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 § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Glidden (2202653).
Regarding claim 1, Glidden discloses a product container (5) comprising: an inner volume (Fig. 2) for receiving a food and/or beverage product, a rigid insert (8) comprising a linking member (through-channel for valve 9) and an aperture (Fig. 2) allowing the delivery of the food and/or beverage product out of the inner volume of the product container and an interface (9) comprising an outlet (10) linked to the rigid insert via the linking member, the interface being connectable to an external dispensing unit wherein the interface is movable for covering and uncovering the aperture completely or to a certain extent (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 2, the interface is detachable from the product container (via a threaded connection as shown in Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 3, the linking member is configured as a slider (col. 1, lines 1-5).
Regarding claim 4, the movement of the interface is vertical (e.g. if the container is rotated to a horizontal position relative to the ground to dispense the product).
Regarding claim 5, it is flexible and compressible (col. 1, lines 1-2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-15 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art to the claimed invention is Coleman et al. (20120104041). Coleman fails to teach or suggest a tilting plate connected to the handle via an elastic member, wherein a movement of the handle causes the elastic member to pull upwards the tilting plate.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DONNELL ALAN LONG whose telephone number is (571)270-5610. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8AM-5PM.
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/DONNELL A LONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754