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 deficient in numerous ways. The below list is representative of the issues, but it is not exhaustive. Applicant is required to make correction of all of the issues listed below and cooperation in correcting any issues not explicitly set forth is requested.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 1, 10, 11, 12, 13.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 25, 32, 33, 34, 35.
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, a head portion of the set screw clamped in the positioning ring groove presses against the adapting connector (cl. 3), the positioning blocking ring disposed between the main thread of the adapting connector and the positioning ring groove (cl. 3), and the sealing ring groove (cl. 9) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to because of significant misalignment between the drawings and the specification. For Example:
5 appears to be a gasket, while the specification refers to a locking member.
4 designates screws, but the specification refers to a gasket
21 is a spacer/washer, but the specification refers to a thread.
9 is the faucet, but the specification refers to a cover.
8 designates set screws, while the specification refers to the faucet.
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
As noted above, since the drawings and specification are in significant misalignment, the specification is also objected to. Amendments made to address the drawings must have corresponding amendments that address the specification.
In paragraph [0027], applicant is advised to recite the reference numerals in a list for readability.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 - 9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
As noted above, there is significant misalignment between the reference numerals in the drawings and the specification and the claims inherit those issues. Amendments to the drawings and specification to correct the numerals must be made in the claims.
In claim 4, applicant recites “two screw mounting holes are provided, one connecting screw is disposed in the two screw mounting holes” This claim depends from claim 1, which sets forth one screw mounting hole and one connecting screw. Applicant is advised to recite --wherein the screw mounting hole is two screw mounting holes and the connecting screw is two connecting screws, wherein one connecting screw is disposed in each screw mounting hole-- or the like for clarity.
In claim 5, delete “a” before “bottom” and insert --the--.
In claim 7, applicant recites “two or more set threaded holes are provided and one set screw is disposed in each” of the holes. This claim depends from claim 1, which sets forth one set threaded hole and one set screw. Applicant is advised to recite --wherein the set threaded hole is two or more set threaded holes-- and --the set screw is a plurality of set screws, wherein one set screw is disposed in each set threaded hole-- for clarity.
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.
Claims 1 - 9 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.
The term “tightly” in claims 1 and 3 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “tightly” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
In claim 6, there is a lack of antecedent basis for “the shape of the locking member”.
The remaining claims are indefinite insofar as they depend from rejected base claims.
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) 1, 3 - 6, 8, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 216007143 (hereinafter CN ‘143) in view of Wang (US 2009/0277520) and CN 113309187 (hereinafter CN ‘187).
Regarding claims 1 and 9, CN ‘143 discloses a basin faucet quick-mounting base device (fig. 1), comprising a base body (12), an adapting connector (11), a connecting screw (30), and a locking member (20), wherein the base body is provided with a central through hole (see fig. 3, opening circumscribed by 12) and a screw mounting hole (125), a faucet connecting pipe (40) passes through the central through hole, a bottom surface of the base body is configured to be in contact with a top surface of a mounting table (machine translation, p. 5, last para. - p. 6, first para.), and the connecting screw is disposed in the screw mounting hole (see fig. 2) and then tensions the locking member to tightly press the locking member against a bottom surface of the mounting table and to fix the base body to the mounting table (machine translation, p. 6, last para. - p. 7, first full para.); an inner side wall of the central through hole is provided with a spline groove (122), an upper end of the adapting connector is provided with a main thread (see annotated fig. below) connected to a faucet body (p. 5, last para. - p. 6, first para.), a lower end of the adapting connector is provided with a spline (112) matched with the spline groove (122), and the adapting connector (2) is inserted into the base body (fig. 1).
CN ‘143 does not show a gasket disposed on a bottom surface of the base body configured to be in sealing contact with a top surface of the mounting table. Attention is turned to Wang which teaches a similar faucet mounting base body (31) having a gasket (see annotated figure below) on a bottom surface thereof and in sealing engagement with a mounting table (80), the gasket being disposed in sealing ring groove of the base body (see annotated figure below)(as per claim 9). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to have provided a gasket and groove like that taught by Wang in the device of CN ‘143 since gaskets are well known to take up the spaces between mating surfaces.
CN ‘143 shows a column surface of the base body is provided with a set hole (123), a fastener (50) is disposed in the set hole with the fastener fixing the adapting connector to the base body by pressing against the spline (machine translation, p. 6, first full para.)(fig. 4), but is silent as to the hole and screw being threaded. Attention is turned to CN ‘187 which teaches a similar faucet mounting assembly (fig 8) having a threaded set screw (50) which engages with a threaded hole (16) and which presses against the spline to fix the adapting connector (41) into the base body (10). It would have been obvious to have provided the fastener and holes with complementary threads since that is a common way to make firm yet removable connections in the faucet art.
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Regarding claim 3, CN ‘143 as modified shows all of the instant invention as discussed above, and further shows that the spline is provided with a positioning ring groove (124) and a ‘head portion’ of the set screw (50) is clamped in the positioning ring groove and ‘tightly’ presses against the adapting connector (machine translation, p. 6, first full para., the heat portion is the portion of the screw that interfaces with the spline)(fig. 4), and a positioning blocking ring (see annotate fig. below) is disposed between the main thread of the adapting connector and the positioning ring groove.
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Regarding claim 4, CN ‘143 as modified shows all of the instant invention as discussed above, and further shows that the mounting hole (125) is formed on a bottom portion of an inner side of the central through hole (see fig. 3), and a connecting screw is disposed in the hole fig. 4), but CN ‘143 is silent as to the hole having matched threads with the screw and there being two holes, each with a screw. Attention is again turned to Wang which teaches that it is common to provided two fasteners to engage in respective threaded holes (24)(para. [0023]) to mount a faucet to a mounting plate. It would have been trivially obvious to provide complementary threads in order to securely attach the faucet to the counter. It would have been obvious to have provided two holes and two fasteners to provide even distribution of the clamping forces.
Regarding claim 5, CN ‘143 as modified shows all of the instant invention as discussed above, and further provides the locking member (20), but does not show the particulars of the spacer. Attention is again to Wang which teaches a locking member (33) and a spacer (34) disposed between the locking member and a bottom surface of the mounting table (see fig. 2), wherein the locking member and the spacer are the same shape (fig. 2) and wherein spacer is provided with a relief hole for avoiding the connecting screw. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to have provided a spacer between the locking member and the mounting table since spacers and gaskets are well known to absorb spaces between mating surfaces in the connection arts.
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Regarding claim 6, CN ‘143 shows all of the instant invention as discussed above, and further provides that the locking member comprises an irregular semi-circular arc plate. See fig. 3.
Regarding claim 8, CN ‘143 shows all of the instant invention as discussed above, and further shows that the base body is made of plastic (machine translation, p. 5, first full paragraph).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN ‘143, Wang, and CN ‘187, as applied to claim 1, in view of Sauter et al. (US 6,220,278 hereinafter Sauter).
Regarding claim 2, CN ‘143 shows all of the instant invention as discussed above, but does not show a protective split cover. Attention is turned to Sauter which teaches a similar faucet mounting assembly having a base body (24) and a protective cover which is two split covers (28, 36) oppositely buckled together (col. 3, ln. 38-39). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to have provided the exterior of the base body with a cover like that taught by Sauter for an enhanced, aesthetic appearance.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN ‘143, Wang, and CN ‘187, as applied to claim 1, in view of Fabian (US 4,262,699).
Regarding claim 7, CN ‘143 shows all of the instant invention as discussed above, but does not show that two set threaded holes are provided. Fabian teaches that it is common to use two set screws (10) in respective holes (10’) to fasten a base body to an adapter (Fig. 1). It would have been obvious to have provided an addition set threaded hole and associated set screw for more even clamping force distribution.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. CN 113309188 and CN ‘217923904 show faucet mounting arrangements of interest to the instant invention and generally representing the state of the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIN L DEERY whose telephone number is (571)270-1928. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Thur, 7:30am - 4:30pm; Fri 8:00am-12:00pm.
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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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/ERIN DEERY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754