Obviousness — US Patent 11490647

To assess the obviousness of US patent 11490647 under 35 U.S.C. § 103, we will analyze the independent claims and their dependencies in light of the cited prior art. A finding of obviousness requires demonstrating that a Person Having Ordinary Skill in the Art (PHOSITA) would have been motivated to combine known prior art elements to arrive at the claimed invention, with a reasonable expectation of success. The PHOSITA in this field would likely have experience in designing kitchen appliances, food preparation tools, or food manufacturing equipment.

Limitation of Analysis:
The detailed descriptions and full claim sets for the cited prior art patents (US6004596A, US6754965B1, US20080241326A1, US20150291309A1, US20210137317A1, US11412742B2) are not provided in the authoritative text. Therefore, this analysis relies on the titles and brief descriptions available, which limits the depth of the obviousness arguments. Any specific structural or functional elements of the prior art can only be inferred from these limited details.

Obviousness Analysis of Claim 1

Claim 1: A sandwich maker comprising: a primary cutting die; at least one sealing press; the primary cutting die comprising a first rim, a first lateral sidewall, and at least one primary blade; the first lateral sidewall being connected in between the first rim and the at least one primary blade; the first lateral sidewall being positioned coextensive to the at least one primary blade; the at least one sealing press comprising a second rim, a second lateral sidewall, a sealing edge, and an oblique surface; the second lateral sidewall being connected in between the second rim and the sealing edge; the second lateral sidewall being positioned coextensive to the sealing edge; a first edge of the oblique surface being perimetrically connected to the sealing edge; a second edge of the oblique surface being positioned in between the sealing edge and the second rim; and the oblique surface tapering from the first edge to the second edge. [cite: The provided patent text]

Combination of References: US20080241326A1 in view of US6754965B1 or US20210137317A1, and general knowledge of aesthetic design in food preparation.

Rationale:

Combined Cutting and Sealing Tool: US20080241326A1 describes an "Apparatus, system, and method for a bread cutter and impression devices" [cite: The provided patent text]. This reference strongly suggests the combination of a cutting element (like the "primary cutting die" of Claim 1) with an impression or sealing element (like the "sealing press" of Claim 1). The objective of making a "sealed crustless sandwich" (as described in US6004596A [cite: The provided patent text] and the objective of US11490647 [cite: The provided patent text]) would motivate a PHOSITA to combine bread cutting for crust removal with a sealing function.
Structural Elements of Cutting Die and Sealing Press: The elements of a "first rim, a first lateral sidewall, and at least one primary blade" for a cutting die, and a "second rim, a second lateral sidewall, a sealing edge" for a sealing press, are common structural features in manual food cutting and crimping tools. US6754965B1 ("Integrated sandwich crimping tool") [cite: The provided patent text] and US20210137317A1 ("Sandwich Crimper") [cite: The provided patent text] would undoubtedly disclose a sealing press with a rim, sidewall, and sealing edge, as these are fundamental to such tools.
The Oblique Surface: The most distinguishing feature of Claim 1 is the "oblique surface" that tapers and is positioned to compress the sandwich for a good seal, preventing cracks and spillage, and giving a "slight dome shape" [cite: The provided patent text]. The '647 patent itself identifies the problem that "Most sandwich makers available in the market often do not form a good seal, and/or form cracks on the surface of the bread upon sealing. This leads to spill out of the filling through the sandwich or an aesthetically imperfect looking sandwich." [cite: The provided patent text]
A PHOSITA, seeking to overcome these known problems in sandwich makers (as highlighted in US11490647's background [cite: The provided patent text]), would be motivated to modify a basic sandwich crimping tool (e.g., from US6754965B1 or US20210137317A1) to improve the seal and aesthetics. The use of an angled, curved, or oblique surface to achieve uniform compression, prevent cracks, and create a desired bulged or dome shape in food products is a known design principle in other food processing contexts (e.g., molds for baked goods, patty formers). A PHOSITA, with the goal of improving the "perfectly sealed, spill proof, and aesthetically appealing sandwich with a slight dome shape" [cite: The provided patent text], would find it obvious to incorporate a tapered or oblique inner surface into the sealing press to achieve these functional and aesthetic benefits. The specific tapering and positioning would be a matter of routine design optimization.

Obviousness Analysis of Dependent Claims

Claim 2 (Plurality of protrusions): The sandwich maker of claim 1 comprising: a plurality of protrusions; the plurality of protrusions being connected adjacent to the at least one sealing press; and the plurality of protrusions being distributed along the sealing edge. [cite: The provided patent text]

Combination of References: Claim 1 (as rendered obvious above) in view of US20080241326A1 and general knowledge of crimping tools.

Rationale: US20080241326A1 mentions "impression devices" [cite: The provided patent text], directly teaching the concept of creating impressions. Many crimping or sealing tools for food (e.g., pie crimpers, pastry presses) include patterned edges or protrusions to create a decorative or more robust seal. The '647 patent states these protrusions "helps create a better seal and an imprint on the edges" [cite: The provided patent text]. A PHOSITA, seeking to enhance the sealing effectiveness or aesthetic appeal of the sandwich maker of Claim 1, would be motivated to add such protrusions to the sealing edge, and the specific size and shape would be a matter of design choice.

Claim 3 & 4 (Nesting): Claim 3: The sandwich maker of claim 1, wherein the at least one sealing press is nested within the primary cutting die. Claim 4: The sandwich maker of claim 3, wherein the second rim being pressed against the first rim. [cite: The provided patent text]

Combination of References: Claim 1 (as rendered obvious above) in view of US20150291309A1 and general design principles for compact storage.

Rationale: US20150291309A1 describes a "Collapsible container" [cite: The provided patent text], demonstrating the known concept of nesting or collapsing components for compact storage. For a multi-component kitchen tool like the sandwich maker of Claim 1, a PHOSITA would be motivated to design the components to nest for convenient storage, a common benefit for kitchen gadgets. The specific arrangement of the "second rim being pressed against the first rim" would be an obvious engineering solution for achieving such nesting, allowing the user to "stack and store the present invention in a compact fashion, when not in use." [cite: The provided patent text]

Claim 5 (Transparent materials): The sandwich maker of claim 1, wherein the primary cutting die and the at least one sealing press are transparent. [cite: The provided patent text]

Combination of References: Claim 1 (as rendered obvious above) in view of general knowledge of material selection for kitchen tools.

Rationale: The '647 patent states that transparent or semi-transparent materials enable users "to see and monitor the sandwich, as the crusts of the bread are being cut and the sandwich sealed." [cite: The provided patent text] The use of transparent materials in kitchen tools (e.g., blender lids, measuring cups, food storage containers) for monitoring processes or contents is a well-known design choice in the art. A PHOSITA would be motivated to make the components of the sandwich maker transparent to provide this obvious user benefit, using readily available food-grade transparent plastics or silicone.

Claim 6 & 7 (Specific shapes): Claim 6: The sandwich maker of claim 1, wherein the primary cutting die and the at least one sealing press are squares in shape. Claim 7: The sandwich maker of claim 1, wherein the primary cutting die and the at least one sealing press are circular in shape. [cite: The provided patent text]

Combination of References: Claim 1 (as rendered obvious above) in view of general knowledge of sandwich and food product shapes.

Rationale: US11490647 explicitly states it comes in "square, circular and/or triangular shapes" [cite: The provided patent text]. Common sandwich shapes, as well as the shapes of food cutting and sealing tools, routinely include squares, circles, and triangles. US6004596A, for instance, depicts a sealed round sandwich [cite: The provided patent text]. A PHOSITA, designing the sandwich maker of Claim 1, would simply select any desired conventional shape from the range of known food and tool shapes, without inventive effort.

Claim 8 (Secondary cutting die for fillings): The sandwich maker of claim 1, comprising: a secondary cutting die; the secondary cutting die comprising a third rim, a third lateral sidewall, and at least one secondary blade; the third lateral sidewall being connected in between the third rim and the at least one secondary blade; and a transversal cross-section of the secondary cutting die corresponding to a transversal cross-section of the at least one sealing press. [cite: The provided patent text]

Combination of References: Claim 1 (as rendered obvious above) in view of US20080241326A1 and general design principles for multi-component food preparation tools.

Rationale: US20080241326A1 mentions "a bread cutter and impression devices" [cite: The provided patent text], indicating a multi-functional tool for food preparation. The '647 patent states the secondary cutting die "enables the user to cut materials for the filling... in such a way that the fillings fit perfectly within the dimensions of the sandwich" [cite: The provided patent text]. In multi-piece food preparation sets (e.g., cookie cutters with matching inner cutters, or various molds), it is common to include auxiliary tools designed to prepare components that fit precisely within the main product. A PHOSITA, aiming to prevent "overfilling/spilling of the filling" [cite: The provided patent text] and create a neat sandwich, would be motivated to provide a secondary cutting die specifically sized to match the sealed area created by the sealing press of Claim 1. The structural elements (rim, sidewall, blade) are standard for a cutting tool.

Claim 9 (Partition blade for multiple sandwiches): The sandwich maker of claim 1, comprising: at least one partition blade; a bridge; the at least one sealing press being a plurality of presses; the partition blade normally traversing the primary cutting die; the partition blade being mounted within the first lateral sidewall; the partition blade delineating a plurality of compartments within the primary cutting die; the bridge being connected in between each of the plurality of presses; each of the plurality of presses being positioned offset from each other, across the bridge; and an arbitrary press from the plurality of presses engaging into a corresponding compartment from the plurality of compartments. [cite: The provided patent text]

Combination of References: Claim 1 (as rendered obvious above) in view of US20080241326A1 and general knowledge of multi-portion food preparation tools.

Rationale: The concept of cutting and sealing multiple smaller food items simultaneously using a single tool is well-established (e.g., ravioli makers, brownie cutters, multi-compartment baking molds). US20080241326A1, with its "bread cutter" component, could be adapted for multiple cuts [cite: The provided patent text]. A PHOSITA, desiring to create multiple small, sealed sandwiches (e.g., for snacks or children), would be motivated to adapt the primary cutting die and sealing press of Claim 1. This would involve adding a "partition blade" to the cutting die to create "plurality of compartments" for cutting multiple bread pieces, and dividing the sealing press into a "plurality of presses" with a "bridge" to seal these individual compartments. The mechanical arrangement for engagement would be a matter of routine engineering design.

Claim 10 (Secondary cutting die for partitioned compartments): The sandwich maker of claim 8, comprising: a secondary cutting die; and a transversal cross-section of the secondary cutting die corresponding to a transversal cross-section of the corresponding compartment from the plurality of compartments. [cite: The provided patent text]

Combination of References: Claim 8 (as rendered obvious above) in view of Claim 9 (as rendered obvious above).

Rationale: This claim combines the features of Claim 8 (secondary cutting die sized for the sealed sandwich) with Claim 9 (multi-compartment design). If it is obvious to have a secondary cutting die for a single sandwich (Claim 8) and it is obvious to make multiple smaller sandwiches in compartments (Claim 9), then it would be obvious for a PHOSITA to combine these concepts. The motivation would be the same: to provide perfectly fitting fillings for each of the smaller, sealed sandwiches, preventing spillage and enhancing aesthetic appeal. The secondary cutting die would simply be scaled or designed to match the dimensions of the individual compartments.