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 § 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suetomi et al (US 8,992,292 B2) in view of Nishida (US 2010/0015903 A1) and further in view of Adams et al (US 2010/0017017 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Suetomi teaches
a coin handling apparatus, i.e., coin processing device (10), as illustrated in figure 1, for example, comprising:
a coin receiver, i.e., coin feeding section (20), coin verification section (30) and coin separation section (40), as illustrated in figure 1, having a coin receiving port, i.e., accommodation portion (220), as illustrated in figure 3 and as mentioned at col. 5, line 54-col. 6, line 8, capable of collectively receiving a plurality of coins, i.e., “a large quantity of coins” (c), as seen in figure 1;
a rotating plate, i.e., rotatory disc (420), as illustrated in figures 4-7, disposed in the coin receiver, i.e,. the coin separation section (40) which is attached to the coin feeding section (20) via the coin verification section (30), as illustrated in figure 1, and rotating to scoop up a coin in the coin receiver (20, 30, 40), noting that the coin separation chamber (410) is where the rotary disc (420) rotates and is mentioned as conveying coins by rotating, as mentioned at col. 7, lines 44-67, for example;
a sorting plate, i.e., housing floor face (412), as illustrated in figure 4 and as mentioned at col. 7, lines 28-43, provided with a coin hole, i.e., coin ejection holes (450a-450f), as illustrated in figure 9, having a size that makes it possible for a coin of a maximum size scooped up by the rotating plate (420) to pass therethrough, as mentioned at col. 9, line 64-col. 10, line 10, for example.
Regarding Claim 1, Suetomi does not expressly teach
a large foreign object hole located on a downstream side of the coin hole in a rotation direction of the rotating plate and larger than the coin of the maximum size;
a receiving passage connected to the coin hole of
the sorting plate; and
a discharge passage connected to the large foreign
object hole of the sorting plate.
Regarding Claim 1, Suetomi does not expressly teach, but Nishida teaches
a large foreign object hole, i.e., debris removing aperture (99), as illustrated in figure 1 and as mentioned at paragraphs 108 and 124, located on a downstream side of the coin hole in a feeding/rotation direction of the rotating plate/transporting unit (33) which is a transporting belt (43), within coin passage (32), as mentioned at paragraphs 88 and 89, and larger than the coin of the maximum size;
a coin hole (63) of the sorting plate, i.e., passage surface (60), as mentioned at paragraph 95 and as illustrated in figures 1 and 2.
Regarding Claim 1, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a large foreign object hole located on a downstream side of the coin hole in a rotation direction of the rotating plate and larger than the coin of the maximum size; and
a coin hole of the sorting plate, as taught by Nishida, in Suetomi’s coin handling apparatus, for the purpose of removing debris downstream of the coin sorting apertures so as to remove the debris after all of the coins have been sorted, thus leaving debris and foreign objects to be offsorted into its own storing container.
Regarding Claim 1, Suetomi does not expressly teach, but Adams teaches
a large foreign object hole located on a downstream side of the coin hole in a rotation direction of the rotating plate and larger than the coin of the maximum size;
a receiving passage, i.e., tubular chutes (29) connected to the coin hole of
the sorting plate, i.e., sorting apertures for sorting coins from sorting plate and driving disc (28), as mentioned at paragraphs 27-29, which state as follows.
[0027] The coins then are moved by driving disc 28 over a sorting plate, where the coins are sorted through sorting apertures of a type shown and described in Adams et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,295,899 and 5,525,104. When the coins of respective denominations fall through the sorting apertures, they are conveyed in the present invention by tubular chutes 29 (FIG. 4) to mechanized bulk coin storage (BCS) receptacles 30 to be described below. There is one feed chute 29 and one BCS receptacle 30 for each of the US denominations of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. The first receptacle 30 holds pennies and while other receptacles 30 hold nickels, dimes and quarters, respectively.
[0028] Although the number of BCS receptacles 30 in the present embodiment is four, different numbers of BCS receptacles can be provided for additional denominations in the US coin set, such as halves or for doubling capacity for pennies for example. Different numbers of BCS receptacles could also be provided for the euro coin set, the Canadian coin set, or other coin sets used by other countries in the world.
[0029] As illustrated in FIG. 4, each of the tubular chutes 29 are fixed in position to feed into the BCS receptacles 30. A diverter mechanism represented by block 81 in FIG. 5 can be actuated to divert coins to nearly vertical chutes 32 that supply coins to the overflow bin 60. The diverter mechanism can be a stepper motor and linkage to move the or pivot the chutes 29 so as align their exit ends with the open entrances to the diverter chutes 32.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 1, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a receiving passage connected to the coin hole of
the sorting plate; and
a discharge passage connected to the large foreign
object hole of the sorting plate, as taught by Adams, in Suetomi’s coin handling apparatus, for the purpose of transporting and removing debris downstream of the coin sorting apertures via a guide chute between the large foreign object hole of the sorting plate to the debris/foreign object storage device so as to remove the debris after all of the coins have been sorted, thus leaving debris and foreign objects to be offsorted into its own storing container.
Regarding Claim 2, Suetomi does not expressly teach
wherein the sorting plate is further provided with a small foreign object hole located on an upstream side of the coin hole in the rotation direction of the rotating plate and having a size that makes it impossible for a coin of a minimum size scooped up by the rotating plate to pass therethrough, and
the discharge passage is connected to the large foreign object hole and the small foreign object hole.
Note that it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. See St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Regarding Claim 2, see the rejection of Claim 1, above, noting that it would have been obvious to have duplicated the debris/foreign object sorting hole downstream so as to have a smaller one also upstream of the coin sorting apertures for the purpose of removing debris/foreign objects from the coin stream to be sorted by denomination through the coin sorting apertures. It would have been well within the skill of an ordinarily skilled artisan to have recognized that placing an additional debris/foreign object sorting hole upstream of the coin sorting holes in addition to a debris/foreign object sorting hole downstream of the coin sorting holes would have operated to remove such debris and foreign objects from the stream of coins sorted by denomination. Additionally note that an ordinarily skilled artisan would have recognized that providing a minimum sorting hole initially before the coin sorting holes and a maximum sorting hole after the coin sorting holes would have ensured that very small unwanted items as well as excessively large items would have been able to be removed from the coin stream being sorted.
Therefore, regarding Claim 2, it would have been obvious to have used Adams’ coin chutes between coin sorting holes and storage units to guide coins as well as debris/foreign objects through Nishida's debris/foreign object sorting hole in Suetomi’s rotary sorting device since Adams’, Nishida’s and Suetomi’s devices have predictable structure and function and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized the efficacy and synergy of the combination based upon the references' teachings as well as common sense, logic and reason.
Regarding Claim 5, Suetomi teaches
further comprising:
a coin detecting sensor, i.e., feed-in detection sensor (480), detecting a coin in the coin receiver (20, 30, 40), as mentioned at col. 7, lines 11-27,
wherein the rotating plate (420) rotates on a basis of detection of a coin by the coin detecting sensor (480), as mentioned at col. 13, lines 50-55, for example.
Claim(s) 3 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suetomi et al (US 8,992,292 B2) in view of Nishida (US 2010/0015903 A1), further in view of Adams et al (US 2010/007017 A1) and further in view of Bengtsson (US 2014/0030973 A1).
Regarding Claims 3 and 4, Suetomi teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 3, Suetomi does not expressly teach
further comprising: a slide rail for drawing out the coin receiver.
Regarding Claim 3, Suetomi does not expressly teach, but Bengtsson teaches
further comprising: a slide rail for drawing out the coin receiver, i.e., noting automatic coin conditioning (ACC) unit (122) supported by sliding rails as mentioned at paragraph 64 and as illustrated in figures 2 and 3, as well as noting coin dispenser drawer (184) and coin dispensers (142) that are supported by a sliding telescoping rail, for example, as mentioned at paragraph 71 and as illustrated in figures 4 and 6.
Regarding Claim 3, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided further comprising: a slide rail for drawing out the coin receiver, as taught by Bengtsson, in Suetomi’s coin handling apparatus, for the purpose of enabling removal of the coin handling apparatus from the housing for maintenance to be performed for example.
Regarding Claim 4, Suetomi does not expressly teach
further comprising:
a hinge supporting the coin receiver in an inclinable manner.
Regarding Claim 4, Suetomi does not expressly teach, but Bengtsson teaches
further comprising:
a hinge, i.e., divisible hinge connection (149), as illustrated in figure 5 and as mentioned at paragraph 74, supporting the coin receiver, i.e., upper part (143), in an inclinable manner, noting that the hinge (149) enables upper part (143) to be tilted away from the lower part (146) by pivoting about said hinge (149).
Regarding Claim 4, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided further comprising:
a hinge supporting the coin receiver in an inclinable manner, as taught by Bengtsson, in Suetomi’s coin handling apparatus, for the purpose of enabling separation of the coin receiver of the coin handling apparatus from the lower part (146) for maintenance to be performed for example.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suetomi et al (US 8,992,292 B2) in view of Nishida (US 2010/0015903 A1), further in view of Adams et al (US 2010/007017 A1) and further in view of Jones et al (US 6,318,537 B1).
Regarding Claim 6, Suetomi teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 6, Suetomi does not expressly teach
a money depositing/dispensing apparatus comprising:
the coin handling apparatus according to claim 1;
and
a bill handling apparatus depositing and dispensing bills,
wherein the coin handling apparatus deposits and dispenses coins.
Regarding Claim 6, Suetomi does not expressly teach, but Jones teaches
a money depositing/dispensing apparatus comprising:
the coin handling apparatus, i.e., coin processing and dispensing modules (32, 36, 250), as illustrated in figures 2 and 13c;
and
a bill handling apparatus, i.e., banknote processing module (30) and banknote dispensing module (34), depositing and dispensing bills, as illustrated in figure 2 and as mentioned at col. 6, lines 17-27, for example,
wherein the coin handling apparatus (32, 36, 250) deposits and dispenses coins, as mentioned at col. 5, line 65-col. 6, line 16 and col. 6, lines 28-35 and col. 8, line 60-col. 9, line 6, for example.
Regarding Claim 6, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a money depositing/dispensing apparatus comprising:
the coin handling apparatus according to claim 1;
and
a bill handling apparatus depositing and dispensing bills,
wherein the coin handling apparatus deposits and dispenses coins, as taught by Jones, in Suetomi’s coin handling apparatus, for the purpose of enabling a full range of monetary items typically used in commercial transactions to be available to customers and business owners.
Conclusion
Applicant is encouraged to contact the Examiner should there be any questions about this rejection or in an endeavor to explore potential amendments or potential allowable subject matter.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Regarding Claim 1, Brown ’99 is cited as teaching
a large foreign object hole, i.e., discharge slot (33), as illustrated in figure 11, for example, and as mentioned at col. 3, line 60-col. 4, line 2 and Col. 4, lines 21-col. 6, line 4.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEFFREY ALAN SHAPIRO whose telephone number is (571)272-6943. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday generally between 8:30AM and 6:30PM.
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, Anita Y Coupe can be reached at 571-270-3614. 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.
/JEFFREY A SHAPIRO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
August 31, 2026
Prosecution Insights