DETAILED ACTION
Drawings
The figures (particularly figures 1-5) are objected to under 37 CFR 1.84(m) for using solid black shading. Appropriate action is required.
(m) Shading. The use of shading in views is encouraged if it aids in understanding the invention and if it does not reduce legibility. Shading is used to indicate the surface or shape of spherical, cylindrical, and conical elements of an object. Flat parts may also be lightly shaded. Such shading is preferred in the case of parts shown in perspective, but not for cross sections. See paragraph (h)(3) of this section. Spaced lines for shading are preferred. These lines must be thin, as few in number as practicable, and they must contrast with the rest of the drawings. As a substitute for shading, heavy lines on the shade side of objects can be used except where they superimpose on each other or obscure reference characters. Light should come from the upper left corner at an angle of 45°. Surface delineations should preferably be shown by proper shading. Solid black shading areas are not permitted, except when used to represent bar graphs or color.
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 1, 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brendgord 3,728,745 in view of Eilmus 11,732,450 and Franke CH 712584 B1.
In regards to Independent Claim 1 and Dependent Claim 4, Brendgord teaches a sink (figure 1) with an embedded shower head (nozzle 20 in figure 1 acts as a showerhead), comprising a sink main body (11) and a water outlet device (figure 4), wherein the water outlet device comprises a shower head assembly (components of figure 4) and a switch assembly (mechanically controlled switch 27, Col. 2, ll. 1-5) which are matched with each other (as shown in figure 2); the shower head assembly comprises a shower head (20), a cover plate (23) and a connecting piece (30); a plurality of water outlet holes are uniformly formed in a surface of the shower head (uniform array of outlets on 20 shown in figure 1); the cover plate comprises a water outlet (22) the water outlet and the switch assembly are connected through the connecting piece (30 is intermediate 22 and 27), and the cover plate is closed and installed on the back of the shower head (as shown in figure 4); a slot matched with the shower head (slot through 18 shown in figure 2) is formed in a side wall (18) of the sink main body (as shown in figure 2), the shower head is installed in the slot (as shown in figure 2). However, Brendgord does not teach that the surface of the shower head is flush with a side wall surface of the sink main body; or a pair of inwardly protruding side walls are also arranged on both opposite side walls of the sink main body, and the accommodating parts are located below the slot. Eilmus teaches using a shower head assembly (108) with a surface flush with a side of a wall surface of a sink (outlet of 108 shown flush with inner surface of 112 in figure 6). Franke teaches using a pair of accommodating parts (7a and 8a, which are beads extending inwards along a length and act as supporting bars that are a part of the sink extending inwardly) on opposite side walls of a sink (as shown in figure 2, where the slots are shown approximately halfway down the sink). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to make the shower head of Brendgord flush with the surface of the sink of Brendgord, as taught by Eilmus, and to use a pair of accommodating parts at about half way up the front and back of the sink walls of Brendgord, as taught by Franke, in order to allow a portion of the sink to operate in dishwashing mode (Col. 10, ll. 25-35 of Eilmus), and to increase the stability of the walls of the sink (paragraph [0009] of Franke). It is noted that when the accommodating parts of Franke are installed on the sink of Brendgord, they end up being below the shower of Brendgord, which is near the top of the sink as shown in figure 2 of Brendgord.
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brendgord in view of Eilmus and Franke as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Peng 2022/0259841.
Regarding Dependent Claims 2 and 3, Brendgord in view of Eilmus and Franke teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above. However, Brendgord in view of Eilmus and Franke does not teach that the switch assembly for the shower head include a touch switch, solenoid valve and power supply connected together. Peng teaches a showerhead (2) with a battery power supply, solenoid valve, and touch switch (paragraph [0041]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to replace the control switch assembly of Brendgord in view of Eilmus and Franke with the electric switch system of Peng, in order to allow the shower head to be turned on and off by touch from a user to improve the user experience (paragraph [0021]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brendgord in view of Eilmus and Franke as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ye CN 107309104 A.
Regarding Dependent Claim 6, Brendgord in view of Eilmus and Franke teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above. However, Brendgord in view of Eilmus and Franke does not teach the shower head assembly also comprises studs and nuts, through holes matched with the studs are also formed in the cover plate, the studs are installed on the back of the shower head through the through holes, and the nuts are in threaded connection with the studs to fix the cover plate on the shower head. Ye teaches a shower head assembly (figure 1) that comprises studs (103) and nuts (102), through holes matched with the studs are also formed in the cover plate (holes through cover plate 1), the studs are installed on the back of the shower head (shower head including 3, 4, 301) through the through holes (as shown in figure 1), and the nuts are in threaded connection with the studs to fix the cover plate on the shower head (102 and 103 fix 1 to 3, 4, and 301 as shown in figures 1 and 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to use the assembly components including studs and nuts, as taught by Ye, to connect the shower head components of Brendgord in view of Eilmus and Franke together, as taught by Ye, in order to allow for easy production and assembly of the shower head (abstract of Ye).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/6/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). In the instant case, applicant argues that Franke does not teach the shower head flush with a side wall surface of the sink. Eilmus is relied upon to teach a shower head flush with a side wall surface of the sink, not Franke.
Applicant argues that neither Franke nor Eilmus discloses a support strip protruding inward from a side wall of the sink. Franke is relied upon in the rejection of claim 1 above to teach a support bar (beads 7a and 8a) extending inwardly from the side wall of the sink (shown approximately halfway down sink in figure 2 of Franke).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 STEVEN M SUTHERLAND whose telephone number is (571)270-1902. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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/STEVEN M SUTHERLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752