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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 7-10, 13-16, and 19-20 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 7, the recitation of “wherein the vacuum cleaner holder comprises a charging device, the charging device is mounted on the bracket base through a locking structure, the suspension supporting structure is arranged on the charging device, and a power output terminal of the charging device” is unclear. It is unclear to examiner if the vacuum cleaner holder and the charging device are two separate structures or the same structure. It appears that in paragraph 00204 of Applicant's specification, Applicant considers these to be the same structure. For the sake of compact prosecution and for use in this action, examiner is interpreting "wherein the vacuum cleaner holder comprises a charging device, the charging device is mounted on the bracket base through a locking structure, the suspension supporting structure is arranged on the charging device, and a power output terminal of the charging device" to be --wherein the vacuum cleaner holder is mounted on the bracket base through a locking structure, and a power output terminal of the vacuum cleaner holder--.
Examiner notes that additional recitations of “the charging device” found in claim 9 are being interpreted as --the vacuum cleaner holder--.
Regarding claims 13 and 19, the recitation of “wherein the vacuum cleaner holder comprises a charging device, the suspension supporting structure is arranged on the charging device, and a power output terminal of the charging device” is unclear. It is unclear to examiner if the vacuum cleaner holder and the charging device are two separate structures or the same structure. It appears that in paragraph 00204 of Applicant's specification, Applicant considers these to be the same structure. For the sake of compact prosecution and for use in this action, examiner is interpreting " wherein the vacuum cleaner holder comprises a charging device, the suspension supporting structure is arranged on the charging device, and a power output terminal of the charging device" to be --wherein a power output terminal of the vacuum cleaner holder--.
Examiner notes that additional recitations of “the charging device” found in claims 14-15 and 20 are being interpreted as --the vacuum cleaner holder--.
Claims 8-10, 14-16, and 20 are rejected as being dependent on a rejected claim.
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.
Claims 1, 3-7, 9-13, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US20170319038), hereinafter Kim.
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a vacuum cleaning system, comprising:
a vacuum cleaner (Fig. 6 element 300), comprising a battery pack (Fig. 6 element 320) and provided with charging contacts (0050);
a vacuum cleaner holder (Fig. 1 element 100), provided with a first wall mounted connection structure (Fig. 5 element 160), a first bracket connection structure (Fig. 10 element 119), and a suspension supporting structure (Fig. 1 element 112) capable of hanging the vacuum cleaner (Fig. 6, 0054);
a bracket (Fig. 6 elements 210 and 220), one end of the bracket being provided with a bracket base (Fig. 6 element 210) supported by a plane (Fig. 6, where the floor surface which element 210 rests upon corresponds to a plane), and the other end of the bracket being provided with a second bracket connection structure (Fig. 10 the topmost surface of element 220 shown), the second bracket connection structure being detachably connected with the first bracket connection structure (Figs. 6 and 10, 0092), and a storage device (Fig. 6 element 210 and 220 and Fig. 5 element 170) being a floor device when the second bracket connection structure is connected with the first bracket connection structure (Fig. 6 shows the storage device being used as a floor device as claimed); and
a wall mounted bracket (Fig. 5 element 170), mounted on a vertical wall (0066, where "wall surface" corresponds to a vertical wall) and provided with a second wall mounted connection structure (Fig. 5 element 170, where the second wall mounted connection structure is a subset of the wall mounted bracket which encompasses the entirety of the wall mounted bracket) detachably connected with the first wall mounted connection structure to hang the vacuum cleaner holder (0069), the storage device being a wall-mounted device when the first wall mounted connection structure is connected with the second wall mounted connection structure (Fig. 11 shows the storage device being used as a wall-mounted device as claimed; 0066-0069), wherein the charging contacts of the vacuum cleaner are electrically connected with the storage device when the vacuum cleaner is docked with the storage device (0050 and 0075).
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the second wall mounted connection structure comprises a slideway (Fig. 5, where the surface shown in Fig. 5 which is between elements 172 and 174 corresponds to a slideway) and a catch (Fig. 5 elements 172 and 174), the first wall mounted connection structure comprises a matching slideway (Fig. 5, where the surface shown in Fig. 5 which is between elements 162 and 164 corresponds to a matching slideway) and a clamping matching structure (Fig. 5 elements 162 and 164), both the matching slideway and the clamping matching structure are arranged on a side wall of the vacuum cleaner holder (Fig. 5, where element 111 corresponds to a sidewall of the vacuum cleaner holder), the matching slideway matches with the slideway and allows the slideway to slide within the matching slideway (Fig. 5, 0068), and the clamping matching structure is matched with the catch (Fig. 5, 0069).
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 3, as described above, and further discloses the catch comprises at least a first catch (Fig. 5 element 172) and a second catch (Fig. 5 element 174), the first catch is arranged on the wall mounted bracket (Fig. 5), and the second catch is arranged on a side close to a bottom of the wall mounted bracket (Fig. 5, where the second catch extends from a top of the wall mounted bracket to a bottom of the wall mounted bracket and is therefore arranged on a side close to a bottom of the wall mounted bracket).
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 4, as described above, and further discloses the first catch is a movable catch and allowed to be raised and lowered by external force (0068-069, where the first catch allowing for "sliding" corresponds to the first catch being a movable catch that is allowed to be raised and lowered by external force when the wall mounted bracket is not fixed to the wall).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the bracket further comprises a supporting part (Fig. 10 element 220, excluding the topmost surface of element 220 shown in Fig. 10) and a holder base (Fig. 10 the topmost surface of element 220 shown, where the holder base is a subset of the second bracket connection structure which encompasses the entirety of the second bracket connection structure), one end of the supporting part is mounted on the bracket base (Fig. 10), the other end of the supporting part extends to a side away from the bracket base (Fig. 10), the holder base is arranged on the other end of the supporting part (Fig. 10), and the second bracket connection structure is arranged on the holder base (Fig. 10, where the holder base being a subset of the second bracket connection structure meets this limitation).
Regarding claim 7, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 6, as described above, and further discloses the vacuum cleaner holder is mounted on the bracket base through a locking structure (Fig. 17 elements 220, 229, 432, and 427; 0128), and a power output terminal (Fig. 7A element 113) of the vacuum cleaner holder is electrically connected with a charging port of the vacuum cleaner when the vacuum cleaner is hung on the suspension supporting structure (0050, where one of the "terminals of the cleaner" corresponds to a charging port).
Regarding claim 9, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 7, as described above, and further discloses the vacuum cleaner holder comprises a casing (Fig. 1 element 110), a circuit board (the portion of the vacuum cleaner holder which receives the power from the electric wire (Fig. 3 element 114) and then sends power to the charging port (Fig. 1 element 113) where examiner finds that a circuit board (i.e. a structure which receives an input power and distributes that power to one or more other devices) is necessarily a part of the vacuum cleaner holder as there are multiple ports (Fig. 8 elements 113 and 117d) which require power and there is only one input wire) and an input part (Fig. 3, 0060, where the opening in element 111 which receives element 114 corresponds to an input part) and/or an output part (Fig. 8 elements 113 and 117d), the circuit board is arranged in the casing (since none of the figures shows the circuit board arranged on the outside of the casing, the circuit board is arranged in the casing), the input part and/or the output part are arranged a wall of the casing (Figs. 1 and 3 shows that both the input and output part are arranged on a wall of the casing), and the input part and/or the output part are electrically connected with corresponding ports of the circuit board (0050, where the input and output part are electrically connected with the corresponding ports of the circuit board at least when the output part is used to "charge the battery provided in the cleaner").
Regarding claim 10, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 9, as described above, and further discloses the output part comprises a plurality of output ports (Fig. 8 elements 113 and 117d) capable of providing power to various devices (0050 and 0085).
Regarding claim 11, Kim discloses a vacuum cleaning system, comprising:
a vacuum cleaner (Fig. 6 element 300), comprising a battery pack (Fig. 6 element 320) and provided with charging contacts (0050);
a vacuum cleaner holder (Fig. 1 element 100), provided with a first bracket connection structure (Fig. 10 element 119), and a suspension supporting structure (Fig. 1 element 112) capable of hanging the vacuum cleaner (Fig. 6, 0054),
a bracket (Fig. 6 elements 210 and 220), one end of the bracket being provided with a bracket base (Fig. 6 element 210) supported by a plane (Fig. 6, where the floor surface which element 210 rests upon corresponds to a plane), and the other end of the bracket being provided with a second bracket connection structure (Fig. 10 the topmost surface of element 220 shown), the second bracket connection structure being detachably connected with the first bracket connection structure (Figs. 6 and 10, 0092), and a storage device (Fig. 6 element 210 and 220 and Fig. 5 element 170) being a floor device when the second bracket connection structure is connected with the first bracket connection structure (Fig. 6 shows the storage device being used as a floor device as claimed), wherein
the charging contacts of the vacuum cleaner are electrically connected with the storage device when the vacuum cleaner is docked with the storage device (0050 and 0075).
Regarding claim 12, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 11, as described above, and further discloses the bracket further comprises a supporting part (Fig. 10 element 220, excluding the topmost surface of element 220 shown in Fig. 10) and a holder base (Fig. 10 the topmost surface of element 220 shown, where the holder base is a subset of the second bracket connection structure which encompasses the entirety of the second bracket connection structure), one end of the supporting part is mounted on the bracket base (Fig. 10), the other end of the supporting part extends to a side away from the bracket base (Fig. 10), the holder base is arranged on the other end of the supporting part (Fig. 10), and the second bracket connection structure is arranged on the holder base (Fig. 10, where the holder base being a subset of the second bracket connection structure meets this limitation).
Regarding claim 13, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 11, as described above, and further discloses a power output terminal (Fig. 7A element 113) of the vacuum cleaner holder is electrically connected with a charging port of the vacuum cleaner when the vacuum cleaner is hung on the suspension supporting structure (0050, where one of the "terminals of the cleaner" corresponds to a charging port).
Regarding claim 17, Kim discloses a vacuum cleaning system, comprising:
a vacuum cleaner (Fig. 6 element 300), comprising a battery pack (Fig. 6 element 320) and provided with charging contacts (0050);
a vacuum cleaner holder (Fig. 1 element 100), provided with a first wall mounted connection structure (Fig. 5 element 160) and a suspension supporting structure (Fig. 1 element 112) capable of hanging the vacuum cleaner (Fig. 6, 0054); and
a wall mounted bracket (Fig. 5 element 170), mounted on a vertical wall (0066, where "wall surface" corresponds to a vertical wall) and provided with a second wall mounted connection structure (Fig. 5 element 170, where the second wall mounted connection structure is a subset of the wall mounted bracket which encompasses the entirety of the wall mounted bracket) detachably connected with the first wall mounted connection structure to hang the vacuum cleaner holder (0069), a storage device (Fig. 6 element 210 and 220 and Fig. 5 element 170) being a wall-mounted device when the first wall mounted connection structure is connected with the second wall mounted connection structure (Fig. 11 shows the storage device being used as a wall-mounted device as claimed; 0066-0069), wherein the charging contacts of the vacuum cleaner are electrically connected with the storage device when the vacuum cleaner is docked with the storage device (0050 and 0075).
Regarding claim 18, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 17, as described above, and further discloses the second wall mounted connection structure comprises a slideway (Fig. 5, where the surface shown in Fig. 5 which is between elements 172 and 174 corresponds to a slideway) and a catch (Fig. 5 elements 172 and 174), the first wall mounted connection structure comprises a matching slideway (Fig. 5, where the surface shown in Fig. 5 which is between elements 162 and 164 corresponds to a matching slideway) and a clamping matching structure (Fig. 5 elements 162 and 164), both the matching slideway and the clamping matching structure are arranged on a side wall of the vacuum cleaner holder (Fig. 5, where element 111 corresponds to a sidewall of the vacuum cleaner holder), the matching slideway matches with the slideway and allows the slideway to slide within the matching slideway (Fig. 5, 0068), and the clamping matching structure is matched with the catch (Fig. 5, 0069).
Regarding claim 19, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 17, as described above, and further discloses a power output terminal (Fig. 7A element 113) of the vacuum cleaner holder is electrically connected with a charging port of the vacuum cleaner when the vacuum cleaner is hung on the suspension supporting structure (0050, where one of the "terminals of the cleaner" corresponds to a charging port).
Regarding claim 20, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 19, as described above, and further discloses the vacuum cleaner holder comprises a casing (Fig. 1 element 110), a circuit board (the portion of the vacuum cleaner holder which receives the power from the electric wire (Fig. 3 element 114) and then sends power to the charging port (Fig. 1 element 113) where examiner finds that a circuit board (i.e. a structure which receives an input power and distributes that power to one or more other devices) is necessarily a part of the vacuum cleaner holder as there are multiple ports (Fig. 8 elements 113 and 117d) which require power and there is only one input wire) and an input part (Fig. 3, 0060, where the opening in element 111 which receives element 114 corresponds to an input part) and/or an output part (Fig. 8 elements 113 and 117d), the circuit board is arranged in the casing (since none of the figures shows the circuit board arranged on the outside of the casing, the circuit board is arranged in the casing), the input part and/or the output part are arranged a wall of the casing (Figs. 1 and 3 shows that both the input and output part are arranged on a wall of the casing), and the input part and/or the output part are electrically connected with corresponding ports of the circuit board (0050, where the input and output part are electrically connected with the corresponding ports of the circuit board at least when the output part is used to "charge the battery provided in the cleaner").
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US20170319038), hereinafter Kim, in view of Zhang (CN105395132A), attached as a PDF.
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, but fails to disclose a first accessory clip, wherein a third bracket connection structure is arranged on the first accessory clip, and the third bracket connection structure is interchangeable with the second bracket connection structure to be connected with the first bracket connection structure.
Zhang is also concerned with a vacuum cleaning system and teaches a first accessory clip (Fig. 6 elements 210 and 240), wherein a third bracket connection structure (Fig. 6 element 210) is arranged on the first accessory clip (Fig. 6.). Pursuant of MPEP 2144.06-II, it has been held obvious to substitute equivalents for the same purpose. Kim discloses the invention except that the connection structure is a second bracket connection structure instead of a third bracket connection structure arranged on a first accessory clip. Zhang shows that a third bracket connection structure arranged on a first accessory clip is an equivalent structure known in the art (i.e. both structures are attached to a supporting part and used to support another structure). Therefore, because these two connection structure types were art-recognized equivalents at the time the invention was made, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to substitute a third bracket connection structure arranged on a first accessory clip for a second bracket connection structure. Examiner further finds that it 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 to include a first accessory clip with a third bracket connection structure to increase the amount of cleaning tools which the vacuum cleaning system can accommodate.
Kim, as modified, then yields the third bracket connection structure is interchangeable with the second bracket connection structure to be connected with the first bracket connection structure (Zhang, where the third bracket connection structure is capable of interchanging with the second bracket structure (i.e. the third bracket structure would slide over the second bracket structure) to be connected with the first bracket connection structure).
Claims 8 and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US20170319038), hereinafter Kim, in view of Ko et al. (US11375862), hereinafter Ko.
Regarding claim 8, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 7, as described above, but fails to disclose the locking structure comprises a first locking unit and a second locking unit, the first locking unit comprises a locking groove and a plurality of sliding ribs, the second locking unit comprises a locking buckle structure and a plurality of matching sliding ribs, and when the locking buckle structure is inserted into the locking groove, the first locking unit and the second locking unit are locked.
Ko is also concerned with a vacuum cleaning system and teaches the locking structure (Fig. 4, the portions of elements 20 and 30 which engage with each other to created a locked connection corresponds to a locking structure) comprises a first locking unit (Fig. 4, the portion of the locking structure which corresponds to element 20) and a second locking unit (Fig. 4, the portion of the locking structure which corresponds to element 30), the first locking unit comprises a locking groove (Fig. 6 element 29) and a plurality of sliding ribs (see annotated Fig. 6 below), the second locking unit comprises a locking buckle (Fig. 6 element 42a) structure and a plurality of matching sliding ribs (see annotated Fig. 6 below), and when the locking buckle structure is inserted into the locking groove, the first locking unit and the second locking unit are locked (7:8-19). Pursuant of MPEP 2144.06-II, it has been held obvious to substitute equivalents for the same purpose. Kim discloses the invention except that the locking structure comprises a detent inserting into a corresponding hole instead of a first locking unit and a second locking unit. Ko shows that a locking structure which comprises a first locking unit and a second locking unit is an equivalent structure known in the art (i.e. both locking structures are used to selectively connect two structures). Therefore, because these two locking structure types were art-recognized equivalents at the time the invention was made, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to substitute a locking structure comprising a first locking unit and a second locking unit for a locking structure comprising a detent inserting into a corresponding hole.
Regarding claim 14, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 13, as described above, and further discloses the vacuum cleaner holder is mounted on the bracket base through a locking structure (Fig. 17 elements 220, 229, 432, and 427; 0128).
Kim fails to disclose the locking structure comprises a first locking unit and a second locking unit, the first locking unit comprises a locking groove and a plurality of sliding ribs, the second locking unit comprises a locking buckle structure and a plurality of matching sliding ribs, and when the locking buckle structure is inserted into the locking groove, the first locking unit and the second locking unit are locked.
Ko is also concerned with a vacuum cleaning system and teaches the locking structure (Fig. 4, the portions of elements 20 and 30 which engage with each other to created a locked connection corresponds to a locking structure) comprises a first locking unit (Fig. 4, the portion of the locking structure which corresponds to element 20) and a second locking unit (Fig. 4, the portion of the locking structure which corresponds to element 30), the first locking unit comprises a locking groove (Fig. 6 element 29) and a plurality of sliding ribs (see annotated Fig. 6 below), the second locking unit comprises a locking buckle (Fig. 6 element 42a) structure and a plurality of matching sliding ribs (see annotated Fig. 6 below), and when the locking buckle structure is inserted into the locking groove, the first locking unit and the second locking unit are locked (7:8-19). Pursuant of MPEP 2144.06-II, it has been held obvious to substitute equivalents for the same purpose. Kim discloses the invention except that the locking structure comprises a detent inserting into a corresponding hole instead of a first locking unit and a second locking unit. Ko shows that a locking structure which comprises a first locking unit and a second locking unit is an equivalent structure known in the art (i.e. both locking structures are used to selectively connect two structures). Therefore, because these two locking structure types were art-recognized equivalents at the time the invention was made, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to substitute a locking structure comprising a first locking unit and a second locking unit for a locking structure comprising a detent inserting into a corresponding hole.
Regarding claim 15, Kim, as modified, discloses the limitations of claim 14, as described above, and further discloses the vacuum cleaner holder comprises a casing (Kim, Fig. 1 element 110), a circuit board (Kim, the portion of the vacuum cleaner holder which receives the power from the electric wire (Fig. 3 element 114) and then sends power to the charging port (Fig. 1 element 113) where examiner finds that a circuit board (i.e. a structure which receives an input power and distributes that power to one or more other devices) is necessarily a part of the vacuum cleaner holder as there are multiple ports (Fig. 8 elements 113 and 117d) which require power and there is only one input wire) and an input part (Kim, Fig. 3, 0060, where the opening in element 111 which receives element 114 corresponds to an input part) and/or an output part (Kim, Fig. 8 elements 113 and 117d), the circuit board is arranged in the casing (Kim, since none of the figures shows the circuit board arranged on the outside of the casing, the circuit board is arranged in the casing), the input part and/or the output part are arranged a wall of the casing (Kim, Figs. 1 and 3 shows that both the input and output part are arranged on a wall of the casing), and the input part and/or the output part are electrically connected with corresponding ports of the circuit board (Kim, 0050, where the input and output part are electrically connected with the corresponding ports of the circuit board at least when the output part is used to "charge the battery provided in the cleaner").
Regarding claim 16, Kim discloses the limitations of claim 15, as described above, and further discloses the output part comprises a plurality of output ports (Kim, Fig. 8 elements 113 and 117d) capable of providing power to various devices (Kim, 0050 and 0085).
Conclusion
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/C.A.H./Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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