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 § 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 10, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai (DE 202021102623 U1) in view of Marciano (5765242).
As to claim 10, Tsai discloses faucet system comprising: a faucet 10 including a spout (top portion of Fig 1) having a water outlet 20; an ozone generator 31 fluidly coupled to the faucet and configured to provide ozone in water delivered from the water outlet; a controller 33 operably coupled to the ozone generator; and a fan 32 operably coupled to the controller.
Tsai fails to disclose fan details. Marciano teaches a fan 86 including an air inlet spaced apart from the air outlet 90, a motor 84, a shaft (Fig 4), and a propeller 85.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Tsai with a fan having a motor connected by a shaft to the propeller and spaced apart inlet/outlet as taught by Marciano for purpose of automatic easy control.
As to claim 14, the controller 33 is configured to activate the fan (by motor in view of Marciano) when the ozone generator is operating (since ozone generation using fan air).
Claim(s) 1, 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cobb et al (20180186655) in view of Im (KR 20110020345 A).
Regarding claim(s) 1, Cobb discloses a faucet system comprising: a faucet 50,1 including a faucet body having a spout (above hub of valve 50 in Fig 6) configured to deliver fluid from an outlet (outlet of 12): a water treatment device 10 fluidly coupled to the faucet; a controller 40,27 in electrical communication with the water treatment device and configured to control the water treatment device.
Cobb fails to disclose a fan mounted on faucet body directing air to water delivered from spout outlet. Im teaches a faucet comprising a spout (water passage from right side inlet) having an outlet (to portion of faucet housing with fan 1) and fan 1 mounted on faucet body directing air to water delivered from spout outlet.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Cobb with a fan mounted on faucet body directing air to water delivered from spout outlet as taught by Im for purpose of water saving. Since the controller 40,27 is an overall water treatment controller, it would have been obvious to have the fan also be controlled by controller 40,27 in order to provide unified overall control.
As to claim 7, Cobb discloses a user input device (touch controls 40) configured to provide an electrical signal to the controller to activate the water treatment device (Para 35). Cobb fails to disclose ser input device (touch controls 40) on the faucet body.
As to claim 8, Cobb as modified discloses touch controls but fails to disclose the user input device as a push button. However, Official Notice is taken that push buttons as control input, for the purpose of giving instructions to electronic control are widely known and notoriously old in the art. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to employ push buttons as control input mechanism in the device of Cobb as modified for the purpose of giving instructions to electronic control as is widely known and notoriously old in the art.
As to claim 9, Cobb as modified discloses a hub (Fig 8 base portion of faucet with handle 50) supporting the spout. Since the a single faucet is serving double sinks 2 (Fig 2), it is clear the spout is rotatable to serve both sinks as is customary.
Claim(s) 2-4, 10-14, 16-21, 23, 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cobb et al (20180186655) in view of Im (KR 20110020345 A) further in view of Marciano (5765242).
As to claim 2, Cobb as modified (as shown by Im) teaches a fan 1 including an air inlet 2 spaced apart from the air outlet but fails to disclose fan details. Marciano teaches a fan 86 including an air inlet spaced apart from the air outlet 90, a motor 84, a shaft (Fig 4), and a propeller 85.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Cobb as modified with a fan having a motor connected by a shaft to the propeller as taught by Marciano for purpose of automatic easy control.
As to claim 3, Cobb discloses the water treatment device 10 is an ozone generator 23 configured to provide ozone in the water.
As to claim 4, Cobb as modified (in view of Im) teaches the fan for mixing air to the spout discharge, which therefore would run when water including ozonated water is discharged, i.e., when ozone generator is running.
As to claim 10,11, Cobb discloses a faucet system comprising: a faucet 1 including a spout (above hub of valve 50 in Fig 6) having a water outlet; an ozone generator 10 fluidly coupled to the faucet and configured to provide ozone in water delivered from the water outlet; a controller 40,27 operably coupled to the ozone generator; and a fan operably coupled to the controller, the fan including an air inlet, an air outlet, an electric motor, a shaft rotatably supported by the motor, and a propeller operably coupled to the shaft and positioned intermediate the air inlet and the air outlet.
Cobb fails to disclose a fan mounted on faucet body directing air to water delivered from spout outlet. Im teaches a faucet comprising a spout (water passage from right side inlet) having an outlet (to portion of faucet housing with fan 1) and fan 1 mounted on faucet body directing air to water delivered from spout outlet.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Cobb with a fan mounted on faucet body directing air to water delivered from spout outlet as taught by Im for purpose of water saving. Since the controller 40,27 is an overall water treatment controller, it would have been obvious to have the fan also be controlled by controller 40,27 in order to provide unified overall control.
Cobb as modified (as shown by Im) teaches a fan 1 including an air inlet 2 spaced apart from the air outlet but fails to disclose fan details. Marciano teaches a fan 86 including an air inlet spaced apart from the air outlet 90, a motor 84, a shaft (Fig 4), and a propeller 85.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Cobb as modified with a fan having a motor connected by a shaft to the propeller as taught by Marciano for purpose of automatic easy control.
As to claim 12, 13, Cobb as modified discloses a hub (Fig 8 base portion of faucet with handle 50) supporting the spout. Since the a single faucet is serving double sinks 2 (Fig 2), it is clear the spout is rotatable to serve both sinks as is customary. As such the fan mounted on spout (in view of Im) would rotate with spout.
As to claim 14, Cobb as modified (in view of Im) teaches the fan for mixing air to the spout discharge, which therefore would run when water including ozonated water is discharged, i.e., when ozone generator is running.
As to claim 16, Cobb discloses a user input device (touch controls 40) configured to provide an electrical signal to the controller to activate the water treatment device (Para 35). Cobb fails to disclose ser input device (touch controls 40) on the faucet body.
As to claim 17, Cobb as modified discloses touch controls but fails to disclose the user input device as a push button. However, in accordance with Official Notice (taken above for claim 8) push buttons as control input, for the purpose of giving instructions to electronic control are widely known and notoriously old in the art. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to employ push buttons as control input mechanism in the device of Cobb as modified for the purpose of giving instructions to electronic control as is widely known and notoriously old in the art.
As to claim 18, Cobb discloses a faucet 1 comprising a hub (Fig 8 base portion of faucet with handle 50); a spout (above hub of valve 50 in Fig 6) supported by the hub and including a water outlet.
Cobb shows spout mounted on hub but fails to disclose a fan mounted on faucet directing air to water delivered from spout outlet. Im teaches a faucet comprising a spout (water passage from right side inlet) having an outlet (to portion of faucet housing with fan 1) and fan 1 mounted on spout directing air to water delivered from spout outlet.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Cobb with a fan mounted on faucet body directing air to water delivered from spout outlet as taught by Im for purpose of water saving. Since the controller 40,27 is an overall water treatment controller, it would have been obvious to have the fan also be controlled by controller 40,27 in order to provide unified overall control.
Cobb as modified (as shown by Im) teaches a fan 1 including an air inlet 2 spaced apart from the air outlet but fails to disclose fan details. Marciano teaches a fan 86 including an air inlet spaced apart from the air outlet 90, a motor 84, a shaft (Fig 4), and a propeller 85.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the system disclosed by Cobb as modified with a fan having a motor connected by a shaft to the propeller as taught by Marciano for purpose of automatic easy control.
As to claim 19, Cobb discloses ozone generator 10 fluidly coupled to the spout.
As to claim 20, Cobb discloses a controller 40,27 in electrical communication with the ozone generator and configured to control the ozone generator.
As to claim 21, Cobb discloses the controller 40,27 is an overall water treatment controller, it would have been obvious to have the fan also be controlled by controller 40,27 in order to provide unified overall control. Cobb as modified (in view of Im) teaches the fan for mixing air to the spout discharge, which therefore would run when water including ozonated water is discharged, i.e., when ozone generator is running.
As to claim 23, Cobb discloses a user input device (touch controls 40) configured to provide an electrical signal to the controller to activate the water treatment device (Para 35). Cobb fails to disclose ser input device (touch controls 40) on the faucet body.
As to claim 24, Cobb as modified discloses touch controls but fails to disclose the user input device as a push button. However, in accordance with Official Notice (taken above for claim 8) push buttons as control input, for the purpose of giving instructions to electronic control are widely known and notoriously old in the art. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to employ push buttons as control input mechanism in the device of Cobb as modified for the purpose of giving instructions to electronic control as is widely known and notoriously old in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 5, 6, 15, 22 is/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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Atif Chaudry at phone number 571-270-3768. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (9:30AM-6:00PM EST).
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/ATIF H CHAUDRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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