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 .
Status
This Office Action is in response to the remarks and amendments filed on 01/14/2026. The drawing objection is maintained. Claims 1-12 and 18-23 remain pending for consideration on the merits.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/24/2025 was filed after the mailing date of the published application on 11/02/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 “a power supply assembly electrically coupled to the motor to power the motor and electrically coupled to the water pump to selectively power the water pump” 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.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-6, 8, 10-11, 18-19 and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stenis (CN 203856744 U, hereinafter Stenis) in view of Nordlund et al (US 20220379149 A1, hereinafter Nordlund).
Regarding claim 1, Stenis teaches a misting fan (fan 10), comprising: a fan assembly (blade assembly 14) comprising a fan blade (blade 30) and a motor (motor 26) operably coupled to the fan blade (paragraph 0014) to drive the fan blade (paragraph 0014); a nozzle (nozzle unit 52) to spray water mist (paragraph 0020) proximate the fan blade (paragraph 0020); a supporting assembly (base 22) supporting the fan assembly (base 22 shown includes a first support part 80 and second support part 84, a first support arm 88 and second support arm 92, paragraph 0021) and the nozzle (figure 1); a power supply assembly (battery chamber 39 including battery pack 38, paragraph 0014) mounted to the supporting assembly (as shown on figures 4-5) and electrically coupled to the motor (paragraph 0014) to power the motor (power source 38 is a battery or battery pack electrically connected with the motor 26 of the drive motor 26, paragraph 0014).
Stenis teaches the invention as described above but fail to teach and the misting fan comprising a single water inlet pipe having two ends with a first end connected to the nozzle through a pipeline, and a second end extending outside the supporting assembly to receive a water source; and a pump operably coupled to the single water inlet pipe between the first end of the single water inlet pipe and the second end of the single water inlet pipe, wherein the second end of the single water inlet pipe extends outside the supporting assembly and selectively introduces a static water source or a flowing water source.
However, Nordlund teaches the misting fan (single mist generator 10) comprising a single water inlet pipe (liquid line 31) having two ends with a first end connected to the nozzle (right end connected to nozzles 103, as shown on figure 1) through a pipeline (as shown on figure 1), and a second end extending outside the supporting assembly to receive a water source (left end extending outside of generator 10 to receive liquid source 3, as shown on figure 1); and a pump (pump 32) operably coupled to the single water inlet pipe (as shown on figure 1) between the first end of the single water inlet pipe (as shown on figure 1) and the second end of the single water inlet pipe (as shown on figure 1), wherein the second end of the single water inlet pipe extends outside the supporting assembly (as shown on figure 1) and selectively introduces a static water source or a flowing water source (as described on paragraph 0114).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fan in the teachings of Stenis to include and the misting fan comprising a single water inlet pipe having two ends with a first end connected to the nozzle through a pipeline, and a second end extending outside the supporting assembly to receive a water source; and a pump operably coupled to the single water inlet pipe between the first end of the single water inlet pipe and the second end of the single water inlet pipe, wherein the second end of the single water inlet pipe extends outside the supporting assembly and selectively introduces a static water source or a flowing water source in view of the teachings of Nordlund in order to yield the predictable result of providing a pump can be used to pump liquid from the liquid source to the droplet generating unit via said one or more liquid lines.
Regarding claim 2, the combined teachings teach wherein the second end extending outside the supporting assembly (as shown on figure 4 of Stenis) is provided with a first connecting head (via connector 56, as shown on figure 5 of Stenis) for receiving the water source (via a pressurized hose outlet, as shown on figure 5 of Stenis).
Regarding claim 3, the combined teachings teach wherein the single water inlet pipe (first pipeline 42 of Stenis) comprises a water pipe portion (as shown on figure 4 of Stenis) located external to the misting fan (as shown on figure 4 of Stenis) and extending from the first connecting head (extending from connector 56, as shown on figure 4 of Stenis) to the supporting assembly (to the base 22 which includes second support part 84, as shown on figure 4 of Stenis).
Regarding claim 4, the combined teachings teach wherein the static water source (via liquid reservoir, paragraph 0016 of Stenis) is a water contained in a reservoir (liquid reservoir, paragraph 0016 of Stenis).
Regarding claim 5, the combined teachings teach wherein the flowing water source is a tap water (via an hose outlet through a pressurized liquid source, paragraph 0017 of Stenis).
Regarding claims 6 and 22, the combined teachings teach wherein the supporting assembly (base 22 shown includes a first support part 80 and second support part 84, a first support arm 88 and second support arm 92, paragraph 0021 of Stenis) is provided with a battery compartment (battery chamber 39 of Stenis), and the power supply assembly (battery chamber 39 including battery pack 38, paragraph 0014 of Stenis) comprises a battery pack (battery pack 38) insertable (as shown on figure 4 of Stenis) into the battery compartment (as shown on figure 4 of Stenis).
Regarding claim 8, Stenis teaches a misting fan (fan 10), comprising: a fan assembly (blade assembly 14) comprising a fan blade (blade 30) and a motor (motor 26) operably coupled to the fan blade (paragraph 0014) to drive the fan blade (paragraph 0014); a nozzle (nozzle unit 52) to spray water mist (paragraph 0020) proximate the fan blade (paragraph 0020); a rack (base 22) supporting the fan assembly (base 22 shown includes a first support part 80 and second support part 84, a first support arm 88 and second support arm 92, paragraph 0021); a power supply assembly (battery chamber 39 including battery pack 38, paragraph 0014) to power the misting fan (power source 38 is a battery or battery pack electrically connected with the motor 26 of the drive motor 26, paragraph 0014); the misting fan consists of a single water inlet pipe with a first end (first end connected to nozzle unit 52, paragraph 0019) connected to the nozzle through a pipeline (second pipeline 46 and generate sufficient force to drive the liquid toward the nozzle unit, paragraph 0018), and a second end extending outward from the misting fan (extending outward from fan 10, as shown on figure 5) and for receiving a water source (as shown on figure 6); wherein the water source is either a static water source (via liquid reservoir, paragraph 0016) or a flowing water source (via a pressurized hose outlet, as shown on figure 5).
Stenis teaches the invention as described above but fail to teach and the misting fan comprises a single water inlet pipe with a first end connected to the nozzle through a pipeline, and a second end extending outward from the misting fan and for receiving a water source; and a pump operably coupled to the single water inlet pipe between the first end and the second end, wherein the water source is either a static water source or a flowing water source.
However, Nordlund teaches the misting fan (single mist generator 10) comprises a single water inlet pipe (liquid line 31) with a first end connected to the nozzle (right end connected to nozzles 103, as shown on figure 1) through a pipeline (as shown on figure 1), and a second end extending outward from the misting fan and for receiving a water source (left end extending outside of generator 10 to receive liquid source 3, as shown on figure 1); and a pump (pump 32) operably coupled to the single water inlet pipe (as shown on figure 1) between the first end (as shown on figure 1) and the second end (as shown on figure 1), wherein the water source is either a static water source or a flowing water source (as described on paragraph 0114).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fan in the teachings of Stenis to include and the misting fan comprises a single water inlet pipe with a first end connected to the nozzle through a pipeline, and a second end extending outward from the misting fan and for receiving a water source; and a pump operably coupled to the single water inlet pipe between the first end and the second end, wherein the water source is either a static water source or a flowing water source in view of the teachings of Nordlund in order to yield the predictable result of providing a pump can be used to pump liquid from the liquid source to the droplet generating unit via said one or more liquid lines.
Regarding claims 10 and 21, the combined teachings teach wherein the static water source (as shown on figure 6 of Stenis) is a water contained in a reservoir (within bucket 120, figure 6 of Stenis), and the flowing water source is a tap water (via a pressurized hose outlet, as shown on figure 5 of Stenis).
Regarding claim 11, the combined teachings teach further comprising: a battery compartment (battery chamber 39 of Stenis); wherein the power supply assembly (battery chamber 39 including battery pack 38, paragraph 0014 of Stenis) comprises a battery pack (battery pack 38 of Stenis) being insertable (as shown on figure 4 of Stenis) into the battery compartment (as shown on figure 4 of Stenis).
Regarding claim 18, Stenis teaches a misting fan (fan 10), comprising: a fan assembly (blade assembly 14) comprising a fan blade (blade 30) and a motor (motor 26) operably coupled to the fan blade (paragraph 0014) to drive the fan blade (paragraph 0014); a nozzle (nozzle unit 52) to spray water mist (paragraph 0020) proximate the fan blade (paragraph 0020); a supporting assembly (base 22) to support the fan assembly (base 22 shown includes a first support part 80 and second support part 84, a first support arm 88 and second support arm 92, paragraph 0021) and the nozzle (figure 1); a water pump (48) having an inlet (62) and a water-leading pipe (64), the water-leading pipe coupling the water pump to the nozzle (as shown on figure 3); a power supply assembly (battery chamber 39 including battery pack 38, paragraph 0014) electrically coupled to the motor (paragraph 0014) to power the motor (power source 38 is a battery or battery pack electrically connected with the motor 26 of the drive motor 26, paragraph 0014) and electrically coupled to the water pump to selectively power the water pump (as described in paragraph 0018).
Stenis teaches the invention as described above but fail to teach and the misting fan consists of comprising a single water inlet pipe located outside the misting fan; wherein the misting fan receives water from either a static water source or a flowing water source, the static water source enters the single water inlet pipe when the misting fan is supplied with water from the static water source, and the flowing water source enters the single water inlet pipe when the misting fan is supplied with water from the flowing water source.
However, Nordlund teaches and the misting fan (single mist generator 10) consists of comprising a single water inlet pipe (liquid lines 31) located outside the misting fan (as shown on figure 1); wherein the misting fan (single mist generator 10) receives water from either a static water source or a flowing water source (as described in paragraph 0114), the static water source enters the single water inlet pipe when the misting fan is supplied with water from the static water source (as described in paragraphs 0114 and 0116), and the flowing water source enters the single water inlet pipe when the misting fan is supplied with water from the flowing water source (as described in paragraphs 0114 and 0116).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fan in the teachings of Stenis to include and the misting fan consists of comprising a single water inlet pipe located outside the misting fan; wherein the misting fan receives water from either a static water source or a flowing water source, the static water source enters the single water inlet pipe when the misting fan is supplied with water from the static water source, and the flowing water source enters the single water inlet pipe when the misting fan is supplied with water from the flowing water source in view of the teachings of Nordlund in order to yield the predictable result of providing a pump can be used to pump liquid from the liquid source to the droplet generating unit via said one or more liquid lines.
Further, it is understood, claim 18 includes an intended use recitation, for example “…operable to...”. The applicant is reminded that a recitation with respect to the manner which a claimed apparatus is intended to be does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the structural limitations of the claims, as is the case here. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, the claims are directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function.
Regarding claim 19, the combined teachings teach wherein an end of the single water inlet pipe (end of pipeline 46, figure 6 of Stenis) is equipped with a filter (filter assembly 60, as shown on figure 6 of Stenis).
Regarding claim 23, Stenis teaches a misting fan (fan 10), comprising: a fan assembly (blade assembly 14) comprising a fan blade (blade 30) and a motor (motor 26) operably coupled to the fan blade (paragraph 0014) to drive the fan blade (paragraph 0014); a nozzle (nozzle unit 52) to spray water mist (paragraph 0020) proximate the fan blade (paragraph 0020); a supporting assembly (base 22) to support the fan assembly (base 22 shown includes a first support part 80 and second support part 84, a first support arm 88 and second support arm 92, paragraph 0021) and the nozzle (figure 1); a power supply assembly (battery chamber 39 including battery pack 38, paragraph 0014) mounted to the supporting assembly (as shown on figures 4-5) and electrically coupled to the motor (paragraph 0014) to power the motor (power source 38 is a battery or battery pack electrically connected with the motor 26 of the drive motor 26, paragraph 0014); wherein an outside surface of a housing (outside surface from housing of fan 10, figure 1) of the misting fan (fan 10) consists of a single water inlet pipe, the misting fan comprises a first water supply mode (by obtaining liquid within bucket 120 via pipeline 46, as described in paragraphs 0018-0019) and a second water supply mode (via receiving water through hose outlet in pipeline 42, paragraphs 0016-0017), and the single water inlet pipe (pipeline 46) allows: a water (figure 6) contained in a reservoir (water within bucket 120, figure 6) to flow through the single water inlet pipe (pipeline 46) when the misting fan (fan 10) is in the first water supply mode (by obtaining liquid within bucket 120 via pipeline 46, as described in paragraphs 0018-0019); and a water from a tap (via a pressurized hose outlet, as shown on figure 5) to flow through single the water inlet pipe (pipeline 42) when the misting fan (fan 10) is in the second water supply mode (via receiving water through hose outlet in pipeline 42, paragraphs 0016-0017).
Stenis teaches the invention as described above but fail to teach and wherein an outside surface of a housing of the misting fan consists of a single water inlet pipe comprising a pump operably coupled to the single water inlet pipe.
However, Nordlund teaches and wherein an outside surface of a housing (outside surface of generator 10, figure 1) of the misting fan (single mist generator 10) consists of a single water inlet pipe (liquid line 31, figure 1) comprising a pump (pump 32) operably coupled to the single water inlet pipe (as shown on figure 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fan in the teachings of Stenis to include and wherein an outside surface of a housing of the misting fan consists of a single water inlet pipe comprising a pump operably coupled to the single water inlet pipe in view of the teachings of Nordlund in order to yield the predictable result of providing a pump can be used to pump liquid from the liquid source to the droplet generating unit via said one or more liquid lines.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stenis as modified by Nordlund, as applied to claim 6 above, and in further view of Cholst et al (US 20220201946 A1, hereinafter Cholst).
Regarding claim 7, the combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein an included angle between a placement plane and an extending direction of the battery compartment is greater than or equal to 10° and less than or equal to 75° when the misting fan is placed on the placement plane.
However, Cholst teaches wherein an included angle (axis A2, figure 10A) between a placement plane (axis A1, as shown on figure 10A, corresponding to surface S from fan 10 of Stenis) and an extending direction of the battery compartment (extending direction of battery receiving cavity 118, as shown on figure 10A) is greater than or equal to 10° and less than or equal to 75° (±10 degrees, ±12 degrees, ±15 degrees, or ±20 degrees, paragraph 0038) when the misting fan (fan 130) is placed on the placement plane (as shown on figure 10A).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fan in the combined teachings to include wherein an included angle between a placement plane and an extending direction of the battery compartment is greater than or equal to 10° and less than or equal to 75° when the misting fan is placed on the placement plane in view of the teachings of Cholst in order to yield the predictable result of allowing the battery receiving cavity to be parallel to the fan placement plane at an angle.
Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stenis as modified by Nordlund, as applied to claim 8 above, and in further view of Labrador (US 6293121 B1, hereinafter Labrador).
Regarding claim 9, the combined teachings teach the flowing water source (via a pressurized hose outlet, as shown on figure 5 of Stenis) also enters to the pipeline (via pipeline 46, as shown on figure 5 of Stenis) through the water pipe portion (as shown on figure 5 of Stenis).
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein the second end extending outward from the misting fan is provided with a first connecting head for receiving the water source, and the water inlet pipe comprising a water pipe portion located external to the misting fan and extending from the first connecting head to a housing of the misting fan, the static water source enters to the pipeline through the water pipe portion.
However, Labrador teaches wherein the second end extending outward from the misting fan (second end of water hose 5 extending from air blower 1, as shown on figures 6-8) is provided with a first connecting head (coupling connector 3, as shown on figures 6-8) for receiving the water source (receiving water from bottles 15, figures 6-8), and the water inlet pipe (water hose 5) comprising a water pipe portion (portion of water hose 5 that receives water from bottles 15, figures 6-8) located external to the misting fan (external of air blower 1, figures 6-8) and extending from the first connecting head (extending from coupling connector 3, figures 6-8) to a housing of the misting fan (towards the housing of air blower 1, figures 6-8), the static water source (within bottles 15, figures 6-8) enters to the pipeline (water hose 5) through the water pipe portion (as shown on figures 6-8).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fan in the combined teachings to include wherein the second end extending outward from the misting fan is provided with a first connecting head for receiving the water source, and the water inlet pipe comprising a water pipe portion located external to the misting fan and extending from the first connecting head to a housing of the misting fan, the static water source enters to the pipeline through the water pipe portion in view of the teachings of Labrador in order to yield the predictable result of absorbing great quantities of heat out from the carrier wind, thereby, the wind becomes cool instantly.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stenis as modified by Nordlund, as applied to claim 8 above, and in further view of Barlettano (US 20220299216 A1, hereinafter Barlettano).
Regarding claim 12, the combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach further comprising an air volume control button and a water mist control button.
However, Barlettano teaches further comprising an air volume control button (power button 34 to change the speed of the fan 48, paragraph 0057) and a water mist control button (third button 730 to control the mist modes, paragraph 0157).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fan in the combined teachings to include further comprising an air volume control button and a water mist control button in view of the teachings of Barlettano in order to yield the predictable result of controlling the fan speed and mist modes.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over over Stenis as modified by Nordlund, as applied to claim 18 above, and in further view of Labrador (US 6293121 B1, hereinafter Labrador).
Regarding claim 20, the combined teachings teach the flowing water source (via a pressurized hose outlet, as shown on figure 5) enters the single water inlet pipe (pipeline 42) through the first connecting head (connector 56) when the misting fan (fan 10) is supplied with water from the flowing water source (with water from a pressurized hose outlet, paragraph 0017).
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein an end of the water inlet pipe is provided with a first connecting head located outside the misting fan, the static water source enters the water inlet pipe through the first connecting head when the misting fan is supplied with water from the static water source.
However, Labrador teaches wherein an end of the single water inlet pipe (the end of water hose 5, as shown on figures 6-8) is provided with a first connecting head (coupling connector 3, as shown on figures 6-8) located outside the misting fan (outside of air blower 1, as shown on figure 6), the static water source (bottles 15, figures 6-8) enters the single water inlet pipe (water hose 5) through the first connecting head (through coupling connector 3, figures 6-8) when the misting fan (air blower 1) is supplied with water from the static water source (from bottles 15, figures 6-8).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fan in the combined teachings to include wherein an end of the water inlet pipe is provided with a first connecting head located outside the misting fan, the static water source enters the water inlet pipe through the first connecting head when the misting fan is supplied with water from the static water source in view of the teachings of Labrador in order to yield the predictable result of absorbing great quantities of heat out from the carrier wind, thereby, the wind becomes cool instantly.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 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.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DARIO DELEON whose telephone number is (571)272-8687. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm.
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/DARIO ANTONIO DELEON/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JERRY-DARYL FLETCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763