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 Objections
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the first tab retaining recess". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 11. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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.
Claims 13-18 are 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 13 recites "[a] boat flush connection that remains installed during operation of an outboard motor, the boat flush connection having an unsealed position for motor flushing and a sealed position for motor operation…a tip of the hose connection end of the water flush connection compressing the recess O-ring when the cap is installed, preventing leakage of water out of a cooling system of the outboard motor; whereby the boat flush connection remains during operation of the motor, increasing a likelihood that a user will flush the outboard motor and correspondingly reduce corrosion." This claim appears to be a combination-subcombination claim where the combination is a boat flush connection with an outboard motor and the subcombination is a boat flush connection with a cap and a water flush connection. It appears that Applicant is attempting to claim the combination of a boat flush connection with an outboard motor. Examiner's understanding is that the Applicant is claiming the combination, that is, Applicant is claiming the features of a boat flush connection in combination with an outboard motor, Examiner will interpret the claim(s) accordingly.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20100078265, Drew.
In regards to claim 1, in Figures 14-16 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Drew discloses a flush connection device for use with an outboard motor cooling port, the device comprising: a water flush connection (52); the water flush connection including a hose connection end; the hose connection end including a tip with a circular ring shape; a cap (56); a recess O-ring (128) within a recess within the cap; the hose connection end fitting into the cap; mating of the cap and the hose connection end causing compression of the recess O-ring between the tip of the hose connection end and the recess within the cap; whereby compression of the recess O-ring prevents water from leaking out through the hose connection end.
In regards to claim 7, in Figures 14-16 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Drew discloses a boat flush connector for use with an outboard motor, the boat flush connector to be left in place at all times, the boat flush connector comprising: a water flush connection with a motor connection end and a hose connection end; the hose connection end including a ring-shaped flat tip; the hose connection end including a central bore, water allowed to flow through the central bore to flush the outboard motor; a cap; a centering recess within the cap; a recess O-ring within the centering recess; whereby connection of the cap to the water flush connection seals the water flush connection, preventing leakage during operation of the outboard motor.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 4703914, Hoffmann.
In regards to claim 1, in Figure 1, below, and paragraphs detailing said figure, Hoffmann discloses a flush connection device for use with an outboard motor cooling port, the device comprising: a water flush connection (2); the water flush connection including a hose connection end; the hose connection end including a tip with a circular ring shape; a cap; a recess O-ring (7) within a recess within the cap; the hose connection end fitting into the cap; mating of the cap and the hose connection end causing compression of the recess O-ring between the tip of the hose connection end and the recess within the cap; whereby compression of the recess O-ring prevents water from leaking out through the hose connection end.
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Flush connection O-ring)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: rect][AltContent: textbox (Tip)][AltContent: arrow]
PNG
media_image1.png
1133
787
media_image1.png
Greyscale
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (Recess)][AltContent: textbox (Hose connection end)][AltContent: textbox (Cap)][AltContent: arrow]
In regards to claim 3, in Figure 1, above, and paragraphs detailing said figure, Hoffmann discloses the water flush connection further comprising: a motor connection end; the motor connection end opposing the hose connection end; the motor connection end including garden hose threads (26) for interfacing with an outboard motor cooling port.
In regards to claim 5, in Figure 1, above, and paragraphs detailing said figure, Hoffmann discloses a flush connection O-ring surrounding the hose connection end of the water flush connection; a combination of the flush connection O-ring and the recess O-ring creating a double seal to prevent leakage past the cap.
In regards to claim 7, in Figure 1, above, and paragraphs detailing said figure, Hoffmann discloses a boat flush connector for use with an outboard motor, the boat flush connector to be left in place at all times, the boat flush connector comprising: a water flush connection with a motor connection end and a hose connection end; the hose connection end including a ring-shaped flat tip; the hose connection end including a central bore, water allowed to flow through the central bore to flush the outboard motor; a cap; a centering recess within the cap; a recess O-ring within the centering recess; whereby connection of the cap to the water flush connection seals the water flush connection, preventing leakage during operation of the outboard motor.
In regards to claim 9, in Figure 1, above, and paragraphs detailing said figure, Hoffmann discloses the water flush connection further comprising: a motor connection end; the motor connection end opposing the hose connection end; the motor connection end including garden hose threads for interfacing with an outboard motor cooling port.
In regards to claim 11, in Figure 1, above, and paragraphs detailing said figure, Hoffmann discloses a flush connection O-ring surrounding the hose connection end of the water flush connection; a combination of the flush connection O-ring and the recess O-ring creating a double seal to prevent leakage past the cap.
In regards to claim 12, in Figure 1, above, and paragraphs detailing said figure, Hoffmann discloses a flush connection O-ring surrounding the hose connection end of the water flush connection; a combination of the flush connection O-ring and the recess O-ring creating a double seal to prevent leakage past the cap.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Claims 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON M DUNWOODY whose telephone number is (571)272-7080. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 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, Matthew Troutman can be reached at 571-270-3654. 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.
/AARON M DUNWOODY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679