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 Objections
Claims 1, 2, 8-10, 13, 14 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(claim 1, line 14) “fourth opening” should be changed to “a fourth opening”.
(claim 2, line 4) “the second body” should be changed to “the fourth body”.
(claim 8, line 4) “the head section and inner opening” should be changed to “the head section and the inner opening”.
(claim 9, line 2) “the first hinged section of the bristle holder base” should be changed to “the first hinged section of the belt holder base”.
(claim 9, lines 4-5) “the first hinged section of the bristle holder base” should be changed to “the first hinged section of the belt holder base”.
(claim 10, line 26) “fourth opening” should be changed to “a fourth opening”.
(claim 13, line 5) “the second body” should be changed to “the fourth body”.
(claim 14, lines 2-3) “the first hinged section of the bristle holder base” should be changed to “the first hinged section of the belt holder base”.
(claim 14, line 5) “the first hinged section of the bristle holder base” should be changed to “the first hinged section of the belt holder base”.
(claim 20, line 4) “the head section and inner opening” should be changed to “the head section and the inner opening”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 2, 10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claims 1 and 10 recite the limitation “a belt holder base”, and claims 2 and 13 recite the limitation “a belt slip holder”. The specification describes that the belt slip holders may be hinged to the belt, such that the brushed slip holders may thus be guided with the belt in paragraph 0034. However, the specification does not describe how the belt holder base cooperates or interacts with the belt and/or the belt slip holder. Thus, it is unclear whether the belt holder base is used to attach the brushed slip holder to the belt separately or in conjunction with the belt slip holder. Therefore, the claims fail to comply with the written description requirement.
Claims 3-9, 11, 12 and 14-20 are rejected for being dependent upon a rejected base claim.
Claims 1, 2, 10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention. Claims 1 and 10 recite the limitation “a belt holder base”, and claims 2 and 13 recite the limitation “a belt slip holder”. The specification describes that the belt slip holders may be hinged to the belt, such that the brushed slip holders may thus be guided with the belt in paragraph 0034. However, the specification does not describe how the belt holder base cooperates or interacts with the belt and/or the belt slip holder. Thus, it is unclear whether the belt holder base is used to attach the brushed slip holder to the belt separately or in conjunction with the belt slip holder. Therefore, the claims fail to comply with the enablement requirement.
Claims 3-9, 11, 12 and 14-20 are rejected for being dependent upon a rejected base claim.
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 17-20 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.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the bristle sections" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It appears that the subject matter of claim 17 should be dependent on the subject matter of claim 18 to provide proper antecedent basis for this limitation. Clarification is needed.
Claims 18-20 are rejected for being dependent upon a rejected base claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 1st paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record does not appear to anticipate and/or render obvious a brushed slip holder assembly, comprising: a slip bristle holder having a first body, a plurality of first legs, and a first opening, wherein the first opening is disposed through a center section of the first body, and each of the plurality of first legs is disposed over one of four corner sections of the first body, wherein the slip bristle holder is configured to hold a bristle section; a belt holder base disposed under the slip bristle holder, the belt holder base having a second body, a first hinged section, and one or more second openings, wherein the one or more second openings are disposed through a center section of the second body; and an intermediate double-sided hinge disposed between the slip bristle holder and the belt holder base, the intermediate double-sided hinge used to operably couple the slip bristle holder onto the belt holder base, wherein the intermediate double-sided hinge has a third body, a second hinged section, a third hinged section, and a fourth opening, wherein the fourth opening is disposed through a center section of the third body, and wherein the second hinged section of the intermediate double-sided hinge is configured to be coupled to the first hinged section of the belt holder base.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW R BUCK whose telephone number is (571)270-3653. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6:30-5.
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/MATTHEW R BUCK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679