DETAILED ACTION
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 1-2, 4-6, 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sternberg 2016/0158776.
In regards to Independent Claim 1, Sternberg teaches a dispensing bottle (100) comprising: a main compartment (118) having a mouth (outlet at top of tube 116) at a top (as shown in figure 1), a closed base (112), and a wall (126), wherein the base and the wall define an inner volume of the main compartment (volume within 118); and a storage compartment (106) comprising a closed base (bottom of 106 in figure 1), a wall (124), and an open top (opening at 110), wherein the closed base and the wall define an inner volume of the storage compartment (as shown in figure 1), the storage compartment is configured to be releasably coupled to a bottom of the main compartment using a coupling mechanism (connection can be friction fit, paragraph [0024]), wherein the closed base of the main compartment closes the open top of the storage compartment (closed arrangement of storage compartment shown in figure 2), the storage compartment is configured to store an accessory (storage compartment 106 is capable of storing anything placed within it, paragraph [0009]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 2, Sternberg teaches the dispensing bottle further comprises the accessory (refill packs or the like can be placed in the storage compartment, paragraph [0009]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 4, Sternberg teaches the dispensing bottle further comprises a spray head (102) coupled to the mouth of the main compartment (as shown in figures 1 and 2).
Regarding Dependent Claim 5, Sternberg teaches the coupling mechanism is a friction fit mechanism (connection can be friction fit, paragraph [0024]).
In regards to Independent Claim 6, Sternberg teaches a method of storing an accessory in a dispensing bottle (using the dispensing bottle 100 shown in figure 1), the method comprising: providing a dispensing bottle (100) comprising: a main compartment (118) having a mouth at a top (mouth at top of 116 in figure 1), a closed base (closed base at 112), and a wall (126), wherein the base and the wall define an inner volume of the main compartment (volume of 118), and a storage compartment (106) comprising a closed base (base of 106 shown in figure 1), a wall (124), and an open top (open top at 110 in figure 1), wherein the closed base and the wall define an inner volume of the storage compartment (volume within 106 shown in figure 1), the storage compartment is configured to be releasably coupled to a bottom of the main compartment using a coupling mechanism (connection can be friction fit, paragraph [0024]), wherein the closed base of the main compartment closes the open top of the storage compartment (as shown in figure 2), the storage compartment configured to store an accessory (storage compartment 106 is capable of storing anything placed within it, paragraph [0009]); opening the storage compartment from the main compartment (open position shown in figure 1); placing the accessory into the storage compartment (accessories are placed within storage compartment, paragraph [0009]); and coupling the storage compartment to the main compartment (paragraph [0009]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 8, Sternberg teaches the dispensing bottle (100) further comprises a spray head (102) coupled to the mouth of the main compartment (as shown in figures 1 and 2).
Regarding Dependent Claim 9, Sternberg teaches the coupling mechanism is a friction fit mechanism (connection can be friction fit, paragraph [0024]).
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.
Claims 3 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sternberg as applied to claims 2 and 6 above, and further in view of Hirst 2010/0264152.
Regarding Dependent Claims 3 and 7, Sternberg teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above. However, Sternberg does not teach that the accessory is a roll of cleaning cloth. Hirst teaches using a spray bottle (1) with a storage compartment (within 3) for storing a cloth (paragraph [0031]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to use a cloth as an accessory in the storage compartment of Sternberg, as taught by Hirst, in order to store cleaning devices within the spray bottle so that the cleaning device is not misplaced (paragraph [0002]). The manner that the cloth is organized within the storage compartment, i.e. rolled, wadded, folded, does not change the structure or function of the cloth or dispensing bottle, and it would have been obvious to choose from one of the limited storage orientations for the cloth of Sternberg in view of Hirst, with a reasonable expectation of success, which in this case, is storing the cloth within the storage compartment. KSR, 550 U.S. at 421, 82 USPQ2d at 1397, MPEP 2143 I E.
Conclusion
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/STEVEN M SUTHERLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752