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
Claims 1, 4, 17, 20, 26, 28, and 29 are objected to because of the following informality: “secured with” should read “secured within” or “secured to” in all instances the limitation appears in the claims.
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informality: “includes” in line 16 should read “including”.
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informality: “surface, wherein” in line 12 should read “surface, and wherein”.
Claim 23 is objected to because of the following informality: “therein;” in line 4 should read “in the body;”.
Claim 25 is objected to because of the following informality: “surface, wherein” in line 2 should read “surface, and wherein”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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, 14, 15, 17-19, and 26-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (CN 107499568 A), hereinafter Li.
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a handheld vacuum sealer device (10 in Figure 1) for generating a vacuum in a container (21 in Figure 7) (Page 10 lines 5-8 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), the sealer device (10) comprising:
a body (11 in Figures 1 and 2);
a motor (13b in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other);
a pump (13a in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other), the pump (13a) being driven by the motor (13b) when the sealer device (10) is activated (Page 8 lines 16-17 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
a power source (14a in Figures 2 and 3) secured with the body (11) and in electrical communication with the motor (13b) for providing power thereto (Page 8 lines 25-27 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
an activation button (17a in Figures 1-3) configured to activate the motor (13b) to drive the pump (13a) to generate a vacuum in the container (21) (Page 9 lines 37-51 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A); and
a reservoir (12 in Figures 2-4) that is releasably engageable with the body (11) (Page 7 lines 19-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), wherein the reservoir (12) includes an aperture (111a and the hollow space of 12 below 111a in Figure 3, collectively) extending through a bottom portion of the reservoir (apparent from Figure 3, Page 7 lines 36-40 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), the bottom portion of the reservoir (12) having a first bottom face (the substantially planar upper surface of 12a in Figure 4) and a second bottom face (shown in an annotated version of Figure 3 of Li, hereinafter Figure 3x, below), the reservoir (12) further includes at least one reservoir rib (shown circled in Figure 3x below) positioned on the second bottom face (shown circled in Figure 3x below) adjacent to the aperture (111a and the hollow space of 12 below 111a in Figure 3, collectively) (apparent from Figure 3x below).
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Figure 3x: an annotated version of Figure 3 of Li
Regarding claim 2, Li discloses that the reservoir (12) includes at least one reservoir cup (12b in Figure 4) (apparent from Figure 4).
Regarding claim 3, Li discloses that the sealer device (10) further includes an accessory nozzle (the “pipe” described in Page 8 lines 5-8 and Page 7 lines 38-40 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A) positioned within the at least one reservoir cup (12b) (clear when Page 8 lines 5-8 and Page 7 lines 38-40 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A and Figure 4 are considered together).
Regarding claim 4, Li discloses a handheld vacuum sealer device (10 in Figure 1) for generating a vacuum in a container (21 in Figure 7) (Page 10 lines 5-8 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), the sealer device (10) comprising:
a body (11 and 12 collectively in Figure 2);
a motor (13b in Figure 2) secured with the body (11 and 12 collectively) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other);
a pump (13a in Figure 2) secured with the body (11 and 12 collectively) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other), the pump (13a) being driven by the motor (13b) when the sealer device (10) is activated (Page 8 lines 16-17 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
a power source (14a in Figures 2 and 3) secured with the body (11 and 12 collectively) and in electrical communication with the motor (13b) for providing power thereto (Page 8 lines 25-27 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
an activation button (17a in Figures 1-3) configured to activate the motor (13b) to drive the pump (13a) to generate a vacuum in the container (21) (Page 9 lines 37-51 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A); and
at least one charging contact (18 in Figure 12) positioned on a sidewall (12a in Figure 12) of the body (11 and 12 collectively) (apparent from Figure 12), wherein the at least one charging contact (18) is configured to engage at least one charger contact (311 in Figure 12) when received by a charging cradle (31 in Figure 11) (Page 11 line 51 – Page 12 line 10 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A).
Regarding claim 14, Li discloses that the sealer device (10) further includes a reservoir (14b in Figures 2, 3, and 5) releasably engageable with the body (11 and 12 collectively) (clear when Figure 3 and Page 8 lines 43-53 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A are considered together).
Regarding claim 15, Li discloses that the reservoir (14b) includes at least one reservoir cup (143 in Figure 5) (apparent from Figure 5, Page 8 lines 43-47 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A).
Regarding claim 17, Li discloses a handheld vacuum sealer device (10 in Figure 1) for generating a vacuum in a container (21 in Figure 7) (Page 10 lines 5-8 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), the sealer device (10) comprising:
a body (11 in Figures 1 and 2);
a motor (13b in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other);
a pump (13a in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other), the pump (13a) being driven by the motor (13b) when the sealer device (10) is activated (Page 8 lines 16-17 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
a power source (14a in Figures 2 and 3) secured with the body (11) and in electrical communication with the motor (13b) for providing power thereto (Page 8 lines 25-27 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
an activation button (17a in Figures 1-3) configured to activate the motor (13b) to drive the pump (13a) to generate a vacuum in the container (21) (Page 9 lines 37-51 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A); and
a reservoir (12 in Figures 2-4) releasably engageable with the body (11) (Page 7 lines 19-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), wherein the reservoir (12) has a recessed bottom surface (shown in Figure 3x above) and an aperture (the hollow space of 12 below 111a in Figure 3) defined in the recessed bottom surface (apparent from Figure 3x above), wherein the recessed bottom surface (shown in Figure 3x above) defines a recess configured to receive a cavity protrusion of a charging cradle when the sealer device (10) is received by the charging cradle (it is apparent from Figure 3x above that the recess defined by the “recessed bottom surface” is designed to be able to perform this function).
Please note that the claims are directed to a product which must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function [MPEP 2144]. Hence, the functional limitations “configured to receive a cavity protrusion of a charging cradle when the sealer device is received by the charging cradle” which are narrative in form do not patentably distinguish the claimed recess from the recess of Li which is designed to be able to perform the claimed function. In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473, 1477-78, 44 USPQ2d 1429, 1431-32 (Fed. Cir. 1997).
Regarding claim 18, Li discloses that the reservoir (12) includes a seal member (the “screw thread” of 12a described in Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A) surrounding the recessed bottom surface (shown in Figure 3x above) (clear when Figure 3x and Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A are considered together).
Regarding claim 19, Li discloses that the reservoir (12) includes at least one reservoir cup (12b in Figure 4) positioned on a surface (the substantially planar upper surface of 12a in Figure 4) opposite the recessed bottom surface (shown in Figure 3x above) (apparent when Figures 4 and 3x are viewed in relation to each other).
Regarding claim 26, Li discloses a handheld vacuum sealer device (10 in Figure 1) for generating a vacuum in a container (21 in Figure 7) (Page 10 lines 5-8 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), the sealer device (10) comprising:
a body (11 in Figures 1 and 2) having a first end (upper end in Figure 2) and a second end (lower end in Figure 2) (apparent from Figure 2);
a motor (13b in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other);
a pump (13a in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other), the pump (13a) being driven by the motor (13b) when the sealer device (10) is activated (Page 8 lines 16-17 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
a power source (14a in Figures 2 and 3) secured with the body (11) and in electrical communication with the motor (13b) for providing power thereto (Page 8 lines 25-27 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
an activation button (17a in Figures 1-3) configured to activate the motor (13b) to drive the pump (13a) to generate a vacuum in the container (21) (Page 9 lines 37-51 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
a reservoir (all parts of 12 except for the “screw thread” of 12a described in Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A, collectively) at the second end (lower end in Figure 2) of the body (11) (apparent from Figure 3), the reservoir (all parts of 12 except for the “screw thread” of 12a described in Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A, collectively) having an open top portion (top end of 12b in Figure 4) (apparent from Figure 4) and a bottom portion including an aperture (111a in Figure 3) (apparent from Figure 3), the reservoir (all parts of 12 except for the “screw thread” of 12a described in Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A, collectively) further including a reservoir sidewall (121 in Figure 4) extending from a first bottom face (shown in Figure 3x above) of the bottom portion and circumscribing the aperture (111a) (apparent when Figure 3x is viewed in relation to Figure 4, Page 7 lines 36-40 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A); and
a sealing member (the “screw thread” of 12a described in Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A) positioned between the reservoir (all parts of 12 except for the “screw thread” of 12a described in Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A, collectively) and the body (11) at the second end (lower end of 11 in Figure 2) (Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A, Figure 2, and Figure 3 are considered together), the sealing member (the “screw thread” of 12a described in Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A) forming an airtight seal between the reservoir and the body (11) (because the “screw thread” of 12a threadably engages the “screw thread” of 11, as described in Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A, and therefore inherently forms an airtight seal between the reservoir and the body 11).
Regarding claim 27, Li discloses that the reservoir sidewall (121) is configured to limit release of moisture from the reservoir (all parts of 12 except for the “screw thread” of 12a described in Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A, collectively) through the aperture (111a) when the pump (13a) is deactivated (it is apparent when Figure 4 is viewed in relation to Figure 3 that 121 is designed to be able to perform this function).
Regarding claim 28, Li discloses a handheld vacuum sealer device (10 in Figure 1) for generating a vacuum in a container (21 in Figure 7) (Page 10 lines 5-8 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), the sealer device (10) comprising:
a body (11 in Figures 1 and 2) having a first end (upper end in Figure 2) and a second end (lower end in Figure 2) (apparent from Figure 2);
a motor (13b in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other);
a pump (13a in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other), the pump (13a) being driven by the motor (13b) when the sealer device (10) is activated (Page 8 lines 16-17 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
a power source (14a in Figures 2 and 3) secured with the body (11) and in electrical communication with the motor (13b) for providing power thereto (Page 8 lines 25-27 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
an activation button (17a in Figures 1-3) configured to activate the motor (13b) to drive the pump (13a) to generate a vacuum in the container (21) (Page 9 lines 37-51 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A); and
a reservoir (12 in Figures 2-4) at the second end (lower end in Figure 2) of the body (11) (apparent from Figure 3), the reservoir (12) having an open top portion (top end of 12b in Figure 4) (apparent from Figure 4) and a bottom portion including an aperture (111a in Figure 3) (apparent from Figure 3), the reservoir (12) further including a reservoir sidewall (121 in Figure 4) extending from a first bottom face (shown in Figure 3x above) of the bottom portion and circumscribing the aperture (111a) (apparent when Figure 3x is viewed in relation to Figure 4, Page 7 lines 36-40 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), wherein the reservoir sidewall (121) is configured to limit release of moisture from the reservoir (12) through the aperture (111a) when the pump (13a) is deactivated (it is apparent when Figure 4 is viewed in relation to Figure 3 that 121 is designed to be able to perform this function).
Please note that the claims are directed to a product which must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function [MPEP 2144]. Hence, the functional limitations “configured to limit release of moisture from the reservoir through the aperture when the pump is deactivated” which are narrative in form do not patentably distinguish the claimed reservoir sidewall from the reservoir sidewall 121 of Li which is designed to be able to perform the claimed function. In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473, 1477-78, 44 USPQ2d 1429, 1431-32 (Fed. Cir. 1997).
Regarding claim 29, Li discloses a handheld vacuum sealer device (10 in Figure 1) for generating a vacuum in a container (21 in Figure 7) (Page 10 lines 5-8 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), the sealer device (10) comprising:
a body (11 in Figures 1 and 2) having a first end (upper end in Figure 2) and a second end (lower end in Figure 2) (apparent from Figure 2);
a motor (13b in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other);
a pump (13a in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other), the pump (13a) being driven by the motor (13b) when the sealer device (10) is activated (Page 8 lines 16-17 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
a power source (14a in Figures 2 and 3) secured with the body (11) and in electrical communication with the motor (13b) for providing power thereto (Page 8 lines 25-27 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
an activation button (17a in Figures 1-3) configured to activate the motor (13b) to drive the pump (13a) to generate a vacuum in the container (21) (Page 9 lines 37-51 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
a reservoir (12 in Figures 2-4) at the second end (lower end in Figure 2) of the body (11) (apparent from Figure 3), the reservoir (12) including at least one reservoir cup (12b in Figure 4) that sections off a portion of the reservoir (12) to define a reservoir cup section (the space inside 12b in Figure 4) (apparent from Figure 4); and
an accessory nozzle (the “pipe” described in Page 8 lines 5-8 and Page 7 lines 38-40 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A) positioned within the reservoir cup section (the space inside 12b) (clear when Page 8 lines 5-8 and Page 7 lines 38-40 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A and Figure 4 are considered together), wherein the at least one reservoir cup (12b) is configured to limit moisture collected in the reservoir (12) from reaching the accessory nozzle (the “pipe” described in Page 8 lines 5-8 and Page 7 lines 38-40 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A) during operation of the pump (13a) (because it is apparent from Figure 4 that 12b is designed to allow moisture to slide along its inner surfaces away from 121 and the “pipe” and towards portion 12a of the reservoir 12).
Please note that the claims are directed to a product which must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function [MPEP 2144]. Hence, the functional limitations “configured to limit moisture collected in the reservoir from reaching the accessory nozzle during operation of the pump” which are narrative in form do not patentably distinguish the claimed at least one reservoir cup from the at least one reservoir cup 12b of Li which is designed to be able to perform the claimed function. In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473, 1477-78, 44 USPQ2d 1429, 1431-32 (Fed. Cir. 1997).
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 of this title, 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 20 and 22-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN 107499568 A), hereinafter Li, in view of Savicki et al. (US 2008/0028730), hereinafter Savicki.
Regarding claim 20, Li discloses a handheld vacuum sealer device (10 in Figure 1) for generating a vacuum in a container (21 in Figure 7) (Page 10 lines 5-8 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), the sealer device (10) comprising:
a body (11 in Figures 1 and 2) having a first end (upper end in Figure 2) and a second end (lower end in Figure 2) (apparent from Figure 2);
a motor (13b in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other);
a pump (13a in Figure 2) secured with the body (11) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other), the pump (13a) being driven by the motor (13b) when the sealer device (10) is activated (Page 8 lines 16-17 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
a power source (14a in Figures 2 and 3) secured with the body (11) and in electrical communication with the motor (13b) for providing power thereto (Page 8 lines 25-27 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
an activation button (17a in Figures 1-3) configured to activate the motor (13b) to drive the pump (13a) to generate a vacuum in the container (21) (Page 9 lines 37-51 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A); and
a reservoir (12 in Figures 2-4) releasably engageable with the body (11) at the second end (lower end of 11 in Figure 2) (Page 7 lines 19-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A).
However, Li does not disclose: the reservoir including a seal member configured to form an airtight seal with a vacuum port on the bag member or container when the sealer device is operated such that air does not escape at a contact interface between the seal member and the bag member or container.
Savicki teaches that it was known to provide a reservoir (406 in Figures 7 and 8) with a seal member (412 in Figures 7 and 8) configured to form an airtight seal with a vacuum port (454 in Figure 8) on a container (450 in Figure 8) when a sealer device (400 in Figure 7) is operated such that air does not escape at a contact interface between the seal member (42) and the container (450) (Paragraph 0049), in order to provide a leak-free interface when seal member (412) is pressed against the container (450) and prevent chatter, rattling, or other noises from developing (Paragraph 0049 lines 15-21).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have provided the reservoir of Li with a seal member configured to form an airtight seal with a vacuum port on the container when the sealer device is operated such that air does not escape at a contact interface between the seal member and the container, as taught by Savicki, because doing so would provide a leak-free interface when seal member is pressed against the container and prevent chatter, rattling, or other noises from developing.
Regarding claim 22, Li in view of Savicki teaches that the seal member (412 of Savicki) surrounds an aperture (the hollow space of 12 below 111a in Figure 3) defined in a bottom surface (the bottom surface of the “reservoir rib” in Figure 3x above) of the reservoir (12) (because Savicki teaches in Figures 7 and 8 that seal member 412 surrounds aperture 404 defined in the bottom surface of reservoir 406).
Regarding claim 23, Li discloses a handheld vacuum sealer device (10 in Figure 1) for generating a vacuum in a container (21 in Figure 7) (Page 10 lines 5-8 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), the sealer device (10) comprising:
a body (11, 17, and 17a collectively in Figures 1 and 2) having a first end (upper end in Figure 2) and a second end (lower end in Figure 2) (apparent from Figure 2), the body (11, 17, and 17a collectively) having a closed top (17 and 17a collectively) at the first end (upper end in Figure 2) to encase components contained therein (apparent from Figures 1 and 3);
a motor (13b in Figure 2) secured with the body (11, 17, and 17a collectively) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other);
a pump (13a in Figure 2) secured with the body (11, 17, and 17a collectively) (apparent when Figures 2 and 3 are viewed in relation to each other), the pump (13a) being driven by the motor (13b) when the sealer device (10) is activated (Page 8 lines 16-17 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A);
a power source (14a in Figures 2 and 3) secured with the body (11, 17, and 17a collectively) and in electrical communication with the motor (13b) for providing power thereto (Page 8 lines 25-27 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A); and
a reservoir (12 in Figures 2-4) releasably engaged with a bottom portion of the body (11, 17, and 17a collectively) at the second end (lower end in Figure 2) (Page 7 lines 19-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A), the reservoir (12) including a first seal member (the “screw thread” of 12a described in Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A) positioned between the reservoir (12) and the body (11, 17, and 17a collectively) at the second end (lower end in Figure 2) (Page 7 lines 31-34 of Machine Translation of CN 107499568 A).
However, Li does not disclose: the reservoir further includes a second seal member surrounding an aperture defined in a bottom surface of the reservoir.
Savicki teaches that it was known to provide a reservoir (406 in Figures 7 and 8) with a second seal member (412 in Figures 7 and 8) surrounding an aperture (404 in Figures 7 and 8) defined in a bottom surface of the reservoir (406) (Paragraph 0049), in order to provide a leak-free interface when seal member (412) is pressed against a container (450 in Figure 8) and prevent chatter, rattling, or other noises from developing (Paragraph 0049 lines 15-21).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have provided the reservoir of Li with a second seal member surrounding an aperture (111a and the hollow space of 12 below 111a in Figure 3, collectively) defined in a bottom surface (shown in Figure 3x above) of the reservoir, as taught by Savicki, because doing so would provide a leak-free interface when second seal member is pressed against the container and prevent chatter, rattling, or other noises from developing.
Regarding claim 24, Li discloses that the reservoir (12) further includes at least one reservoir rib (shown circled in Figure 3x above) positioned on the bottom surface (shown in Figure 3x above) adjacent to the aperture (111a and the hollow space of 12 below 111a in Figure 3, collectively) (apparent from Figure 3x above).
Regarding claim 25, Li discloses that the reservoir (12) includes a reservoir sidewall (121 in Figure 4) extending from a surface (the “first bottom face” shown in Figure 3x above) opposite the bottom surface (apparent when Figure 4 is viewed in relation to Figure 3x), and that the reservoir sidewall (121) is configured to limit release of moisture from the reservoir (12) through the aperture (111a and the hollow space of 12 below 111a in Figure 3, collectively) when the pump (13a) is deactivated (it is apparent when Figure 4 is viewed in relation to Figure 3 that 121 is designed to be able to perform this function).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16 and 21 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 16 and 21, the closest prior art reference, Li (see 102(a) rejection of claim 15 and 103 rejection of claim 20 above), taken alone or in combination with the prior art as a whole and legal precedence, fails to teach or render obvious any of the limitations of the claims.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Cheung (US 2005/0039421) also teaches a handheld vacuum sealer device (shown in Figure 1) having a body (10), motor (311), pump (32), power source (60), activation button (the button shown at the left of Figure 1), and releasably engaged reservoir (20) as recited in the claims.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TANZIM IMAM whose telephone number is (571)272-2216. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon - Fri 8:00AM - 4:00PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shelley Self can be reached on 571-272-4524. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TANZIM IMAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731
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