DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Claim Objections
Claims 4 and 12-14 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.
Regarding claim 4, Cantrell fails to teach or suggest a divider member positioned within a slot between the two adjacent fluid flow guide surfaces and isolating a portion of the washing area.
Regarding claim 12, Cantrell fails to teach or suggest isolating a portion of the washing area by placing a divider member within a slot between two adjacent flow guide surfaces.
Claims 13-14 are dependent upon claim 12.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 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 –
(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-6, 8, 10, and 18-20 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by Cantrell (US 2003/0041886 cited in IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Cantrell figures 2-3 teach a fluid flow structure (10 basket) for a washing machine wash tank (80), the fluid flow structure comprising:
one or more fluid flow guide surfaces (30 bottom wall, 40 front wall, 20 rear wall as Nozzle 105 is angled to direct jet stream 100 through inlet aperture 25, into basket 10, and toward the front portion of bottom wall 30. Bottom wall 30 then deflects jet stream 100 upward and towards front wall 40. Front wall 40 then deflects the upward moving jet stream towards rear wall 20 of the basket, and the rear wall deflects the jet stream downward and back towards the front wall along bottom wall 30.); [0026] and
one or more supports (70 mounting flange as Basket 10 is placed within tank 80, mounting flange 70 rests on horizontal groove 90, and rib 95 extends through slit 75 to prevent movement of the basket along horizontal groove 90.) , wherein the one or more supports are each configured to interface with one or more upper lip (90 horizontal groove) of the wash tank;[0025] and
wherein the fluid flow structure (10 basket) is configured to be selectively placed within the wash tank (80), the one or more supports (70 mounting flange) bearing the weight of the structure.
Regarding claim 2, figures 2-3 teach wherein the fluid flow structure (10), when placed within the wash tank (80), defines a washing area (interior of basket 10) being generally opposite a gap (25 intake aperture) between the one or more fluid flow guide surfaces (20 rear wall) and at least one wall of the wash tank.[0025]
Regarding claim 3, figures 2-3 teach wherein the fluid flow structure (10) comprises at least two fluid flow guide surfaces (rear wall 20 and bottom wall 30 or bottom wall 30 and front wall 40), wherein the two fluid flow guide surfaces are configured to be positioned adjacently when the fluid flow structure is placed within the wash tank.
Regarding claim 5, figures 2-3 teach wherein said fluid flow structure, when placed within the wash tank, is configured to receive a portion of fluid from one or more flow directional openings (105 nozzle) of the wash tank and direct said portion of fluid along the fluid flow guide surface.[0026]
Regarding claim 6, figures 2-3 teach wherein the fluid flow structure receives said portion of fluid through one or more apertures (35 perforations) defined by the one or more fluid flow guide surfaces (30 bottom wall).[0021]
Regarding claim 8, Cantrell teaches the lower portion of rear wall 20 of utensil basket 10 is slightly angled to conform to the contour of intake grate 107 located along the lower portion of rear wall 20 thereby suggesting wherein the one or more guide surfaces each define at least one region contoured inconsistently from the contour of at least one corresponding wall of the wash tank.[0025]
Regarding claim 10, Cantrell figures 2-3 teach a method of washing items in a continuous motion washing machine, the washing machine including at least one flow directional opening (105 nozzle) supplying a jet stream of fluid within the washing machine, the jet stream deflecting from at least one wall of or from at least a portion of a removable fluid flow structure (10 basket) positioned within the washing machine to provide a washing action, said method comprising the steps of:
locating the fluid flow structure (10 basket) within the washing machine by mating one or more supports (75 mounting flange) of the fluid flow structure to corresponding lips (90 horizontal groove) at the top of one or more walls of the washing machine; and
introducing the jet stream (100) within a washing area within said washing machine defined by one or more fluid flow guide surface of the fluid flow structure (30 bottom wall, 40 front wall, 20 rear wall as Nozzle 105 is angled to direct jet stream 100 through inlet aperture 25, into basket 10, and toward the front portion of bottom wall 30. Bottom wall 30 then deflects jet stream 100 upward and towards front wall 40. Front wall 40 then deflects the upward moving jet stream towards rear wall 20 of the basket, and the rear wall deflects the jet stream downward and back towards the front wall along bottom wall 30.), said washing area being generally opposite a gap (25 intake grate) created between said one or more fluid flow guide surfaces (20 rear wall of utensil basket 10) and at least one wall of the washing machine (rear wall of tank 80).[0021-26]
Regarding claim 18, Cantrell figures 2-3 teach positioning the fluid flow structure within the washing machine such that one or more apertures (35 perforations) of the fluid flow guide surface each correspond to one or more of the flow directional openings (105 nozzle).[0021]
Regarding claim 19, Cantrell figures 2-3 teach the jet stream (100) is introduced into the washing area through the one or more apertures (105 nozzle).[0026]
Regarding claim 20 Cantrell teaches a wash tank and jet stream of the type described above is extremely useful for washing pots and pans thereby reading on said washing machine is a pot and pan washing machine.[0003]
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter 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 pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
Claims 7, 9, 11, and 15-17 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Cantrell (US 2003/0041886 cited in IDS), as applied to claim 6.
Regarding claim 7, Cantrell is silent to the one or more supports each define one or more hooks configured to receive the one or more upper lips of the wash tank.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Cantrell to provide the one or more supports each define one or more hooks configured to receive the one or more upper lips of the wash tank as an art recognized equivalence for the same purpose as Cantrell teaches basket 10 is placed within tank 80, mounting flange 70 rests on horizontal groove 90, and rib 95 extends through slit 75 to prevent movement of the basket along horizontal groove 90.[0025](MPEP 2144.06)
Regarding claim 9, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Cantrell to provide the one or more supports each define one or more hooks configured to receive the one or more upper lips of the wash tank as an art recognized equivalence for the same purpose as Cantrell teaches basket 10 is placed within tank 80, mounting flange 70 rests on horizontal groove 90, and rib 95 extends through slit 75 to prevent movement of the basket along horizontal groove 90.[0025](MPEP 2144.06)
Regarding claim 11, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Cantrell to include the steps of: locating an item within said washing area; and orienting an axis of said item generally perpendicular to the jet stream to for fully cleaning the utensils placed within the basket.[0005]
Regarding claim 15, Cantrell figures 2-3 teach basket 10 is releasably mounted within the wash tank through the use of mount 70, groove 90, rib 95, and slit 75. Basket 10 is placed within tank 80, mounting flange 70 rests on horizontal groove 90, and rib 95 extends through slit 75 to prevent movement of the basket along horizontal groove 90 thereby reading on wherein locating the fluid flow structure within the washing machine further comprises: mating a first support of the one or more supports to the lip at the top of a front wall of the one or more walls of the washing machine.[0025]
Cantrell is silent to mating a second support of the one or more supports to the lip at the top of a rear wall of the one or more walls of the washing machine.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Cantrell to provide mating a second support of the one or more supports to the lip at the top of a rear wall of the one or more walls of the washing machine as a duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced.(MPEP 2144.04)
Regarding claim 16, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Cantrell to provide mating each of the first and second supports to their corresponding lips comprises inserting the respective lip into a hook defined by each of the first and second supports as an art recognized equivalence for the same purpose as Cantrell teaches basket 10 is placed within tank 80, mounting flange 70 rests on horizontal groove 90, and rib 95 extends through slit 75 to prevent movement of the basket along horizontal groove 90.[0025](MPEP 2144.06)
Regarding claim 17, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Cantrell to provide mating each of the one or more supports to their corresponding lips comprises inserting the respective lip into a hook defined by each of the one or more supports as an art recognized equivalence for the same purpose as Cantrell teaches basket 10 is placed within tank 80, mounting flange 70 rests on horizontal groove 90, and rib 95 extends through slit 75 to prevent movement of the basket along horizontal groove 90.[0025](MPEP 2144.06)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CRISTI J TATE-SIMS whose telephone number is (571)272-1722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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CRISTI J. TATE-SIMS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/CRISTI J TATE-SIMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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