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 .
Response to Amendment
The Examiner acknowledges the amendments. The previous rejections are withdrawn. Please note the only embodiment supported by the amendments is that of Fig 8 in the instant application.
Claim Objections
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 4 should read “such that the guide counter rotates with respect to the cleaning wheel.” Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-4, 10-13, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 2018/0199774) in view of Kaffenberger (EP2116165A2).
Regarding claim 1, Sun discloses a mobile cleaning robot comprising:
a body (Item 100 and 120) including a suction duct (Item 112);
a cleaning assembly operable to ingest debris from a surface of an environment, the cleaning assembly comprising:
a guide (Item 163 and/or 163c1) recessed at least partially into the body, the guide engageable with the surface to direct debris toward the suction duct and rotatable with respect to the body (Paragraph 83); and
a cleaning wheel (Item 162) rotatable with respect to the body and engageable with the surface and the guide to direct debris toward the suction duct; and
a plurality of skids connected to an underside of the body, the plurality of skids engageable with the surface to support the body above the surface.
Sun fails to disclose the guide being able to toll along the surface of the environment. Kaffenberger teaches a suction cleaner wherein the guide being able to toll along the surface of the environment (Item 14 is located on Item 9l; Paragraph 17). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify sun to include the rollers as taught by Kaffenberger. Such a modification would ensure courser debris would easily be able to enter the suction inlet by setting a ground clearance (Kaffenberger Paragraph 17). Further rollers on the guide would reduce the resistance the guide would see while moving over the ground surface.
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Regarding claim 2 and 12, Sun in view of Kaffenberger disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the guide is configured to rotate about an axis of the guide and wherein the cleaning wheel is rotatable about an axis of the cleaning wheel that is parallel to the axis of the guide (Sun Paragraphs 80-83 and Figures 6a-6b).
Regarding claim 3 and 13, Sun in view of Kaffenberger disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the guide is configured to passively rotate relative to the body and relative to the cleaning wheel (Sun Paragraphs 80-83 and Figures 6a-6b).
Regarding claim 4, Sun in view of Kaffenberger disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the cleaning wheel is engageable with the guide to cause the guide to rotate relative to the body and relative to the cleaning wheel (Sun Paragraphs 80-83), such that the guide counter rotates with respect to the cleaning wheel (the roller at the end of the guide would rotate in respect to the floor movement, while the cleaning wheel (brush), would rotate towards the suction inlet).
Regarding claim 10, Sun in view of Kaffenberger disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 1, further comprising: a vacuum system operable to ingest debris from the environment (Sun Paragraph 53-56).
Regarding claim 11, Sun discloses a mobile cleaning robot comprising:
a vacuum system operable to ingest debris from an environment (Paragraph 53-56). ;
a body (Item 100 and 120) including a suction duct (Item 112) connected to the vacuum system;
a cleaning assembly operable to ingest debris from a surface of an environment, the cleaning assembly comprising:
a guide (Item 163 and/or 163c1) connected to the body and recessed at least partially into the body, the guide engageable with the surface to direct debris toward the suction duct, the guide rotatable with respect to the body (Paragraph 83); and
a cleaning wheel (Item 162) connected to the body and rotatable to engage the surface and the guide to direct debris toward the suction duct, the cleaning wheel rotatable in a direction opposite the guide (Paragraph 71); and
a plurality of skids (Annotated Figure 5 shows the flats at the ends of Item 163 that are capable of contacting the surface) connected to an underside of the body, the plurality of skids engageable with the surface to support the body above the surface.
Sun fails to disclose the guide being able to toll along the surface of the environment. Kaffenberger teaches a suction cleaner wherein the guide being able to toll along the surface of the environment (Item 14 is located on Item 9l; Paragraph 17). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify sun to include the rollers as taught by Kaffenberger. Such a modification would ensure courser debris would easily be able to enter the suction inlet by setting a ground clearance (Kaffenberger Paragraph 17). Further rollers on the guide would reduce the resistance the guide would see while moving over the ground surface.
Regarding claim 16, Sun discloses a mobile cleaning robot comprising:
a body including a suction duct;
a cleaning assembly operable to ingest debris from a surface of an environment, the cleaning assembly comprising:
a guide (Item 163 and/or 163c1) connected to the body and recessed at least partially into the body, the guide located at least partially directly below the suction duct, and the guide engageable with the surface to direct debris toward the suction duct, the guide rotatable with respect to the body (Paragraphs 80-83); and
a cleaning wheel (Item 162) connected to the body and rotatable to engage the surface and the guide to direct debris toward the suction duct; and
a plurality of skids (Annotated Figure 5) connected to an underside of the body, the plurality of skids engageable with the surface to support the body above the surface.
Sun fails to disclose the guide being able to toll along the surface of the environment. Kaffenberger teaches a suction cleaner wherein the guide being able to toll along the surface of the environment (Item 14 is located on Item 9l; Paragraph 17). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify sun to include the rollers as taught by Kaffenberger. Such a modification would ensure courser debris would easily be able to enter the suction inlet by setting a ground clearance (Kaffenberger Paragraph 17). Further rollers on the guide would reduce the resistance the guide would see while moving over the ground surface.
Regarding claim 17, Sun in view of Kaffenberger disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 16, wherein the cleaning wheel is engageable with the guide to cause the guide to rotate passively relative to the body and relative to the cleaning wheel (Sun Paragraphs 80-83).
Claims 5-9, 14-15, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 2018/0199774) in view of Kaffenberger (EP2116165A2) in view of Jung (US 2012/0096656).
Regarding claim 5, Sun in view of Kaffenberger disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 1. Sun fails to explicitly disclose wherein the guide includes: a rigid core; and one or more members connected to and extending from the rigid core, the one or more members engageable with the surface and engageable with the cleaning wheel.
Jung teaches a mobile cleaning robot wherein the guide includes: a rigid core (Item 84 and 94); and one or more members (Items 95 a-c) connected to and extending from the rigid core, the one or more members engageable with the surface and engageable with the cleaning wheel (Paragraph 101). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sun to include the guide as taught by Jung. Such a modification would allow debris to more easily be removed from the cleaning wheel. Further by reducing the space between the floor and the guide, the suction power would be more efficiently guided to increase the amount of debris is captured (Jung Paragraph 28).
Regarding claim 6, Sun in view of Kaffenberger in view of Jung disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 5,wherein the cleaning wheel includes: a core; and one or more fletches connected to and extending from the core (Sun Figure 2 Item 162a), the one or more fletches engageable with the surface (Paragraph 61) and engageable with the one or more members of the guide (Jung Paragraph 101).
Regarding claim 7, Sun in view of Kaffenberger in view of Jung disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 6, wherein the one or more members includes brushes or bristles (Jung Figure 6 Items 95a-c are considered bristles).
Regarding claim 8, Sun in view of Kaffenberger in view of Jung disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 5, wherein a surface of the rigid core is smooth (Sun Figure 3 shows smooth surfaces between Item 162a).
Regarding claim 9, Sun in view of Kaffenberger disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 1. Sun fails to explicitly disclose further comprising: a pair of drive wheels operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about the environment, the cleaning assembly located between the pair of drive wheels.
Jung further teaches disclose a pair of drive wheels (Item 21a-b) operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about the environment, the cleaning assembly (Item 51) located between the pair of drive wheels (Figure 3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to simply substitute the plurality of wheels onto the robot of Sun. Wheels are known in the art to be able to move an object over a surface efficiently.
Regarding claim 14 and 18, Sun in view of Kaffenberger disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 13, wherein the cleaning wheel includes a core and one or more fletches connected to and extending from the core (Sun Figure 2 Item 162a), the one or more fletches engageable with the surface (Paragraph 61)
Sun fails to explicitly disclose wherein the guide includes a rigid core and one or more members connected to and extending from the rigid core, the one or more members engageable with the surface and engageable with the cleaning wheel.
Jung teaches a mobile cleaning robot wherein the guide includes: a rigid core (Item 84 and 94); and one or more members (Items 95 a-c) connected to and extending from the rigid core, the one or more members engageable with the surface and engageable with the cleaning wheel (Paragraph 101). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sun to include the guide as taught by Jung. Such a modification would allow debris to more easily be removed from the cleaning wheel. Further by reducing the space between the floor and the guide, the suction power would be more efficiently guided to increase the amount of debris is captured (Jung Paragraph 28)
Further as combined Sun in view of Jung discloses the fleches engageable with the one or more members of the guide (Jung Paragraph 101).
Regarding claim 15, Sun in view of Kaffenberger in view of Jung disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 14, wherein the one or more members includes brushes or bristles (Jung Figure 6 Items 95a-c are considered bristles), and wherein a surface of the rigid core is smooth (Sun Figure 3 shows smooth surfaces between Item 162a).
Regarding claim 19, Sun in view of Kaffenberger in view of Jung disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 18, wherein the guide is configured to rotate about an axis of the guide and wherein the cleaning wheel is rotatable about an axis of the cleaning wheel that is parallel to the axis of the guide (Sun Paragraphs 80-83 and Figures 6a-6b). .
Regarding claim 20, Sun in view of Kaffenberger in view of Jung disclose the mobile cleaning robot of claim 19 further comprising a vacuum system operable to ingest debris from the environment (Sun Paragraph 53-56). As currently combined, Sun fails to explicitly disclose a pair of drive wheels operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about the environment, the cleaning assembly located between the pair of drive wheels.
Jung further teaches disclose a pair of drive wheels (Item 21a-b) operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about the environment, the cleaning assembly (Item 51) located between the pair of drive wheels (Figure 3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to simply substitute the plurality of wheels onto the robot of Sun. Wheels are known in the art to be able to move an object over a surface efficiently.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 11, and 16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 TOM R RODGERS whose telephone number is (313)446-4849. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday 8AM-5PM EST.
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/TOM RODGERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723