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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by
Fukano (US 10,085,601 B2).
With regard to claim 18, Fukano discloses a hand dryer 1 comprising: a left ducted cavity 10; a right ducted cavity 10 (Fig. 2); at least one first air knife 5 angled toward the left ducted cavity 10; at least one second air knife 5 angled toward the right ducted cavity 10 (Fig. 2); and an expansion cavity 2 coupled to the left ducted cavity 10 and the right ducted cavity 10 and configured to slow down a flow of air from the at least one first air knife 5 and the at least one second air knife 5, wherein the expansion cavity 2 is configured to collect water droplets or particles suspended in the flow of air.
With regard to claim 19, Fukano discloses the hand dryer further comprising: a pressure chamber 11; and a fan 3 coupled to the pressure chamber 11, wherein the pressure chamber 11 provides the flow of air from the fan 3 to the at least one first air knife 5 and at least one second air knife 5 (Fig. 2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 7-8, 10, 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukano (US 10,085,601 B2) in view of Noguchi et al. (JP 2008073483 A).
Fukano discloses an apparatus comprising: a fan 3; a duct 9a; at least one air knife 5 configured to direct air from the fan 3 and configured to dry one or more hands and push water from the one or more hands into the duct 9a (Figs. 2, 9, 17). However, Fukano does not disclose at least one cyclone device to provide at least a partially circuitous path for the air and the water from the one or more hands; wherein the at least one cyclone device comprises an inner channel and an outer channel. Noguchi et al. disclose a hand dryer comprising at least one cyclone device 1a to provide at least a partially circuitous path for the air and the water from the one or more hands (Fig. 1), wherein the at least one cyclone device 1a comprises an inner channel (Figs. 1-2, within 4) and an outer channel (Figs. 1-2, within 1a).Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus of Fukano to include at least one cyclone device to provide at least a partially circuitous path for the air and the water from one or more hands, wherein the at least one cyclone device comprises an inner channel and an outer channel as taught by Noguchi et al. in order to improve the water-air separation efficiency.
With regard to claim 2, it is known that particles expelled from the air and water would adhere to the at least one cyclone device due to the centrifugal force.
With regard to claim 4, Fukano discloses wherein the at least one air knife 5 includes a first air knife 5 and a second air knife 5 each configured to direct air from the fan 3 to dry a single hand and push water from the single hand to the duct 9a (Fig. 2).
With regard to claim 5, Noguchi et al. discloses a drain path (Fig.2, between 1a and 1b) in communication with the at least one cyclone device 1a to drain the water from the at least one cyclone device.
With regard to claim 7, Fukano discloses a filter 12 configured to remove particles from the air (Fig. 2).
With regard to claim 8, Fukano discloses wherein the filter 12 I s upstream of the air knife 5 or coupled to the duct (Fig. 2).
With regard to claim 10, Noguchi et al. discloses an exhaust path (Fig. 2, between 1a and 1b) connected to the at least one cyclone device 1a and configured to move the air away from the apparatus.
With regard to claim 12, Fukano discloses a sensor 30 configured to generate sensor data for an area in vicinity to the sensor; a timer (Fig. 5) configured to measure an elapsed time period; and a controller 4 configured to operate the fan 3 in response to the sensor data or the elapsed time period (Fig. 5). Noguchi et al. discloses at least one cyclone device. Therefore, the apparatus of Fukano as modified by Noguchi et al. as above would show the controller configured to operate the fan to move air through the at least one cyclone device in response to the sensor data or the elapsed time period.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukano (US 10,085,601 B2) in view of Noguchi et al. (JP 2008073483 A) as applied to claim 1 as above, and further in view of Kim (KR 20180083296 A).
The apparatus of Fukano as modified by Noguchi et al. as above includes all that is recited in claim 6 except for a light configured disinfect air and water in the at least one cyclone device. Kim teaches a concept of providing a cyclone 30 with a UV lamp having sterilizing function to disinfect air and water in the cyclone (translation, page 8, second paragraph). Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to further modify the apparatus of Fukano to include a light configured disinfect air and water in the at least one cyclone device as taught by Kim in order to clean air.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukano (US 10,085,601 B2) in view of Noguchi et al. (JP 2008073483 A) as applied to claim 1 as above, and further in view of Smith et al. (US 2014/0170957 A1).
The apparatus of Fukano as modified by Noguchi et al. as above includes all that is recited in claim 9 except for the filter is a room filter configured to filter air in a vicinity of the apparatus. Smith et al. discloses a hand dryer comprising a filter 26 (Fig. 2), wherein the filter 26 is a room filter configured to filter air in a vicinity of the apparatus (Fig. 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to further modify the apparatus of Fukano to include a room filter configured to filter air in a vicinity of the apparatus as taught by Smith et al. in order to keep the air inside the apparatus clean.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukano (US 10,085,601 B2) in view of Noguchi et al. (JP 2008073483 A) as applied to claim 1 as above, and further in view of Jiin et al. (JP H0768194 A).
The apparatus of Fukano as modified by Noguchi et al. as above includes all that is recited in claim 11 except for a disinfectant dispenser configured to provide a disinfectant to the at least one cyclone device. Jiin et al. discloses a disinfectant dispenser 4 configured to provide a disinfectant to the at least one cyclone device 2 to clean the inside of the cyclone (Fig. 1, paragraph [0015]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to further modify the apparatus of Fukano to include a disinfectant dispenser configured to provide a disinfectant to the at least one cyclone device as taught by Jiin et al. in order to clean the inside of the cyclone.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukano (US 10,085,601 B2) in view of Noguchi et al. (JP 2008073483 A) as applied to claim 12 as above, and further in view of Deibert (US 6,431,189).
The apparatus of Fukano as modified by Noguchi et al. as above includes all that is recited in claim 13 except for a disinfectant is provided to the at least one cyclone device in response to the sensor data or the elapsed time period. Deibert disclose a concept of providing a disinfectant in response to the sensor data or the elapsed time period (col. 2, lines 44-53). Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to further modify the apparatus of Fukano to provide a disinfectant in response to the sensor data or the elapsed time period as taught by Deibert in order to automatically provide a disinfecting solution without requiring manual operation by the user.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukano (US 10,085,601 B2) in view of Satermo (US 2018/0078101 A1).
The hand dryer of Fukano as above includes all that is recited in claim 20 except for an ultraviolet light configured to sanitize, disinfect, or clean the water droplets or particles collected from the flow of air. Satermo discloses a hand dryer comprising an ultraviolet light 216 configured to sanitize, disinfect, or clean the water drolets or particles collected from the flow air (Fig. 2A). Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the hand dryer of Fukano to include an ultraviolet light configured to sanitize, disinfect, or clean the water droplets or particles collected from the flow of air as taught by Satermo in order to kill and/or neutralize bacteria, germs, viruses, etc. and/or other harmful substances in the air.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-17 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 20have 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.
Applicant's arguments filed 3/23/2026 with respect to claim 14 is persuasive and claims 14-17 are allowed.
Appliant’s arguments filed 3/23/2026 with respect to claims 18-19 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Fukano does disclose an expansion cavity 2 as claimed (See Fig. 2 of Fukano).
Appliant’s arguments filed 3/23/2026 with respect to claims 1-5, 7, 8, 10 and 12 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Noguchi does discloses a cyclone comprises an inner channel and an outer channel, see reproduced Fig. 2 below.
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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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA J YUEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4878. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MICHAEL G HOANG can be reached at (571) 272-6460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Jessica Yuen/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3762
JY
Prosecution Insights