Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/30/2026 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claim 23 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 23 should be omitted, as the claim further defines the perforations as blind holes, which is inconsistent with the definition of the perforations in claim 22, which claim 23 depends on. Claim 22 states, “each perforation extending in a direction extending from the first side of the plate to the second side of the plate”, which is consistent with how Applicant defines a “through hole” (see page 10, lines 21-26 of the specification); thus, the perforations cannot further be blind holes.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6-7, 9-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Laurent (GB 2561717 A; refer to the provided translation) in view of Soresina et al. (US 20150366316 A1), herein referred to as Soresina.
Regarding claim 1, Laurent discloses an attachment (100) for a hair care appliance (10) comprising:
an air inlet end (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below) for receiving an airflow from the appliance (10) (refer to Paragraph 91; the air is blown into the accessory (100) from the wand),
an air outlet end (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below) for emitting the airflow from the attachment (100) (refer to Paragraph 91; the air is blown through the aperture (51)),
a wall defining and extending about an airflow path between the air inlet end and the air outlet end (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below),
an external wall (56) surrounding the wall of the attachment (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below), and
a plate (50) located in the airflow path and configured to guide the airflow towards the air outlet end (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below) (refer to Paragraph 91; the comb (50) bisects the aperture (51) of the dome (53) through the airflow path, and is thereby capable of guiding the air blown through the aperture (51) along the comb (50) surface),
wherein:
the plate (50) is configured to divide the airflow path into two sections (refer to Paragraph 91; the comb (50) bisects the aperture (51) of the dome (53)), and
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Laurent discloses the plate (50) comprising a solid plate section free from through holes arranged close to the air inlet (refer to annotated Fig. 7 above); however, Laurent is silent to the plate (50) comprising a perforation section, the solid plate section being arranged closer to the air inlet end than the perforation section, wherein the perforation section comprises a plurality of through holes extending between the two sections of the airflow path, and wherein the solid plate section is free from through holes.
Soresina discloses a nozzle (1) for a hair dryer in the same field of endeavor (refer to Paragraph [0047]). The nozzle (1) includes a plate (16b, upper) in the airflow path that guides the airflow towards the outlet (refer to Paragraphs [0049]-[0050], annotated Fig. 6 below), the plate (16b, upper) comprises a perforation section, the solid plate section being arranged closer to the air inlet end than the perforation section (refer to annotated Fig. 6 below), wherein the perforation section comprises a plurality of through holes (31) extending between the two sections of the airflow path (refer to Paragraph [0081], annotated Fig. 6 below; each ventilation hole 31 fluidically communicates the outside of the front nozzle 1 with the secondary channel 6, extending from the outer surface 16b of the flattened portion 4 to the secondary channel 6), and wherein the solid plate section is free from through holes (refer to annotated Fig. 6 below). This configuration allows for more efficient hair drying, as the holes provide additional diffuse air flow (refer to Paragraph [0081]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the solid plate (50) of Laurent with the perforation section (refer to annotated Fig. 6 below) as taught by Soresina in order to provide additional diffuse air flow (refer to Paragraph [0081]).
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Regarding claim 2, Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 1; Laurent further discloses wherein the plate (50) is configured to divide the airflow path into two equal sections (refer to Paragraph 91; the comb (50) bisects the aperture (51) of the dome (53) through the airflow path).
Regarding claim 3, Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 1; Laurent is silent to wherein the plurality of through holes are circular through holes.
Soresina further discloses the plurality of through holes (31) are circular through holes (refer to annotated Fig. 6 above).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the solid plate (50) of Laurent with circular through holes (31) (refer to annotated Fig. 6 below) as taught by Soresina in order to provide additional diffuse air flow (refer to Paragraph [0081]).
Regarding claims 6-7, 9-10 Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 1; Laurent further discloses wherein the plate (50) comprises a non-linear edge proximate to the air outlet end, wherein the non-linear edge comprises a wave-shaped profile (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below), wherein the plate (50) is substantially planar, and the non-linear edge of the plate (50) extends substantially orthogonal to [[the]]a central longitudinal axis of the attachment (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below), wherein the non-linear edge when viewed in a plane orthogonal to the plate, has a curved profile (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below).
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Regarding claim 11, Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 1; Laurent further discloses wherein the wall (53) is disposed about [[the]] a longitudinal axis of the attachment (refer to annotated Fig. 7 above).
Regarding claim 12, Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 1; Laurent further discloses wherein the wall (53) comprises an annular wall (53) extending around [[the]] a longitudinal axis of the attachment (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below).
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Regarding claim 13, Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 1; Laurent further discloses wherein at least a portion of the wall (53) is tapered (refer to Paragraph 91, annotated Fig. 7 below; the wall (53) is dome shaped and thereby tapered).
Regarding claim 14, Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 1; Laurent further discloses wherein the wall (53) tapers inwardly towards the air outlet end (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below).
Regarding claim 15, Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 12; Laurent further discloses wherein the angle of taper of the wall varies between the air inlet end and the air outlet end (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below).
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Claim(s) 4-5, and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Laurent (GB 2561717 A; refer to the provided translation) in view of Soresina et al. (US 20150366316 A1), herein referred to as Soresina, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Cercone (US 3797752 A).
Regarding claims 4-5, Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 1; Laurent is silent to wherein the through holes are arranged in a plurality of rows and said plurality of rows extend orthogonal to [[the]]a longitudinal axis of the attachment, and further wherein each row of the through holes is staggered with respect to an immediately adjacent row of through holes.
Soresina further discloses the number and arrangement of the through holes (31) (refer to Paragraph [0083]) can be modified.
Cercone discloses a blower nozzle (Fig. 3) in the same field of endeavor (refer to col. 2, lines 24-27), comprising a plate (refer to annotated Fig. 3 below) with through holes (21) arranged in a plurality of rows and said plurality of rows extend orthogonal to [[the]]a longitudinal axis of the attachment (refer to col. 2, lines 33-35, annotated Fig. 3 below; the rows extend from left to right or orthogonal to the longitudinal axis), wherein each row of the through holes is staggered with respect to an immediately adjacent row of through holes (refer to annotated Fig. 3 below; the top row is offset relative to the lower row). This arrangement of apertures (21) allows for dispersed or diffuse air flow (refer to col. 1, lines 53-55).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the arrangement of through holes of Laurent and Soresina with the plurality of rows (refer to annotated Fig. 3 below) as taught by Soresina in order to allow for dispersed or diffuse air flow (refer to col. 1, lines 53-55).
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Regarding claim 21, Laurent, Soresina and Cercone disclose the attachment according to claim 5; Laurent further discloses wherein the plate (50) is substantially planar and is substantially coplanar with [[the]]a central longitudinal axis of the attachment (refer to annotated Fig. 7 from claims 6-7, 9-10 above).
Claim(s) 17 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Laurent (GB 2561717 A; refer to the provided translation) in view of Soresina et al. (US 20150366316 A1), herein referred to as Soresina, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Stephens et al. (US 20160206077 A1), herein referred to as Stephens.
Regarding claim 17, Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 1; neither reference discloses wherein the wall and the external wall each comprises a plurality of retention members configured to retain the wall within the external wall.
Stephens discloses an attachment (100) for a hair care appliance (10) in the same field of endeavor (refer to Paragraph [0059]). The attachment (100) base includes a wall (158) surrounded by an external wall (120a), the wall (158) and the external wall (120a) each comprise a plurality of retention members (354, 356) configured to retain the wall (158) within the external wall (120a) (refer to Paragraph [0086], Fig. 8b; the inner wall (158) comprises two pairs of ribs (354); the inner surface (120a) of the sleeve (120) has a further set of two pairs of ribs (356); the ribs (354, 356) are aligned together to maintain concentricity of the two attachment parts (110, 190)). The retention members (354, 356) advantageously reduce the chance of hot spots by distancing the wall (158) from the external wall (120a), while providing locating features (358) for correct placement during assembly (refer to Paragraph [0086]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the wall and external wall of Laurent and Soresina, with the plurality of retention members (354, 356), as taught by Stephens to reduce hot spots and maintain concentricity of the two walls (refer to Paragraph [0086]).
Regarding claim 20, Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 1; neither reference discloses the attachment further comprising a magnet attached to the wall for securing the attachment to the appliance.
Stephens discloses an attachment (100) for a hair care appliance (10) in the same field of endeavor (refer to Paragraph [0059]). The attachment (100) includes a first wall (102) surrounded by an external wall (110), with magnetic material (104) extending around the face of the first wall (106) refer to Paragraph [0069], Fig. 6).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the attachment wall of Laurent and Soresina with magnetic material as taught by Stephens in order to enable magnetic attachment of the attachment (100) to the hair care appliance (10) (refer to Paragraph [0069], Fig. 6).
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Laurent (GB 2561717 A; refer to the provided translation) in view of Soresina et al. (US 20150366316 A1), herein referred to as Soresina, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Gandolfo et al. (EP 1834540 A1; refer to the provided translation), herein referred to as Gandolfo.
Regarding claim 18, Laurent and Soresina disclose the attachment according to claim 1; neither reference discloses wherein the attachment comprises a seat configured to accommodate an RFID tag.
Gandolfo discloses a hair dryer (50) with various tools (52) in the same field of endeavor (refer to Paragraph 62, Fig, 8; a diffuser (50) and associated tools (52) for use with the diffuser (50) are shown). The wall of the tool (52) comprises a seat configured to accommodate an RFID tag (refer to Paragraph 197, annotated Fig. 13 below; the tool wall contains an RFID tag; it is inherent that the wall also contains a structure or seat inside the wall for containing the RFID tag). The RFID tag permits communication with the diffuser (50) such that a specific program styling the user’s hair based on the tool can be initiated (refer to Paragraph 197).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the attachment of Laurent and Soresina to include a seat for accommodating an RFID tag as taught by Gandolfo to use an RFID tag to communicate a tool based styling program with the hair care appliance.
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Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Laurent (GB 2561717 A; refer to the provided translation) in view of Soresina et al. (US 20150366316 A1), herein referred to as Soresina, and further in view of Courtney et al. (US 20140007448 A1), herein referred to as Courtney.
Regarding claim 22, Laurent discloses an attachment (100) for a hair care appliance (10) comprising:
an air inlet end (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below) for receiving an airflow from the appliance (10) (refer to Paragraph 91; the air is blown into the accessory (100) from the wand),
an air outlet end (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below) for emitting the airflow from the attachment (100) (refer to Paragraph 91; the air is blown through the aperture (51)),
a wall defining and extending about an airflow path between the air inlet end and the air outlet end (refer to annotated Fig. 7 below),
a plate (50) located in and bisecting dividing the airflow path into two sections such that a first section of the airflow path is on a first side of the plate and a second section of the airflow path is on a second side of the plate (refer to Paragraph 91, annotated Fig. 7 below; the comb (50) bisects the aperture (51) of the dome (53) through the airflow path),
the plate (50) being configured to guide the airflow towards the air outlet end (refer to Paragraph 91, annotated Fig. 7 below; the comb (50) bisects the aperture (51) of the dome (53) through the airflow path, and is thereby capable of guiding the air blown through the aperture (51) along the comb (50) surface),
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Laurent is silent to wherein the plate comprises a plurality of perforations, each perforation extending in a direction extending from the first side of the plate to the second side of the plate, and wherein a maximum width of the plate is greater than a maximum width of the wall, each maximum width being measured in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the airflow path[[,]].
Laurent can be modified to meet these limitations as follows:
Adding a plurality of through holes (31) to the plate (16b) extending between the two sections of the airflow path (refer to Paragraph [0081], annotated Fig. 6 below; each ventilation hole 31 fluidically communicates the outside of the front nozzle 1 with the secondary channel 6, extending from the outer surface 16b of the flattened portion 4 to the secondary channel 6) in the same fashion as Soresina, which discloses a nozzle (1) for a hair dryer in the same field of endeavor (refer to Paragraph [0047]).
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
This configuration allows for more efficient hair drying, as the holes provide additional diffuse air flow (refer to Paragraph [0081]).
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Modifying the width of the edge of the plate structure (refer to annotated Figs. 1b, 1d below) to be wider than a maximum width of a wall (110) (refer to Paragraph [0077]; the length B-B of the slot forming the fluid outlet (13) is greater than a diameter C-C of the body (110)), in the same fashion as Courtney, which discloses a nozzle (100) in the same field of endeavor (refer to Paragraph [0076])
A person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to make the above modification(s) because:
This increased width of the double plate structure (refer to annotated Figs. 1b, 1d below) expands the width of the air flow, thus diffusing the outflow along a larger section of hair (refer to Paragraph [0003]).
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Claim(s) 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Laurent (GB 2561717 A; refer to the provided translation) in view of Soresina et al. (US 20150366316 A1), herein referred to as Soresina, and Courtney et al. (US 20140007448 A1), herein referred to as Courtney, as applied to claim 22 above, and further in view of Conrad.
Regarding claim 23, Laurent, Soresina, and Courtney disclose the attachment according to claim 22; none of the prior art references disclose wherein the perforations are blind holes.
Conrad discloses a hair dryer (10) in the same field of endeavor, comprising fins (278) (). The fins (278) of the hair dryer are analogous to the plate of the attachment as taught by Laurent, Soresina and Courtney, as the function of both is to enable air flow from an inlet of the hair drying to an outlet (refer to Paragraph [0351], Fig. 13 of Conrad). The edges of the fins (278) are disclosed as including indentations, dimples or cuts along their edges to enhance heat transfer by inducing localized turbulence (refer to Paragraph [0886]; by definition (Dictionary.com), dimples are a depression or indentation on a surface, such as a golf ball, and is thus a blind hole, as the indentation does not extend through the surface, consistent with Applicant’s specification (page 10, lines 21-26)).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the perforations of Laurent, Soresina, and Courtney with the indentations and/or dimples as taught by Conrad in order to induce localized air turbulence on the plate for efficient hair drying (refer to Paragraph [0886]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 22 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Claim 1 is rejected by the combination of Laurent (GB 2561717 A) and Soresina et al. (US 20150366316 A1) and claim 22 is rejected by a combination of Laurent (GB 2561717 A; refer to the provided translation), Soresina et al. (US 20150366316 A1), and Courtney et al. (US 20140007448 A1),
Conclusion
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/ADRIENA J WEBB LYTTLE/Examiner, Art Unit 3772
/EDELMIRA BOSQUES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3772
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