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 the amendment filed 7/7/26. As directed by the amendment: claims 1, 6, and 10 have been amended, claims 3, 5, and 11 have been cancelled, and no claims have been added. As such, claims 1-2, 4, and 6-10 are pending in the instant application.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: the language “an conductor” (line 4) is objected to for a spelling/typographical error; Examiner suggests amending to read –a conductor--. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-2, 4, and 6-10 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.
Regarding claim 1, the claim sets forth “a main channel pipe body” (line 4) and “a main flow channel pipe body” (line 5) and it is unclear of these are separate elements or are referring to the same ‘pipe body’. If Applicant is intending to claim the same ‘pipe body’ element, examiner suggests amending all instances of the above terms to read –a main flow channel pipe body—for line 4, --the main flow channel pipe body—for line 5, 10-11, 15-16.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the electric flusher" in line 21. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner suggests amending to read –an electric flusher--.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the radial opening" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner suggests amending to read –a radial opening and further amend the language “a radial opening” in line 7 to read –the radial opening.
Claim 7 is dependent on rejected claim 5 which renders claim 7 indefinite. Examiner suggests amending claim 7 to be dependent on claim 1.
Claims 2, 6, and 8-10 are rejected based on dependency on a rejected claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-2, 4, and 6-10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
Reasons for Allowance
When read in light of the limitations of the claimed nozzle assembly, the prior art does not disclose, either alone or suggest in combination, a nozzle assembly including a nozzle body; and a water diversion tip; the nozzle body including a main flow channel pipe body and a conductor arranged from inside to outside in sequence, the pipe body configured for directional flow of liquid therein and the conductor configured for introducing at least a portion of the nozzle body into a human body chamber; the water diversion tip including an installation and flow channel portion and a spherical end portion connected in sequence; the installation and flow channel portion penetrates and is fixed in the pipe body of the nozzle body, liquid in the pipe body flows directionally along a side of the installation and flow channel portion, the spherical end portion supported by the installation and flow channel portion outside a port of the pipe body, the spherical end portion of the water diversion tip and port of the pipe body define a spray separation and liquid in the pipe body is sprayed out from the spray separation, wherein the pipe body is provided with sleeve-fitting installation portion, first flow channel and second flow channel in sequence, an engage rib formed between the flow channels; an outlet pipe of an electric flusher adapted to be connected to the sleeve-fitting installation portion and liquid sprayed configured to flow directionally in the first and second flow channels, first and second introducing ribs extending in a radial direction arranged at intervals in the installation and flow channel portion and penetrates into the main flow channel pipe body and configured to clamp the engage rib from both sides respectively so as to fix the water diversion tip as set forth in independent claim 1.
The closest prior art references of record are: Jousson (3,739,983), Ancerewicz (2022/0184296), Bachman et al. (6,475,173), Mezzoli (2003/0158527), Arnold et al. (3,737,105), Morris (1,404,789), and Natalicio (6,217,534).
While the above mentioned prior art references of record are related to the claimed invention, they do not disclose, either alone or suggest in combination, the limitations discussed above and set forth in independent claim 1.
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 COLIN W STUART whose telephone number is (571)270-7490. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9-5.
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, Timothy Stanis can be reached at 571-272-5139. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/COLIN W STUART/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3785
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