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 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.
(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) 7-8, 11, 13-15, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang(US 20030145406 A1).
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Regarding Claim 7, Wang teaches a grill brush assembly comprising: a handle having a holding end and a connecting end; at least one brush head or tool; and a fastening system that refastenably connects the at least one brush head or tool to the connecting end of the handle.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang)
Regarding Claim 8, Wang teaches the grill brush assembly of claim 7, wherein the fastening system includes at least one of the groups consisting of: a lock metal spring clip, a matched pair of threads, a quick-release pin, a bayonet fitting, a ball and sleeve connection, and a cam-lock fitting.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang)
Regarding Claim 11, Wang teaches the grill brush assembly of claim 7, further comprising a shank extending from the at least one brush head or tool, and the connecting end of the handle includes an opening configured to receive the shank of the at least one brush head or tool.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang)
Regarding Claim 13, Wang teaches the grill brush assembly of claim 7, wherein the tool is selected from the group consisting of a standard bristle head, a spatula head, a scraper head, and a BBQ fork head. (Refer to Fig. 1, Wang)
Regarding Claim 14 , Wang teaches a method of producing a grill brush assembly, comprising: providing a handle having a holding end and a connecting end; providing at least one brush head or tool; and providing a fastening system that refastenably connects the at least one brush head or tool to a connecting end of the handle.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang)
Regarding Claim 15, Wang teaches the method of claim 14, wherein the fastening system includes at least one of the groups consisting of: a lock metal spring clip, a matched pair of threads, a quick-release pin, a bayonet fitting, a ball and sleeve connection, and a cam-lock fitting.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang)
Regarding Claim 18, Wang teaches the method of claim 14, wherein the at least one brush head or tool comprises a shank, and the connecting end of the handle includes an opening configured to receive the shank of the at least one brush head or tool.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang)
Regarding Claim 20, Wang teaches the method of claim 14, wherein the tool is selected from the group consisting of a standard bristle head, a spatula head, a scraper head, and a BBQ fork head. (Refer to Fig. 1, Wang)
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) 1, 6, 9, 10, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang(US 20030145406 A1) and further in view of Dishon(US 20210100346 A1)
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Regarding Claim 1, Wang teaches a grill brush assembly comprising: a handle having a holding end and a connecting end, with at least one aperture in the connecting end of the handle; Wang fails to teach a lock metal spring clip inserted into the at least one aperture of the handle; and at least one brush head or tool having an opening into which the connecting end of the handle fits, and the at least one brush head or tool has at least one aperture configured to receive the lock metal spring clip. However, Dishon teaches a toothbrush with replaceable heads with a lock metal spring clip inserted into the at least one aperture of the handle; and at least one brush head or tool having an opening into which the connecting end of the handle fits, and the at least one brush head or tool has at least one aperture configured to receive the lock metal spring clip. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang and Dishon to have a grill brush assembly with a handle with a holding end and connecting end and a brush head to fastened to the connecting end by means of metal spring clip in order to have a brush head capable of replacement if damaged.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang and Fig. 1, 6 and 9,Dishon)
Regarding Claim 6, Wang as modified by Dishon teaches the grill brush assembly of claim 1, Wang further teaches wherein the tool is selected from the group consisting of a standard bristle head, a spatula head, a scraper head, and a BBQ fork head. (Refer to Fig. 1, Wang)
Regarding Claim 9, Wang teaches the grill brush assembly of claim 7, Wang fails to teach wherein the fastening system includes a lock metal spring clip inserted into an aperture at the connecting end of the handle, and the at least one brush head or tool has an opening into which the connecting end of the handle fits, and the at least one brush head or tool has at least one aperture configured to receive the lock metal spring clip. However, Dishon teaches a toothbrush with replaceable heads with a lock metal spring clip inserted into an aperture at the connecting end of the handle, and the at least one brush head or tool has an opening into which the connecting end of the handle fits, and the at least one brush head or tool has at least one aperture configured to receive the lock metal spring clip. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang and Dishon to have a grill brush assembly with a handle with a holding end and connecting end and a brush head to fastened to the connecting end by means of metal spring clip in order to have a brush head capable of replacement if damaged.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang and Fig. 1, 6 and 9,Dishon)
Regarding Claim 10, Wang teaches the grill brush assembly of claim 7,except further comprising a shank extending from the connecting end of the handle, and the at least one brush head or tool includes an opening configured to receive the shank of the handle. However, Dishon teaches a toothbrush with replaceable heads comprising a shank extending from the connecting end of the handle, and the at least one brush head or tool includes an opening configured to receive the shank of the handle. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang and Dishon to have a grill brush assembly with a handle with a holding end and connecting end and a brush head to fastened to the connecting end by means of metal spring clip in order to have a brush head capable of replacement if damaged.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang and Fig. 1, 6 and 9,Dishon)
Regarding Claim 16, Wang teaches the method of claim 14, Wang fails to teach wherein the fastening system includes a lock metal spring clip inserted into an aperture at the connecting end of the handle, and the at least one brush head or tool has an opening into which the connecting end of the handle fits, and the at least one brush head or tool has at least one aperture configured to receive the lock metal spring clip. However, Dishon teaches a toothbrush with replaceable heads with a lock metal spring clip inserted into an aperture at the connecting end of the handle, and the at least one brush head or tool has an opening into which the connecting end of the handle fits, and the at least one brush head or tool has at least one aperture configured to receive the lock metal spring clip. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang and Dishon to have a method of producing a grill brush assembly with a handle with a holding end and connecting end and a brush head to fastened to the connecting end by means of metal spring clip in order to have a brush head capable of replacement if damaged.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang and Fig. 1, 6 and 9,Dishon)
Regarding Claim 17, Wang teaches the method of claim 14,Wang fails to teach wherein the handle comprises a shank extending from the connecting end of the handle, and the at least one brush head or tool includes an opening configured to receive the shank of the handle. However, Dishon teaches a toothbrush with replaceable heads comprising a shank extending from the connecting end of the handle, and the at least one brush head or tool includes an opening configured to receive the shank of the handle. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang and Dishon to have a method of producing a grill brush assembly with a handle with a holding end and connecting end and a brush head to fastened to the connecting end by means of metal spring clip in order to have a brush head capable of replacement if damaged.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang and Fig. 1, 6 and 9,Dishon)
Claim(s) 2,3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang as modified by Dishon and further in view of Ghiday(US 20240190393 A1).
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Regarding Claim 2, Wang as modified by Dishon teaches the grill brush assembly of claim 1, except further comprising a shank extending from the connecting end of the handle with at least one aperture extending through a side of the shank. However, Ghiday teaches a snow removal brush device where the connecting end of the handle comprises a shank with at least one aperture extending through a side of the shank. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang, Dishon and Ghiday to have a grill brush assembly with a handle with a holding end and connecting end where the connecting end has a shank with at least one aperture extending through a side of the shank in order to be able to releasably fasten the handle by clicking the fastener that extends therethrough from the aperture in the side of the shaft.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 3, Wang and Fig. 1 and 4,Ghiday)
Regarding Claim 3, Wang as modified by Dishon and Ghiday teaches the grill brush assembly of claim 2, Wang as modified by Dishon further teaches wherein the at least one brush head is a standard brush head having an opening configured to receive the shank of the handle.
(Refer to Fig. 1, 6 and 9,Dishon)
Regarding Claim 4, Wang as modified by Dishon and Ghiday teaches the grill brush assembly of claim 2, Ghiday further teaches wherein the standard brush head comprises a connector mold having an opening configured to receive the shank of the handle.
(Refer to Fig. 1 and 4,Ghiday)
Claim(s) 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang as modified by Dishon and further in view of Magnani(US 20240074569 A1).
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Regarding Claim 5, Wang as modified by Dishon teaches the grill brush assembly of claim 1, Wang fails to teach a grill brush assembly further comprising more than one brush head or tool, wherein each of the brush heads or tools are interchangeably attachable to the handle. However, Magnani teaches a grill cleaning tool having a scraper and a brush where the brush and the scraper are both interchangeably attachable to the handle. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang, Dishon and Magnani to have a grill brush assembly with multiple tools that are interchangeably attached to the handle so that they can be used without interference from the other tool if needed. (Refer to Fig. 1 ,Wang and Fig. 1 and 3, Magnani)
Claim(s) 12 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Magnani(US 20240074569 A1).
Regarding Claim 12, Wang teaches the grill brush assembly of claim 7, Wang fails to teach a grill brush assembly further comprising more than one brush head or tool, wherein each of the brush heads or tools are interchangeably attachable to the handle. However, Magnani teaches a grill cleaning tool having a scraper and a brush where the brush and the scraper are both interchangeably attachable to the handle. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang and Magnani to have a grill brush assembly with multiple tools that are interchangeably attached to the handle so that they can be used without interference from the other tool if needed. (Refer to Fig. 1 ,Wang and Fig. 1 and 3, Magnani)
Regarding Claim 19, Wang teaches the method of claim 14, Wang fails to teach a grill brush assembly further comprising more than one brush head or tool, wherein each of the brush heads or tools are interchangeably attachable to the handle. However, Magnani teaches a grill cleaning tool having a scraper and a brush where the brush and the scraper are both interchangeably attachable to the handle. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang and Magnani to have a method of producing a grill brush assembly with multiple tools that are interchangeably attached to the handle so that they can be used without interference from the other tool if needed. (Refer to Fig. 1 ,Wang and Fig. 1 and 3, Magnani)
Conclusion
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/BRIAN BRAHJA/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/ANNA M MOMPER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3619
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