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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-8, 11-14, 17-20, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han (PGPub 20140130289) in view of Zhang (WO 2019233493).
Han teaches a detachable structure, provided in a self-moving robot, wherein the self-moving robot comprises a wet cleaning apparatus, the wet cleaning apparatus comprises a housing (2, 3) and a cleaning assembly disposed in the housing, and the detachable structure comprises: a pressure plate (74), having a connection end (746; figure 11) and a movable end (745; figure 11), the movable end being adjustably clamped to the housing, wherein: when the movable end and the housing are in a clamped state, the movable end blocks a partial structure of the cleaning assembly such that the cleaning assembly abuts against the housing; and when the movable end and the housing are in a non-clamped state, the cleaning assembly is removable from the housing (figure 11).
Han teaches all the essential elements of the claimed invention however fails to teach a rack and lifting module configured to adjust a distance between the wet cleaning apparatus and the rack.
Zhang teaches a cleaning robot with a cleaning assembly having a lifting transmission comprising a rack and pinion (page 15, lines 3-12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Han so that there is a lifting mechanism as taught by Zhang to allow for the cleaning assembly to move up and down based on the type of surface that has been detected. Thus when a hard floor is being cleaned, the cleaning assembly will be lowered, however when carpet it detected, the cleaning assembly will be lifted.
With regards to claim 2, the cleaning assembly comprises a cleaning head (front 70) and a water supply mechanism (6, 55, 56, paragraph 0122), and the water supply mechanism is configured to supply clean water to the cleaning head.
With regards to claim 3, the cleaning assembly further comprises a water return mechanism (figure 11, rearmost roller 70 can be considered the collector since the rollers will absorb fluid that is spread on to the surface), and the water return mechanism is configured to collect dirty water generated during cleaning.
With regards to claim 4, the connection end is connected to the housing (figure 9).
With regards to claim 5, the connection end is pivoted to the housing through a pivot shaft (746).
With regards to claim 7, the movable end is provided with a first clamping structure (745), the housing is provided with a second clamping structure (744) on a position corresponding to the movable end, and the first clamping structure is engaged with the second clamping structure.
With regards to claim 8, the housing is defined with a first accommodation space (500) for accommodating the cleaning head, the cleaning head is provided with a first connection end portion (72’) and a second connection end portion (72) opposite to each other, the first connection end portion of the cleaning head is detachably connected to a first end (731) of the first accommodation space, the second connection end portion of the cleaning head is located at the second end (741) of the first accommodation space, wherein the movable end is adjustably clamped to the second end of the first accommodation space, and when the movable end and the housing are in the clamped state, the second connection end portion of the cleaning head is pressed against and positioned on the second end of the first accommodation space by the pressure plate (figure 11).
With regards to claim 11, the housing is defined with a second accommodation space (rear portion of 500) for accommodating the water return mechanism, the water return mechanism is provided with a first connection end portion (72’) and a second connection end portion (72) opposite to each other, the first connection end portion of the water return mechanism is detachably connected to a first end (731) of the second accommodation space, the second connection end portion of the water return mechanism is located at a second end (741) of the second accommodation space, wherein the movable end is adjustably clamped to the second end of the second accommodation space, and when the movable end and the housing are in the clamped state, the second connection end portion of the water return mechanism is pressed against and positioned on the second end of the second accommodation space by the pressure plate (figure 11).
With regards to claim 12, the housing is defined with a first accommodation space (500) for accommodating the cleaning head, the cleaning head is provided with a first connection end portion (72’) and a second connection end portion (72) opposite to each other, the first connection end portion of the cleaning head is detachably connected to a first end (731) of the first accommodation space, the second connection end portion of the cleaning head is located at the second end (741) of the first accommodation space, wherein the movable end is adjustably clamped to the second end of the first accommodation space, and when the movable end and the housing are in the clamped state, the second connection end portion of the cleaning head is pressed against and positioned on the second end of the first accommodation space by the pressure plate (figure 11); the housing is defined with a second accommodation space (rear portion of 500) for accommodating the water return mechanism, the water return mechanism is provided with a first connection end portion (72’) and a second connection end portion (72) opposite to each other, the first connection end portion of the water return mechanism is detachably connected to a first end (731) of the second accommodation space, the second connection end portion of the water return mechanism is located at a second end (741) of the second accommodation space, wherein the movable end is adjustably clamped to the second end of the second accommodation space, and when the movable end and the housing are in the clamped state, the second connection end portion of the water return mechanism is pressed against and positioned on the second end of the second accommodation space by the pressure plate (figure 11).
With regards to claim 13, the first clamping structure and the second clamping structure are in one of the following structures: a male clamping head (744) and a female clamping head (745), clamping tenons mutually matched, and a clamping post and a clamping hole.
With regards to claim 14, Han teaches a self-moving robot comprising a detachable structure, wherein the detachable structure is provided in a self-moving robot, wherein the self-moving robot comprises a wet cleaning apparatus, the wet cleaning apparatus comprises a housing (2, 3) and a cleaning assembly (7) disposed in the housing, and the detachable structure comprises: a pressure plate (74), having a connection end (746) and a movable end (745), the movable end being adjustably clamped to the housing, wherein when the movable end and the housing are in a clamped state, the movable end blocks a partial structure of the cleaning assembly such that the cleaning assembly abuts against the housing; and when the movable end and the housing are in a non-clamped state, the cleaning assembly is removable from the housing (figure 11).
Han teaches all the essential elements of the claimed invention however fails to teach a rack and lifting module configured to adjust a distance between the wet cleaning apparatus and the rack.
Zhang teaches a cleaning robot with a cleaning assembly having a lifting transmission comprising a rack and pinion (page 15, lines 3-12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Han so that there is a lifting mechanism as taught by Zhang to allow for the cleaning assembly to move up and down based on the type of surface that has been detected. Thus when a hard floor is being cleaned, the cleaning assembly will be lowered, however when carpet it detected, the cleaning assembly will be lifted.
With regards to claim 17, the cleaning assembly comprises a cleaning head (front 70) and a water supply mechanism (6, 55, 56), and the water supply mechanism is configured to supply clean water to the cleaning head.
With regards to claim 18, the cleaning assembly further comprises a water return mechanism (rearmost 70 roller can be considered the collector since the rollers will absorb fluid that is spread on to the surface), and the water return mechanism is configured to collect dirty water generated during cleaning.
With regards to claim 19, the connection end is connected to the housing (figure 9).
With regards to claim 20, the connection end is pivoted (746) to the housing through a pivot shaft.
With regards to claim 22, the movable end is provided with a first clamping structure (745), the housing is provided with a second clamping structure (744) on a position corresponding to the movable end, and the first clamping structure is engaged with the second clamping structure.
Claim(s) 6 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han (‘035) and Zhang (‘493) in view of Aiyar (USPN 7328477).
Han and Zhang teach all the essential elements of the claimed invention however fail to explicitly teach the connection end is defined with a first pivot hole, the housing is provided with a pivoting structure, the pivoting structure is defined with second pivot holes at positions respectively corresponding to two sides of the connection end, and the pivot shaft passes through the first pivot hole and the second pivot holes to pivot the connection end to the housing.
Aiyar teaches a pivoting structure comprising a pivot hole thru the handle (340), second pivot holes (on 90) with a pivot shaft (pin holding 90 and 340 together) extending between the first and second pivot holes.
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 pivot means of Han so that it comprises a pivot structure as taught by Aiyar since they are both considered to be equivalent structures known in the art. They perform the same function of allowing an element to pivot about a pivot shaft equally well and can be considered interchangeable.
Claim(s) 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han (‘035) and Zhang (‘493)in view of Fang (CN 201119841).
Han and Zhang teach all the essential elements of the claimed invention however fail to teach the claimed drive wheel module.
Fang teaches a self-moving robot comprising a drive wheel module (figure 3-5), the drive wheel module comprises: a body portion (10, 12) with an end connected to the rack; a drive wheel (8), disposed in the body portion; and a drive motor (15), disposed in the body portion and in transmission connection with the drive wheel to rotate the drive wheel (claim 15). Fang also teaches that the drive wheel module further comprises an elastic element (24) arranged along a vertical plane (figure 4), and the elastic element has an upper end connected to the rack and a lower end connected to the body portion.
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 drive wheel module of Han with the drive wheel module of Fang to enhance the moving ability of driving, which can effectively avoid small obstacles.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-8, 11/22 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.
The applicant amended the independent claims to state that there is a rack and lifting module to adjust a distance between the wet cleaning apparatus and the rack. A new search was performed and Zhang was found to meet the limitation of a rack and lifting mechanism to adjust the height of the cleaning assembly based on the floor surface. A new rejection was made to support this newly found reference.
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 SHAY LYNN KARLS whose telephone number is (571)272-1268. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th (6am-5pm).
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/SHAY KARLS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723