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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because said abstract begins with “Provided are…”. The words “Provided are” are unnecessary. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: the entire claim is confusing since claim 1 established a second flow passageway assembly at the water outlet device. Now claim 3 is claiming that the first flow passageway assembly itself also includes a second flow passageway beside the first flow passageway. These terms that are being used are too similar and thus confusing. Appropriate correction is requested.
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)(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) 1-5, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Colosimo (US 12,492,853).
Regarding claim 1, Colosimo teaches a drinking apparatus (10, Fig 1-4), comprising: a water treatment device (16 & 18); a water inlet device (58, 52, 58); a water outlet device (14, Col 4, Ln 31-37), wherein: the water inlet device has a water source port (after 53, going into 50 in Fig 4), a water treatment port (after 50, going into 16 or 18), a water outlet port (after 50, going into 14), and a first flow passageway assembly (50 to 16, 18, 14; Col 4, Ln 38-51), the water source port being configured to be connected to a water source (58 or 62, Fig 4), the water treatment port being configured to be connected to the water treatment device (Fig 4), the water outlet port being configured to be connected to the water outlet device, the water source port, the water treatment port (Fig 4), and the water outlet port being connected by the first flow passageway assembly (Fig 4), and the first flow passageway assembly being configured to guide water from the water source to flow to the water treatment device and the water outlet device (Fig 4); and the water outlet device has a second flow passageway assembly (part of 14; Col 4, Ln 31-37), a first port (part of 14; Col 4, Ln 31-37), and a second port (part of 14; Col 4, Ln 31-37), one of the first port and the second port being configured to be connected to the water inlet device (Fig 4), another one of the first port and the second port being configured to be connected to a water outlet component (Fig 4), and the first port and the second port being in communication with each other via the second flow passageway assembly (Fig 4).
Colosimo further teaches in claim 2 wherein the water inlet device comprises: an inlet water manifold (50), the water source port, the water treatment port, the water outlet port, and the first flow passageway assembly being all formed at the inlet water manifold (Col 4, Ln 38-51); and a room temperature water dispensing basin (62) connected to the inlet water manifold and in communication with the water source port (Fig 4);
In claim 3 (as best understood) wherein the first flow passageway assembly includes: a first flow passageway having a first inlet (after 52) and a first outlet (after 50, going to 14); and a second flow passageway having a second inlet and a second outlet (as shown in Fig 4, second flow passageway at 14 has at least one second inlet and a second outlet; since claim 1 established that the second flow passageway is at the water outlet device 14), wherein: the first inlet and the second inlet are configured as the water source port (Fig 4); the second outlet is configured as the water treatment port and to supply water to a first water treatment component (Fig 4); and the first outlet is configured as the water outlet port and to discharge the water from the water source out of the drinking apparatus (Fig 4);
in claim 4 wherein the second inlet is in communication with the first flow passageway (Fig 4);
in claim 5 wherein the first flow passageway assembly further comprises a third flow passageway, wherein the third flow passageway has a third inlet (after 50, going to 16 or 18) and a third outlet (after 16 or 18, going to 14), the third inlet being configured as the water treatment port and to receive water treated by the first water treatment component, and the third outlet being configured as the water outlet port and to discharge the water treated by the first water treatment component out of the drinking apparatus (Fig 4); and
in claim 20 wherein the water outlet component comprises a room temperature water outlet member, a hot water outlet member, and/or a cold water outlet member (Col 4, Ln 31-37, also Fig 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-19 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 arts made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2014/0239521 to Ergican et al and US 2012/0104031 to McDonald et al are directed to the state of the art as a relevant teaching of the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENNIFER C CHIANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5613. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10 AM- 6 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Paul Durand can be reached at (571) 272-4459. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JENNIFER C CHIANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
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