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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because:
Reference character 25 (see page 9, line 7) is not present in any of the drawings.
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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Reference character 30 is used to denote both the “lid” (see page 4, line 10) and the “second rotating shutter” (see page 9, lines 3-4). It is noted the drawings indicate reference character 30 is directed to the lid (see Figures 1 and 3); and
On page 12, line 4, “82, 82” should be “82, 83”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-4, 6, 9 and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In regard to claim 1, on line 5, “unit” should be “units”.
In regard to claim 2, on line 2, “dispenser” should be “metering unit”.
In regard to claim 3, it is unclear as to which element the term “it” (see lines 7, 9 and 16) is referring.
In regard to claim 4, on line 3, “the heating element” should be “a further heating element” and on line 5, “unit” should be “units”.
In regard to claim 6, on line 3, “controlled” should be “monitored” (see page 8, lines 20-21).
In regard to claim 9, on line 5, “dispenser” should be “metering unit” and on line 9, “is located below the vertex” should be “are located below a vertex”.
In regard to claim 12, it appears on line 2, “of” should be “for”, on line 3, “from” should be “on” and on line 4, “of” should be “for” in order for the claim to read correctly. Further, it is unclear as to which element “one” (see line 5) is referring.
Appropriate correction is required
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.
Claim 7, 8 and 11 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.
In regard to claim 7, an antecedent basis for “said metering element” (see lines 1-2) and “said opening” (see lines 3-4) has not been defined. It appears claim 7 should depend from claim 2, as opposed to claim 1, since the metering element and opening are first defined in claim 2).
Further in regard to claim 7, the term “preferably” (see line 4) renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation following the term is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
In regard to claim 8, the term “preferably” (see line 3) renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation following the term is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
In regard to claim 11, the term “preferably” (see line 5) renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation following the term is part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
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.
Claims 1, 2, 7, 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ansaloni (U.S. Patent 6,237,650).
In regard to claim 1, the Ansaloni reference discloses a dosing device for a hot fluid comprising a rotating base 12 (see Figure 1) which supports a melting tank 31, 64 (see column 2, lines 44-50 and column 5, lines 53-58 associated with heating elements 66 (i.e., the heat exchanger 66 is considered to include various “heating elements”), the rotating base also supporting a plurality of metering units 8 (see column 2, lines 53-56), the metering units being arranged in a ring around the melting tank.
In regard to claim 2, each metering unit 8 provides at least one metering element equipped with a dispensing opening (the opening being controlled by valve 51, see column 3, lines 52-59), the dispensing openings being aligned along a circle.
In regard to claim 7, the metering element comprises a first shutter 53 (the ball within valve 51) configured to seal against a seat associated with the opening.
In regard to claim 10, the melting tank comprises at least one stirrer 65 (see column 4, lines 23-25).
In regard to claim 11, under each dispensing opening, a support 14 is provided for an element 2 to be filled (see Figure 3), the support being rotatable in synchronous with the base 12
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6, 9, 12 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 and upon any objections noted above being overcome.
Claim 8 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, along with any objections set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The Sedran and Lewellen references are cited as being directed to the state of the art as teachings of other device for melting and dispensing materials and the Molins reference is cited as being directed to the state of the art as a teaching of another device including a rotatable tank having a plurality of metering elements arranged in a ring around the tank.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID J WALCZAK whose telephone number is (571)272-4895. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6:30-4:00.
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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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DJW
4/6/26
/DAVID J WALCZAK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
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