DETAILED ACTION
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, 15, and 24-33 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 2 recites the limitation "the mounting deck". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the sink basin". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the mounting deck". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the sink basin". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 24 recites the limitation "the mounting deck". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 24 recites the limitation "the sink basin". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Remaining claims are rejected due to their dependency on a rejected claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-14, and 16-23 are allowed.
Claims 2, 15, and 24-33 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record does not teach the totality of the limitations of any present independent claim, alone or in obvious combination. In particular, the prior art of record does not teach an apparatus as set forth in the claims that includes the claimed valve structure; central body; sprayface; and trigger, the trigger axially moveable such that the valve opens when in a lowered position, the trigger is biased in the raised position, the trigger is rotatably movable between first and second positions, and when the trigger is in the first position a lock prevents movement of the trigger to the lowered position. The closest prior art of record is U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200087899 by Cipriani et al. (cited by Applicant). Cipriani teaches a vessel/drinkware rinsing apparatus substantially similar to the present claimed inventions. However, it does not teach that its trigger is rotatable such that a lock prevents movement of the trigger to a lowered position when the trigger is in a first rotational position. Cipriani does not teach a locking means, and also suggests that rotation of the trigger is undesirable (see paras. 31, 38). Based on the present record and the teachings of Cipriani one of ordinary skill in the art would not have had obvious rationale to modify the apparatus of Cipriani to have the locking means set forth in the present claims.
Conclusion
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/SPENCER E. BELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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