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 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:
Second attachment 61.
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:
FIG. 4: IL1, IL2, IL3;
FIG. 7: 63.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application.
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.
Claim Objections
Applicant is advised that should claim 13 be found allowable, claim 22 will be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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.
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 21 is 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 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.
The specification fails to describe “an outer extension portion configured…to abut against the inner wall defining the opening of the housing”. The specification discloses “an outer extension portion 42 configured to…abut against the inner wall of the housing 20 (the lid portion side wall 222 of the housing lid portion 22 in the present embodiment)” (paragraph 0035). FIG. 2 shows outer extension portion 42 abutting against the inner wall 222. However, inner wall 222 does not define the opening 214 of the housing; as seen in FIG. 2, inner wall 222 is separated from opening 214 by the housing side wall 212, the housing bottom wall 211, and the ultraviolet light transmitting window portion 30. Therefore, the specification fails to describe “an outer extension portion configured…to abut against the inner wall defining the opening of the housing” as currently claimed.
Claim 21 is further 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. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “to abut against the inner wall defining the opening of the housing” in the claim.
For the purpose of compact prosecution, the Examiner has interpreted “an outer extension portion configured…to abut against the inner wall defining the opening of the housing” to mean “an outer extension portion configured…to abut against [[the]]an inner wall
Claim 21 further recites the limitation “the object to be sterilized” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of compact prosecution, the Examiner has interpreted “the object to be sterilized” to mean “[[the]]an object to be sterilized”.
Claim 21 further recites the limitation “the reflector wall portion extends along a height direction of the housing an electronic component different from the light emitting element is mounted on the substrate”. This limitation is unclear. For the purpose of compact prosecution, the Examiner has interpreted “the reflector wall portion extends along a height direction of the housing an electronic component different from the light emitting element is mounted on the substrate” to mean “the reflector wall portion extends along a height direction of the housing, and an electronic component different from the light emitting element is mounted on the substrate”.
Claims 6, 13, 15-16, 20, and 22-24 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 6 recites the limitation “the reflector wall portion allows light from the light emitting element to enter the inside”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the inside” in the claim. For the purpose of compact prosecution, the Examiner has interpreted “the inside” to mean “[[the]]an inside of the reflector wall portion”.
Claims 13, 15-16, 20, and 22-24 are rejected because of their dependence on claim 6.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 7-9, 11-12, 17, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0393817 A1), hereinafter Jeong, in view of Hagiwara (JP Patent No. 2020044301 A), hereinafter Hagiwara (English machine translation provided).
Regarding claim 1, Jeong discloses a cap unit comprising:
a light source unit (FIG. 1, element 160) including a light emitting element (FIG. 1, element 162) and a substrate on which the light emitting element is mounted (FIG. 1, substrate 161);
a housing (FIG. 1, element 110) that has an accommodation space for the light source unit (paragraph 0077, lines 3-6) and an opening (FIG. 1, element 131) at a predetermined position on a side that faces an object to be sterilized (paragraph 0080), the housing being configured to accommodate the light source unit so that the opening and the light emitting element face each other (FIG. 19A: housing 110 accommodates light source unit 160 so that the opening 131 (covered by window 140 in the figure) and the light emitting element 162 face each other);
an ultraviolet light transmitting (paragraph 0083) window portion (FIG. 1, element 140) configured to close the opening (paragraph 0082); and
a gasket positioned between the light source unit and the ultraviolet light transmitting window portion (FIG. 19A, gasket 150) so as to prevent the object to be sterilized from entering a side with the light source unit in the accommodating space (paragraph 0084), wherein
the gasket includes a reflector wall portion that has a light reflection property (paragraph 0119, inner wall portion) and that is recessed toward the light source unit so as to surround a side region of the light emitting element (FIG. 19A),
the reflector wall portion increases in diameter as it progresses from the light source unit toward the opening (FIG. 19A: the inner wall portion of gasket 150 has a smaller diameter adjacent to the light source unit 160, i.e., at wing portion 153, than the diameter adjacent window 140), and
an electronic component different from the light emitting element is mounted on the substrate (paragraph 0088; electronic components of the printed circuit board).
Jeong fails to disclose that a thick portion relatively close to the light emitting element and a thin portion relatively far from the light emitting element are formed in a diameter-increasing portion of the reflector wall portion; and the electronic component is opposed to a back surface region of the diameter-increasing portion of the reflector wall portion.
However, Hagiwara discloses that a thick portion (FIG. 4(b), element 332) relatively close to the light emitting element (FIG. 4(b), element 31) and a thin portion (FIG. 4(b), element 331) relatively far from the light emitting element are formed in a diameter-increasing portion of the reflector wall portion (FIG. 4(b): the diameter of reflector wall 332a increases from the thick portion 332 towards thin portion 331); and
the electronic component (FIG. 4(b), circuit board 36) is opposed to a back surface region of the diameter-increasing portion of the reflector wall portion (FIG. 4(b): electronic component 36 is opposed to the back surface (lower end in the figure) of the diameter-increasing portion of reflector wall 332a).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Jeong to include that a thick portion relatively close to the light emitting element and a thin portion relatively far from the light emitting element are formed in a diameter-increasing portion of the reflector wall portion; and the electronic component is opposed to a back surface region of the diameter-increasing portion of the reflector wall portion, based on the teachings of Hagiwara that this configuration provides greater intensity of ultraviolet light, thereby improving the sterilization ability of the device (Hagiwara, page 7, paragraph 1).
Regarding claim 2, Jeong in view of Hagiwara as applied to claim 1 discloses the cap unit according to claim 1.
In addition, Jeong discloses that the gasket further includes an outer extension portion configured to extend radially outward from the reflector wall portion (FIG. 8: outer extension portion 152_2 extends radially outward from the inner, i.e., reflector, wall portion of gasket 150) and to abut against the housing (FIG. 16: the outer extension portion abuts against portion 132 of housing 110).
Regarding claim 7, Jeong in view of Hagiwara as applied to claim 1 discloses the cap unit according to claim 1.
In addition, Jeong discloses a storage tank (FIG. 22, reservoir 10) comprising:
a through hole (paragraph 0265),
the cap unit being configured to close the through hole (paragraph 0265), wherein
the storage tank is configured to store the object to be sterilized thereinside (paragraph 0264).
Regarding claim 8, Jeong in view of Hagiwara as applied to claim 1 discloses the cap unit according to claim 1.
In addition, Hagiwara discloses a flowing water sterilization device comprising:
a flow path pipe (FIG. 1, element 22) for passing the object to be sterilized (page 2, last paragraph);
a through hole provided in the flow path pipe (FIG. 1, through hole between elements 5a, 513),
the cap unit (FIG. 1, element 3) being configured to close the through hole (page 4, paragraph 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Jeong in view of Hagiwara to include a flowing water sterilization device comprising: a flow path pipe for passing the object to be sterilized; a through hole provided in the flow path pipe, the cap unit being configured to close the through hole, based on the additional teachings of Hagiwara that this configuration simultaneously provides efficient cooling of the light source unit and sufficient sterilization of the object to be sterilized (Hagiwara, page 5, Housing 32 section paragraph 2).
Regarding claim 9, Jeong in view of Hagiwara as applied to claim 1 discloses the cap unit according to claim 1.
The disclosure of Jeong demonstrates that the function of PTFE is known in the art of water sterilization. Jeong also shows that substituting PTFE for another material in a water sterilizing device yields the predictable result of improving the waterproof properties of the device (Jeong, paragraph 0168). “[W]hen a patent claims a structure already known in the prior art that is altered by the mere substitution of one element for another known in the field, the combination must do more than yield a predictable result.” United States v. Adams, 383 U.S. 39 (1966). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Jeong in view of Hagiwara to include that the gasket is made of any of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a perfluoroethylene propene copolymer (FEP), and perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA) because it is not inventive to substitute one known element for another which yields predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2143 I (B).
Regarding claim 11, Jeong in view of Hagiwara as applied to claim 1 discloses the cap unit according to claim 1.
In addition, Jeong discloses that the housing has a flange that extends substantially horizontally and radially outward (FIG. 19A: flange directly above element 210).
Regarding claim 12, Jeong in view of Hagiwara as applied to claim 1 discloses the cap unit according to claim 1.
In addition, Jeong discloses an attachment having a screw groove formed radially outward on the housing (paragraph 0081: a screw thread is formed on the outer surface of side wall 120 of housing 110).
Regarding claim 17, Jeong in view of Hagiwara as applied to claim 1 discloses the cap unit according to claim 1.
In addition, Jeong discloses that light emitted from the light emitting element is directly incident on the reflector wall portion (paragraph 0197); and
the reflector wall portion increases in diameter as it progresses from the light source unit toward the opening (FIG. 19A: the inner wall portion of gasket 150 has a smaller diameter adjacent to the light source unit 160, i.e., at wing portion 153, than the diameter adjacent window 140).
Regarding claim 21, Jeong discloses a cap unit comprising:
a light source unit (FIG. 1, element 160) including a light emitting element (FIG. 1, element 162) and a substrate on which the light emitting element is mounted (FIG. 1, substrate 161);
a housing (FIG. 1, element 110) that has an accommodation space for the light source unit (paragraph 0077, lines 3-6) and an opening (FIG. 1, element 131) at a predetermined position on a side that faces an object to be sterilized (paragraph 0080), the housing being configured to accommodate the light source unit so that the opening and the light emitting element face each other (FIG. 19A: housing 110 accommodates light source unit 160 so that the opening 131 (covered by window 140 in the figure) and the light emitting element 162 face each other);
an ultraviolet light transmitting (paragraph 0083) window portion (FIG. 1, element 140) configured to close the opening (paragraph 0082); and
a gasket positioned between the light source unit and the ultraviolet light transmitting window portion (FIG. 19A, gasket 150) so as to prevent the object to be sterilized from entering a side with the light source unit in the accommodating space (paragraph 0084), wherein
the gasket includes a reflector wall portion that has a light reflection property (paragraph 0119, inner wall portion) and that is recessed toward the light source unit so as to surround a side region of the light emitting element (FIG. 19A) and,
an outer extension portion configured to extend radially outward from the reflector wall portion (FIG. 8: outer extension portion 152_2 extends radially outward from the inner, i.e., reflector, wall portion of gasket 150) and to abut against the inner wall of the housing (FIG. 16: the outer extension portion abuts against inner wall 132 of the housing),
the reflector wall portion increases in diameter as it progresses from the light source unit toward the opening (FIG. 19A: the inner wall portion of gasket 150 has a smaller diameter adjacent to the light source unit 160, i.e., at wing portion 153, than the diameter adjacent window 140) or the reflector wall portion extends along a height direction of the housing (FIG. 19A: the inner wall of the gasket 150 extends along the vertical direction of the housing 110) an electronic component different from the light emitting element is mounted on the substrate (paragraph 0088; electronic components of the printed circuit board), the electronic component is covered by the reflector wall portion and the outer extension portion (Merriam-Webster.com defines “cover” as “something that protects, shelters, or guards; something that is placed over or about another thing”; FIG. 2 shows board 161 containing the electronic component is covered by element 150; paragraph 0236 further discloses that element 150 is dimensioned to protect the light source 160 on board 161).
Jeong fails to disclose a flowing water sterilization device comprising: a flow path pipe for passing the object to be sterilized; a through hole provided in the flow path pipe, the cap unit being configured to close the through hole.
However, Hagiwara discloses a flowing water sterilization device comprising:
a flow path pipe (FIG. 1, element 22) for passing the object to be sterilized (page 2, last paragraph);
a through hole provided in the flow path pipe (FIG. 1, through hole between elements 5a, 513),
the cap unit (FIG. 1, element 3) being configured to close the through hole (page 4, paragraph 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Jeong to include a flowing water sterilization device comprising: a flow path pipe for passing the object to be sterilized; a through hole provided in the flow path pipe, the cap unit being configured to close the through hole, based on the teachings of Hagiwara that this configuration simultaneously provides efficient cooling of the light source unit and sufficient sterilization of the object to be sterilized (Hagiwara, page 5, Housing 32 section paragraph 2).
Claims 6, 13, 15-16, 20, and 22-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong in view of Hagiwara and Konagayoshi et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0208486 A1), hereinafter Konagayoshi.
Regarding claim 6, Jeong discloses a cap unit comprising:
a light source unit (FIG. 1, element 160) including a light emitting element (FIG. 1, element 162) and a substrate on which the light emitting element is mounted (FIG. 1, substrate 161);
a housing (FIG. 1, element 110) that has an accommodation space for the light source unit (paragraph 0077, lines 3-6) and an opening (FIG. 1, element 131) at a predetermined position on a side that faces an object to be sterilized (paragraph 0080), the housing being configured to accommodate the light source unit so that the opening and the light emitting element face each other (FIG. 19A: housing 110 accommodates light source unit 160 so that the opening 131 (covered by window 140 in the figure) and the light emitting element 162 face each other);
an ultraviolet light transmitting (paragraph 0083) window portion (FIG. 1, element 140) configured to close the opening (paragraph 0082); and
a gasket positioned between the light source unit and the ultraviolet light transmitting window portion (FIG. 19A, gasket 150) so as to prevent the object to be sterilized from entering a side with the light source unit in the accommodating space (paragraph 0084), wherein
the gasket includes a reflector wall portion that has a light reflection property (paragraph 0119, inner wall portion) and that is recessed toward the light source unit so as to surround a side region of the light emitting element (FIG. 19A), and
the reflector wall portion increases in diameter as it progresses from the light source unit toward the opening (FIG. 19A: the inner wall portion of gasket 150 has a smaller diameter adjacent to the light source unit 160, i.e., at wing portion 153, than the diameter adjacent window 140).
Jeong fails to disclose that the reflector wall portion allows light from the light emitting element to enter the inside and to be diffused and reflected; and an attachment made of a specular reflection material is provided on at least one of a front surface and a back surface of the diameter-increasing portion of the reflector wall portion.
However, Hagiwara discloses that an attachment made of a specular reflection material (page 6, paragraph beginning “Although not shown…”) is provided on at least one of a front surface and a back surface of the diameter-increasing portion of the reflector wall portion (FIG. 4B: element 36, which is disclosed as having the specular reflection material attached, is provided on a back surface of the diameter-increasing portion 332a; page 6, “Light emitting diode chip 31” paragraph 2 discloses that substrate 311 may be omitted, i.e., element 36 is provided directly on the back surface of diameter-increasing portion 332a).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Jeong to include that an attachment made of a specular reflection material is provided on at least one of a front surface and a back surface of the diameter-increasing portion of the reflector wall portion, based on the teachings of Hagiwara that this improves the intensity of ultraviolet light for sterilizing the object to be sterilized (Hagiwara, page 6, paragraph beginning “Although not shown…”).
Jeong in view of Hagiwara fails to disclose that the reflector wall portion allows light from the light emitting element to enter the inside and to be diffused and reflected.
However, Konagayoshi discloses that the reflector wall portion (FIG. 1, element 22) allows light from the light emitting element (FIG. 1, element 12) to enter the inside and to be diffused and reflected (paragraph 0042).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Jeong in view of Hagiwara to include that the reflector wall portion allows light from the light emitting element to enter the inside and to be diffused and reflected, based on the teachings of Konagayoshi that this improves the efficiency of sterilization (Konagayoshi, paragraph 0042).
Regarding claim 13, Jeong in view of Hagiwara and Konagayoshi as applied to claim 6 discloses the cap unit according to claim 6.
The disclosure of Jeong demonstrates that the function of PTFE is known in the art of water sterilization. Jeong also shows that substituting PTFE for another material in a water sterilizing device yields the predictable result of improving the waterproof properties of the device (Jeong, paragraph 0168). “[W]hen a patent claims a structure already known in the prior art that is altered by the mere substitution of one element for another known in the field, the combination must do more than yield a predictable result.” United States v. Adams, 383 U.S. 39 (1966). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Jeong in view of Hagiwara and Konagayoshi to include that the gasket is made of any of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a perfluoroethylene propene copolymer (FEP), and perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA) because it is not inventive to substitute one known element for another which yields predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2143 I (B).
Regarding claim 15, Jeong in view of Hagiwara and Konagayoshi as applied to claim 6 discloses the cap unit according to claim 6.
In addition, Jeong discloses that the housing has a flange that extends substantially horizontally and radially outward (FIG. 19A: flange directly above element 210).
Regarding claim 16, Jeong in view of Hagiwara and Konagayoshi as applied to claim 6 discloses the cap unit according to claim 6.
In addition, Jeong discloses an attachment having a screw groove formed radially outward on the housing (paragraph 0081: a screw thread is formed on the outer surface of side wall 120 of housing 110).
Regarding claim 20, Jeong in view of Hagiwara and Konagayoshi as applied to claim 6 discloses the cap unit according to claim 6.
In addition, Jeong discloses that the gasket further includes an outer extension portion configured to extend radially outward from the reflector wall portion (FIG. 8: outer extension portion 152_2 extends radially outward from the inner, i.e., reflector, wall portion of gasket 150) and to abut against the housing (FIG. 16: the outer extension portion abuts against portion 132 of housing 110).
Regarding claim 22, Jeong in view of Hagiwara and Konagayoshi as applied to claim 6 discloses the cap unit according to claim 6.
The disclosure of Jeong demonstrates that the function of PTFE is known in the art of water sterilization. Jeong also shows that substituting PTFE for another material in a water sterilizing device yields the predictable result of improving the waterproof properties of the device (Jeong, paragraph 0168). “[W]hen a patent claims a structure already known in the prior art that is altered by the mere substitution of one element for another known in the field, the combination must do more than yield a predictable result.” United States v. Adams, 383 U.S. 39 (1966). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Jeong in view of Hagiwara and Konagayoshi to include that the gasket is made of any of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a perfluoroethylene propene copolymer (FEP), and perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA) because it is not inventive to substitute one known element for another which yields predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2143 I (B).
Regarding claim 23, Jeong in view of Hagiwara and Konagayoshi as applied to claim 6 discloses the cap unit according to claim 6.
In addition, Jeong discloses a storage tank (FIG. 22, reservoir 10) comprising:
a through hole (paragraph 0265),
the cap unit being configured to close the through hole (paragraph 0265), wherein
the storage tank is configured to store the object to be sterilized thereinside (paragraph 0264).
Regarding claim 24, Jeong in view of Hagiwara and Konagayoshi as applied to claim 6 discloses the cap unit according to claim 6.
In addition, Hagiwara discloses a flowing water sterilization device comprising:
a flow path pipe (FIG. 1, element 22) for passing the object to be sterilized (page 2, last paragraph);
a through hole provided in the flow path pipe (FIG. 1, through hole between elements 5a, 513),
the cap unit (FIG. 1, element 3) being configured to close the through hole (page 4, paragraph 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Jeong in view of Hagiwara and Konagayoshi to include a flowing water sterilization device comprising: a flow path pipe for passing the object to be sterilized; a through hole provided in the flow path pipe, the cap unit being configured to close the through hole, based on the additional teachings of Hagiwara that this configuration simultaneously provides efficient cooling of the light source unit and sufficient sterilization of the object to be sterilized (Hagiwara, page 5, Housing 32 section paragraph 2).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong in view of Hagiwara as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ao et al. (CN Patent No. 112499720 A), hereinafter Ao (English machine translation provided).
Regarding claim 10, Jeong in view of Hagiwara as applied to claim 1 discloses the cap unit according to claim 1.
In addition, Jeong discloses that the housing includes a housing lid portion (FIG. 23B, element 240) and a housing main body (FIG. 1, element 110);
the housing main body has a bottom wall where the opening is formed (FIG. 1, wall 130 with opening 131), a side wall that is connected to an edge of the bottom wall and rises toward a top side (FIG. 21, side wall 120), and a second opening in a top surface (FIG. 21, opening at the lower end of sidewall 120).
Jeong in view of Hagiwara fails to disclose that the housing lid portion has a lid main body, and a lid side wall extending from the lid main body toward a bottom side; the lid side wall fits into the second opening to define the accommodation space; the gasket fills a gap formed between the ultraviolet light transmitting window portion and a bottom surface of the lid side wall to prevent the object to be sterilized from entering.
However, Ao discloses that the housing lid portion (FIG. 2B, element 11) has a lid main body (FIG. 2B, element 112), and a lid side wall extending from the lid main body toward a bottom side (FIG. 2B, side walls 111, 114);
the lid side wall fits into the second opening (FIG. 2B, element 24) to define the accommodation space (FIG. 2B, space surrounding light emitting elements 16);
the gasket (FIG. 2B, element 15) fills a gap formed between the ultraviolet light transmitting window portion (FIG. 2B, element 14) and a bottom surface of the lid side wall (FIG. 2B, bottom surface 117) to prevent the object to be sterilized from entering (page 5, paragraph 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Jeong in view of Hagiwara to include that the housing lid portion has a lid main body, and a lid side wall extending from the lid main body toward a bottom side; the lid side wall fits into the second opening to define the accommodation space; the gasket fills a gap formed between the ultraviolet light transmitting window portion and a bottom surface of the lid side wall to prevent the object to be sterilized from entering, based on the teachings of Ao that this ensures that the light emitting elements are hermetically sealed (Ao, page 5, paragraph 2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kato et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0189936 A1), hereinafter Kato, teaches a flowing water sterilization device comprising: a flow path pipe for passing the object to be sterilized; and a reflector which allows light from the light emitting element to be diffused and reflected.
Watanabe (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0241445 A1), hereinafter Watanabe, teaches a cap unit comprising: a light source unit including a light emitting element and a substrate on which the light emitting element is mounted; a housing that has an accommodation space for the light source unit and an opening at a predetermined position on a side that faces an object to be sterilized, the housing being configured to accommodate the light source unit so that the opening and the light emitting element face each other; an ultraviolet light transmitting window portion configured to close the opening; and a gasket.
Lautzenheiser et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0339438 A1), hereinafter Lautzenheiser, teaches a storage tank configured to store the object to be sterilized thereinside.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALINA R KALISZEWSKI whose telephone number is (703)756-5581. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Kim can be reached at (571)272-2293. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/A.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2881
/ROBERT H KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2881
Prosecution Insights