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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 241. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 2 - 4 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.
Regarding claim 2:
“Press-type” is indefinite. The addition of the word “type” to an otherwise definite expression extends the scope of the expression so as to render it indefinite. See MPEP 2173.05(b)(III)(E).
There is a lack of antecedent basis for “the other end” in line 3. Applicant can correct the defect by reciting --a second end-- or the like.
The remaining claims are indefinite insofar as they depend from rejected base claims.
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)(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 - 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bai et al. (US 12,297,629 hereinafter Bai).
Regarding claim 1, Bai discloses a water outlet structure (fig. 7) comprising: a box body (7), a spray assembly (14), and a water pipe (321, 4, 15), the spray assembly being mounted at an opening (see fig. 9, opening below top wall 11 into which 18 seats), and the water pipe being communicated with the spray assembly (col. 5, ln. 65 - col. 6, ln. 3), and the pipe being mounted on the box body (see fig. 1); wherein the water pipe has an outlet end (15), an inlet end (321), where the outlet end is detachable connected to and communicated with the spray assembly (see fig. 9 showing the spray assembly disassembled from the box body while the outlet end is still attached), and a and a snap fit component (19, 182) mounted in the boxy body, where the spray assembly (14) snap fits (via 182) to the snap fit component.
Regarding claim 2, Bai shows one end (the back side) of the spray assembly is snap fit to the snap component, and the snap component is a press latch (see fig. 11 and that 1822 is pressed into engagement with 191 for latching), and a second end (the front side) is detachably connected to the box body.
Regarding claim 3, Bai further provides a mounting column (192) with a mounting groove (191) in the box body and a u-shaped clip (defined by legs 1822) is provided on the spray assembly, and the clip is snap fit into the groove.
Regarding claim 4, Bai further shows that the mounting groove is clearance fit (see fig. 11, gap illustrated) with the clip, and the clip has an outer end thickness that is less than an inner end thickness, see annotated figure below.
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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 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bai, as applied to claim 1, in view of Ko et al. (US 2012/0097279 hereinafter Ko).
Regarding claim 7, Bai shows all of the instant invention as discussed above, and further shows that a middle portion of the water pipe is a hose (4), but is silent as to the manner of attachment of the water inlet end passing through a hole in the box body. Attention is turned to Ko which teaches a similar water outlet structure having a box body (40) with a through hole (see fig. 8, through hole apparent near 41), with a water inlet structure 32, 31) passing through the through hole (see hashed lines) and rotatable connected thereto (note that to the extent that ‘rotatably connected’ appears to refer to a threaded connection, so too is the threaded connection of 31 to 40 via 42). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to have provided a through hole for the threaded attachment of the water inlet structure of Bai since that is a common way of connecting water inlet/valve structures to waterway structures. An express suggestion to substitute one equivalent component or process for another is not necessary in order to render such substitution obvious see MPEP §2144.06.
Claim(s) 1 - 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cipriani et al (US 10,309,084 hereinafter Cipriani) in view of Bai.
Regarding claim 1, Cipriani discloses a water outlet structure (fig. 11)(14), comprising a box body (20), a spray assembly (230, 246, 254) and a water pipe (34), the box body having an opening (circumscribed by 18)(fig. 15), the spray assembly being mounted at the opening (fig. 14)(see connector 250 withing opening circumscribed by 18) , the water pipe being communicated with the spray assembly (see flow arrows in fig. 14), and the water pipe being mounted on the box body (at 36),wherein the water pipe has a water outlet end (end of 34 attached to mixing valve, see fig. 2) and a water inlet end (32), the water outlet end (31) is detachably connected to and communicated with the spray assembly (at 250), a fastener component (234) is mounted in the box body, and the spray assembly fit to the fastener component (via 232).
Cipriani does not specify that the fastener is a snap fit component to which the spray assembly snap fits. Attention is turned to Bai which teaches a similar water outlet device (fig. 9) having a box body (17) and a snap fit component (19, 182) mounted in the body, where a spray assembly (14) snap fits (via 182) to the snap fit component. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective to have substituted the fastening component of Cipriani for a snap connector similar to that taught by Bai so that the spray assembly can be quickly detached.
Regarding claim 2, Cipriani as modified shows all of the instant invention as discussed above, and further shows that one end (the back side) of the spray assembly is snap fit to the snap component, and that under the proposed modification the snap component is a press latch (Bai, see fig. 11 and that 1822 is pressed into engagement with 191 for latching), and a second end (the front side) is detachably connected to the box body.
Regarding claim 3, Cipriani as modified further provides a mounting column (192) with a mounting groove (191) in the box body and a u-shaped clip (defined by legs 1822) is provided on the spray assembly, and the clip is snap fit into the groove.
Regarding claim 4, Cipriani as modified shows that the mounting groove is clearance fit (see fig. 11, gap illustrated) with the clip, and the clip has an outer end thickness that is less than an inner end thickness, see annotated figure above
Regarding claim 5, Cipriani as modified shows all of the instant invention as discussed above, and further shows a mounting pipe is provided at an inner end of the water pipe (34), a mounting hole extending front and back is provided in the mounting pipe, the mounting hole is communicated with the water pipe (see flow arrows), a connecting pipe section (250) is provided at a rear end of the spray assembly , a water outlet notch is provided on a side wall of the connecting pipe section, the connecting pipe section is connected to the mounting hole in an inserted mode, and the water outlet notch (221) is communicated with the water pipe, see flow arrows. See annotated figure below.
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Claim(s) 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cipriani and Bai, as applied to claim 1, in view of Bantz (US 6,823,539).
Regarding claim 9, Cipriani shows all of the instant invention as discussed above, and further shows a basin (14) comprising the water outlet structure as claimed in claim 1 (10), comprising a basin body (12) having a through groove (see fig. 14), a flange (33) protruding backward, and an edge of the box body is connected to an outer wall of the basin body (fig. 10) and is provided at a periphery of the flange (see 18), where the spraying device is in the through groove (see that 250 clear extends into the groove at figure 14)
But Cipriani does not show that the basin is a sink. Bai teaches a similar spraying device for a sink basin (col. 1, ln. 25). It would have been obvious to have provided the sprayer and overflow in a sink basin in order to have a combined inlet/outlet device if so desired by a user.
Cipriani does not show that the flange is in the through groove, instead showing that it circumscribes it. Bantz teaches a similar overflow/filler device having a rearwardly extending flange (34) which is in a through groove (see fig. 4, note that 34 extends at least partially into the groove). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to have provided the flange of Cipriani in a dimension such that it extends into the groove in order to provide good sealing between the box body and spraying device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 8 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 art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sapp et al. (US 2025/0067032) and Torak et al. (US 2025/0270797) both show a similar box spraying device of interest to the instant invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIN L DEERY whose telephone number is (571)270-1928. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Thur, 7:30am - 4:30pm; Fri 8:00am-12:00pm.
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.
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/ERIN DEERY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
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