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 § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 6, 9-10, 13, 15, and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin et al. (CN112617677A), attached as a PDF and hereinafter referred to as Lin.
Regarding claim 1, Lin discloses a dust-collecting box, comprising: a dust-collecting box body (Fig. 4 element 241), the dust-collecting box body defining a dust inlet (Fig. 4 element 22, 0069), a dust receiving cavity (Fig. 3 element 21, 0069) and an exhaust passage (Fig. 9 element 2412) which are communicated in sequence (Figs. 3 and 9), an air inlet end of the exhaust passage (Fig. 9, where the end of the exhaust passage associated with element 2414 corresponds to an inlet end) being in communication with the dust receiving cavity (Figs. 3 and 9), and an air outlet end of the exhaust passage (Fig. 9, where the end of the exhaust passage associated with element 2413 corresponds to an outlet end) configured to be in pneumatic communication with a fan assembly (Fig. 2 element 122, 0056); and a filter screen (Fig. 9 element 242), the filter screen arranged between the air inlet end and the air outlet end (Figs. 9 and 13), the filter screen configured to filter an airflow entering the exhaust passage from the dust receiving cavity (0069), an exhaust direction of the air outlet end defined as a preset reference direction (Fig. 7, where a direction coming perpendicularly out of the page corresponds to an exhaust direction and a preset reference direction), and the filter screen arranged obliquely relative to the preset reference direction (Figs. 10 and 13, 0075, where at least a portion of the filter screen is arranged obliquely relative to the preset reference direction); wherein the dust-collecting box comprises a mounting recess part (see annotated Fig. 4' below) extending to the dust receiving cavity (see annotated Fig. 3 below), the mounting recess part defines the exhaust passage (see annotated Fig. 4' below), the mounting recess part comprises a mounting plate (see annotated Fig. 9 below) arranged at the air inlet end (see annotated Fig. 9 below, where the mounting plate is arranged at both the inlet and outlet ends), the mounting plate is obliquely arranged relative to the preset reference direction (Fig. 3), and the mounting plate defines an air passing opening (see annotated Fig. 9 below) that is in communication with the dust receiving cavity and the exhaust passage (Figs. 3 and 9); the filter screen is detachably installed in the mounting recess part (0069) and attached to the mounting plate (Fig. 9, 0082-0083, where element 248 is a subset of the mounting plate), and the filter screen covers the air passing opening (Figs. 3 and 13) to filter the airflow flowing from the air passing opening to the exhaust passage (0069); an inner wall (see annotated Fig. 4 below) of the mounting recess part defines a limiting part (Fig. 9 element 248), the filter screen comprises a fixed bracket (all structural sub-elements of the filter screen shown in Figs. 9 and 11-12 except for element 2421) and a filter screen body (Fig. 12 element 2421) positioned on the fixed bracket (Fig. 12), and the fixed bracket comprises a clamping part (Fig. 9 element 249) which is clamped with the limiting part (Fig. 3, 0082-0083); the fixed bracket comprises a bracket main body and two side plates respectively connected to two opposite sides of the bracket main body (see annotated Fig. 11 below, where the area shown for the bracket main body is the area which when viewed from a top-down view is all of the fixed bracket below element 24221 and withing the area shown and where the bracket main body and the two side plates are integrally formed (i.e. subsections of a monolithic structure) through element 24222, which matches Applicant's connection between the bracket main body and the two side plates described in paragraph 0047 of Applicant's specification), and the clamping part is a buckle (Fig. 9 element 249) formed on one side of each side plate far away from the bracket main body (see annotated Fig. 11 below and Fig. 9 (which shows that both side plates are symmetrical), where each elastic buckle is formed on only one surface of each side plate away from the bracket main body (i.e. the elastic buckles extend away from the bracket main body)); the mounting recess part comprises side panels respectively connected to two opposite sides of the mounting plate (see annotated Fig. 4 below and annotated Fig. 9' below, where the inner wall of the mounting recess part excluding the guide rail corresponds to two side plates, where examiner notes that Fig. 11 shows that the two inner walls of the mounting recess part are symmetrical), a guide rail extending in a depth direction of the exhaust passage is mounted on each side panel (see annotated Fig. 9' below), the limiting part is a limiting groove (Fig. 9 element 248, 0083) defined on the guide rail (see annotated Fig. 9' below, where the limiting groove can be considered to be defined by removing a portion of the guide rail and therefore the limiting groove is defined on the guide rail), and each side plate is capable of sliding between the guide rail and the mounting plate, such that the elastic buckle is clamped into the limiting groove (Fig. 3, 0082-0083, where at least element 249 of each side plate meets this limitation).
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Regarding claim 2, Lin discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the dust-collecting box body comprises a first side surface (see annotated Fig. 4 above), a second side surface opposite to the first side surface (see annotated Fig. 4 above), and a top surface connecting the first side surface and the second side surface (see annotated Fig. 4 above), the dust inlet is arranged through the first side surface (see annotated Fig. 4 above), the air outlet end is arranged through the second side surface (see annotated Fig. 4 above), and the filter screen is arranged obliquely in a corner area between the second side surface and the top surface (Figs. 10 and 13, 0075, where at least a portion of the filter screen is arranged obliquely in the corner area).
Regarding claim 3, Lin discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the dust-collecting box body comprises a box (see annotated Fig. 4' above) and a first cover (see annotated Fig. 4' above); the box defines an open end (see annotated Fig. 3 above) and the dust inlet (see annotated Fig. 4' above), the first cover covers the open end (see annotated Figs. 3 and 4' above), the first cover and the box cooperatively define the dust receiving cavity (see annotated Figs. 3 and 4' above), the first cover defines the exhaust passage (see annotated Fig. 4' above), and the filter screen is installed on the first cover via the exhaust passage (Figs. 9 and 13, 0078).
Regarding claim 4, Lin discloses the limitations of claim 3, as described above, and further discloses the first cover comprises the mounting recess part (see annotated Fig. 4’ above).
Regarding claim 6, Lin discloses the limitations of claim 4, as described above, and further discloses the filter screen is in sliding fit with the mounting recess part and is capable of being pulled away from the air outlet end (0069).
Regarding claim 9, Lin discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the fixed bracket further comprises an operating plate (Fig. 11 element 24221 and Fig. 9 element 24224) connected with the bracket main body (Fig. 9 and see annotated Fig. 11 above), the operating plate protrudes upwards from the bracket main body (see annotated Fig. 11 above) and the operating plate is located between the two side plates (Fig. 9 and see annotated Fig. 11 above); the filter screen is capable of being pulled away from the air outlet end by applying a force to the operating plate (0087).
Regarding claim 10, Lin discloses the limitations of claim 9, as described above, and further discloses the mounting recess part further comprises a fixed plate (see annotated Fig. 9'' below), the fixed plate is arranged opposite to the bracket main body (Fig. 13), and two side edges of the fixed plate are respectively connected with the two side panels (see annotated Fig. 9'' below and annotated Fig. 4 above), the operating plate extends towards the fixed plate (Fig. 11 and see annotated Fig. 9’’ below), and one side of the operating plate far away from the bracket main body is in sliding contact with the fixed plate (Fig. 13 shows one side of the operating plate which is away from the bracket main body in sliding contact with the fixed plate).
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Regarding claim 13, Lin discloses the limitations of claim 4, as described above, and further discloses the mounting recess part further comprises a fixed plate (see annotated Fig. 4 above, where the plate which defines the top surface corresponds to a fixed plate) arranged opposite to the mounting plate (see annotated Figs. 4 and 9 above), the fixed plate and the mounting plate are arranged at an acute angle (see annotated Fig. 3' below), and the exhaust passage is formed between the fixed plate and the mounting plate (see annotated Figs. 4 and 9 above).
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Regarding claim 15, Lin discloses the limitations of claim 3, as described above, and further discloses the first cover further defines a dust discharging opening, and the dust discharging opening is located below the air outlet end (see annotated Fig. 9 above, where the air passing opening corresponds to a dust discharging opening and at least a portion of the dust discharging opening is located below the air outlet end is defined by the second surface which extends above the dust discharging opening).
Regarding claim 20, Lin discloses a cleaning device, comprising a device main body (Fig. 18 element 10) and the dust-collecting box of claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above), wherein the device main body defines an air suction opening (Fig. 2, the opening of element 121 facing the dust-collecting box) communicated with the air outlet end (Fig. 2, 0054-0055).
Regarding claim 21, Lin discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses each side plate protrudes upwards from the bracket main body (see annotated Fig. 11 above).
Claims 1-4, 13-14, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by a second interpretation of Lin et al. (CN112617677A), attached as a PDF and hereinafter referred to as Lin’.
Regarding claim 1, Lin’ discloses a dust-collecting box, comprising: a dust-collecting box body (Fig. 11 elements 241 and 2422), the dust-collecting box body defining a dust inlet (Fig. 4 element 22, 0069), a dust receiving cavity (Fig. 3 element 21, 0069) and an exhaust passage (Fig. 9 element 2412) which are communicated in sequence (Figs. 3 and 9), an air inlet end of the exhaust passage (Fig. 9, where the end of the exhaust passage associated with element 2414 corresponds to an inlet end) being in communication with the dust receiving cavity (Figs. 3 and 9), and an air outlet end of the exhaust passage (Fig. 9, where the end of the exhaust passage associated with element 2413 corresponds to an outlet end) configured to be in pneumatic communication with a fan assembly (Fig. 2 element 122, 0056); and a filter screen (Fig. 12 element 2421), the filter screen arranged between the air inlet end and the air outlet end (Fig. 10), the filter screen configured to filter an airflow entering the exhaust passage from the dust receiving cavity (0069), an exhaust direction of the air outlet end defined as a preset reference direction (Fig. 7, where a direction coming perpendicularly out of the page corresponds to an exhaust direction and a preset reference direction), and the filter screen arranged obliquely relative to the preset reference direction (Fig. 10, 0075); wherein the dust-collecting box comprises a mounting recess part (see annotated Fig. 4' below) extending to the dust receiving cavity (see annotated Fig. 3 below), the mounting recess part defines the exhaust passage (see annotated Fig. 4' below), the mounting recess part comprises a mounting plate (see annotated Fig. 9 below) arranged at the air inlet end (see annotated Fig. 9 below, where the mounting plate is arranged at both the inlet and outlet ends), the mounting plate is obliquely arranged relative to the preset reference direction (Fig. 3), and the mounting plate defines an air passing opening (see annotated Fig. 9 below) that is in communication with the dust receiving cavity and the exhaust passage (Figs. 3 and 9); the filter screen is detachably installed in the mounting recess part (0069) and attached to the mounting plate (Fig. 9, 0082-0083, where element 248 is a subset of the mounting plate), and the filter screen covers the air passing opening (Figs. 3 and 13) to filter the airflow flowing from the air passing opening to the exhaust passage (0069); an inner wall (see annotated Fig. 4 above) of the mounting recess part defines a limiting part (Fig. 9 element 248), the filter screen comprises a fixed bracket (all structural sub-elements of the filter screen shown in Figs. 9 and 11-12 except for element 2421) and a filter screen body (Fig. 12 element 2421) positioned on the fixed bracket (Fig. 12), and the fixed bracket comprises a clamping part (Fig. 9 element 249) which is clamped with the limiting part (Fig. 3, 0082-0083); the fixed bracket comprises a bracket main body and two side plates respectively connected to two opposite sides of the bracket main body (see annotated Fig. 11 below, where the area shown for the bracket main body is the area which when viewed from a top-down view is all of the fixed bracket below element 24221 and withing the area shown and where the bracket main body and the two side plates are integrally formed (i.e. subsections of a monolithic structure) through element 24222, which matches Applicant's connection between the bracket main body and the two side plates described in paragraph 0047 of Applicant's specification), and the clamping part is a buckle (Fig. 9 element 249) formed on one side of each side plate far away from the bracket main body (see annotated Fig. 11 above and Fig. 9 (which shows that both side plates are symmetrical), where each elastic buckle is formed on only one surface of each side plate away from the bracket main body (i.e. the elastic buckles extend away from the bracket main body)); the mounting recess part comprises side panels respectively connected to two opposite sides of the mounting plate (see annotated Fig. 4 above and annotated Fig. 9' above, where the inner wall of the mounting recess part excluding the guide rail corresponds to two side plates, where examiner notes that Fig. 11 shows that the two inner walls of the mounting recess part are symmetrical), a guide rail extending in a depth direction of the exhaust passage is mounted on each side panel (see annotated Fig. 9' above), the limiting part is a limiting groove (Fig. 9 element 248, 0083) defined on the guide rail (see annotated Fig. 9' above, where the limiting groove can be considered to be defined by removing a portion of the guide rail and therefore the limiting groove is defined on the guide rail), and each side plate is capable of sliding between the guide rail and the mounting plate, such that the elastic buckle is clamped into the limiting groove (Fig. 3, 0082-0083, where at least element 249 of each side plate meets this limitation).
Regarding claim 2, Lin’ discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the dust-collecting box body comprises a first side surface (see annotated Fig. 4 above), a second side surface opposite to the first side surface (see annotated Fig. 4 above), and a top surface connecting the first side surface and the second side surface (see annotated Fig. 4 above), the dust inlet is arranged through the first side surface (see annotated Fig. 4 above), the air outlet end is arranged through the second side surface (see annotated Fig. 4 above), and the filter screen is arranged obliquely in a corner area between the second side surface and the top surface (Figs. 10, 0075).
Regarding claim 3, Lin’ discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the dust-collecting box body comprises a box (see annotated Fig. 4' above) and a first cover (see annotated Fig. 4' above); the box defines an open end (see annotated Fig. 3 above) and the dust inlet (see annotated Fig. 4' above), the first cover covers the open end (see annotated Figs. 3 and 4' above), the first cover and the box cooperatively define the dust receiving cavity (see annotated Figs. 3 and 4' below), the first cover defines the exhaust passage (see annotated Fig. 4' above), and the filter screen is installed on the first cover via the exhaust passage (Figs. 9 and 13, 0078).
Regarding claim 4, Lin’ discloses the limitations of claim 3, as described above, and further discloses the first cover comprises a mounting recess part (see annotated Fig. 4' above) extending to the dust receiving cavity (see annotated Fig. 3 above), the mounting recess part defines the exhaust passage (see annotated Fig. 4' above), the mounting recess part comprises a mounting plate (see annotated Fig. 9 above) arranged at the air inlet end (see annotated Fig. 9 above, where the mounting plate is arranged at both the inlet and outlet ends), the mounting plate is obliquely arranged relative to the preset reference direction (Fig. 3), and the mounting plate defines an air passing opening (see annotated Fig. 9 above) that is in communication with the dust receiving cavity and the exhaust passage (Figs. 3 and 9); the filter screen is detachably installed in the mounting recess part (0069) and attached to the mounting plate (Figs. 9 and 11, 0082-0083, where element 248 is a subset of the mounting plate and the filter screen is attached to the mounting plate through element 2422 shown in Fig. 11), and the filter screen covers the air passing opening (Fig. 10) to filter the airflow flowing from the air passing opening to the exhaust passage (0069).
Regarding claim 13, Lin’ discloses the limitations of claim 4, as described above, and further discloses the mounting recess part further comprises a fixed plate (see annotated Fig. 4 above, where the plate which defines the top surface corresponds to a fixed plate) arranged opposite to the mounting plate (see annotated Figs. 4 and 9 above), the fixed plate and the mounting plate are arranged at an acute angle (see annotated Fig. 3' above), and the exhaust passage is formed between the fixed plate and the mounting plate (see annotated Figs. 4 and 9 above).
Regarding claim 14, Lin’ discloses the limitations of claim 13, as described above, and further discloses an upper surface of the filter screen facing away from the mounting plate is spaced apart from the fixed plate (Fig. 10, where the surface of the filter screen shown corresponds to an upper surface of the filter screen), and the dust-collecting box body further comprises a fixed bracket (Fig. 11 element 24222) detachably installed in the space between the filter screen and the fixed plate (Fig. 13, 0072), and two opposite sides of the fixed bracket (the side of the fixed bracket which comprises element 24223 shown in Fig. 12 corresponds to a bottom side and the side of the fixed bracket which comprises element 24221 shown in Fig. 11 corresponds to a top side, and the top and bottom sides correspond to two opposite sides) are respectively fixed against the filter screen (Fig. 12 shows the bottom side being fixed against the filter screen, 0086) and the fixed plate (Fig. 13 shows the outer circumferential edge of the top side being fixed against the fixed plate).
Regarding claim 19, Lin’ discloses the limitations of claim 14, as described above, and further discloses the fixed bracket comprises a bracket main body (Fig 11 element 2422, with the exception of elements 24221 shown in Fig. 11 and 24224 shown in Fig. 13) and an operating part (Fig. 11 element 24221 and Fig. 13 element 24224) connected with the bracket main body (Figs. 11 and 13), and the bracket main body is configured to press the filter screen as a whole to ensure that the filter screen is attached to the mounting plate (0086, where “supports the filter” corresponds to the bracket main body being configured to press the filter screen as a whole to ensure that the filter screen is attached to the mounting plate (i.e. to make sure that the filter screen stays in place while attached to the mounting plate)), the operating parts abut against a surface of the fixed plate to ensure that the fixed bracket press the filter screen as a whole (Fig. 13 shows the operating part abutting against an inner peripheral surface of the fixed plate, and examiner finds that the rest of the recitation after “to ensure” is a functional limitation which since the operating part abuts against a surface of the fixed plate is met, means that the rest of the recitation after “to ensure” is also met).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1-4, 11-12, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Lu (CN207077444U), attached as a PDF, in view of Lin et al. (CN112617677A), attached as a PDF and hereinafter referred to as Lin.
Regarding claim 1, Lu discloses a dust-collecting box, comprising: a dust-collecting box body (all elements shown in Fig. 4b except for element 252), the dust-collecting box body defining a dust inlet (Fig. 4a element 230), a dust receiving cavity (see annotated Fig. 4b below) and an exhaust passage (see annotated Fig. 4b below) which are communicated in sequence (Fig. 3b, 0073-0075), an air inlet end of the exhaust passage (see annotated Fig. 3b below) being in communication with the dust receiving cavity (Fig. 3b and see annotated Fig. 3b below), and an air outlet end of the exhaust passage (see annotated Fig. 3b below) configured to be in pneumatic communication with a fan assembly (Fig. 2d element 90, 0071 and 0073); and a filter screen (Fig. 4b element 252), the filter screen arranged between the air inlet end and the air outlet end (see annotated Fig. 3b below), the filter screen configured to filter an airflow entering the exhaust passage from the dust receiving cavity (0075), an exhaust direction of the air outlet end defined as a preset reference direction (see annotated Fig. 3b' below, where the exhaust direction and preset reference direction is perpendicular to the end face of element 250), and the filter screen arranged obliquely relative to the preset reference direction (see annotated Fig. 3b' below); wherein the dust-collecting box body comprises a mounting recess part (see annotated Fig. 4a below) extending to the dust receiving cavity (Fig. 3b), the mounting recess part defines the exhaust passage (see annotated Fig. 4b below and annotated Fig. 4a below, where the mounting recess part defines at least a portion of the exhaust passage), the mounting recess part comprises a mounting plate (see annotated Fig. 4a below) arranged at the air inlet end (see annotated Fig. 3b below), the mounting plate is obliquely arranged relative to the preset reference direction (see annotated Fig. 3b' below, where the mounting plate is arranged at the same angle relative to the reference direction as the filter screen), and the mounting plate defines an air passing opening (0076, where any one of the "through holes" is considered an air passing opening) that is in communication with the dust receiving cavity and the exhaust passage (Fig. 3b); the filter screen is detachably installed in the mounting recess part (Fig. 4b shows the filter screen and the mounting recess part as separate elements which are not monolithically formed and therefore the filter screen is capable of being detached after installation (i.e. detachably installed) in the mounting recess part)) and attached to the mounting plate (Fig. 3b, 0076), and the filter screen covers the air passing opening (Fig. 3b) to filter the airflow flowing from the air passing opening to the exhaust passage (0075).
Lu fails to disclose an inner wall of the mounting recess part defines a limiting part, the filter screen comprises a fixed bracket and a filter screen body positioned on the fixed bracket, and the fixed bracket comprises a clamping part which is clamped with the limiting part the fixed bracket comprises a bracket main body and two side plates respectively connected to two opposite sides of the bracket main body, and the clamping part is a buckle formed on one side of each side plate far away from the bracket main body; the mounting recess part comprises side panels respectively connected to two opposite sides of the mounting plate, a guide rail extending in a depth direction of the exhaust passage is mounted on each side panel, the limiting part is a limiting groove defined on the guide rail, and each side plate is capable of sliding between the guide rail and the mounting plate, such that the buckle is clamped into the limiting groove.
Lin is also concerned with a dust-collecting box and teaches an inner wall (see annotated Fig. 4 above) of the mounting recess part defines a limiting part (Fig. 9 element 248), the filter screen comprises a fixed bracket (all structural sub-elements of the filter screen shown in Figs. 9 and 11-12 except for element 2421) and a filter screen body (Fig. 12 element 2421) positioned on the fixed bracket (Fig. 12), and the fixed bracket comprises a clamping part (Fig. 9 element 249) which is clamped with the limiting part (Fig. 3, 0082-0083); the fixed bracket comprises a bracket main body and two side plates respectively connected to two opposite sides of the bracket main body (see annotated Fig. 11 above, where the area shown for the bracket main body is the area which when viewed from a top-down view is all of the fixed bracket below element 24221 and withing the area shown and where the bracket main body and the two side plates are integrally formed (i.e. subsections of a monolithic structure) through element 24222, which matches Applicant's connection between the bracket main body and the two side plates described in paragraph 0047 of Applicant's specification), and the clamping part is a buckle (Fig. 9 element 249) formed on one side of each side plate far away from the bracket main body (see annotated Fig. 11 above and Fig. 9 (which shows that both side plates are symmetrical), where each elastic buckle is formed on only one surface of each side plate away from the bracket main body (i.e. the elastic buckles extend away from the bracket main body)); the mounting recess part comprises side panels respectively connected to two opposite sides of the mounting plate (see annotated Fig. 4 above and annotated Fig. 9' above, where the inner wall of the mounting recess part excluding the guide rail corresponds to two side plates, where examiner notes that Fig. 11 shows that the two inner walls of the mounting recess part are symmetrical), a guide rail extending in a depth direction of the exhaust passage is mounted on each side panel (see annotated Fig. 9' above), the limiting part is a limiting groove (Fig. 9 element 248, 0083) defined on the guide rail (see annotated Fig. 9' above, where the limiting groove can be considered to be defined by removing a portion of the guide rail and therefore the limiting groove is defined on the guide rail), and each side plate is capable of sliding between the guide rail and the mounting plate, such that the elastic buckle is clamped into the limiting groove (Fig. 3, 0082-0083, where at least element 249 of each side plate meets this limitation).
Pursuant of MPEP 2144.06-II, it has been held obvious to substitute equivalents for the same purpose. Lu discloses the invention except for the particular structure of the mounting recess part and filter screen described above. Lin shows that a particular structure of the mounting recess part and filter screen described above is an equivalent structure known in the art (i.e. both structures selectively hold a filter in place). Therefore, because these two mounting recess part and filter screen structure types were art-recognized equivalents at the time the invention was made, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to substitute a particular structure of the mounting recess part and filter screen described above for a structure of a mounting recess part and filter screen that does not meet the particular structure described above.
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Regarding claim 2, Lu, as modified, discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the dust-collecting box body comprises a first side surface (see annotated Fig. 4b above), a second side surface opposite to the first side surface (see annotated Fig. 4b above), and a top surface connecting the first side surface and the second side surface (see annotated Fig. 4b above), the dust inlet is arranged through the first side surface (see annotated Fig. 4b above), the air outlet end is arranged through the second side surface (see annotated Fig. 4b above), and the filter screen is arranged obliquely in a corner area between the second side surface and the top surface (see annotated Fig. 3b above, where at least the portion of the filter screen arranged in the corner area is obliquely arranged in the corner area which is between the second side surface and the top surface).
Regarding claim 3, Lu, as modified, discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the dust-collecting box body comprises a box (see annotated Fig. 4b' below, where the box also includes elements 210, 211, 251, 231, 255 shown in Fig. 4b) and a first cover (see annotated Fig. 4b' below); the box defines an open end (Fig. 4b element 240) and the dust inlet (Fig. 4a), the first cover covers the open end (Fig. 3a), the first cover and the box cooperatively define the dust receiving cavity (Fig. 3b and see annotated Fig. 4b above), the first cover defines the exhaust passage (see annotated Fig. 4b above), and the filter screen is installed on the first cover via the exhaust passage (Fig. 4a, 0076).
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Regarding claim 11, Lu, as modified, discloses the limitations of claim 4, as described above, and further discloses the box comprises a main body (the box shown in annotated Fig. 4b’ above in combination with elements 231, 251, and 255 shown in Fig. 4b) and a second cover (Fig. 4b elements 10 and 11), the dust inlet and the open end are respectively located on two opposite sidewalls of the main body (see annotated Fig. 4b above, where first and second side surfaces correspond to two opposite sidewalls), the second cover is positioned on a top portion of the main body (Fig. 3a), the second cover comprises a dust blocking board (see annotated Fig. 3b’’ below), and the dust blocking board is convexly positioned on an inner surface of the second cover (see annotated Fig. 3b’’ below) and covers a gap (i.e. an unfilled space) between the second cover and the mounting recess part (see annotated Fig. 3b’’ below, where the dust blocking board is positioned within the gap and covers the gap in the area that the dust blocking board occupies).
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Regarding claim 12, Lu, as modified, discloses the limitations of claim 11, as described above, and further discloses the top portion of the main body defines a mounting opening (see annotated Fig. 4b above, where the space internal to the top surface corresponds to a mounting opening), the main body further defines an insertion slot (Fig. 3a element 263) on an outer periphery of the mounting opening (Figs. 3 and 4), the second cover comprises an insertion plate on one side thereof (see annotated Fig. 3a), and the insertion plate is inserted into the insertion slot (Fig. 3a).
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Regarding claim 16, Lu, as modified, discloses the limitations of claim 3, as described above, and further discloses a pivoting shaft (Fig. 4b element 251), wherein the first cover is rotatably connected with the box through the pivoting shaft (Figs. 3a and 4a, 0074), the first cover is clamped with the box (Fig. 3a, 0078, where the “door lock” clamps the first cover to the box), and the first cover is capable of rotating around the pivoting shaft to open or cover the open end (Figs. 3a and 4a, 0074).
Regarding claim 17, Lu, as modified, discloses the limitations of claim 16, as described above, and further discloses the first cover comprises a first buckle (0076, where the structure which allows the first cover to be “rotatably connected to the shaft 251” corresponds to a first buckle), the first buckle is positioned on one side of the first cover (Fig. 3a, where the fist buckle is positioned on the side of the first cover which corresponds to the pivoting shaft), the pivoting shaft is positioned on an outer wall of the box (Fig. 3a, 0074), and the first buckle is rotatably connected to the pivoting shaft (0076).
Regarding claim 18, Lu, as modified, discloses the limitations of claim 17, as described above, and further discloses the box comprises a buckle position (Fig. 3a, where the structure which element 253 engages on the box corresponds to a buckle position, 0078) positioned on one outer sidewall of the box opposite to the pivoting shaft (Fig. 3a), the first cover comprises a second buckle (Fig. 3a element 253) positioned on another side of the first cover opposite to the first buckle (Fig. 3a), and the second buckle is elastically clamped with the buckle position (Fig. 3a, 0078).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (CN112617677A), attached as a PDF and hereinafter referred to as Lin.
Regarding claim 5, Lin discloses the limitations of claim 4, as described above, and further discloses an included angle a is formed by the filter screen and the first cover (see annotated Fig. 3 above).
Lin fails to disclose that 100° ≤ included angle a ≤ 140°. Lin discloses that an included angle is formed, but is silent to the specific angle/provide a relative range for the angle to fall within. In other words, Lin fails to explicitly disclose (a) definite values the included angle is to possess/range between is 100° ≤ included angle a ≤ 140°. The included angle between the filter screen and the first cover is recognized as a result-effective variable, i.e. a variable which achieves a recognized result. In this case, the recognized result is that the capability of “dust stuck on the filter element 2421 to slide down into the dust collection chamber 21 under the action of gravity” is directly proportional to the included angle between the filter screen and the first cover (see 0075 of Lin). Therefore, since the general conditions of the claim, i.e. that the included angle is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees, was disclosed in the prior art by Lin, it is not inventive to discover the optimum workable range by routine experimentation, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the included angle disclosed by Lin to be 100° ≤ included angle a ≤ 140° based on the desired amount of dust sliding down into the dust collection chamber vs the amount of dust stuck to the filter screen. Examiner notes that Applicant has not provided criticality for the claimed included angle range in the specification.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/29/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claim 1, Applicant argues that Lin fails to disclose “the clamping part is a buckle formed on one side of each side plate far away from the bracket main body” because “the bracket main body and the buckle are located on the same side of the side plate, and the buckle is connected to the bracket main body and the side plate”. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Examiner finds that the bracket main body and buckle being on opposite sides is not required by the claim and that the bracket main body and the buckle not contacting each other are also not required by the claim. Examiner finds that Lin discloses the limitations as recited and therefore examiner finds this argument unpersuasive.
Regarding claim 1, Applicant argues that Lin fails to disclose “each side plate is capable of sliding between the guide rail and the mounting plate, such that the buckle is clamped into the limiting groove” because “the side plate is located above the guide rail and the mounting plate, rather than located between the guide rail and the mounting plate”. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Examiner finds that the buckle is a subset of the side plate and the buckle is capable of sliding between the guide rail and the mounting plate, such that the buckle is clamped into the limiting groove, and therefore examiner finds this argument unpersuasive.
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.
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/C.A.H./Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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