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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 05/19/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 8, filed 05/19/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 29-48 under 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Conrad (US 20180177358 A1) and in view of Gill (US 20200022553 A1).
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) 29-31, 33-36, 37-43, and 45-48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Conrad (US 20180177358 A1) and in view of Gill (US 20200022553 A1).
Regarding Claim 29, Conrad discloses:
A cleaning apparatus comprising:
a vacuum cleaner (30) including a dust collecting chamber (38), the dust collecting chamber including:
a body (36) including an opening (opening closed by door 32, see Fig. 7),
a door (32) configured to be rotatable to open and close the opening (See Figs. 6 and 7), and
a fixing member (37) configured to fix the door to the body (See Figs. 6 and 7), and to be pressed to release the door from being fixed to the body (Para [0183] “A door release switch or actuator 35 is positioned external to the garbage can so it is operable by a user when the cyclone bin assembly 30 has been inserted into port 110 into an emptying position.”), and
a docking station (100) to which the vacuum cleaner is dockable (See Fig. 7), the docking station including:
a seating portion (104) on which the dust collecting chamber is seatable to dock the vacuum cleaner to the docking station (See Para [0183] “In FIGS. 6 and 8, a cyclone bin assembly 30 for a surface cleaning apparatus has been positioned in port 110. Cyclone bin assembly 30 includes an air treatment member, in this case a cyclone 31, and a dirt collection region 38 for collecting particulate matter dis-entrained from a dirty airflow by cyclone 31. A handle 33 is provided at an upper end 34 of the cyclone bin assembly. Cyclone bin assembly 30 has an openable lower end 32 releasably secured by a door closure member 37. A door release switch or actuator 35 is positioned external to the garbage can so it is operable by a user when the cyclone bin assembly 30 has been inserted into port 110 into an emptying position.”),
a collecting part (28) configured to collect foreign substances (See Fig. 7), and But does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the door is configured to remain in a position closing the opening, after the fixing member is pressed, until an external force is generated to rotate the door to open the opening,
a suction device configured to generate suction flow, serving as the external force,
an opening guide on the seating portion and configured to press the fixing member when the dust collecting chamber is being seated on the seating portion,
wherein based on the dust collecting chamber being seated on the seating portion with the opening closed by the door, the fixing member is pressed by the opening guide by the dust collecting chamber being seated, causing the fixing member to release the door from being fixed to the body,
based on the door being released from being fixed to the body, the door remains in the position closing the opening until being rotated by the external force generated by the suction device to open the opening, and
the foreign substances in the dust collecting chamber are suctionable by the suction flow through the opened opening to be discharged to the collecting part.
However, Conrad discloses a second embodiment including a suction device configured to generate suction flow (See Fig. 11 and 220).
And Conrad discloses a third embodiment disclosing an opening guide (132) on the seating portion (104) and configured to press the fixing member (37’) when the dust collecting chamber is being seated on the seating portion (See Fig. 9).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify Conrad to include a suction motor and an opening guide as doing so would assist in controlling dust and allergens and preventing them from being accidently released into the exterior environment via opening the cleaner inside the docking station and utilizing suction from the motor to keep the debris inside the station, See Para [0196] “By providing a suction source to draw air from the interior volume of the refuse container, some or all of a plume of fine dust or other particles generated during the emptying of a dirt collection region of a surface cleaning apparatus may be drawn into the interior of the refuse container, which may result in a more controlled transfer of the contents of the dirt collection region to the refuse container.”
Examiner notes that Conrad as modified discloses wherein based on the dust collecting chamber being seated on the seating portion with the opening closed by the door, the opening guide can press the fixing member (See Fig. 9), causing the fixing member to release the door from being fixed to the body (See Fig. 9 showing the door released from the body),
the foreign substances in the dust collecting chamber are suctionable by the suction flow through the opened opening to be discharged to the collecting part (See Fig. 12 showing foreign substances being suctioned).
But still does not explicitly disclose wherein the door is configured to remain in a position closing the opening, after the fixing member is pressed, until an external force is generated to rotate the door to open the opening,
The suction flow serving as the external force
wherein based on the dust collecting chamber being seated on the seating portion with the opening closed by the door, the fixing member is pressed by the opening guide by the dust collecting chamber being seated and
based on the door being released from being fixed to the body, the door remains in the position closing the opening until being rotated by the external force generated by the suction device to open the opening.
However, Gill does disclose a cleaner that docks to a station, the cleaner including a door (5902 See Fig. 59) and a fixing member (5904) wherein the door is configured to remain in a position closing the opening, after the fixing member is pressed, until an external force is generated to rotate the door to open the opening (See Para [0223] cited below, discussing the act of docking actuating the sliding latch, and a biasing member biasing the door towards a closed position)
“[0223] FIGS. 59 and 60 show a schematic example of a robotic vacuum cleaner dust cup 5900 having an evacuation pivot door 5902. As shown, the robotic vacuum cleaner dust cup 5900 includes a sliding latch 5904 that slides in response to the robotic vacuum cleaner engaging a docking station. When a suction force is generated by the docking station, the evacuation pivot door 5902 may transition to an open position such that the robotic vacuum cleaner dust cup 5900 is fluidly coupled to the docking station via an outlet port 5906 of the robotic vacuum cleaner dust cup 5900. Additionally, or alternatively, the evacuation pivot door 5902 may be biased towards an open position (e.g., as shown in FIG. 60) using a biasing mechanism (e.g., using a spring, an elastic member, and/or any other biasing mechanism). In these instances, the sliding latch 5904 resists the pivotal movement of the evacuation pivot door 5902 such that, when the sliding latch 5904 moves in response to the robotic vacuum cleaner engaging the docking station, the evacuation pivot door 5902 is urged to the open position by the biasing mechanism. In some instances, the biasing mechanism may urge the evacuation pivot door 5902 towards a closed position (e.g., as shown in FIG. 59).”
The suction flow serving as the external force (See Para [0223] cited above discussing the door opens in response to a suction force generated by the docking station)
wherein based on the dust collecting chamber (5900) being seated on the seating portion with the opening (5906) closed by the door (5902), the fixing member (5904) is pressed by an opening guide by the dust collecting chamber being seated (See Para [0223] cited above, discussing the act of docking actuating the sliding latch, and a biasing member biasing the door towards a closed position) and
based on the door being released from being fixed to the body, the door remains in the position closing the opening until being rotated by the external force generated by the suction device to open the opening (See Para [0223] above discussing the door remaining closed or even being biased closed until the suction force causes the door to pivot.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the device of Conrad such that the fixing member releases but does not open the door, allowing for the suction force of the station to generate an external force which rotates the door to open the opening, as doing so would prevent accidental releasing of the debris in the debris container of the cleaner if the fixing member is actuated accidently outside of the station.
It would further be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the opening guide and fixing member such that by seating the dust collecting chamber on the seating portion the fixing member is pressed open by the opening guide by the dust collecting chamber being seated. As doing so would be a matter of providing a mechanical means to replace a manual activity which accomplished the same result not be sufficient to distinguish over the prior art (See MPEP 2144.04 III).
Regarding Claim 30, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 29 and in addition discloses wherein the dust collecting chamber includes an elastic member configured to bias the door toward the opening of the body so that the door remains closed when the fixing member is pressed by the opening guide to release the door from being fixed to the body (See Para [0223] of Gill cited above in the rejection of claim 29 discussing the use of a biasing mechanism such as a spring or otherwise elastic member being used to urge the pivot door towards a closed position).
Regarding Claim 31, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 29, and suggests but does not explicitly disclose,
the opening guide includes a protruding portion protruding from an inner circumferential surface of the seating portion to press the fixing member when the dust collecting chamber is being seated on the seating portion (132, and 134 protrudes from the inner circumferential portion of the seating portion to press fixing member 37’ but is intended to be actuated by a user to open press the fixing member).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the seating portion to include a protruding portion of the opening guide to press the fixing member when the dust collecting chamber is being seated on the seating portion as doing so would be eliminate the need for the user to actuate the door to empty the debris, instead having it done automatically.
Regarding Claim 33, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 31 and in addition discloses
wherein the fixing member (37’ as modified in claim 29, see Fig. 9) includes a push portion protruding outward from an outer circumferential surface of the body (See Fig. 9, push portion being the point where 134 contacts 37’) and configured so that,
with the opening closed by the door, the door fixed to the body by the fixing member, and the dust collecting chamber being seated on the seating portion, the push portion is pressed by the opening guide to release the door from being fixed to the body (See Para [0190] “In this arrangement, the upper end 132 of lid actuator 130 may be manipulated by a user to cause the lower end 134 to drivingly engage and thereby actuate the door closure member 37′ of cyclone bin assembly 30′ to release openable lower end 32 when the bin assembly has been positioned in port 110.”),
and with the opening closed by the door, the door fixed to the body by the fixing member, and the dust collecting chamber not seated on the seating portion, the push portion is pressable by a user to release the door from being fixed to the body (See Para [0203] “For example, door closure member 37′ may have been deflected or rotated (e.g. by a user's thumb), whereby openable lower end 32 was released and moved to an open position, e.g. due to gravity or one or more biasing members (not shown).”).
Regarding Claim 34, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 29 and suggests but does not explicitly disclose wherein, the dust collecting chamber includes a rotation shaft about which the door rotates to open or close the opening (See Fig. 6 and 7, showing the door 32 rotatably attached to a hinge member on the opposite side of the fixing member 37).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Conrad to include a rotation shaft to hingedly connect the door such that the door can rotate open or close, as doing so would allow for the cleaner to remain a single piece, and easily open and close to empty the cleaner for repeated use.
Regarding Claim 35, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 34 and in addition discloses wherein, the fixing member is arranged at a first side of the door that is opposite a second side of the door that is attached to the rotation shaft (See Figures 6, and 7).
Regarding Claim 36, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 29 and in addition discloses wherein
The suction flows from the seating portion through the collecting part to the suction device (See airflow arrows in Fig. 12).
And suggests but does not explicitly disclose the suction device is arranged below the collecting part (See Fig. 12, suction device 210 is located below the entrance to the collecting part).
However, Conrad discloses an additional embodiment wherein the suction device is arranged below the collecting part (See Fig. 27, suction motor 206 is provided at the bottom of the collecting part 28).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the location of the suction motor to be arranged below the collecting part as doing so would not modify the operation of the device as demonstrated by the embodiments shown in figures 12 and 27 of Conrad and would be a matter of rearrangement of parts (See MPEP 2144.04 VI B.
Regarding Claim 37, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 29 and in addition discloses wherein
While the dust collecting chamber is seated on the seating portion and the fixing member is pressed by the opening guide so that the door is released from being fixed to the body (See Figure 9 of Conrad) the opening remains closed by the door until the door is rotated by the suction flow to open the opening (See Gill Para [0223] cited above in claim 29 discussing the door being biased closed).
Regarding Claim 38, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 37 and in addition discloses after the door is rotated by the suction flow to open the opening, the door rotates to close the opening after the suction flow is stopped (See Gill Para [0223] cited above in claim 29 discussing a biasing device biasing the door towards a closed position, which would cause the door to return to being closed after there is no longer an external force being applied).
Regarding Claim 39, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 29 and in addition discloses wherein
The door includes a coupling protrusion (See portion of 32, that is hooked by fixing portion 37 in Figure 6 of Conrad), and
The fixing member includes a hook portion that is moveable to receive the coupling protrusion to fix the door to the body (See figures 6 and 7 showing 37 hooking the door 32, additionally see Para [0185] “In FIG. 7, openable lower end 32 of cyclone bin assembly 30 has been moved into an open position. For example, door release switch 35 may have been deflected or rotated (e.g. by a user's thumb), resulting in a deflection or rotation of door closure member 37, whereby openable lower end 32 was released and moved to an open position, e.g. due to gravity or one or more biasing members (not shown).”).
Regarding Claim 40, Conrad discloses:
A cleaning apparatus comprising:
a vacuum cleaner (30) including a dust collecting chamber (38), the dust collecting chamber including:
a body (30) including an opening (opening closed by door 32 see Fig. 7),
a door (32) configured to be rotatable to a position in which the door opens the opening and a position in which the door closes the opening (See Fig. 6 and 7), and
a fixing member (37) configured to fix the door in the position in which the door closes the opening (See Fig. 6 of Conrad), and to be pressed to release the door from being fixed in the position in which the door closes the opening (See Fig. 7 and Para [0185] “In FIG. 7, openable lower end 32 of cyclone bin assembly 30 has been moved into an open position. For example, door release switch 35 may have been deflected or rotated (e.g. by a user's thumb), resulting in a deflection or rotation of door closure member 37, whereby openable lower end 32 was released and moved to an open position, e.g. due to gravity or one or more biasing members (not shown).”), and
a docking station (20) to which the vacuum cleaner is dockable (See Figs. 6 and 7), the docking station including:
a seating portion (104) on which the dust collecting chamber is seatable when the vacuum cleaner docks to the docking station (See Para [0183] “In FIGS. 6 and 8, a cyclone bin assembly 30 for a surface cleaning apparatus has been positioned in port 110. Cyclone bin assembly 30 includes an air treatment member, in this case a cyclone 31, and a dirt collection region 38 for collecting particulate matter dis-entrained from a dirty airflow by cyclone 31. A handle 33 is provided at an upper end 34 of the cyclone bin assembly. Cyclone bin assembly 30 has an openable lower end 32 releasably secured by a door closure member 37. A door release switch or actuator 35 is positioned external to the garbage can so it is operable by a user when the cyclone bin assembly 30 has been inserted into port 110 into an emptying position.”),
a collecting part (28) configured to collect foreign substances (See Fig. 7), and
But does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the door is configured to remain in a position closing the opening, after the fixing member is pressed, until an external force is generated to rotate the door to open the opening,
a suction device configured to generate suction flow, serving as the external force
an opening guide on the seating portion configured to press the fixing member while the dust collecting chamber is being seated on the seating portion,
wherein the door is further configured to:
be released from being fixed by the fixing member in the position in which the door closes the opening, while the dust collecting chamber is being seated on the seating portion, the fixing member pressing the opening guide through the seating of the dust collecting chamber, and
after being released from being fixed by the fixing member, remain in position closing the opening until being rotated to a position in which the door opens the opening due to the external force generated by the suction device so that foreign substances in the dust collecting chamber are suctioned by the suction flow through the opened opening to be discharged to the collecting part.
However, Conrad discloses a second embodiment including a suction device configured to generate suction flow (See Fig. 11 and 220).
And Conrad discloses a third embodiment disclosing an opening guide (132) configured to press the fixing member (37’) when the dust collecting chamber is being seated on the seating portion (See Fig. 9).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify Conrad to include a suction motor and a fixing member as doing so would assist in controlling dust and allergens and preventing them from being accidently released into the exterior environment via opening the cleaner inside the docking station and utilizing suction from the motor to keep the debris inside the station, See Para [0196] “By providing a suction source to draw air from the interior volume of the refuse container, some or all of a plume of fine dust or other particles generated during the emptying of a dirt collection region of a surface cleaning apparatus may be drawn into the interior of the refuse container, which may result in a more controlled transfer of the contents of the dirt collection region to the refuse container.”
Examiner notes that Conrad as modified discloses wherein the door is further configured to:
be released from being fixed by the fixing member in the position in which the door closes the opening, while the dust collecting chamber is being seated on the seating portion, by the opening guide pressing the fixing member (See Fig. 9 showing the opening guide 132, opening the previously closed door 32 via actuating the fixing member 37’).
But still does not explicitly disclose wherein the door is configured to remain in a position closing the opening, after the fixing member is pressed, until an external force is generated to rotate the door to open the opening,
The suction flow serving as the external force
wherein based on the dust collecting chamber being seated on the seating portion with the opening closed by the door, the fixing member is pressed by the opening guide by the dust collecting chamber being seated and
based on the door being released from being fixed to the body, the door remains in the position closing the opening until being rotated by the external force generated by the suction device to open the opening.
However, Gill does disclose a cleaner that docks to a station, the cleaner including a door (5902 See Fig. 59) and a fixing member (5904) wherein the door is configured to remain in a position closing the opening, after the fixing member is pressed, until an external force is generated to rotate the door to open the opening (See Para [0223] cited below, discussing the act of docking actuating the sliding latch, and a biasing member biasing the door towards a closed position)
“[0223] FIGS. 59 and 60 show a schematic example of a robotic vacuum cleaner dust cup 5900 having an evacuation pivot door 5902. As shown, the robotic vacuum cleaner dust cup 5900 includes a sliding latch 5904 that slides in response to the robotic vacuum cleaner engaging a docking station. When a suction force is generated by the docking station, the evacuation pivot door 5902 may transition to an open position such that the robotic vacuum cleaner dust cup 5900 is fluidly coupled to the docking station via an outlet port 5906 of the robotic vacuum cleaner dust cup 5900. Additionally, or alternatively, the evacuation pivot door 5902 may be biased towards an open position (e.g., as shown in FIG. 60) using a biasing mechanism (e.g., using a spring, an elastic member, and/or any other biasing mechanism). In these instances, the sliding latch 5904 resists the pivotal movement of the evacuation pivot door 5902 such that, when the sliding latch 5904 moves in response to the robotic vacuum cleaner engaging the docking station, the evacuation pivot door 5902 is urged to the open position by the biasing mechanism. In some instances, the biasing mechanism may urge the evacuation pivot door 5902 towards a closed position (e.g., as shown in FIG. 59).”
The suction flow serving as the external force (See Para [0223] cited above discussing the door opens in response to a suction force generated by the docking station)
wherein based on the dust collecting chamber (5900) being seated on the seating portion with the opening (5906) closed by the door (5902), the fixing member (5904) is pressed by an opening guide by the dust collecting chamber being seated (See Para [0223] cited above, discussing the act of docking actuating the sliding latch, and a biasing member biasing the door towards a closed position) and
based on the door being released from being fixed to the body, the door remains in the position closing the opening until being rotated by the external force generated by the suction device to open the opening (See Para [0223] above discussing the door remaining closed or even being biased closed until the suction force causes the door to pivot.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the device of Conrad such that the fixing member releases but does not open the door, allowing for the suction force of the station to generate an external force which rotates the door to open the opening, as doing so would prevent accidental releasing of the debris in the debris container of the cleaner if the fixing member is actuated accidently outside of the station.
It would further be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the opening guide and fixing member such that by seating the dust collecting chamber on the seating portion the fixing member is pressed open by the opening guide by the dust collecting chamber being seated. As doing so would be a matter of providing a mechanical means to replace a manual activity which accomplished the same result not be sufficient to distinguish over the prior art (See MPEP 2144.04 III).
Regarding Claim 41, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 40 and in addition discloses wherein the dust collecting chamber includes an elastic member configured to bias the door toward the opening of the body so that the door remains closed when the fixing member is pressed by the opening guide to release the door from being fixed to the body (See Para [0223] of Gill cited above in the rejection of claim 29 discussing the use of a biasing mechanism such as a spring or otherwise elastic member being used to urge the pivot door towards a closed position).
Regarding Claim 42, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 40 and suggests but does not explicitly disclose wherein, the dust collecting chamber includes a rotation shaft about which the door rotates to open or close the opening (See Fig. 6 and 7, showing the door 32 rotatably attached to a hinge member on the opposite side of the fixing member 37).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Conrad to include a rotation shaft to hingedly connect the door such that the door can rotate open or close, as doing so would allow for the cleaner to remain a single piece, and easily open and close to empty the cleaner for repeated use.
Regarding Claim 43, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 40, and suggests but does not explicitly disclose,
the opening guide includes a protruding portion protruding from an inner circumferential surface of the seating portion to press the fixing member when the dust collecting chamber is being seated on the seating portion (See Para [0191] “132, and 134 protrudes from the inner circumferential portion of the seating portion to press fixing member 37’ but is intended to be actuated by a user to open press the fixing member).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the seating portion to include a protruding portion of the opening guide to press the fixing member when the dust collecting chamber is being seated on the seating portion as doing so would be eliminate the need for the user to actuate the door to empty the debris, instead having it done automatically.
Regarding Claim 45, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 40 and in addition disclose wherein the fixing member (37) includes a push portion protruding outward from an outer circumferential surface of the body (See figure 9 of Conrad showing the opening guide 132, connected at 136) and configured so that,
with the door fixed in the position in which the door closes the opening and the dust collecting chamber being seated on the seating portion, the push portion is pressed by the opening guide to release the door from being fixed in the position in which the door closes the opening(See Conrad Para [0190] “In this arrangement, the upper end 132 of lid actuator 130 may be manipulated by a user to cause the lower end 134 to drivingly engage and thereby actuate the door closure member 37′ of cyclone bin assembly 30′ to release openable lower end 32 when the bin assembly has been positioned in port 110.”),
with the door fixed in the position in which the door closes the opening and the dust collecting chamber not seated on the seating portion, the push portion is pressable by a user to release the door from being fixed in the position in which the door closes the opening (See Para Conrad [0203] “For example, door closure member 37′ may have been deflected or rotated (e.g. by a user's thumb), whereby openable lower end 32 was released and moved to an open position, e.g. due to gravity or one or more biasing members (not shown).”).
Regarding Claim 46, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitation of claim 42 and in addition discloses wherein
the fixing member is arranged at a first side of the door that is opposite a second side of the door that is attached to the rotation shaft (See Figs. 6 and 7 showing 37 on the side opposite of the hinge connection point of the door 32).
Regarding Claim 47, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 40 and in addition discloses
wherein while the dust collecting chamber is seated on the seating portion and the door is released from the position in which the door closes the opening, the opening remains closed by the door until the door is rotated by the suction flow to the position in which the door opens the opening (See Figure 9 of Conrad) the opening remains closed by the door until the door is rotated by the suction flow to open the opening (See Gill Para [0223] cited above in claim 40 discussing the door being biased closed)).
Regarding Claim 48, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 47 and in addition discloses wherein after the door is rotated by the suction flow to the position in which the door opens the opening, the door rotates to the position in which the door closes the opening after the suction flow is stopped (See Gill Para [0223] cited above in claim 29 discussing a biasing device biasing the door towards a closed position, which would cause the door to return to being closed after there is no longer an external force being applied).
Claim(s) 32 and 44 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over C Conrad (US 20180177358 A1) and in view of Gill (US 20200022553 A1) as modified in claim 29 and 40 respectively, and in further view of Sato (US 20180199776 A1).
Regarding Claim 32, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 31 but does not explicitly disclose wherein the protruding portion is a rib.
However, Sato discloses a similar cleaner docking station arrangement wherein the docking station has a protruding portion that is a rib (26) to engage with a fixing portion of a door (131 and 41, see Figures 8-9).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify opening guide to include a protruding rib to engage with the fixing member of the cleaner as doing so would allow for the automatic releasing of the door when the cleaner docks to the station, automating the task for the user when the user wishes to dock the cleaner and empty it of debris.
Regarding Claim 44, Conrad as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 43 but does not explicitly disclose wherein the protruding portion is a rib.
However, Sato discloses a similar cleaner docking station arrangement wherein the docking station has a protruding portion that is a rib (26) to engage with a fixing portion of a door (131 and 41, see Figures 8-9).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify opening guide to include a protruding rib to engage with the fixing member of the cleaner as doing so would allow for the automatic releasing of the door when the cleaner docks to the station, automating the task for the user when the user wishes to dock the cleaner and empty it of debris.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tyler James McFarland whose telephone number is (571)272-7270. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30AM-5PM (E.S.T), Flex First Friday.
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/T.J.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/DAVID S POSIGIAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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