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 § 102
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 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 1-6, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stickel et al. (EP0593876B1).
Regarding claims 1-4, Stickel et al. teaches a cup washer (see abstract) including a washing unit capable of washing a cup 17 accommodated therein, wherein the washing unit includes: a tub 10 having a cup receiving space 11 defined therein, wherein washing water is sprayed (via 25, 35, 36, 55, as shown in figure 4) into the tub 10 (see abstract, pages 5-6 of the translation, figure 4); a detergent storage 20/26/50/56 disposed on one side of the tub 10 and capable of storing therein detergent (see abstract, pages 5-6 of the translation, figure 4); a detergent injection part (see e.g. pipe connecting 20 and 28 and/or pipe connecting 50 and 58, as shown in figure 4) coupled to a bottom of the detergent storage 20/50; and a detergent pump 28/58 connected to the detergent injection part and capable of pumping the detergent to the tub 10 (see abstract, pages 5-6 of the translation, figure 4) (reads on claim 1); the detergent pump 28/58 includes: a first connector (see inlet of detergent pump 28/58, as shown in figure 4) connected to the detergent injection part and configured to receive the detergent from the detergent injection part; and a detergent discharge part (see portion of detergent pump 28/58 downstream of the pump inlet, as shown in figure 4) having one side connected to the first connector and configured to discharge the detergent into the tub 10 (reads on claim 2); the detergent discharge part includes: a detergent pumping part (see e.g. pump chamber of detergent pump 28/58) connected to the first connector and configured to receive the detergent from the first connector and pump the received detergent; and a detergent injection nozzle (see outlet of detergent pump 28/58 that is downstream of the pump chamber) coupled to the detergent pumping part, and connected to the tub 10, and capable of injecting the detergent into the tub 10 (see figure 4 and page 6 of the translation) (reads on claim 3); a rinse storage 30/50 disposed on one side of the tub 10 and spaced from the detergent storage 20/26/50/56 and capable of storing therein rinse (see figure 4, page 6 of the translation); a rinse injection part (see e.g. piping between 30 and 38 or 50 and 58, as shown in figure 4) coupled to a bottom of the rinse storage 30/50; and a rinse pump 38/58 connected to the rinse injection part and capable of pumping the rinse to the tub 10 (see figure 4, page 6 of the translation) (reads on claim 4).
Regarding claims 5 and 6, Stickel et al. teaches the limitations of claim 4. Stickel et al. also teaches in figure 4 and page 6 of the translation that the rinse pump 38/58 includes: a second connector (see inlet of rinse pump 38/58, as shown in figure 4) connected to the rinse injection part and configured to receive the rinse from the rinse injection part; and a rinse discharge part (see portion of rinse pump 38/58 downstream of the pump inlet, as shown in figure 4) having one side connected to the second connector and the other side connected to the tub 10, and capable of discharging the rinse into the tub 10 (reads on claim 5); the rinse discharge part includes: a rinse pumping part (see e.g. pump chamber of rinse pump 38/58) connected to the second connector and capable of receiving the rinse from the second connector and pumping the received rinse; and a rinse injection nozzle (see outlet of rinse pump 38/58 that is downstream of the pump chamber) coupled to the rinse pumping part, and connected to the tub 10, and capable of injecting the rinse into the tub 10 (reads on claim 6).
Regarding claim 9, Stickel et al. teaches the limitations of claim 6. Stickel et al. also teaches in figure 4 and page 6 of the translation that the tub 10 includes: a detergent inlet (see tub inlet associated with 25, as shown in figure 4) connected to the detergent injection nozzle through a pipe capable of receiving the detergent from the detergent injection nozzle; and a washing water inlet (see inlet of tub 10 associated with 36, as shown in figure 4) disposed on top of the detergent inlet, wherein water is capable of flowing into the tub 10 through the washing water inlet.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 8, 10-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art of record is Stickel et al. (EP0593876B1). Stickel et al. fails to teach/disclose all of the limitations of claims 7 and 10. Furthermore, no other prior art was located that fairly suggested the claimed invention in whole or in part along with the requisite motivation for combination to anticipate or render the claimed invention obvious.
Conclusion
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/TINSAE B AYALEW/EXAMINER, Art Unit 1711
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