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 § 103
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 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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moineau et al. (US 5,402,812) in view of Tayenaka et al. (US 2016/0258144 A1) and Chang et al. (US 6,892,952 B2).
With regard to claim 1, Moineau discloses a multi-pressure shower system comprising: a shower head (12) and a timer dial (100); wherein said timer having selectively at least a first position and a second position (Col. 2 lines 39-41, flowrate is in direct relationship to pressure); wherein said shower head having a plurality of spray openings disposed on a front surface of said housing (Fig. 1).
However, Moineau does not disclose that wherein said first position lowers an initial water pressure to a first water pressure for a first predetermined period of time when said timer dial is moved from an initial position to said first position; wherein said second position lowers said initial water pressure to said first water pressure for a second predetermined period of time when said timer dial is moved from said initial position to said second position; and further wherein said first water pressure is from 10% to 30% of said initial water pressure.
Tayenaka discloses a multi-pressure shower system comprising: a timer (“timer system”) ; wherein said timer having selectively at least a first position and a second position; wherein said first position lowers an initial water pressure to a first water pressure for a first predetermined period of time when said timer dial is moved from an initial position to said first position; wherein said second position lowers said initial water pressure to said first water pressure for a second predetermined period of time when said timer dial is moved from said initial position to said second position; and further wherein said first water pressure is from 10% to 30% of said initial water pressure (Par. [0043, 0046 and 0143]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Moineau, by incorporating the variable flow valve to create various flow rates as taught by Tayenaka in communication with the timer of Moineau, doing it would allow the user to save more water (Para. [0046]).
Moineau does not disclose that the shower system comprising a housing including a handle, a flexible water pipe attached to said handle; wherein said water pipe connected to a water inlet for supplying water to said handle..
Chang teaches a shower system comprising a housing including a handle, a flexible water pipe (104) attached to said handle (Fig. 4), a shower head (102), and a timer dial (18); wherein said water pipe connected to a water inlet for supplying water to said handle (Fig. 4); wherein said shower head having a plurality of spray openings disposed on a front surface of said housing (Fig. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Moineau, by incorporating the handheld shower head and the flexible water pipe as taught by Chang, doing it would allow the user to remove the showerhead from the fixture.
With regard to claim 2, the device of Moineau as modified by Tayenaka and Chang discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1. Tayenaka further discloses that said first water pressure is from 15% to 25% of said initial water pressure (Par. [0046]).
With regard to claim 3, the device of Moineau as modified by Tayenaka and Chang discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1. Tayenaka further discloses that said second predetermined period of time is greater than said first predetermined period of time (Par. [0143]).
With regard to claim 4, the device of Moineau as modified by Tayenaka and Chang discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 3. Tayenaka further discloses that said first predetermined period of time is 30 seconds and said second predetermined period of time is 60 seconds (Par. [0143]).
With regard to claim 5, the device of Moineau as modified by Tayenaka and Chang discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 3. Tayenaka further discloses that said housing is waterproof (Par. [0063]).
With regard to claim 6, the device of Moineau as modified by Tayenaka and Chang discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 3. Tayenaka further discloses that said first position closing off a selected number of said plurality of spray openings (Par. [0093-0094]).
With regard to claim 7, the device of Moineau as modified by Tayenaka and Chang discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1. Moineau further discloses that said timer dial automatically returning to said initial position and said initial water pressure after said first predetermined period of time elapses (a spring or coil-wound, tension-mounted timer).
With regard to claim 8, the device of Moineau as modified by Tayenaka and Chang discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 7. Moineau further discloses that said timer dial automatically returning to said initial position and said initial water pressure after said second predetermined period of time elapses (a spring or coil-wound, tension-mounted timer).
With regard to Claims 9-20, the device of Moineau as modified by Tayenaka and Chang discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claims 1-8.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOEL ZHOU whose telephone number is (571)270-1163. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM.
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JOEL . ZHOU
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3752
/QINGZHANG ZHOU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752