DETAILED ACTION
FILTER UNIT FOR THE INTAKE CONNECTOR IN THE DIRTY-WATER TANK
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 amendment filed 05-22-2026 has been entered. Claims 1-22 are currently pending and have been examined. The previous rejection has been updated due to applicant’s amendments.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 05-22-2026, with respect to claims 1-22 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 102 rejection of final office dated 04-25-2025 has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1,3-4,12-13,15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomasiak (US20160235266A1).
Regarding claim 1, Tomasiak teaches a substantially sleeve-shaped main body (1430, figure 14i) which extends between a first face (see top 1430, figure 14i) end and a second face end (see bottom 1430, figure 14i) and has an inlet opening (1419, figure 14I) at the first face end, a substantially annular float body (1444, figure 14I), which is arranged around the main body and is displaceable along the main body between a closed position and an open position (para 0150-0152,0160),
a cover (1453, see figure 14e and G to see element ), which is arranged on the first face end of the main body, wherein the cover has at least one entry opening (Para 0158-0161 describes that seal 1410a shown in figure 14i; seals opening in cage once the float reach determined maximum height, ) which is configured to be closed off by the float body when the latter is in the closed position and which is open when the float body is at a distance from the closed position, and
wherein provision is made in the cover of a fluid channel, which is configured to allow a fluid to flow from the entry opening into the inlet opening (para 0160, figure 14i), and formed an annular space (para 0151) which the float body is arranged so as to be displaceable between the closed position and the open position, (para 0158-0160).
Tomasiak fails to teach a sleeve-shaped filter element, which is arranged around the main body in such a way that, between the main body and the filter element, wherein the filter element is formed at least partially from a filter material.
However, Tomasiak does disclose in a different embodiment a sleeve-shaped filter (226, para 0116-0119) element, which is arranged around the main body in such a way that, between the main body and the filter element, wherein the filter element is formed at least partially from a filter material can be used in conjunction with different embodiments (para 0116-0119).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Tomasiak to include a sleeve-shaped filter element, which is arranged around the main body in such a way that wherein the filter element is formed at least partially from a filter material based on teachings within a different embodiment Tomasiak. This modification would help the apparatus to catch particulate air easily.
Regarding claim 3, modified Tomasiak teaches wherein the main body (1430 figure 14i) has an encircling flange (1455, figure 14i) which extends away in an outward direction and against which the float body bears when the float body is in the open position, and wherein the filter element extends as far as the flange (para 0159-0160).
Regarding claim 4, modified Tomasiak teaches wherein the flange has at least one flange opening (1454, figure 14I) which is closed off by the float body when the float body is in the open position and which is opened up when the float body has been displaced from the open position toward the closed position (para 0160).
Regarding claim 12, modified Tomasiak wherein the main body (1408, figure 14g) has a tubular portion (14g and 14i)) around which the float body is arranged,
wherein the tubular portion is adapted to be fitted over a suction connector (252, figure 2 ; para 0116) of a floor-cleaning machine.
Regarding claim 13, modified Tomasiak teaches a dirty-water tank (208, figure 2), a suction connector (252, figure 2; para 0116), which extends into the dirty-water tank (208 figure 2), a suction turbine (250, figure 2; para 0116), which is fluidically connected to an end of the suction connector that is remote from the dirty-water tank and which serves for generating negative pressure in the dirty-water tank,
a suction line (para0114), which ends in the dirty-water tank, and which is connected to a device for receiving liquid, by way of negative pressure, from a floor surface to be cleaned, a sleeve-shaped filter element (226, figure 2), which is arranged around the main body in such a way that, between the main body and the filter element (para 0116-0117), wherein the filter element is formed at least partially from a filter material. (para 0116-0117)
However, Tomasiak fails to teach wherein provision is made of a filter unit which is mechanically connected to a free end of the suction connector, which free end is arranged in the dirty-water tank , the filter unit comprising:
a substantially sleeve-shaped main body, which extends between a first face end and a second face end and has an inlet opening at the first face end, a substantially annular float body, which is arranged around the main body and is displaceable along the main body between a closed position and an open position,
a cover, which is arranged on the first face end of the main body,
wherein the cover has a least one entry opening which is configured to be closed off by the float body when the latter is in the closed position and which is open when the float body is at a distance from the closed position, and
wherein provision is made in the cover of a fluid channel, which is configured to allow a fluid to flow from the entry opening into the inlet opening, and
a sleeve-shaped filter element, which is arranged around the main body in such a way that, between the main body and the filter element, there is formed an annular space in which the float body is arranged so as to be displaceable between the closed position and the open position, wherein the filter element is formed at least partially from a filter material.
However, Tomasiak does disclose in a different embodiments wherein provision is made of a filter unit (1400, para 0150) which is mechanically connected to a free end of the suction connector, which free end is arranged in the dirty-water tank (figures 2 and 14; para 0111-0119, 0150) the filter unit comprising:
a substantially sleeve-shaped main body (1430, figure 14i), which extends between a first face end and a second face end and has an inlet opening (1419, figure 14I)at the first face end, a substantially annular float body (1444, figure 14i), which is arranged around the main body and is displaceable along the main body between a closed position and an open position (para 0150-0160), a cover (1453, see figure 14e and 14g to see element) which is arranged on the first face end of the main body,
wherein the cover has a least one entry opening (Para 0158-0161 describes that seal 1410a shown in figure 14i; seals opening in cage once the float reach determined maximum height, ) which is configured to be closed off by the float body when the latter is in the closed position and which is open when the float body is at a distance from the closed position, and wherein provision is made in the cover of a fluid channel, which is configured to allow a fluid to flow from the entry opening into the inlet opening (para 0158-0160), and formed an annular space in which the float body is arranged so as to be displaceable between the closed position and the open position (para 0158-0161).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Tomasiak to include wherein provision is made of a filter unit which is mechanically connected to a free end of the suction connector, which free end is arranged in the dirty-water tank , the filter unit comprising:
a substantially sleeve-shaped main body, which extends between a first face end and a second face end and has an inlet opening at the first face end, a substantially annular float body, which is arranged around the main body and is displaceable along the main body between a closed position and an open position,
a cover, which is arranged on the first face end of the main body,
wherein the cover has a least one entry opening which is configured to be closed off by the float body when the latter is in the closed position and which is open when the float body is at a distance from the closed position, and wherein provision is made in the cover of a fluid channel, which is configured to allow a fluid to flow from the entry opening into the inlet opening, and a sleeve-shaped filter element, which is arranged around the main body in such a way that, between the main body and the filter element, there is formed an annular space in which the float body is arranged so as to be displaceable between the closed position and the open position, wherein the filter element is formed at least partially from a filter material based on teachings within different embodiments of Tomasiak. This modification would help protect the suction component of the apparatus.
Regarding claim 15, wherein modified Tomasiak discloses the main body (1430, figure 14i) has an encircling flange (1455, figure 14i) which extends away in an outward direction and against which the float body bears when the float body is in the open position, and wherein the filter element extends as far as the flange (para 0160).
Regarding claim 16, modified Tomasiak teaches wherein the flange has at least one flange opening (1454, figure 14i) which is closed off by the float body when the float body is in the open position and which is opened up when the float body has been displaced from the open position toward the closed position (para 0160).
Regarding claim 24, modified Tomasiak wherein the main body (1408, figure 14g) has a tubular portion (14g and 14i)) around which the float body is arranged,
wherein the tubular portion is adapted to be fitted over a suction connector (252, figure 2 ; para 0116) of a floor-cleaning machine.
Claim(s) 2,11 and 14, 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomasiak (US20160235266A1) in view of Cipolla (US20060000051A1).
Regarding claim 2, Tomasiak as modified above teaches all limitations stated above, and fails to teach wherein the filter element is held in a detachable manner on the cover.
Cipolla teaches a cleaning apparatus (abstract) that has a filter element (114, figure 7-8) is held in a detachable manner (see 134; para 0047 and 0066) on a cover (112, figure 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Tomasiak to include wherein the filter element is held in a detachable manner on the cover based on teachings of Cipolla. This modification would allow a user to easily replace and provide maintenance to a filter element. (para 0066 of Cipolla)
Regarding claim 11, Tomasiak as modified above teaches all limitations stated above, and fails to teach wherein the filter element has a sieve-like circumferential surface.
Cipolla teaches a cleaning apparatus (abstract) that includes a filter element (114, figure 8) has a sieve-like circumferential surface (para 0047).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Tomasiak to teach wherein the filter element has a sieve-like circumferential surface based on teachings of Cipolla. This modification would provide a low cost filter element that filters out particulates, and can be easily cleaned off (see para 0047 and 0066 of Cipolla)
Regarding claim 14, Tomasiak as modified above teaches all limitations stated above, and fails to teach wherein the filter element is held in a detachable manner on the cover.
Cipolla teaches a cleaning apparatus (abstract) that has a filter element (114, figure 7-8) is held in a detachable manner (see 134; para 0047 and 0066) on a cover (112, figure 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Tomasiak to include wherein the filter element is held in a detachable manner on the cover based on teachings of Cipolla. This modification would allow a user to easily replace and provide maintenance to a filter element. (para 0066 of Cipolla)
Regarding claim 23, Tomasiak as modified above teaches all limitations stated above, and fails to teach wherein the filter element has a sieve-like circumferential surface.
Cipolla teaches a cleaning apparatus (abstract) that includes a filter element (114, figure 8) has a sieve-like circumferential surface (para 0047).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Tomasiak to teach wherein the filter element has a sieve-like circumferential surface based on teachings of Cipolla. This modification would provide a low cost filter element that filters out particulates, and can be easily cleaned off (see para 0047 and 0066 of Cipolla)
Claim(s) 5-6,8-9 and 17-18,20-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomasiak (US20160235266A1) in view Christensen (US5377383A).
Regarding claims 5 and 17, Tomasiak teaches all limitations stated above ,but fails to teach a region of the inlet opening the main body has at least one latching element, wherein the at least one latching element is configured to engage with at least one engagement element at the suction connector, and wherein the main body and the cover are configured in such a way that, when the at least one latching element is in engagement with the engagement element a fluid connection between the entry opening and the suction connector is provided.
Christensen teaches a separation chamber for a vacuum cleaner that vacuums up fluids, where the separation chamber (abstract) includes float element (20, figure 1), a region of a inlet opening (see arrows within 3, figure 3a and 4), a main body (19, figure 3a) that has at least one latching element (top end of 19, figure 3a), wherein the at least one latching element (top end of 19, figure 3a) is configured to engage with at least one engagement element (figure 3a) at the suction connector (abstract, vacuum within 3), and wherein the main body (19, figure 3a) and cover (“the upper part of the container)are configured in such a way that, when the at least one latching element (top end of 19, figure 3a) is in engagement with the engagement element (figure 3a), a fluid connection between the entry opening (16, figure 3a) and the suction connector (abstract, vacuum within 3) is provided.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Tomasiak based on the teachings of Christensen to include a main body that has a latching element This modification would help to insure that the suction through the attachment is cut off in the event that the liquid in the container reaches the vicinity of the suction channel (see Christensen’s abstract).
Regarding claims 6 and 18, Tomasiak teaches all limitations stated above ,but fails to teach a locking body which has a cylindrical portion wherein the cylindrical portion is inserted into the inlet opening and is configured to counteract action of bringing the at least one latching element out of engagement with respect to the suction connector.
Christensen teaches a separation chamber for a vacuum cleaner that vacuums up fluids, where the separation chamber (abstract) includes float element (20, figure 1), teach a locking body (11, figure 3a) which has a cylindrical portion (15, figure 3a) wherein the cylindrical portion is inserted into the inlet opening (Dislcoses “ figure 4 At the same time, the finger-operated valve is opened by sliding back the button 25, as shown in FIG. 4 Access for the air from outside through the openings 26 is thereby cut off, and a suction of the liquid can commence when the vacuum cleanest or the suction is activated”) and is configured to counteract action of bringing the at least one latching element out of engagement with respect to the suction connector (abstract, vacuum within 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Tomasiak based on the teachings of Christensen to include a locking body. This modification would help to insure that the suction through the attachment is cut off in the event that the liquid in the container reaches the vicinity of the suction channel (see Christensen’s abstract).
Regarding claims 8 and 20, modified Tomasiak teaches the cover (see Tomasiak 1453 )and the main body (see Tomasiak 1430, figure 14i) are components which are separate from one another, and
wherein the locking body (see Christensen 11, figure 3a) is arranged between the cover ((see Tomasiak 1453 see Christensen “the upper part of the container) and the main body (see Tomasiak 1430, figure 14i and see Christensen 19, figures 2- 3a).
Regarding claims 9 and 21, modified Tomasiak teaches wherein the at least one latching element include a latching hook (see Christensen top end of 19, figure 3a-4, interpreting latching hook as a catch that catches the locking body that fixes main body in place).
Claim(s) 7 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomasiak (US20160235266A1) in view Christensen (US5377383A) as applied to claim 6 and 18 further in view of Wanschure (DE2314791A1).
Regarding claims 7 and 19, Tomasiak as modified in claim 6 teaches all limitations stated above ,but fails to teach the locking body has a collar which extends beyond the main body into the annular space wherein the float body bears against the collar if the float body is in the closed position.
Wanschure teaches shut-off valve of a vacuum cleaning machine that includes locking body has a collar which extends beyond the main body into the annular space wherein the float body bears against the collar if the float body is in the closed position (see Wanschuere disclsoes “the float 22 rests against the perforated disc 21 and thereby closes its holes 23. Due to the higher negative pressure created in the chamber 15, the perforated disc 21 is sucked upwards together with the axle 18 and the float 22. The valve body 19 then rests against the air passage opening 24 of the blower 6, thereby interrupting the air flow and preventing liquids or foam from entering the blower”).
Claim(s) 10 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomasiak (US20160235266A1) in view Holsten (US 20150223658 A1).
Regarding claim 10 and 22, Tomasiak teaches all limiations stated above ,but fails to an elastic ring element which bears against a surface of the main body facing away from the cover and which is provided to bear against the suction connector
However, Tomasiak does disclose creating seals between filter housing and inner section of the container (see 1410a).
Holsten teaches a surface cleaning apparatus that has a float assembly (para 0071, 0080, 0082-0083) and ensuring there are seals between components to components are properly sealed (see para 0077)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Tomasiak so there is an elastic ring element which bears against a surface of the main body facing away from the cover based on teachings of Holsten. This modification would ensure components are properly sealed within the surface cleaning apparatus. (see Holsten para 0077)
Conclusion
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/SARAH AKYAA FORDJOUR/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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