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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-5 and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chinese Patent Publication No. CN 111493668 A by Guo et al., hereinafter “Guo”.
Regarding claim 1, Guo discloses a grinder (grinder shown in Fig. 1; ¶[0035]), comprising a main body, a grinding apparatus a powder pressing apparatus, and a driving apparatus;
wherein the grinding apparatus comprises a grinding housing mounted on the main body (grinding housing 2 is mounted on main body adapter 12 in Fig. 1 and 2) and a grinding component arranged in the grinding housing (grinding component wheel 25 is arranged in housing 2 in Fig. 4);
the powder pressing apparatus comprises a powder collector (powder collector extraction funnel 11 in Fig. 1) and a powder pressing component (powder pressing tamper 3 in Fig. 4 and 7-9); and
the driving apparatus comprises a driver arranged on the main body (driver motor 13 arranged on main body adapter 12 in Fig. 1 and 2), a first transmission shaft mounted on the grinding component (first transmission shaft spindle 22 in Fig. 3, 5-7 is mounted on inner grinder wheel 25), and a second transmission shaft mounted on the powder pressing component (second transmission shaft follower sleeve 31 in Fig. 4-9 is mounted on tamper 3 as shown in Fig. 7-8); the driver is in transmission connection with the first transmission shaft (driver motor 13 is in transmission connection with first transmission shaft 22 through follower sleeve 31); the second transmission shaft is in transmission connection with the first transmission shaft (second transmission shaft follower sleeve 31 is in transmission connection with first transmission shaft spindle 22 through chassis 27 and drive gear 34 in Fig. 5; [0040]); and the second transmission shaft is slidably mounted relative to the powder collector (second transmission shaft follower sleeve 31 in Fig. 5 slides up and down relative to powder collector extraction funnel 11 as the thickness of the powder increases in funnel 11; ¶[0036]).
Regarding claim 2, Guo anticipates the grinder according to claim 1 as explained above. Guo further discloses the driving apparatus further comprises a shaft sleeve connected to the first transmission shaft (shaft sleeve chassis 27 in Fig. 5); the shaft sleeve has a sleeve hole (the hole of 27 through which follower sleeve 31 and spindle 22 passes in Fig. 5); and an end of the second transmission shaft is slidably arranged in the sleeve hole (the upper end of second transmission shaft follower sleeve 31 slides up and down within the hole in chassis 27 in Fig. 5); and the first transmission shaft, the second transmission shaft, and the shaft sleeve rotate synchronously (spindle 22, follower sleeve 31 and chassis 27 in Fig. 5 rotate synchronously when drive gear 34 of follower sleeve 31 engages meshing disc 28 of chassis 27).
Regarding claim 3, Guo anticipates the grinder according to claim 2 as explained above. Guo further discloses the driving apparatus further comprises a first spring (spring 33 in Fig. 5); the sleeve hole extends through the shaft sleeve (the hole in chassis 27 in Fig. 5 extends therethrough); and the sleeve hole has a first orifice and a second orifice; an end of the first transmission shaft is inserted into the sleeve hole via the first orifice (the lower end of first transmission shaft spindle 22 is inserted through the first, upper orifice of the hole of chassis 27 in Fig. 5); an end of the second transmission shaft is slidably arranged in the sleeve hole via the second orifice (the upper end of second transmission shaft follower sleeve 31 in Fig. 5 is slidable arranged in the lower second orifice of the hole of chassis 27 in Fig. 5); and the first spring is located in the sleeve hole and clamped between the first transmission shaft and the second transmission shaft (spring 33 is located inside the left and right shoulders of the hole through chassis 27 and clamped between first transmission shaft spindle 22 and second transmission shaft follower sleeve 31 in Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 4, Guo anticipates the grinder according to claim 1 as explained above. Guo further discloses a grinding channel is formed between the grinding housing and the grinding component (a grinding channel is formed between outer grinding sleeve 24 of housing 2 in Fig. 2 and grinder component inner wheel 25); the powder collector has a powder storage tank in communication with the grinding channel (the funnel portion of powder collector extraction funnel 11 is a powder storage tank in communication with the grinding channel); the powder pressing component is arranged in the powder storage tank (powder tamper 3 in Fig. 4 is arranged within extraction funnel 11); and the grinding channel is located directly above the powder storage tank (the grinding channel between 24 and 25 is directly above 11).
Regarding claim 5, Guo anticipates the grinder according to claim 4 as explained above. Guo further discloses the driving apparatus further comprises a transmission wheel set (transmission wheel set couplings 14 in Fig. 2 and coupling 15 in Fig. 3); and the driver has a rotating shaft (driver motor 13 rotates a shaft on which coupling 14 is mounted); the transmission wheel set has an input gear (input gear coupling 14 in Fig. 2) and an output gear (output gear coupling 15 in Fig. 3), wherein the input gear is mounted on the rotating shaft and rotates synchronously with the rotating shaft (input gear coupling 14 in Fig. 2 is shown mounted on a rotating shaft rotated by motor 13), the output gear is mounted on the first transmission shaft and rotates synchronously with the first transmission shaft (output gear coupling 15 is shown mounted on first transmission shaft spindle 22 in Fig. 3 and rotates synchronously with spindle 22 when chassis 27 is engaged); the output gear is provided with a material passing channel (Fig. 3 shows output gear coupling 15 is provided with a material passing channel therearound); and the grinding channel, the material passing channel, and the powder storage tank are arranged in sequence from top to bottom and in communication with each other in sequence (the grinding channel, material passing channel and powder storage tank extraction funnel 11 are arranged from top to bottom as shown in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, Guo anticipates the grinder according to claim 4 as explained above. Guo further discloses the grinding housing (2 in Fig. 1) has an internal grinding tooth (inner grinding wheel 25 in Fig. 4), the grinding component has an external grinding tooth (outer grinding sleeve 24 in Fig. 4); the grinding channel is formed between the internal grinding tooth and the external grinding tooth (a grinding channel is formed between 25 and 24); and a width of the grinding channel gradually decreases from top to bottom (the width of the channel decreases as the diameter of wheel 25 increases from top to bottom).
Regarding claim 8, Guo anticipates the grinder according to claim 7 as explained above. Guo further discloses a plurality of internal grinding teeth and a plurality of external grinding teeth are respectively provided (grinding teeth are provided on inner grinding wheel 25 and outer grinding sleeve 24 in Fig. 4); the plurality of internal grinding teeth and the plurality of external grinding teeth are spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the grinding component (outer grinding sleeve 24 is spaced circumferentially from inner grinding wheel 25); the plurality of internal grinding teeth and the plurality of external grinding teeth extend along a first spiral trajectory (Fig. 4 shows a spiral trajectory on 25); and the grinding channel extends along the first spiral trajectory (the grinding channel between 25 and 24 extends along the spiral trajectory created by 25); and
the powder pressing component comprises a powder pressing block (powder pressing block fan-shaped protrusions 36 in Figs. 7 and 8); and a plurality of powder pressing blocks are provided (a plurality of fan-shaped protrusions 36 are shown in Figs. 7 and 8); the plurality of powder pressing blocks are spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the second transmission shaft (Fig. 8 shows protrusions 36 are spaced apart circumferentially around second transmission shaft sleeve 31); and each of the powder pressing blocks has a powder pressing surface (bottom face of protrusions 36) and a powder guiding surface (top face of protrusions 36); wherein the powder pressing surface and the powder guiding surface are spaced apart in a direction away from the powder collector (the top and bottom faces of protrusions 36 are axially spaced in a direction away from powder collector extraction funnel 11); the powder pressing surface and the powder guiding surface extend along a second spiral trajectory (the top and bottom faces of protrusions 36 are angled in a spiral trajectory); a powder guiding channel extending along the second spiral trajectory is formed between the powder pressing surface of any of the powder pressing blocks and the powder guiding surface of the adjacent powder pressing block (a powder guiding channel extends along the spiral trajectory formed by the angled surfaces of the top and bottom faces of protrusions 36); and the powder guiding channel being in communication with the powder storage tank (the powder guiding channel formed by protrusions 36 are in communication with the powder storage tank of extraction funnel 11 because powder tamper 3 is disclosed as tamping powder in funnel 11).
Regarding claim 9, Guo anticipates the grinder according to claim 8 as explained above. Guo further discloses a rotation direction of the first spiral trajectory is opposite to a rotation direction of the second spiral trajectory (the spiral trajectories of the angled surfaces of protrusions 36 in Fig. 8 are show to be oriented in opposite directions).
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 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo in view of European Patent Application Publication No. EP 2 147 620 B1 by Eicher, hereinafter “Eicher”.
Regarding claim 6, Guo anticipates the grinder according to claim 5 as explained above. However, Guo does not disclose a second spring and an anti-jamming ball as claimed in claim 6.
In the same field of coffee grinders, Eicher teaches it was known before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a spring and ball in anti-jamming overload protection of driving clutches in coffee grinders. See paragraphs [0003] and [0004].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate spring-loaded ball anti-jamming protection into Guo driving apparatus in the same way Eicher teaches. A person of ordinary skill would have recognized applying the teaching of Eicher to Guo’s grinder would achieve the predictable result of adding a first groove to Guo’s output gear coupling 15 and a second groove to Guo’s grinding component 21 as Eicher teaches.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo in view of U.S. Patent No. 10,105,002 B2 to Grassia et al., hereinafter “Grassia”.
Regarding claim 10, Guo discloses a grinding method for a grinder (method for grinder shown in Fig. 1), comprising the following steps:
adding raw material into a grinding channel (beans in hopper 1 are added to grinding channel between inner grinding wheel 25 and outer grinding sleeve 24 in Fig. 4), starting a driver to drive a first transmission shaft to rotate in a first direction (driver motor 13 starts first transmission shaft spindle 22 to rotate in a first direction), and the first transmission shaft driving a grinding component to rotate to grind the raw material in the grinding channel into powder (spindle 22 drives wheel 25 to rotate to grind beans in the channel into powder);
stopping the driver after the grinding component performs grinding for a preset time (when the height of the ground cake in extraction funnel 11 reaches a preset height, drive gear 34 disengages with chassis 27 stopping wheel 25 from rotating; ¶[0036]-[0040]);
the first transmission shaft driving, through the second transmission shaft (second transmission shaft sleeve 31 in Fig. 5), a powder pressing component (powder pressing component tamper drill 3 in Fig. 4) to rotate, the raw material ground into powder falling into a powder storage tank one after another (powdered bean raw material falls into storage tank extraction funnel 11), and the powder pressing component compacting the raw material ground into powder in the powder storage tank while rotating (tamper drill 3 compacts raw ground bean material in extraction funnel 11);
the powder pressing component gradually rising and pushing the second transmission shaft to slide in a direction away from the powder storage tank as a height of the raw material ground into powder in the powder storage tank increase (the height of the powder cake in extraction funnel 11 gradually increases which pushes second transmission shaft sleeve 31 upwardly); and
stopping the driver after the powder pressing component rotates and performs compaction for a preset time (driver motor control is stopped based upon the thickness of the cake; ¶[0041]).
Guo does not disclose rotating spindle 22 in a second direction opposite to the first direction as claimed in claim 10.
In the same field of coffee grinders with tamping mechanisms, Grassia teaches it was known before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to rotate the tamping mechanism in different directions during tamper operation. See at least the control diagram shown in Fig. 28.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to control Guo’s tamper drill 3 to rotate in an opposite direction from that of Guo’s grinding direction in the same way Grassia teaches. A person of ordinary skill would have recognized applying the teaching of Grassia to the method of Guo would achieve the predictable result of changing the direction of rotation of Guo’s tamping drill 3 during tamping.
Conclusion
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/P DEREK PRESSLEY/Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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