DETAILED ACTION
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) 1-3 and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miller (US 20180160847 A1) in view of Lindberg (US 20210403310 A1).
Claim 1, Miller discloses a container body (102), having a channel (107);
But is silent on a flowmeter, mounted in the container body and having a conduit for sensing a liquid flow, wherein the conduit fluidly communicates with the channel of the container body; a display, mounted on the container body; and a control circuit module, mounted in the container body and signally connected to the flowmeter and the display, wherein the control circuit module controls the display to show a flow rate based on a measurement signal of the flowmeter.
Lindberg teaches a flowmeter (32, 39; FIG 4) having a conduit (28) for sensing a liquid flow, wherein the conduit fluidly communicates with the channel of the container body;
a display (12); and
a control circuit module ([0071] to [0073]), mounted in the container body and signally connected to the flowmeter and the display, wherein the control circuit module controls the display to show a flow rate based on a measurement signal of the flowmeter ([0073]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Miller with flowmeter, control module and display as taught by Lindberg in order to provide a pouring device that has consistency, accuracy, speed, control adaptability and is user friendly.
Claim 2, Miller discloses wherein the container body includes a body portion (102) and a spout portion (107), and the channel is formed in the spout portion (FIG 4A).
Claim 3, the modified apparatus of Miller teaches wherein the conduit directly fluidly communicates with the channel (this would be inherent to the combination of Miller and Lindberg as direct fluid communication between the conduit, channel and flow meter would be necessary for the apparatus to operate).
Claim 7, the modified apparatus of Miller wherein the control circuit module is electrically connected to a power unit (Lindberg: battery; [007] to [0073]) for wireless charging or wired charging (Miller: FIG 2b).
Miller discloses the claimed invention except for rechargeable batteries. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to select rechargeable batteries, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious engineering choice. The selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use supported a prima facie obviousness determination (MPEP 2144.07).
Claim 8, the modified apparatus of Miller teaches wherein the control circuit module establishes a connection with an electronic device via a wireless communication module for data transmission (Lindberg: [0071]).
Claim 9, the modified apparatus of Miller teaches the control circuit module is signally connected to a switch component configured to trigger a timer function (Lindberg: [0065] to [0066]); and wherein the control circuit module controls the display to show a time counted by the timer function (Lindberg: [0073] to [0075]).
Claim 10, the modified apparatus of Miller teaches wherein the control circuit module is signally connected to an indicator; the control circuit module determines which of the flow rate and at least one flow-rate threshold is higher, and accordingly drives an operation mode of the indicator (Lindberg: [0068]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4-6 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.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art of record does not teach or provide motivation to form Container Capable of Displaying Flow Rate comprising a composition of elements structurally related as set forth in claim(s) 4-6. Specifically, the prior art fails to teach the combination of features claimed, “wherein a fixture base is mounted on an outer side or an inner side of a side wall of the body portion, and the flowmeter is mounted in the fixture base; and wherein one end of the spout portion is mounted in the fixture base and connected to one end of the flowmeter, so that the conduit directly fluidly communicates with the channel“, absent improper hindsight.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEREMY W CARROLL whose telephone number is (571)272-4988. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 AM - 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Paul Durand can be reached at (571) 272-4459. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JEREMY W. CARROLL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3754
/Jeremy Carroll/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754