DETAILED ACTIONNotice 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 .
Preliminary Amendment
Receipt is acknowledged of the preliminary amendment filed on 08/13/2025.
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, 3-5, 7-10, 13-16, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Flaig (DE 202020103744 U1, reference is made to the provided machine translation of this reference attached to this Office Action).
Re: Claim 1, Flaig discloses the claimed invention including a replaceable refill unit configured to be affixed to a door handle (40) (Fig. 1, Para. 35, mounted to door handle); comprising:
a fluid container (28) configured to retain a sanitizing fluid (Para. 13, 37, sanitizing fluid); and
a distribution manifold (10) having at least one dispenser (12) disposed therein, the distribution manifold configured to distribute the sanitizing fluid from the fluid container to the dispenser, the dispenser configured to dispense the sanitizing fluid (Para. 45, dispenses fluid).
Re: Claim 3, Flaig discloses the claimed invention including the sanitizing fluid is gravity-fed from the fluid container to the distribution manifold (Para 37, fed by gravity).
Re: Claim 4, Flaig discloses the claimed invention including the fluid container and the distribution manifold are removably coupled to one another (Para. 37, removably screw connected).
Re: Claim 5, Flaig discloses the claimed invention including the fluid container and the distribution manifold are affixed to one another (Para. 37, affixed to one another).
Re: Claim 7, Flaig discloses the claimed invention including each dispenser comprises a spring (30) (Fig. 2a) configured to prevent flow of the sanitizing fluid out of the dispenser when in a first compressed state (Depicted in Fig. 3a) and to dispense the sanitizing fluid when further compressed by a user (Figs. 3b-3c, Para. 45, prevents fluid flow then compressed by user to dispense).
Re: Claim 8, Flaig discloses the claimed invention including the fluid container is refillable (Para. 14, container is refilled).
Re: Claim 9, Flaig discloses the claimed invention including the distribution manifold is configured to be disposed within a door handle (Fig. 1, Para. 67, manifold is inserted into the door handle)
Re: Claim 10, Flaig discloses the claimed invention including the distribution manifold is configured to be disposed within a door handle such that the door handle provides a sanitizing portion (14) and a non-sanitizing portion (surface of 40) (Fig. 1, Para. 67, manifold is inserted into the door handle)
Re: Claim 13, Flaig discloses the claimed invention including an adaptor (56) configured to removably affix the replaceable refill unit to an exterior of a door handle (Fig. 1, Para. 67, adapter is inserted onto the door handle to replaceably affix).
Re: Claim 14, Flaig discloses the claimed invention including an adaptor configured to removably affix the replaceable refill unit to an interior of a door handle (Fig. 1, Para. 67, adapter is inserted into the door handle to replaceably affix).
Re: Claim 15, the rejections from claims 1-3 cover the limitations recited in this claim
Re: Claim 16, the rejection from claim 7 above covers the limitations recited in this claim.
Re: Claim 19, Flaig discloses the claimed invention including a sanitizing fluid (Para. 13, 37, sanitizing fluid).
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(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Flaig (DE 202020103744 U1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Roberts et al. (US 2013027/0279966 A1).
Re: Claim 6, Flaig disclose the claimed invention except for a plurality of dispensers. However, Roberts teaches a plurality of dispensers (44, 45) (Fig. 4 and 6, Para. 75, plurality of dispensers).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to include a plurality of dispensers as taught by, since Roberts states in para. 74 that such a modification provides for greater dispersion across the handle of sanitizing fluid, and further it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Claim(s) 11, 12, 17, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Flaig (DE 202020103744 U1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Vicente (US Patent No. 9,123,257).
Re: Claim 11, 12, 17, and 18, Flaig disclose the claimed invention except for perforated/permeable plastic membrane. However, Vicente teaches a dispenser (22) comprising a liquid permeable perforated (36) plastic membrane (20) through which the sanitizing liquid is dispensed (Fig. 4 and 6, Col. 5, lines 10-15, plastic membrane with perforations for liquid permeation).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to include a membrane as taught by Vicente, since Vicente states in column 5, lines 10-12, 35-45 that such a modification provides a flexible plastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene or other inert material that is not affected by the sanitizing liquid, and provides a surface for spreading the pressure force on the dispenser for greater dispersion of the liquid thereon, while also helping to prevent the ingress of foreign particles into the device.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. References cited on the PTO-892 are provided for disclosing dispensers for dispersing fluid along a surface.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES P. CHEYNEY whose telephone number is (571)272-9971. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.
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/CHARLES P. CHEYNEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
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