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 Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: In claim 8, the plural phrase “the reservoirs” presumably should be singular phrase - - the reservoir - -. Appropriate correction is required.
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-8, 10-11, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Horgan (US 20160075006 A1).
Regarding claims 1-2, 5, and 7, Horgan discloses a wrench assembly (114) comprising: a wrench (110) having a torque handle (figs. 10-16), a handle extension (113) having a proximal end and a distal end, and a torque head (socket end connector); and a reservoir (120) having a reservoir housing (figs. 1-16) and supported by the wrench, wherein the torque head comprises a grip surface (square grip surface for gripping mating socket, figs. 10-16) to engage a target body (109) and transfer torque to the target body, the handle extension detachably couples to the torque handle at the proximal end, the handle extension detachably couples to the torque head at the distal end (figs. 10-16), the reservoir is disposed between the torque handle and the torque head, the reservoir housing defining a receptacle opening (121), and the reservoir is oriented between the torque handle and the torque head such that the receptacle opening is nearer to the torque head than the torque handle (figs. 1-16);
wherein the reservoir (120) comprises a drain port (115/119) and a shaft port (101), the drain port is disposed nearer to the torque handle than the torque head, and the handle extension passes through the shaft port ([0030-0055], figs. 1-16).
Regarding claims 10, Horgan discloses a reservoir attachment (120) comprising: a reservoir housing (120) having a baffle (102 and/or 116) with an interior surface and an exterior surface ([0033, 0043, 0056-0057], figs. 1-5 and 16-17), the baffle further defining a receptacle opening (121), and a boundary surface (107 and inner surface of 121) coupled to the interior surface and disposed opposite the receptacle opening (figs. 1-5 and 16-17); a drain port (115/119) disposed within the reservoir housing (120); and a shaft port (101) disposed within the reservoir housing, wherein the shaft port is sized to accommodate the diameter of a tool component (113, [0030-0055], figs. 1-16).
Regarding claims 3 and 11, Horgan discloses a nozzle (118) disposed in the drain port ([0053], figs. 14 and 18).
Regarding claims 6, 8, and 13, Horgan discloses the reservoir comprises a shaft gasket (108/elastic membrane 125, figs. 3) fitting with a liquid-tight seal between the shaft port and the handle/ handle extension ([0039-0044, 0053-0057], figs. 3-8 and 14-18).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 3-4, 9, 11-12, and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Horgan (US 20160075006 A1) in view of Kotowski (US 5852961 A) and further in view of Reynolds (US 20200223680 A1).
Regarding claims 3-4, 9, 11-12, and 14-15, Horgan discloses the reservoir comprises a drain gasket (108/elastic membrane 125, figs. 3) the drain gasket fitting with a liquid-tight seal on shaft port (101 and shows 118 in fig. 14 shows 118 sealing to 115 [0039-0044, 0053-0057], figs. 3-8 and 14-18) but fails to explicitly disclose having a nozzle disposed within the drain port and a drain gasket fitting with a liquid-tight seal between the drain port and the nozzle.
Kotowski teaches having wrench (66) with a reservoir having a reservoir housing (12, figs. 1-2) with a shaft port (28) with a seal (98) for extension (30/80) and the reservoir supported by the wrench and having a drain port (24), a nozzle (64) disposed within the drain port, a drain gasket (62) fitting with a liquid-tight seal between the drain port (24) and the nozzle (64, col. 3, line 54- col. 5, line 20, figs. 1-4).
Reynolds teaches a socket wrench (300) with a reservoir having a reservoir housing (100, figs. 1-6) with a shaft port (120) with a seal (oil-tight seal, [0018-0025]) and the reservoir supported by the wrench and having a drain port (110/130), a nozzle (150) disposed within the drain port (110), a drain gasket (compression fitting 200/adapter 210 and/or plug 165 – “compression fitting 200, discharge/routing tubing adapter 150, and plug 165 may be interchanged and switched among the three apertures 110, 120, and 130 [0042]…holes and fittings are universal” [0043] in which 200 also has seals 230/240 [0034-0044]) fitting with a liquid-tight seal between the drain port (110/130) and the nozzle (150, [0027-0043]).
Given the teachings of Horgan to have a reservoir with a drain gasket to seal a port/shaft port, it 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 to modify the reservoir with including a nozzle disposed within the drain port and a drain gasket fitting with a liquid-tight seal between the drain port and the nozzle to have all ports sealed to prevent leaking, seal/plug a/the port when not in use/have additional drain ports, control the fluid flow with a nozzle guide and/or coupling the reservoir to other reservoirs/storage containers as taught by Kotowski and Reynolds.
Conclusion
Additional prior art considered pertinent: see form 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT LONG whose telephone number is (571)270-3864. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9am-5pm, 8-9pm (EST).
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/ROBERT F LONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731
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