DETAILED ACTION
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) 1-2, 4, 7-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Boger (US 20040099752 A1).
Claim 1, Boger discloses a supply assembly configured to supply a fluid material (10; [0015]; FIG 1);
a rate controlling assembly in fluid communication with the supply assembly, the rate controlling assembly configured to vary a first rate of a first portion of the fluid material supplied to a first applicator (22, 20, 14; FIG 2; [0016], [0021]); and
a pressure controlling assembly in fluid communication with the supply assembly, the pressure controlling assembly configured to vary a first pressure of a second portion of the fluid material supplied to a second applicator ([0021]).
Claim 2, Boger discloses wherein the rate controlling assembly includes a gear pump ([0016]).
Claim 4, Boger discloses a metering device configured to receive the second portion of the fluid material from the pressure controlling assembly, the metering device configured to vary a second rate of the second portion of the fluid material before the second portion of the fluid material is supplied to the second applicator ([0021]).
Claim 7, Boger discloses wherein the fluid material is a thermoplastic adhesive ([0003]).
Claim 8, Boger discloses a controller configured to control the first rate of the first portion of the fluid material using the rate controlling assembly and control the first pressure of the second portion of the fluid material using the pressure controlling assembly ([0021]).
Claim 9, Boger discloses supplying a fluid material from a supply assembly (10; [0015]; FIG 1); varying a first rate of a first portion of the fluid material supplied to a first applicator (22, 20,14; FIG 2; [0016], [0021]); varying a first pressure of a second portion of the fluid material supplied to a second applicator ([0021]); distributing the first portion of the fluid material via the first applicator; and distributing the second portion of the fluid material via the second applicator ([0021]).
Claim 10, Boger discloses varying a second pressure of the first portion of the fluid material after varying the first rate of the first portion of the fluid material (22, 20,14; FIG 2; [0016], [0021]).
Claim 11, Boger discloses a second rate of the second portion of the fluid material after varying the first pressure of the second portion of the fluid material (22, 20,14; FIG 2; [0016], [0021]).
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boger, as applied to claims 1, in further view of Popp et al (US 5683752 A).
Claim 3, Boger substantially discloses the apparatus as claimed above but is silent on a pressure relief device configured to receive the first portion of the fluid material from the rate controlling assembly, the pressure relief device configured to reduce a second pressure of the first portion of the fluid material before the first portion of the fluid material is supplied to the first applicator.
Popp teaches a pressure relief device (Col 6, lines 14-31).
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 Boger with pressure relief device as taught by Popp in order to provide pressure relief of high pressure.
Claim(s) 14-16, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boger in view of Popp et al.
Claim 14, Boger discloses a supply assembly configured to supply a fluid adhesive ([0003]);
a rate controlling assembly in fluid communication with the supply assembly, the rate controlling assembly configured to receive a first portion of the fluid adhesive and vary a first rate of a first portion of the fluid adhesive ([0021]);
a pressure controlling assembly in fluid communication with the supply assembly, the pressure controlling assembly configured to receive a second portion of the fluid adhesive from the supply assembly and vary a second pressure of the second portion of the fluid adhesive ([0021]); and
a metering assembly positioned to receive the second portion of the fluid adhesive and vary a second rate of the second portion of the fluid adhesive ([0021]).
But is silent on a pressure relief device positioned to receive the first portion of the fluid adhesive from the rate controlling assembly, the pressure relief device configured to vary a first pressure of the first portion of the fluid adhesive.
Popp teaches a pressure relief device (Col 6, lines 14-31).
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 Boger with pressure relief device as taught by Popp in order to provide pressure relief of high pressure.
Claim 15, Boger discloses wherein the pressure controlling assembly is configured to be removed and replaced with the metering assembly, and the metering assembly is configured to be removed and replaced with the pressure controlling assembly ([0016]; all segments are couplable together).
Claim 16, Boger discloses wherein the supply assembly includes a heating assembly configured to heat pellets of adhesive into the fluid adhesive (34, 36; [0017]).
Claim 19, Boger discloses a controller configured to one or more of control the first rate of the first portion of the fluid adhesive or control the first pressure of the second portion of the fluid adhesive ([0021]).
Claim 20, Boger discloses wherein the fluid adhesive is thermoplastic ([0003]).
Claim(s) 5 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boger as applied to claim 1 and 14 above, in further view of Riney et al. (US 6089413 A).
Claim 5, Boger substantially discloses the apparatus as claimed above but is silent on one or more filters positioned between the rate controlling assembly and the first applicator for the first portion of the fluid material to pass through from the rate controlling assembly to the first applicator.
Riney teaches one or more filters positioned between the rate controlling assembly and the first applicator for the first portion of the fluid material to pass through from the rate controlling assembly to the first applicator (Col 4, lines 17-41).
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 Boger with filter as taught by Riney in order to provide a filter for filtering liquid.
Claim 17, Boger substantially discloses the apparatus as claimed above but is silent on one or more filters positioned between the rate controlling assembly and a first applicator that applies the fluid adhesive to a product surface.
Riney teaches one or more filters positioned between the rate controlling assembly and a first applicator that applies the fluid adhesive to a product surface.
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 Boger with filter as taught by Riney in order to provide a filter for filtering liquid.
Claim(s) 6, 12-13 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boger, as applied to claim 1, 9 and 14 above, in further view of McGuffey et al (US 7770760 B2).
Claim 6, Boger substantially discloses the apparatus as claimed above but is silent on one or more filters positioned between the pressure controlling assembly and the second applicator for the second portion of the fluid material to pass through from the pressure controlling assembly to the second applicator.
McGuffey teaches one or more filters (272; FIG 5) positioned between the pressure controlling assembly and the second applicator for the second portion of the fluid material to pass through from the pressure controlling assembly to the second applicator.
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 Boger with filter as taught by McGuffey in order to provide a filter for filtering.
Claim 12, Boger substantially discloses the apparatus as claimed above but is silent on filtering the first portion of the fluid material before the first portion of the fluid material is supplied to the first applicator.
McGuffey teaches a filter (272; FIG 5).
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 Boger with filter as taught by McGuffey in order to provide a filter for filtering.
Claim 13, Boger substantially discloses the apparatus as claimed above but is silent on filtering the second portion of the fluid material before the second portion of the fluid material is supplied to the second applicator.
McGuffey teaches a filter (272; FIG 5).
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 Boger with filter as taught by McGuffey in order to provide a filter for filtering.
Claim 18, Boger substantially discloses the apparatus as claimed above but is silent on one or more filters positioned between the pressure controlling assembly and a second applicator that applies the fluid adhesive to a product surface.
McGuffey teaches a filter (272; FIG 5).
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 Boger with filter as taught by McGuffey in order to provide a filter for filtering.
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Paul Durand can be reached at (571) 272-4459. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
JEREMY W. CARROLL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3754
/Jeremy Carroll/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
Prosecution Insights