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
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.
(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.
Claims 1-3, 5, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin (20080014384 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Lin discloses a seasoning dispenser (item 1, figure 1), comprising a seasoning dispenser body (item 10, figure 1), a light emitting portion (items 20 and 30, figure 1) and a switch (item 33, figure 2), wherein a first end of the seasoning dispenser body is provided with a discharge port (item 12, figure 2), and a second end of the seasoning dispenser body is connected to the light emitting portion (items 10 and 20, figure 2; ¶ [0010]);
the switch is connected to the light emitting portion (figure 2; ¶ [0010]-[0011]);
and an upper portion or a middle portion of the light emitting portion is light-transmissive (item 20, figure 1; ¶ [0010]).
Regarding claim 2, Lin discloses the seasoning dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting portion comprises a light emitting mechanism (items 31, 32, 33, and 34, figure 2; ¶ [0010]);
the light emitting mechanism comprises a lamp bead (item 34, figure 2);
and the lamp bead is located on the middle portion of the light emitting portion, such that the lamp bead emits light upward (item 34, figure 2; ¶ [0010]).
Regarding claim 3, Lin discloses the seasoning dispenser according to claim 2, wherein a diameter of the upper portion of the light emitting portion is less than a diameter of a lower portion of the light emitting portion (top of item 20 and bottom of item 30, figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 5, Lin discloses the seasoning dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting portion comprises a light emitting mechanism (items 31, 32, 33, and 34, figure 2; ¶ [0010]);
the light emitting mechanism comprises a lamp bead (item 34, figure 2) and a printed circuit board (PCB) (item 31, figure 2);
the lamp bead and the switch are electrically connected to the PCB (figure 2);
and the PCB is connected to a battery (item 32, figure 2; ¶ [0010]).
Regarding claim 8, Lin discloses the seasoning dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the light emitting portion comprises a shell (item 20, figure 2) and a base (item 30, figure 2);
the shell is connected to the base (figure 2; ¶ [0010]);
a sidewall or an upper end of the shell is light-transmissive (¶ [0010]);
and the light emitting mechanism is connected to the base (items 31, 32, 33, and 34 housed within item 30, figure 2; ¶ [0010]).
Claims 1 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Arthey (WO 2017006084 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Arthey discloses a seasoning dispenser (item 1, figure 1), comprising a seasoning dispenser body (items 9 and 13, figure 1), a light emitting portion (item 6, figure 1), and a switch (item 25, figure 1), wherein a first end of the seasoning dispenser body is provided with a discharge port (item 17, figure 1), and a second end of the seasoning dispenser body is connected to the light emitting portion (items 6 and 9 connected, figure 1);
the switch is connected to the light emitting portion (pg. 16, lines 24-25);
and an upper portion or a middle portion of the light emitting portion is light-transmissive (pg. 14, lines 20-23).
Regarding claim 7, Arthey discloses the seasoning dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the seasoning dispenser body is a grinder (pg. 15, lines 16-19), and the grinder may be an electric grinder (pg. 20, lines 8-20).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin first embodiment (figures 1 and 2) in view of Lin second embodiment (figures 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 4, Lin first embodiment discloses the seasoning dispenser according to claim 1, but is silent on a lower side of a protrusion is provided with a light transmissive plate.
Lin second embodiment discloses a seasoning dispenser (item 1, figure 3) according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting portion (item 30, figure 4) is provided with a protrusion (see annotated figure 4 below);
a lamp bead (item 34, figure 4) is provided in the protrusion;
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and a lower side of the protrusion is provided with a light transmissive plate (item 20, figure 4; ¶ [0013])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention
was made to arrange the light emitting portion (items 20 and 30) of Lin first embodiment in the way taught by Lin second embodiment because Lin expressly discloses the arrangement of these parts are not restricted, and the change yields predictable results (¶ [0013]).
Claims 6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Arthey.
Regarding claim 6, Lin discloses the seasoning dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the seasoning dispenser body is a shaker bottle (¶ [0011]).
However, Lin does not expressly state that the light emitting portion is detachably connected to the shaker bottle.
Arthey discloses the seasoning dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting portion is detachably connected to the seasoning dispenser body (figure 5; claim 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention
was made to allow the light emitting portion of Lin to be detachably connected to the seasoning dispenser body as taught by Arthey in order to allow a user to refill seasoning and use the dispenser while the batteries are recharging/replaced (see Arthey claim 5; pg. 18, lines 2-13).
Regarding claim 9, Lin discloses the seasoning dispenser according to claim 8, but is silent on a charging connector.
Arthey discloses a charging connector (item 1643, figure 17) and a chagrining hole cooperating with the charging connector is formed in the shell (portion where item 1643 is inserted, figure 17; pg. 22, lines 13-31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention
was made to provide the PCB of Lin with a charging connector as taught by Arthey in order to recharge the seasoning dispenser conveniently without the need to remove batteries (see Arthey pg. 7, lines 18-26).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Centanin (FR 2502481 A1; translation attached).
Regarding claim 10, Lin discloses the seasoning dispenser according to claim 1, but is silent on an anti-theft and alarm module.
Centanin discloses a seasoning dispenser (item 1, figure 1), comprising an anti-theft module (items 7 and 9, figure 1) and an alarm module (item 8, figure 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention
was made to provide the light emitting portion of Lin with an anti-theft and alarm module as taught by Centanin in order to prevent a theft and significant loss, as seasoning dispensers are expensive.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NOAH J ARIF whose telephone number is (571)272-9620. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
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/NOAH JACOB ARIF/ Examiner, Art Unit 3754
/PAUL R DURAND/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3754 October 7, 2026
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