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 Observations
Applicant uses the term “torque spring” in limitation 1. It appears applicant is referring to a torsion spring when reciting the term “torque spring”. For purposes of examination, the term “torque spring” will be interpreted as torsion spring.
Claim Objections
Claim 3 objected to because of the following informalities: Line 3 of claim 3 says “on the bottom of of the straw”. Line 3 of claim 3 should say “on the bottom of the straw”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation " the bottom" in line 8 of claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation " the top" in line 5 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Any claims not directly addressed are only rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) for beingdependent on a rejected base claim.
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.
Claim 1 & 4-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakata (US 20250010319) in view of Tu (US 20170328361) and in further view of Kaufman (US 20100237098).
Regarding claim 1, Sakata discloses;
A pressurized oil spray bottle structure, comprising;
a housing (Fig. 1, 2), wherein a piston chamber (Fig. 1, 82) is in the housing (Fig. 1, 2);
a piston main body (Fig. 1, 83) is slidably arranged in the piston chamber (Fig. 1 depicts the piston main body 83 being slidably arranged inside piston chamber 82);
a spring (Fig. 1, 84) is on one side of an inner upper end of the housing (Fig. 1, 2);
a trigger (Fig. 1, 80) is arranged on one side, away from the spring (Fig. 1, 84), in an upper end of the housing (the upper end of trigger body 80 is position in an upper end of the body 2);
a nozzle (Fig. 1, 4);
and an oil receiving box is mounted on the bottom of the nozzle (see annotated Fig. 1).
Sakata does not disclose;
a double-torque spring
a sealing valve body is mounted on the top inside the housing;
a sealing valve spring is arranged in the sealing valve body;
a nozzle is on one side of the sealing valve body;
However, Kaufman teaches;
a spray bottle with a trigger that utilizes a coil spring or double torque spring ([0066]).
The advantage a trigger that can utilize both a coil spring or a torque spring is that the trigger is more versatile and different types of springs can be used if one breaks. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to incorporate the teachings of Kaufman with the invention of Sakata to provide a spray bottle with a trigger that utilizes a coil or torque spring.
Kaufman does not teach;
a sealing valve body is mounted on the top inside the housing;
a sealing valve spring is arranged in the sealing valve body;
a nozzle is on one side of the sealing valve body;
However, Tu teaches;
a sealing valve body (Fig. 3, 90) is mounted on the top inside the housing (Fig. 1, 20);
a sealing valve spring (Fig. 3, 98) is arranged in the sealing valve body (Fig. 3, 90);
a nozzle (Fig. 6, 100) is on one side of the sealing valve body (Fig. 3, 90);
The advantage of having a sealing valve body with a sealing valve spring mounted inside the housing and on one side of the nozzle is to prevent leaking of fluid from the nozzle when the spray device is not in use. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to incorporate the teachings of Tu with the invention of Sakata to provide a spray bottle with a sealing valve body and spring.
PNG
media_image1.png
758
915
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 4, in addition to the limitation in claim 1, Sakata discloses;
wherein a first channel and a second channel are mounted on the bottom of the piston chamber, and a pre-atomization chamber and a pre-atomization channel are on one side inside the housing (see annotated Fig. 1).
PNG
media_image2.png
844
1067
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 5, in addition to the limitation in claim 4, Sakata discloses;
wherein the pre-atomization chamber is connected to the second channel and the pre-atomization channel, and the pre-atomization channel is connected to the nozzle (the pre-atomization chamber, the second channel, and the nozzle are all fluidly connected).
Regarding claim 6, in addition to the limitations in claim 1, Sakata discloses;
wherein a pressure chamber (Fig. 1, 40) is mounted on the bottom (if the device is orientated such that the nozzle points upward, the opposite end would be the bottom) inside the housing (Fig. 1, 2);
a pressure valve bottom plug (Fig. 1, 61) is mounted on the bottom inside the pressure chamber (Fig. 1, 40);
and a pressure valve spring plug (Fig. 1, 141) is mounted on the top of the pressure valve bottom plug (Fig. 1, 61) (see annotated Fig. 1 below).
PNG
media_image3.png
1064
839
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 7, in addition to the limitations in claim 6, Sakata discloses;
wherein a pressure valve piston spring (Fig. 1, 60) is mounted on the top of the pressure valve spring plug (Fig. 1, 61);
and a pressure valve piston body (Fig. 1, 130) is mounted on the top of the pressure valve piston spring (Fig. 1, 60).
Regarding claim 8, in addition to the limitations in claim 7, Sakata discloses;
wherein a pressure valve piston push rod (Fig. 1, 50) is mounted on the bottom of the pressure valve piston body (Fig. 1, 130), and the pressure valve piston push rod (Fig. 1, 50) is slidably arranged inside the pressure valve piston spring (Fig. 1 depicts the piston push rod 50 being slidably arranged inside the pressure valve piston spring 60).
Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakata (US 20250010319) in view of Tu (US 20170328361) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Rhea et al (US 20240075485).
Regarding claim 2, in addition to the limitations in claim 1, Sakata discloses;
wherein an oil storage bottle (Fig. 1, A) is sleeved in a lower end of the housing (Fig. 1, 2) through a thread (Fig. 1 depicts an oil storage bottle A being mounted to the housing 2 via mounting cap 30 which has threads)
Sakata does not disclose;
an air inlet hole is fixedly provided in one side inside the housing.
However, Rhea teaches;
an air inlet hole (Fig. 8, 810) is fixedly provided in one side inside the housing (Fig. 3, 102).
The advantage of providing an air inlet hole inside the housing is to allow air to mix with the fluid being released, resulting in spray having more force and using less fluid ([0050]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to incorporate the teachings of Rhea with the invention of Sakata to provide a spray bottle with an air inlet hole inside the housing.
Regarding claim 3, in addition to the limitations in claim 1, Sakata discloses;
wherein a straw (Fig. 1, 15) is mounted on the bottom inside the housing (Fig. 1, 2),
Sakata does not disclose;
a foreign matter filter plate is mounted on the bottom of the straw.
However, Rhea teaches;
a foreign matter filter plate (Fig. 7, 702) is mounted on the bottom of the straw (Fig. 7, 408).
The advantage of having a foreign matter filter plate mounted at the bottom of the straw is to protect it from being damaged by external factors. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to incorporate the teachings of Rhea with the invention of Sakata to provide a foreign matter filter plate mounted on the bottom of the straw.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
disclosure. US 20130112766 A1 is directed to the state of spray bottles.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRYANT K HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)272-8630. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30-5:00.
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, David Angwin can be reached at (571)-270-3735. 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.
/B.K.H./ Examiner, Art Unit 3754
/DAVID P ANGWIN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3754
Prosecution Insights