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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Littledeer (US 4807322).
Regarding claims 1-3, Littledeer teaches a cleaning tool (10) including a scraper blade (14), a scouring surface (12) and a towel surface (11). See Littledeer figs. 1-6 and 1:63-2:54.
Consequently, Littledeer teaches
1. A scouring pad (12) comprising: a scraper blade (14) permanently affixed on the scouring pad (12);
2. A towel (11) comprising: a scouring pad (12) permanently affixed on the towel (11); and
3. A towel (11) comprising: a scouring pad (12) comprising a scraper blade (14) permanently affixed on the scouring pad (12); the scouring pad permanently affixed on the towel (11).
Conclusion
It appears the inventor(s) filed the current application pro se (i.e., without the benefit of representation by a registered patent practitioner). While inventors named as applicants in a patent application may prosecute the application pro se, lack of familiarity with patent examination practice and procedure may result in missed opportunities in obtaining optimal protection for the invention disclosed. The inventor(s) may wish to secure the services of a registered patent practitioner to prosecute the application, because the value of a patent is largely dependent upon skilled preparation and prosecution. The Office cannot aid in selecting a patent practitioner.
A listing of registered patent practitioners is available at https://oedci.uspto.gov/OEDCI/. Applicants may also obtain a list of registered patent practitioners located in their area by writing to Mail Stop OED, Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Melov (US 5331705 A), Sirnec (US 3629896 A), Rudofski (US 11717861 B2), Diener (US 20140165317 A1), Song et al. (US 20140033462 A1), Schouten et al. (US 20110252586 A1), Kersey et al. (US 11883860 B2), Kersey et al. (US 11325169 B2), Kersey et al. (US 10882083 B2), Frontera (US 10441131 B2), Kersey et al. (US 10426312 B1), Kunz (US 7302728 B2), Boucher (US 6202246 B1), Oster (US 5902661 A), Englehardt (US 4724568 A), Keech (US 3514802 A), Lemelson (US 3226751 A), Walker (US 3169264 A), Corrington et al. (US 2910710 A), Mikulski (US 2778044 A), Kingman (US 2682678 A), Cohen (US 2179614 A), Pusch (US 1961911 A), Furstenburg (US 20240017297 A1), Roll (US 20230381608 A1), Jones (US 20230330708 A1), Omotola (US 20190208980 A1), Omotola (US 20190210076 A1), Poteat (US 20190016311 A1), Williams (US 20170266523 A1), Quelle (US 20150128372 A1), Bergez (US 20150059804 A1), Wahi (US 20090106920 A1), Moser et al. (US 20080263799 A1), and Ortega et al. (US 20030233717 A1) teach a mix of towels having integral scouring pads, towels having integral blades, and scouring pads or sponges having integral blades.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN R ZAWORSKI whose telephone number is (571)272-7804. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:00-5:00, Fridays 9:00-1:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Carter can be reached at (571)-272-4475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.R.Z./Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723