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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on September 21, 2026 has been entered and considered and an action on the merits follows.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 1-3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bianchi (US 5,101,720) in view of Peterson (US 4,183,295), Wong (US 9,980,594), and Qian (CN-2080899 U).
Regarding claim 1, Bianchi discloses a press system comprising:
a plunger unit (10) including a plunger (10);
a receiver unit (12, 16) including a receiver cup (12) defining a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the plunger (see figs. 5-6); and
a grate (30) including perforations (see fig. 1), a first end section rotatably associated (at 22 in fig. 4) with the plunger unit (10), and a second end section rotatably associated (at 40 in fig. 4) with the receiver unit (12);
wherein the plunger unit (10) and the receiver unit (12) being rotatable with each other upon two separate axes (20 and 38, see fig. 9).
Bianchi discloses the plunger unit and the receiver unit can be casted in such a way that there is an uncommonly tight seal between them (see col. 4, lines 36-38), Bianchi does not disclose a lip extending from at least a portion of a perimeter of a front side of the plunger.
Peterson, in a material compacting art, discloses a compactor comprising a plunger (18) having a lip (104) extending from at least a portion of a perimeter of a front side of the plunger (fig. 3 and 1) to improve sealing efficiency (col. 6, lines 29-36). Petersen further discloses the lip is configured to wipe an inner surface (88) of a receiver unit (12) (col. 6, lines 32-34).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the plunger of Bianchi to include a lip extending from at least a portion of a perimeter of a front side of the plunger, as taught by Peterson, in order to wipe an inner surface of the receiver unit and to improve sealing efficiency.
As to a receiver handle including a planar portion configured to be disposed against a support surface, Bianchi discloses a plunger handle (14) and the receiver unit includes a receiver handle (16) extending from the receiver cup (12). Bianchi does not disclose the receiver handle including a planar portion configured to be disposed against a support surface so as to stabilize the receiver unit on the support surface, the receiver handle further including a receiver handle wall configured to face the support surface, the receiver handle wall curved in a longitudinal direction and extending longitudinally from a peripheral border of the planar portion of the receiver handle to the receiver cup so as to define a gap between the receiver handle and the support surface.
Wong, in a related pressing art, discloses a pressing system comprising a plunger handle (22), a receiver unit includes a receiver handle (24) extending from a receiver cup (32), wherein the receiver handle including a planar portion (see the right free end portion of the receiver handle (24) in fig. 5) configured to be disposed against a support surface (98) so as to stabilize the receiver unit on the support surface, the receiver handle (24) further including a receiver handle wall (see the annotated drawing in the last Office action) configured to face the support surface, the receiver handle wall curved in a longitudinal direction (see the annotated drawing in the last Office action) and extending longitudinally from a peripheral border (at the last surface of the receiver handle that contacts the support surface) of the planar portion of the receiver handle to the receiver cup so as to define a gap (see the annotated drawing in the last Office action) between the receiver handle and the support surface.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the receiver handle of Bianchi, with the receiver handle including a planar portion configured to be disposed against a support surface so as to stabilize the receiver unit on the support surface, and a receiver handle wall configured to face the support surface, the receiver handle wall curved in a longitudinal direction and extending longitudinally from the planar portion of the receiver handle to the receiver cup so as to define a gap between the receiver handle and the support surface, as taught by Wong, to provide more stability to the press system when placing it on a surface.
If Applicant does not agree that the right free end portion of the receiver handle (24) of Wong having a planar portion, Qian, in a pressing art, can be applied to teach it is old and well known to provide a right free and of a receiver handle (11) extending from a receiver cup (4), with a planar portion (10) disposed against a support surface (fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the free end of the receiver handle of Bianchi, is having a planar portion, such as one that disclosed by Qian, as they are old and well known in the pressing art in order to provide stability to the press system when placing it on a support surface (see page 2, third paragraph of the English translation of Qian).
Regarding claim 2, the press system according to claim 1, Bianchi discloses wherein the plunger unit includes a plunger handle (14), and wherein a free end of bosses (see left and right portions of 52 in fig. 1) extend from the receiver cup (12) (fig. 1), and wherein the free end of the bosses and modified Biachi discloses the planar portion of the receiver handle is configured to support the receiver unit on the support surface while positioning the receiver cup (12) spaced apart with the support surface (see fig. 6).
Regarding claim 3, the press system according to claim 1, Bianchi discloses wherein the plunger unit includes a plunger handle (14), and wherein a free end of bosses (see left and right portions of 52 in fig. 1) extend from the receiver cup (12) (fig. 1), and wherein the free end of the bosses and the modified planar portion of the receiver handle are configured to support the receiver unit on the support surface while positioning the receiver cup spaced apart with the support surface (fig. 6).
With regard to the farthermost lateral extremities of farthermost downward protuberances of the receiver cup that describe a plane on which it can be steadied upon the support surface are spaced at a distance greater than 2/3 a distance between the two axes of rotation, the applicant has not disclosed that the distance greater than 2/3 the distance between the two axes of rotation solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose (see the specification of the instant invention, para. 52). Accordingly, it would have been a matter of obvious design choice to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to make the farthermost lateral extremities of farthermost downward protuberances of the receiver cup that describe a plane on which it can be steadied upon the support surface are spaced at a distance greater than 2/3 a distance between the two axes of rotation because the specific distance does not appear to provide any unexpected result and one skilled in the art at the time of the invention would make a choice dependent on the size of the press system.
Regarding claim 5, the press system according to claim 1, Bianchi discloses wherein the front side of the plunger (10) has a curved profile (see figs. 4 and 7), and the grate (30) has a curved or arcuate configuration that corresponds with the curved profile of the front side of the plunger (10) such that the front side of the plunger seals against the grate (30) in an operational position of the plunger (see fig. 7).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bianchi, Peterson, Wong, and Qian, further in view of Difley et al. (hereinafter "Difley") (US4,023,875).
Regarding claim 6, the press system according to claim 1, Bianchi discloses the plunger unit further comprises: hinge guides (22a and 22b) and the receiver unit further comprises recesses (24a and 24b); wherein, in a mated position, at least a portion of the hinge guides are received in the recesses (fig. 10), respectively, and the plunger is capable of sweeping the cavity and presses an object against the grate (figs. 5-6); wherein, in an unmated position, the hinge guides are not received in the recesses, respectively (fig. 4).
Bianchi does not disclose the hinge guides are guide rollers.
Difley discloses a compactor having guide rollers (18) for guiding an end of a drawer into a recess (19) (fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the hinge guides of Bianchi to guide rollers, as taught by Difley, to ease movement of the plunger into the recesses of the receiver unit by rolling into the recesses.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bianchi and Peterson, Wong, Qian, and Difley, and further in view of Fenile (EP 3 202 689 A1).
Regarding claim 7, the press system according to claim 6, modified Bianchi discloses the rollers are received in the recesses as noted above. Bianchi does not disclose the recesses each include a riser configured so the rollers surmount the riser.
Fenile discloses risers (21a and 21b) for guiding rollers each including a center groove (6b and 7b).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide each of the recesses of Bianchi with a riser and modify the rollers to include a center groove, as taught by Fenile, to provide stability during guiding of the rollers into the recesses.
Bianchi also discloses wherein the grate (30) has an arcuate configuration (see figure 4) and is formed from a springy material (see “ form of a leaf spring” in claim 3) so that the grate can snapped into the recess (see claim 3); therefore, the springy material enables the grate to expand so as to allow the rollers to surmount the risers, and then subsequently contract, so as to pull the rollers into the recesses.
Claims 12-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bianchi (US 5,101,720) in view of Peterson (US 4,183,295), Wong (US 9,980,594), Qian (CN-2080899 U), and Obregon Salorio (hereinafter “SB”) (US 2018/0303266 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Bianchi discloses a press system comprising:
a plunger unit (10) including a plunger (10); the plunger unit further including a plunger handle (14) extending from the plunger, the plunger handle (14) further including a plunger handle wall that terminates at a plunger handle free end section (see the right end on the handle (14) in figure 6);
a receiver unit (12, 16) including a receiver cup (12) defining a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the plunger (see figs. 5-6); and
a grate (30) including perforations (see fig. 1), a first end section rotatably associated (at 22 in fig. 4) with the plunger unit (10), and a second end section rotatably associated (at 40 in fig. 4) with the receiver unit (12);
wherein the plunger unit (10) and the receiver unit (12) being rotatable with each other upon two separate axes (20 and 38, see fig. 9).
Bianchi discloses the plunger unit and the receiver unit can be casted in such a way that there is an uncommonly tight seal between them (see col. 4, lines 36-38), Bianchi does not disclose a lip extending from at least a portion of a perimeter of a front side of the plunger.
Peterson, in a material compacting art, discloses a compactor comprising a plunger (18) having a lip (104) extending from at least a portion of a perimeter of a front side of the plunger (fig. 3 and 1) to improve sealing efficiency (col. 6, lines 29-36). Petersen further discloses the lip is configured to wipe an inner surface (88) of a receiver unit (12) (col. 6, lines 32-34).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the plunger of Bianchi to include a lip extending from at least a portion of a perimeter of a front side of the plunger, as taught by Peterson, in order to wipe an inner surface of the receiver unit and to improve sealing efficiency.
As to a receiver handle including a planar portion configured to be disposed against a support surface, Bianchi discloses a plunger handle (14) and the receiver unit includes a receiver handle (16) extending from the receiver cup (12). Bianchi does not disclose the receiver handle including a planar portion configured to be disposed against a support surface so as to stabilize the receiver unit on the support surface, the receiver handle further including a receiver handle wall configured to face the support surface, the receiver handle wall curved in a longitudinal direction and extending longitudinally from a peripheral border of the planar portion of the receiver handle to the receiver cup so as to define a gap between the receiver handle and the support surface.
Wong, in a related pressing art, discloses a pressing system comprising a plunger handle (22), a receiver unit includes a receiver handle (24) extending from a receiver cup (32), wherein the receiver handle including a planar portion (see the right free end portion of the receiver handle (24) in fig. 5) configured to be disposed against a support surface (98) so as to stabilize the receiver unit on the support surface, the receiver handle (24) further including a receiver handle wall (see the annotated drawing in the last Office action) configured to face the support surface, the receiver handle wall curved in a longitudinal direction (see the annotated drawing in the last Office action) and extending longitudinally from a peripheral border (at the last surface of the receiver handle that contacts the support surface) of the planar portion of the receiver handle to the receiver cup so as to define a gap (see the annotated drawing in the last Office action) between the receiver handle and the support surface.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the receiver handle of Bianchi, with the receiver handle including a planar portion configured to be disposed against a support surface so as to stabilize the receiver unit on the support surface, and a receiver handle wall configured to face the support surface, the receiver handle wall curved in a longitudinal direction and extending longitudinally from the planar portion of the receiver handle to the receiver cup so as to define a gap between the receiver handle and the support surface, as taught by Wong, to provide more stability to the press system when placing it on a surface.
If Applicant does not agree that the right free end portion of the receiver handle (24) of Wong having a planar portion, Qian, in a pressing art, can be applied to teach it is old and well known to provide a right free and of a receiver handle (11) extending from a receiver cup (4), with a planar portion (10) disposed against a support surface (fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the free end of the receiver handle of Bianchi, is having a planar portion, such as one that disclosed by Qian, as they are old and well known in the pressing art in order to provide stability to the press system when placing it on a support surface (see page 2, third paragraph of the English translation of Qian).
As to the plunger handle free end section is curved upwardly away from the plunger handle wall, Bianchi does not disclose the plunger handle free end section curving upwardly away from the plunger handle wall.
SB can be applied to teach a press system having a plunger unit (fig. 3) including a plunger (124), the plunger unit further including a plunger handle (118) extending from the plunger (fig. 3), the plunger handle (14) further including a plunger handle top wall that terminates at a plunger handle free end section (see fig. 2A and 2B), wherein the plunger handle top wall is curved at one or more areas and the plunger handle free end section curving upwardly away from the plunger handle top wall (figs. 2A and 2B) in order to adapt to the ergonomics of a human hand to facilitate effortless operation of the press system (see para. 34).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the top wall of the plunger handle of Bianchi, to include curves at one or more areas with the plunger handle free end section curving upwardly away from the plunger handle top wall, as taught by SB, in order to adapt to the ergonomics of a human hand to facilitate effortless operation of the press system.
Regarding claim 13, the press system according to claim 12, Bianchi discloses a free end of bosses (see left and right portions of 52 in fig. 1) extend from the receiver cup (12) (fig. 1), and wherein the free end of the bosses and modified Biachi discloses the planar portion of the receiver handle is configured to support the receiver unit on the support surface while positioning the receiver cup (12) spaced apart with the support surface (see fig. 6).
Regarding claim 14, the press system according to claim 12, Bianchi discloses wherein a free end of bosses (see left and right portions of 52 in fig. 1) extend from the receiver cup (12) (fig. 1), and wherein the free end of the bosses and the modified planar portion of the receiver handle are configured to support the receiver unit on the support surface while positioning the receiver cup spaced apart with the support surface (fig. 6).
With regard to the farthermost lateral extremities of farthermost downward protuberances of the receiver cup that describe a plane on which it can be steadied upon the support surface are spaced at a distance greater than 2/3 a distance between the two axes of rotation, the applicant has not disclosed that the distance greater than 2/3 the distance between the two axes of rotation solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose (see the specification of the instant invention, para. 52). Accordingly, it would have been a matter of obvious design choice to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to make the farthermost lateral extremities of farthermost downward protuberances of the receiver cup that describe a plane on which it can be steadied upon the support surface are spaced at a distance greater than 2/3 a distance between the two axes of rotation because the specific distance does not appear to provide any unexpected result and one skilled in the art at the time of the invention would make a choice dependent on the size of the press system.
Regarding claim 15, the press system according to claim 12, Bianchi discloses wherein the front side of the plunger (10) has a curved profile (see figs. 4 and 7), and the grate (30) has a curved or arcuate configuration that corresponds with the curved profile of the front side of the plunger (10) such that the front side of the plunger seals against the grate (30) in an operational position of the plunger (see fig. 7).
Regarding claim 16, the press system according to claim 15, the modification of Bianchi in view of Qian discloses the receiver handle is curved downwardly toward its free end which allows a gap formed at an end between the plunger handle free end section and the receiver handle free end (see figure 1 of Qian) in an operation position of the plunger.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bianchi, Peterson, Wong, Qian, and SB, further in view of Difley et al. (hereinafter "Difley") (US4,023,875).
Regarding claim 17, the press system according to claim 12, Bianchi discloses the plunger unit further comprises: hinge guides (22a and 22b) and the receiver unit further comprises recesses (24a and 24b); wherein, in a mated position, at least a portion of the hinge guides are received in the recesses (fig. 10), respectively, and the plunger is capable of sweeping the cavity and presses an object against the grate (figs. 5-6); wherein, in an unmated position, the hinge guides are not received in the recesses, respectively (fig. 4).
Bianchi does not disclose the hinge guides are guide rollers.
Difley discloses a compactor having guide rollers (18) for guiding an end of a drawer into a recess (19) (fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the hinge guides of Bianchi to guide rollers, as taught by Difley, to ease movement of the plunger into the recesses of the receiver unit by rolling into the recesses.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bianchi, Peterson, Wong, Qian, SB, and Difley, and further in view of Fenile (EP 3 202 689 A1).
Regarding claim 18, the press system according to claim 17, modified Bianchi discloses the rollers are received in the recesses as noted above. Bianchi does not disclose the recesses each include a riser configured so the rollers surmount the riser.
Fenile discloses risers (21a and 21b) for guiding rollers each including a center groove (6b and 7b).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide each of the recesses of Bianchi with a riser and modify the rollers to include a center groove, as taught by Fenile, to provide stability during guiding of the rollers into the recesses.
Bianchi also discloses wherein the grate (30) has an arcuate configuration (see figure 4) and is formed from a springy material (see “ form of a leaf spring” in claim 3) so that the grate can snapped into the recess (see claim 3); therefore, the springy material enables the grate to expand so as to allow the rollers to surmount the risers, and then subsequently contract, so as to pull the rollers into the recesses.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIMMY T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4520. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CHRISTOPHER L TEMPLETON can be reached at 571-270-1477. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JIMMY T. NGUYEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3725
/JIMMY T NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725
