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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the elastic component, anode electric connecting plate, cathode electric connecting plate, anode electric connecting slot, cathode electric connecting slot, filtered zone, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s).
No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 and 9-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lutz et al (US 2013/0206654 A1).
As to claim 1, Lutz discloses a water purification and disinfection device (Title), comprising:
a cartridge cover (hub #202 OR #102/202 combines), wherein an inlet pipeline (#204/#306), an outlet pipeline (#206/314), and an electrolytic unit fixing element are provided on the cartridge cover, the electrolytic unit fixing element has a mounting chamber (area for which #310 is inserts), and a top of the electrolytic unit fixing element is provided with an electric connecting element (Fig. 8A #s 840/841 OR seen in Fig. 5 annotated below);
a filter cartridge, wherein the filter cartridge is detachably connected to the cartridge cover, the filter cartridge is provided with a to-be-filtered zone, a filtration core, and a filtered zone, and the to-be-filtered zone is communicated with the inlet pipeline (See annotation below); and
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an electrolytic unit, wherein the electrolytic unit is detachably mounted in the mounting chamber (#310), a sealing ring is provided between the electrolytic unit and the mounting chamber (#322), a water inlet of the electrolytic unit is communicated with the filtered zone (See annotation above), a water outlet of the electrolytic unit is connected to the outlet pipeline (#314), and an electric connecting pin of the electrolytic unit penetrates through the mounting chamber and is connected to the electric connecting element outside the mounting chamber ([0071], #s 600, 840/841).
As to claim 9, Lutz further discloses wherein, a connection between the filter cartridge and the cartridge cover is threaded connection ([0051]).
As to claim 10, Lutz further discloses wherein, the filter cartridge is cylindrical in shape (See Fig. 3), and both a bottom of the filter cartridge and a bottom of the electrolytic unit are provided with filtration core position limiting elements (See annotation below).
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As to claim 11, Lutz further discloses wherein the cartridge cover is further provided with a housing, a power interface is provided on the housing, a control module is provided inside the housing, and the power interface is electrically connected to the control module ([0054] “the apparatus 200 includes a power control system that controls power to the electrolytic cell 310 as a function of the flow of water through the apparatus.” [0055] [0056]).
As to claim 12-20, (Noted that claims 12-20 separated out limitations from claim 1 into separate dependent clauses addressed below combined), Lutz discloses a water purification and disinfection device (Title), comprising:
a cartridge cover (hub #202 OR #102/202 combines), wherein an inlet pipeline (#204/#306), an outlet pipeline (#206/314), and an electrolytic unit fixing element are provided on the cartridge cover, the electrolytic unit fixing element has a mounting chamber (area for which #310 is inserts), and a top of the electrolytic unit fixing element is provided with an electric connecting element (Fig. 8A #s 840/841 OR seen in Fig. 5 annotated below);
a filter cartridge, wherein the filter cartridge is detachably connected to the cartridge cover, the filter cartridge is provided with a to-be-filtered zone, a filtration core, and a filtered zone, and the to-be-filtered zone is communicated with the inlet pipeline (See annotation below); and
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an electrolytic unit, wherein the electrolytic unit is detachably mounted in the mounting chamber (#310), a sealing ring is provided between the electrolytic unit and the mounting chamber (#322), a water inlet of the electrolytic unit is communicated with the filtered zone (See annotation above), a water outlet of the electrolytic unit is connected to the outlet pipeline (#314), and an electric connecting pin of the electrolytic unit penetrates through the mounting chamber and is connected to the electric connecting element outside the mounting chamber ([0071], #s 600, 840/841).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 2, 5, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lutz in view of Nitta (US 2013/0026096 A1)
As to claim 2, Lutz wherein the electrolyte unit comprises a water inlet cover and water outlet cover (necessary that the structure defining the inlet outlet may be regarded as a cover absent further structural distinction) but fails to explicitly disclose the structure of the electrolytic unit.
Nitta discloses an electrolyte unit to form ozone comprising a water inlet cover (see annotation below), a water outlet cover (see annotation below)and at least one electrolytic assembly, (see annotation below) an electrolytic chamber is formed between the water inlet cover and the water outlet cover (See annotation below), the electrolytic assembly is located in the electrolytic chamber(see below), the electrolytic assembly comprises an electrode plate holder (#4), the electrode plate holder is provided with an anode plate (#1), a proton-exchange membrane (#3)and a cathode plate from bottom to top sequentially (##2) , and the water inlet and the water outlet of the electrolytic unit are respectively located on the water inlet cover and the water outlet cover (See Fig. 2-1).
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It would have been obviosu to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have used an electrolytic cell structure as taught by Nitta in the apparatus of Lutz because compared with the conventional cells, voltage rising with time lapse is small, service life is extremely prolonged, maintenance costs are reduced, and power consumption can be curtailed because of low electrolysis voltage (Nitta [0056]).
As to claim 5, Lutz discloses wherein the electrolytic unit is fixed in the mounting chamber through threaded connection ([0051]).
As to claim 6, Lutz further discloses wherein the top of the electrolytic unit fixing element is provided with an arc-shaped hole which allows the electric connecting pin to pass through, and the electric connecting pin rotates with mounting or detachment of the electrolytic unit so as to contact or disconnect from the electric connecting element. (Fig. 8A hole for which #840 passes through).
Claims 3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lutz, as modified by Nitta, as applied to claim 2, in further view of Kim et al (KR 10-2019-0110801 A)..
As to claims 3 and 4, Lutz, as modified by Nitta, discloses a diamond anode plate ([0041] as required by instant claim 4) and a stainless steel cathode plate ([0095] “SUS304”) but fails to explicitly disclose the particular structure of the electrical connections.
Kim discloses an electrical connection member for an electrolytic cell comprising wherein the electrode plate holder (#324) is provided with an anode electric connecting slot (#324b) and a cathode electric connecting slot (#324a), an anode electric connecting plate connected to the anode plate is fixed in the anode electric connecting slot (#326 are within 324b), a cathode electric connecting plate connected to the cathode plate is fixed in the cathode electric connecting slot (#326 area within 324a), and the electrode plate holder is further provided with an anode electric connecting column and a cathode electric connecting column (#329), the anode electric connecting column is connected to the anode electric connecting plate (#329), the cathode electric connecting column is connected to the cathode electric connecting plate (See Fig. 9), and the anode electric connecting column and the cathode electric connecting column respectively penetrate through the water outlet cover and extend outward to form the electric connecting pin of the electrolytic unit (See Fig. 8 #320 penetrating through 310) and a sealing pressing block for sealing and protecting the anode electric connecting plate and for pressing against the anode electric connecting plate is provided in the anode electric connecting slot (as required by instant claim 4 #332) with the cathode plate is integrally formed with the cathode electric connecting plate (See Fig. 9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have used an electrical connection system as disclosed in Kim in the apparatus of Lutz, as modified by Nitta, in order to provide an expected result of passing electric current to the electrodes which enables the electrolysis reaction. Such a modification amounts to using a structure recognized by the prior art suitable for the intended use by combining the prior art structures of Lutz and Kim. See MPEP 2144.07 and 2143 A.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lutz, as modified by Nitta, as applied to claim 5, in further view of McCague et al (US 2019/0016615 A1).
As to claim 7, Lutz, as modified by Nitta, fails to explicitly disclose a handle with the inlet cover.
McCague discloses a handle coupled to an electrode cartridge to facilitate removal of the electrode cartridge for replacement (#51 [0007] [0033]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have used a handle coupled to the electrolytic cartridge (and thus necessarily the inlet cover) as taught by McCague in the apparatus of Lutz, as modified by Nitta, in order to facilitate removal and replacement of an electrode cartridge ([0007] McCague).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lutz in view of Tseng (US 2022/0234917 A1)
As to claim 8, Lutz further discloses wherein the electric connecting element is an elastic piece, and the elastic piece is in connection with the electric connecting pin of the electrolytic unit. (#s 910 [0087]), but fails to disclose the elastic piece is a clip on connection.
Tseng discloses a clip-on clamping elastic piece (#32/34) to engage with electrodes for electrical connection ([0026]).
Thus, it would have been obvious at the time the invention was filed to have used a clip on elastic clamping piece as taught by Tseng as the structure to engage terminals 840/841 of Lutz because such structure is recognized to provide a resilient electrical contact for the electrodes that allows it to be attached/detached without tools (Tseng [0027] MPEP 2144.07 and 2143 B).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LOUIS J RUFO whose telephone number is (571)270-7716. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 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, Luan Van can be reached at 571-272-8521. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LOUIS J RUFO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1795
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