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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDSes filed 2/24/23 and 9/3/25 have both been considered and placed of record. The initialed copies are attached herewith.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the load retention structure being magnetic (claims 6 and 7) must be shown or the features canceled from the claims. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Copeland et al. (US 2020/0179090).
Re claim 1, the reference discloses a powered toothbrush (fig 3) having, inter alia, comprising a first power coupler 118 on a first housing portion 116 , a second power coupler 106 inside a second housing portion 82, and electronic circuitry (para 54) interconnecting the first power coupler and the second power coupler wherein the first power coupler is configured for moving in a first direction in order to enter into physical and electrical connection with a power outlet to receive input power (prongs 118 are inserted into a standard electrical outlet); wherein the second housing portion comprises a platform 108 which is configured for supporting an electrical load and an internal compartment 16 in which the second power coupler is housed, the platform having a platform surface 96 which is parallel to the first direction and extends away from the first power coupler (fig 3) wherein the electronic circuitry is configured for converting the input power into output power which is suitable for wireless transfer across the second housing portion (para 65); wherein the first housing portion is intermediate the second housing portion and the first power coupler (fig 3), and wherein the first power coupler is configured to cooperate with the power outlet so that the second housing is elevated in a cantilever configuration above a base surface when the power input coupler is attached to a wall-mounted power outlet (figs 4-5). See also para 42, 46-48, 51 and 65.
Re claim 2, the reference further discloses the second housing portion comprises a bottom surface 84, and wherein the platform has a platform surface is configured to support the load such that the platform surface is horizontal when the bottom surface is resting on a horizontal surface to support the weight of the apparatus (figs 3-5).
Re claim 3, the reference further discloses the first power coupler 118 is configured to approach the power outlet in the first direction and the platform surface extends in the second direction to project away from the first housing portion, the second direction being opposite to the first direction (fig 3 shows the prongs 118 projected in one direction while the post 106 mounted on a platform 108 projected in the other direction opposite the one direction).
Re claim 13, the reference further discloses the first housing portion comprises a peripheral wall 116 and the second housing portion 82 comprises a peripheral wall 86, and wherein the peripheral wall of the first housing portion and the peripheral wall of the second housing portion are integrally formed (fig 3).
Re claim 14, the reference discloses the power output coupler 106 and the platform surface 96 cooperate to define a docking structure for holding a load 12 (figs 3-4).
Re claim 15, the reference discloses the load 12 has an indented housing 27 and the power output coupler 106 is configured to engage with the indented housing to retain the load (fig 4).
Re claim 16, the reference discloses the apparatus is configured as a power supply of an electric toothbrush (figs 4-5).
Claims 1-5, 9-10, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fan (US 2014/0354219).
Re claim 1, the reference discloses an apparatus having, inter alia, comprising a first power coupler 3 on a first housing portion 2 , a second power coupler 2 inside a second housing portion 1, and electronic circuitry 12 (para 19-20) interconnecting the first power coupler and the second power coupler wherein the first power coupler is configured for moving in a first direction in order to enter into physical and electrical connection with a power outlet to receive input power (prongs 31 are inserted into a standard electrical outlet); wherein the second housing portion comprises a platform 11 which is configured for supporting an electrical load 5 and an internal compartment 1 in which the second power coupler is housed, the platform having a platform surface 11 which is parallel to the first direction and extends away from the first power coupler (fig 2) wherein the electronic circuitry is configured for converting the input power into output power which is suitable for wireless transfer across the second housing portion (para 19-20); wherein the first housing portion is intermediate the second housing portion and the first power coupler (fig 2), and wherein the first power coupler is configured to cooperate with the power outlet so that the second housing is elevated in a cantilever configuration above a base surface when the power input coupler is attached to a wall-mounted power outlet (fig 7).
Re claim 2, the reference further discloses the second housing portion comprises a bottom surface, and wherein the platform has a platform surface is configured to support the load such that the platform surface is horizontal when the bottom surface is resting on a horizontal surface to support the weight of the apparatus (figs 6-7).
Re claim 3, the reference further discloses the first power coupler 3 is configured to approach the power outlet in the first direction and the platform surface extends in the second direction to project away from the first housing portion, the second direction being opposite to the first direction (fig 7 shows the prongs 31 projected in one direction while the platform 1 projected in the other direction opposite the one direction).
Re claim 4, the reference further discloses the first housing portion 2 comprises a front panel (fig 4) having a front panel surface which is adjacent the platform surface 11, and wherein the front panel surface projects for a height above the platform surface when the apparatus 5 is resting on a horizontal surface and with the bottom surface in abutment with the horizontal surface and supporting the weight of the apparatus (figs 4 and 7 shows vertical height pointed by reference 2 which is adjacent the platform 11).
Re claim 5, the reference further discloses the power input coupler has a height and the height of the panel surface which projects above the platform surface is a fraction of the height of the power input coupler (fig 6).
Re claim 9, the reference further teaches the front panel surface and the platform surface is integrally formed (fig 12).
Re claim 10, the reference further discloses the second housing portion comprises an upper panel which defines the platform surface and a lower panel which defines a bottom surface, wherein the upper panel and the lower panel cooperate to define a circuitry compartment inside which the electronic circuitry is housed, and wherein a plurality of conductors extends through the front panel to interconnect the electronic circuitry and the power input coupler (the wireless charging circuitry 12 is placed inside the platform surface 11; para 19; fig 7).
Re claim 13, the reference further discloses the first housing portion 2 comprises a peripheral wall and the second housing portion 1 comprises a peripheral wall, and wherein the peripheral wall of the first housing portion and the peripheral wall of the second housing portion are integrally formed (fig 12).
Re claim 14, the reference discloses the power output coupler 1 and the platform surface 11 cooperate to define a docking structure for holding a load 5 (fig 6).
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.
Claims 4, 5, 9, 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Copeland et al. (US 2020/0179090) in view of Fan (US 2014/0354219).
Re claims 4 and 5, Copeland does not disclose the front panel surface projects for a height above the platform surface when the apparatus is resting on a horizontal surface and with the bottom surface in abutment with the horizontal surface and supporting the weight of the apparatus; and having the height is a fraction of the height of the power input coupler. Fan teaches a wireless charging apparatus having the front panel surface projects for a height above the platform surface when the apparatus 5 is resting on a horizontal surface and with the bottom surface in abutment with the horizontal surface and supporting the weight of the apparatus (figs 4 and 7 shows vertical height pointed by reference 2 which is adjacent the platform 11) and figure 6 of Fan shows the ratio of these heights. It would have been obvious to have modified the apparatus of Copeland with the teaching of Fan to increase the strength of the platform by bulking up the vertical structure by modifying the ratio of these heights.
Re claim 9, Copeland further discloses the front panel surface and the platform surface is integrally formed (fig 6).
Re claim 10, Copeland further discloses further discloses the second housing portion comprises an upper panel which defines the platform surface and a lower panel which defines a bottom surface, wherein the upper panel and the lower panel cooperate to define a circuitry compartment inside which the electronic circuitry is housed, and wherein a plurality of conductors extends through the front panel to interconnect the electronic circuitry and the power input coupler (fig 2 shows circuitry 104 inside the platform surface).
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan (US 2014/0354219) in view of Chinese document CN2315700Y.
Fan does not disclose the power input coupler may be removable. The Chinese document teaches a power plug that may be removable (fig 2). It would have been obvious to have modified the power plug of Fan with the detachable plug of the Chinese document for the purpose of flexibility with different type of current (i.e. US vs. other country standard).
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Copeland et al. (US 2020/0179090) in view of Fan (US 2014/0354219) and further in view of Chinese document CN2315700Y.
Copeland in view of Fan does not disclose the power input coupler may be removable. The Chinese document teaches a power plug that may be removable (fig 2). It would have been obvious to have modified the power plug of Copeland in view of Fan with the detachable plug of the Chinese document for the purpose of flexibility with different type of current (i.e. US vs. other country standard).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Art of record fails to disclose or suggest at least a load retention structure which protrudes orthogonally from the platform surface, and wherein the load retention structure is oppositely facing the front panel surface.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Art of record exemplified state of the art of having pluggable charger for mobile devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to the Examiner at the below-listed number. The Examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Thu from 7:00am-5:00pm.
The Examiner’s SPE is Taelor Kim and he can be reached at 571.270.7166. The fax number for the organization where this application is assigned is 571.273.8300.
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/EDWARD TSO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859 571.272.2087