DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Medicine
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the communications filed on 4/19/2024.
The Examiner notes claims 16-35 are currently pending and have been examined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
And/or
(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.
Claim(s) 16-19 & 24-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Woerner et al. (US 20240418358), hereinafter Woerner.
Regarding claim 16. Woerner discloses a suction cleaning attachment [100], the suction cleaning attachment comprising:
a housing having an internal suction channel for guiding the suction air flow [Fig 1, 102 is housing having an internal suction channel], wherein the housing comprises:
a handle piece with a handle region [Figure 1 of this action];
a housing connection piece with a suction opening at an end of the suction channel [Figure 1 of this action]; and
at least one lighting device [104] with at least one illuminant [Fig 3; 203] directed at least partially in a direction of the suction opening [Fig 1-3];
wherein the illuminant is arranged on an outside of the housing [Fig 1-2]; and wherein the at least one lighting device has at least one accumulator for electrical supply of the illuminant [Fig 3; ¶55; 306 is a battery (i.e. accumulator) for electrical supply of 203].
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Figure 1: Annotated Figure 1 of Woerner
Regarding claim 17. Woerner discloses the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 16, wherein the lighting device comprises on the outside of the housing at least one lighting unit which can be at least partially detached from the housing, wherein the lighting unit comprises the accumulator, the illuminant and at least one circuit board electrically connected to the accumulator and/or to the illuminant [Fig 1-3; ¶52; 104 is a lighting system that has at least one unit which can be detached from the housing].
Regarding claim 18. Woerner discloses the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 17, wherein the at least one lighting unit is on the outside of the housing connection piece [Fig 1-2], and wherein the at least one lighting unit can be separated from the housing connection piece [Fig 2; ¶52].
Regarding claim 19. Woerner discloses the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 17, wherein the lighting device comprises a cover [Fig 2; ¶53; 206 & 202 form a cover] for covering the accumulator and/or the illuminant and/or the circuit board, wherein the cover can be detachably connected to the housing [¶52].
Regarding claim 23. Woerner discloses the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 16, wherein the housing connection piece has two opposite flat sides starting from the suction opening, and wherein the at least one lighting device is arranged on one of the flat sides [Fig 1-2].
Regarding claim 24. Woerner discloses the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 23, wherein the flat sides merge into a circular cross-section of the suction channel at a transition region to the handle piece, and wherein the at least one lighting device is arranged adjacent to the transition region to the handle piece [Fig 1-2; as best seen in Fig 2 104 is arranged adjacent to the transition section where the flat surfaces start to contour down into the circular cross-section].
Regarding claim 25. Woerner discloses the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 16, wherein the lighting device has a circuit [Fig 2-3, 207].
Regarding claim 26. Woerner discloses the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 16, wherein the lighting device is arranged on the housing connection piece on a transition region of the housing connection piece to the handle piece [Fig 1-2; 104 is a region of the housing connection piece that transitions from the suction opening to the handle piece].
Regarding claim 27. Woerner discloses the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 16, wherein the at least one lighting device comprises at least two lighting devices [Fig 2-3; there are at least two 205], the at least two lighting devices being arranged opposite one another on the housing connection piece [Fig 2; the 205 at either end of the row is arranged on opposite sides of the housing connection piece centerline that extends through the handle piece].
Regarding claim 28. Woerner discloses the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 16, wherein a stop designed as a stop projecting beyond the handle region is provided on the outside of the housing between the suction opening and the handle region for interaction with an edge of a quiver [Fig 5; the portion of 102 between the suction opening and the handle region is a stop for the edge of the quiver (400)].
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(s) 20-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woerner in view of Reese et al. (US 20030026092), hereinafter Reese.
Regarding claim 20. Woerner discloses the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 19, wherein the lighting device has…contacts [308] for electrical interaction with mating contacts [¶55 & ¶61; 404 is a mating electrical contact for electrical interaction with 308].
Woerner may not explicitly disclose at least two contacts.
However Reese teaches a lighting device with at least two electrical contact for electrical interaction with mating contacts [Fig 8; ¶37; 118 are two electrical contacts which electrically interact with mating contacts].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the lighting device as taught by Woerner to have at least two contacts as taught by Reese for the purpose of an equivalent charging structure
Regarding claim 21. Woerner as modified teaches the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 20, wherein the accumulator is arranged between the illuminant and the at least two contacts on the circuit board [Fig 3; 306 has a portion that is arranged between 205 and 308].
Woerner as modified may not explicitly disclose that the entire accumulator is between the illuminant and the at least two contacts on the circuit board.
However it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the accumulator as taught by Woerner as modified to have the entire accumulator is between the illuminant and the at least two contacts on the circuit board as pursuant of MPEP 2144.04-VI-C, it has been held that shifting the position or placement of parts that does not modify the operation of the device has no patentable significance, it considered to be matters of design/engineering choice which a person skilled in the art would have found obvious. Moving the accumulator would not change its function nor the function of the lighting device.
Regarding claim 22. Woerner as modified teaches the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 20, wherein the at least two contacts are arranged on a top of the lighting device [Fig 1-3; 308 is arranged on the top of the lighting device].
Claim(s) 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woerner.
Regarding claim 29. Woerner discloses the suction cleaning attachment according to claim 16, wherein the lighting device is arranged on the housing connection piece in such a way that a distance of the illuminant to the suction opening corresponds to … a distance of the suction opening to the handle piece and/or to the handle region [Fig 1-2; the distance from the suction opening to the illuminant is a distance of the suction opening to the handle].
Woerner may not explicitly disclose a distance of the illuminant to the suction opening corresponds to at least 60% of a distance of the suction opening to the handle piece and/or to the handle region.
However it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to cause the distance of the illuminant to the suction opening as disclosed by Woerner to correspond to at least 60% of a distance of the suction opening to the handle piece and/or to the handle region since it has been held that "where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimension would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device" MPEP 2144.04-IV-A. In the instant case, the suction cleaning attachment of Woerner would not operate differently with the claimed length. Further, Applicant places no criticality on the length claimed.
Claim(s) 30-35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woerner in view of Enning et al. (US 20220041140), hereinafter Enning.
Regarding claim 30. Woerner discloses a stationary cleaning device, the cleaning device comprising:
a suction cleaning attachment [Fig 1, 100] comprising:
a housing having an internal suction channel for guiding the suction air flow, wherein the housing comprises:
a handle piece with a handle region [Figure 1 of this action];
a housing connection piece with a suction opening at an end of the suction channel [Figure 1 of this action]; and
at least one lighting device [104] with at least one illuminant [203] directed at least partially in a direction of the suction opening [Fig 1-3]; wherein the illuminant is arranged on an outside of the housing [Fig 1-2]; and wherein the at least one lighting device has at least one accumulator [306] for electrical supply of the illuminant [¶55; 306 supplies power for 203; and
a holder …holding the suction cleaning attachment in a non-use state [Fig 5; 400 holds the suction cleaning attachment in a non-use state]9;
wherein at least one mating contact [Fig 4; 404] connected to a power source [¶58; 404 is connected to 406, a power source] and corresponding to a contact of the suction cleaning attachment is provided in the holder for electrical contacting, so that the accumulator is charged when the suction cleaning attachment is in the non-use state [¶58].
Woerner may not explicitly disclose a quiver for inserting and holding the suction cleaning attachment in a non-use state. Woerner also does not explicitly state that the attachment must be a particular shape.
However Enning teaches a suction cleaning attachment and quiver system [Fig 1 & 29-30] with the attachment having a lighting device [¶82]; specifically a quiver [Fig 28A-29; 48 is hollow-cylindrical and closed at the end] for inserting and holding the suction cleaning attachment [Fig 1-2; 1] in a non-use state [Fig 29-30; ¶96; 1 is inserted into 48 when 1 is not in use].
In combination the attachment and charging holder of Woerner can be shaped to match the attachment and quiver of Enning.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the attachment and holder as disclosed by Woerner to be a quiver for inserting and holding the suction cleaning attachment in a non-use state as taught by Enning for the purpose providing a holder that holds the attachment in a position that cannot be accidentally knocked off of the holder or removed from the holder [Enning: ¶106].
Regarding claim 31. Woerner as modified teaches the cleaning device according to claim 30, wherein the quiver has a coding device configured such that the suction cleaning attachment can only be inserted into the quiver in such a way that the contact makes electrical contact with the mating contact [Woerner: Fig 4-5; 308 and 404 form a coding device as they are configured to allow for electrical contact wirelessly allowing the attachment be inserted in any orientation and still have electrical contact between 308 and 404].
Regarding claim 32. Woerner as modified teaches the cleaning device according to claim 31, wherein the coding device is arranged at an open end of the quiver [Woerner: Fig 4-5; 404 can be arranged at the open end of the quiver to match the lighting device].
Regarding claim 33. Woerner as modified teaches the cleaning device according to claim 30, wherein a circuit is provided for deactivating the illuminant when the suction cleaning attachment is in the non-use state [Woerner: ¶61; the system turns off the light when charging as it turns it back on when removed from the charging station].
Regarding claim 34. Woerner as modified teaches the cleaning device according to claim 30, but may not explicitly disclose wherein the quiver is hollow-cylindrical and closed at an end thereof [Enning: Fig 28A-29].
Regarding claim 35. Woerner as modified teaches the cleaning device according to claim 30, wherein the quiver has an edge for cooperating with a stop of the suction cleaning attachment in the non-use state so that a pressure- tight seal is produced between the suction cleaning attachment and the quiver [Enning: Fig 29; ¶258; the attachment has a stop 49 that in conjunction with 57 of the quiver forms a pressure-tight seal which helps secure the attachment inside the quiver].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON R MCCONNELL whose telephone number is (303)297-4608. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 0700-1600 MST [0900-1800 EST] 2nd Friday 0700-1500 MST [0900-1700 EST].
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/AARON R MCCONNELL/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/BRIAN D KELLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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