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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Status of Claims
Below is the Final Action on the Merit for Claims 1 – 3, 7, 9 – 14, 17 – 21 and 23 – 27. Claims 4 – 6, 8, 15 – 16 and 22 are cancelled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Amended claim 1 recites the limitations “the shaft is held between and by the first contact pad, second contact pad, and contact surface biasing arm at the plane, and wherein the first contact pad, second contact pad, and contact surface biasing arm are circumferentially distributed around the biasing collar within the plane”. The new limitations do not find support in the specifications or the Figures. Applicant has provided Fig. 4B as support for the amendments but support cannot be determined from these figures as Applicant has amended Figures to show elements not there and further in positions that do not represent the actual location. Applicant is advised to show where support can be found in the specification or the cancel the limitations as they are directed toward new matter.
Claims 2 – 3, 7, 9 – 14, 17 – 21 and 23 – 27 are further rejected as dependents of rejected claim
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 1– 3, 7, 9 – 14, 17 – 21 and 23 – 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sokol et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018/0250109 A1) in view of Lin (U. S. Patent No. 11,096,768 B1) and Chiang (U. S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0010872 A1).
Regarding Independent Claim 1, Sokol teaches a brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) for an oral cleansing device (sonic toothbrush and flosser, 110), the brush head (325) comprising: a brush body (423) defining a shaft cavity (Fig. 28); a biasing collar (shaft retainer, 430) housed within the shaft cavity (Fig. 27) of the brush body (423), the biasing collar comprising: a first and second contact pad (retaining posts, 435) formed on a surface of the biasing collar (430) and extending at least partially into the shaft cavity (Fig. 28); and a biasing arm (base cylinder, 525; Fig. 31A) and extending at least partially into the shaft cavity (Fig. 28), wherein the biasing arm (525) exerts a biasing force towards the one or more contact pads (435; Paragraph [0149]) and a retainer (422) comprising an engagement arm (496) that abuts against an interior surface of the brush body (Paragraph [0148] - The alignment rib 496 may mate with opposing structures within the sidewalls of the tip shaft 423).
Sokol does not teach first and second contact pads formed on an interior surface of a biasing collar, wherein the one or more contact pads abut a shaft inserted into the brush body and extending at least partially into the shaft cavity, and a biasing arm formed along a longitudinal axis of the biasing collar; wherein the biasing arm exerts a biasing force onto the shaft and towards the first and second contact pads and wherein the first contact pad, second contact pad, such that the shaft is held between and by the first contact pad, second contact pad and biasing arm; the biasing arm are circumferentially distributed around the biasing collar or the engagement arm flexes.
Lin, however, teaches brush head (brush head body, 21; Fig. 2 ) for an oral cleansing device (electric toothbrush; Fig. 1) the brush head comprising: a brush body (Fig. 2) defining a shaft cavity (mounting hole, 211; Fig. 2); a biasing collar (23) housed within the shaft cavity (211) of the brush body (Fig. 2); first and second contact pads (limiting portions, 2341; and slopes 2342; Figs. 3 and 6) formed on an interior surface of a biasing collar (23) at a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of the biasing collar (23; Annotated Fig. 6), wherein the first and second contact pads (2341) abut a shaft (driving shaft, 11) inserted into the brush body (Fig. 2) and extending at least partially into the shaft cavity (211; Fig. 2), and a biasing arm (elastic element, 24 with arms 2423; Fig. 2) formed along a longitudinal axis (Fig. 6) of the biasing collar (23; Fig. 6) to exert a biasing force onto the shaft at the plane to bias the shaft towards the first and second contact pads (Col. 3, lines 10 – 39); wherein the biasing arm (2423) comprises a contact surface (2423; Col. 4, lines 4 – 21) defining a bottom most surface (2426; Fig. 4) that is positioned closest to the longitudinal axis, such that the shaft (11) is held between and by the first contact pad (2341), second contact pad (2341) and contact surface (Fig. 6); and wherein the first contact pad (2341), second contact pad (2341), and contact surface (2423) biasing arm are circumferentially distributed around the biasing collar (23; Fig. 6).
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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 brush head of Sokol to further include first and second contact pads formed on an interior surface of a biasing collar, wherein the one or more contact pads abut a shaft inserted into the brush body and extending at least partially into the shaft cavity, and a biasing arm formed along a longitudinal axis of the biasing collar; wherein the biasing arm exerts a biasing force onto the shaft and towards the first and second contact pads, as taught by Lin, to provide a snug connection between the brush head and brush body, thus preventing any unintentional disconnection during use.
Lin explicitly teaches the biasing arm exerting a force but does not explicitly teach that the shaft is held between and by the first contact pad, second contact pad, and contact surface biasing arm at the plane, and wherein the first contact pad, second contact pad, and contact surface biasing arm are circumferentially distributed around the biasing collar within the plane; however, Examiner notes that the applicant fails to provide any criticality in having the specific configuration provides any unexpected result and where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed by the prior art discovering the optimum or workable locations involves only routine optimization and experimentation to one of ordinary skill in the art. In re Alter, 105 USPQ, 233.
Chiang, further teaches a retainer (23) comprising an engagement arm (Annotated Fig. 5) that flexes when the brush body (21) is positioned on the shaft (12) to abut against and interion surface of the brush body (21; Figs. 6 and 7).
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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 brush head to further include an engagement arm that flexes, as taught by Chiang, to provide a snug connection between the brush head and brush handle, thus preventing any unintentional disconnection during use.
Regarding Claim 2, Sokol, as modified, teaches the brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) further comprising: a bristle support (brush head, 424; Fig. 27) extending from the brush body (423); and a plurality of bristles (bristle tufts, 327) coupled to the bristle support (424), wherein the biasing arm (525) is configured to increase the biasing force as a brushing force is applied to one or more of the plurality of bristles (327; Paragraphs [0149] – [0150] and [0158])).
Regarding Claim 3, Sokol, as modified, teaches the brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) wherein the biasing force is configured to bias a shaft (brush shaft, 320) received within the shaft cavity (Fig. 29) against the first and second contact pads (435 via the base cylinder, 525).
Regarding Claim 7, Sokol, as modified, teaches the brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) wherein the retainer (alignment insert, 422; Fig. 27) is positioned within the shaft cavity (Fig. 28), the retainer (422) is configured to engage the shaft received within the shaft cavity (Paragraph [0152]) to couple the shaft to the brush body (423).
Regarding Claim 9, Sokol, as modified, teaches the brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) wherein the engagement arm (496) is defined as an arm formed integrally with a body of the retainer (422; Fig. 30).
Sokol does not teach the engagement arm is defined as a cantilevered arm, however, 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 brush head of Sokol to further include the engagement arm is defined as a cantilevered arm, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in shape/size of a component. A change in shape/size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding Claim 10, Sokol, as modified, teaches the brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) wherein the engagement arm (496) is converted to a simple supported beam after insertion of the shaft into the cavity (Paragraph [0148]).
Regarding Claim 11, Sokol, as modified, teaches the brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) wherein the engagement arm (496) comprises a retention feature defined on an interior surface (The inner side of the alignment rib 496 mates with the alignment tip 490 on the brush shaft 320 in order to align the brush tip 325 appropriately on the brush shaft 320), wherein the retention feature is configured to engage an outer surface of a shaft received within the shaft cavity (Paragraph [0148]).
Regarding Claim 12, Sokol, as modified, teaches the brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) wherein the inner side of the alignment rib 496 mates with the alignment tip 490 on the brush shaft 320 in order to align the brush tip 325 appropriately on the brush shaft 320 and further preventing the retainer from moving relative to a shaft received within the shaft cavity but does not explicitly teach the retainer further comprises a keyed surface defined on an interior surface of the retainer, wherein the keyed surface is configured to prevent the retainer from moving.
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 brush head of Sokol to further include the retainer further comprises a keyed surface defined on an interior surface of the retainer, wherein the keyed surface is configured to prevent the retainer from moving, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in shape/size of a component. A change in shape/size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding Independent Claim 13, Sokol teaches a coupling assembly (430) that is inserted into a proximal end of a brush body, the coupling assembly (430; Fig. 28) comprising: a first and second contact pad (435) formed on a surface of the coupling assembly (4330) a biasing arm (525) partially extending into the shaft cavity (Fig. 28), wherein the biasing arm (525) exerts a biasing force in a direction towards the shaft cavity(Paragraph [0149]), an engagement arm (496) that abuts against an interior surface of the brush body (Paragraph [0148] - The alignment rib 496 may mate with opposing structures within the sidewalls of the tip shaft 423).
Sokol does not teach first and second contact pads formed on an interior surface of a biasing collar; wherein the first contact pad abuts a shaft inserted into the brush body and extends at least partially into a shaft cavity; a second contact pad, formed on the interior surface of the biasing collar, wherein the second contact pad abuts the shaft inserted into the brush body and extends at least partially into the shaft cavity; a biasing arm formed along a longitudinal axis of the biasing collar; the biasing arm flexes inwards toward the shaft cavity and exerts a biasing force in a direction towards the first and second contact pads and the shaft cavity, and wherein the first contact pad, the second contact pad, and the biasing arm are circumferentially distributed around the biasing collar, the engagement arm flexes outwardly.
Lin, however, teaches brush head (brush head body, 21; Fig. 2 ) for an oral cleansing device (electric toothbrush; Fig. 1) the brush head comprising: a brush body (Fig. 2) defining a shaft cavity (mounting hole, 211; Fig. 2); a biasing collar (23) housed within the shaft cavity (211) of the brush body (Fig. 2); first and second contact pads (limiting portions, 2341; Fig. 6) at a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of the coupling assembly (Annotated Fig. 6) wherein the first contact pad (2341) abuts a shaft (11) inserted into the brush body and extends at least partially into a shaft cavity (211) ;a second contact pad (2341), formed on the interior surface of the biasing collar (23), wherein the second contact pad (2341) abuts the shaft (11) inserted into the brush body and extends at least partially into the shaft cavity (211; Fig. 2), and a biasing arm (elastic element, 24 with arms 2423; Fig. 2) formed along a longitudinal axis (Fig. 6) of the biasing collar (23; Fig. 6); wherein the biasing arm (2423) flexes inwards toward the shaft cavity and comprises a contact surface (2426) defining a bottom most surface that is positioned closest to the longitudinal axis at the plane (Annotated Fig. 6) exerts a biasing force in a direction towards the first (2341) and second (2341) contact pads and the shaft cavity (231; Figs. 6 and 8) such that the shaft (11) is held between and by the first contact pad (2341), second contact pad (2341) and biasing arm (2423; Col. 4, lines 4 – 21, and wherein the first contact pad (2341) at the plane (Annotated Fig. 6), second contact pad (2341), and biasing arm (2423) are circumferentially distributed around the biasing collar (23; 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 brush head of Sokol to further include first and second contact pads formed on an interior surface of a biasing collar; a biasing arm formed along a longitudinal axis of the biasing collar; the biasing arm flexes inwards toward the shaft cavity and exerts a biasing force in a direction towards the contact pad and the shaft cavity, as taught by Lin, to provide a snug and secure connection between the brush head and brush body, thus preventing any unintentional disconnection during use.
Lin explicitly teaches the biasing arm exerting a force but does not explicitly teach that the shaft is held between and by the first contact pad, second contact pad, and contact surface biasing arm at the plane, and wherein the first contact pad, second contact pad, and contact surface biasing arm are circumferentially distributed around the biasing collar within the plane; however, Examiner notes that the applicant fails to provide any criticality in having the specific configuration provides any unexpected result and where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed by the prior art discovering the optimum or workable locations involves only routine optimization and experimentation to one of ordinary skill in the art. In re Alter, 105 USPQ, 233.
Chiang, further teaches a retainer (23) comprising an engagement arm (Annotated Fig. 5) that flexes outwardly (Fig. 5) when the brush body (21) is positioned on the shaft (12) to abut against and interion surface of the brush body (21; Figs. 6 and 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 brush head to further include an engagement arm that flexes outwardly, as taught by Chiang, to provide a snug connection between the brush head and brush handle, thus preventing any unintentional disconnection during use.
Regarding Claim 14, Sokol, as modified, teaches coupling assembly (430), comprising a retention feature (inner surface of alignment insert, 422) configured to engage an outer surface of the shaft (Fig. 28).
Regarding Claim 17, Sokol, as modified, teaches coupling assembly (430)comprises a retainer (422) comprising an engagement arm (496).
Regarding Claim 18, Sokol, as modified, teaches coupling assembly (430)wherein the engagement arm (496) comprises a retention feature formed on an interior surface thereof and configure to engage an outer surface of the shaft (ribs, 496 form a portion of the inner surface of the insert, 422, and this surface is engaged with the shaft of the device as it is inserted into the head as shown in Fig. 28).
Regarding Claim 19, Sokol, as modified, teaches the coupling assembly (430)wherein the inner side of the alignment rib 496 mates with the alignment tip 490 on the brush shaft 320 in order to align the brush tip 325 appropriately on the brush shaft 320 and further preventing the retainer from moving relative to a shaft received within the shaft cavity but does not explicitly teach a keyed surface defined on an interior surface thereof, wherein the keyed surface is configured to engage with a corresponding keyed surface on the shaft to prevent rotation of the shaft relative to the retainer.
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 brush head of Sokol to further include a keyed surface defined on an interior surface thereof, wherein the keyed surface is configured to engage with a corresponding keyed surface on the shaft to prevent rotation of the shaft relative to the retainer, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in shape/size of a component. A change in shape/size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding Claim 20, Sokol, as modified, teaches coupling assembly (430) further comprising a plurality of bristles (327) coupled to the brush body (423) opposite an opening to the shaft cavity (Fig. 27).
Regarding Claim 21, Sokol, as modified teaches coupling assembly (430) wherein the biasing arm (525) is converted to a simple supported beam after insertion of the shaft into the cavity (Fig. 28).
Sokol does not teach the biasing arm is defined as a cantilevered arm, however, 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 brush head of Sokol to further include the biasing arm is defined as a cantilevered arm, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in shape/size of a component. A change in shape/size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding Independent Claim 23, Sokol teaches a brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) for an oral cleansing device (sonic toothbrush and flosser, 110), the brush head (325) comprising: a brush body (423) defining a shaft cavity (Fig. 28); a plurality of bristles (bristle tufts, 327) coupled to the brush body (423) opposite an opening to the shaft cavity (Fig. 28); a retainer (422) comprising an engagement arm (496), wherein the engagement arm (496) abuts against an interior surface of the brush body (Paragraph [0148]); a biasing collar (430) housed within the opening of the shaft cavity (Fig. 28) of the brush body (423), the biasing collar (430) having a center axis (Fig. 31B), the biasing collar (430) comprising: a first contact pad (435), formed on a surface of the biasing collar (430; Fig. 31A); a second contact pad (435), formed on the surface of the biasing collar (430), wherein the first and second contact pads (435) are coupled to the brush body (423) and extend at least partially into the shaft cavity (Fig. 28), and wherein the first contact pad (435) and the second contact pad (435) are positioned on opposite sides of the center axis of the biasing collar (430; Fig. 31A); and a biasing arm (525) formed on the biasing collar (430) and extending at least partially into the shaft cavity (Fig. 28), and wherein the biasing arm (525) exerts a biasing force towards the one or more contact pads (Paragraph [0149]), and wherein the first contact pad (435), the second contact pad (435), and the biasing arm (525) distributed around the biasing collar.
Sokol does not teach a first and second contact pad formed on an interior surface of the biasing collar; and a biasing arm formed along a longitudinal axis of the biasing collar; wherein the first contact pad, the second contact pad, and the biasing arm distributed around the biasing collar, or an engagement arm flexes outwardly.
Lin, however, first and second contact pads (2341; Fig. 6) formed on an interior surface of a biasing collar (23), and a biasing arm (spring element, 30; Fig. 3) formed along a longitudinal axis (3) of the biasing collar (11; Fig. 3); a contact surface (2426) defining a bottom most surface that is positioned closest to the longitudinal axis (Fig. 6); wherein the biasing arm (elastic element, 24 with arms 2423; Fig. 2) exerts a biasing force onto the shaft (11; Col. 4, lines 4 – 21) and towards the first and second contact pads (2341); wherein the first contact pad (2341) at plane transverse to the center axis (Annotated Fig. 6), such that the shaft (11) is held between and by the first contact pad (2341), second contact pad (2341) and biasing arm (2423; Col. 4, lines 4 – 21) at plane transverse to the center axis (Annotated Fig. 6); the second contact pad (2341), and the biasing arm (2423) distributed around the biasing collar. (23; 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 brush head of Sokol to further include a first and second contact pad formed on an interior surface of the biasing collar; and a biasing arm formed along a longitudinal axis of the biasing collar, as taught by Lin, to provide a snug connection between the brush head and brush body, thus preventing any unintentional disconnection during use.
Lin explicitly teaches the biasing arm exerting a force but does not explicitly teach that the shaft is held between and by the first contact pad, second contact pad, and contact surface biasing arm at the plane, and wherein the first contact pad, second contact pad, and contact surface biasing arm are circumferentially distributed around the biasing collar within the plane; however, Examiner notes that the applicant fails to provide any criticality in having the specific configuration provides any unexpected result and where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed by the prior art discovering the optimum or workable locations involves only routine optimization and experimentation to one of ordinary skill in the art. In re Alter, 105 USPQ, 233.
Chiang, further teaches a retainer (23) comprising an engagement arm (Annotated Fig. 5) that flexes outwardly (Fig. 5) when the brush body (21) is positioned on the shaft (12) to abut against and interion surface of the brush body (21; Figs. 6 and 7) when a shaft for an oral cleaning device is inserted in to the shaft cavity (Figs. 6 and 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 brush head to further include an engagement arm that flexes outwardly, as taught by Chiang, to provide a snug connection between the brush head and brush handle, thus preventing any unintentional disconnection during use.
Regarding Claim 24, Sokol, as modified, teaches the brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) for an oral cleansing device of claim 23.
Sokol does not teach the engagement arm is defined as a cantilevered arm formed integrally with a body of the retainer.
Chiang, however, teaches the engagement arm (Annotated Fig. 5) is defined as a cantilevered arm (Annotated Fig. 5) formed integrally with a body of the retainer (23).
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 brush head to further include the engagement arm is defined as a cantilevered arm formed integrally with a body of the retainer, as taught by Chiang, to provide a snug connection between the brush head and brush handle, thus preventing any unintentional disconnection during use.
Regarding Claim 25, Sokol, as modified, teaches the brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) for an oral cleansing device of claim 24.
Sokol does not teach the engagement arm is converted to a simple supported beam after insertion of a shaft into the shaft cavity
Chiang, however, teaches the engagement arm (Annotated Fig. 5) is converted to a simple supported beam after insertion of a shaft (12) into the shaft cavity (Figs. 6 and 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 brush head to further include the engagement arm is converted to a simple supported beam after insertion of a shaft into the shaft cavity, as taught by Chiang, to provide a snug connection between the brush head and brush handle, thus preventing any unintentional disconnection during use.
Regarding Claim 26, Sokol, as modified, teaches the brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) for an oral cleansing device of claim 23.
Sokol does not teach wherein the first contact pad, second contact pad, and biasing arm are circumferentially distributed about the center axis and engage the shaft at the plane.
Lin, however, teaches the first contact pad (2342), second contact pad (2342), and biasing arm (Fig. 4) are circumferentially distributed about the center axis and engage the shaft at the plane (Annotated 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 brush head of Sokol to further include the first contact pad, second contact pad, and biasing arm are circumferentially distributed about the center axis and engage the shaft at the plane, as taught by Lin, to provide a snug connection between the brush head and brush body, thus preventing any unintentional disconnection during use.
Regarding Claim 27, Sokol, as modified, teaches the brush head (brush tip, 325; Fig. 27) for an oral cleansing device of claim 26.
Sokol does not teach wherein the first contact pad, second contact pad, and biasing arm are spaced evenly about the center axis.
Lin, however, teaches the first contact pad (2341 or 2342), second contact pad (2341 or 2342), and biasing arm (24) are spaced evenly about the center axis (Annotated 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 brush head of Sokol to further include the first contact pad, second contact pad, and biasing arm are spaced evenly about the center axis, as taught by Lin, to provide a snug connection between the brush head and brush body, thus preventing any unintentional disconnection during use.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 29, 2025 with respect to rejection to claims 1 – 3, 7, 9 – 14, 17 – 21 and 23 – 25 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and they are not persuasive, therefore the rejection has been maintained.
Applicant argues that the amendments find support in the Figure 4B which has been annotated by Applicant.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Figure 4B has been annotated to meet the limitations, but if Applicant is using the actual location of 216B as disclosed in the drawings and further as provided below, the amended language of the amend claims are not supported.
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Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KATINA N HENSON whose telephone number is (571)272-8024. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday; 5:30am to 3:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Carter can be reached at 571-272-4475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KATINA N. HENSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723