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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 8, filed 12/29/2025, 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 Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.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 Hahm (US 20070226949 A1).
Applicant’s arguments, see Page 7, filed 12/29/2025, with respect to interpreting “Collecting part” and “fixing member” under 112(f) have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 112(f) interpretation of “collecting part” and “fixing member” has been withdrawn.
With respect to applicants’ remaining arguments with respect to the Conrad reference, Applicant first argues that there is no support for the allegation that the door of Conrad is capable of being rotatable via suction flow caused by suction force 210 after the fixing member releases the door. Examiner respectfully disagrees. The Limitation in question “the door is rotatable by the suction flow generated by the suction device to open the opening” is a functional limitation modifying the door of the cleaner. As such the limitation requires that the door in question is capable of performing said function. If the vacuum source 210 was active when the cleaner body was inserted into the dock, and then the opening guide was operated to open the latch, the vacuum force would act on the door pulling it in the downward direction. And Conrad further discloses that the suction source is on before the opening of the dirt collection region of the cleaner (See Para [0205] “Advantageously, this may result in some or all of any particles dispersed in a plume or cloud following the opening of dirt collection region 38 being drawn into the interior volume 28 of container 20 and/or into air treatment member 210.”) and as modified door 32 of Conrad is opened via the opening guide following the insertion of the cleaner into the collecting station as such the door is capable of performing the function of the limitation. As Such Examiner does not find this argument persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that The garbage can of Conrad is based on the flexible flanges that form a seal about the bottom portion of the vacuum device and that any modification resulting in an actuator, protruding from the flexible flanges that form the seating member would disrupt the operation of the sealing members, nor would the flanges be capable of performing the role of opening guide, the test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference; nor is it that the claimed invention must be expressly suggested in any one or all of the references. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981).
In this case, Hahm as cited below cites a similar cleaner docking station operation wherein a door is opened during and by the docking process of the cleaner docking at the station, performing an analogous actuation of the door to that of Conrad automatically. Additionally, Lid 100 of Conrad, which forms a portion of the seating portion 110 shows plenty of space that is not a part of the above discussed flanges (122) and is already shown to support an opening guide (132) in Fig. 9 of Conrad. As such Examiner does not find these arguments persuasive.
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, 39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Conrad (US 20180177358 A1) and in view of Hahm (US 20070226949 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:
a suction device configured to generate suction flow,
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 is rotatable by the suction flow 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), based on the door being released from being fixed to the body, the door is rotatable by the suction flow generated by the suction device to open the opening (door is capable of being rotatable via suction flow caused by suction source 210 after the fixing member releases the door, Conrad further discloses that the suction source is on before the opening of the dirt collection region of the cleaner (See Para [0205] “Advantageously, this may result in some or all of any particles dispersed in a plume or cloud following the opening of dirt collection region 38 being drawn into the interior volume 28 of container 20 and/or into air treatment member 210.”) and as modified door 32 of Conrad is opened via the opening guide following the insertion of the cleaner into the collecting station), 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 (See Fig. 12 showing foreign substances being suctioned).
But does not explicitly disclose 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.
However, Hahm discloses a similar cleaner and docking station system including a fixing member (163) opening guide (210) and a door (160) wherein when the cleaner docks to the docking portion with the opening (114) closed by the door (160, See Fig. 5), the fixing member (163) is pressed by the opening guide by the dust cleaner being docked (See Para [0104] “Also, as the introduction of the protrusion 150a is continued, each lever 163 of the first opening/closing device 160 is pushed by the station body 210. Thereby, each opening/closing member 162 is pivotally rotated about the associated pivoting shaft 161 to open the dust discharge hole 114.”).
It would 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 but does not explicitly disclose 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.
However, Hahm discloses a cleaner and docking station wherein, wherein the dust collecting chamber includes an elastic member (164) configured to bias the door (160) 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 Col 9 Line 27-35 “Each of the opening/closing units 160a includes an opening/closing member 162 to pivotally rotate about a pivoting shaft 161 within the protrusion 150a so as to open and close the dust discharge hole 114, a lever 163 that extends out of the protrusion 150a from one end of the opening/closing member 162 coupled to the pivoting shaft 161, and an elastic member 164 that is used to elastically bias the opening/closing member 162 in a direction of closing the dust discharge hole 114.”).
It would be obvious to one of skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the door of Conrad to include an elastic member as advantageously described in Hahm as doing so would prevent any accidently discharge of debris stored in the cleaner during the docking process before it can be properly discharged into the docking station.
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 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).”).
Claim(s) 37, 38, 40-43, and 45-48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Conrad (US 20180177358 A1) in view of Hahm (US 20070226949 A1) as modified in claim 29 and in further view of Janzen (WO 2015082019 A1).
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) but does not disclose the opening remains closed by the door until the door is rotated by the suction flow to open the opening.
However, Janzen discloses a similar cleaner and docking station structure wherein the cleaner comprises an opening that can be closed via a door (valve parts 62 and 64, See Fig. 6) and the opening remains closed by the door until the door is rotated by the suction flow to open the opening (See Para [0114] “As already mentioned, the valve device 60 and in particular its valve body 62, 64 can be actuated by air pressure. When a certain differential pressure exists between the air pressure in the container interior 44 and the pressure on the side of the valve bodies 62, 64 facing away from the container interior 44, the valve device 60 is actuated.”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the door of Conrad to be able to be actuated via the suction device of the station, as doing so would prevent accidental discharge of debris during a docking process, only allowing the door open when the suction pressure activates, indicating that the station is ready to receive the debris to be discharged.
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 Janzen Para [0119] “If the suction unit 106 is deactivated, pressure equalization occurs on both sides of the valve bodies 62, 64. Since the valve sections 70, 74 are elastically deformable, they automatically return from the open position to the closed position, in which they again rest against one another to tightly close the dirt outlet opening 58. The provision of two valve sections 70, 74 which are adjacent to one another in the closed position also proves to be advantageous in the normal operation of the floor cleaning device 14. Since the container interior 44 is subjected to negative pressure via the suction unit 52, the valve section 74 acts as a valve seat and prevents the valve section 70 from being inadvertently deformed in the direction of the container interior 44. It is therefore advantageous if the valve body 64, which closes the dirt outlet opening 58 only to a lesser extent, is arranged with the valve section 74 on the side of the valve body 62 facing the container interior 44, which valve body 62 closes the dirt outlet opening 58 essentially completely with the valve section 70.”).
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:
a suction device configured to generate suction flow,
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, rotate to a position in which the door opens the opening due to the suction flow 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’).
Additionally, Janzen discloses a similar cleaner and docking station structure wherein the cleaner comprises an opening that can be closed via a door (valve parts 62 and 64, See Fig. 6) and the opening remains closed by the door until the door is rotated by the suction flow to open the opening (See Para [0114] “As already mentioned, the valve device 60 and in particular its valve body 62, 64 can be actuated by air pressure. When a certain differential pressure exists between the air pressure in the container interior 44 and the pressure on the side of the valve bodies 62, 64 facing away from the container interior 44, the valve device 60 is actuated.”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the door of Conrad such that after being released from being fixed by the fixing member, rotate to a position in which the door opens the opening due to the suction flow 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, as doing so would prevent accidental discharge of debris during a docking process, only allowing the door open when the suction pressure activates, indicating that the station is ready to receive the debris to be discharged.
But does not explicitly disclose 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.
However, Hahm discloses a similar cleaner and docking station system including a fixing member (163) opening guide (210) and a door (160) wherein when the cleaner docks to the docking portion with the opening (114) closed by the door (160, See Fig. 5), the fixing member (163) is pressed by the opening guide by the dust cleaner being docked (See Para [0104] “Also, as the introduction of the protrusion 150a is continued, each lever 163 of the first opening/closing device 160 is pushed by the station body 210. Thereby, each opening/closing member 162 is pivotally rotated about the associated pivoting shaft 161 to open the dust discharge hole 114.”).
It would 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 but does not explicitly disclose 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.
However, Hahm discloses a cleaner and docking station wherein, wherein the dust collecting chamber includes an elastic member (164) configured to bias the door (160) 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 Col 9 Line 27-35 “Each of the opening/closing units 160a includes an opening/closing member 162 to pivotally rotate about a pivoting shaft 161 within the protrusion 150a so as to open and close the dust discharge hole 114, a lever 163 that extends out of the protrusion 150a from one end of the opening/closing member 162 coupled to the pivoting shaft 161, and an elastic member 164 that is used to elastically bias the opening/closing member 162 in a direction of closing the dust discharge hole 114.”).
It would be obvious to one of skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the door of Conrad to include an elastic member as advantageously described in Hahm as doing so would prevent any accidently discharge of debris stored in the cleaner during the docking process before it can be properly discharged into the docking station.
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 Para [0114] “As already mentioned, the valve device 60 and in particular its valve body 62, 64 can be actuated by air pressure. When a certain differential pressure exists between the air pressure in the container interior 44 and the pressure on the side of the valve bodies 62, 64 facing away from the container interior 44, the valve device 60 is actuated.”).
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 Janzen Para [0119] “If the suction unit 106 is deactivated, pressure equalization occurs on both sides of the valve bodies 62, 64. Since the valve sections 70, 74 are elastically deformable, they automatically return from the open position to the closed position, in which they again rest against one another to tightly close the dirt outlet opening 58. The provision of two valve sections 70, 74 which are adjacent to one another in the closed position also proves to be advantageous in the normal operation of the floor cleaning device 14. Since the container interior 44 is subjected to negative pressure via the suction unit 52, the valve section 74 acts as a valve seat and prevents the valve section 70 from being inadvertently deformed in the direction of the container interior 44. It is therefore advantageous if the valve body 64, which closes the dirt outlet opening 58 only to a lesser extent, is arranged with the valve section 74 on the side of the valve body 62 facing the container interior 44, which valve body 62 closes the dirt outlet opening 58 essentially completely with the valve section 70.”).
Claim(s) 32 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Conrad (US 20180177358 A1) and Hahm (US 20070226949 A1) as modified in claim 29, 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.
Claim(s) 44 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Conrad (US 20180177358 A1), Hahm (US 20070226949 A1) and Janzen (WO 2015082019 A1) as modified in claim 40, and in further view of Sato (US 20180199776 A1).
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
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 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