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 § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 16 recites the limitation “a second storage compartment”. While the specification discloses a plurality of doors 102 (paragraph [0048]), it does not adequately support the limitation “a second storage compartment”.
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 – 7, 9 – 14, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schreuder et al. (US 2014/0125092).
Regarding claims 1, 13 and 14, Schreuder et al. discloses an aircraft galley for an aircraft (Figs. 4 – 6, 7A – 7C), the aircraft galley comprising: a storage compartment (16) accessible through an opening; and comprising a storage container (20) received therein, the storage container having a container door substantially filling a width of the opening (Shcreuder et al. teaches that the container door substantially fills the width of the opening – paragraph [0033] discusses that storage compartment 20 may be a single but wide unit that spans the distance of the storage space 16); and a door (14) movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein in the closed position the door covers the opening, wherein in the open position the door provides a work surface (18, Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 2, Schreuder et al. discloses a frame (outer periphery of 16) and hinge (22), the hinge mounting the door to the frame, wherein the door is rotatable at the hinge to move from the closed position and the open position (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 3, Schreuder et al. discloses that the hinge is positioned beneath the compartment in use (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 4, Schreuder et al. discloses that the hinge defines a door rotation axis (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 5, Schreuder et al. discloses that the door rotation axis extends in a substantially horizontal direction of the aircraft (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 6, Schreuder et al. discloses that the door comprises an inner face (18), the inner face facing the storage compartment when the door is in the closed position, wherein the inner face provides the work surface (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 7, Schreuder et al. discloses that the door is a galley door (claim 14), wherein the galley door forms part of an external surface of the aircraft galley when the door is in the closed position.
Regarding claim 8, Schreuder et al. discloses a storage container (20) received in the storage compartment.
Regarding claim 9, Schreuder et al. discloses that the storage container (20, 82) comprises: a container storage compartment accessible through a container opening; and wherein in a closed position the container door covers the container opening ([0033] discusses that storage compartment 20 may be a single but wide unit that spans the distance of the storage space 16), wherein the container door is movable from the closed position to an open position when the door is in the open position (paragraphs [0030] – [0031] discuss that the containers 20 and 82 can be any number of storage components such as ovens or chillers which inherently have a container opening and a container door which covers the container opening).
Regarding claim 10, Schreuder et al. discloses that when the door is in the open position and the container door is in the open position, the container door is above the work surface (Figs. 6 and 10).
Regarding claim 11, Schreuder et al. discloses that the storage container comprises a container hinge, the container hinge mounting the container door to the storage container, wherein the container door is rotatable at the container hinge to move from the closed position to the open position (paragraphs [0030] – [0031] discuss that the containers 20 and 82 can be any number of storage components such as ovens or chillers which inherently have a container opening and a container door which covers the container opening and rotates about a hinge).
Regarding claim 12, Schreuder et al. discloses that the container hinge defines a container door rotation axis, wherein the container door rotation axis extends in a direction substantially normal to the door rotation axis (Fig. 10 shows that container 82 comprises a handle on the right side of the container, which indicates that the hinge is along the left side of the container – in a direction substantially normal (vertical axis) to the door rotation axis (horizontal axis)).
Regarding claim 18, Schreuder et al. discloses that the storage compartment and the storage container each have a substantially square cross section (Fig. 3; paragraph [0036]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/21/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Schreuder et al. fails to teach the claimed subject matter of the storage container having a container door substantially filling a width of the opening”. However, Examiner has adequately shown in the rejection of claim 1 above that Schreuder et al. teaches that the container door substantially fills the width of the opening – paragraph [0033] discusses that storage compartment 20 may be a single but wide unit that spans the distance of the storage space 16.
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 VALENTINA XAVIER whose telephone number is (571)272-9853. The examiner can normally be reached 10 am - 6:30 pm.
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, Joshua Huson can be reached at (571) 270-5301. 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.
/VALENTINA XAVIER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642
Prosecution Insights