DETAILED ACTION
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the connection unit (claim 7), pivoting unit (claim 8) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Morrison (US 2581125 A).
Claim 1, Morrison discloses at least one drinking-water reservoir (58) for storing the drinking water;
at least one cooling unit (30, 31) for cooling the drinking water stored in the at least one drinking-water reservoir;
at least one filter unit for filtering and/or purifying the drinking water to be cooled and stored, at least one filter unit comprising at least filter water (Activated Carbon; FIG 12); and
at least one fixing unit (75, 40, 88) for fixing/holding the at least one filter unit, wherein the at least one drinking-water reservoir comprises at least one inflow opening for filling and/or for the inflow of the drinking water to be cooled and stored and one outflow opening for removal and/or outflow of the cooled and stored drinking water,
the at least one cooling unit (30, 31) is in the form of a filter cooling unit for at least partially cooling the at least one filter unit (FIG 12) and/or the filter water,
the at least one fixing unit comprises at least one first coupling element (75, 40, 88) of a coupling unit for releasably fixably coupling the at least one filter unit,
the at least one filter unit has at least one second coupling element of the coupling unit (FIG 12), and
when the at least one fixing unit is in a fixed state, the at least one first coupling element and the at least one second coupling element are in operative connection with one another, so that the at least one filter unit is in the form of an exchangeable filter unit.
Claim 2, Morrison discloses wherein a filter end portion of the exchangeable filter unit and/or an exchangeable housing of the exchangeable filter unit comprises at least the at least one second coupling element and at least one filter inflow opening (inlet, FIG 12) for the inflow of the drinking water to be filtered and/or purified and one filter outflow opening for the removal and/or outflow of the filtered and/or purified drinking water.
Claim 3, Morrison discloses wherein the at least one fixing unit comprises at least one fixing inflow opening for the inflow of the drinking water to be filtered and/or purified and one fixing outflow opening for the removal and/or outflow of the filtered and/or purified drinking water (FIG 12).
Claim 4, Morrison discloses wherein the coupling unit is in the form of a screw closure having a screw thread, wherein the at least one first coupling element (75), 80) comprises a first thread element of the screw closure and the at least one second coupling element (75, 80) comprises a second thread element of the screw closure.
Claim 6, Morrison discloses wherein the at least one drinking-water reservoir has at least one reservoir housing (58, 58’; FIG 1, 8)
Claim 7, Morrison discloses wherein the at least one fixing unit (75, 40, 88) has at least one connection unit for releasably adjustably connecting (75) the at least one fixing unit to the at least one filter housing.
Claim 8, Morrison discloses wherein the at least one connection unit (75, 40, 88) is in the form of an exchangeable connection unit or in the form of a pivoting unit (75) for the pivoting of the at least one connection unit and/or of the at least one fixing unit about a pivot axis.
Claim 9, Morrison discloses wherein the at least one connection unit (75, 40, 88) and/or exchangeable connection unit is in the form of a screw connection unit (75) or bayonet connection unit having a screw device or bayonet device.
Claim 10, Morrison discloses wherein at least one cold-bridge element is arranged between the at least one filter unit and the at least one drinking-water reservoir (FIG 1, 6, 8 shows gap between filter, FIG 12, and reservoir 58) wherein the at least one cold-bridge element is in the form of a gap filled with air.
Claim 11, Morrison discloses at least one thermal insulation unit for thermally insulating (Col 7, lines 35 to 45) at least the at least one cooling unit and/or the at least one drinking-water reservoir.
Claim 12, Morrison discloses wherein the at least one filter unit is arranged upstream of the drinking-water reservoir (41, 39, 58; FIG 1, 6, 8)
Claim 13, Morrison discloses at least one drinking-water reservoir (58) for storing the drinking water;
at least one cooling unit (30,31) for cooling the drinking water stored in the drinking-water reservoir;
at least one filter unit (41; FIG 12) for filtering and/or purifying the drinking water to be cooled and stored, at least one filter unit comprising at least filter water; and
at least one fixing unit (75, 88, 40) for fixing/holding the at least one filter unit, wherein
the at least one drinking-water reservoir (58) comprises at least one inflow opening for filling and/or for the inflow of the drinking water to be cooled and stored and one outflow opening for the removal and/or outflow of the cooled and stored drinking water,
the at least one cooling unit (30, 31) is in the form of a filter cooling unit for at least partially cooling the at least one filter unit and/or the filter water,
the at least one fixing unit (75, 40, 88)comprises at least one first coupling element of a coupling unit for releasably fixably coupling the at least one filter unit,
the at least one filter unit has at least one second coupling element of the coupling unit, and
when the at least one fixing unit is in a fixed state, the at least one first coupling element and the at least one second coupling element are in operative connection with one another, so that the at least one filter unit is in the form of an exchangeable filter unit.
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(s) 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morrison as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Rubin (US 20210229009 A1).
Claim 5, Morrison substantially discloses the apparatus as claimed above but is silent on wherein the coupling unit is in the form of a bayonet closure having a bayonet connection, wherein the at least one first coupling element is in the form of a first bayonet element of the bayonet closure and the at least one second coupling element is in the form of a second bayonet element of the bayonet closure.
Rubin teaches a bayonet closure (B, C; FIG 1; [0014]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Morrison with bayonet closure as taught by Rubin in order to provide a secure closure.
Claim(s) 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morrison as applied to claim 13 above, and further in view of Pelligrini (US 20170176060 A1).
Claim 14, Morrison substantially discloses the apparatus as claimed above but is silent on wherein the drinking water comprises carbonated drinking water.
Pelligrini teaches wherein the drinking water comprises carbonated drinking water (30).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Morrison with carbonated water as taught by Pelligrini in order to provide carbonated water beverage for drinking.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEREMY W CARROLL whose telephone number is (571)272-4988. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 AM - 5 PM.
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JEREMY W. CARROLL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3754
/Jeremy Carroll/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
Prosecution Insights