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
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 1-7, 10-12, 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu (CN 209983663 U) in view of Doran (US 2016/0000201A1).
With regard to claims 1, 10-12, Hu discloses a handle 2 for a handheld appliance 1, 2 (Fig. 1), the handle 2 comprising: a main body 2 comprising: a first end portion (see reproduced Fig. 2 below) connectable to, or comprising, a power supply (see reproduced Fig. 2 below); a second end (see reproduced Fig. 2 below); and a third portion (see reproduced Fig. 2 below) therebetween, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion extend radially outwards beyond the third portion (Figs. 1-2); and an external sleeve 22 configured to be gripped by a user to support the handle during use of the appliance, the external sleeve 22 rotatably supported around the third portion by the first end portion and the second end portion (Figs. 1-2, paragraph [0022]). The handle of Hu as above includes all that is recited in claims 1, 10-12 except for wherein the main body houses a fan unit and a heater; wherein the first end portion of the main body further comprises at least one user operated button; wherein the user operated button controls temperature settings or flow settings of the appliance; wherein the second end portion of the main body comprises an air outlet of the handle. Doran discloses a hair care appliance having a handle 20 comprising a main body 20 (Fig. 1), wherein the main body houses a fan unit 70 and a heater 80 (Fig. 1b); wherein the first end portion of the main body further comprises at least one user operated button 52 (Fig. 1a); wherein the user operated button controls temperature settings or flow settings of the appliance (paragraph [0096]); wherein the second end portion of the main body comprises an air outlet of the handle (not number, Fig. 1b, paragraph [0093]). 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 handle of Hu to provide the main body with a fan unit and a heater; to provide the first end portion of the main body with at least one user operated button; wherein the user operated button controls temperature settings or flow settings of the appliance; wherein the second end portion of the main body comprises an air outlet of the handle as taught by Doran in order to facilitate the user to control the hair styling and improve the handheld applicant operation efficiency.
With regard to claim 2, Hu discloses wherein the sleeve 22 is continuously rotatable with respect to the main body (Fig. 3, by rotating element 21).
With regard to claim 3, Hu discloses the handle further comprising a power cable (not numbered, see reproduced Fig. 2 below) fixedly connected to the first end portion of the main body 2.
With regard to claim 4, Hu discloses wherein the sleeve 22 axially extends the length of the third portion of the main body 2 such that a first edge of the sleeve 22 abuts the first end portion of the main body 2 and a second edge of the sleeve 22 abuts the second end portion of the main body 2 (Figs. 1-2).
With regard to claim 5, Hu discloses wherein an outer surface of the sleeve 22 lies flush with at least an adjoining section of an outer surface of the first end portion of the main body (Fig. 1).
With regard to claim 6, Hu discloses wherein the third portion of the main body and the sleeve 22 are substantially cylindrical (Figs. 4, 6).
With regard to claim 7, Hu discloses wherein the handle 2 is configured to receive a removable attachment 1 (Figs. 1, 2, 5, paragraph [0022]).
With regard to claim 26, Hu discloses wherein the appliance is a hair care appliance (paragraph [0002]).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13-25 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/6/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant argued that Hu describes a “curling iron” for heating and curling hair and Hu has a fixed (not detachable ) rod head and does not describe, teach or otherwise declare that flowing air is needed to perform the hair curling function and adding Doran’s heater and a fan to the handle unit of Hu does not provide any benefit and there is no motivation to combine references. The examiner disagrees. In response to applicant’s argument that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to combine the references, the examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, claims are for a handle. Hu discloses the rod head 1 and the handle 2 are push-pull connected (i.e. detachable). Therefore the handle 2 of Hu is capable of being used in other curling accessories such as one for blowing heated air. One would motivated to add heater and fan unit in the handle of Hu for the benefit of handle can be used to attach to various different straighteners and curling devices such as tongs, wands or irons for styling the hair.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hogan (US 2018/0076591 A1) discloses a hand held appliance with fan and heater unit in the handle.
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