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Patent No. 6205950

Pet Toilet-Like Water Disk and Food Storage

One pet-friendly inventor patented "a device for watering pets, e.g., a dog or cat." The device, he helpfully noted, "has the general shape of a toilet."

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Class 118 - Coating apparatus

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348 Subclasses


Subclasses list

Definition

This is the generic class for apparatus for applying or obtaining a surface coating on a base and/or apparatus for impregnating base materials and takes all such apparatus not provided for in other classes.

The coating obtained may be permanent or transitory. The coating may be supplied solely by extraneous materials, as in a painting or waxing operation, or may be supplied wholly or in part by the base materials as in the formation of an oxide coating on a metal base. The coating may consist of an emulsion, dispersion, solution, admixture or oil which is clearly disclosed as leaving a residual film, layer or continuous deposit on the base. However, mere application of water to a base is excluded and classified elsewhere in generic liquid contact class or other appropriate related liquid contact classes even where the stated function is to lubricate, coat or protect the base. See Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, below, for additional discussion concerning exclusions.

The class also provides for apparatus for preparing the base for the coating operation, subsequent treatment of the coated base and ancillary noncoating apparatus, per se, when there is no class which specifically provides therefor. The treatment of the surface coating may be by application of water or other solvent alone, e.g., where a sponge supported on a fixed base is disclosed as applying water to a stamp to moisten the coating thereon. On the other hand, application of water or a solvent to a coated surface to remove the coating or to clean it without otherwise modifying it, would be excluded from Class 118 and classified in the appropriate surface treating class.

To be classified in this class the work treated must not be a part of the coating machine itself but must be an article separate and distinct therefrom. Machines having as a part thereof means to condition or prepare the machine are generally classified with the art that provides for the particular machine, but see MOLD OR DIE COATING, for an exception to the line.

For other coating apparatus, per se, see Lines With Other Classes, below.

Lines with other classes and within this class

EXCLUSIONS

Mere application of water to a base is excluded and classified in generic liquid contact Class 134 or other appropriate related liquid contact classes even where the stated function is to lubricate, coat or protect the base. However, see the class definition of Class 134, (2) Note, "Coating and Impregnating", paragraph (b).

COATING COMBINED WITH OTHER OPERATIONS

Many classes provide for coating or impregnating combined with apparatus for other operations. In general, the assignment of patents has been on the basis of the noncoating operation where apparatus for performing such operation is claimed. However, this class does provide for certain combinations, as set forth in the various subclass titles above and including subclass 75 in the class schedule. By way of example, this class provides for the combination of coating apparatus and cutting or punching apparatus (subclass 35); this class also provides for coating apparatus combined with means to prepare the work to receive the coating (subclass 72). For combinations of coating and noncoating devices excluded from this class, see References to Other Classes below referencing Coating Combined with Other Operations.

B. COATING APPARATUS, PER SE, FOUND ELSEWHERE

Certain classes provide for coating apparatus, per se. Classification of patents is in these classes when coating subclasses occur in such art class and are defined to receive such patents. These locations are detailed in References to Other Classes, below.

C. TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR LEATHER

Class 118 provides the generic place for coating textile or leather work, including the working of the textile or leather, except (1) where a chemical reaction takes place between the coating and the work, or (2) where the means to work the textile or leather before, during or after the coating treatment is other than to modify the coating. For example, this class provides for textile or leather coating apparatus having working means to insure proper coating or impregnation (subclass 427 by way of example) or having means to modify the coating on the work (subclasses 100+), but does not provide for combination of coating devices and means to work the base for other purposes.

For coating of textiles or leather excluded from Class 118, see References to Other Classes, below.

D. MOLD OR DIE COATING

Class 118 provides in appropriate subclasses for apparatus for coating molds or casting dies where no more of the molding or casting apparatus is claimed than is necessary to present the mold or die to the coating device or station. The coating which is applied must act to promote or perfect the molding operation and must not be a constituent part of the molded product such as a chocolate shell for a filled chocolate candy. Excluded from this class also are mold coating arrangements where application of the coating is dependent at least in part on the use of the apparatus in a molding operation as where heat from the molten material vaporizes a coating material for deposit on the mold surfaces.

Also see References to Other Classes, below, referencing this section.

E. MOLDED, SHAPED OR CONFIGURED COATINGS

This class (118) provides for apparatus for the application of coating material to restricted areas of the work such as in stripes, bands or spots (subclasses 211+, 301 and 406). In subclasses 321 and 323 may be found apparatus in which a spray gun is manipulated to apply the coating in a particular pattern. This class also provides for devices for modifying the coating by removing certain portions of it from the work (subclass 102). This class also provides for apparatus for producing configured coatings applied to base under the control and/or direction of electrical, magnetic or radiant energy applied to the coating material in a predetermined pattern (subclasses 620+).

For molded, shaped or configured coating excluded from this class, see References to Other Classes, below.

F. COATING EDIBLE MATERIALS, ANIMAL BODIES AND VEGETATION

This class provides for apparatus for applying fluent coating material to foodstuffs. By fluent material is meant any material which flows or may be handled like a liquid or fluid substance. By way of example, flour, salt or sugar are considered to be fluent materials.

This class does not provide for the application of material handled as discrete units to the work, such as nut meats, which are positioned individually on the work. This class does not provide for the treatment of living animals and does not provide for the treatment of growing plants. For subject matter for coating edible materials, etc., excluded from this class, see References to Other Classes, below

G. THE LINE BETWEEN CLASS 118 AND CLASS 239

The line between Class 118 and Class 239 is as follows: Class 118 provides for spray type coating devices having means to handle or manipulate the work relative to the spray device (subclasses 300+). Class 118 also provides for spray system wherein the coating apparatus control means is responsive to the presence or absence of work (subclasses 2+). Class 118 also provides for spray type coating devices which are supported by or traverse the surface of the work and in which the direction of motion of the spray type device is controlled by the law of the machine, rather than by direct manipulation of the operator.

Class 239 takes spraying or scattering systems, per se, where no work handling structure is recited in the claims. Class 239 also takes work surface supported and traversing spray type coating devices in which the direction of motion of the carriage is determined at the will of the operator. The presence of guide structure which merely aids in the determination of the direction of motion by the operator does not exclude the subject matter from Class 239. By way of example, devices for spray painting a stripe on the surface of a road having a guide for aiding the operator in maintaining the direction of the painting device can be found in Class 239; devices for spray painting a stripe on a roadway having means engaging the edge of the road, which means positively limits the direction of motion of the device once the device is put into operation, can be found in Class 118 (subclass 305). In Class 239 the device may have a shield, guard or deflector to confine the distributed material; however, if the material is discharged through a stencil or applied in a particular predetermined pattern, the device is excluded from Class 239 and is found in Class 118 (subclass 301).

In the matter of a railway car traveling and being guided on rails, if the discharge is directed at the rails, the device may be found in Class 118 (subclass 307); if, however, the discharge is directed at the ground on either side or between the rails, the device can be found in Class 239. Lawn Sprinklers which traverse a hose, supported on the ground are found in Class 239 (subclass 748) since the ground on both sides of the hose (equivalent to the rail in the example cited above) is being sprayed.

In regard to the mixing with fluid and spraying of particulate solids, the line between Class 118 and Class 239 is as follows: In the absence of a work surface or support claimed in relation to the spray apparatus, (which indicates classification in Class 118), devices which add the particulate solids to fluid and discharge the mixture through a claimed terminal element recognized for Class 239, or devices which add particulate solids downstream of a recited terminal element of the Class 239 type in an unobstructed or unconfined space are classified in Class 239; devices which add particulate solids to fluid discharging from an opening or nozzle (nominal of specific) in a confining and guiding chamber or pipe with or without flow guides therein and discharging the mixture from the chamber or pipe through a mere opening or unmodified outlet, are classified in Class 118.

Apparatus comprising a container for nonfluid material and a scattering or strewing means for the material will be found in Class 239, subclasses 650+.

 
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