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 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, 5-6, 8-9, 12, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Goh (USP 6,561,379).
Regarding claim 1, Goh discloses a compact container comprising:
a housing (1b) having an opening at an end of the housing (see “the interior is practically divided into two chambers” in column 4 lines 64-65); and
a tray (1b) configured to hold small items (see column 4 lines 64-67) and to slide into and out of the housing (see “one fits slightly within the other” in column 5 lines 47-50).
Regarding claim 2, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 1, wherein the housing (1b) further includes an additional opening (12) to dispense one or more small items (see Figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 2, wherein the additional opening (12) is located at an opposing end of the housing from the opening (see Figure 1).
Regarding claim 5, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 2, wherein the housing (1b) further includes a door (2) to cover the additional opening (see Figure 4).
Regarding claim 6, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 5, wherein the door (2) is biased to cover the additional opening (see column 6 lines 19-24).
Regarding claim 8, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 6, wherein the door (2) is biased to cover the opening using one or more mechanical interfaces (see column 6 lines 19-24).
Regarding claim 9, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 5, wherein the door (2) is attached to a portion of the housing with a hinge (4) and is configured to open and expose the additional opening for dispensing the one or more small items by rotating around the hinge (see Figures 1, 3, and 4).
Regarding claim 12, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 5, wherein the door is further configured to prevent the one or more small items from passing through the opening when the door covers the additional opening (see Figure 4).
Regarding claim 20, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 1, wherein tray further includes one or more anchors (see “a longitudinal rib” in column 4 lines 55-67), the one or more anchors configured to engage with one or more receptacles (see “spaced extensions” in column 4 lines 55-67) of the housing to secure the tray within the housing (see Figure 1), and wherein the one or more anchors are configured to disengage from the one or more receptacles based on force applied to at least one of a portion of the housing or a portion of the tray (see “ridge and depression elements” in column 5 lines 43-47).
Claim(s) 1, 2, and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Steinbauer et al. (USP 12,288,439).
Regarding claim 1, Steinbauer et al. disclose a compact container comprising:
a housing (2204) having an opening at an end of the housing (Figures 22A-22B); and
a tray (2208) configured to hold small items (see column 39 lines 42-44) and to slide into and out of the housing (see column 39 lines 44-48).
Regarding claim 2, Steinbauer et al. disclose the compact container of claim 1, wherein the housing (2204) further includes an additional opening to dispense one or more small items (see Figures 22A-22B).
Regarding claim 4, Steinbauer et al. disclose the compact container of claim 2, wherein the tray includes a plurality of walls having a gap and the gap aligns with the additional opening when the tray is inserted into the housing allowing the one or more small items to pass through the gap and the additional opening for dispensing (see Figures 22A-22B and 25E).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goh (USP 6,561,379) as applied to claims 1-3, 5-6, 8-9, 12, and 20 above, and further in view of Gu et al. (USP 11,696,873).
Regarding claim 7, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 6. However, Goh does not disclose a container wherein the door is biased to cover the opening using one or more magnets. Gu et al. disclose a container wherein the door is biased to cover the opening using one or more magnets (see Figure 4). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the container disclosed by Goh by including a container wherein the door is biased to cover the opening using one or more magnets, as disclosed by Gu et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a magnetic clamping arrangement for a door (see column 5 lines 26-64).
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goh (USP 6,561,379) as applied to claims 1-3, 5-6, 8-9, 12, and 20 above, and further in view of Strohl (USP 11,234,460).
Regarding claim 10, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 5. However, Goh does not disclose a container wherein the door is configured to slide to open and expose the additional opening for dispensing the one or more small items. Strohl discloses a container wherein the door is configured to slide to open and expose the additional opening for dispensing the one or more small items (see Figures 1-2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the container disclosed by Goh by including a container wherein the door is configured to slide to open and expose the additional opening for dispensing the one or more small items, as disclosed by Strohl, with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a door in the form of a slidable panel (see column 3 lines 3-11).
Regarding claim 11, Goh in view of Strohl disclose the compact container of claim 10. Furthermore, Strohl discloses a container wherein the door is further configured to slide to close and cover the additional opening to prevent the one or more small items from passing through the opening (see Figures 1-2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the container disclosed by Goh by including a container wherein the door is further configured to slide to close and cover the additional opening to prevent the one or more small items from passing through the opening, as disclosed by Strohl, with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a door in the form of a slidable panel (see column 3 lines 3-11).
Claim(s) 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goh (USP 6,561,379) as applied to claims 1-3, 5-6, 8-9, 12, and 20 above, and further in view of Bailey et al. (USP 9,248,935).
Regarding claim 13, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 1. However, Goh does not disclose a container wherein the tray includes at least one dividing wall. Bailey et al. disclose a container wherein the tray includes at least one dividing wall (see Figure 1B). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the container disclosed by Goh by including a container wherein the tray includes at least one dividing wall, as disclosed by Bailey et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a divider wall so that there are multiple storage compartments (see column 7 lines 4-23).
Regarding claim 14, Goh in view of Bailey et al. disclose the compact container of claim 13. Furthermore, Bailey et al. discloses a container wherein the at least one dividing wall divides the tray into two or more regions (see Figure 1B). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the container disclosed by Goh by including a container wherein the at least one dividing wall divides the tray into two or more regions, as disclosed by Bailey et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a divider wall so that there are multiple storage compartments (see column 7 lines 4-23).
Claim(s) 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goh (USP 6,561,379) as applied to claims 1-3, 5-6, 8-9, 12, and 20 above, and further in view of Gelardi (USPGPUB 2005/0205598).
Regarding claim 15, Goh discloses the compact container of claim 5. However, Goh does not disclose a container wherein the tray includes a covered channel. Gelardi discloses a container wherein the tray includes a covered channel (46). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the container disclosed by Goh by including a container wherein the tray includes a covered channel, as disclosed by Gelardi, with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a holding reservoir with a chute (see paragraph [0026]).
Regarding claim 16, Goh in view of Gelardi disclose the compact container of claim 15. Furthermore, Gelardi disclose a container wherein the covered channel includes an opening (42), and the opening (42) of the covered channel aligns with the additional opening (18) when the tray (12) is inserted into the housing (50) allowing the one or more small items disposed in the covered channel to pass through the opening of the covered channel and the additional opening for dispensing (see Figure 5). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the container disclosed by Goh by including a container wherein the covered channel includes an opening, and the opening of the covered channel aligns with the additional opening when the tray is inserted into the housing allowing the one or more small items disposed in the covered channel to pass through the opening of the covered channel and the additional opening for dispensing, as disclosed by Gelardi, with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a holding reservoir with a chute that funnels objects to a conveyor pocket (see paragraph [0026]).
Regarding claim 17, Goh in view of Gelardi disclose the compact container of claim 16. Furthermore, Gelardi disclose a container wherein the covered channel is configured to prevent one or more small items disposed in the covered channel from being seen when the tray is removed from the housing (see Figures 4-5). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the container disclosed by Goh by including a container wherein the covered channel is configured to prevent one or more small items disposed in the covered channel from being seen when the tray is removed from the housing, as disclosed by Gelardi, with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a holding reservoir with a chute that funnels objects to a conveyor pocket (see paragraph [0026]).
Regarding claim 18, Goh in view of Gelardi disclose the compact container of claim 17. Furthermore, Gelardi disclose a container wherein the tray further comprises a covered-channel door, the covered-channel door configured to cover the opening of the covered channel (see Figures 4-6). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the container disclosed by Goh by including a container wherein the tray further comprises a covered-channel door, the covered-channel door configured to cover the opening of the covered channel, as disclosed by Gelardi, with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a holding reservoir with a chute that funnels objects to a conveyor pocket (see paragraph [0026]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 19 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: dependent claim 19 discloses, “wherein the covered-channel door is configured to engage with the door such that opening the door opens the covered channel door allowing the one or more small items disposed in the covered-channel to pass through the opening of the covered channel and the additional opening for dispensing” which, in combination with the rest of claims 1, 2, 5, and 15-18, disclose an apparatus that is novel over the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL COLLINS whose telephone number is (571)272-8970. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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M.K.C.
6/12/2026
/MICHAEL COLLINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
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