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 .
Response to Amendment
The Examiner acknowledges the amendments. The previous rejections are withdrawn. New rejections are set forth herein and made final.
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.
Claims 1, 4-5, 7-14, 17, 21, and 23-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Newman (WO2018162092A1) in view of Shin (US20170071437A1).
Regarding claim 1, Norman discloses a floor cleaning machine, comprising a floor head (Item 28), at least one cleaning roller, which is arranged on the floor head and has a textile covering (Item 46, Paragraph 82), a tank device (Item 60), which is arranged on the floor head, and a scraping device for scraping dirty fluid from the at least one cleaning roller and for coupling into the tank device,
wherein a scraper of the scraper device penetrates into the textile covering (Item 80),
wherein the tank device comprises a lid (Item 90), and at least one sweeping element (Item 78), which is associated with the at least one cleaning roller, wherein the at least one sweeping element is arranged on the tank device,
Norman fails to explicitly disclose wherein at least a partial region of the tank device on which the at least one sweeping element is arranged is movable relative to the floor head in a cleaning operation, wherein the at least one sweeping element and the tank device are configured such that the at least one sweeping element is at a defined fixed distance from a floor to be cleaned in a cleaning operation, and wherein the defined distance of a sweeping edge of the at least one sweeping element from the floor is greater than zero; wherein arranged on at least one of the at least one sweeping element and the tank device is at least one support element for a floor to be cleaned, which keeps the at least one sweeping element at a defined fixed distance from the floor to be cleaned, and wherein the at least one support element is configured as a rib on at least one of the at least one sweeping element and the tank device.
Shin teaches a floor cleaning machine wherein at least a partial region of the tank device (Item DST Figure 4) on which the at least one sweeping element is arranged is movable relative to the floor head in a cleaning operation (floated by Item SP), wherein the at least one sweeping element and the tank device are configured such that the at least one sweeping element is at a defined fixed distance from a floor to be cleaned in a cleaning operation, and wherein the defined distance of a sweeping edge of the at least one sweeping element from the floor is greater than zero (Paragraph 13); wherein arranged on at least one of the at least one sweeping element and the tank device is at least one support element for a floor to be cleaned (tip of Item BL), which keeps the at least one sweeping element at a defined fixed distance from the floor to be cleaned, and wherein the at least one support element is configured as a rib on at least one of the at least one sweeping element and the tank device (BL is a rib, and can have additional ribs as shown by Item BR in Figure 3b). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Norman to include the floating ability of Shin. With the sweeping element being able to bend, and the tank device being mounted by a spring, when the cleaning machine encounters a bump or an obstacle, the cleaning machine does not get stuck, and wobbling is reduced. This reduces the noise being made and malfunctioning of the cleaning machine (Shin Paragraph 46).
Regarding claim 4, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1. Norman fails to explicitly disclose wherein the defined distance with respect to a sweeping edge is smaller than 1.5mm. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the height of the adjustable wheel such that the distance between the sweeping element and the floor such that the distance is smaller than 1.5mm. Such a modification is viewed as a change in size, which has been held to be of routine by one skilled in the art. Changing the height such that the tank is barely off the ground (close to 0.001 mm), while allowing the sweeping element to stay close to the ground to easily pick up debris. This would optimize the amount of debris that went into the tank.
Regarding claim 5, Norman in view of Shin disclose the e floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the at least one sweeping element is arranged on a base or on a side wall of the tank device (Newman Figure 2).
Regarding claim 7, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 6, wherein at least one of the following applies: a plurality of support elements are provided;
Regarding claim 8, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the tank device or the partial region of the tank device on which the at least one sweeping element is arranged is floatingly mounted on a tank device holder of the floor head (Shin floats on Item SP).
Regarding claim 9, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the tank device or the partial region of the tank device on which the at least one sweeping element is arranged is hangingfly mounted on the floor head (Shin Figure 4; similar configuration as Items 74 and 78 of Norman in Figure 1).
Regarding claim 10, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the tank device or the partial region of the tank device on which the at least one sweeping element is arranged is mounted on the floor head so as to be movable at least in a z-direction, with at least one of the following: the z-direction is oriented transversely to an axis of rotation of the at least one cleaning roller (Shin Item SP is vertical which is perpendicular to the axis of RBU);-
Regarding claim 11, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 10, wherein the tank device or the partial region of the tank device on which the at least one sweeping element is arranged is mounted on the floor head so as to be movable in at least one direction transverse to the z-direction (forward/backward).
Regarding claim 12, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the at least one sweeping element is arranged and formed such that it feeds dirt particles to the at least one cleaning roller, such dirt particles being entrained by the at least one cleaning roller as a result of the rotation of the at least one cleaning roller (Newman Figure 2).
Regarding claim 13, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 12, wherein the tank device is configured as a tank device for dirty fluid (Newman Paragraph 120).
Regarding claim 14, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 12, comprising at least one feed channel for dirty fluid from the at least one cleaning roller to a receiving space of the tank device (Newman figure 1).
Regarding claim 17, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the tank device or the partial region of the tank device on which the at least one sweeping element is arranged is gravity-driven, or is pressed against a floor to be cleaned by a spring device in the direction of a contact plane of the at least one cleaning roller (Shin Item SP is a spring).
Regarding claim 21, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1, comprising the tank device for cleaning liquid and a supply device for cleaning liquid to at least one of the at least one cleaning roller and a floor to be cleaned (Newman Item 58 and 86).
Regarding claim 23, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the at least one sweeping element is arranged upstream from a scraper for the at least one cleaning roller in relation to a normal direction of rotation of the at least one cleaning roller in a cleaning operation (Newman Figure 1).
Regarding claim 24, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1, comprising a first cleaning roller and a second cleaning roller, which is arranged on the floor head at a distance from the first cleaning roller, with at least one of the following: - a first axis of rotation of the first cleaning roller and a second axis of rotation of the second cleaning roller are oriented in parallel to one another; - in a normal operating mode of the floor cleaning machine, the first cleaning roller and the second cleaning roller rotate in opposite directions (Newman Items 36 and 46 Figure 1).
Regarding claim 25, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 24, wherein at least one of (i) a first sweeping element is associated with the first cleaning roller and (ii) a second sweeping element is associated with the second cleaning roller (Newman Paragraph 79-82).
Regarding claim 27, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1, having a self- propelled and self-steering configuration (Newman Abstract).
Regarding claim 28, Norman discloses a method for operating a floor cleaning machine in which a cleaning roller is arranged on a floor head and has a textile covering (Item 46 Paragraph 82) and coarse dirt is fed to the rotating cleaning roller by way of a sweeping element (Item 78), wherein the sweeping element is arranged on a tank device (Item 60) comprising a lid (Item 90) and wherein a scraping device (Item 80) for coupling into the tank device is for scraping dirty fluid from the at least one cleaning roller, and a scraper of the scraper device penetrates into the textile covering.
Norman fails to explicitly disclose wherein at least a partial region of the tank device on which the at least one sweeping element is arranged is movable relative to the floor head in a cleaning operation, wherein the at least one sweeping element and the tank device are configured such that the at least one sweeping element is at a defined fixed distance from a floor to be cleaned in a cleaning operation, and wherein the defined distance of a sweeping edge of the at least one sweeping element from the floor is greater than zero; wherein arranged on at least one of the at least one sweeping element and the tank device is at least one support element for a floor to be cleaned, which keeps the at least one sweeping element at a defined fixed distance from the floor to be cleaned, and wherein the at least one support element is configured as a rib on at least one of the at least one sweeping element and the tank device.
Shin teaches a floor cleaning machine wherein at least a partial region of the tank device (Item DST Figure 4) on which the at least one sweeping element is arranged is movable relative to the floor head in a cleaning operation (floated by Item SP), wherein the at least one sweeping element and the tank device are configured such that the at least one sweeping element is at a defined fixed distance from a floor to be cleaned in a cleaning operation, and wherein the defined distance of a sweeping edge of the at least one sweeping element from the floor is greater than zero (Paragraph 13); wherein arranged on at least one of the at least one sweeping element and the tank device is at least one support element for a floor to be cleaned (tip of Item BL), which keeps the at least one sweeping element at a defined fixed distance from the floor to be cleaned, and wherein the at least one support element is configured as a rib on at least one of the at least one sweeping element and the tank device (BL is a rib, and can have additional ribs as shown by Item BR in Figure 3b). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Norman to include the floating ability of Shin. With the sweeping element being able to bend, and the tank device being mounted by a spring, when the cleaning machine encounters a bump or an obstacle, the cleaning machine does not get stuck, and wobbling is reduced. This reduces the noise being made and malfunctioning of the cleaning machine (Shin Paragraph 46)
Claims 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Newman (WO2018162092A1) in view of Shin (US20170071437A1) in view of Newport (US 2,784,440).
Regarding claim 15, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 14,. Norman fails to explicitly disclose comprising a seal, which is arranged on the tank device or the partial region of the tank device on which the at least one sweeping element sits, and which seals the at least one feed channel from an input-coupling element for the at least one feed channel, independently of a position of the tank device or the partial region of the tank device.
Newport teaches a floor cleaning device wherein a seal (Item 411; column 3 Lines 15-28), which is arranged on the tank device or the partial region of the tank device on which the at least one sweeping element sits, and which seals the at least one feed channel from an input-coupling element for the at least one feed channel, independently of a position of the tank device or the partial region of the tank device (Figure 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Norman to include the seal of Newport to the tank device. Such a modification would ensure a dirt tight connection between the body and the tank device (Newport Column 3 lines 15-28).
Regarding claim 16, Norman in view of Shin in view of Newport disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 15, wherein the input-coupling element sits on the floor head, with at least one of the following: - the seal is of at least one of movable and elastic configuration (Newport disclosed being rubber)
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Newman (WO2018162092A1) in view of Shin (US20170071437A1) in view of Ando (US 4,173,054A)
Regarding claim 20, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1. Norman fails to explicitly disclose wherein the at least one cleaning roller is of two-part configuration and a center drive is provided.
Ando teaches a floor cleaning tool wherein the at least one cleaning roller is of two-part configuration and a center drive is provided (Item 82). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Norman to include the motor and belt drive of Ando. Adding a motor and center drive would allow the brush to independently rotate, such a capability would help improve scrubbing in particular scenarios (Ando Column 6 Lines 13-20).
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Newman (WO2018162092A1) in view of Shin (US20170071437A1) in view of KR 200364416 Y1 herein referenced as KR416
Regarding claim 22, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1. Newman fails to explicitly disclose a pin strip with pins for picking up hair, wherein, in particular, pins abut against or penetrate into a textile covering of the at least one cleaning roller.
KR 416 teaches a floor cleaning machine wherein a pin strip with pins (Item 18 and the bristles shown in Figure 4) for picking up hair, wherein, in particular, pins abut against or penetrate into a textile covering of the at least one cleaning roller (Item 14 is referenced as a mop cloth). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use the tank of Norman in other tools for cleaning floors. For instance, KR416 teaches a floor cleaner wherein water is deposited onto the floor and the cleaning roller is a material type which facilitates wet cleaning. This is commonly used on hard surfaces because the cleaning fluid makes the scrabbing action more effective.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Newman (WO2018162092A1) in view of Shin (US20170071437A1) in view of Beach (US 1,849,218)
Regarding claim 26, Norman in view of Shin disclose the floor cleaning machine in accordance with Claim 1. Newman fails to explicitly disclose comprising a holding device for a user, which is arranged on the floor head, wherein the floor cleaning machine is of hand-held or hand-guided configuration, and wherein same is operable by a user in a standing position.
Beach teaches a cleaning machine wherein a holding device for a user (Item 6), which is arranged on the floor head, wherein the floor cleaning machine is of hand-held or hand-guided configuration, and wherein same is operable by a user in a standing position. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the robotic cleaner of Norman to operate in a user operated format as taught by Beach. It has been held that automating a manual process OR doing an automated process manually are routine by one skilled in the art (see MPEP 2144.04).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 28 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TOM R RODGERS whose telephone number is (313)446-4849. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday 8AM-5PM EST.
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/TOM RODGERS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723