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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of the invention of Group I, claims 1-16 in the reply filed on 01/09/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 17-19 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 01/09/2026.
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 1-16 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.
The claims are indefinite because it is not clear from claim 1 whether or not the recited “cell” is a part of the claimed apparatus.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Claim 3 fails to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 3 merely repeats what is already recited by claim 1.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
(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) 1-10, 14 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 218902799.
As to claims 1 and 16:
CN 218902799 teaches a battery processing device comprising a cleaning apparatus.
The cleaning apparatus comprises:
A workbench 2;
A cleaning member (brushes 7) movably disposed at the work bench 2;
A driving mechanism (second motor 9) configured to drive the cleaning member 7.
See at least Figures 1 and 2 and the related description.
As to claim 2:
Brushes 7 are disclosed as rotatable brushes.
As to claim 3:
Brushes 7 are disclosed as movable (rotatable) brushes.
As to claim 4:
The brushes 7 are shown as comprising roll shafts (at least Figures 1 and 2).
The referenced shafts are disclosed as connected to drive mechanism (second motor 9) by gears 10, 11.
The brushes 7 are also disclosed as hairbrushes with the hairs spaced apar on the roll shafts (at least Figures 1 and 2 and the related description), such meets the recited limitation of the elastic strips.
As to claim 5:
The limitations of this claim are shown on the Figures 1 and 2.
As to claims 6 and 7:
CN 218902799 also teaches that the apparatus comprises a dust collection hood, to which two suction pipes 12 and 13 (which are readable on the claimed sucking apparatus) are connected. See at least Figures 1 and 2. The referenced hood is covered by a cover 14.
As to claim 8:
CN 218902799 also teaches that the apparatus comprises an ion air knife 16.
The referenced air knife is disclosed as provided opposite from the cleaning member (brushes 7).
As to claim 9:
CN 218902799 also teaches that the ion air knife 16 comprises outlets 17.
The referenced air knife is disclosed as spaced apart from the cleaning member (brushes 7). The disclosed outlet 17 faces brushes 7 in oblique directions. See at least Figures 1 and 2.
As to claim 10:
Both opposite sides of the cleaning member (both brushes 7) are provided with the spaced apart ion air knife 16.
As to claim14:
The air knife 16 is shown as having a window covered with a plate with holes 17, which is readable on the claimed protective net.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 11-13 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 218902799 in view of CN 201913090.
As to claims 11-13:
CN 218902799, as applied above, teaches the claimed apparatus except for the rotatable air knife and the rotating structure as claimed.
However, CN 201913090 teaches that it was known to provide air knifes on the rotating structures as claimed and teaches benefits of such. See at least Figures 1-4 and the related description.
It would have been obvious to an ordinary artisan at the time the invention was filed to provide the air knife in the CN 218902799 on the rotatable structure of CN 201913090 in order to use a known device for its known purpose.
As to claim 15:
CN 218902799, as applied above, does not specify the source of the air for the air knife.
However, the use of fans as sources of air for air knifes was known in the art as evidenced by CN 201913090. See at least Background technology.
It would have been obvious to an ordinary artisan at the time the invention was filed to provide the air knife in the CN 218902799 with a fan as a source of the air in order to use a known device for its known purpose.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The documents listed on the attached PTO 892 are cited to show the state of the art with respect to cleaning apparatuses.
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER MARKOFF whose telephone number is (571)272-1304. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am - 5:30 pm.
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/ALEXANDER MARKOFF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711