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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/4/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., requiring a specific inlet/outlet tube connection structure and connection point forming a 90 degree connection) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
The language of claims 1, 12 and 13 require:
wherein the inlet tube connection and the outlet tube connection are oriented in the junction at a 90 degree angle and the chemical solution connection attaches to the junction perpendicularly at a 90 degree angle
This language does not require that the inlet tube connection and the outlet tube connection be in direct contact and oriented at a 90 degree angle to one another. The language only requires each connection be oriented at a 90 degree angle in the ‘junction’ which is defined by Applicant as reference “212” which is not a single fixed point and which has all the connections extending out of the junction body.
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The placement of the chemical solution connection at a location which is not the contact point between the inlet and outlet tube connections further supports that the ‘junction’ is not a fixed point within the junction body.
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Regarding Applicant’s arguments about the differences in the structure of the inlet and outlet tube connections as well as differences in the structure and/or operation of the venturi structure of the application and the prior art it is noted that the cited details are not included in the language of the claims.
As non-limiting examples Applicant’s argument that the prior art inlet tube connection has a taper while Applicant’s venturi doesn’t is not persuasive as such a detail of the construction/form of the inlet tube connection has not been claimed. Applicant’s argument against the 90 degree connection of Schneider isn’t persuasive as the claims do not define two perfectly straight ‘connections’, doesn’t define a connection point and doesn’t require that two perfectly straight connections directly intersect at a 90 degree angle.
Regarding Applicant’s argument against Schneider’s angle it is noted that the angle isn’t claimed as providing a functionality to a venturi system and that the drawings must be evaluated for what they reasonably disclose and suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2125.
US 11,668,083 satisfies the requirement regarding an inlet and outlet tube connection which are oriented at 90 degrees in a junction body.
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Schneider discloses a ‘junction’ which is a body containing connections for an inlet tube, an outlet tube and a chemical solution connector and which comprises a venturi system in which fluid from the inlet connection draws chemical solution into its flow and the combination flows out of the outlet tube.
Applicant’s arguments regarding the allowability of the dependent claims are moot due to the non-allowability of the independent claims.
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, 3-9 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 11,668,083 (Schneider).
Regarding claim 1, Schneider discloses a toilet bowl cleaning apparatus comprising:
a receptacle (2);
a chemical solution tube (4);
an inlet tube (5A);
an outlet tube (5B);
a body (3),
wherein the body contains a junction (Fig. 6; 32/33/34/35/36),
wherein the junction contains an inlet tube connection (annotated figure below; 32), an outlet tube connection (annotated figure below; 33//34/36), and a chemical solution connection (35);
wherein the inlet tube connection and the outlet tube connection are oriented in the junction at a 90 degree angle (Fig. 6; annotated below) and the chemical solution connection attaches to the junction perpendicularly at a 90 degree angle (Figs. 3, 7, 22 – solution connection enters junction vertically from above or below resulting in a perpendicular-90 degrees connection to the junction); and
a tank connector (1/6),
wherein the receptacle and the body are disposed on the tank connector (Fig. 2, 8A, 19), and
wherein the tank connector allows the toilet bowl cleaning apparatus to attach to a tank (Fig. 8A, 19).
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Regarding claim 3, Schneider discloses that the outlet tube tapers (36) prior to opening into the inlet tube connection.
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Regarding claim 4, Schneider discloses that the chemical solution connection opens (35) into the outlet tube connection near the inlet tube connection (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 5, Schneider discloses that when a fluid flow through the inlet tube connection and through the outlet tube connection, the decrease in size of opening into the tapered section of the outlet tube connection creates the venturi effect, which is a reduction in pressure (C7 L30-50).
Regarding claim 6, Schneider discloses that the chemical solution tube attaches to the junction while in a vertical position in the receptacle (Fig. 3, 10 – solution tube extends into receptacle in at a vertical orientation/parallel to the receptacle body; Fig. 19, 20 – solution tube extends out the top of a vertically oriented receptacle 2).
Regarding claim 7, Schneider discloses that the junction creates a venturi effect to mix a chemical solution located in the receptacle via the chemical solution tube with a liquid flowing through the inlet tube and then out through the outlet tube (C7 L30-50).
Regarding claims 8-9, Schneider discloses that the chemical solution tube contains a means for controlling (9) the flow of the chemical solution into the junction in the form of a control valve (C6 L13-45).
Regarding claim 12, Schneider discloses a method of cleaning a toilet bowl with a toilet bowl cleaning apparatus comprising:
connecting a connector to a toilet bowl tank (1/6; Figs. 8a, 18),
wherein the connector is disposed on a body (3),
wherein a receptacle (2) is disposed on the body,
wherein a junction (Fig. 6; 32/33/34/35/36) is disposed on the body and an outlet tube connection (annotated figure below; 33/34/36), an inlet tube connection (annotated figure below; 32), and a chemical solution connection (35);
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connecting a first tube (5A) from a flow valve of the toilet bowl to the inlet tube connection (C5 L29-32);
connecting a second tube (5B) from the outlet tube connection to an overflow tube (14) of the toilet bowl;
placing a chemical solution tube (4) into the receptacle and connecting it to the chemical solution connection;
filling up the receptacle with a chemical solution (C5 L12-24); and
flushing the toilet (C8 L17-28),
wherein water flows through the first tube from the flow valve into the junction and creates a Venturi effect causing the chemical solution to mix with the water forming a mixture of water and chemical solution (C7 L30-50, C8 L17-28), and
wherein the mixture of water and chemical solution exits the junction through the second tube and flows into the overflow tube, and ultimately into the toilet bowl (C7 L30-50, C8 L17-28).
Regarding claim 13, Schneider discloses a toilet bowl cleaning apparatus comprising:
a receptacle (2);
a chemical solution tube (4);
an inlet tube (5A);
an outlet tube (5B);
a body (3),
wherein the body contains a junction (Fig. 6; 32/33/34/35/36),
wherein the junction contains an inlet tube connection (annotated figure below; 32), an outlet tube connection (annotated figure below; 33//34/36), and a chemical solution connection (35);
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wherein the inlet tube connection and the outlet tube connection are oriented in the junction at a 90 degree angle (Fig. 6; annotated figure above) and the chemical solution connection attaches to the junction perpendicularly at a 90 degree angle (Figs. 3, 7, 22 – solution connection enters junction vertically from above or below resulting in a perpendicular-90 degrees connection to the junction),
wherein the outlet tube tapers (36) prior to opening into the inlet tube connection.
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wherein the chemical solution connection opens (35) into the outlet tube connection near the inlet tube connection (Fig. 6); and
a tank connector (1/6),
wherein the receptacle and the body are disposed on the tank connector (Fig. 2, 8A, 19), and
wherein the tank connector allows the toilet bowl cleaning apparatus to attach to a tank (Fig. 8A, 19).
Regarding claim 14, Schneider discloses that when a fluid flow through the inlet tube connection and through the outlet tube connection, the decrease in size of opening into the tapered section of the outlet tube connection creates the venturi effect, which is a reduction in pressure (C7 L30-50).
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 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schneider in view of US 2009/0265842 (Higgins).
Regarding claim 10, Schneider describes the receptacle (2) as a cartridge and a bottle but does not explicitly state that the receptacle has an open top.
Higgins teaches a toilet cleaning apparatus comprising a receptacle (18) with an open top (Fig. 1 – open top 34 or through openings 72/74) for refilling the receptacle (Para. 0018) coupled to a body (26) comprising a junction forming a venturi (Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the receptacle with an open top, as taught by Higgins, so as to facilitate quick and/or simple replenishment of the liquid/solution within the receptacle.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schneider in view of US 9,598,848 (Seibt).
Regarding claim 11, Schneider describes the receptacle (2) as a cartridge and a bottle but does not explicitly disclose the use of a bag.
Seibt teaches a toilet cleaning apparatus comprising a receptacle which contains a chemical solution and is connected to a junction by a chemical solution tube. Seibt teaches that the receptacle can be provided in the form of a rigid bottle with a vent or as a bag which can collapse as it is emptied and as such doesn’t require a vent (C2 L10-20).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize a bag as an alternate receptacle, as taught by Seibt, so as to eliminate a need for ventilating the receptacle, to facilitate installing the receptacle in different locations/arrangements and/or for convenience when the chemical solution is provided/purchased in a bag.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 4,984,306 (Sumerix) teaches a fluid mixing system comprising a junction with an inlet tube and an outlet tube which engage at 90 degrees and includes a chemical solution connection.
US 5,626,291 (Flinn) teaches a cleaning solution spraying system comprising a venturi formed with an inlet tube connection which doesn’t taper and a tapered outlet tube connection and a chemical solution connection.
US 10,596,530 (Dubiel) teaches a fluid mixing system comprising an inlet tube connection and an outlet tube connection which connect in a junction at a 90 degree angle.
US 11,517,862 (Chien) teaches a fluid mixing assembly (Fig. 6-7) comprising a junction (32) having an inlet tube connection (32b) and an outlet tube connection (32c) which meet at a connection point at a 90 degree angle where a chemical solution connection (32a) also connects and which teaches forming the outlet tube connector with a tapered opening.
US 11,642,635 (Chien2) teaches a fluid mixing system comprising a junction having an inlet tube connection, outlet tube connection and chemical solution connection with the inlet and outlet tube connections are oriented at a 90 degree angle.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS A ROS whose telephone number is (571)270-3577. The examiner can normally be reached Mon.-Fri. 9:00-6:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Angwin can be reached at 571-270-3735. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICHOLAS A ROS/Examiner, Art Unit 3754
/DAVID P ANGWIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3754