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 Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 5 recites “relative freely”, which is incorrect grammar. Replace “relative” with “relatively”.
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 1-3, 5, 7 and 9-29 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.
Claim 1, lines 4-5 recites the second part moving “relative freely” relative to the first part. It is unclear what degree of movement freedom is being claimed.
The remaining claims are rejected for depending on claim 1.
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 1-3, 5, 7, 9-15, 17 and 22-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh (US 2012/0117927) in view of Fleigle (US 4,787,923).
As to claim 1, Oh includes a bagless vacuum cleaner (1) having a dirt-collection chamber (The portion of 100 which does not include filter 180) with an inlet (101b) and an outlet (140a) and a filter (180) at its outlet (Fig. 2), the vacuum cleaner having an agitator (310, which includes motor 311, shaft 312, rotating cam 313, and support 314; para 68) to agitate the filter (The agitator agitates the filter via dust removing device 350; para 71 and Fig. 6).
Oh does not include the filter being mounted in a two-part filter support with a first part and a second part which can move relative to one another, the second part being mounted to move relative freely relative to the first part, the filter being mounted to the second part of the filter support.
Fleigle includes a bagless vacuum cleaner (10; Embodiment of Fig. 4) including an agitator (78, 80) to agitate a filter (30), the filter being mounted in a two-part filter support with a first part (84, the piece right above 84, 48, 50, and 60) and a second part (82) which can move relative to one another, the second part being mounted to move relative freely relative to the first part (column 3, lines 35-53; The embodiment of Fig. 4 is functions identically to that of Fig. 2, which is described in column 2, lines 65-68, and column 3, lines 1-4 and 29-34), the filter being mounted to the second part of the filter support (30 is mounted to the first part and second part, which enclose it).
It would have been obvious to modify Oh such that the filter is mounted in a two-part filter support with a first part and a second part which can move relative to one another, the second part being mounted to move relative freely relative to the first part, the filter being mounted to the second part of the filter support, as taught by Fleigle, in order to permit to filter to better tolerate shaking and last longer using springs 84.
As to claim 2, having an electric motor which drives an impeller (The “fan motor unit” would include an electric motor driving an impeller, which is the fan) to create air flow from the inlet to the outlet (para 56).
Oh does not include the vacuum cleaner having an air duct between the filter and the impeller, in which the agitator is located in the air duct.
Fleigle includes a bagless vacuum cleaner including an air duct (34) between a filter (30) and an impeller (32) [column 2, lines 4-8], in which an agitator (78, 80) is located in the air duct (Fig. 1 and 4).
It would have been obvious to modify Oh such that an air duct is between the filter and the impeller, and the agitator is located in the air duct, as taught by Fleigle, in order to provide a suitable location for the impeller that allows air to be easily taken through the vacuum.
As to claim 3, Oh does not include the agitator partly sealed in a chamber connected to the air duct.
Fleigle includes a bagless vacuum cleaner including an agitator (78, 80) partly sealed (Air doesn’t escape the path it flows through; Fig. 1) in a chamber (28) connected to an air duct (34) [column 2, lines 1-8 and Fig. 1].
It would have been obvious to modify Oh such that the agitator is partly sealed in a chamber connected to the air duct, as taught by Fleigle, the partial seal providing an air flow path to the impeller that permits fast air flow toward the impeller.
As to claim 5, Oh does not include the filter movable substantially vertically when the vacuum cleaner is located on a horizontal surface.
Fleigle includes a bagless vacuum cleaner with a filter (30) movable along its width and height (due to being agitated by an agitator 78/80) when the vacuum cleaner is located on a horizontal surface (column 3, lines 47-53). The filter support provided by Fleigle provides the above feature.
It would have been obvious to modify the filter material to be one that is movable substantially vertically when the vacuum cleaner is located on a horizontal surface, as taught by Fleigle, in order to loosen dirt and cause it to drop off the filter efficiently (column 3, lines 47-53).
As to claim 7, Fleigle provides the agitator agitating the filter support to move the filter by way of the filter support (Motion of the filter support causes the filter to move; column 2, lines 65-68, and column 3, lines 1-4 and 29-34).
As to claim 9, Fleigle provides the first part surrounding the second part (Fig. 4 of Fleigle).
As to claim 10, as an alternative option, Fleigle provides the second part mounted to the first part by a flexible sealing element (72; column 2, lines 65-68 and column 3, lines 1-4). Use of rubber mountings 72 instead of springs 84 to connect the first and second parts provides 72 as the flexible sealing element.
As to claim 11, the sealing element (72), which was discussed in claim 10, is resilient because it is made of rubber (column 2, lines 65-68 and column 3, lines 1-4).
As to claim 12, as an alternative option, Fleigle provides the second part mounted to the first part by a flexible sealing element (72; column 2, lines 65-68 and column 3, lines 1-4), providing: the second part has a perforated first wall (68/74 on the left) and a perforated second wall (68/74 on the right), with the filter located between the first and second walls (Fig. 2 of Fleigle).
As to claim 13, the filter support has an impact tab (160 or 170), and in which the agitator can
engage the impact tab (para 83).
As to claim 14, Fleigle provides the impact tab as rigid, as shown in Fig. 6, and is rigidly mounted to the filter support (The impact tab is on the filter support added by Fleigle).
As to claim 15, Fleigle provides the impact tab rigidly (fixed on) mounted to the second part of the filter support (The impact tab is on the top of the filter support added by Fleigle, which is the second part).
As to claim 17, the agitator is electrically actuated (Motor 311 powering the agitator would be powered by electricity; para 68).
As to claim 22, it would have been routine optimization and obvious for the agitator to be actuated for a predetermined period of more than three seconds (A significant length of time to clean the filter would help).
As to claim 23, it would have been routine optimization and obvious for the filter to be agitated at a frequency of less than 100 Hz (High speed agitation is not necessary).
As to claim 24, the agitator includes an impacter (313; para 82) which is located adjacent (near) to the dirt-collection chamber (101 is a dust container; Fig. 7).
As to claim 25, the impacter (313) is a rotating eccentric element (para 70 and Fig. 6-7).
As to claim 26, the impacter is eccentrically mounted relative to a rotatable drive shaft (312; para 70 and Fig. 6-7).
As to claim 27, Oh does not include the agitator having a balancing element to balance the eccentricity of the impacter.
Fleigle includes a vacuum cleaner having an agitator (80) having a balancing element (The top segment of 80) to balance the eccentricity of an impacter (The bottom segment of 80) [Fig. 4].
It would have been obvious to substitute agitator element 313 for agitator element 80 of Fleigle, in order to provide an alternative rotating eccentric element for the agitator giving greater vibration to the filter because of the greater weight imbalance given.
As to claim 28, the combination in claim 27 provides the impacter mounted to (attached on) the balancing element.
As to claim 29, the agitator is located in a closed chamber of the vacuum cleaner.
Fleigle includes a bagless vacuum cleaner including an agitator (78, 80) in a closed chamber (28, 34; Air doesn’t escape the path it flows through; Fig. 1 and column 2, lines 1-8).
It would have been obvious to modify Oh such that the agitator is located in a closed chamber of the vacuum cleaner, as taught by Fleigle, providing an air flow path that permits fast air flow toward the impeller.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh (US 2012/0117927) in view of Fleigle (US 4,787,923), and further in view of Liu (US 2019/0380549).
As to claim 16, Oh does not include the dirt-collection chamber as removable, and in which the agitator remains in the vacuum cleaner when the dirt-collection chamber is removed.
Liu includes a vacuum cleaner having a removable dirt-collection chamber (Tank 2 is removed via latches 15; para 57 and Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to modify Oh such that the dirt-collection chamber as removable, as taught by Liu, in order to permit dirt collected to be removed more easily. The combination provides the agitator remains in the vacuum cleaner when the dirt-collection chamber is removed because the agitator isn’t attached to the chamber.
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh (US 2012/0117927) in view of Fleigle (US 4,787,923), and further in view of Kunz (US 2010/0011530).
As to claim 18, Oh does not include the agitator actuated intermittently.
Kunz includes a vacuum cleaner having a power switch (68; para 48 and Fig. 4) of an agitator (50, 60; par 46). The agitator is turned on/off when needed (intermittent running) using the power switch.
It would have been obvious to modify Oh such that the agitator is actuated intermittently (using an on/off switch for it), as taught by Kunz, in order to permit agitation when needed.
As to claim 19, having an electric motor which drives an impeller (The “fan motor unit” would include an electric motor driving an impeller, which is the fan) to create air flow from the inlet to the outlet.
Oh does not include the agitator actuated only when the motor is switched off.
Kunz includes a vacuum cleaner having a power switch (68; para 48 and Fig. 4) of an agitator (50, 60; par 46). The agitator is turned on/off when needed (intermittent running) using the power switch. The agitator is actuated only when the motor is switched off (The user would not want to turn on the agitator during vacuum cleaning because that would make a mess).
It would have been obvious to modify Oh such that the agitator is actuated only when the motor is switched off (using an on/off switch for it), as taught by Kunz, in order to permit agitation when needed.
As to claim 20, the agitator is actuated each time the motor is switched off (A user may do this when the combination in claim 18 happens).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 21 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/ANDREW A HORTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723