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 .
This Office action is in response to amendments filed on 06/11/2026. Claims 1, 6-9, and 16-22 are pending. The previously filed claim interpretations are withdrawn, as necessitated by the cancellation of claims 4-5 and 12-13.
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, 6-9, 16-20, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by LaCalle Bayo (US 2017/0114560).
Regarding claim 1, LaCalle Bayo (US 2017/0114560) discloses an autonomous pool cleaner (includes items 100 and 200; figs. 1-3) for a swimming pool or spa (pp. [0001] and [0115]), wherein the autonomous pool cleaner comprises:
a body (outer structure items 100, 200; fig. 1) comprising a front end (designated in annotated fig. 3 below), a back end (designated in annotated fig. 3 below) opposite the front end, a top side (designated in annotated fig. 3 below) extending between the front end and the back end (fig. 1), and a bottom side (not explicitly shown; on bottom side of body relative to top side; partially designated in annotated fig. 3 below) opposite the top side;
at least one brushing system (items 51, 52, 53, 54; figs. 1 and 11), wherein the at least one brushing system is proximate to the front end of the body (brushing system is proximate to front end of body; figs. 1 and 3) and is configured to perform a cleaning operation (the brushing system is capable of performing a cleaning operation, i.e. dragging dirt towards center of device; pp. [0126] and [0131]; figs. 1 and 5); and
one or more propellers (items 204; fig. 2), wherein the one or more propellers are controllable such that (i) the autonomous pool cleaner comprises six degrees of freedom (pp. [0145]; propellers 204 are capable of moving the pool cleaner in all degrees, i.e. forward, reverse, rotation, gripping, withdrawing, and lateral displacement) and (ii) the autonomous pool cleaner is configured to clean at least a vertical wall of the swimming pool or spa while the top side of the body is facing upwards (pool cleaner is capable of cleaning vertical, sloped wall a portion of the brushing system, i.e. frontmost brushes 51, in contact with the fall and top side facing upwards).
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Annotated Fig. 3.
Regarding claim 6, LaCalle Bayo discloses the autonomous pool cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more propellers are on an exterior of a housing (propellers 204 are on an exterior of a housing portion, i.e. housing 200, of pool cleaner) of the autonomous pool cleaner (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 7, LaCalle Bayo discloses the autonomous pool cleaner as claimed in claim 1, where the one or more propellers comprises two propellers (propellers 204 include two propellers 204; fig. 3) on opposite sides of the autonomous pool cleaner (designated in annotated fig. 2 below; propellers 204 are on opposite left and right sides of pool cleaner).
Regarding claim 8, LaCalle Bayo discloses the autonomous pool cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the autonomous pool cleaner further comprises an inlet for receiving water (via inlet on turbines 4; pp. [0137]; fig. 1) and an outlet (not explicitly shown; pp. [0137], defined as outlet to drive water in opposite direction from inlet to the support surface of rollers) for discharging water from the autonomous pool cleaner, wherein the outlet comprises means for minimizing a flow reaction force from a pump of the autonomous pool cleaner (pp. [0137-0138]; pump 8 is connected to suction mouth 30 and flow of water from inlet to outlet drive the adherence to the surface).
Regarding claim 9, LaCalle Bayo discloses the autonomous pool cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the autonomous pool cleaner further comprises an inlet (defined as inlet through entire turbine 4; pp. [0137]; fig. 1), the inlet comprising a first channel (defined as uppermost channel in which water first enters turbine, i.e. vertical direction in view of fig. 1 of body) for receiving water from a first direction (defined as vertical direction in view of fig. 1) and a second channel (pp. [0137]; defined as opposite end of inlet in which water passes normal to surface to be cleaned, i.e. horizontal direction in view of fig. 1) for receiving water from a second direction (defined as horizontal direction in view of fig. 1).
Regarding claim 16, LaCalle Bayo discloses an autonomous pool cleaner (includes items 100 and 200; figs. 1-3) for a swimming pool or spa (pp. [0001] and [0115]), wherein the autonomous pool cleaner comprises:
a body (outer structure items 100, 200; fig. 1);
a non-variable buoyancy (pp. [0137-0138]; includes turbines 4 and suction mouth 30; figs. 1 and 3); and
one or more propellers (items 204; fig. 2), wherein the one or more propellers are configured to propel the autonomous pool cleaner within the swimming pool or spa with six degrees of freedom (pp. [0145]; propellers 204 are capable of moving the pool cleaner in all degrees, i.e. forward, reverse, rotation, gripping, withdrawing, and lateral displacement).
Regarding claim 17, LaCalle Bayo discloses the autonomous pool cleaner as claimed in claim 16, wherein the one or more propellers are on an exterior of a housing (propellers 204 are on an exterior of a housing portion, i.e. housing 200, of pool cleaner) of the autonomous pool cleaner (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 18, LaCalle Bayo discloses the autonomous pool cleaner as claimed in claim 16, where the one or more propellers comprises two propellers (propellers 204 include two propellers 204; fig. 3) on opposite sides of the autonomous pool cleaner (designated in annotated fig. 2 below; propellers 204 are on opposite left and right sides of pool cleaner).
Regarding claim 19, LaCalle Bayo discloses the autonomous pool cleaner as claimed in claim 16, wherein the autonomous pool cleaner further comprises an inlet for receiving water (via inlet on turbines 4; pp. [0137]; fig. 1) and an outlet (not explicitly shown; pp. [0137], defined as outlet to drive water in opposite direction from inlet to the support surface of rollers) for discharging water from the autonomous pool cleaner, wherein the outlet comprises means for minimizing a flow reaction force from a pump of the autonomous pool cleaner (pp. [0137-0138]; pump 8 is connected to suction mouth 30 and flow of water from inlet to outlet drive the adherence to the surface).
Regarding claim 20, LaCalle Bayo discloses the autonomous pool cleaner as claimed in claim 16, wherein the autonomous pool cleaner further comprises an inlet (defined as inlet through entire turbine 4; pp. [0137]; fig. 1), the inlet comprising a first channel (defined as uppermost channel in which water first enters turbine, i.e. vertical direction in view of fig. 1 of body) for receiving water from a first direction (defined as vertical direction in view of fig. 1) and a second channel (pp. [0137]; defined as opposite end of inlet in which water passes normal to surface to be cleaned, i.e. horizontal direction in view of fig. 1) for receiving water from a second direction (defined as horizontal direction in view of fig. 1).
Regarding claim 22, LaCalle Bayo discloses the autonomous pool cleaner as claimed in claim 16, wherein the non-variable buoyancy is a negative buoyancy (pp. [0137-0138]; buoyancy system via turbines 4 and suction mouth 30 adhere the robot to the surface of the pool, i.e. negative buoyancy).
Claims 16 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by van der Meijden (US Patent No. 10,968,651).
Regarding claim 16, van der Meijden (US Patent No. 10,968,651) discloses an autonomous pool cleaner (item 10; fig. 1; abstract) for a swimming pool or spa (abstract), wherein the autonomous pool cleaner comprises:
a body (item 14; fig. 1; col. 6, ll. 10-12);
a non-variable buoyancy (col. 2, ll. 23-24 and col. 10, ll. 11-12); and
one or more propellers (item 58; col. 10, ll. 22-23 and col. 6, ll. 60 through col. 7, ll. 2; fig. 7) wherein the one or more propellers are configured to propel the autonomous pool cleaner within the swimming pool or spa with six degrees of freedom (propeller 58 is capable of providing pool cleaner 10 with down force, torque, i.e. rotating the cleaner as it descends, and lateral movement; col. 3, ll. 6-20).
Regarding claim 21, van der Meijden discloses the autonomous pool cleaner as claimed in claim 16, wherein the non-variable buoyancy is a positive buoyancy (non-variable buoyancy is positive, i.e. floats to the surface when motor and propeller are not on; col. 2, ll. 23-24 and col. 10, ll. 11-12).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to independent claims 1 and 16 have been considered but are moot because they are addressing newly amended claim limitations, as compared to the rejection of record. Upon further consideration and as necessitated by the amendments, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of LaCalle Bayo (US 2017/0114560), for independent claims 1 and 16, and in view of van der Meijden (US Patent No. 10,968,651), for independent claim 16 and dependent claim 21.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SIDNEY D FULL whose telephone number is (571)272-6996. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7:00a.m.-2:30p.m..
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/SIDNEY D FULL/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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