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 .
Election with Traverse
1. Applicant's election with traverse of Group I in the reply filed on January 12, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground that there is no serious such search burden imposed on the Examiner since there is a single inventive concept provided in the claims. This is argument is moot since the claims as amended provided on independent claim 1 that is linking claim.
Objections to the Drawings
2. The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the one cleaning composition must be shown or the feature canceled from the claim. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Objections to the Specifications
3. The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: on page 1 line 21 delete “US 2018/084888” and insert –U.S. Patent Publication 2018/084888 to Kennedy et al.-- instead and page 1 line delete “US 10 285 494” and insert—U.S. Patent 10,285,494 to Lho-- instead.
At page 2 line 10 delete “1 113 843” and insert—U.S. Patent 1,113,843 to Smith—instead.
Appropriate correction is required.
Rejections 35 U.S.C. § 112
4. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 24-43 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. In particular, independent claim 24 recites in line 3 “at least one cleaning composition for the skin and/or the keratin fibers”. The specification at page 9 in describing the cleaning composition fails to describe what the cleaning composition entails or what type of composition it comprises (i.e., soap or detergent). It is merely described as low-foaming or non-foaming; however this vague description would leave one of ordinary skill in the art uncertain in how to construct the invention in order to find an unknown composition that is low to non-foaming.
Claims 25-43 are rejected for their dependency on claim 24.
Claim 43 recites the limitation “at least one cleaning composition” and "a plurality of valves" in lines 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim since these elements are mentioned in claim 24, from which claim 43 depends on.
Allowable Subject Matter
5. Claims 24-43 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. The closest prior art of record is U.S. Patent (11,399,626) to Chen discloses a cleaning device (100) having a frame (110) with a cleaning pad (140) and a center (147). The cleaning pad (140) is made from flexible material (See Col. 4 lines 25-40). However, Chen fails to disclose or suggest “…at least one body adapted to contain at least one cleaning composition for the skin and/or the keratin fibers, the at least one body comprising at least one wall delimiting a volume forming at least one reservoir for housing the at least one cleaning composition, the at least one wall having at least one elastically deformable part, and a plurality of supply orifices for allowing the at least one cleaning composition to exit the at least one body;(ii) a plurality of valves, each valve for closing a respective supply orifice, (iii) at least one pad adapted to contact the skin and/or the keratin fibers…. the at least one pad is capable of being removably fixed to the at least one body, and having an outer surface comprising a plurality of cleaning projections and at least one dispensing opening, the plurality of supply orifices and the at least one dispensing opening being positioned respectively on the at least one body…”, as required in independent claim 24.
Conclusion
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL D. JENNINGS whose telephone number is (571)270-1536. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4:30pm. EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica S. Carter can be reached at (571) 272-4475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MICHAEL DEANGILO. JENNINGS
Examiner
Art Unit 3723
/MICHAEL D JENNINGS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723