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
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 9, 10, 12-14, 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liang (German Patent document DE 202021105761U1).
As per claim 1, Liang discloses an electric cleaning brush, comprising: a body (1; figure 2), wherein a battery (70; figure 4) and a drive motor (12) are disposed in the body (both batteries 70 and motor 12 are disposed within housing 11 of main body 1 as shown; figure 4), and the battery is configured to supply power to the drive motor (battery 70 supply power to drive assembly 12; paragraph [0020]); a brush neck (2) detachably connected to the body (as shown; figure 2), wherein a transmission shaft (232, 233, 40, collectively) is rotatably mounted in the brush neck (first drive shaft 233 rotates back and forth; paragraph [0013]) along a first direction (along the longitudinal direction of neck 2), one end of the transmission shaft is connected to an output end of the drive motor (via coupling 40; figure 4), and another end (232) of the transmission shaft is provided with a driving gear (2322); and a driven gear (231) is rotatably mounted in the brush neck (as shown; figure 4) and is configured to rotate axially in a second direction, the first direction intersects the second direction (drive wheels 231 and 232 are bevel gears as shown, i.e., transmits rotation in different directions; figure 5), and the driving gear meshes with the driven gear (as shown, figures 4, 5); and a brush head (22) connected to the driven gear (as shown; figure 4), wherein the drive motor is configured to drive the brush head to rotate (motor 123 driving drive shaft 233 thereby driving the brush head 22; paragraphs [0013], [0016).
As per claim 3, Liang discloses the electric cleaning brush according to claim 1, and further discloses wherein the driven gear (231; figure 5) is provided with a groove portion (first wheel disc 2311 provided with clamping slots (groove); paragraph [0019]), the brush head (22) is provided with an inserting portion (2212), one side of the brush neck facing the brush head is provided with a via having a same shape as the inserting portion, and the inserting portion is able to pass through the via and to be inserted into the groove portion (see enlarged and annotated figure 4 below).
PNG
media_image1.png
634
1146
media_image1.png
Greyscale
As per claim 4, Liang discloses the electric cleaning brush according to claim 3, and further discloses wherein a support base is disposed in the brush neck, a fulcrum is disposed in the support base, one side of the inserting portion facing the fulcrum is provided with a plughole, and the fulcrum passes through the driven gear and is inserted into the plughole (see enlarged and annotated figure 4 below).
PNG
media_image2.png
424
680
media_image2.png
Greyscale
As per claim 5, Liang discloses the electric cleaning brush according to claim 4, and further discloses wherein a plurality of first support ribs are disposed between the support base and an inner wall of the brush neck (see annotated figure 4 above).
As per claims 9, 12-14, Liang discloses the electric cleaning brush according to claims 1, 3-5, and further discloses wherein a plurality of second support ribs are disposed in the brush neck, and the transmission shaft is rotatably disposed on the plurality of second support ribs (as shown in figure 2, each of the first housing 21 are provided with a plurality of ribs spaced along the longitudinal length of housing 21 and shaft 233 as well as coupling 40 are on the ribs and coupling 40 is fitted to at least two ribs of the pair of first housing 21 as shown in figure 4).
As per claims 10, 19-20, Liang discloses the electric cleaning brush according to claims 1, 3 and 4, and further discloses wherein the brush head (22) comprises a brush base (221; figure 5) and a cleaning head (222) disposed on the brush base, the brush base is detachably connected to the driven gear (as shown; figures 2, 4), and the cleaning head is any one of a flat-bristled brush head, a pointed-bristled brush head, a scouring pad brush head, or a sponge brush head (flat-bristled brush shown; figure 4).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim(s) 2, 6-8, 11, 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang in view of Official Notice.
As per claim 2, Liang discloses the electric cleaning brush according to claim 1. Liang does not explicitly teach wherein the battery is a chargeable and dischargeable battery, and the body is provided with a charging port electrically connected to the chargeable and dischargeable battery. The Examiner takes an Official Notice that a charging port and a rechargeable battery is well known in the motorized cleaning brushes art for the purposes of reusing the tool without replacing the battery. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Liang’s cleaning brush to incorporate a rechargeable battery and a charging port to allow reusing the tool without replacing the battery.
As per claim 6, Liang discloses the electric cleaning brush according to claim 1 and further discloses wherein the body is provided with a button, and the button is used for a start-stop of the drive motor (switch button 50 controlling starting and stopping of the cleaning brush; paragraph [0021]).
Liang does not explicitly teach the button is used for controlling a rotation speed. The Examiner takes an Official Notice that it is well known in the cleaning brush art to have some speed control buttons to allow users to choose the rotation speed as they desire. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Liang’s control buttons to incorporate speed control since it is well known in the cleaning brush art to have some speed control to allow users to choose desired speed.
As per claims 7-8, Liang discloses the electric cleaning brush according to claim 1. Lian does not explicitly teach wherein an outer periphery of the body is provided with a rubber layer and wherein the rubber layer is provided with a non-slip protrusion. However, Liang does teach The Examiner takes an Official Notice that brushes with handles having rubber ribs (non-slip protrusion) are well known in the art to improve the grip and prevent slipping on hand during use. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Liang’s cleaning brush body to incorporate rubber ribs to improve the grip.
As per claims 11, 15-17, Liang discloses the electric cleaning brush according to claims 2, 6-8, and further discloses wherein a plurality of second support ribs are disposed in the brush neck, and the transmission shaft is rotatably disposed on the plurality of second support ribs (as shown in figure 2, each of the first housing 21 are provided with a plurality of ribs spaced along the longitudinal length of housing 21 and shaft 233 as well as coupling 40 are on the ribs and coupling 40 is fitted to at least two ribs of the pair of first housing 21 as shown in figure 4).
As per claims 18, Liang discloses the electric cleaning brush according to claim 2, and further discloses wherein the brush head (22) comprises a brush base (221; figure 5) and a cleaning head (222) disposed on the brush base, the brush base is detachably connected to the driven gear (as shown; figures 2, 4), and the cleaning head is any one of a flat-bristled brush head, a pointed-bristled brush head, a scouring pad brush head, or a sponge brush head (flat-bristled brush shown; figure 4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Gottlieb (U.S. Patent No. 9,339,356) teaches a cleaning tool having a geared connection between a shaft and the toolhead.
Suwanbutr (U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2013/0318729) teaches an electric brush having a geared connection between a shaft and the brush head.
Cai (U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2024/0225804) teaches an electric toothbrush having a geared connection.
Kim (Korean Patent Document KR 102041499B1) teaches drive shaft of the brush supported by a plurality of ribs formed by the housing.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANG K KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1324. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Courtney Heinle can be reached at (571)270-3508. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SANG K KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745