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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 05/20/2026 has been entered.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Leavitt 20230311034.
Regarding claim 1, Leavitt teaches the invention as claimed: A shower apparatus (100 in Fig. 1C), comprising:
a water passing pipeline (comprising connecting arm 122 and water passing body in annotated Fig. 1C), wherein a water inlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the water passing pipeline (the 122 part) is configured to be connected with a water inlet pipe (per [0030] and Fig. 1C, a water source configured to provided water to 122; thus, the water source is require to have a water inlet pipe connected to 122) disposed on a wall (the wall having the surface 160, see Fig. 1C and [0028]);
a filter assembly (110 in Fig. 1C, which comprising housing 112 and filter cartridge 210, see Fig. 2C and [0037-0038]), wherein a water inlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the filter assembly (110) is connected to a water outlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the water passing pipeline (the water passing body part in annotated Fig. 1C), and a water outlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the filter assembly (110) is connected to a water inlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of a hose (130);
a water outlet assembly (126, Fig. 1C), wherein a water inlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the water outlet assembly (126) is connected to a water outlet end (where the hose 130 is connected to 126 and is hanged on the support structure 124, see Fig. 1C) of the hose (130), and the water outlet assembly (126) is hung on the water passing pipeline (at the support structure 124 of the water passing pipeline, see Fig. 1C); and
the water passing pipeline comprises a connecting arm (122) and a water passing body (annotated Fig. 1C), wherein a water inlet end of the connecting arm is configured as the water inlet end of the water passing pipeline (as shown in annotated Fig. 1C, the water inlet end of the water passing pipeline is the water inlet end od 122), and a ball joint (comprising at least a ball head, see annotated Fig. 1C) is connected between a water outlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the connecting arm (122) and a water inlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the water passing body (annotated Fig. 1C); and a water outlet end of the water passing body is configured as the water outlet end of the water passing pipeline (as shown in annotated Fig. 1C, the water outlet end of the water passing body is configured as the water outlet end of the water passing pipeline), and the water passing body (annotated Fig. 1C) is connected to (fluidly connected via filter 110 and hose 130) the water outlet assembly (126, see Fig. 1C).
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Regarding claim 5, Leavitt further teaches wherein the water passing body (annotated Fig. 1C in claim 1) is provided with a C-shaped hole (the support structure 124 is formed as a c-shaped hole as shown in Fig. 4B) for placing the water outlet assembly (126).
Regarding claim 6, Leavitt further teaches wherein the water outlet assembly (126) is a shower head (126, see Fig. 1C), wherein the shower head (126) comprises a handle (annotated Fig. 1C), a shower head body (annotated Fig. 1C) and a water outlet panel (annotated Fig. 1C); a water inlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the shower head body (annotated Fig. 1C) is connected to a first end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the handle (annotated Fig. 1C), and a water outlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the shower head body (annotated Fig. 1C) is connected to the water outlet panel (annotated Fig. 1C); and a second end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the handle (annotated Fig. 1C) is configured as the water inlet end of the water outlet assembly (see annotated Fig. 1C in claim 1 above and annotated Fig. 1C in claim 6 below), and the hose (130) is inserted into the C-shaped hole (the support structure 124 has the C-shaped hole, see Figs. 1C and 4B).
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Regarding claim 7, Leavitt further teaches wherein the filter assembly (110, Fig. 1C) comprises a housing (112) and a filter element (210, see Fig. 2C and [0037-0038]) disposed in the housing (112), wherein a water inlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the housing (112) is configured as the water inlet end of the
filter assembly (see annotated Fig. 1C in claim 1 above and annotated Fig. 1C in claim 7 below), and a water outlet end (annotated Fig. 1C) of the housing (112) is configured as the water outlet end of the filter assembly (see annotated Fig. 1C in claim 1 above and annotated Fig. 1C in claim 7 below).
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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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Leavitt 20230311034 in view of Quinn 20130340854.
Regarding claim 3, Leavitt further teaches wherein the water outlet end (annotated Fig. 1C in claim 1) of the connecting arm (122) is connected to the ball joint (annotated Fig. 1C in claim 1), the ball joint (annotated Fig. 1C) comprising a ball head (see Fig. 1C) connected to the water inlet end (annotated Fig. 1C in claim 1) of the water passing body (annotated Fig. 1C in claim 1).
Leavitt does not teach wherein the water outlet end of the connecting arm is connected to a connecting part of the ball joint, a ball head of the ball joint is received m a connecting nut and rotatably connected to the connecting nut, and the connecting nut is in threaded connection with the water inlet end of the water passing body.
However, Quinn teaches wherein the water outlet end (annotated Fig. 1) of the connecting arm (104, Fig. 1) is connected to a connecting part (annotated Fig. 4) of the ball joint (comprising the connecting part in annotated Fig. 4 and 126 in Fig. 4), a ball head (126 Fig. 4) of the ball joint is received in a connecting nut (118, best seen in Figs. 3-4) and rotatably connected to the connecting nut (118, [0082]), and the connecting nut (118) is in threaded connection with (via wall 160 at thread 162 and 168, see Fig. 4 and [0090]) the water inlet end (where 134 is, see Fig. 4) of the water passing body (116).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosed but non-depicted ball joint of Leavitt to be the ball joint received in a connecting nut as taught by Quinn, such that
wherein the water outlet end of the connecting arm is connected to a connecting part of the ball joint, a ball head of the ball joint is received m a connecting nut and rotatably connected to the connecting nut, and the connecting nut is in threaded connection with the water inlet end of the water passing body
in order to selective move the water passing body relative to the connecting arm and allow a user to control the direction that a fluid exits the showerhead (Quinn, [0082]). It is noted that such motivation is applicable when Leavitt’s shower outlet assembly is hung on the water passing body as shown in Leavitt’s Fig. 1C.
Regarding claim 4, Leavitt in view of Quinn as discussed so far does not teach wherein a spherical sleeve is arranged between the ball head of the ball joint and the connecting nut, and a spherical pad is arranged between the ball head of the ball joint and the water inlet end of the water passing body.
However, Quinn further teaches wherein a spherical sleeve (142, best seen in Figs. 3-4) is arranged between the ball head (126) of the ball joint and the connecting nut (118), and a spherical pad (140) is arranged between the ball head (126) of the ball joint and the water inlet end (where 134 is) of the water passing body (116, best seen in Figs. 3-4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to provide Leavitt in view of Quinn with Quinn’s spherical sleeve and spherical pad, such that
a spherical sleeve is arranged between the ball head of the ball joint and the connecting nut, and a spherical pad is arranged between the ball head of the ball joint and the water inlet end of the water passing body
in order to prevent water from leaking around and between particular elements (Quinn, [0115]).
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Leavitt 20230311034 in view of Genin 20200247700.
Regarding claim 8, Leavitt further teaches wherein the filter element (210) comprises a plurality of elements ([0075]), whether the plurality of elements comprising a residual chlorine removal filter element (the activated carbon, [0074]), a KDF filter element ([0074-0075]), and a scale inhibition filter element (polyphosphate beads, [0074]).
Leavitt does not teach wherein the filter element comprises a bacteriostatic filter element, a VC filter element, a mineralization filter element, a hydrogen-rich filter element, a fluorine removal filter element, a metasilicic acid filter element, an alkaline filter element, and a fragrance filter element.
However, Genin teaches wherein the filter element (the filter cartridge 19 comprising a plurality of filter elements 21, see Fig. 2 and [0041]) comprises a bacteriostatic filter element, a VC filter element, a mineralization filter element, a hydrogen-rich filter element, a fluorine removal filter element, a metasilicic acid filter element, an alkaline filter element, and a fragrance filter element (per [0004, 0010-0011 and 0015], the plurality of elements 21 forming the multi-staged filter cartridge 19, wherein the plurality of elements comprises: tourmaline ceramic balls, maifan stone, potassium metasilicate ceramic balls, vitamin C ceramic balls which mineralize water that are the claimed VC filter element, mineralization filter element, and metasilicic acid filter element; hydrogen water ceramic balls, which is the claimed hydrogen-rich filter element; alkaline ceramic balls, which is the claimed alkaline filter element, see middle of [0011] in p. 1; fluorine removal property, which is the claimed fluorine removal filter element, see top of [0011] in p. 2; volatile organic chemicals configured to remove sediments and bacteria, which is the claimed bacteriostatic filter element and scale inhibition filter element, see top of [0011] in p. 1 and [0015]; deodorant, which is the claimed fragrance filter elements, see top of [0011] in p. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to provide Leavitt with Genin’s filter elements in addition to Leavitt’s filter elements, such that
wherein the filter element comprises a bacteriostatic filter element, a VC filter element, a mineralization filter element, a hydrogen- rich filter element, a fluorine removal filter element, a metasilicic acid filter element, an alkaline filter element, and a fragrance filter element
in order improve water quality and stability by a process, e.g., soften the water, remove contaminants, irritants, bacteria, heavy metals, and unpleasant odors, etc. (Genin, [0002-0003]).
Regarding claim 9, Leavitt does not teach wherein the housing is provided as a first housing and a second housing, wherein the first housing is in threaded connection with the second housing, a water inlet end of the first housing is configured as the water inlet end of the housing, and a water outlet end of the second housing is configured as the water outlet end of the housing.
However, Genin teaches a filter assembly (as shown in Figs. 1-2) for a shower apparatus (title) comprising a housing (comprising 1-3 and 9-11) and a filter element (19, see Fig. 2 and [0041]) disposed in the housing (see Figs. 1-2), wherein the housing is provided as a first housing (1-3) and a second housing (9-11, see Figs. 1-2), wherein the first housing is in threaded connection with the second housing (at threaded part 15 and 17, see Fig. 2), a water inlet end (1) of the first housing (1-3) is configured as the water inlet end of the housing (water enters filter via water inlet end 1, see [0037]), and a water outlet end (11) of the second housing (9-11) is configured as the water outlet end of the housing (water exits filter via the water outlet end 11, see [0037]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Leavitt with Genin’s forming the housing with a first housing and a second housing, such that
wherein the first housing is in threaded connection with the second housing, a water inlet end of the first housing is configured as the water inlet end of the housing, and a water outlet end of the second housing is configured as the water outlet end of the housing
because it is noted that a simple substitution of one known element, in this case, using a single-piece housing, for another, in this case, using a joined two-piece housing, to obtain predictable results, in this case, forming a housing for placing a filter therein, was an obvious extension of prior art teachings, MPEP 2141 III(B).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/20/2026 have been fully considered. Applicant’s argument about ZHADANOV is persuasive and thus, the 102 rejection for claim 1 based on ZHADANOV issued in the Office Action mailed 01/27/2026 is withdraw. However, because Applicant filed Request for Continued Examination on 05/20/206, a new ground rejection for amended claim 1 is issued based on the previously applied reference Leavitt (see rejection above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JINGCHEN LIU whose telephone number is (571)272-6639. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Devon Kramer can be reached at (571) 272-7118. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JINGCHEN LIU/Examiner, Art Unit 3741
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