DETAILED ACTIONS
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 .
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 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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on November 14, 2023 and July 8, 2025 was filed after the mailing date of the application on November 14, 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.
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 applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth 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 3 recites the limitation “wherein the duct portion includes a duct portion opening to form a space so that the first closing link or the second closing link moves, and the rotary lever corresponds to the duct portion opening.” For the purpose of examination, the limitation will be examined as “wherein the duct portion includes a duct portion opening to form a space so that when the first closing link or the second closing link moves, and the rotary lever corresponds to the duct portion opening.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-4, 7-13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US Patent No: US 11,737,630 B2)
In reference to claim 1, Kim et al. discloses a cleaning apparatus, comprising: a cleaner (200, Figure 2, Column 17, line 7) including: a dust container (220, Figure 2, Column 17, line 20) in which contaminants are collected; and a dust container cover (222, Figure 9, Column 17, lines 7-110) rotatably coupled to the dust container to open or close the dust container; and a docking station (100, Column 17, line 13) on which the cleaner is detachably mounted, the docking station including: a collecting portion (170, Column 22, line 19) configured to collect the contaminants in the dust container in response to the cleaner being mounted on the docking station; and a duct portion (181, Figure 2, Column 27 lines 47-49) forming a channel to guide the contaminants in the dust container to the collecting portion in response to the cleaner being mounted on the docking station; a cover opening device (150, Column 37, lines 15-17) configured to open the dust container cover (222, Column 27, line 47) ; and a cover closing device (150, Column 37, lines 15-17) configured to close the dust container cover, the cover closing device including a rotary lever (see annotated Figure 9) configured to be movable between a first position (see annotated Figure 9) forming a portion of the channel of the duct portion (181, Figure 2, Column 27 lines 47-49) and a second position (see annotated Figure 9) supporting the dust container cover in a closing direction.
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In reference to claim 2, Kim et al. discloses the cleaning apparatus wherein the cover closing device (150, Column 37, lines 15-17) includes: a closing drive motor (142, Column 56, lines 30-33) configured to generate power to move the rotary lever (see annotated Figure 9); a first closing link (143a, Figure 9) connected to the closing drive motor; and a second closing link (143b, Figure 9) connected to the first closing link and the rotary lever.
In reference to claim 3, Kim et al. discloses the cleaning apparatus, wherein the duct portion (181, Figure 2, Column 27 lines 47-49) includes a duct portion opening
to form a space so that the first closing link (143a, Figure 9) or the second closing link (143b, Figure 9) moves, and the rotary lever corresponds to the duct portion opening.
In reference to claim 4, Kim et al. discloses the cleaning apparatus, wherein the duct portion (181, Figure 2, Column 27 lines 47-49) includes a duct portion opening to form a space so that the first closing link (143a, Figure 9) or the second closing link (143b, Figure 9) moves, and the rotary lever corresponds to the duct portion opening.
In reference to claim 7, Kim et al discloses the cleaning apparatus, wherein the rotary lever (see annotated Figure 9) is positioned in the first position (see annotated Figure 9) in response to the cleaner being separated from the docking station (100, Column 17, line 13).
In reference to claim 8, Kim et al. discloses the cleaning apparatus, wherein the docking station includes a connecting port (Column 23, lines 13-15) formed to connect the dust container and the duct portion in response to the cleaner being mounted on the docking station, and the rotary lever corresponds to the connecting port (see Figure 2).
In reference to claim 9, Kim et al. discloses the cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein the rotary lever is positioned to close the connecting port in response to the cleaner being separated from the docking station (see Figure 2)
In reference to claim 10, Kim et al. discloses the cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover closing device is located in the duct portion (see annotated Figure 2).
In reference to claim 11, Kim et al. discloses the cleaning apparatus, wherein the cleaner is mounted on the docking station along the direction of gravity (see annotated Figure 2)
In reference to claim 12, Kim et al. discloses the cleaning apparatus, wherein the cover opening device is located outside the channel of the duct portion (see annotated Figure 2 and 5).
In reference to claim 13, Kim et al. discloses the cleaning apparatus, wherein the cleaner further includes an elastic member (Column 20, lines 25-30) configured to elastically support the dust container cover in the closing direction.
In reference to claim 15, Kim et al. discloses the cleaning apparatus, wherein the cleaner further includes a button (151, Column 74, lines 8-10) configured to hold or release the dust container cover in a closed position, and the cover opening device is configured to press or release the button (Column 74, lines 10-11).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 6 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 14 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRISHA JOY UTULO FRANCISCO whose telephone number is (571) 272-1224. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8 am - 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Carter can be reached at 571-272-4475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRISHA JOY U FRANCISCO/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723