DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I claims 1-11 in the reply filed on 4-6-2026 is acknowledged. The restriction is made final.
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) 1-4 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hinsdale (2,198,873). Hinsdale discloses a method of manufacturing a drain (Fig. 6) comprising a washing machine tub (page 1, col. 1, lines 7-8) constructed to drain liquid (page 1, col. 2, lines 15-17) comprising forming a monolithic sheet metal material piece (deep drawn sheet metal receptacle; page 2, col. 1, lines 41-44) over an exterior surface of a die (23,36,40) to produce a body having an internal volume (interior of tub; Fig. 4) including a first cross-sectional shape (bulged tub bottom, 15a) accessed through an aperture (washing machine tub top at lip 26, Fig. 1) having a second cross-sectional shape (cylindrical wall, 15) that is smaller in diameter (Figs. 4 and 6) than the first cross-sectional shape (bulged tub bottom, 15a). The die (23,36,40) is removable from the internal volume through the aperture (page 3, col. 2, lines 48-53). Regarding claims 2-4, Hinsdale discloses that the die (23,36,40) comprises a head unit (23) and at least one die segment (40; page 2, col. 2, lines 48-50) that are rotatably locked together (they do not rotate) by a torque pin coupling (47; Fig. 5) which is a removable connection (bolt 46, nut 48 and springs 53,53’). Regarding claim 9, the first cross-sectional shape (15a) is a convex circular bulge (Fig. 6) and the second cross-sectional shape is a circular sidewall (15).
Claim(s) 1-4 and 8-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Woo (KR 20190085228). Woo discloses a method of manufacturing a drain (B, Fig. 8; [0072]) comprising a groundwater filter [0004] constructed to filter liquid comprising forming a monolithic sheet metal material piece (flat workpiece sheet, Fig. 3; [0061]) over an exterior surface of a die (D1,E1) to produce a monolithic body (B, Fig. 6; [0097]) having an internal volume (interior B1,B2,B3; Fig. 6) including a first cross-sectional shape (B1, upper body part; [0029]) accessed through an aperture (B3, waist part) having a second cross-sectional shape (Fig. 6) that is smaller in diameter ([0096, lines 4-5) than the first cross-sectional shape (B1, upper body part; [0029]). The die (D1,E1) extends into the aperture (B3) during forming (Figs. 6 and 7) and is removable from the internal volume (Fig. 4) wherein the die pieces (D1,E1) are configured to be spaced apart from one another. Regarding claims 2-4, Woo discloses ([0083],[0084]) that the die (D1,E1) comprising a head unit (D1) and at least one die segment (E1) that are rotatably locked together by a torque pin coupling protrusion (E3) and a coupling groove (D3) which are a removable connection. Regarding claim 8, Woo discloses that the drain is formed by spinning [0095]. Regarding claim 9, the drain (B) is cylindrical and the first cross-sectional shape is a circular shape (B1, Fig. 6) and the second cross-sectional shape (B3, Fig. 6) is a smaller diameter circular shape. Regarding claim 10, Woo discloses that a top plate (Weld line, Fig. 12; [0127]) is connected to the first cross-sectional shape (B1). Regarding claim 11, Woo discloses that at least one drain pipe (Fig. 12; flow arrows) is connected to the drain body (B).
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.
Claim(s) 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woo (KR 20190085228) in view of Friese (2019/0388949). Woo does not disclose smaller and larger die segments that are removable from the internal volume one after the other. Friese teaches a die (9,10) including a head unit comprising a die cone (9) and a plurality of die segments (10) surrounding the head unit (9) that are configured to form a body (13) from a monolithic sheet material piece (3). A spinning roller (4) is used to form the body (13) comprising a first cross-sectional shape (where 13 is pointing; Fig. 2) that is a larger diameter than a smaller diameter aperture (where the roller 4 is located; Fig. 2). To remove the body from the die (9,10), first the larger die cone is movable downwardly (vertical arrows, Fig. 2; [0045], lines 3,6) and then the smaller die segments (10,11) are moved radially inwardly (toward the guide column, dashed lines Fig. 2; [0047], lines 3-5) so that the body (13) internal volume is removable from the die [0048]. It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the die of Woo to include a plurality of removable die segments as taught by Friese so that the finished drain is removable without contacting an exterior surface of the die.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Menzies et al. (2021/0285202) teaches a drain (20; Fig. 1) comprising a flange (22), a first cross-sectional area (24) having a fist diameter comprising an internal volume (29) and a smaller in diameter second cross-sectional diameter (40) comprising an internal volume (80; Fig. 5). Menzies teaches that the second cross-sectional diameter (40) is attached to various sizes of pipe ([0014], lines 18-19) to permit a downward flow of water through the drain and into the pipe. Menzies teaches ([0028], lines 1-3) that the drain (20) is formed by a metal spinning process from a spinning die from a single (monolithic) piece of metal ([0028], lines 10-11).
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/EDWARD T TOLAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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