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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on March 08, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings filed on April 09, 2024 are accepted.
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Huang et al., CN115970037A, hereinafter Huang.
Claim 1. Huang teaches in FIG.1 an aromatherapy humidifier with mist backflow and dripping effects ([0021]: an aroma diffuser with a raindrop effect), comprising
a humidifier main unit body ([0021]: a based shell 1),
a guide cylinder connected to the humidifier main unit body ([0022]: a cloud-shaped shell 4), and
an upper cover body arranged at an upper part of the guide cylinder ([0028]: a top 42 installed on the upper end of the lower cover 41), wherein
a control circuit board and an atomization assembly are arranged in the humidifier main unit body ([0023]: the bottom shell 1 is provided with a main control board 10); the aromatherapy humidifier further comprises
a drip hole formed in the upper cover body (the drain hole 401);
the guide cylinder is of an internally hollow structure (FIG.1: an internally hollow structure);
the atomization assembly ([0021]: an atomizing module 3) is arranged at a bottom of the guide cylinder; mist water generated by the atomization assembly ([0021]: the atomizing module 3 can generate mist from the water in the water thank 2 through ultrasonic waves) reaches the upper cover body through the guide cylinder and drips downwards from the drip hole ([0008]: the atomizing module uses ultrasound to generate mist from the water in the tank. This mist rises to the lower end or outer edge of the cloud-shaped shell; and [0022]: the mist floats upwards to the lower end or outer edge of the cloud-shaped housing to form a simulated rainbow effect);
a water storage tank for storing water is arranged in the humidifier main unit body ([0021]: a water tank 2 disposed inside the base shell 1);
the water dripping from the drip hole flows into the water storage tank ([0022]: the lower end of the cloud-shaped shell 4 is provided with a drain hole 401 for liquid to pass through to form raindrops falling in to th water thank 2); and
the atomization assembly is electrically connected to the control circuit board ([0023]: the bottom shell 1 is provided with a main control board 10, which is connected to the atomizing module 3).
Claim 6. The aromatherapy humidifier with the mist backflow and dripping effects according to claim 1, wherein
the humidifier main unit body (1) comprises a lower shell and a water tank body (2) matched with and connected to an upper part of the lower shell (FIGS.1-2: water tank body 2 conformed with the main unit body 1; and FIG.3: the lower shell of 1 and the water tank body are illustrated being matched in shape); and the control circuit board (10) and the atomization assembly (3) are located in an internal space enclosed by a bottom of the water tank body and the lower shell ([0023]: the bottom shell 1 is provided with a main control board 10, which is connected to the atomizing module 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5 and 7-10 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The limitations recited in claim 2 in regard to the features of “a mist overflow column matched with and corresponding to the mist overflow hole is integrally formed or connected inside the upper cover body", in combination with the other claimed elements, is/are not taught or disclosed in the prior arts.
The limitations recited in claim 3 in regard to the features of “an atomization gathering cylinder for increasing a mist spraying and water spraying height of the atomization assembly is further arranged on an inner side of a connection part between the bottom of the guide cylinder and the humidifier main unit body", in combination with the other claimed elements, is/are not taught or disclosed in the prior arts.
The limitations recited in claim 4 in regard to the features of “a waterproof lampshade arranged on an outer side of the LED lamp panel; a bottom of the waterproof lampshade is connected to the humidifier main unit body; and a top of the waterproof lampshade and a top of the LED lamp panel extend into the upper cover body", in combination with the other claimed elements, is/are not taught or disclosed in the prior arts.
The limitations recited in claim 5 in regard to the features of “a water mist inlet hole communicated to a top of the guide cylinder is formed in the upper cover body", in combination with the other claimed elements, is/are not taught or disclosed in the prior arts.
The limitations recited in claim 7 in regard to the features of “the decorative cover is provided with a guide cylinder through hole for penetrating through the guide cylinder; and the decorative cover is further provided with a backflow hole and/or a ventilation hole used for making water drops dripping from the drip hole back flow and communicated to the guide cylinder", in combination with the other claimed elements, is/are not taught or disclosed in the prior arts.
The limitations recited in claim 8 in regard to the features of “the bottom of the waterproof lampshade is inserted into the lampshade connecting column or is connected to the lampshade connecting column by clamping or through a screw", in combination with the other claimed elements, is/are not taught or disclosed in the prior arts.
The limitations recited in claim 10 in regard to the features of “the drip hole and the mist overflow hole are both formed in the cover body lower part", in combination with the other claimed elements, is/are not taught or disclosed in the prior arts.
Dependent claim 9 is allowed at least by virtue of its dependency upon claim 3.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wong et al., US 2012/0025408 A1. This reference discloses a mist humidifier that includes a water supply, one nebulization device and one heather mechanism. The nebulization device nebulizes at least a portion of a flow of water from the water supply and discharges a flow of mist particles.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YI-SHAN YANG whose telephone number is (408)918-7628. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pascal M Bui-Pho can be reached at 571-272-2714. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YI-SHAN YANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3798
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