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 .
Response to Amendment
Amendments submitted on 7/8/26 include amendments to the claims. Claims 1-12, 15-16, 18-24 are pending. Claims 1-3, 8-9, 11-12, 15 and 18 have been amended. Claim 19 remains withdrawn. Claims 20-24 have been newly added.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/22/26 have been fully considered and are found to be persuasive.
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 9 is 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 9 recites the limitation: “a plurality of brushes” in line 2. It is unclear whether or not this is in reference to the “a plurality of brushes” of claim 1 (see line 7), on which claim 9 depends. For examination purposes, and based on the amendments to the claims submitted on 7/8/26, it has been assumed that the limitation of claim 9 refers to a different set of brushes and does not refer to the corresponding limitation of claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 1-8, 10-12, 15-16, 18, 20-24 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art of record is Cheirrett et al. (WO2018136924A1). Cheirrett et al. fails to teach/disclose all of the limitations of independent claims 1 and 18, including the following limitations of claims 1 and 18: “…said grating, along a bottom surface thereof, further comprises a plurality of channels aligned toward said operational leading end…”. Furthermore, no other prior art was located that fairly suggested the claimed invention in whole or in part along with the requisite motivation for combination to anticipate or render the claimed invention obvious.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/TINSAE B AYALEW/EXAMINER, Art Unit 1711
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