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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: “20”, “24” and “26”. 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. 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 Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
“power storage unit” (claim 1).
“voltage converter” (claims 5 and 6).
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-8 are objected to because of the following informalities: Appropriate correction is required.
In claims 2-7, line 1, “device” should be changed to -- electronic hair brush device --.
In claim 6, line 4, “voltage converter” should be changed to -- said voltage converter --.
In claim 8, the seventh to last line, “voltage converter” should be changed to -- said voltage converter --.
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.
Claims 2-8 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 2, line 7 recites “said head is substantially hollow”. The term “substantially hollow” in claim 2 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially hollow” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The specification does not give any values, ranges, or tolerances for what would distinguish a substantially hollow head of a hair brush from a non-substantially hollow head of a hair brush.
Claim 8, lines 7-8 recite “said head being substantially hollow”. The term “substantially hollow” in claim 2 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially hollow” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The specification does not give any values, ranges, or tolerances for what would distinguish a substantially hollow head of a hair brush from a non-substantially hollow head of a hair brush.
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)(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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Xu 2023/0080940 (figures 3-4 and 7).
Disclosed is an electronic hair brush device for harvesting and subsequently storing static electricity produced by brushing hair, said device comprising: a hair brush having a handle 12 and a head 6 being disposed on said handle; a plurality of bristles 1, each of said plurality of bristles being attached to said head of said hair brush wherein each of said plurality of bristles is configured to brush hair of a user, each of said plurality of bristles being comprised of an electrically conductive material (paragraphs 36 and 110, for example) wherein each of said plurality of bristles is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said bristles are employed to brush the user’s hair thereby facilitating said plurality of bristles to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair; and a power storage unit (“Static electricity storage module” in figure 7 and/or battery 23) being integrated into said handle of said hair brush, said power storage unit being in electrical communication with each of said plurality of bristles wherein said power storage unit is configured to store the static electricity conducted by said plurality of bristles, said power storage unit having an output which can be placed in electrical communication with an electronic device (the “additional function device”, which may be a light-emitting device, a temperature sensing device, a humidity sensing device, a vibration device, or a multi-parameter skin test device) wherein said power storage unit is configured to facilitate said electronic device to be charged with the static electricity stored in said power storage unit. Note paragraphs 69, 71, 74, 76, 79, and 116, for example.
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.
Claims 2-3 and 5-6, as far as they are definite and understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu 2023/0080940 in view of Spitale et al. 7,690,733.
Xu discloses an electronic hair brush device substantially as claimed as set forth above, the head having an unnumbered a top surface and an unnumbered outer surface, said outer surface being continuously arcuate about a center of said top surface such that said head has a rounded shape; said head is elongated along a longitudinal axis of said handle such that said head has an ovoid shape; said head is substantially hollow (paragraph 114, for example), and each of said head and said handle is comprised of an electrically insulating material (paragraph 78, for example (claim 2).
The power storage unit comprises: a voltage converter 2 being positioned within said head of said hair brush; said voltage converter has an input being electrically coupled to each of said plurality of bristles wherein said voltage converter is configured to convert the static electricity conducted by said plurality of bristles into direct current (claim 5).
The power storage unit includes a rechargeable battery 23 being positioned within said handle of said hair brush, said rechargeable battery being electrically coupled to an output of said voltage converter for charging said rechargeable battery wherein voltage converter is configured to deliver the direct current voltage to said rechargeable battery (claim 6).
However, Xu does not disclose that said head has a plurality of holes each extending though said top surface and into an interior of said head, said plurality of holes is arranged into a plurality of columns and rows on said top surface (claim 2), does not disclose a plurality of annular rings, each of said annular rings being disposed in a respective one of said plurality of holes in said top surface of said head; each of said plurality of annular rings being oriented to extend around a full circumference of a bounding edge of said respective hole; each of said plurality of bristles extends through a respective one of said plurality of annular rings; and each of said plurality of annular rings is comprised of an electrically conductive material wherein each of said plurality of annular rings is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said plurality of bristles are employed to brush the user’s hair thereby facilitating said plurality of annular rings to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair (claim 3), and does not disclose that said input of said voltage converter is electrically coupled to each of said plurality of annular rings wherein said voltage converter is configured to convert the static electricity conducted by said plurality of annular rings into direct current (claim 5).
Spitale et al. shows a hair brush 20 having a head shown at 24, 32 which has a plurality of holes 43 each extending though a top surface of the head and into an interior of said head, said plurality of holes is arranged into a plurality of columns and rows on said top surface, with a plurality of annular rings 26, each of said annular rings being disposed in a respective one of said plurality of holes in said top surface of said head; each of said plurality of annular rings being oriented to extend around a full circumference of a bounding edge of said respective hole; and each of a plurality of bristles 28 extends through a respective one of said plurality of annular rings; and each of said plurality of annular rings is comprised of an electrically conductive material (column 3, lines 31-34), for the purpose of securely fastening the bristles to the brush head while allowing flexible movement of the bristles when brushing hair.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to form the electronic hair brush device of Xu such that said head has a plurality of holes each extending though said top surface and into an interior of said head, said plurality of holes is arranged into a plurality of columns and rows on said top surface, such that it includes a plurality of annular rings, each of said annular rings being disposed in a respective one of said plurality of holes in said top surface of said head; each of said plurality of annular rings being oriented to extend around a full circumference of a bounding edge of said respective hole; each of said plurality of bristles extends through a respective one of said plurality of annular rings; and each of said plurality of annular rings is comprised of an electrically conductive material, as taught by Spitale et al., for the purpose of securely fastening the bristles to the brush head while allowing flexible movement of the bristles when brushing hair.
Concerning claim 3, the modification results in each of said plurality of annular rings is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said plurality of bristles are employed to brush the user’s hair thereby facilitating said plurality of annular rings to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair.
Concerning claim 5, the modification results in said input of said voltage converter is electrically coupled to each of said plurality of annular rings wherein said voltage converter is configured to convert the static electricity conducted by said plurality of annular rings into direct current.
Claim 4, as far as it is definite and understood, is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu 2023/0080940.
Xu (figures 3-4 and 7) discloses an electronic hair brush device substantially as claimed as set forth above, but does not disclose in figures 3-4 and 7 that the device includes a plurality of balls, each of said plurality of balls being coupled to a top end of a respective one of said plurality of bristles; and each of said plurality of balls is comprised of an electrically conductive material wherein each of said plurality of balls is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said bristles are employed to brush the user's hair thereby facilitating said plurality of balls to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user's hair.
However, figures 1-2 of Xu teach that the electronic hair brush device includes a plurality of balls, each of said plurality of balls being coupled to a top end of a respective one of a plurality of bristles 1; and each of said plurality of balls is comprised of an electrically conductive material (paragraph 79, for example) wherein each of said plurality of balls is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said bristles are employed to brush the user's hair thereby facilitating said plurality of balls to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair, for the purpose of providing the ends of the bristles with a smooth surface.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to form the electronic hair brush device of figures 3-4 and 7 of Xu such that the device includes a plurality of balls, each of said plurality of balls being coupled to a top end of a respective one of said plurality of bristles; and each of said plurality of balls is comprised of an electrically conductive material wherein each of said plurality of balls is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said bristles are employed to brush the user's hair thereby facilitating said plurality of balls to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair, as taught by figures 1-2 of Xu, for the purpose of providing the ends of the bristles with a smooth surface.
Claim 7, as far as it is definite and understood, is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu 2023/0080940 and Spitale et al. 7,690,733 as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Tyson 2021/0359530.
The modified electronic hair brush device of Xu shows all of the claimed subject matter, including the power storage unit having the output which can be placed in electrical communication with the electronic device, but does not show that the power storage unit includes a charge port being recessed into a distal end of said handle of said hair brush such that said charge port defines said output of said power storage unit, said charge port insertably receiving a charge cord of said electronic device, said charge port being electrically coupled to said rechargeable battery for charging said electronic device.
Tyson (figures 5-6) shows a hair brush having a charging function, whereby the hairbrush inherently has a power unit having an output which can be placed in electrical communication with an electronic device (a cellphone), the power unit including a USB charge port 1 being recessed into a handle of the hair brush such that the charge port defines the output of the power unit, the charge port insertably receiving a charge cord 2 of the electronic device, the charge port being electrically coupled to the power unit for charging the electronic device, for the purpose of alleviating the need to carry an independent cell phone charger in a purse or handbag.
It would have further been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to form the modified electronic hair brush device of figures 3-4 and 7 of Xu such that the power storage unit includes a charge port being recessed into the handle of said hair brush such that said charge port defines said output of said power storage unit, said charge port insertably receiving a charge cord of said electronic device, said charge port being electrically coupled to said rechargeable battery for charging said electronic device, as taught by Tyson, for the purpose of alleviating the need to carry an independent cell phone charger in a purse or handbag.
The recitation of the charge port being recessed into a distal end of the handle is a matter of choice in design. It would have further been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to form the modified electronic hair brush of Xu such that the charge port is recessed into a distal end of the handle, since Applicant has not disclosed that such a location solves any stated problem, is for any particular purpose, or has any criticality, and it appears that the modified electronic hair brush of Xu would perform equally as well with the charge port in any location on the hair brush.
Claim 8, as far as it is definite and understood, is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu 2023/0080940 in view of Spitale et al. 7,690,733 and Tyson 2021/0359530.
Xu (figures 3-4 and 7) discloses an electronic hair brush device for harvesting and subsequently storing static electricity produced by brushing hair substantially as claimed, said device comprising: a hair brush having a handle 12 and a head 6 being disposed on said handle, said head having an unnumbered top surface and an unnumbered outer surface, said outer surface being continuously arcuate about a center of said top surface such that said head has a rounded shape, said head being elongated along a longitudinal axis of said handle such that said head has an ovoid shape, said head being substantially hollow (paragraph 114, for example), each of said head and said handle being comprised of an electrically insulating material (paragraph 78, for example); a plurality of bristles 1, each of said plurality of bristles being attached to said head of said hair brush wherein each of said plurality of bristles is configured to brush hair of a user, each of said plurality of bristles being comprised of an electrically conductive material (paragraphs 36 and 110, for example) wherein each of said plurality of bristles is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said bristles are employed to brush the user’s hair thereby facilitating said plurality of bristles to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair; and a power storage unit (“Static electricity storage module” in figure 7 and/or battery 23) being integrated into said handle of said hair brush, said power storage unit being in electrical communication with each of said plurality of bristles wherein said power storage unit is configured to store the static electricity conducted by said plurality of bristles, said power storage unit having an output which can be placed in electrical communication with an electronic device (the “additional function device”, which may be a light-emitting device, a temperature sensing device, a humidity sensing device, a vibration device, or a multi-parameter skin test device) wherein said power storage unit is configured to facilitate said electronic device to be charged with the static electricity stored in said power storage unit, said power storage unit comprising: a voltage converter 2 being positioned within said head of said hair brush, said voltage converter having an input being electrically coupled to each of said plurality of plurality of bristles wherein said voltage converter is configured to convert the static electricity conducted by said plurality of plurality of bristles into direct current, and a rechargeable battery 23 being positioned within said handle of said hair brush, said rechargeable battery being electrically coupled to an output of said voltage converter for charging said rechargeable battery wherein voltage converter is configured to deliver the direct current voltage to said rechargeable battery.
However, Xu does not disclose said head having a plurality of holes each extending though said top surface and into an interior of said head, said plurality of holes being arranged into a plurality of columns and rows on said top surface, does not disclose a plurality of annular rings, each of said annular rings being disposed in a respective one of said plurality of holes in said top surface of said head, each of said plurality of annular rings being oriented to extend around a full circumference of a bounding edge of said respective hole, each of said plurality of bristles extending through a respective one of said plurality of annular rings, each of said plurality of annular rings being comprised of an electrically conductive material wherein each of said plurality of annular rings is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said plurality of bristles are employed to brush the user’s hair thereby facilitating said plurality of annular rings to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair; does not disclose a plurality of balls, each of said plurality of balls being coupled to a top end of a respective one of said plurality of bristles, each of said plurality of balls being comprised of an electrically conductive material wherein each of said plurality of balls is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said bristles are employed to brush the user's hair thereby facilitating said plurality of balls to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair; does not disclose said input of said voltage converter being electrically coupled to each of said plurality of annular rings via said plurality of bristles wherein said voltage converter is configured to convert the static electricity conducted by said plurality of annular rings into direct current; and does not disclose a charge port being recessed into a distal end of said handle of said hair brush such that said charge port defines said output of said power storage unit, said charge port insertably receiving a charge cord of said electronic device, said charge port being electrically coupled to said rechargeable battery for charging said electronic device
Spitale et al. shows a hair brush 20 having a head shown at 24, 32 with a plurality of holes 43 each extending though a top surface of the head and into an interior of said head, said plurality of holes being arranged into a plurality of columns and rows on said top surface, with a plurality of annular rings 26, each of said annular rings being disposed in a respective one of said plurality of holes in said top surface of said head, each of said plurality of annular rings being oriented to extend around a full circumference of a bounding edge of said respective hole, each of said plurality of bristles extending through a respective one of said plurality of annular rings, each of said plurality of annular rings being comprised of an electrically conductive material (column 3, lines 31-34), for the purpose of securely fastening the bristles to the brush head while allowing flexible movement of the bristles when brushing hair.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to form the electronic hair brush device of Xu such that said head has a plurality of holes each extending though said top surface and into an interior of said head, said plurality of holes being arranged into a plurality of columns and rows on said top surface, and a plurality of annular rings, each of said annular rings being disposed in a respective one of said plurality of holes in said top surface of said head, each of said plurality of annular rings being oriented to extend around a full circumference of a bounding edge of said respective hole, each of said plurality of bristles extending through a respective one of said plurality of annular rings, each of said plurality of annular rings being comprised of an electrically conductive material, as taught by Spitale et al., for the purpose of securely fastening the bristles to the brush head while allowing flexible movement of the bristles when brushing hair. This modification results in each of said plurality of annular rings is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said plurality of bristles are employed to brush the user’s hair thereby facilitating said plurality of annular rings to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair, and said input of said voltage converter being electrically coupled to each of said plurality of annular rings via said plurality of bristles wherein said voltage converter is configured to convert the static electricity conducted by said plurality of annular rings into direct current.
The modified electronic hair brush device of figures 3-4 and 7 of Xu does not show a plurality of balls, each of said plurality of balls being coupled to a top end of a respective one of said plurality of bristles, each of said plurality of balls being comprised of an electrically conductive material wherein each of said plurality of balls is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said bristles are employed to brush the user's hair thereby facilitating said plurality of balls to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair.
However, figures 1-2 of Xu teach that the electronic hair brush device includes a plurality of balls, each of said plurality of balls being coupled to a top end of a respective one of a plurality of bristles 1; and each of said plurality of balls is comprised of an electrically conductive material (paragraph 79, for example) wherein each of said plurality of balls is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said bristles are employed to brush the user's hair thereby facilitating said plurality of balls to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair, for the purpose of providing the ends of the bristles with a smooth surface.
It would have been further obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to form the modified electronic hair brush device of figures 3-4 and 7 of Xu such that it includes a plurality of balls, each of said plurality of balls being coupled to a top end of a respective one of said plurality of bristles, each of said plurality of balls being comprised of an electrically conductive material wherein each of said plurality of balls is configured to be in electrical communication with the user’s hair when said bristles are employed to brush the user's hair thereby facilitating said plurality of balls to conduct static electricity produced by brushing said plurality of bristles through the user’s hair, as taught by figures 1-2 of Xu, for the purpose of providing the ends of the bristles with a smooth surface.
Tyson (figures 5-6) shows a hair brush having a charging function, whereby the hairbrush inherently has a power unit having an output which can be placed in electrical communication with an electronic device (a cellphone), the power unit including a USB charge port 1 being recessed into a handle of the hair brush such that the charge port defines the output of the power unit, the charge port insertably receiving a charge cord 2 of the electronic device, the charge port being electrically coupled to the power unit for charging the electronic device, for the purpose of alleviating the need to carry an independent cell phone charger in a purse or handbag.
It would have further been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to form the modified electronic hair brush device of figures 3-4 and 7 of Xu such that the power storage unit includes a charge port being recessed into the handle of said hair brush such that said charge port defines said output of said power storage unit, said charge port insertably receiving a charge cord of said electronic device, said charge port being electrically coupled to said rechargeable battery for charging said electronic device, as taught by Tyson, for the purpose of alleviating the need to carry an independent cell phone charger in a purse or handbag.
The recitation of the charge port being recessed into a distal end of the handle is a matter of choice in design. It would have further been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to form the modified electronic hair brush of Xu such that the charge port is recessed into a distal end of the handle, since Applicant has not disclosed that such a location solves any stated problem, is for any particular purpose, or has any criticality, and it appears that the modified electronic hair brush of Xu would perform equally as well with the charge port in any location on the hair brush.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure.
Snell is cited to show a brush with bristles each secured to a head by an annular ring which is electrically conductive.
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/Christopher Verdier/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745