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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The crossed out references on the IDS are not considered because the publication dates listed on the IDS do not match the actual publication dates of the references.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 2, the phrase “the first and second positioned” appears to be a typographical error.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Houghton (US 2011/0041381).
In re. claim 1, Houghton teaches a bait container comprising: a casing (8) defining a cavity to contain bait in use (para [0040]), the casing having a closure (10) moveable between a closed position and an open position in which the cavity is at least partially open to the environment (fig. 1); and a retaining means for releasably securing the closure in the closed position (figs. 6a-6b), the retaining means comprises a latch member (70) provided on one of the closure or the casing and configured to engage an engagement formation (71) on the other of the closure or the casing (figs. 6a-6b), the latch member comprising a magnet (para [0057]), wherein the retaining means comprises a magnetic arrangement movable to first position where the latch magnet is biased into an engagement with the engagement formation and a second position where the latch magnet is biased out of engagement with the engagement formation (using screw (72)) (para [0057]).
In re. claim 2, Houghton teaches the bait container of claim 1, wherein the magnetic arrangement comprises a first magnet and a second magnet, the first and second positioned in opposing relative polarities (fig. 6b).
In re. claim 3, Houghton teaches the bait container of claim 2, wherein the first and second magnet are provided on a moveable carriage (rotatable magnets shown with pivot pin) (para [0057]) (fig. 6b).
In re. claim 4, Houghton teaches the bait container of claim 3, wherein the carriage comprises a rotatable carousel (fig. 6b).
In re. claim 5, Houghton teaches the bait container of claim A-ee-taine-aeeeor4ig-te the carriage is movable in a direction perpendicular to movement of the latch member between the engaged and disengaged position (e.g. when magnet (70) is vertical in figure 6b and magnet (71) is horizontal).
Claims 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Browne et al. (AU 2006202814), hereinafter Browne.
In re. claim 25, Browne teaches a bait container comprising: a casing (4) defining a cavity to contain bait in use (bait container (4)), the casing having a closure (12) moveable between a closed position and an open position in which the cavity is at least partially open to the environment (fig. 2); and a retaining means (lock for door (12)) (pg. 13, ln. 22-24) for releasably securing the closure in the closed position (fig. 4), and wherein a controller (3) is configured to selectively control operation of the retaining means in response to input of a unique or authentication code (unique code from owner’s wand (3)) (pg. 18, ln. 25-28).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-24 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
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/C.D.H./
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3647
/Christopher D Hutchens/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3647
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