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 Amendment
This action is responsive to communication filed on 5/11/26. Claims 27-31 and 33-46 remain pending, with claims 45-46 withdrawn.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 45-46 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/30/2025.
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.
Claim(s) 42-44 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent 10,245,599 (hereinafter Kosarnig).
Regarding claim 42, Kosarnig discloses a urinal spray head (1) of a urinal (fig. 3), the urinal spray head comprising: a spray head body (30) comprising a water channel (hollow cavity); a nozzle (29) configured to be connected to the spray head body (fig. 2), the nozzle comprising a water cavity (4) in fluid communication with the water channel; a water spraying opening (6) disposed on one side of the nozzle and in fluid communication with the water cavity; and a connecting pipe (7) having a first end configured to be in fluid communication with the water channel and having a second end configured to be in fluid communication with a water supply pipe (10) (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 43, Kosarnig discloses wherein the spray head body (30) and the nozzle (29) are configured to be disposed in a mounting hole (see fig. 3), and wherein the connecting pipe (7) is configured to pass through the mounting hole (see fig. 3).
Regarding claim 44, Kosarnig discloses wherein the water spraying opening (6) is configured to be disposed in front of a bowl bottom surface (2) of a urinal bowl and inclined downwards and backwards (at 18, 38 – fig. 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 27-31 and 33-41 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Kosarnig fails to show a connecting pipe having a first end configured to be in fluid communication with the water channel. Examiner respectfully disagrees. The connecting pipe (7) of Kosarnig is hollow and has a fluid pathway extending therethrough. The connecting pipe (7) permits fluid communication from one end of the nozzle assembly (the inlet side water supply 10) all the way to the outlet side (where fluid is ejected through the nozzle outlet (6)). There is a clear fluid pathway from the outlet (6) to the inlet (10) of which the water channel (formed by the hollow interior of element 30) is included in, and the connecting pipe (7) spans between the inlet and the opening. Accordingly, the connecting pipe (7) has a first end configured to be in fluid communication with the water channel as required by the claim. In other words, the claim calls for the first end to be configured to be in fluid communication with the water channel, which as described above and illustrated below, is believed to be met by the prior art. The rejection is deemed proper and maintained.
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Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 JANIE M LOEPPKE whose telephone number is (571)270-5208. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-5PM ET.
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, 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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/JANIE M LOEPPKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
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