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
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-8, 10-12, 15, and 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tramontina et al. (US 2013/0075420 A1; hereinafter Tramontina).
Regarding claim 1, Tramontina discloses a fluid dispenser with cleaning maintenance mode comprising a nozzle (18); a pump (114) operable to dispense soap through the nozzle and to be positioned above a surface of a counter (11); a push rod (130) comprising a pivot arm aperture (131), wherein the push rod is coupled to the pump and movement of the push rod in a direction toward the pump activates the pump (see Par. 0046-0047); a pivot arm (161) comprising a lift end disposed within the pivot arm aperture (see Fig. 3); and a motor assembly (202), wherein the motor assembly is operable to rotate to pivot the pivot arm and lift the lift end such that the push rod activates the pump to dispense soap through the nozzle (see Par. 0052-0054).
Regarding claim 2, Tramontina discloses a dispenser further comprising a down tube comprising an aperture (172), wherein the push rod is disposed within the down tube and the lift end of the pivot arm is positioned through the aperture (see Par. 0044).
Regarding claims 3 and 15, Tramontina discloses a dispenser further comprising a refill (23) locking dock having a threaded tube that is operable to extend through an opening in the counter; and a coupling nut coupled to the threaded tube, the coupling nut comprising a shaft, wherein the down tube is coupled to the shaft of the coupling nut (see Par. 0030 and 0044).
Regarding claims 5, 7-8, 17-18, and 20, Tramontina discloses a dispenser further comprising a soap reservoir bag assembly (112), the soap reservoir bag assembly comprising a reservoir bag and a reservoir coupler (124), wherein the reservoir bag is coupled to the reservoir coupler; and the reservoir coupler is coupled to an end of the down tube (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claims 6 and 19, Tramontina discloses a dispenser further comprising a soap tube (67) coupled to the pump and a soap reservoir sleeve disposed within the reservoir bag, wherein the soap tube is partially disposed within the soap reservoir sleeve (see Par. 0036).
Regarding claims 10-12, Tramontina discloses a dispenser wherein the motor assembly comprises a motor (210), a gear (212) coupled to the motor, and a cam (214) coupled to the gear; and the cam comprise a sloped surface operable to pivot the pivot arm when the motor rotates the cam (see Par. 0053-0054).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 9, 13-14, and 16 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER R DEMEREE whose telephone number is (571)270-1982. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NATHAN J NEWHOUSE can be reached at (571)272-4544. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHRISTOPHER R DEMEREE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3734