DETAILED ACTION
AUTOMATIC CLEANING DEVICE
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/Restrictions
Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group I, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 04-20-2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-10 in the reply filed on 04-20-2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-5,7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou (CN106166050 ) ids in view of Yang (CN106943079) ids.
Regarding claim 1, Zhou teaches a mobile platform (11, figure 5) configured to move automatically on an operating surface; and
a cleaning module (8 and 9, figures 2 and 3) arranged on the mobile platform, and comprising:
a dry cleaning module (“second mopping device 9 implements dry wiping”) configured to clean at least a part of the operating surface by means of dry cleaning; and
a wet cleaning module (“mopping device 8 implements wet wiping”) configured to clean at least a part of the operating surface by means of wet cleaning, wherein the wet cleaning module comprises:
a cleaning head (83, figure 5) for cleaning the operating surface, and,
a driving unit (31-33 figures 5) for driving the cleaning head to make a reciprocating movement along a target surface, wherein the target surface is a part of the operating surface.
Zhou fails to teach wherein the mobile platform is provided with a thimble, and the wet cleaning module is provided with a slot matched with the thimble , for limiting a working position of the wet cleaning module.
Yang discloses fast dismounting and mounting device for a roller brush that includes a platform (12, figures 4-10) provided with thimble (1, figure 11) and a cleaning module (4, figure 1) provided with a slot (4a, figure 10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Zhou so that the mobile platform is provided with a thimble, and the wet cleaning module is provided with a slot matched with the thimble , for limiting a working position of the wet cleaning module based on the teachings of Yang. This modification would allow the apparatus to have a device for quick disassembly and assembly of wet cleaning module. (Yang’s abstract)
Regarding claim 2, modified Zhou teaches wherein the slot comprises an elastic element (Yang’s 3, figure 10) and the elastic element extends from the slot toward the mobile platform (see Yang’s figure 10).
Regarding claim 3, modified Zhou teaches wherein the slot further comprises a thimble sheath (see Yang’s 2, figure 10), and the thimble sheath extends upward from a bottom of the slot, allowing the thimble to make a telescopic movement within the thimble sheath. (see Zhou discloses “In order to achieve the purpose of the present disclosure, a device for quick disassembly and assembly of a roller brush includes: an elastic ejection device for exerting an elastic force on the roller brush 4 in an axial direction; and a limiting device for converting the elastic force into elastic potential energy to limit the axial displacement of the roller brush 4. In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 13, when the ejection device is provided with the ejector pin 1 and the pressure spring 3 roller brush 4 arranged in the axial blind hole 4 an at one end of the roller brush 4, the pressure spring 3 is compressed, thereby providing elastic potential energy.” and “ the ejector pin 1 has a flange 1 a, and the flange 1 an is located in a middle of an axial direction of the ejector pin 1. The pressure spring 3 applies an axial elasticity to the ejector pin 1 by abutting the flange 1 a. The beneficial effects of adopting the above technical solution are: the ejector pin 1 and the pressure spring 3 provide an elastic force for the roller brush 4. In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, the opening of the blind hole 4 an is provided with an ejector pin plate 2 that restricts the ejector pin 1 from disengaging from the blind hole 4 a The beneficial effects of adopting the above technical solution are as follows: The ejector pin 1 and the pressure spring 3 are arranged in the blind hole 4 a, the structure is compact, the space occupies a small space, the ejector pin 1 and the pressure spring 3 do not disengage from the flange 1 an of the roller brush 4 ejector pin 1 on the one hand, so that the pressure spring 3 cooperates with the ejector pin 4, and on the one hand, the flange 1 an abuts against the ejector pin pressing plate 2 to prevent the ejector pin 1 from ejecting the blind hole 4 an of the roller brush 4.”)
Regarding claim 4, modified Zhou teaches wherein the elastic element is a helical spring (see Yang’s 3, figures 4-15), and the helical spring is arranged around the periphery of the thimble sheath.
Regarding claim 5, modified Zhou teaches wherein the thimble (see Yang’s 1, figure 10) comprises a sliding portion ( see Yang’ annotated figure 10) and a fixed portion (see Yang 1a), the sliding portion slides along the thimble sheath, and the fixed portion is fixed to the mobile platform.
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Regarding claim 7, modified Zhou teaches wherein an inner diameter of the thimble sheath is slightly larger than an outer diameter of the sliding portion. (see Yang’s discloses that elastic energy from element 3 allows element 1 move within plate 2)
Regarding claim 8, modified Zhou teaches wherein a height of the elastic element (see Yang’s 3, figure 10) in a natural state is greater than a height of the thimble sheath (see Yang’s 2, figure 10)
Regarding claim 9, modified Zhou teaches wherein the wet cleaning module further comprises a driving platform (see Zhou 34,81,82 figures 5) connected to a bottom surface of the mobile platform, and the slot (see Yang 4a, figures 3-11) is arranged on the driving platform.
Regarding claim 10, modified Zhou teaches wherein the slot (see Yang 4a, figures 3-11) is cylindrical (see Yang figures 3-11) or square.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou (CN106166050 ) ids in view of Yang (CN106943079) ids further in view of Gregory (US20050160553A1)
Regarding claim 6, Zhou as modified above teaches wherein the fixed portion comprises a structure (flange 1a, figure 1) and is fixed to the mobile platform through a structure (see 9 figure 100), but fails teach it is fixed to the mobile platform through a thread structure.
Gregory teaches a carpet cleaning apparatus (abstract) that has thread structure (para 0030) used to fix a structure to a component. (see para 0030, figures 1-5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Zhou so that the mobile platform is provided with a thimble fixed to the mobile platform through a thread structure based on the teachings of Gregory. This modification would allow the thimble with fix portion with thread structure suitable for secure fastening to mobile platform. (para 0030 of Gregory).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SARAH AKYAA FORDJOUR whose telephone number is (571)272-0390. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm and Friday 6:00am-3:00pm.
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/SARAH AKYAA FORDJOUR/ Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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