DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the claim set filed by the applicant 08/05/2024. The applicant has multiple parent applications with priority dating back to a provisional application filed on 09/20/2011. All of the domestic priority requirements are met and therefore, the effective filing date for the claims is 09/20/2011. claims 10-15 and 17-30 are pending in the application and examiner on the merits.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 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 –
(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claims 10-15, 18, and 26-29 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by Restive et al. (“Restive” hereinafter).
Regarding claims 10, 11, 14, 26, and 28, Restive discloses a method of spraying a liquid (using a sprayer 20, figure 1), comprising:
providing a bladder (item 76, figure 1), the bladder comprising a bladder intake (item 71, figure 1) valve and configured to expand against a resilient force provided by resilient means (column 6, lines 15-42);
providing a dispensing head (pump assembly 32, figure 1), comprising:
a piston (item 42, figure 1) and a piston chamber (item 40, figure 1),
a channel (item 64, figure 1) in fluid communication (via multiple valves) with the bladder;
a valve (item 68, figure 1) provided between the channel and the piston chamber;
an outlet valve (valve 140 with valve lock 104, figures 1 and 9); and
an outlet channel (items 46, 50, 106, figure 1); and
providing a reservoir (body of container 22, figure 1) containing fluid, said reservoir in fluid communication with said bladder through said bladder intake valve (figure 1).
configuring the dispensing head to,
in an upstroke of the piston, draw a fluid from a liquid source into the piston chamber (column 5, lines 22-33); and
in a downstroke of the piston, push the fluid from the piston chamber into both the bladder and the outlet channel (column 5, lines 22-33 and column 6, lines 35-52).
Regarding claims 12 and 27, Restive discloses configuring the dispensing head to, in a spraying operation when the pressure in the channel reaches a minimum value, spray the fluid out the outlet channel (based on the upstroke and downstroke movement and the accumulation of fluid in bladder 74, when fluid is not being pulled through channel 64 (i.e. minimum value), the fluid is pushed through the outlet channels 46 and 50; column 5, lines 22-33 and column 6, lines 35-52).
Regarding claim 13, Restive discloses providing an outlet valve lock (discharge valve 140 is normally in closed position due to compression spring 142 that urges as head 144 against a valve stop 145, see figures 1 and 9, column item 104, figure 1, column 6, lines 49-53 and column 7, lines 12-20) and an outlet valve lock release button (item 104, figure 1), the outlet valve lock configured to, when not released, keep the outlet valve closed, regardless of the pressure in the outlet channel.
Regarding claim 15, Restive discloses that the volume of the piston chamber to is greater than the volume of the bladder (figure 1).
Regarding claims 18 and 29, Restive discloses that the upstroke and the downstroke of the piston are respectively a first upstroke and a first downstroke, and further configuring wherein the dispensing head is configured to, during a second upstroke of the piston that follows the first downstroke, push the fluid from the bladder into the outlet channel under the resilient force (column 5, lines 22-33 and column 6, lines 35-52).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 23-25 are allowed.
Claims 17, 19-22, and 30 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following documents disclose subject matter related to dispensers with piston and piston chamber and a bladder mechanism to elongate the spraying operation: US PN 4,222,501, US PN 4,241,853, US PN 4,872,595, US PN 5,183,185, and US PN 5,671,884.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VISHAL J PANCHOLI whose telephone number is (571)272-9324. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday (9 am - 7 pm).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Vishal Pancholi/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754