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 .
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to the reply filed on 2/13/2026, wherein claims 1-5, 8-9, 11-12 were amended, claims 6-7, 13 are cancelled. Claims 1-5, 8-12, and 14-15 are pending.
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 5 does not end in a period. A period needs to be ended to the end of claim 5. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 9-12 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claim 9 states “the rotation of the first base body with respect to the second base body moves the first and second packaging parts between a side-by-side arrangement and an end to end arrangement.” This aspect is not taught or shown by the as filed disclosure (see 112b below). Claims 10-12 and 14-15 directly or indirectly depend from claim 9 and are also rejected.
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 4, 8-12 and 14-15 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.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the first central connecting" in line-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 5 directly or indirectly depend from claim 4 and are also rejected.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the detachable connecting element" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the detachable connecting element" in line . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 10-12 and 14-15 directly or indirectly depend from claim 9 and are also rejected.
The term “the rotation of the first base body with respect to the second base body moves the first and second packaging parts between a side-by-side arrangement and an end to end arrangement” in claim 9 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. How does the rotation of the base body’s create a side-by-side arrangement and an end to end arrangement? If two things are connected by a pivot, they cannot truly achieve a side by side and end to end configuration. The drawings do not support the claim language. The claim positively recites this orientation between the first and second packaging part to be achieved by rotation only between these two features. A rinsing tray is not positively claimed. This does not appear to be the case. In fact in the side by side configuration of figure 4C, it is clear that these connectors are separated and this configuration is not created from a simple rotation. Figure 4C also requires a rinsing tray. Further the connecters in figure 4C are not the same as the wedge shaped connecting elements. Wouldn’t rotational movement cause these the wedge shaped elements to separate? Pages 23-24 of the specification and claim 2 seem to discuss engagement and disengagement of these features with respect to rotation. Claim 1 states an active engagement between the first and second connecting elements. It is unclear how a side by side and end to end configuration can be achieved (whilst active engagement as claimed in claim 1 remains true). Overall it is unclear if the claimed invention is capable of achieving the claimed limitation identified above.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(1) as being anticipated by Lepper (US 20200263811 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Lepper discloses a connecting element for a packaging arrangement, comprising: a first connecting element part (20) on a first base body of the packaging arrangement (14) and a second connecting element part (18) on a second base body of the packaging arrangement (16), wherein the first and second connecting element parts are configured for relative rotational or helical movement with respect to each other around a connecting element axis (R) to move the first base body and the second base body rotationally with respect to each other; wherein: the first connecting element part comprises protrusions comprising at least two first wedge-shaped ramps (82, 80) and a first central connecting element (68), wherein the first wedge-shaped ramps are curved around the first central connecting element and the connecting element axis (R);the second connecting element part comprises recesses comprising at least two second wedge-shaped ramps (54) and a second central connecting element (46), wherein the second wedge-shaped ramps (54) are curved around the second central connecting element and the connecting element axis (R); and the first connecting central connecting element (68) rotationally engages the second central connecting element (46), and the at least two first wedge-shaped ramps engage the at least two second wedge-shaped ramps .
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With respect to claim 2, Lepper discloses the connecting element according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting element part (68) and the second connecting element part (46) are configured such that the relative movement in a first direction results in an engagement of the first element part and the second element part and the relative movement in a second direction opposite to the first direction results in a disengagement of the of the first element part and the second element part. (this is true as one direction results in engagement the other results in an opening motion)
With respect to claim 3, Lepper discloses the connecting element according to claim 1, wherein the at least two first and second wedge-shaped ramps comprise a slope in the range of 1 degree to 60 degrees or 20 degrees to 45 degrees. (it appears that the angle depicted in the drawings falls within said range, being less than 60 degrees)
With respect to claim 4, Lepper discloses the connecting element according to claim 1, wherein the second central connecting element (46) engages an interior of the first central connecting (68).
With respect to claim 5, Lepper discloses the connecting element according to claim 4, wherein the first and second central connecting elements comprise a hemispherical shape, a cylindrical shape (46 and 68), a dome shape, a conical shape, a cone shape or a truncated cone shape-
With respect to claim 8, Lepper discloses the detachable connecting element according to claim 1, wherein the at least two second wedge-shaped ramps (54) engage an interior portion of the at least two first wedge-shaped ramps (82).
Remaining Claims
Claims 9-12 and 14-15 do not have a prior art rejection. They are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112, see above. Due to the 112 issues identified above, claim interpretation is unclear.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-20120305441-A1 OR US-20110284410-A1 OR US-20240390095-A1 OR US-20250161628-A1 OR US-20250144391-A1.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicants amendments field 2/13/2026 contain new matter that was not previously considered with regards to claim 9. The amendments also raise a 35 U.S.C. 112b rejection and requires correction before further search and consideration efforts can be applied.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/S.K.S./Examiner, Art Unit 3735
/ERNESTO A GRANO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3735
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