 1, and a blower (blower is inherently provided in the vent hood).
Naporra fails to teach a temperature sensor (for claim 10) or a humidity sensor (for claim 11), the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor coupled to the secondary vent hood; and a controller, the controller communicatively coupled to the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor and the blower, the controller configured to automatically activate the blower based upon an output signal generated by the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor.
Siegel teaches a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor (abstract “four distinct air quality sensors: temperature, humidity…”), the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor coupled to a vent hood (see fig 1, air quality sensors 13 are attached to hood 10); and a controller (the controller in fig 3), the controller communicatively coupled to the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor and the blower, the controller configured to automatically activate the blower based upon an output signal generated by the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor (see fig 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Naporra as taught by Siegel by adding temperature or humidity sensor to the vent hood in order to allow users to control vent hood according to desired temperature or humidity setting.
Regarding claims 16-17, Naporra teaches all the limitations in claim 14, but fails to teach monitoring the temperature (for claim 10) or the humidity (for claim 11) of the fumes with a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor, the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor configured inside of the secondary vent hood; and automatically activating the blower in response to the temperature or the humidity exceeding a predetermined threshold.
Siegel teaches monitoring the temperature or the humidity of the fumes with a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor, the temperature sensor or the humidity sensor configured (abstract “four distinct air quality sensors: temperature, humidity…”. Temperature and humidity are inherently monitored with sensors) inside of the secondary vent hood (col 4 lines 31-33, “It contains a series of openings 14 through which the various air quality sensors 13 can be exposed to air”. Sensors are located in the openings of the vent hood housing); and automatically activating the blower in response to the temperature or the humidity exceeding a predetermined threshold (See fig 3, controller activates fan after getting sensor readings. Therefore a predetermined threshold is inherently provided with respective to temperature or humidity in order for controller to compare sensor reading with).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Naporra as taught by Siegel by adding temperature or humidity sensor to the vent hood in order to allow users to control vent hood according to desired temperature or humidity setting.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KO-WEI LIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7675. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30-2:30 Eastern Time.
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, Steve McAllister can be reached at (571)272-6785. 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.
/KO-WEI LIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762