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 . This office action is in response to the amendment filed on 3/17/2026 in which claims 1-20 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 9-10, filed 3/17/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-6, 15-20 under Brada in view of Sterk have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Lap et al. (WO 2018/138094), herein referred to a Lap in view of Brada et al. (U.S. Patent 9,216,513).
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 1-6, 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Lap et al. (WO 2018/138094), herein referred to a Lap in view of Brada et al. (U.S. Patent 9,216,513).
In regards to claim 1 and 15, Lap discloses a shaving device comprising a main housing (handle) accommodating an electric actuator (motor) and a shaving unit (fig. 1a) for use in a shaving device, the shaving unit comprising a supporting member (central support member 50 / transmission unit 60) and at least two hair cutting units (10a/10b) connected to the supporting member (50/60), wherein each hair cutting unit (10a/10b) comprises:
- an external cutting member (12) having a plurality of hair-entry openings (13); - a skin-supporting member (housing 20a) having a skin-supporting surface (top surface of 20; best seen in Figure 3) at least partially surrounding the external cutting member (12);
an internal cutting member (not shown) which is rotatable relative to the external cutting member (12) about a central axis (1a) of the hair-cutting unit (10a/10b) and comprises a plurality of hair-cutting elements each having a cutting edge, wherein during rotation of the internal cutting member, the cutting edges of the hair-cutting elements follow an annular cutting path (outer profile of internal cutting member) having, relative to the central axis (6a), a radially inward circular boundary and a radially outward circular boundary;
a first pivot axis (1a) about which the skin-supporting member (20a) is pivotable relative to the supporting member (50/60) independently from the skin-supporting members of the other hair-cutting units (the other of 10a/10b/), said first pivot axis (1a) extending in a tangential direction relative to the central axis (6a) and, seen in an axial direction relative to the central axis (6a), being arranged radially outward of the radially inward circular boundary of the annular cutting path (1a is outside of the external cutting member 12);
and a second pivot axis (3) about which the skin-supporting member (20) is pivotable relative to the supporting member (60) independently from the skin-supporting members (the other housings 20a/20b of 10a/10b) of the other hair-cutting units (10a/10b), said second pivot axis (3) extending perpendicularly to the first pivot axis (1a/1b) of the hair-cutting unit (10a/10b), and a total range of a pivot angle over which the skin-supporting member (20a) is pivotable about the second pivot axis (3) being equal to or larger than 15 degrees (see Figures 1a-1c., 2a-2c).
While the Figures 1a-2c of Lap demonstrate that the skin support member is pivotable about the axis 3, Lap is silent as to the actual pivoting range being equal to or greater than 15 degrees. Brada teaches a shaving head having cutting units connected to a holder 8 that is pivotable relative to a body portion. Brada discloses that “the tilting movements of the holder 8 may be in a range of 10° in two opposite rotational directions, starting from a default position of the holder 8,” corresponding to a total pivot range of 20 degrees. Brada further teaches that such angular movement improves contour following of the shaving head over the skin. (see col. 6, lines 30-42). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to configure the pivotable skin support member of Lap to have a total pivot range equal to or greater than 15 degrees as taught by Brada, in order to improve contour following of the shaving head over the skin. Providing a total pivot range of at least 15 degrees represents the application of a known angular travel range for a pivotable shaving head to obtain the predictable result of improved conformity to the contours of a user’s skin.
In regards to claim 2 and 16, the modified device of Lap discloses wherein, seen in the axial direction relative to the central axis (6a) of each respective hair-cutting unit, the second pivot axis (3) of the respective hair-cutting unit extends radially relative to the central axis (6a).
In regards to claim 3 and 17, the modified device of Lap discloses wherein the first pivot axis (1a) of each respective hair-cutting unit is arranged, seen in the axial direction relative to the central axis of the respective hair-cutting unit, radially outward of the radially outward circular boundary of the annular cutting path of the respective hair- cutting unit (per Fig. 4, the first pivot axis 1a/1b is outside of the cutting path of each cutter).
In regards to claim 4 and 18, the modified device of Lap discloses wherein the supporting member (50/60) is arranged centrally between the hair-cutting units (10a/10b), and wherein the first pivot axis (1a/1b) of each respective hair-cutting unit is arranged, seen in the axial direction relative to the central axis of the respective hair-cutting unit, between the central axis (6a) and the supporting member (50/60).
Claims 1-4, 7-8, and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Lap et al. (WO 2018/138094), herein referred to a Lap in view of Brada et al. (U.S. Patent 9,216,513).
In regards to claim 1 and 15, Lap discloses a shaving device (fig. 11) comprising a main housing (handle) accommodating an electric actuator (motor) and a shaving unit (fig. 11) for use in a shaving device, the shaving unit comprising a supporting member (central support member 450 / transmission housing 479) and at least two hair cutting units (410a/410b/410c) connected to the supporting member (450/479), wherein each hair cutting unit (410a/410b) comprises:
- an external cutting member (560 a,b,c) having a plurality of hair-entry openings; - a skin-supporting member (cover portion 530) having a skin-supporting surface (top surface of 530;) at least partially surrounding the external cutting member (560 a,b,c);
an internal cutting member (580) which is rotatable relative to the external cutting member (560) about a central axis (506) of the hair-cutting unit (410) and comprises a plurality of hair-cutting elements each having a cutting edge, wherein during rotation of the internal cutting member (580), the cutting edges of the hair-cutting elements follow an annular cutting path (outer profile of internal cutting member) having, relative to the central axis (506a), a radially inward circular boundary and a radially outward circular boundary;
a first pivot axis (501/502) about which the skin-supporting member (530) is pivotable relative to the supporting member (450/479) independently from the skin-supporting members of the other hair-cutting units (the other of 410b/410c), said first pivot axis (501/502) extending in a tangential direction relative to the central axis (601a) and, seen in an axial direction relative to the central axis (506a), being arranged radially outward of the radially inward circular boundary of the annular cutting path (501/502 is outside of the external cutting member 560);
and a second pivot axis (3) about which the skin-supporting member (530) is pivotable relative to the supporting member (450/479) independently from the skin-supporting members (the other housings 530) of the other hair-cutting units (410a/410b), said second pivot axis (3) extending perpendicularly to the first pivot axis (501/502) of the hair-cutting unit (410b/410c), and a total range of a pivot angle over which the skin-supporting member (20a) is pivotable about the second pivot axis (3) being equal to or larger than 15 degrees (see Figures 1a-1c., 2a-2c).
While the Figures 1a-2c of Lap demonstrate that the skin support member is pivotable about the axis 3, Lap is silent as to the actual pivoting range being equal to or greater than 15 degrees. Brada teaches a shaving head having cutting units connected to a holder 8 that is pivotable relative to a body portion. Brada discloses that “the tilting movements of the holder 8 may be in a range of 10° in two opposite rotational directions, starting from a default position of the holder 8,” corresponding to a total pivot range of 20 degrees. Brada further teaches that such angular movement improves contour following of the shaving head over the skin. (see col. 6, lines 30-42). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to configure the pivotable skin support member of Lap to have a total pivot range equal to or greater than 15 degrees as taught by Brada, in order to improve contour following of the shaving head over the skin. Providing a total pivot range of at least 15 degrees represents the application of a known angular travel range for a pivotable shaving head to obtain the predictable result of improved conformity to the contours of a user’s skin.
In regards to claim 2 and 16, the modified device of Lap discloses wherein, seen in the axial direction relative to the central axis (506a) of each respective hair-cutting unit, the second pivot axis (3) of the respective hair-cutting unit extends radially relative to the central axis (506a).
In regards to claim 3 and 17, the modified device of Lap discloses wherein the first pivot axis (501/502) of each respective hair-cutting unit is arranged, seen in the axial direction relative to the central axis of the respective hair-cutting unit, radially outward of the radially outward circular boundary of the annular cutting path of the respective hair- cutting unit (per Fig. 10, the first pivot axis 501/502 is outside of the cutting path of each cutter).
In regards to claim 4 and 18, the modified device of Lap discloses wherein the supporting member (450/479) is arranged centrally between the hair-cutting units (410a/410b), and wherein the first pivot axis (501/502) of each respective hair-cutting unit is arranged, seen in the axial direction relative to the central axis of the respective hair-cutting unit, between the central axis (506a) and the supporting member (450/479).
In regards to claim 5 and 19, the modified device of Lap discloses wherein the shaving unit comprises three hair cutting units (Fig. 11) and wherein seen in an axial direction relative to a centerline (e.g. 406) of the supporting member, the second pivot axis (3) of each respective hair cutting unit extends radially relative to the center line (406).
In regards to claims 6 and 20 the modified device of Lap discloses wherein the axial direction relative to the center line (406), the second pivot axes of each pair of adjacent hair cutting units enclose an angle of 120 degrees (fig. 11).
In regards to claim 7, the modified device of Lap discloses wherein the each hair-cutting unit further comprises a housing (529) supporting the internal cutting member and the external cutting member of the hair-cutting unit and accommodating an individual hair-collecting chamber (see Fig 18b) of the hair-cutting unit which is separate from hair- collecting chambers of the other hair-cutting units, wherein the skin-supporting member (530) of each respective hair-cutting unit is connected to the housing (529) of the respective hair- cutting unit, and wherein the housing (529), the internal cutting member (580), the external cutting member (560) and the skin-supporting member (530) of the each respective hair-cutting unit (410) are together pivotable relative to the supporting member (450/479) about the first pivot axis (501/502) and the second pivot axis (3) of the respective hair-cutting unit.
In regards to claim 8, the modified device of Lap discloses wherein the housing (529) of each respective hair-cutting unit is connected to the supporting member (450/479) by means of a pivot structure (521/522; fig. 16) which defines the first pivot axis (501/502) and the second pivot axis (3) of the respective hair-cutting unit.
In regards to claim 14, the modified device of Lap discloses, further comprising a drive unit (drive spindle 476) for driving the internal cutting members of the hair-cutting units into rotation about the central axes, wherein the drive unit comprises, for the each hair- cutting unit, an individual drive spindle (476) which is rotationally supported by the supporting member (479) and coupled to the internal cutting member of the respective hair-cutting unit, wherein each drive spindle comprises a spring element (405) arranged to enable the drive spindle to exert a biasing force on the internal cutting member of the respective hair- cutting unit urging the housing of the respective hair-cutting unit into an angular end position relative to the supporting member about the first pivot axis (fig. 11).
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 5-6, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lap et al. (WO 2018/138094), herein referred to a Lap in view of Brada et al. (U.S. Patent 9,216,513).
In regards to claim 5 and 19, the modified device of Lap per the embodiment of Figure 1A discloses wherein the shaving unit comprises two hair-cutting units (1a/1b), and wherein, seen in an axial direction relative to a center line of the supporting member, the second pivot axis (3) of each respective hair-cutting unit extends radially relative to the center line (6a/6b). Further each hair cutting unit is mounted such that the shaving unit permits pivotal movement about both the second pivot axes (3) and the axis defined by elements 1a and 1b.
Lap does not expressly disclose three hair cutting units in the embodiment of Figure 1A. However, Lap discloses in Figure 6 an alternative embodiment employing three shaving heads arranged such that adjacent shaving heads are positioned at angular intervals of approximal 120 degrees. Thus, Lap expressly contemplates a shaving unit with three shaving heads.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the embodiment of Figure 1A to include a third cutting unit in view of the three headed arrangement disclosed in Figure 6. Since Figure 6 represents an alternative embodiment differing in the number and arrangement of shaving heads rather than the underlying shaving heads construction, one of ordinary skill in the art would have understood the additional shaving head to utilize the same pivoting architecture disclosed in Figure 1A. Such modification would have predictably resulted in a shaving unit having three hair cutting units, each mounted for pivotal movement about a respective second pivot axis (3) and the axis defined by elements 1a and 1b while maintaining the contour following functionality taught by Lap.
In regards to claim 6 and 20, the modified device of Lap discloses wherein, seen in the axial direction relative to the center line (6a/6b), the second pivot axes (3) of each pair of adjacent hair-cutting units enclose an angle of 120 degrees (as discussed above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA M LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-8339. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8a.m.- 5p.m..
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/LAURA M LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724
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