DETAILED ACTION
Nozzle for Cleaner
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 09-17-2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 09-17-2026 has been entered. Claims 1,3,5-7,10,12,15-18,20,23-25,29,30,36,38 are currently pending and have been examined.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 08-18-2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and their dependent claims under 35 U.S.C.103 have been fully considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection (as necessitated by amendment) relies on a different combination of prior art references, not applied in the prior rejection of record teaches the amendments.
Regarding applicant’s argument that the prior art combination of Lee in view of Haan fails to specifically teach the limitation disclosed in the independent claim of “an attaching portion located above the floor cleaning portion and configured to attach to the rotation plate, wherein the attaching portion includes: a first portion positioned to vertically overlap the second circular area; and a second portion radially surrounding the second circular area and connecting with the outer edge of the second circular area”, examiner respectfully disagrees.
The claims requires an attaching portion (60a, 60d) located above the floor cleaning portion (60c, figure 12) where the attaching portion is configured to attach to the rotation plate (see figure 9), wherein the upper absorbing portion includes :a first circular area (see annotated figure 12); and a second circular area (see annotated figure 12); wherein the wherein the attaching portion includes:
a first portion (60a) positioned to vertically overlap the second circular area; and
a second portion (60d) radially surrounding the second circular area and connecting with the outer edge of the second circular area. (see annotated figure below).
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The claims only requires that the attaching portion be capable of attaching to a rotation, which can be through element 60a. It does not specify functional language for the first portion and the second portion only locations relative to other parts of the mop, specifically that the second portion radially surrounding the second circular area.
Further, a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.
Further, in response to applicant's argument that the examiner's conclusion of obviousness is based upon improper hindsight reasoning, it must be recognized that any judgment on obviousness is in a sense necessarily a reconstruction based upon hindsight reasoning. But so long as it takes into account only knowledge which was within the level of ordinary skill at the time the claimed invention was made, and does not include knowledge gleaned only from the applicant's disclosure, such a reconstruction is proper. See In re McLaughlin, 443 F.2d 1392, 170 USPQ 209 (CCPA 1971).
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) 1,3,5-7,10,12,15-18,20,23-25,29-30,36,38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (KR20010093648A) in view of Haan (KR101036249B1 ).
Regarding claim 1, Lee teaches
a floor cleaning portion (60c, figure 12); an upper absorbing portion (60b, figure 12) located above the floor cleaning portion (figure 12), the upper absorbing portion (60b, figure 12) being configured to receive water of a water tank supplied downward from a rotation plate of the nozzle on which the mop is installed, and to supply the water to the floor cleaning portion; and an attaching portion (60d, 60a figure 12)located above the floor cleaning portion and configured to attach to the rotation plate (figure 9), wherein the upper absorbing portion includes :a first circular area (see annotated figure 12); and a second circular area (see annotated figure 12) that extends from the first circular area in a radial direction and surrounds the first circular area, and wherein the attaching portion extends in an arc along an inner edge of the second circular area (figure 12), extends from the inner edge in the radial direction, and extends outward beyond an outer edge of the second circular area (see figure 12, 60d) in the radial direction, and
wherein the attaching portion includes:
a first portion (60a) positioned to vertically overlap the second circular area; and
a second portion (60d) radially surrounding the second circular area and connecting with the outer edge of the second circular area. (see annotated figure below)
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Lee fails to teach an upper surface expose to receive water from the water tank.
Haan teaches a pad for steam cleaner (abstract) that includes attachment layer (11, figure 1) and having an upper absorbing portion (7, figure 1) that includes a surface exposed to receive water from a water tank.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lee to include an upper surface expose to receive water from the water tank based on the teachings of Haan. This modification would help improve the cleaning power (see Haan abstract).
Regarding claim 3, modified Lee teaches wherein the attaching portion (see Lee 60a and 60d, figures 11- 12)) extends in a circumferential direction of the upper absorbing portion. (see Lee 7, figure 1 and Lee 60b, figures 11- 12)
Regarding claim 5, modified Lee teaches wherein the attaching portion (see Lee 60a and 60d, figures 11- 12 ) is positioned along an outer circumference of the upper absorbing portion . (see Lee 7, figure 1 and Lee 60b, figures 11- 12)
Regarding claim 6, modified Lee teaches herein the attaching portion (see Lee 60a and 60d, figures 11- 12 ) has a curvature corresponding to a curvature of the upper absorbing portion (see Lee 7, figure 1 and lee 60b, figures 11-12)
Regarding claim 7, modified Lee teaches wherein the attaching portion is sewn with the upper absorbing portion. (see Lee “At this time, the mop body 60c and the detachable layer 60a are sealed with a sewing room 62 as shown, and the outer circumferential surface of the mop 60 is formed to be wrapped by a separate protective member 60d to a fiber material. Swelling of the formed mop 60 is suppressed.”)
Regarding claim 10, modified Lee teaches wherein the attaching portion, the second circular area and the floor cleaning portion are arranged to overlap sequentially in a vertical direction. (see Lee, figures 11-12).
Regarding claim 12, modified Lee teaches wherein a radius of curvature of the second circular area is greater than a radius of curvature of the first circular area. (see Lee figures 11-12 and annotated figure above)
Regarding claim 15, Lee teaches all limitations stated above, but fails to teach a water absorbing portion located between the upper absorbing portion and the floor cleaning portion.
Haan teaches a mop that includes a water absorbing portion (see Haan 3,; nonwoven fabric 3 has a heavy weight and has a multi-layered air layer to instantly hold water sprayed with steam) located between the upper absorbing portion (see Haan 7, figure 1) and the floor cleaning portion (see Haan 1, figure 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lee to include a water absorbing portion located between the upper absorbing portion and the floor cleaning portion based on the teachings of Haan. This modification would help improve the cleaning power (see Haan abstract).
Regarding claim 16, modified Lee teaches wherein the attaching portion (see Lee 60a and 60d, figures 11- 12 ) is coupled to an upper side of the water absorbing portion (see Haan 3,; nonwoven fabric 3 has a heavy weight and has a multi-layered air layer to instantly hold water sprayed with steam).
Regarding claim 17, modified Lee teaches a first distance between an upper end of the attaching portion and the floor cleaning portion is equal to or greater than a second distance between an upper end of the upper absorbing portion and the floor cleaning portion. (see annotated figure below)
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Regarding claim 18, modified Lee teaches wherein the attaching portion extends (see Lee 60a and 60d, figures 11- 12 ) in a circumferential direction along the outer edge of second circular area.
Regarding claim 20, modified Lee teaches wherein an inner diameter of the attaching portion (see Lee 60a and 60d, figures 11- 12 ) is smaller than an outer diameter of the second circular area (see Lee 60a and 60d, figures 11-12).
Regarding claim 23, modified Lee teaches herein an outer diameter of the water absorbing portion (see Haan 3,; nonwoven fabric 3 has a heavy weight and has a multi-layered air layer to instantly hold water sprayed with steam) is greater than an inner diameter of the attaching portion. (see Lee figures 11-12)
Regarding claim 24, modified lee teaches wherein an outer edge of the water absorbing portion (see Haan 3,; nonwoven fabric 3 has a heavy weight and has a multi-layered air layer to instantly hold water sprayed with steam) overlaps a remaining portion of the attaching portion (see Lee 60a and 60d, figures 11-12) that does not overlap the upper absorbing portion (see lee 60b, figures 11-12) in a vertical direction.
Regarding claim 25, modified Lee teaches wherein the remaining portion of the attaching portion is sewn to the water absorbing portion. (see Lee “At this time, the mop body 60c and the detachable layer 60a are sealed with a sewing room 62 as shown, and the outer circumferential surface of the mop 60 is formed to be wrapped by a separate protective member 60d to a fiber material. Swelling of the formed mop 60 is suppressed.”)
Regarding claim 29, modified Lee teaches the remaining portion of the attaching portion (see Lee 60a and 60d, figures 11-12) that does not overlap the upper absorbing portion (see Haan 7, figure 1) surrounds the second circular area.
Regarding claim 30, modified Lee teaches wherein the attaching portion (see Lee 60a and 60d, figures 11-12) that has a ring shape.
Regarding claim 36, modified Lee teaches comprising an edge sewn portion configured to surround edges of the floor cleaning portion and the attaching portion,
wherein a first portion of the edge sewn portion contacts an upper surface of the attaching portion, and wherein a second portion of the edge sewn portion contacts a lower surface of the floor cleaning portion. (see Lee “At this time, the mop body 60c and the detachable layer 60a are sealed with a sewing room 62 as shown, and the outer circumferential surface of the mop 60 is formed to be wrapped by a separate protective member 60d to a fiber material. Swelling of the formed mop 60 is suppressed.”)
Regarding claim 38, modified Lee teaches all limitations stated above and wherein an edge sewn portion (see Lee “At this time, the mop body 60c and the detachable layer 60a are sealed with a sewing room 62 as shown, and the outer circumferential surface of the mop 60 is formed to be wrapped by a separate protective member 60d to a fiber material. Swelling of the formed mop 60 is suppressed.”) is configured to surround edges of the absorbing portion, but fails to teach a water absorbing portion between the upper absorbing portion and the floor cleaning portion.
Haan teaches a mop that includes a water absorbing portion (see Haan 3,; nonwoven fabric 3 has a heavy weight and has a multi-layered air layer to instantly hold water sprayed with steam) located between the upper absorbing portion (see Haan 7, figure 1) and the floor cleaning portion (see Haan 1, figure 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lee to include a water absorbing portion between the upper absorbing portion and the floor cleaning portion based on the teachings of Haan. This modification would help improve the cleaning power (see Haan abstract).
Claim(s) 4,13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (KR20010093648A) in view of Haan (KR101036249B1 ) further in view HEO (KR101654015B1).
Regarding claim 4, modified Lee teaches all limitations stated above, but fails to teach herein an opening is located at the center of the upper absorbing portion.
Heo teaches a cutting and forming a hole in the central portion of a mop (Heo discloses “central portion of the mop is cut to form a hole, thereby increasing the degree of close contact between the cleaning surface and the clean surface.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lee to include teachings of Heo forming a central opening within a mop. This modification thereby increasing degree of close contact between the cleaning surface and the clean surface (see Heo)
Regarding claim 13, modified Lee teaches all limitations stated above, but fails to teach plurality of sewing lines crossing each other in a cross shape on the mop, wherein a crossing center of the plurality of sewing lines is located at the first area.
Heo teaches including various materials within a mop in various different shapes and lines (figures 8, Heo discloses the mop 230 is formed of microfiber and nylon, and the two materials are repeatedly arranged in the form of a ring-shaped band, a spiral, an oblique line, and a curved line. “)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lee to include teachings of Heo plurality sewing lines. This modification would allow for a user to choose different sewing patterns for different cleaning purposes.
Regarding claim 14, Lee as modified teaches the crossing center of the plurality of sewing lines is aligned with a center of the mop. (Fig. 8, Heo discloses the mop 230 is formed of microfiber and nylon, and the two materials are repeatedly arranged in the form of a ring-shaped band, a spiral, an oblique line, and a curved line).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SARAH AKYAA FORDJOUR whose telephone number is (571)272-0390. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm and Friday 6:00am-3:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Carter can be reached at 571-272-4475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SARAH AKYAA FORDJOUR/ Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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