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 with traverse of Group I, claims 1–5, drawn to methods of separating toilet solids downstream of a siphon by packaging the solids into buoyant sealed bags for sewer discharge, in the reply filed on July 6, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground that Groups I and II share additional technical features, including packaging solids with air in hermetically sealed bags formed from an endlessly fed tube or hose and discharging the sealed bags into a sewage system, which Applicant contends are not disclosed by CHAN.
This is not found persuasive because the restriction does not rely on CHAN as disclosing every limitation of the claimed inventions. CHAN was relied upon to establish that the technical feature identified as linking Groups I and II, namely separating toilet solids from liquid waste and directing the separated solids into a waste collecting bag, was known in the prior art and therefore does not constitute a special technical feature linking the groups. Applicant’s identification of additional common limitations does not establish that the identified shared technical feature constitutes a contribution over the prior art. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 6–20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on July 6, 2026.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority (CH70554/2021, filed November 15, 2021) under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities:
The phrase “individual buoyant bags of an endlessly supplied hose” should be corrected to read “individual buoyant bags formed from an endlessly supplied hose” for proper grammar.
Claim 2 objected to because of the following informalities:
The phrase “a tube of a roll fed endlessly from below” in step c) should be corrected to read “a tube fed endlessly from a roll below” for proper grammar.
Claim 3 objected to because of the following informalities:
The phrase “a tube of a roller fed endlessly from below” in step c) should be corrected to read “a tube fed endlessly from a roll below” for proper grammar and consistency in terminology.
Claim 4 objected to because of the following informalities:
The phrase “for cleaning rinsing of the siphon” should be corrected to read “for rinsing the siphon” for proper grammar.
Claim 5 objected to because of the following informalities:
The phrase “everything is discharged directly into the sewage system” should be corrected to read “all flushed material is discharged directly into the sewage system” for clarity and consistency in terminology.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-5 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation “individual buoyant bags of an endlessly supplied hose.” It is unclear what is meant by “an endlessly supplied hose,” including whether the term refers to the tube material, the roll supplying the tube material, or another structure. The instant Specification discloses an “endless roll” 50 of a tube 51, wherein the tubular material 51 is unrolled from roll 50 and pulled through press rollers 52, 53 to form individual tubular bags (¶¶[0095]–[0097]). Therefore, claim 1 is indefinite. Claims 2-5, which depend on Claim 1, are similarly rejected by virtue of dependency.
Claim 2 recites the limitation “the load” in step e). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites the limitation “by releasing the load.” It is unclear what the term “load” refers to, such as the bag, the contents of the bag, or the vacuum bars, because the instant Specification does not identify a load being released and instead discloses that the bag is released by venting the vacuum bars and then moving them apart (¶[0109]). Therefore, claim 2 is indefinite.
Claim 3 recites the limitation “the load” in step e). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3 recites the limitation “by releasing the load.” It is unclear what the term “load” refers to, such as the bag, the contents of the bag, or the vacuum bars, because the instant Specification does not identify a load being released and instead discloses that the bag is released by venting the vacuum bars and then moving them apart (¶[0109]). Therefore, claim 3 is indefinite.
Claim 4 recites the limitation “solid excrements and urine, if it is not drained off separately beforehand, after flushing of a grey water tank arranged at a top of the toilet bowl via the siphon and a rotary valve into a solids separation tank.” It is unclear what action is performed on the “solid excrements and urine” because the limitation does not specify whether the solid excrements and urine are flushed into the solids separation tank, conveyed into the solids separation tank, or subjected to some other action. The instant Specification discloses that, after triggering a grey water flush, the toilet waste passes from the toilet bowl via the siphon and rotary valve into the solids separation tank (¶[0075]). Therefore, claim 4 is indefinite.
Claim 4 recites the limitation “a UV disinfection system arranged above.” It is unclear what the UV disinfection system is arranged above because the claim does not identify a reference structure or location for the term “above.” The instant Specification discloses that the UV disinfection system is arranged in the upper area of the installation module (¶[0073]). Therefore, claim 4 is indefinite.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WANG (CN105297865A) in view of SAKURAI (US20090255045A1).
Regarding Claim 1, WANG discloses a toilet facility, specifically a toilet with a solid-liquid separation mechanism, and a toilet drainage system (¶[0002]). In particular, a solid-liquid separation tank for fecal wastewater receives feces by operation of a flushing device, wherein the feces undergo solid-liquid separation by filtration, the filtered liquid is discharged for further treatment or reuse, and the feces accumulate in the solid-liquid separation tank for subsequent collection and treatment (¶[0024]).
During operation, feces accumulate in drain bend 2 and, after defecation, are washed by flushing water through fecal outlet 9 (¶[0039]). FIG. 5 illustrates a toilet drainage system in which liquid outlet 3 is connected through urine discharge pipe 4 to urine collection tank 5, while the drain bend is connected through fecal discharge outlet 9 and fecal sewage pipe 7 to fecal sewage solid-liquid separation tank 6, where a filter device separates sewage from the feces, the feces accumulating in the tank while the sewage is discharged to an outdoor network pipe or sewage treatment device (¶[0048]).
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FIG. 5 of WANG
However, WANG does not explicitly disclose that the solids are packed together with an air portion into individual bags of an endlessly supplied hose and the bags are hermetically sealed.
SAKURAI discloses a portable toilet apparatus that packages excretion, hermetically seals the pack, and stores the sealed pack in a storage section (¶[0002]). FIG. 2 illustrates an oblong bag member 8, approximately 20 to 30 m long, made of flexible synthetic resin film and arranged around guide member 7 to receive excretion into the bag member 8 for packaging (¶[0023]). The bag 8 is fed downward by two pairs of rolls 10, heat sealed at upper and lower positions, and cut between the sealing positions to form an independent pack 8A, while the sealed portion of the remaining bag forms the bottom of the next pack (¶¶[0026]–[0027]). Packaging mechanism Pa produces the pack 8A containing excretion Z in a hermetically sealed condition and positions the bottom-closed portion of the remaining bag to receive the next excretion (¶[0029]).
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FIG. 2 of SAKURAI
During operation, excretion is received in the excretion containing section Sa of bag 8, after which rolls 10 feed the bag downward, the shutter sections 11, 12 close, and heaters 15a, 15b weld and cut the bag to form a sealed pack while forming a sealed bottom for receiving the next excretion, with the operation being repeated for each excretion (¶¶[0037]–[0038]). When the pack is sealed, air is also contained in the pack together with the excretion (¶[0042]).
The packaging arrangement disclosed by SAKURAI allows a plurality of excretion packs to be efficiently contained and reduces the frequency of collection (¶[0012]). In view of WANG accumulating separated feces for subsequent collection and treatment, a person skilled in the art would incorporate the packaging arrangement for packaging the separated feces into individual hermetically sealed packs to predictably facilitate subsequent collection and disposal through the sewage system.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the packaging arrangement, as disclosed by SAKURAI, into the method for separating solids from a water closet by WANG.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WANG in view of SAKURAI as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of POOL et al. (US20060110497A1, hereinafter POOL) and HANNUM (US5336417A).
Regarding Claim 2, modified WANG makes obvious the method for separating solids from a water closet of Claim 1. WANG discloses fecal sewage solid-liquid separation tank 6 connected to the drain bend through fecal discharge outlet 9 and fecal sewage pipe 7. Feces are separated from the sewage and accumulate in the solid-liquid separation tank (¶[0048]). During operation, the feces are washed by flushing water through fecal outlet 9 into the toilet drainage system (¶[0039]). SAKURAI discloses a packaging mechanism for forming individual excretion packs. An oblong bag member 8 made of flexible synthetic resin film is arranged around guide member 7 to receive excretion into the bag member for packaging (¶[0023]). The packaging mechanism produces pack 8A containing excretion Z in a hermetically sealed condition (¶[0029]). During sealing of the pack, air is also contained in the pack together with the excretion (¶[0042]).
However, modified WANG does not explicitly disclose that the tubular bag is held by two or more vacuum bars in the mouth region and released by moving the two or more vacuum bars apart.
POOL discloses a flexible packaging process for forming and filling individual packages from continuously supplied packaging film. A web of packaging film is fed from a continuous supply roll, formed into a tube, cross-sealed to close a filled package and form the bottom of the next package, and cut between the cross seals to separate the filled package (¶[0031]). A pair of reciprocating vacuum cups engages opposite sides of the bag web and retracts while suction is applied to open the mouth of the bag, after which product is dropped through the open mouth into the bag (¶[0032]). After filling, the suction is turned off to release the two sides of the bag web (¶[0033]). A conveyor belt positioned below the filled pocket supports and moves the filled pocket toward the cutting station, after which the finished package lands on a take-off belt (¶[0034]).
The vacuum gripping arrangement disclosed by POOL provides controlled gripping and release of opposite sides of flexible bag material during opening and filling. In view of modified WANG packaging separated solids into individual bags having an open mouth for receiving the solids, a person skilled in the art would incorporate the vacuum gripping arrangement for holding the mouth of the tubular bag open during filling and releasing the bag after filling to predictably maintain the bag in an open receiving condition during filling and release the completed bag after packaging (KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 417; 2007).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the vacuum gripping arrangement, as disclosed by POOL, into the bag packaging process in the method for separating solids from a water closet by modified WANG.
However, modified WANG does not explicitly disclose that the solids fall into a catch basket of a lift system and are conveyed upward while liquid drips through the catch basket before passing to the subsequent processing stage.
HANNUM discloses a conveyor system, particularly a grit removal conveyor system for use in a corrosive environment (Col. 1, Lns. 6–8). In particular, bucket assembly 48 collects settled grit from bottom surface 18 of settling tank 14 and is vertically lifted from below wastewater level 20 to above wastewater level 20. Tapered de-watering slots 64 allow collected wastewater 94 to drain from bucket assembly 48 while retaining collected grit 96, after which the bucket assembly is tilted to dump the collected grit 96 into external disposal means 50 (Col. 5, Lns. 29–50).
The bucket elevator arrangement disclosed by HANNUM allows waste solids to be separated from wastewater while being conveyed upward for subsequent disposal, reducing the amount of wastewater carried with the solids and facilitating subsequent handling. In view of modified WANG feeding solids into a solids separation tank for subsequent portioning and packaging, a person skilled in the art would position the liftable catch basket to receive the incoming solids from above, convey the solids upward while allowing wastewater to drain through the catch basket, and transfer the solids from the catch basket into the subsequent portioning and packaging process to predictably dewater and deliver the solids for packaging (KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 417; 2007).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the liftable dewatering basket arrangement, as disclosed by HANNUM, into the method for separating solids from a water closet by modified WANG.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WANG in view of SAKURAI as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of POOL and GRECH (US20070240255A1).
Regarding Claim 3, modified WANG makes obvious the method for separating solids from a water closet of Claim 1. WANG discloses fecal sewage solid-liquid separation tank 6 connected to the drain bend through fecal discharge outlet 9 and fecal sewage pipe 7. Feces are separated from the sewage and accumulate in the solid-liquid separation tank (¶[0048]). During operation, the feces are washed by flushing water through fecal outlet 9 into the toilet drainage system (¶[0039]). SAKURAI discloses a packaging mechanism for forming individual excretion packs. An oblong bag member 8 made of flexible synthetic resin film is arranged around guide member 7 to receive excretion into the bag member for packaging (¶[0023]). The packaging mechanism produces pack 8A containing excretion Z in a hermetically sealed condition (¶[0029]). During sealing of the pack, air is also contained in the pack together with the excretion (¶[0042]).
However, modified WANG does not explicitly disclose that the tubular bag is held by two or more vacuum bars in the mouth region and released by moving the two or more vacuum bars apart.
POOL discloses a flexible packaging process for forming and filling individual packages from continuously supplied packaging film. A web of packaging film is fed from a continuous supply roll, formed into a tube, cross-sealed to close a filled package and form the bottom of the next package, and cut between the cross seals to separate the filled package (¶[0031]). A pair of reciprocating vacuum cups engages opposite sides of the bag web and retracts while suction is applied to open the mouth of the bag, after which product is dropped through the open mouth into the bag (¶[0032]). After filling, the suction is turned off to release the two sides of the bag web (¶[0033]). A conveyor belt positioned below the filled pocket supports and moves the filled pocket toward the cutting station, after which the finished package lands on a take-off belt (¶[0034]).
The vacuum gripping arrangement disclosed by POOL provides controlled gripping and release of opposite sides of flexible bag material during opening and filling. In view of modified WANG packaging separated solids into individual bags having an open mouth for receiving the solids, a person skilled in the art would incorporate the vacuum gripping arrangement for holding the mouth of the tubular bag open during filling and releasing the bag after filling to predictably maintain the bag in an open receiving condition during filling and release the completed bag after packaging (KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 417; 2007).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the vacuum gripping arrangement, as disclosed by POOL, into the bag packaging process in the method for separating solids from a water closet by modified WANG.
However, modified WANG does not explicitly disclose that the solids are broken down into a viscous slurry in the solids separation tank and pumped by a solids pump into a high-level solids tank for subsequent portioning and packaging.
GRECH discloses a waste management system, particularly a macerator toilet (¶[0002]). The macerator unit includes input port 40 for delivering waste to impeller pump 30 and output port 42 for discharging the macerated waste. Output port 42 extends upwardly and is coupled to discharge hose 43 for delivering the macerated waste to a holding tank, sewage system, or septic tank. Impeller pump 30 includes blades 38 for macerating the waste and directing the macerated waste through discharge port 42 (¶¶[0027]–[0030]).
The macerating arrangement disclosed by GRECH was known to use fast-rotating cutting blades to substantially liquefy human waste, toilet paper, and similar materials in flush water into a slurry that can be discharged under pressure through a discharge line. The macerating arrangement permits installation completely above a floor and avoids costly excavation for installation of a drain line (¶¶[0004]–[0005]). In view of modified WANG collecting separated fecal solids in a solids separation tank for subsequent portioning and packaging, a person skilled in the art would incorporate the macerating and pumping arrangement for breaking down the solids into a pumpable slurry, allowing the slurry to collect at the bottom of the solids separation tank, and pumping the slurry by means of a solids pump into the high-level solids tank to predictably facilitate transfer of the solids for subsequent portioning and packaging.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the macerating and pumping arrangement, as disclosed by GRECH, into the method for separating solids from a water closet by modified WANG.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WANG in view of SAKURAI as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of TRACY et al. (US5980756, hereinafter TRACY).
Regarding Claim 4, modified WANG makes obvious the method for separating solids from a water closet of Claim 1. WANG discloses a toilet drainage system in which feces accumulated in drain bend 2 are washed by flushing water through fecal outlet 9 (¶[0039]). The drain bend is connected through fecal discharge outlet 9 and fecal sewage pipe 7 to fecal sewage solid-liquid separation tank 6, where a filter device separates sewage from the feces and the feces accumulate in the tank (¶[0048]).
However, modified WANG does not explicitly disclose flushing from a grey water tank, pumping the solids mixed with grey water into a solids tank, collecting excess grey water in a brown water tank, and conveying brown water from the brown water tank into a UV disinfection system.
TRACY discloses a method for treating aircraft toilet wastewater by removing contaminants from the toilet wastewater (Col. 1, Lns. 5–10). During operation, toilet wastewater is collected in holding tanks and evacuated for treatment. Wastewater evacuated from the holding tanks is filtered to remove suspended solids and other contaminants. When the treated wastewater is recirculated for reuse as flush or rinse water, a predetermined minimum water level is maintained in the holding tanks to permit continued operation of the toilet system (Col. 2, Lns. 28–38). The treated wastewater may be further purified before reuse by a sterilization chamber positioned downstream of the filtering means, preferably using ultraviolet light, and the treated wastewater may then be recirculated for reuse in the toilet system (Col. 2, Lns. 46–57).
FIG. 5 illustrates treatment system 10 in conjunction with recirculation system 60 for reusing treated water as toilet flush or rinse water. Treated water is supplied to flush tank 62 and recirculated to toilet 34 through recirculation tube 64. Pump 24 and flow control valves 66, 68 and 70 are controlled to direct water from holding tank 12 through treatment system 10, into flush tank 62, and back to toilet 34 during a flush cycle. Water level sensors 82 and 84 control pump 24 to maintain the water in holding tank 12 between predetermined high and low levels, with the pump operating until the predetermined low level is reached (Col. 5, Ln. 20–Col. 6, Ln. 35).
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FIG. 5 of TRACY
Based on the disclosure, treated water in flush tank 62 corresponds to the grey water used for flushing the toilet through the siphon into holding tank 12, which corresponds to the solids separation tank. Solid waste is retained in holding tank 12 while the liquid wastewater corresponds to the brown water. Pump 24 conveys the brown water from holding tank 12 through treatment system 10, with water level sensors 82 and 84 controlling the pumping until a predetermined low level is reached. The brown water passes through filters 16 and 18 and sterilization chamber 40, in which ultraviolet light source 42 irradiates the water for disinfection, after which the treated water is supplied to flush tank 62 for reuse as flushing water.
The recirculation arrangement disclosed by TRACY permits treated toilet wastewater to be reused as flush or rinse water while maintaining a predetermined minimum water level to ensure continued operation of the toilet system, which presents a well-known approach for conserving flushing water and reducing water storage requirements in space-constrained toilet systems. In view of modified WANG’s toilet system including a flushing tank arranged above the toilet and a downstream solid-liquid separation tank, a person skilled in the art would incorporate the wastewater treatment and recirculation arrangement including a pump for moving toilet wastewater from the solid-liquid separation tank through filtration and disinfection to predictably conserve flushing water and reduce water storage requirements while maintaining continued toilet operation.
Regarding the recited rotary valve, a rotary valve is a well-known valve configuration for selectively controlling and directing fluid flow between different flow paths. TRACY discloses flow control valves 66, 68 and 70 for selectively controlling the flow of water through the toilet wastewater treatment and recirculation system (Col. 5, Ln. 20–Col. 6, Ln. 35). A person skilled in the art would have selected a rotary valve as a particular valve configuration for performing the disclosed flow-control function as a matter of routine design choice.
Regarding the recited 2-liter amounts, the amount of water retained in and supplied to the tank is considered a result-effective variable. TRACY discloses controlling the wastewater level using high and low water level sensors, with the pump operating until a predetermined low level is reached (Col. 5, Ln. 20–Col. 6, Ln. 35). A person skilled in the art would have routinely selected the particular water amounts based on the requirements of the toilet system (In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456–57; 1955).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the wastewater treatment and recirculation arrangement, as disclosed by TRACY, into the method for separating solids from a water closet by modified WANG.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WANG in view of SAKURAI as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of KAPLAN et al. (WO2011089548A1, hereinafter KAPLAN) and TRACY.
Regarding Claim 5, modified WANG makes obvious the method for separating solids from a water closet of Claim 1. WANG discloses a toilet control arrangement including button sensor 13 installed on a flush button and a control switch for controlling one-way valve 8. When a person urinates, the liquid level in drain bend 2 rises, the control switch opens one-way valve 8, and urine is discharged through liquid outlet 3. When the flush button is pressed, button sensor 13 causes one-way valve 8 to close and flushing water washes feces through fecal outlet 9 (¶¶[0038]–[0039]). The liquid outlet is connected through urine discharge pipe 4 to urine collection tank 5, while fecal outlet 9 is connected through fecal sewage pipe 7 to fecal sewage solid-liquid separation tank 6 (¶[0048]).
Based on the disclosure, the selective discharge of urine through liquid outlet 3 and urine discharge pipe 4 separately from the fecal sewage path corresponds to the pure urine delivery of step a), while button sensor 13 and one-way valve 8 correspond to selectively controlling the urine discharge path in response to operation of the flush button.
However, modified WANG does not explicitly disclose selectively flushing with fresh water or grey water according to the operating condition of the toilet.
KAPLAN discloses a system for saving water by reusing gray water (¶[0002]). FIG. 4 illustrates a flushing tank configuration in which toilet flush tank 91 is supplied from gray water tank 110 and potable water tank 94 through valves 125 and 124, respectively. Controller 120 allows a user to select gray water or potable water as the source of flushing water, and the selected water is flushed from toilet flush tank 91 into toilet 92. The toilet flushing system receives flushing water from either a gray water source or a potable water source, with controller 120 allowing the user to select between the two sources. Piping connects the potable water source and gray water tank to the flushing tank, and fluid communication through the piping is regulated by a control device associated with the controller. Valves 124 and 125 may serve as the regulation devices for selecting either the gray water opening or potable water opening as the source of flushing water (¶¶[0025]–[0028]).
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The selectable gray-water and potable-water flushing arrangement disclosed by KAPLAN permits gray water to be used for toilet flushing in place of potable water, which conserves potable water while achieving the same waste-flushing effect (¶[0003]). In view of modified WANG’s toilet system selectively controlling the urine discharge path during flushing, a person skilled in the art would incorporate the selectable gray-water and potable-water flushing arrangement for selecting the flushing-water source according to the operating condition of the toilet to predictably conserve potable water while maintaining effective flushing.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the selectable gray-water and potable-water flushing arrangement, as disclosed by KAPLAN, into the method for separating solids from a water closet by modified WANG.
However, modified WANG does not explicitly disclose, following a faulty manipulation when no solids have been dispensed, returning unused grey water from a brown water tank to a grey water tank, or an overload emergency operation in which the toilet discharge is routed directly into the sewage system before normal operation resumes.
TRACY discloses a method for treating aircraft toilet wastewater by removing contaminants from the toilet wastewater (Col. 1, Lns. 5–10). During operation, toilet wastewater is collected in holding tanks and evacuated for treatment. Wastewater evacuated from the holding tanks is filtered to remove suspended solids and other contaminants. When the treated wastewater is recirculated for reuse as flush or rinse water, a predetermined minimum water level is maintained in the holding tanks to permit continued operation of the toilet system (Col. 2, Lns. 28–38). The treated wastewater may be further purified before reuse by a sterilization chamber positioned downstream of the filtering means, preferably using ultraviolet light, and the treated wastewater may then be recirculated for reuse in the toilet system (Col. 2, Lns. 46–57).
FIG. 5 illustrates treatment system 10 in conjunction with recirculation system 60 for reusing treated water as toilet flush or rinse water. Treated water is supplied to flush tank 62 and recirculated to toilet 34 through recirculation tube 64. Pump 24 and flow control valves 66, 68 and 70 are controlled by controller 50 to direct water from holding tank 12 through treatment system 10, into flush tank 62, and back to toilet 34 during a flush cycle. Water level sensors 82 and 84 control pump 24 to maintain the water in holding tank 12 between predetermined high and low levels, with the pump operating until the predetermined low level is reached. The system accommodates periodic surges resulting from coincidental flushing of several toilets or continual toilet use over a short period of time (Col. 5, Ln. 20–Col. 6, Ln. 35).
The recirculation and control arrangement disclosed by TRACY permits treated toilet wastewater to be returned for reuse as flushing water while maintaining predetermined water levels and accommodating periodic surges in toilet use. In view of modified WANG’s selectively controlled toilet system and selectable flushing-water source, a person skilled in the art would incorporate the recirculation and control arrangement for pumping unused wastewater back to the flushing-water supply and controlling the pump and valves according to water level and operating conditions to predictably conserve flushing water and maintain continued toilet operation during varying demand.
Regarding the recited faulty manipulation with a large button after no solids have been dispensed, selecting a particular control response based on operation of a user input and the operating condition of the toilet is a matter of routine control design. In view of WANG’s button-controlled valve operation, KAPLAN’s controller-controlled selection of flushing-water sources, and TRACY’s controller-controlled operation of pumps and valves according to system conditions, a person skilled in the art would have configured the control system to initiate a grey-water rinse when the large flush control is operated without solids being present to predictably provide the appropriate flushing response for the detected operating condition.
Regarding the recited 4-liter grey water rinse, the amount of flushing water is considered a result-effective variable. A person skilled in the art would have routinely selected the particular flushing-water amount based on the requirements of the toilet system (In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456–57; 1955).
Regarding the recited rotary valve, a rotary valve is a well-known multi-port valve configuration for selectively directing fluid flow between different flow paths. TRACY discloses flow control valves 66, 68 and 70 for selectively directing water through different flow paths of the toilet wastewater treatment and recirculation system (Col. 5, Ln. 20–Col. 6, Ln. 35). A person skilled in the art would have selected a rotary valve as a particular valve configuration for performing the disclosed flow-routing function as a matter of routine design choice.
Regarding the recited overload emergency operation, selecting an alternate flow path in response to an overload condition and returning to the normal flow path after the overload condition has ended is a matter of routine control design. In view of modified WANG’s selectable flushing-water source and TRACY’s controller-controlled operation of pumps and flow control valves, alternate discharge path, and accommodation of periodic surges in toilet use, a person skilled in the art would have configured the control system to select fresh-water flushing and a bypass discharge path during an overload condition and thereafter return to normal operation to predictably maintain toilet operation during excessive demand.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the wastewater recirculation and control arrangement, as disclosed by TRACY, into the method for separating solids from a water closet by modified WANG.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAK L. CHIU whose telephone number is (703)756-1059. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:00am - 6:00pm (CST).
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/TAK L. CHIU/Examiner, Art Unit 1771
/KRISHNAN S MENON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1771
Prosecution Insights