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 Objections
The following claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
There is a lack of antecedent basis for:
“the water“ in claim 1, line 5;
A double inclusion limitation appears for the following terms that has been cited previously:
In claim 2, line 4, for "water".
In claim 9, line 6; and claim 13, line 3; in claim 14, line 2, for “water”.
In claim 6, for “ambient air”.
Appropriate corrections are required.
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)(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.
Claims 1-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vollmer (US 2023/0338892)
Regarding claim 1, Vollmer discloses a portable beverage machine (fig.1-7) comprising: a housing assembly (fig.1C); an air-to-water generation assembly positioned within the housing assembly ([0045]); a water storage assembly (135) mounted to the housing assembly configured to store and sanitize the water collected by the water generation assembly ([0045], [0066]); and a beverage generation assembly (140) positioned within the housing assembly and adapted to utilize the sanitized water stored in the water storage assembly to produce beverages ([0066]).
Regarding claim 2, Vollmer discloses the air-to-water generation assembly comprises: a frame (frame holding 105, see fig.1C-D); a desiccant wheel (105) mounted to the frame for adsorbing water from ambient air ([0045]); a heater unit (110) positioned adjacent to a regeneration section of the desiccant wheel (see fig.1A); a water condenser tank (117) connected to the frame for collecting condensed water ([0047]).
Regarding claim 3, Vollmer discloses the air-to-water generation assembly further comprises a motor (107) secured to the frame and configured to rotate the desiccant wheel ([0045]).
Regarding claim 4, Vollmer discloses the air-to-water generation assembly further comprises an air duct with a first end and a second end (duct within frame covering 105).
Regarding claim 5, Vollmer discloses the air-to-water generation assembly further comprises a lateral fan (125) operatively coupled to the air duct (see fig.1C).
Regarding claim 6, Vollmer discloses a second end of the air duct is secured to the frame and designed to direct ambient air through a process section of the desiccant wheel. (atmospheric air via 105).
Regarding claim 7, Vollmer discloses the heater unit is secured to the frame and comprises: a heating element (110); and a heater duct operatively coupling the heating element to regeneration section of the desiccant wheel (see fig.1A and 1C).
Regarding claim 8, Vollmer discloses the water condenser tank comprises an inlet configured to intake exhaust air from the regeneration section of the desiccant wheel (see fig.1C, the inlet and outlet of 117).
Regarding claim 9, Vollmer discloses the water storage assembly comprises: a filter chamber (130) configured to filter impurities from condensed water received from the air-to-water generation assembly, wherein the filter chamber comprises an outlet (see fig.1C); a storage tank (135), wherein the storage tank comprises and inlet and outlet; and a pump (132) for transmitting water from the filter chamber outlet to the storage tank inlet.
Regarding claim 10, Vollmer discloses the water storage assembly further comprises a water sanitization subassembly ([0004]).
Regarding claim 11, Vollmer discloses the water sanitization subassembly comprises a UV light positioned within the storage tank and operatively connected to a printer circuit board (PCB); wherein the PCB, when the tank is mounted on the housing assembly, is configured to operatively connect to a control panel positioned within the housing assembly ([0004], UV in tank, [0090], PCB).
Regarding claim 13, Vollmer discloses the beverage generation assembly comprises:
a heater subassembly (110) comprising a pump (via 132) for transmitting water from the water storage assembly to the heater subassembly; and a pod subassembly positioned at the top of the housing assembly ([0066]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12 and 14-15 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.
State of the Prior Arts
Regarding claim 1, the prior arts to Vollmer (US 2023/0338892), Forsberg (US 6,058,718), Morgan (US 8,028,536), Sher (WO 2006026494 A1), Ritchey (US 2008/0314062), Dorfman (US 9,795,895) and Cupit (WO 2020229791 A1) as cited in PTO-892, either individually or in combination are disclosing/teaching significant pertinent structures or features to the applicant’s claimed invention with regard to a portable beverage machine having a housing assembly; an air-to-water generation assembly positioned within the housing assembly; a water storage assembly mounted to the housing assembly configured to store and sanitize the water collected by the water generation assembly; and a beverage generation assembly positioned within the housing assembly and adapted to utilize the sanitized water stored in the water storage assembly to produce beverages. It appears that claim 1 does not provide any inventive concept over the cited prior arts.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bob Zadeh whose telephone number is (571)270-5201. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm E.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Paul Durand can be reached at (571) 272-4459. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BOB ZADEH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
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