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 .
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 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cho (KR101354644).
Regarding Claim 1, Cho discloses a content container 10 (Figure 1) comprising: an outer container 42 (Figure 1) having a first accommodation space formed therein (figure 1, interior space of 42); an inner container 41 (Figure 1) configured to be accommodated in the first accommodation space and having a second accommodation space formed therein (figure 1; interior space of 41); a shoulder part 43 (Figure 9) provided at an upper side of the outer container and having a communication space that is vertically penetratingly formed therein to allow the inner container to be inserted therethrough (Figure 9); and a cover part 23 (Figure 9) configured to seal or open the communication space, wherein the shoulder part comprises a base part (figure 10) is protruding along an inner circumference of the shoulder part (figure 10), and the inner container comprises a mounting part (Figure 10) is protruding along an outer circumference of the inner container, wherein the inner container is accommodated in the first accommodation space of the outer container when the mounting part is mounted on an upper end of the base part (Figure 10), and wherein when the cover part seals the communication space, mounting of the inner container is fixed and the second accommodation space is sealed (Figure 10).
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Regarding Claim 5, Cho discloses the cover part comprises at least one pressing part (Figure 10) protruding from a lower end of the cover part (Figure 10) and configured to, when the cover part seals the communication space, press an upper end of the mounting part downward to fix and seal the inner container when the cover part seals the communication space (Figure 10).
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.
Claim(s) 2-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (KR101354644) in view of Jung (KR102386272).
Regarding Claim 2, Cho teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the shoulder part further comprises an inner support part and an outer support part, each of the inner support part and the outer support part protruding from an upper end of the shoulder part; the cover part comprises: an inner close contact part configured to come into close contact with an outer side of the inner support part; and an outer close contact part configured to come into close contact with an inner side of the outer support part, wherein each of the inner close contact part and the outer close contact part are disposed on a lower end of the cover part; and when the cover part moves downward to seal the communication space, the sealing is reinforced as an airtight space formed between the inner close contact part and the outer close contact part is compressed due to downward movement of the inner close contact part and the outer close contact part. However, Jung teaches the shoulder part 312 (Figure 3) further comprises an inner support part 316a (Figure 3) and an outer support part 316a (figure 3), each of the inner support part and the outer support part protruding from an upper end of the shoulder part (Figure 3); the cover part 320 (Figure 3) comprises: an inner close contact part 323 (figure 3) configured to come into close contact with an outer side of the inner support part (figure 3); and an outer close contact part 323a (figure 3) configured to come into close contact with an inner side of the outer support part (Figure 3), wherein each of the inner close contact part and the outer close contact part are disposed on a lower end of the cover part (figure 3); and when the cover part moves downward to seal the communication space, the sealing is reinforced as an airtight space formed between the inner close contact part and the outer close contact part is compressed due to downward movement of the inner close contact part and the outer close contact part (figure 3). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cho to include the above, as taught by Jung, in order to provide a seal for the cover part and container.
Regarding Claim 3, Cho teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the outer support part comprises at least one first hooking part is disposed on an outer side of the outer support part of the shoulder part, and the cover part comprises at least one second hooking part disposed on an inner side of the cover part, wherein the at least one second hooking part of the cover part corresponds to the at least one first hooking part of the outer support part; and the cover part seals the shoulder part by a coupling between the at least one first hooking part and the at least one second hooking part. However, Jung teaches the outer support part comprises at least one first hooking part 317 (figure 3) is disposed on an outer side of the outer support part of the shoulder part, and the cover part comprises at least one second hooking part 324a (Figure 3) disposed on an inner side of the cover part, wherein the at least one second hooking part of the cover part corresponds to the at least one first hooking part of the outer support part (figure 3); and the cover part seals the shoulder part by a coupling between the at least one first hooking part and the at least one second hooking part (Figure 3). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cho to include the above, as taught by Jung, in order to provide a seal for the cover part and container.
Regarding Claim 4, Cho teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the shoulder part further comprises; an outer edge part configured to couple to the outer container; an inner edge part disposed at an inner side of the outer edge part and from which the base part extends inward; and a connecting part configured to connect the outer edge part and the inner edge part and have the inner support part and the outer support part formed on an upper end thereof. However, Jung teaches the shoulder part further comprises; an outer edge part 315a (figure 3) configured to couple to the outer container; an inner edge part disposed at an inner side of the outer edge part and from which the base part extends inward (Figure 3); and a connecting part configured to connect the outer edge part and the inner edge part and have the inner support part and the outer support part formed on an upper end thereof (Figure 3). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cho to include the above, as taught by Jung, in order to provide additional support.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (KR101354644) in view of Choi (KR20210154497).
Regarding Claim 6, Cho teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the inner container comprises a downwardly curved part configured to be curved downward and extend from an outer end portion of the mounting part; the shoulder part further comprises an upwardly curved part configured to be curved upward and extend from an inner end portion of the base part; and when the inner container is mounted on the shoulder part, an inner surface of the downwardly curved part is supported by an outer surface of the upwardly curved part. However, Choi teaches the inner container comprises a downwardly curved part configured to be curved downward and extend from an outer end portion of the mounting part 153 (Figure 2b); the shoulder part further comprises an upwardly curved part 144 (figure 2a) configured to be curved upward and extend from an inner end portion of the base part (Figure 2a); and when the inner container is mounted on the shoulder part (Figure 1), an inner surface of the downwardly curved part is supported by an outer surface of the upwardly curved part (Figure 1). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cho to include the above, as taught by Choi, in order to provide additional support for the inner container with the outer container.
Applicant is duly reminded that a complete response must satisfy the requirements of 37 C.F. R. 1.111, including: “The reply must present arguments pointing out the specific distinctions believed to render the claims, including any newly presented claims, patentable over any applied references. A general allegation that the claims “define a patentable invention” without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references does not comply with the requirements of this section. Moreover, “The prompt development of a clear Issue requires that the replies of the applicant meet the objections to and rejections of the claims.” Applicant should also specifically point out the support for any amendments made to the disclosure. See MPEP 2163.06 II(A), MPEP 2163.06 and MPEP 714.02. The ''disclosure'' includes the claims, the specification and the drawings.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-9 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIZABETH J VOLZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5430. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 11am-7pm est.
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/ELIZABETH J VOLZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3733