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 § 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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 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 "the access opening side" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes the claim is assumed to recite, “the access opening”.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the removably attached filter mounting cap" in line 10 and 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes the claim is assumed to recite, “the filter mounting cap”.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the removably attached filter mounting cap" in line 4 and 8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes the claim is assumed to recite, “the filter mounting cap”.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the access opening side" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes the claim is assumed to recite, “the access opening”.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the removably attached filter mounting cap" in line 16 and 19. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes the claim is assumed to recite, “the filter mounting cap”.
Claim 16 is directed to a system for use with a filter canister and thus the filter canister is not positively recited as part of the claimed system. However, line 6 requires the filter canister to be received through the access opening which would appear to positively recite and require the filter canister. Therefore, the precise metes and bounds of the claim are not clear. For examination purposes the filter canister is assumed to not be positively recited.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the access opening side" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes the claim is assumed to recite, “the access opening”.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the removably attached filter mounting cap" in line 17 and 20. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes the claim is assumed to recite, “the filter mounting cap”.
The additional claims are rejected as depending from one of the above 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-6, 8-9 and 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. US 2021/0299600.
Claim 1, Lee teaches a water filtration system comprising: a replaceable filter canister (10) having a head end portion (at 11, 12) and an opposite free tail end portion, a filter housing (30) having a body with an access opening and having a lid (50) movable between a closed position covering the access opening and an open position exposing the access opening, wherein the housing receives the replaceable filter canister through the access opening, a filter mounting cap (20) positioned within the housing, rotationally mounted relative to the housing, and removably attached to the head end portion of the filter canister, wherein the filter canister and the filter mounting cap are together repositionable between a stored position for use and a pivoted position for filter replacement, wherein in the stored position the filter canister and the filter mounting cap are positioned within the filter housing, and wherein in the pivoted position the filter canister free tail end portion is displaced from the filter housing through the access opening so that it can be grasped to detach and replace the filter canister (fig. 1-15).
Claim 15, Lee teaches a method of maintain the system of claim 1, comprising: moving the lid from the closed position to the open position, manually grasping the filter canister free tail end portion and pivoting the filter canister and the filter mounting cap from the stored position to the pivoted position, detaching the filter canister form the filter mounting cap, removably attaching a fresh replaceable filter canister to the filter mounting cap, pivoting the fresh filter canister and the filter mounting cap to the stored position and moving the lid to the closed position (fig. 1-15, par 157-163).
Claims 2 and 3 recite intended uses of the system. Lee further teaches the housing is configured to mount to a surface with the housing body inset into the surface and with the housing lid flush with the surface, the surface being an intended use of the system (fig. 1-15), the recitation of a wall of an RV is an intended use of the system and does not provide any further structural limitations to the system. The system of Lee is capable of being mounted in a wall of an RV as recited.
Claims 5-6, 8-9 and 13-14, Lee further teaches the filter mounting cap includes an inlet (21b) and an outlet (21a) that are axially aligned and define a rotational axis about which the filter mounting cap rotates relative to the housing (fig. 1-15); the filter mounting cap is T-shaped with a dual flow portion (22) extending perpendicular to the axially aligned inlet and outlet, wherein the filter mounting cap is removably attached to the head end portion of the filter canister by the dual flow portion (fig. 1-15); an inlet tube coupling (72) connected to the inlet of the filter mounting cap and an outlet tube coupling (71) connected to the outlet of the filter mounting cap (fig. 1-15); the inlet tube coupling and the outlet tube coupling are swivel fittings that provide the rotational mounting of the filter mounting cap to the housing (fig. 1-15, par 106-107); the housing further comprises a retainer (43) that releasably secures the filter canister in the housing (fig. 1-15); and a filter support (43) that supports the free tail end portion of the filter canister in the housing if the system is installed in a horizontal position (fig. 1-15).
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.
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:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 4, 7, 10-12 and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. US 2021/0299600.
Claims 16 and 20, Lee teaches a water filtration system comprising: a replaceable filter canister having a head end portion and an opposite free tail end portion, a filter housing (30) having a body with an access opening and having a lid (50) movable between a closed position covering the access opening and an open position exposing the access opening, wherein the housing receives the filter canister through the access opening, wherein the housing is configured to mount to a surface with the housing body inset into the surface and with the housing lid flush with the surface, a filter mounting cap (20) positioned within the housing, rotationally mounted relative to the housing, and removably attachable to the head end portion of a filter canister, wherein the filter mounting cap includes an inlet (21b) and an outlet (21a) that are axially aligned and define a rotational axis about which the filter mounting cap rotates relative to the housing, wherein the filter mounting cap is T-shaped with a dual flow portion (22) extending perpendicular to the axially aligned inlet and outlet, wherein the filter mounting cap is removably attached to the head end portion of the filter canister by the dual flow portion, wherein the filter canister and the filter mounting cap are together repositionable between a stored position for use and a pivoted position for filter replacement, wherein in the stored position the filter canister and the filter mounting cap are positioned within the filter housing, and wherein in the pivoted position a filter canister the free tail end portion is displaced from the filter housing through the access opening so that it can be grasped to detach and replace the filter canister (fig. 1-15). Lee does not teach the housing being watertight when the lid is in the closed position. Providing a watertight connection between the housing and the lid would have been an obvious design choice to prevent contamination of the housing when the lid is closed and would have been well within the normal capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art.
Claim 17 recites an intended use of the system. Lee further teaches the housing is configured to mount to a surface with the housing body inset into the surface and with the housing lid flush with the surface, the surface being an intended use of the system (fig. 1-15), the recitation of a wall of an RV is an intended use of the system and does not provide any further structural limitations to the system. The system of Lee is capable of being mounted in a wall of an RV as recited.
Claim 19, Lee further teaches an inlet tube coupling (72) connected to the inlet of the filter mounting cap and an outlet tube coupling (71) connected to the outlet of the filter mounting cap (fig. 1-15).
Claim 4, Lee teaches the system of claim 1 but does not teach the housing being watertight when the lid is in the closed position. Providing a watertight connection between the housing and the lid would have been an obvious design choice to prevent contamination of the housing when the lid is closed and would have been well within the normal capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art.
Claims 7 and 18, Lee further teaches the housing body includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening through which an inlet tube coupling and an outlet tube coupling extend (fig. 1-15) but does not teach a water tight seal. Providing a watertight connection would have been an obvious design choice to prevent contamination of the housing and would have been well within the normal capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art.
Claim 10, Lee further teaches the inlet tube coupling and the outlet tube coupling extend through the housing body (fig. 1-15) but does not teach a water tight seal. Providing a watertight connection would have been an obvious design choice to prevent contamination of the housing and would have been well within the normal capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art.
Claim 11, Lee further teaches the housing body includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening through which an inlet tube coupling and an outlet tube coupling extend (fig. 1-15) but does not teach a water tight seal. Providing a watertight connection would have been an obvious design choice to prevent contamination of the housing and would have been well within the normal capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art.
Claim 12, Lee further teaches the inlet tube coupling and the outlet tube coupling are positioned entirely within the housing (fig. 1-15).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN M KURTZ whose telephone number is (571)272-8211. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bobby Ramdhanie can be reached at 571-270-3240. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BENJAMIN M KURTZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1779
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