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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1, 4, 11, 14 and 15 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-3, 6 and 7 of copending Application No. 18/485,144. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the instant claims are substantially indistinct from the subject matter of the claims of patent application 18/485,144 taken in combination, in the following side-by-side comparison of the instant claims and the claims of application ‘144.
A shower filter system (‘144, claim 1 preamble), comprising: a filter assembly including:
a filter including a connector (‘144, claim 1 “filter clause), a filter housing couplable to the connector, and a filter cartridge situated within the filter housing to filter water passed therethrough, the connector including a spout extending outward therefrom, the spout including a spout inlet channel and a spout outlet channel (‘144, claim 1 clauses beginning “a filter” and “a connector”); and
an inlet pipe configured to feed water to a water dispersing arrangement via an inlet pipe channel extending therethrough from an upstream end to a downstream end, an upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel being coupled to the spout inlet channel and a downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel being coupled to the spout outlet channel (‘144 claim 1 clauses to “an inlet pipe” and “a connector”), wherein, the filter assembly is movable between
(a) an active configuration, in which the spout inlet channel is open to the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel and the spout outlet channel is open to the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel so that water passes through the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel, through the spout inlet channel into the filter cartridge, and through the spout outlet channel into the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel (‘144, claim 1, “wherein” clause concerning filter assembly being in active configuration), and
(b) a bypass configuration, in which the spout inlet channel and the spout outlet channel are closed to the upstream and downstream portions of the inlet pipe channel so that water passes through the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel and through a spout bypass channel into the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel without passing through the filter cartridge (‘144, claim 1, “wherein” clause concerning filter assembly being in bypass configuration).
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the spout includes at least one first opening corresponding to the spout inlet channel and at least one second opening corresponding to the spout outlet channel (‘144, claim 3).
11. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a coupling mechanism configured to couple the water dispersing arrangement to the inlet pipe (implied from ‘144, claim 1, inlet pipe clause concerning inlet pipe coupling configuration).
14. The system of claim 1, wherein the filter housing includes an indicative indicating the bypass configuration and the active configuration (‘144, claim 6).
15. The system of claim 1, wherein the water dispersing arrangement includes one of a fixed mounted shower head and a removable hand shower (‘144, claim 7).
Claim 21 is provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 31 of copending Application No. 18/485,144 in view of Mang PGPUBS Document US 2011/0147286 (Mang) Referenced paragraph numbers of the applied PGPUBS Document are identified with “[ ]” symbols.
Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the instant claims are substantially indistinct from the subject matter of the claims of patent application 18/485,144 taken in combination, in the following side-by-side comparison of the instant claims and the claims of application ‘144.
A shower filter system (‘144, claim 31), comprising:
a first water dispersing arrangement having a first inlet (‘144, claim 31, paraphrased in “inlet pip” clause); and
a filter assembly comprising:
a filter including a connector (‘144, claim 31, “filter” clause and claim 1, “connector” clause),
a filter housing couplable to the connector (‘144, claim 31, “filter” clause), and
a filter cartridge situated within the filter housing to filter water passed therethrough (‘144, claim 31, “filter” clause),
the connector including a spout extending outward therefrom, the spout including a spout inlet channel and a spout outlet channel; and an inlet pipe coupled to the filter and including an inlet pipe channel extending therethrough from an upstream end to a downstream end (‘144 claim 1, paraphrased in “connector” clause),
an upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel being coupled to the spout inlet channel and a downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel being coupled to the spout outlet channel and at least one of the first inlet and the second inlet, (‘144, claim 31, “wherein” clause regarding “filter inlet channel” and “inlet pipe channel”) wherein, the filter assembly is movable between
(a) an active configuration, in which the spout inlet channel is open to the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel and the spout outlet channel is open to the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel so that water passes through the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel, through the spout inlet channel into the filter cartridge, and through the spout outlet channel into the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel (‘144, claim 31, “wherein” clause, section “(a)”), and
(b) a bypass configuration, in which the spout inlet channel and the spout outlet channel are closed to the upstream and downstream portions of the inlet pipe channel so that water passes through the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel and through a spout bypass channel into the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel without passing through the filter cartridge (‘144, claim 31, “wherein” clause, section “(b)” ) .
Claim 21 differs from the device described by the claims of ‘144 by requiring a second water dispersing arrangement having a second inlet. Mang teaches a shower filter system in which a filter housing includes a main body having a plurality of water outlets 1121, 1122 in fluid communication with dispersing arrangements 101 and 102 (Abstract, figure 1, [0025], [0026]). Mang teaches to provide such multiple dispensing arrangements so as to enable different applications for providing personal hygienic applications, and in a limited space [0025].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the water filtration arts to have modified the system described in the claims of patent ‘144, by providing more than one dispersing arrangement, as taught by Mang, to provide such multiple dispensing arrangements so as to enable different applications for providing personal hygienic applications, and in a limited space.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection.
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.
Claims 1-15, 17, 18, 20 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
For claim 1, and claims dependent therefrom, the claim is ambiguous as to whether or not the “water dispersing arrangement” and “spout bypass channel”, each recited in descriptive terminology, are positively recited system structural components.
For claim 7, the claim is ambiguous as to whether or not the “filter cartridge surrounding channel” recited in descriptive terminology in part b) of the “wherein” clause is a positively recited system structural component.
For claim 13, the claim is ambiguous as to whether or not the “magnetic portion of the water dispersing arrangement” recited in descriptive terminology is a positively recited system structural component.
In claim 14, it is unclear whether “includes an indicative” is reciting a positively recited structural component of the system.
In claim 21, structural relationship or nexus between the “first water dispersing arrangement” and “second water dispersing arrangement and the “filter assembly” components is unclear, since the claim is silent regarding any structural or functional relationship between any filter assembly components and either of the dispersing arrangements or their respective inlets.
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.
(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.
Claims 1-4, 11, 15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Rundzaitis et al patent 4,933,080 (Rundzaitis).
For independent claim 1, Rundzaitis discloses: A shower filter system (Abstract), comprising: a filter assembly including:
a filter 26 including a connector (fig 1, see column 2, lines 34-38 “filter is attached directly to the plumbing outlet pipe. Then, the shower head is attached to the inventive appliance”),
a filter housing 28 couplable to the connector 34/36 (fig 1, column 2, lines 40-45), and
a filter cartridge 46 situated within the filter housing to filter water passed therethrough (fig 2, col 2, ln 40-41),
the connector including a spout extending outward therefrom (shower head 24, fig 1, col 2, ln 32-34 and 45-48),
the spout including a spout inlet channel 62 and a spout outlet channel 64/40 (fig 4, col 3, ln 10-18); and
an inlet pipe 22 configured to feed water to a water dispersing arrangement via an inlet pipe channel 38/34 extending therethrough from an upstream end to a downstream end (figs 1, 2 and 4, col 3, ln 43-48)
an upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel being coupled to the spout inlet channel (fig 4) and
a downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel being coupled to the spout outlet channel (fig 4), wherein, the filter assembly is movable between
(a) an active configuration, in which the spout inlet channel is open to the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel and the spout outlet channel is open to the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel so that water passes through the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel, through the spout inlet channel into the filter cartridge, and through the spout outlet channel into the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel (see fig 4 & 6 configuration and flow arrows, col 3, ln 52-59 and col 3, ln 4-14)), and
(b) a bypass configuration, in which the spout inlet channel and the spout outlet channel are closed to the upstream and downstream portions of the inlet pipe channel so that water passes through the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel and through a spout bypass channel into the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel without passing through the filter cartridge (see figs 6 & 8 configuration, col 2, ln 52-60 and col 3, ln 14-19).
For claim 2, Rundzaitis discloses wherein the connector includes a receiving portion 36 configured to receive the filter cartridge therein (figs 2, 4, col 2, ln 43-45).
For claim 3, Rundzaitis discloses wherein the filter housing is configured to be uncoupled from the connector to access the filter cartridge (col 2, ln 34-37 re installing of filter appliance 26, hence implying removal of the filter appliance and cartridge).
For claim 4, Rundzaitis discloses wherein the spout includes at least one first opening corresponding to the spout inlet channel and at least one second opening corresponding to the spout outlet channel (figs 3-8 illustrate openings between the various channels).
For claim 11, Rundzaitis discloses the system further comprising: a coupling mechanism configured to couple the water dispersing arrangement to the inlet pipe (fig 2 and col 2, ln 45-49 re threads 40 on passageway or pipe 34 for accepting the shower head, or “any other suitable connector”).
For claim 15, Rundzaitis discloses wherein the water dispersing arrangement includes one of a fixed, mounted shower head and a removable shower head (figs 1 and 2 and col 2, ln 32-37 re removable shower head).
For claim 20, Rundzaitis discloses wherein the filter housing includes an opening to access the filter cartridge (open top portion of filter housing 28 and col 2, ln 40-41 re the housing being cup-shaped so as to receive a filter cartridge).
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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rundzaitis et al patent 4,933,080 (Rundzaitis) in view of Hughes patent 6,096,197 (Hughes).
Claim 5 differs from Rundzaitis by requiring wherein the system further comprises: a washer coupled to the inlet pipe and extending about a portion of the spout, the washer including at least one washer hole,
wherein, when the filter assembly is in the active configuration, the at least one washer hole aligns with the at least one first opening to connect the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel with the spout inlet channel.
Hughes also teaches a shower filter assembly, in which a filter unit housing a filter cartridge can be attached or coupled to plumbing and shower heads (Abstract, figs 1 & 2, col 2, ln 62-col 3, ln 21), the coupling connections including end cap washers 48 (col 4, ln 41-51, such washers taught as facilitating control of water flow, thus aligning with pipe channel openings, and sealing of components).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the water filtration art to have utilized washers such as taught by Hughes, as part of the Rundzaitis coupling and connection arrangements, for facilitating controlled water flow and sealing between components.
Claims 8 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rundzaitis et al patent 4,933,080 (Rundzaitis) in view of Takagi et al PGPUBS Document US 2005/0072727 (Takagi). Referenced paragraph numbers of the applied PGPUBS Document are identified with “[ ]” symbols.
Claim 8 differs from Rundzaitis by requiring the system as comprising a valve configured to connect the filter cartridge with the spout outlet channel.
Takagi also teaches a shower filter assembly, in which a filter unit housing a filter cartridge can be attached or coupled to plumbing and shower heads (Abstract, figs 1 and 9 and 11 [0086 and 0090]), the filter cartridge connected to a shower head outlet conduit 17/18 by a valve 17/17b/17c ([0101, 0102, 0107 and 0112-0014 regarding the valving elements 16b and 17b as forming part of flow-switching mechanisms which also provide structural support and stability between components] and see figs 8-12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the water filtration art to have modified the Rundzaitis system, by utilizing such a valve, as taught by Takagi, to facilitate switching of fluid flow through the system, by a mechanism which reliable ensures switching of flow paths through the system, while providing structural support for the connection of filter cartridge to spout outlet channel.
Claim 13 differs from Rundzaitis by requiring wherein the coupling mechanism includes a magnet configured to be coupled to a magnetic portion of the water dispersing arrangement.
Takagi also teaches a shower filter assembly, in which a filter unit housing a filter cartridge can be attached or coupled to plumbing and shower heads (Abstract, figs 1 and 9 and 11 [0086 and 0090]). Takagi teaches a coupling mechanism utilizing a cut-off valve having a magnet in the form of a magnetic body 19 which can be pressed against a head part 12 of a mechanism for inserting and securing a water purification cartridge, thus suggesting such head part including a magnetic part of a coupling (see [0096-0098, 0102-0103]).
Thus, it would have been additionally obvious to have modified coupling mechanisms of Rundzaitis to have included interfacing magnetic components, as taught by Takagi, in order to further facilitate reliable structural support between components.
Claims 14 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rundzaitis et al patent 4,933,080 (Rundzaitis) in view of Swain PGPUBS Document US 2012/0031821 (Swain). Referenced paragraph numbers of the applied PGPUBS Document are identified with “[ ]” symbols.
Claim 14 differs from Rundzaitis by requiring wherein the filter housing includes an indicative indicating the bypass configuration and the active configuration.
Swain teaches a residential water filtering system, including for water conduits leading to showers, utilizing detachable connection of a filter cartridge [0002, 0021], having a filtering active configuration and bypass configuration [0007-0008] in which components are alternately aligned and out of alignment. Swain further teaches an indicator 112 coupled to a valve, configuration-handling to verify whether the system is in the active or bypass configuration [0028].
It would have been further obvious to the skilled water filtering and treatment mechanism, to have also utilized such indicative or indicator taught by Swain in the Rundzaitis system, so as make it easier for a user to quickly identify the active or bypass configuration of the system to assure that filtered flow is selected, when desired.
Claim 17 differs from Rundzaitis by requiring wherein the filter housing includes a plurality of protrusions configured to be gripped by a user to rotate the filter housing about a longitudinal axis.
Swain teaches a residential water filtering system, including for water conduits leading to showers, utilizing detachable connection of a filter cartridge [0002, 0021], having a filtering active configuration and bypass configuration [0007-0008] in which components are alternately aligned and out of alignment.
Swain further teaches a filter housing 24 (figures1-3) comprising shaped supports illustrated as forming longitudinal protrusions to provide supports for a handle [0024], as well as including an attached valve body, valve member and handle which has a handle post including at least one tab or protrusion 92 for common rotation of the housing ([0022, 0026], see figures 1 and 2), the housing also having peripheral, longitudinally extending grooves 94 (figs 1 and 2)
It would have been further obvious to the skilled water filtering and treatment mechanism, to have also designed the filter housing to include such protrusions, as taught by Swain in the Rundzaitis system, so as make it easier for a user to securely and reliably rotate the filter assembly between active and bypass configurations while better securing the filter assembly components.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rundzaitis et al patent 4,933,080 (Rundzaitis) in view of Swain PGPUBS Document US 2012/0031821 (Swain), as applied to claims 14 and 17 above, and further in view of Takagi et al PGPUBS Document US 2005/0072727 (Takagi).
Claim 18 further differs by requiring wherein at least one of the filter housing and the plurality of protrusions are comprised of an antimicrobial material.
Takagi also teaches a shower filter assembly, in which a filter unit housing a filter cartridge can be attached or coupled to plumbing and shower heads (Abstract, figs 1 and 9 and 11 [0086 and 0090]). Takagi also teaches a portion of the filter housing comprising germicidal ceramic and forming a part of the purified water flow path [0100, 0103]. Takagi, in [0103] teaches such material as providing germicidal action to sterilize and disinfect the dispensed water, thus being anti-microbial.
It would have been accordingly obvious to have also modified the Rundzaitis system by utilizing such microbial material in the filter housing, as suggested by Takagi, in order to provide germicidal action to sterilize and disinfect the dispensed water, thus being anti-microbial.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rundzaitis et al patent 4,933,080 (Rundzaitis) in view of Mang PGPUBS Document US 2011/0147286 (Mang) Referenced paragraph numbers of the applied PGPUBS Document are identified with “[ ]” symbols.
For claim 21, Rundzaitis discloses a shower filter system (Abstract), comprising: a filter assembly including:
a first water dispersing arrangement having an inlet (shower head 24, fig 1, col 2, ln 31-34); and
a filter 26 including a connector (fig 1, see column 2, lines 34-38 “filter is attached directly to the plumbing outlet pipe. Then, the shower head is attached to the inventive appliance”),
a filter housing 28 couplable to the connector 34/36 (fig 1, column 2, lines 40-45), and
a filter cartridge 46 situated within the filter housing to filter water passed therethrough (fig 2, col 2, ln 40-41),
the connector including a spout extending outward therefrom (shower head 24, fig 1, col 2, ln 32-34 and 45-48),
the spout including a spout inlet channel 62 and a spout outlet channel 64/40 (fig 4, col 3, ln 10-18); and
an inlet pipe 22 configured to feed water to a water dispersing arrangement via an inlet pipe channel 38/34 extending therethrough from an upstream end to a downstream end (figs 1, 2 and 4, col 3, ln 43-48)
an upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel being coupled to the spout inlet channel (fig 4) and
a downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel being coupled to the spout or water dispersing outlet channel (fig 4), wherein, the filter assembly is movable between
(a) an active configuration, in which the spout inlet channel is open to the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel and the spout outlet channel is open to the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel so that water passes through the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel, through the spout inlet channel into the filter cartridge, and through the spout outlet channel into the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel (see fig 4 & 6 configuration and flow arrows, col 3, ln 52-59 and col 3, ln 4-14)), and
(b) a bypass configuration, in which the spout inlet channel and the spout outlet channel are closed to the upstream and downstream portions of the inlet pipe channel so that water passes through the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel and through a spout bypass channel into the downstream portion of the inlet pipe channel without passing through the filter cartridge (see figs 6 & 8 configuration, col 2, ln 52-60 and col 3, ln 14-19).
Claim 21 differs from Rundzaitis by requiring the system to have a second water dispersing arrangement having a second inlet.
Mang teaches a shower filtering assembly in which in a filter housing includes a main body having a plurality of water outlets 1121, 1122 in fluid communication with dispersing arrangements 101 and 102 (Abstract, figure 1, [0025], [0026]). Mang teaches to provide such multiple dispensing arrangements so as to enable different applications for providing personal hygienic applications, and in a limited space [0025].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the water filtration arts to have modified the shower filtration system of Rundzaitis, by providing more than one dispersing arrangement and thus at least a second dispersing arrangement, as taught by Mang, to provide such multiple dispensing arrangements so as to enable different applications for providing personal hygienic applications, and in a limited space.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 7, 9, 10 and 12 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 6 would distinguish and be non-obvious over all of the prior art in view of recitation of: wherein when the filter assembly is in the bypass configuration, the at least one washer hole misaligns with the at least one first opening to connect the upstream portion of the inlet pipe channel with the spout bypass channel.
Claim 7 would distinguish and be non-obvious over all of the prior art in view of recitation of: wherein the water passes through the spout inlet channel into the filter cartridge via a filter cartridge surrounding channel that funnels the water through a plurality of holes in the filter cartridge.
Claim 9 would distinguish and be non-obvious over all of the prior art in view of recitation of wherein the valve is a pressure valve configured to open into the spout outlet channel when a pressure of the water exiting the filter cartridge is greater than a predetermined threshold of the pressure valve .
The Takagi patent, which teaches a valve configured to connect the filter cartridge with the spout outlet channel, does not suggest such pressure-valve configured configuration which is pressure-responsive.
Claim 10 would distinguish and be non-obvious over all of the prior art in view of recitation of: wherein the spout inlet channel includes a first portion and a second portion, such that, when the filter assembly is in the active configuration, the first portion is aligned with the second portion, and when the filter assembly is in the bypass configuration, the first portion is misaligned with the second portion.
Claim 12 would distinguish and be non-obvious over all of the prior art in view of recitation of: wherein
Claim 31 is allowed, being unanticipated and non-obvious over all of the prior art.
Claim 31 would distinguish and be non-obvious in view of recitation of: A shower filter system, comprising:
a filter assembly including:
an inlet pipe portion couplable to a water source and including an inlet pipe channel extending partially therethrough; and
a filter including a connector coupled to the inlet pipe portion,
a filter housing couplable to the connector, and
a filter cartridge situated within the filter housing to filter water passed therethrough, the connector including a connector inlet channel extending partially therethrough and a connector outlet channel extending partially therethrough; wherein,
the filter assembly is movable between
(a) an active configuration, in which the connector inlet channel couples to the filter so that water passes through the inlet pipe channel, through the connector inlet channel into the filter cartridge, and through the connector outlet channel into the water dispersing arrangement channel, and
(b) a bypass configuration, in which the connector inlet channel couples to a filter bypass channel so that water passes through the inlet pipe channel, through the connector inlet channel into the filter bypass channel, and through the connector outlet channel into the water dispersing arrangement channel without passing through the filter cartridge;
and further comprising:
a water dispersing arrangement portion extending integrally from the inlet pipe portion and including a water dispersing arrangement channel extending partially therethrough.
The claim 31 limitations other than the recited configuration of the water dispersing arrangement portion are deemed to be anticipated by Rundzaitis et al patent 4,933,080, as described in the discussion of the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 1, above. However neither Rundzaitis, nor any other of the cited prior art teaches or suggests such shower filter system as also including a water dispersing arrangement portion, located and configured relative to the other shower filter system components as claimed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Additional prior art is cited regarding PGPUBS patent publications corresponding to copending patent applications. Floyd PGPUBS Document US 2016/0236945 concerns a shower filtering system comprising a system of bypass and check valves for selectively utilizing diverse filter media.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Primary Examiner Joseph Drodge at his direct government telephone number of 571-272-1140. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from approximately 8:00 AM to 1:00PM and 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner are unsuccessful, the examiner' s supervisor, Benjamin Lebron, of Technology Center Unit 1773, can reached at 571-272-0475.
The formal facsimile phone number, for official, formal communications, for the examining group where this application is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JWD
12/18/2025
/JOSEPH W DRODGE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773