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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 16 recites “the main body”; it is not understood by the Examiner what this limitation refers to.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the main body”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the first type article supply device or the second type article supply device”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ash Jr. (US 5,826,745).
Claim 16, Ash discloses an article supply device set made up of a plurality of article supply devices, comprising: a first article supply device (fig.9) capable of supplying a first type article in a spherical shape (C; fig.9), to which a first type article accommodation unit (61) accommodating the first type article is attached (fig.9), and a second article supply device (fig.7) capable of supplying a second type article in a sheet shape (fig.8), to which a second type article accommodation unit (52) accommodating the second type article is attached, wherein the first article supply device (fig.9) and the second article supply device (fig.7) are respectively configured so that either the first type article supply device (fig.9) or the second type article supply device (fig.7) can be attached to the main body (main body 13) thereof.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-15 are objected to because of the following informalities: line 8 of claim 1 has “\”; it ought to be removed. Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: an article supply device including “a first supply unit which supplies a first type article accommodated in the first type article accommodation unit; a first supply port formed in the main body; and a second supply unit which includes a second supply port and supplies a second type article accommodated in the second type article accommodation unit, wherein the first supply unit supplies the first type article to the first supply port in a state where the first type article accommodation unit is attached to the attachment unit, and the second supply unit supplies the second type article to the second supply port in a state where the second type article accommodation unit is attached to the attachment unit. “ in combination with the remaining claim language is not taught by the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US 10726658.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AYODEJI T OJOFEITIMI whose telephone number is (571)272-6557. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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, GENE CRAWFORD can be reached at (571) 272-6911. 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.
/AYODEJI T OJOFEITIMI/Examiner, Art Unit 3651
Prosecution Insights