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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claim 19 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 06/17/2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 1-18) in the reply filed on 06/17/2026 is acknowledged.
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 8 is 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. Recited “the or each removable liner” lack antecedent basis. It is unclear to what or which removable liner applicant is referring.
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, 6, 9, 11, 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 4822962 (provided by the applicant).
Claim 1
JP ‘962 discloses a dough proofing container comprising a receptacle (1) defining a container volume (defined by interior space of the container); a resealable lid (2), the lid being repeatably connectable to the receptacle to close the container volume (see page 5), the lid comprising a pressure release valve (12) configured to permit gases to escape from the container volume and inhibit gases from entering the container volume by structure of valve hole (120) and ball (121) (see page 5); and a thermometer (defined by either room temperature sensor or vapor sensor 24) configured to measure and display a temperature of the container (see pages 5, 7, and 8).
Claim 2
JP ‘962 further discloses a removable dough-supporting insert/container (4) configured to be received in the receptacle, the dough-supporting insert comprising a relief (defined by interior of the insert/container) for supporting a portion of dough (see figure 1).
Claim 6
JP ‘962 further discloses the dough-supporting insert (4) has a depth less than a depth of the receptacle so as to provide an airgap (defined by space between top of the insert and bottom surface of the lid) between the insert and the lid (see figure 1).
Claim 9
JP ‘962 further discloses the resealable lid comprises a substantially transparent portion (8) (see page 5).
Claim 11
JP ‘962 further discloses the lid comprises the thermometer (defined by vapor sensor 24) (see figure 1).
Claim 16
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JP ‘962 further discloses the thermometer is located substantially in the center of the lid (see figure above).
Claim 17
JP ‘962 further discloses the lid comprises a stacking feature (defined by planar top surface of the lid) shaped to conform to an external/bottom shape of a base of the receptacle (see figure 1).
Claim 18
JP ‘962 further discloses the container foot structure (defined by protrusions extending underneath the bottom of the receptacle) (see figure above) which when is positioned over the planar top surface of the lid capable to provide a spacing feature including an aspirating airgap between the lid and the receptacle when another dough proofing container is stacked upon the lid, so as capable to permit communication of the pressure release valve with the ambient environment. The container disclosed by JP ‘962 is capable to be stacked over the lid of another container, wherein the foot structure will provide a spacing feature including aspirating gap capable to permit communication of the pressure release valve with the ambient environment.
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.
Claims 3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4822962 as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Vahid (US 2013/0011537).
Claim 3
JP ‘962 does not disclose plurality dough-supporting inserts that substantially tesselate within the container volume. However, Vahid discloses a rice cooker (300) comprising a receptacle (310) and plurality of inserts (316) that tesselate the within the interior volume of the receptacle (see figure 3A). Vahid further discloses the plurality of inserts within the receptacle allows the cooker to prepare multiple and/or different type of rice (see [0034]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JP ‘962 having multiple inserts within the receptacle as taught by Vahid for cooking multiple and/or different food within the cooker.
Claim 4
JP ‘962 does not explicitly discloses the shape of the receptacle. However, Vahid discloses a rice cooker (100) comprising a rectangular receptacle (110) (see figure 1A). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the receptacle having rectangular shape as taught by Vahid because rectangular rice cookers are known and nominal in the art.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4822962 as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of York (US 2009/0095169).
JP ‘962 does not disclose the dough-supporting insert comprising plurality of reliefs. However, York discloses a slow cooker comprising a receptacle (10) and an insert (22) comprising a partition (26) forming plurality of reliefs (24) for separating portions of food to be cooked (see figure 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the insert of JP ‘962 having a partition as taught by York for dividing into multiple portions the interior of the insert. After JP’962 is modified by York, the insert would have multiple reliefs, each for supporting a separate portion of dough.
Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4822962 and York (US 2009/0095169) as applied to claim 5 above; or JP 4822962 as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Wang (US 6,463,844).
Claims 7 and 8
JP ‘962 does not disclose a removable liner, as required. However, Wang discloses a baking pan (14) comprising a removable liner (12) received into an interior of the baking pan (see figure 1). Wang discloses a channel formed between the liner and the baking pan allow steam to enhance baking process of dough (see column 12 lines 60-67 and column 13 lines 1-2). Wang further discloses the liner including a gripping portion (defined by curved portion of the liner pointed by reference numeral 28 in figure 3) coupling with the baking pan protruding over the baking pan when the liner is received in the baking pan (see column 11 lines 45-48 and figure 3). The curved portion of the liner is considered as a gripping portion. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JP ‘962 and York having the insert including a liner as taught by Wang to improve the breads making function of the cooker.
Claims 10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4822962 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of He (US 2020/0205598).
Claim 10
JP ‘962 does not show the location of thermometer/room temperature sensor. JP ‘962 does not discloses a readable display of the thermometer is visible though the resealable lid. However, He discloses a cooker cover comprising a thermometer visible through a dial cover (201) (see [0026], [0027] and figure 5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JP ‘962 including a thermometer dial/room temperature sensor underneath the transparent portion of the lid as taught by He as an additional location of the thermometer and/or easy verification of the temperature for the user.
Claim 12
After JP ‘962 is modified by He, the thermometer will be positioned on a receptacle-facing side of the lid so as to measure the temperature within the container volume when the lid is connected to the receptacle.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4822962 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Uber, III (US 2019/0307953).
JP ‘962 does not disclose the thermometer comprising thermochromic material. However, Uber, III discloses temperature sensors are known to be thermochromic ink labels or markings (see [0009]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JP ‘962 having the temperature sensors to be a thermochromic ink label or marking because it is known and common the uses of thermochromic materials in temperature sensors.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4822962 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Martin (US 2023/0131171).
JP ‘962 does not disclose a removable sealing element configured to form a seal between the lid and the receptacle. However, Martin discloses a cooking system comprising a removable seal (303) disposed between a housing (302 and a lid (301) (see [0044]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JP ‘962 having a removable seal as taught by Martin for form a pressure tight seal between the lid and the receptacle.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4822962 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Coonce (US 2010/0237070).
JP ‘962 does not disclose the pressure release valve is an umbrella valve. However, Coonce discloses a storage container comprising a pressure valve (120) (see [0020]) being an umbrella valve (see [0019]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JP ‘962 replacing the pressure valve for the umbrella valve disclosed by Coonce since both types of pressure valve are equivalent types of valves to regulate pressure in the interior of a container.
Conclusion
Examiner has cited particular paragraphs and/or columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested of the applicant, in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or prior art(s) disclosed by the Examiner (in the attached PTO-892 form).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAFAEL A. ORTIZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5240. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Orlando E. Aviles can be reached at 571-270-5531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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RAFAEL A. ORTIZ
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3736
/RAFAEL A ORTIZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3736
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