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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The term “convenient” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “convenient” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The water discharge of the spray gun is rendered indefinite.
The term “quick” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “quick” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The water discharge of the spray gun is rendered indefinite.
Claims 2-7, which repeat both of the terms above, are also rejected under 35 USC 112(b) as being dependent from claim 1.
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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chow et al. (US Pat No 4,534,512).
Re claim 1, Chow et al. show a spray gun (Figs. 1-12) with convenient and quick water discharge, comprising a water spray gun body (16/52), a handle (18), a water inlet pipe (32) and a nozzle (20), wherein one end of the water spray gun body (16/52) is movably connected to one end of the handle (18), the water spray gun body (16/52) is fixedly connected to the water inlet pipe (32), the other end of the water spray gun body (16/52) is fixedly connected to the nozzle (20), the water inlet pipe (32) is positioned between the handle (18) and the nozzle (20), the water spray gun body (16/52) is internally provided with a control assembly (62), the control assembly (62) is configured to control water flow in the water inlet pipe (32), and the control assembly (62) passes through the handle (18) and the water spray gun body (16/52) and extends to an interior of the water spray gun body (16/52).
Re claim 2, Chow et al. show the control assembly (62) comprises a knob (80), a vertical baffle plate (66), a connecting shaft (64) and a stopper (102), the knob (80) is fixedly connected to one end of the connecting shaft (64), the connecting shaft (64) passes through the handle (18) and the water spray gun body (16/52) and extends to the interior of the water spray gun body (16/52), the other end of the connecting shaft (64) is fixedly connected to the vertical baffle plate (66), and the stopper (102) is fixedly connected to a lower part of the vertical baffle plate (66).
Re claim 3, Chow et al. show the stopper (102) is located directly above a water outlet (34) of the water inlet pipe (32), and the stopper (102) is in contact (at 107/107’) with an inner wall of the water spray gun body (16/52).
Re claim 4, Chow et al. show one end of a bump (68) is fixedly connected to an upper part of the vertical baffle plate (66), the other end of the bump (68) is in contact with the inner wall of the water spray gun body (16/52), and the size of the vertical baffle plate (66) is consistent with the size of a water inlet of the nozzle (60).
Re claim 5, Chow et al. show a lever (see annotated figure) is fixedly connected to the knob (80), and the knob (80) has a round table-shaped structure.
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Re claim 6, Chow et al. show a surface of the stopper (102) in contact (at 107/107’) with the inner wall of the water spray gun body (16/52) has an arc-shaped structure (107/107’), and the stopper (102) is matched with (at 107/107’) the inner wall of the water spray gun body (16/52).
Re claim 7, Chow et al. show a surface of the bump (68) in contact with the inner wall (60) of the water spray gun body (16/52) has an arc-shaped structure, and the bump (68) is matched with the inner wall (60) of the water spray gun body (16/52).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN MICHAEL CERNOCH whose telephone number is (571)270-3540. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri; 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arthur Hall can be reached at (571)270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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STEVEN MICHAEL CERNOCH
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3752
/STEVEN M CERNOCH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752