/MARISA V CONLON/Examiner, Art Unit 3643 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 .
This is the first Office Action on the merits. Claims 1-15 are currently pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
(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, 10-13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lan et al. (CN 119837054 A), hereafter referred to as “Lan”.
Regarding claim 1, Lan discloses a pet water dispenser (figs. 1-13), comprising an integrally formed housing (housing shown in fig. 9; see attached machine translation at paragraph [n0042]), wherein a bottom of the housing is provided with a water inlet (fig. 9 where element 9 attaches to the housing), and a water outlet (8) is provided on a peripheral side of the housing (fig. 9; see also figs. 3-4);
a water pump module (9; fig. 9) and a power supply module (6; fig. 9) are arranged in the housing (fig. 9), the power supply module is electrically connected to the water pump module (machine translation, paragraphs [n0007], [n0037], and [n0044]), and the water pump module is configured to pump liquid from the water inlet to the water outlet (machine translation, paragraph [n0010]).
Regarding claim 10, Lan discloses the pet water dispenser according to claim 1, and further discloses that an inner wall of the housing is provided with a water flow channel (21; fig. 9);
one end of the water flow channel is connected to the water outlet (8; fig. 9 showing one end of 21 connected to 8), and the other end is connected to the water pump module (fig. 9 showing the other end of 21 connected to 9).
Regarding claim 11, Lan discloses the pet water dispenser according to claim 10, and further discloses that the power supply module (6) is arranged adjacent to the water flow channel (21; fig. 9).
Regarding claim 12, Lan discloses the pet water dispenser according to claim 11, and further discloses that the water flow channel (21) is integrally formed with the housing (fig. 9).
Regarding claim 13, Lan discloses the pet water dispenser according to claim 12, and further discloses that the water flow channel (21) is arranged from top to bottom along a height direction of the housing (fig. 9).
[AltContent: textbox (Annotated Figure 9 of Lan.)]
Regarding claim 15, Lan discloses the pet water dispenser according to claim 1, and further discloses that the power supply module (6) includes a battery bracket installed within the housing and a battery fixedly arranged on the battery bracket (see annotated figure 9 of Lan above).
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.
Claims 2-3, 8-9, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lan as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yan et al. (CN 222090495 U), hereafter referred to “Yan”.
Regarding claim 2, Lan teaches the pet water dispenser according to claim 1, but does not explicitly teach that a filter element module is detachably connected to the water inlet;
the filter element module includes a filter element bracket detachably connected to the housing, and a filter element installed within the filter element bracket;
the filter element bracket is provided with a plurality of water inlet holes, the filter element closely adjoins the water inlet, and the filter element is configured to filter to filter water entering the housing.
Yan teaches a pet water dispenser (figs. 1-8) including a filter element module (330, 331, 332, 320; fig. 7) is detachably connected to a water inlet (see inlet where element 341 locates in fig. 7);
the filter element module includes a filter element bracket (330) detachably connected to a housing (500; fig. 3), and a filter element (320; figs. 6-7) installed within the filter element bracket (figs. 6-7);
the filter element bracket is provided with a plurality of water inlet holes (a plurality of openings where 332 locates; figs. 6-7), the filter element closely adjoins the water inlet (figs. 2-4), and the filter element is configured to filter to filter water entering the housing (element 320 includes a slot 321, which would necessarily filter large particles and debris from entering the water inlet; fig. 7).
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 water dispenser of Lan to include a filter element module is detachably connected to the water inlet, the filter element module includes a filter element bracket detachably connected to the housing, and a filter element installed within the filter element bracket, the filter element bracket is provided with a plurality of water inlet holes, the filter element closely adjoins the water inlet, and the filter element is configured to filter to filter water entering the housing, as taught by Yan, in order to mitigate debris and particles from entering the pump and water outlet.
Regarding claim 3, Lan in view of Yan teaches the pet water dispenser according to claim 2, and Lan further teaches a water storage container (2; fig. 5), wherein the housing is detachably connected to the water storage container (machine translation, paragraph [n0048]), the bottom of the housing is connected with a water-level detector (12; figs. 6-7), and the water-level detector is configured to detect a water level in the water storage container (machine translation, paragraph [n0035]).
Regarding claim 8, the combined teachings of Lan in view of Yan teaches the pet water dispenser according to claim 2, and Yan further teaches that the filter element module (330, 331, 332, 320; fig. 7) is engaged with the water inlet (see inlet where element 341 locates in fig. 7) through a snap-fit connection (machine translation, paragraph [n0074]).
Regarding claim 9, the combined teachings of Lan in view of Yan teaches the pet water dispenser according to claim 8, and Yan further teaches that the water inlet holes (331, 332) are distributed on bottom and peripheral sides of the filter element bracket (330; fig. 7).
Regarding claim 14, Lan in view of Yan teaches the pet water dispenser according to claim 1, and further appears to teach that the water pump module includes an impeller and an impeller driving part, a fixed end of the impeller driving part is fixed inside the housing, and a rotational center of the impeller is connected to an output end of the impeller driving part (fig. 7 and machine translation, paragraph [n0042], suggesting that element 9 would necessarily include an impeller to draw water from element 2), but does not explicitly teach the above limitation.
Yan further teaches the water dispenser, where the water pump module (310, 340; figs. 6-7) includes an impeller (fins of 310; figs. 6-7 and machine translation, paragraph [n0074]) and an impeller driving part (cylinder portion of 310; fig. 7 and machine translation, paragraph [n0074]), a fixed end of the impeller driving part is fixed inside a pump housing (fig. 6), and a rotational center of the impeller is connected to an output end of the impeller driving part (figs. 6-7 and machine translation, paragraph [n0074]).
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 water dispenser of Lan in view of Yan to include an impeller and an impeller driving part, a fixed end of the impeller driving part is fixed inside the housing, and a rotational center of the impeller is connected to an output end of the impeller driving part, as further taught by Yan, in order to effectively draw water from the water storage container and out the water outlet (Yan, machine translation at paragraph [n0074]).
Claims 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lan in view of Yan as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Tao (US 20210282369 A1), hereafter referred to “Tao” and Wu et al. (US 20210176958 A1), hereafter referred to as “Wu”.
Regarding claim 4, Lan in view of Yan teaches the pet water dispenser according to claim 2, Yan further teaches the filter element bracket with a single installation chamber (fig. 7), but does not explicitly teach that the filter element bracket includes a first installation chamber and a second installation chamber, the filter element is installed in the first installation chamber, and the water-level detector extends into the second installation chamber.
Tao teaches a pet water dispenser pump (figs. 1-8) a water-level detector (5; paragraph [0043]) at the level of a pump (2; fig. 4).
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 water dispenser of Lan in view of Yan to extend the water-level detector to the level of the pump, as taught by Tao, in order to mitigate damage to the pump mechanism by moving the detector to the level of the pump to sense when water is no longer surrounding the pump intake (paragraph [0043] of Tao).
In addition, 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 water dispenser of Lan in view of Yan and Tao, such that the filter element bracket covers the water-level sensor such that it extends into the filter element bracket, in order to mitigate debris from affecting the functionality of the sensor.
Wu teaches a pet water dispenser (figs. 1-7) including a filter bracket element (12; figs. 5-6) where the filter element bracket includes a first installation chamber (chamber that receives element 13; fig. 6 and paragraphs [0078], [0086]-[0089]) and a second installation chamber (region where element 12 locates in fig. 5), the filter element is installed in the first installation chamber (fig. 6).
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 device of Lan in view of Yan such that the filter element bracket includes a first installation chamber and a second installation chamber, as taught by Wu, in order to accommodate the geometry of the pump and filter elements, and since it is 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.
The combined teachings of Lan, Yan, and Tao would result in including the filter element bracket with a first installation chamber and a second installation chamber, the filter element is installed in the first installation chamber, and the water-level detector extends into the second installation chamber.
Regarding claim 5, the combined teachings of Lan in view of Yan, Tao, and Wu teaches the pet water dispenser according to claim 4, and Wu further teaches a filter element (13; paragraph [0061]) that has a larger volume than that of the first installation chamber (region of 12 where element 13 is inserted in fig. 6; paragraphs [0078], [0086]-[0089], teaching that 13 is a sponge that is similar size to the notch 14; it is noted that sponges naturally expands when wetted, resulting in a larger volume).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the device of Lan in view of Yan and Tao, to include a filter element that has a larger volume than that of the first installation chamber, in order to further improve the filter effect and mitigate debris from entering the pump (paragraph [0088] of Wu).
Regarding claim 6, the combined teachings of Lan in view of Yan, Tao, and Wu teaches the pet water dispenser according to claim 5, and Wu further teaches that the filter element (13) has elasticity (paragraph [0088]) and forms an interference fit with the filter element bracket (fig. 6), thereby fixing the filter element on the filter element bracket (fig. 6).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lan in view of Yan as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Zou (US 20240057552 A1), hereafter referred to “Zou” and Xue (US 20230157259 A1), hereafter refered to as “Xue”.
Regarding claim 7, Lan in view of Yan teaches the pet water dispenser according to claim 2, but does not explicitly teach that an induction radar is fixed on the housing, and the induction radar is communicatively connected to the water pump module;
the induction radar is configured to detect moving animals with a distance range of 0.6-1.5m, when a moving animal is detected, the induction radar sends a working signal to the water pump module, and the water pump module activates to pump water.
Zou teaches a pet water dispenser (figs. 1-28) including an induction radar (218; fig. 5 and paragraph [0075]) fixed on a housing (200; fig. 5 and paragraph [0075]), and the induction radar is communicatively connected to a water pump module (paragraph [0075]);
the induction radar is configured to detect moving animals, when a moving animal is detected, the induction radar sends a working signal to the water pump module, and the water pump module activates to pump water (paragraph [0075]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the device of Lan in view of Yan to include an induction radar is fixed on the housing, and the induction radar is communicatively connected to the water pump module, the induction radar is configured to detect moving animals, and when a moving animal is detected, the induction radar sends a working signal to the water pump module, and the water pump module activates to pump water, as taught by Zou, in order to save power by dispensing water only when a pet is detected by the device (paragraphs [0075]-[0076] of Zou).
Xue teaches a pet water dispenser (figs. 1-5) including an induction sensor configured to detect moving animals with a distance range of 0.6-1.5m (paragraph [0037]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the device of Lan in view of Yan and Zou such that the induction radar is configured to detect moving animals with a distance range of 0.6-1.5m, as taught by Xue, in order to further save power by dispensing water only when the pet is within range of the device (paragraph [0037]).
Conclusion
The cited prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure. The references have many of the elements in the applicant’s disclosure and claims.
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/H.J.B./Examiner, Art Unit 3643
/MARISA V CONLON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3643