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
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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)(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) 2 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kuempel et al. (US Pat. Pub. No. US 2020/0297152 A1)
Regarding claim 2, Kuempel et al. discloses a container 10 comprising: a port part (the top opening; Fig. 1); a barrel part 20 continuous with the port part; a bottom part 30 provided on a side opposite to the port part via the barrel part 20 (Fig. 1); and a depression-protrusion structure configured to develop a lotus effect on at least an inner surface 21 of the barrel part 20, wherein, when a direction passing through the port part and the bottom part 30 is defined as a height direction Y (Fig. 1), a width in a direction X intersecting the height direction Y of a protruded part (a ridge) 22 of the depression-protrusion structure at a certain position in the height direction Y is less than a width in the direction X intersecting the height direction Y of the protruded part 22 of the depression-protrusion structure at a position on a bottom part side 30 relative to the certain position in the height direction Y (Figs. 1 and 4), or a width in the direction intersecting the height direction of a depressed part of the depression-protrusion structure at a certain position in the height direction is greater than a width in the direction intersecting the height direction of the depressed part of the depression-protrusion structure at a position on the bottom part side relative to the certain position in the height direction.
Regarding claim 11, Kuempel et al. discloses a container 10 comprising: a port part (the top opening; Fig. 1); a barrel part 20 continuous with the port part; a bottom part 30 provided on a side opposite to the port part via the barrel part 20 (Fig. 1); and a depression-protrusion structure configured to develop a lotus effect on at least an inner surface 21 of the barrel part 20, wherein a width of a protruded part (a ridge) 22 at a position on a port part side relative to a bottom part side 30 of the depression-protrusion structure is different from a width of the protruded part 22 at a position on the bottom part side 30 relative to the port part side of the depression-protrusion structure, or a width of a depressed part at a position on the port part side relative to the bottom part side of the depression-protrusion structure is different from a width of the depressed part at a position on the bottom part side relative to the port part side of the depression-protrusion structure.
Regarding claim 12, Kuempel et al. discloses wherein, when a direction passing through the port part and the bottom part 30 is defined as a height direction Y, the width of the protruded part 22 and the width of the depressed part are widths in a direction X intersecting the height direction Y (Fig. 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 3-10 and 13-21 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Independent claim 1 is allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest: “a width in a direction intersecting the height direction of a protruded part of the depression-protrusion structure at a certain position in the height direction is greater than (emphasis added) a width in the direction intersecting the height direction of the protruded part of the depression-protrusion structure at a position on a bottom part side relative to the certain position in the height direction, or a width in the direction intersecting the height direction of a depressed part of the depression-protrusion structure at a certain position in the height direction is less than (emphasis added) a width in the direction intersecting the height direction of the depressed part of the depression-protrusion structure at a position on the bottom part side relative to the certain position in the height direction” as set forth in the claimed combination.
Independent claim 13 is allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest: “the depression-protrusion structure of the bottom part is configured to include a plurality of protruded parts or depressed parts separate from one another arranged two-dimensionally” as set forth in the claimed combination.
Other Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Sugiyama et al. (US Pat. Pub. No. US 2023/0407969 A1) discloses an article including a width of a gap being a width that causes a capillary action, and wherein a depression-protrusion structure having a lotus effect is provided on at least one of portions opposing each other.
Konrad Franz (WO 2005/070781 A2) discloses a container comprising: a port part; a barrel part; a bottom part; and a depression-protrusion structure.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SOPHIA S CHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2133. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am - 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephanie Bloss can be reached at 571-272-3555. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SOPHIA S CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
Ssc
February 17, 2026
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