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 -10, 13-14, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Haynes US 2,816,664.
Re claims 1, 14, Haynes discloses a fluid extraction station [figs.], comprising:
a hub 16 having a fluid passageway 22 extending therethrough from a fluid inlet adjacent a floor or ground surface to a fluid outlet 22 attachable to a source of vacuum; and
a plurality of legs 18 extending in spaced relation from a periphery of the hub 16, at least a portion of each leg forming a fluid dam and adjacent legs forming a fluid pathway for directing fluid towards the fluid inlet of the fluid passageway for extraction from the floor or ground surface.
Re claim 2, wherein the fluid passageway 22 is formed within the hub 16.
Re claim 3, wherein an opening area of the fluid inlet [Fig. 5] is larger than an outlet area of the fluid outlet 28.
Re claim 4, wherein the fluid passageway tapers inwardly from a periphery of the inlet aperture [fig. 5].
Re claim 5, wherein the fluid inlet is disposed over the floor or ground surface in spaced relation thereto [fig. 5].
Re claim 6, wherein the legs 18 support the hub 16 a distance from the ground or floor surface.
Re claim 7, wherein a lower portion of each leg 18 along a length thereof is in contact with the ground or floor surface.
Re claim 8, wherein at least three legs 18 extend from the hub at one end thereof and diverge from one another at a generally opposite end thereof to form a converging fluid pathway towards the fluid inlet of the hub.
Re claim 9, wherein the fluid outlet 22 is operably coupled to a fluid extraction hose.
Re claim 10, a hose fitting 28 [fig 3] attachable to the fluid outlet 28 [figs. 1-2, 4-5] at one end thereof and a fluid extraction vacuum hose at an opposite end thereof.
Re claim 13, wherein the legs 18 comprise elongated walls extending away from the hub and upwardly from the floor or ground surface.
Re claim 18, the step of placing weighting material into a cavity of the hub.
Re claim 19, wherein the providing step includes providing a fluid extraction station having elongated walls forming the legs 18 and fluid dams extending divergently away from the hub and in contact at a lower edge thereof with the ground or floor surface to form the fluid pathway [figs. 1-2].
Re claim 20, wherein the fluid inlet is positioned at a base of the hub 16 and tapers inwardly from a periphery thereof [fig. 5].
Claim(s) 1 -3, 5-7, 9-10, 12-14, 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Wells US 2,876,484.
Re claims 1, 14, Wells discloses a fluid extraction station [figs. 1-2, 5-8], comprising:
a hub [construed as elements 31, 34, 35, 39, 55, 7, fig. 5] having a fluid passageway 7 extending therethrough from a fluid inlet adjacent a floor or ground surface to a fluid outlet attachable to a source of vacuum 3; and
a plurality of legs [32, 33] extending in spaced relation from a periphery of the hub 34, at least a portion of each leg forming a fluid dam and adjacent legs forming a fluid pathway for directing fluid towards the fluid inlet of the fluid passageway for extraction from the floor or ground surface.
Re claim 2, wherein the fluid passageway 7 is formed within the hub.
Re claim 3, wherein an opening area of the fluid inlet is larger than an outlet area of the fluid outlet [fig. 5].
Re claim 5, wherein the fluid inlet is disposed over the floor or ground surface in spaced relation thereto [fig. 5].
Re claim 6, wherein the legs 32 support the hub a distance from the ground or floor surface.
Re claim 7, wherein a lower portion of each leg 33 along a length thereof is in contact with the ground or floor surface.
Re claim 9, wherein the fluid outlet is operably coupled to a fluid extraction hose 56.
Re claim 10, a hose fitting 56 attachable to the fluid outlet at one end thereof and a fluid extraction vacuum hose 5 [fig. 1] at an opposite end thereof.
Re claim 12, wherein the hub includes an inner wall 7 defining the fluid passageway and an outer wall 31 spaced apart from the inner wall 7 to form a weighting material receiving cavity therebetween [receives bolt 38].
Re claim 13, wherein the legs 33 comprise elongated walls extending away from the hub and upwardly from the floor or ground surface [fig. 1].
Re claim 18, the step of placing weighting material [bolts 38] into a cavity of the hub.
Re claim 19, wherein the providing step includes providing a fluid extraction station having elongated walls forming the legs 33 and fluid dams extending divergently away from the hub and in contact at a lower edge thereof with the ground or floor surface to form the fluid pathway [fig. 1].
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) 11, 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Haynes US 2,816,664 OR Wells US 2,876,484.
Re claim 15, Haynes and Wells disclose the invention as discussed above but both fail to disclose wherein the directing step includes the step of manually pushing the fluid on the ground or floor surface towards the fluid dams of the fluid extraction station.
The Examiner takes Official Notice the step of manually pushing the fluid that wants to be sucked into either apparatus of Haynes or Wells would be obvious in order to yield the predictable result of at least one of improve efficiency, reach hidden spots, prevent clogs, and/or speed up drying.
Re claims 11, 16-17, Haynes and Wells disclose the invention as discussed above but both fail to disclose wherein the hose fitting has an elbow configuration and is rotationally adjustable with respect to the fluid outlet; and the step of rotating the hose fitting.
The Examiner takes Official Notice the limitations above would be obvious to either apparatus of Haynes or Wells in order to yield the predictable result of flexibility, and adaptability of connection between the hub and the vacuum hose.
Contract Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Carlos A. Rivera whose telephone number is (571)270-5697. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM -4PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Keller can be reached at (571) 272-8548. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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C. A. R.
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 3723
/C. A. RIVERA/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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