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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II in the reply filed on 2/25/26 is acknowledged.
Claims 1-3 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention/group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 2/25/26.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 4-6, 9-10, 12-13 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 548,870 (Hager).
Regarding claim 4, Hager discloses a method of dispensing a liquid into a toilet bowl (1) comprising:
securing a quantity of a liquid in a reservoir (4) (Fig. 2; Pg. 1 L54-60);
securing to the reservoir a pump (7) in fluid communication with the liquid in the reservoir (Fig. 2 - through apertures 10; Pg. 1 L73-76) and an interior of a toilet bowl (Fig. 2 – outlet 26/28; Fig. 3 - outlet 35);
securing the pump to the toilet bowl (Fig. 2 – mount 6 supports the assembly on rim 3 of bowl 1) wherein the pump is positioned beneath an underside of a toilet seat (2) when the toilet seat is placed in a lowered position over a rim of the toilet bowl (Fig. 1); and
actuating the pump by applying a force on the toilet seat when the toilet seat is in the lowered position on the toilet bowl to dispense a quantity of the liquid inside the reservoir into the interior of the toilet bowl (Pg. 2 L10-16, L36-48).
Regarding claim 5, Hager discloses that the method further comprises resetting the pump by removing the force applied on the toilet seat (Pg. 2 L16-21).
Regarding claim 6, Hager discloses that the resetting of the pump is performed by lifting the toilet seat off the rim of the toilet (In so much as Applicant’s invention performs this action. Pg. 2 L16-21 – The spring 18 lifts the seat off the rim when force on the seat is released).
Regarding claim 9, Hager further discloses that securing the pump beneath the underside of the toilet seat comprises securing a linear actuator (13/21) operatively connected to the pump in contact with the underside of the toilet seat when the toilet seat is placed in a lowered position over a rim of a toilet bowl (Fig. 2; Pg. 1 L97-104, Pg. 2 L10-12).
Regarding claim 10, Hager further discloses that the method of securing the pump beneath the underside of the toilet seat comprises securing a linear actuator (13/21) operatively connected to the pump in between the underside of a toilet seat and a rim of a toilet bowl when the toilet seat is placed in a lowered position over the rim of the toilet bowl (In so much as Applicant’s invention achieves this – the actuator is positioned above the height of the rim and beneath the seat. Fig. 2. Pg. 2 L10-16).
Regarding claim 12, Hager further discloses that the method of applying the force on the toilet seat to actuate the pump comprises the underside of the toilet seat depressing the linear actuator (Pg. 2 L10-16).
Regarding claim 13, Hager further discloses that the method comprises securing the reservoir to a toilet bowl (Pg. 1 L60-63; Figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 18, Hager further discloses that actuating the pump comprises expelling the liquid drawn into the pump from the reservoir out into a toilet bowl (Pg. 2 L10-48).
Regarding claim 19, Hager further discloses that securing to the reservoir a pump in fluid communication with the interior of the toilet bowl comprises securing a nozzle (Fig. 2 -23/24/25/26/27/28; Fig. 3 – 29/31) to the pump wherein the nozzle is configured to direct the dispensing of the liquid by the pump into the toilet bowl (Pg. 2 L10-48).
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 7-8, 11 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hager in view of US 6,178,563 (Helfet).
Regarding claims 7-8, Hager discloses the method of applying force to the seat to actuate the pump when the seat is in a lowered position as previously discussed but doesn’t explicitly state that the force is from a user sitting on the seat.
Helfet teaches a method of dispensing a liquid into a toilet bowl comprising providing a reservoir (20) filled with a liquid and connected through a pump (52/54) (Figs. 2, 4-5) to the interior of a toilet bowl (10). The method of pumping comprising utilizing a linear actuator (52/54; Fig. 5) which rests on the rim of the toilet beneath the seat (14) of the toilet and engages the underside of the toilet seat (Fig. 1) to dispense liquid from the dispenser into the toilet when a user sits on the seat to place it in a lowered position and apply a force upon the seat and through it the linear actuator (C5 L10-27).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to apply force in the form of a user sitting on the seat to lower the seat and dispense liquid into the toilet, as taught by Helfet, so as to facilitate automatically dispensing the liquid into the toilet bowl through normal use of the toilet without additional actions for convenience and/or sanitary purposes.
Regarding claim 11, Hager discloses the method of applying force to the seat to actuate the pump when the seat is in a lowered position as previously discussed but doesn’t explicitly state that the force is from a user sitting on the seat.
Helfet teaches a method of dispensing a liquid into a toilet bowl comprising providing a reservoir (20) filled with a liquid and connected through a pump (52/54) (Figs. 2, 4-5) to the interior of a toilet bowl (10). The method of pumping comprising utilizing a linear actuator (52/54; Fig. 5) which rests on the rim of the toilet beneath the seat (14) of the toilet and engages the underside of the toilet seat (Fig. 1) to dispense liquid from the dispenser into the toilet when a user sits on the seat to place it in a lowered position and apply a force upon the seat and through it the linear actuator (C5 L10-27).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to apply force in the form of a user sitting on the seat to lower the seat and dispense liquid into the toilet, as taught by Helfet, so as to facilitate automatically dispensing the liquid into the toilet bowl through normal use of the toilet without additional actions for convenience and/or sanitary purposes.
Regarding claim 17, Hager in view of Helfet teaches the actuation of the pump by a user sitting on the seat to apply a force to the linear actuator as previously discussed. Hager further states that the pump is reset when the force is released from the toilet seat (Pg. 2 L16-21) while Helfet further teaches that when the applied force is a user sitting on the seat then resetting the pump by removing force from the toilet seat comprises the user getting up from the toilet seat (C5 L32-50).
As such the teaching of Hager in view of Helfet results in a method of resetting the pump by removing the force applied to the toilet seat by removing the force applied by the seated user which is conducted by the user getting up from the toilet seat.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hager in view of US 7,114,199 (Conway).
Regarding claim 14, Hager discloses that securing the reservoir and pump further comprises securing the reservoir and pump to the toilet bowl through the use of a mount (6) to suspend the pump and reservoir on a rim of a toilet bowl (1) (Figs 1-2) but does not disclose the use of a housing configured to support the pump and reservoir.
Conway teaches a method of dispensing a liquid into a toilet bowl comprising providing a first fluid reservoir (50) and a second fluid reservoir (60) supported by a housing (20) which is suspended from a rim of a toilet bowl by a mount (40) (Fig. 12)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize a mount coupled to a rim of a toilet to suspend a housing supporting the reservoir and pump inside of a toilet bowl, as taught by Conway, so as to facilitate dispensing more than one liquid/solution at a time and/or to facilitate more easily changing out/replacing reservoirs as needed.
Claims 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hager in view of US 4,670,916 (Bloom)
Regarding claim 15, Hager discloses securing the pump to the rim of a toilet bowl by a mount (6) as previously discussed but does not disclose securing a cushion to the pump which applies an upward force against the underside of the seat when the seat is lowered.
Bloom teaches a method of dispensing a liquid into a toilet bowl (Figs. 4, 8) comprising providing a reservoir (11) with a pump (24) and mounting the reservoir to a toilet bowl rim by a mount (30/52). Bloom further teaches providing a cushion (20/21) secured to the pump (Fig. 4, 8) which is configured to apply an upward force against the underside of a toilet seat when the toilet seat is in a lowered position over the rim of a toilet bowl (C3 L32-39, C4 L39-43, 52-57)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to secure a cushion to the pump, wherein the cushion is configured to apply an upward force against the underside of a toilet seat when the toilet seat is in a lowered position over the rim of a toilet bowl, as taught by Bloom, to reduce the chance of accidentally displacing the pump which could impact functionality of the system and/or accidentally activating the pump during normal use of the bathroom area which could waste supplies.
Regarding claim 16, Hager discloses securing the pump to the rim of a toilet bowl by a mount (6) as previously discussed but does not disclose securing a cushion to the pump which is configured to prevent activation of the pump until a user sits on the toilet seat.
Bloom teaches a method of dispensing a liquid into a toilet bowl (Figs. 4, 8) comprising providing a reservoir (11) with a pump (24) and mounting the reservoir to a toilet bowl rim by a mount (30/52). Bloom further teaches providing a cushion (20/21) secured to the pump (Fig. 4, 8) which is configured to prevent activation of the pump while the seat is in the lower position until a user sits on the seat (C3 L32-39, C4 L39-43, 52-57)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to secure a cushion to the pump, wherein the cushion is configured to prevent a toilet seat in a lowered position over the rim of a toilet bowl from actuating the pump until a user sits on the toilet seat, as taught by Bloom, to avoid the weight of the seat activating the pump on its own and/or to limit/prevent incidental/accidental activation of the pump during normal use of the bathroom area.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hager in view of US 7,895,683 (Sawalski).
Regarding claim 20, Hager does not disclose a method of determining the volume of liquid inside the reservoir by viewing the level of a liquid inside the reservoir through the reservoir comprising of a translucent or transparent material.
Sawalski teaches a method of dispensing a liquid into a toilet bowl comprising providing a liquid reservoir (50) comprising a translucent wall (51) and viewing the level of a liquid inside the reservoir through the reservoir (C10 L56-57).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a liquid reservoir with a translucent or transparent wall and to view the liquid level through said wall, as taught by Sawalski, so that a user can monitor the remaining level of liquid without having to remove/uninstall the reservoir or otherwise physically engage/interact with said reservoir for convenience and/or sanitary purposes.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 1,092,920 (Knox) teaches a method of dispensing liquid into a toilet bowl comprising providing a liquid reservoir, pump and linear actuator activated by a user sitting on a toilet seat.
US 7,676,856 (Graham) teaches a method of dispensing a substance through a user sitting on a toilet seat comprising providing a reservoir and a cushioning/spring bias assembly mounted to a rim of a toilet bowl.
US 9,332,885 (Todd) teaches a method of dispensing liquid into a toilet comprising providing a reservoir with a pump, mounting the assembly to a rim of the toilet through a mount and activating the pump by applying a force to a lowered toilet seat.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS A ROS whose telephone number is (571)270-3577. The examiner can normally be reached Mon.-Fri. 9:00-6:00.
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/NICHOLAS A ROS/Examiner, Art Unit 3754
/DAVID P ANGWIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3754