Patent Application 18731670 - SYSTEM AND METHOD TO COUNT PILLS - Rejection

Patent Application 18731670 - SYSTEM AND METHOD TO COUNT PILLS

Title: SYSTEM AND METHOD TO COUNT PILLS

Application Information

• Invention Title: SYSTEM AND METHOD TO COUNT PILLS
• Application Number: 18731670
• Submission Date: 2025-04-09T00:00:00.000Z
• Effective Filing Date: 2024-06-03T00:00:00.000Z
• Filing Date: 2024-06-03T00:00:00.000Z
• Examiner Employee Number: 81102
• Art Unit: 2876
• Tech Center: 2800

Rejection Summary

• 102 Rejections: 2
• 103 Rejections: 1

Cited Patents

The following patents were cited in the rejection:

• US 6004020🔗

Office Action Text

    0-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)(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.

Claim(s) 20, 22, 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Bartur (US 6004020).
Bartur discloses
20. A replaceable replenishment container for a pill counting device, the replaceable replenishment container comprising: 
a product container 80 comprising an open end, wherein the product container is configured to receive a plurality of pills via the open end (c17: 64-66: “When the adaptor 1800 is coupled to an automatic filling station, medication may be provided to the canister 80 through the opening 1850”; and 
a sleeve 90 configured to receive and retain the product container by inserting an open end of the sleeve over the open end of the product container (Figs. 1-2), 
wherein the sleeve comprises a latch assembly 90 configured to retain the product container in a closed position or an open position, 
wherein, while in the closed position, at least one face of the product container covers an opening in at least one face of the sleeve (i.e. Fig. 1-2); and 
while in the open position, the opening in the at least one face of the sleeve is at least partially unobstructed by the at least one face of the product container to allow release the plurality of pills from the product container (Fig. 2: delivery drum 120 allows release of a pill in each revolution).  
22.20, wherein the sleeve comprises channel guides (see grooves 73) configured to align with guide channels on a docking assembly of the pill counting device when inserted into the docking assembly.  
24.20, wherein the sleeve and the product container each comprise tabs (see tabs at notch 94, Fig. 1) that align when in the closed position, wherein a connection mechanism may be inserted through the tabs of the sleeve and the product container to prevent separation of the sleeve and the product container.
Claim(s) 20-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Hawry (US 20200115102).
20. A replaceable replenishment container for a pill counting device, the replaceable replenishment container comprising: 
a product container 150, 550 comprising an open end 130, 530, wherein the product container is configured to receive a plurality of pills via the open end; and 
a sleeve 205, 605 configured to receive and retain the product container by inserting an open end of the sleeve over the open end of the product container, 
wherein the sleeve comprises a latch assembly 230 configured to retain the product container in a closed position or an open position, 
wherein, while in the closed position, at least one face of the product container covers an opening in at least one face of the sleeve (i.e. Fig. 2); and 
while in the open position, the opening in the at least one face of the sleeve is at least partially unobstructed by the at least one face of the product container to allow release the plurality of pills from the product container (Fig. 4, 12: the opening at opened end of the sleeve is partially unobstructed to allow pills to be taken).  
Re claim 21.20, wherein the latch assembly of the sleeve comprises an aperture 230 configured to receive a resilient button 170 of the product container, wherein, when the resilient button is aligned with the aperture, the resilient button is configured to protrude through the aperture to prevent movement of the product container relative to the sleeve.  
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.

Claim(s) 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bartur (US 6004020) in view of Pether (US 20160058661)
Re claim 23.22, Bartur is silent to a sleeve comprises a locking tab configured to interface with a locking solenoid of the docking assembly to secure the sleeve to the docking assembly 
Pether discloses sleeve comprises a locking tab (260) configured to interface with a locking solenoid of the docking assembly to secure the sleeve to the docking assembly (par. 85)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Pether by providing a tab similar to Pether so that the container and the sleeve can be prevented from unauthorized separation.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Thien T. Mai whose telephone number is 571-272-8283.  The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-5:00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steve S. Paik can be reached at 572-272-2404.  The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Thien T Mai/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2887