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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election without traverse of Species A and claims 1-3,5-13 and 15-20 in the reply filed on 1/05/2026 is acknowledged.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 “the plurality of fixing members pass through the second annular flange, the sealing member and the bag body in sequence to be fixed to the first annular flange” in claims 3 and 13 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
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) 1-2,5-6,10-12,15-16 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Collie (US20170225872A1).
Regarding claim 1, Collie teaches a deformable container comprising (fig.1 shows the deformable container 10):
a bag body formed with an opening (fig.1 shows bag body 12 formed with an opening that where the valve 36 is attached; since it is a air valve it has to go through an opening);
a first connecting member having a first tube portion and a first annular flange protruding from an end of the first tube portion, the first tube portion passing through the opening to be exposed from the bag body, the bag body being pressed against a pressing surface of the first annular flange (see annotated fig.6 of Collie below for a first connecting member with a first tube portion and a first annular flange protruding from an end of the tube portion and the tube portion passing through the opening of the bag and be exposed when pushed far enough and the bag body pressed against the pressing surface as labeled in the figure of the flange); and
a second connecting member having a second tube portion, the second tube portion being sleeved on the first tube portion (see annotated fig.6 for second connecting member having a second tube portion capable of being sleeved on the first tube portion).
Annotated fig.6 of Collie
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Regarding claim 2, the references as applied to claim 1 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie further teaches a sealing member sleeved on the first tube portion and abutting against the bag body, wherein the second connecting member further has a second annular flange protruding from an end of the second tube portion, and the sealing member and the bag body are sandwiched between the first annular flange and the second annular flange (see annotated fig.6 above for the sealing member sleeved on the first tube portion and abut against the bag body and second connecting member has an annular flange protruding from an end of the second tube portion and the sealing member and the bag body being sandwiched between the fir and second annular flange).
Regarding claim 5, the references as applied to claim 1 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie further teaches wherein the pressing surface has a protruding structure and the bag body is pressed against the protruding structure (see annotated fig.6 below for the pressing surface has a protruding structure and the bag body pressing against it when passed through the opening).
Regarding claim 6, the references as applied to claim 1 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie further teaches wherein a bottom of the bag body is inclined with respect to the first tube portion (fig.1 shows the bag body 12 is inclined at the bottom).
Regarding claim 10, the references as applied to claim 1 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie further teaches wherein a non-pressing surface of the first annular flange has a positioning structure and the non-pressing surface is opposite to the pressing surface (see annotated fig.6 above).
Regarding claim 11, Collie teaches a gas storage device comprising (fig.1 shows the gas storage device):
a frame (fig.2 shows the portion 24; claim does not specify what type of frame or any other structure); and
a deformable container connected to the frame, the deformable container comprising (fig.2 shows the body 12 connected to portion 24):
a bag body formed with an opening (fig.1 shows bag body 12 formed with an opening that where the valve 36 is attached; since it is an air valve it has to go through an opening);
a first connecting member having a first tube portion and a first annular flange protruding from an end of the first tube portion, the first tube portion passing through the opening to be exposed from the bag body, the bag body being pressed against a pressing surface of the first annular flange (see annotated fig.6 of Collie below for a first connecting member with a first tube portion and a first annular flange protruding from an end of the tube portion and the tube portion passing through the opening of the bag and be exposed when pushed far enough and the bag body pressed against the pressing surface as labeled in the figure of the flange); and
a second connecting member having a second tube portion, the second tube portion being sleeved on the first tube portion (see annotated fig.6 for second connecting member having a second tube portion capable of being sleeved on the first tube portion).
Regarding claim 12, the references as applied to claim 11 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie further teaches wherein the deformable container further comprises a sealing member sleeved on the first tube portion and abutting against the bag body, the second connecting member further has a second annular flange protruding from an end of the second tube portion, and the sealing member and the bag body are sandwiched between the first annular flange and the second annular flange (see annotated fig.6 above for the sealing member sleeved on the first tube portion and abut against the bag body and second connecting member has an annular flange protruding from an end of the second tube portion and the sealing member and the bag body being sandwiched between the fir and second annular flange).
Regarding claim 15, the references as applied to claim 11 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie further teaches wherein the pressing surface has a protruding structure and the bag body is pressed against the protruding structure (see annotated fig.6 below for the pressing surface has a protruding structure and the bag body pressing against it when passed through the opening).
Regarding claim 16, the references as applied to claim 11 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie further teaches wherein a bottom of the bag body is inclined with respect to the first tube portion (fig.2 shows the bag body 12 is inclined with respect to the first tube portion).
Regarding claim 20, the references as applied to claim 11 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie further teaches wherein a non-pressing surface of the first annular flange has a positioning structure and the non-pressing surface is opposite to the pressing surface (see annotated fig.6 above).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 7-9 and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Collie (US20170225872A1) and further in view of Brans (US20050117818A1).
Regarding claim 7, the references as applied to claim 1 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie does not teach a plurality of support members pressed against a periphery of the bag body.
Brans does teach wherein a plurality of support members pressed against a periphery of the bag body (fig.2 shows plurality of support members 22 and 23 pressed against the periphery of the bag body 11). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the container disclosed by Collie by adding the teaching of support members between the two bag surfaces as disclosed by Brans in order to achieve gradual and controlled filling of the bag. “When the bag 4 is filled the fastening lips 22, 23 come apart, so that gradual and controlled filling of the bag is achieved without folds and spaces that are only partially filled or are not filled at all being produced as a result and so that non-uniform contact with the wall of the container 1 is prevented from taking place.” (0030, Brans)
Regarding claim 8, the references as applied to claim 7 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie as modified in claim 7 further teaches wherein the periphery of the bag body is formed with a first pressing region and a second pressing region, the second pressing region surrounds the first pressing region, and the plurality of support members are pressed against the second pressing region (fig.2 shows the bag 4 with two pressing regions as seen in fig.3 and the members 23 and 22 are pressed against them).
Regarding claim 9, the references as applied to claim 7 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie as modified in claim 7 further teaches wherein each of the plurality of support members is formed with a plurality of hanging holes (fig.2 shows the holes 25 and 21 on the members 23 and 22).
Regarding claim 17, the references as applied to claim 11 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie does not teach wherein the deformable container further comprises a plurality of support members pressed against a periphery of the bag body, and the deformable container is connected to the frame by the plurality of support members.
Brans does teach wherein a plurality of support members pressed against a periphery of the bag body (fig.2 shows plurality of support members 22 and 23 pressed against the periphery of the bag body 11). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the container disclosed by Collie by adding the teaching of support members between the two bag surfaces as disclosed by Brans in order to achieve gradual and controlled filling of the bag. “When the bag 4 is filled the fastening lips 22, 23 come apart, so that gradual and controlled filling of the bag is achieved without folds and spaces that are only partially filled or are not filled at all being produced as a result and so that non-uniform contact with the wall of the container 1 is prevented from taking place.” (0030, Brans)
Regarding claim 18, the references as applied to claim 17 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie as modified in claim 17 further teaches wherein the periphery of the bag body is formed with a first pressing region and a second pressing region, the second pressing region surrounds the first pressing region, and the plurality of support members are pressed against the second pressing region (fig.2 shows the bag 4 with two pressing regions as seen in fig.3 and the members 23 and 22 are pressed against them).
Regarding claim 19, the references as applied to claim 17 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Collie as modified in claim 17 further teaches wherein each of the plurality of support members is formed with a plurality of hanging holes, the frame comprises a plurality of hanging rings, and the plurality of hanging holes are hung on the plurality of hanging rings (fig.2 shows the holes 25,21 on the members 23 and 22).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 and 13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
See PTO-892 for the prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/PRINCE PAL/Examiner, Art Unit 3735