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 .
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(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 6,151,728 (hereinafter Wright).
Regarding claim 1, Wright discloses a shower head assembly (see Fig. 1), comprising a shower head component (about where 26 is pointing in Fig. 2) comprising a first face (about 8 in Fig. 3) and a second face (about 2 in Fig. 3) opposite to the first face, wherein the first face comprises a shower sprinkler head (8) configured for allowing water to flow therethrough, and wherein the second face comprises an attachment fitting (where brush 2 is mounted) configured for selectively attaching to cleaning utensils (2); and a rigid wand handle (27, 38, 14) having a proximal end attached to the shower head component and a distal end that is selectively attachable to a water hose (18), wherein the rigid wand handle is configured to extend and retract such that the rigid wand handle has an extended configuration (see Fig. 2) and a retracted configuration (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 2, the shower head assembly of claim 1, wherein the rigid wand handle is curved (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 3, the shower head assembly of claim 1, wherein the rigid wand handle is straight (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 4, the shower head assembly of claim 1, wherein the rigid wand handle has a telescoping construction (see Fig. 4) comprising an inner handle portion (38) disposed inside of an outer handle portion (14).
Regarding claim 5, the shower head assembly of claim 1, further comprising a reservoir (about where 44 is pointing in Fig. 3 within handle portion 27) disposed in the rigid wand handle, wherein the reservoir is configured for storing and dispensing soap (see col. 3, lines 21-27).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 7,770,822 (Leber) teaches a shower head assembly having a telescoping handle that is curved similar to Fig. 2A of the instant application. US 10,221,546 (Mercieca) teaches a shower head assembly having a reservoir disposed in a handle for storing and dispensing soap via an actuator in the handle which is an unclaimed feature of the instant invention. US 9,393,174 (Pope) and US 2016/0088927 (Knight) teach a shower head assembly having brush head and telescoping handle.
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/TUAN N NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754