Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/289,793

A kind of double duct hairdryer

Non-Final OA §102§103§112
Filed
Nov 07, 2023
Examiner
WAN, DEMING
Art Unit
3762
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Shenzhen Shuge Medical Beauty Devices Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
76%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 7m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 76% — above average
76%
Career Allow Rate
691 granted / 903 resolved
+6.5% vs TC avg
Strong +42% interview lift
Without
With
+42.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
46 currently pending
Career history
949
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
§103
47.9%
+7.9% vs TC avg
§102
25.2%
-14.8% vs TC avg
§112
22.2%
-17.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 903 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103 §112
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 Objections Claims 1-5, and 7-9 are objected to because of the following informalities: According to MPEP, Each claim begins with a capital letter and ends with a period. The beginning of each indented limitation shall not be in capital letter. Claim 1 recites “Driving component” in Line 5. It shall be “the driving component”. Claim 1 recites “Conduction heating component” in Line 9. It shall be “the conduction heating component” Claim 1 recites “Exhaust component” in Line 12. It shall be “the exhaust component” Claim 2 recites “conduction heating component and “exhaust component” in Line 4. It shall be “the conduction heating component and the exhaust component” Claim 5 recites “Main function PCB panel” in Line 3 and “key PCB panel” in Line 4. It shall be “the main function PCB panel” and “the key PCB panel” Claim 5 recites “Motor” in Line 6. It shall be “the motor”. Claim 5 has a Chinese character. It shall be corrected. Appropriate correction is required. Drawings 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 “two holes” in Claim 6 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). 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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 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 appl icant regards as his invention. Claims 1-10 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. Regarding Claim 1 Claim 1 recites “driving component which is mounted at the internal right end of the shell component, and by the plasma technique with double emitter …” The driving component driven by the plasma technique? The Office understand that there are two component s: a driving component and emitter s for ions . The claim recitation shall be amended to accurately recite the structure. Claim 1 recites “exhaust component which is mounted a the internal left of the shell component, … suction of the surrounding air is performed by the vacuum area produced by it …” The Applicant shall define “it”. Which component generates vacuum. The claim recitation shall be amended at accurately recite the structure. Claim 1 recites “internal right end” and “internal left end”. The “right” and “left” are indefinite. It shall be amended as “proximal” or “distal” with a reference point . Regarding claim 1, the phrase "can" or “can be” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. The Applicant shall amended as “configure to” if the following limitation are considered required function. Claim 1 is also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential steps, such omission amounting to a gap between the steps. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted steps are: Claim 1 recites “the conduction heating component … can adjust the exhaust of the exhaust component” It is not clear how a conduction heating component can adjust the exhaust?. Regarding Claim 2 Claim 2 recites “tail gate … and it can discharge the line” The function is not clear. How a tail get discharges a line? A correction is required. Regarding Claim 5 Claim 5 recites “right end” of “left end”. The “right” and “left” are indefinite. It shall be amended as “proximal” or “distal” with a reference point. Claim 5 use the phrase "can" or “can be” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. The Applicant shall amended as “configure to” if the following limitation are considered required function. In Reference to Claim 8 Claim 8 recites the limitation "the fan drum" in Line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. In Reference to Claims 3, 4, 6- 7, and 9- 10 Claims 3, 4 and 6 -7, and 9 -10 are rejected by their virtue dependency to Claim 1. 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. Claim s 1 , 4, 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Chinese Patent Publication CN110236282 to Su (The art rejection is made based on the respective English translation by PE2E) . Regarding Claim 1 Su discloses a kind of double duct hairdryer, which is characterized by, including: Shell component ( Fig. 5, 10 ), whose interior is mounted with driving component ( Fig. 4, 13b ), conduction heating component ( Fig. 4, 16 ) and exhaust component ( Fig. 4, 20 ), and the internal components can be (The word “ can be ” leave the following recitation ambiguous) installed and set as straight shape (As showed in Fig. 4) ; Driving component ( Fig. 4, 13b ), which is mounted at the internal right end of the shell component, and by the plasma technique with double emitter (Fig. 5, 15) , it can release positive ion and negative ion at the same time, it can quickly neutralize positive charges and negative charges after acting on hair, so that hair is soft and bright; Conduction heating component ( Fig. 5, 16 ), which is mounted at the internal middle part of the shell component , it can heat the air that is blown out, and it can adjust (Not sure how a heating element can adjust the flow volume) the exhaust of the exhaust component; Exhaust component ( Fig. 4, 20 ), which is mounted at the internal left end of the shell component, and by the internally hollow design (As showed in Fig. 4) of air duct with double outlets (Fig. 4, 24b, 23b) , pressure intensity difference is formed, suction of the surrounding air is performed by the vacuum area produced by it, so as to increase the wind speed at the air outlet. In Reference to Claim 4 Su discloses the driving component includes: Support frame ( Fig. 4, annotated by the examiner ), which is mounted at the internal right end of the outer shel l , it is set as two groups, and the main function PCB panel ( Fig. 4, annotated by the examiner) a nd motor ( Fig. 4, annotated by the examiner, the frame for motor ) are mounted to its interior; Key PCB panel ( Fig. 4, 19 ), which is mounted at the outer wall of the support frame ( Fig. 4, annotated by the examiner ) at the lower end (The word lower end is ambiguous, it is outer surface of the frame) ; Key ( Fig. 4, 14 ), which is fixed into the key hole on the outer shell ( As showed in Fig. 3 ), and it is linked onto the key PCB panel. In Reference to Claim 8 Su discloses the exhaust component (4) includes: Guide vane ( Fig. 5, annotated by the examiner ), which is mounted at the interior of the fan drum ( Fig. 4, annotated by the examiner ), and it can adjust the fluid motion trajectory and flow of the fan drum ;Top cover ( Fig. 4, annotated by the examiner ), which is mounted at the left end of the fan drum ( Fig. 4, annotated by the examiner ), and perpendicularly blow out air through the internally installed guide vane ( Fig. 5, annotated by the examiner ); Fan drum ( Fig. 4, annotated by the examiner ), which is mounted at the internal left end of the outer shell, and by the design of internally hollow air duct with double outlets, pressure intensity difference is formed, suction of the surrounding air is performed by the vacuum area produced by it, so as to increase the wind speed at the air outlet. In Reference to Claim 9 Su discloses the top cover ( Fig. 1, 20 which is the top cover ) includes: Air outlet ( As showed in Fig. 2, the outlet 24a ), which is set at both sides of the front end of the top cover ( Fig. 1, 20 ), and it correspondingly matches with the air outlet of the fan drum ( Fig. 4, annotated by the examiner ), so that the wind blown out from the fan drum can be perpendicularly blown out. In Reference to Claim 10 Su discloses the top cover ( Fig. 1, 20 ) is set as U shape (As showed in Fig. 1, the cover 20 has two side legs that form a U shape) , and hair can be put to the interior, so that hair can be blown dry and styled . 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. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SU in view of CN205963260 to Yuan (The art rejection is made based on the respective English translation by PE2E) . In Reference to Claim 7 Su discloses a heater. Su does not teach the heater having a heat insulation sheet (Fig. 4, 18) fixed to the motor bracket (As showed in Fig. 4) Su does not teach the detail of the insulation sheet Yuan teaches the conduction heating component includes: Heater, which is commonly composed of mica sheet ( Fig. 1, 106 ) and heating wire (Fig. 1, 107) , It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate teachings from Yuan into the design of Su. Doing so, would result in a mica / wire heater design of Yuan being used in the design of Su. Both inventions of Su and Yuan are in the same field of endeavor, Yuan teaches mica sheet set has insulating and low-loss, for installing and fixing the electric heating wire . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT DEMING WAN whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-1410 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Mon-Thur: 8 am to 6 PM . Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Michael Hoang can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 57122726460 . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. FILLIN "Examiner Stamp" \* MERGEFORMAT DEMING . WAN Examiner Art Unit 3762 /DEMING WAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762 3/27/ 26
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 07, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 27, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103, §112 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
76%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+42.4%)
2y 7m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 903 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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