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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed June 5, 2026, has been entered. Claims 1–11 remain canceled. Claims 12–31 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the specification, drawings, and claims have overcome every objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed March 5, 2026. These limitations have been addressed in the rejections and allowable subject matter below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 24–31 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. Applicant has argued that the amendments to claims overcome the prior art cited in the Non-Final Office Action mailed March 5, 2026. The amendments have been addressed below by the explanation of allowable subject matter, and by the rejections.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 24–30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Semeck et al. (DE 102019004417 A1) as evidenced by its translation into English, in view of Kim et al. (US 20230148813 A1) and Na et al. (US 20210000315 A1). Please note that a citation to a page of Semeck is a citation to the translation into English of Semeck, included in the office communication of March 5, 2026. Please also note, in the aforementioned translation into English of Semeck: “20th” refers to structure indicated by reference character “20” in the figures, while “30th" refers to structure indicated by reference character “30” in the figures.
As to claim 24, Semeck teaches some of the claimed limitations of a cleaner system (“cleaning system has at least one, preferably several, (mobile) cleaning devices, such as a vacuum cleaner, and a preferably stationary base station for maintenance, in particular for emptying, of the cleaning device or devices.” (page 2; Fig. 1). The cleaner system comprises:
a cleaner station (“base station 10”; Fig. 1); and
a cleaner (“second cleaning device 30th"; Fig. 1) configured to couple to the cleaner station,
wherein the cleaner comprises:
a main body (housing of “chamber 30C”; Fig. 1) configured to be coupled to the cleaner station,
a suction portion (“fluidic connection 30F”; Fig. 1) that is coupled to the main body and defines a suction passage configured to receive air,
a dust separator (“In the chamber 30C is in cleaning mode of the cleaning device 30th Sucked material separated from the air, for example by means of a filter (not shown), so that the (cleaned) air in particular via the connecting line 30H , the blower 30Y , the outlet pipe 30L and the outlet port 30N can be released back into the environment” at page 9; Fig. 1–2),
and a dust bin (“chamber 30C”; Fig. 1–2) configured to store the dust separated through the dust separator,
wherein the cleaner station comprises:
a dust collector (“container 50G”; Fig. 1–2) configured to collect the dust from the dust bin,
a dust collection motor (“fan or a blower 50Y” that corresponds to 50J in Fig. 1–2, in support thereof is Fig. 2 showing that 50J indicates a well-known symbol for a vacuum pump) configured to generate a suction force for suctioning the dust from the dust bin into the dust collector, and
a housing (“housing 50A”) that accommodates the dust collector and the dust collection motor therein along in a longitudinal direction of the housing,
wherein the cleaner station further comprises:
a passage (the passage in Fig. 1 defined by the passage between points indicated approximately by “50F” and “10E”) disposed within the housing and configured to guide the dust from the dust bin, the passage having (i) a first end (at approximately the location indicated by “50F” in Fig. 1) in fluid communication with the dust bin and (ii) a second end (at approximately the location indicated by “10E” in Fig. 1) in fluid communication with the dust collector.
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Fig. 1 of Semeck.
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Fig. 2 of Semeck.
Semeck does not teach that the cleaner comprises a cyclone, nor does it teach that the longitudinal axis of the dust bin and the longitudinal axis of the cleaner station intersect each other in state in which the main body of the cleaner is coupled to the cleaner station. Semeck also does not teach the surrounding cleaning device.
Kim teaches:
a cleaner ("cleaning apparatus 1A"; Fig. 12) configured to couple to a cleaner station (“docking station 50A”; Fig. 12), wherein the cleaner comprises:
a main body (“cleaner body 10A”; Fig. 12) configured to be coupled to the cleaner station (“docking station 50A”; Fig. 12),
a suction portion (“extension pipe 11A” and “suction unit 16A” together define a suction passage; Fig. 12) that is coupled to the main body and defines a suction passage configured to receive air,
a dust separator a cleaner that comprises at least one cyclone (“multicyclone 22”) configured to separate dust from the air,
and a dust bin ("dust collection bin 20" that may include a "second dust collector 24"; "20A" in the embodiment of Fig. 12) configured to store the dust separated through the dust separator,
wherein the cleaner station comprises:
a dust collector ("dust bag 55" in paragraph 75; "SSA" in the embodiment of Fig. 12) configured to collect the dust from the dust bin,
a dust collection motor ("suction device 70A"; Fig. 12) configured to generate a suction force for suctioning the dust from the dust bin into the dust collector, and
a housing ("docking station housing 51A"; Fig. 12) that accommodates the dust collector and the dust collection motor therein along in a longitudinal direction of the housing (dotted line labeled "D" in annotated Fig. 12 of Kim),
wherein a longitudinal axis (dotted line labeled "E" in annotated Fig. 12 of Kim) of the dust bin and a longitudinal axis (dotted line labeled "D" in annotated Fig. 12 of Kim) of the cleaner station intersect each other in a state (annotated Fig. 12 of Kim) in which the main body of the cleaner is coupled to the cleaner station,
wherein the cleaner station further comprises:
a passage ("suction flow path 53A"; Fig. 12) disposed within the housing and configured to guide the dust from the dust bin, the passage having (i) a first end ("suction flow path 53A" top end labeled "F" in annotated Fig. 12 of Kim) in fluid communication with the dust bin and (ii) a second end ("suction flow path 53A" bottom end labeled "G" in annotated Fig. 12 of Kim) in fluid communication with the dust collector.
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Annotated Fig. 12 of Kim.
Na teaches:
a cleaner station (“robot cleaner station 100”; Fig. 4); and
a cleaner ("robot cleaner 10") configured to couple to the cleaner station,
wherein the cleaner comprises:
a main body (“cleaner housing 11” including a “cleaner outlet portion 18”) configured to be coupled to the cleaner station,
a suction portion (“cleaner inlet 13”) that is coupled to the main body and defines a suction passage configured to receive air,
and a dust bin (“dust collection chamber 16”),
wherein the cleaner station comprises:
a dust collector (“collector 130” may include a “collection chamber 133” or “dust bag 136”) configured to collect the dust from the dust bin,
a dust collection motor (“station suction device 131”) configured to generate a suction force for suctioning the dust from the dust bin into the dust collector, and
a housing (“station housing 110”) that accommodates the dust collector and the dust collection motor therein along in a longitudinal direction of the housing,
wherein the cleaner station further comprises:
a passage (“connector 200”) disposed within the housing and configured to guide the dust from the dust bin, the passage having (i) a first end (near “communication opening 211” in fluid communication with the dust bin and (ii) a second end (“insertion portion 261”) in fluid communication with the dust collector.
Na also teaches that the cleaner station comprises a surrounding cleaning device ("connection hose 220") connected to the passage and configured to suction dust by the suction force of the dust collection motor, the surrounding cleaning device being configured to clean a surrounding area of the housing. (paragraph 13-14, 18, 89, 92-95, 101; Fig. 4, 8).
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Annotated Fig. 4 of Na.
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Annotated Fig. 8 of Na.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Semeck by employing the cleaner of Kim that comprises at least one cyclone configured to separate dust from the air, and the dust bin of Kim configured to store the dust separated through the dust separator; and the cleaner station structures’ arrangement of Kim that comprises: the housing accommodating the dust collector and the dust collection motor therein along in a longitudinal direction of the housing, such that also, a longitudinal axis of the dust bin and a longitudinal axis of the cleaner station intersect each other in a state in which the main body of the cleaner is coupled to the cleaner station. Motivation to employ the cleaner as taught by Kim would have been to use a well-known technology (i.e., the cyclone) to prolong the cleaner’s fabric/paper filter service interval. Motivation to employ the cleaner station structures’ arrangement of Kim would have been: to cause a right angle in the passage bringing dust from the cleaner into the dust collector, which would have increased the resistance to dust, suspended inside the dust collector, exiting the docking station or reaching the opening in the housing that fluidly engages the dust bin in the cleaner; and to provide an efficient path for dust in the dust bin of the cleaner to enter the passage upon the dust collection motor generating suction.
Semeck teaches that the cleaner station includes a second passage (that starts at approximately the point indicated by reference character “40F,” and that ends at approximately the point indicated by the reference character “10E.” (Fig. 1–2). Both the passage, and the second passage, converge at approximately the point indicated by the reference character “10E.” (Fig. 1–2). Semeck also teaches that at the approximate location of convergence, there is an “optional (controlled) shut-off device 10E such as . . . a valve to control the air flow” (page 9, emphasis added). Thus, one of ordinary skill would have understood that the cleaner station of Semeck could forego the “shut-off device 10E,” that would have resulted in the dust collection motor simultaneously creating suction directed into the dust collector, from both the passage and the second passage. Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Semeck, already modified by the preceding paragraph, to employ the surrounding cleaning device of Na, wherein the cleaner station is configured, as taught by the combination of Semeck and Na, to enable the surrounding cleaning device to clean the surrounding area of the housing while the dust collection motor operates to suction dust from the dust bin of the cleaner. Motivation for this modification would have been to shorten the amount of time elapsed to empty the cleaner and clean the area surrounding the cleaner station.
As to claim 25, Semeck as modified to reject claim 24 above, teaches the surrounding cleaning device but not the expressly the other limitations in claim 25.
Na discloses that the surrounding cleaning device ("connection hose 220") comprises a cleaning hose ("connection hose 220") comprising: an elastic portion ("stretch hose with adjustable length" portion of the "connection hose 220" in paragraph 92) having a wrinkled surface portion (wrinkly portion of "connection hose 220" shown in Fig. 5-11); and a support ("second fastener 240" in paragraph 15, 22-24, 29-30, 93, 95, 106-107, 129-130, 133, 139, 146-148, 153-154) having a first end coupled to the passage and a second end coupled to the elastic portion ("connection hose 220 may include ... a second fastener 240 detachably fastened to the suction tube 260" in paragraph 93; Fig. 8, 12; see also paragraph 95, 106-107).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Semeck, already modified to reject claim 24, by employing the surrounding cleaning device of Na, to ease maneuverability of the surrounding cleaning device to clean an area, and to reinforce the location where the elastic portion couples to the passage, which is otherwise a weak point by virtue of this location being a connection or joint location.
As to claim 26, Semeck as modified to reject claim 25, does not teach the specifics of the surrounding cleaning device support.
Na teaches a support ("second fastener 240") and elastic portion ("stretch hose with adjustable length" portion of the "connection hose 220" in paragraph 92). Although Na does not explicitly teach that the hardness of the support ("second fastener 240") is greater than the hardness of the elastic portion ("stretch hose with adjustable length" portion of the "connection hose 220" in paragraph 92), it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the hardness of the support is greater than the hardness of the elastic portion, for the support and elastic portion to properly work as intended. Further, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Na into Kim, already modified to reject claim 24, to decrease downtime to empty the cleaner, or to decrease the frequency of docking/undocking the cleaner, when setting about to clean the area beyond and surrounding, the cleaner station.
As to claim 27, Semeck as modified to reject claim 25, does not teach a nozzle.
Na teaches a cleaning nozzle ("first fastener 230") coupled to an end of the elastic portion ("stretch hose with adjustable length" portion of the "connection hose 220" in paragraph 92) because Na discloses that "[t]he connection hose 220 may include the first fastener 230" (paragraph 93) and their attachment is depicted in Fig. 6-10, and 13. Moreover, Na teaches that the nozzle is configured to suction dust from the surrounding area of the housing ("station housing 110") because Na discloses that the "connection hose 220 [which includes the first fastener 230 at one end] may be separated from the guide portion 210 to clean the floor around the robot cleaner station 100" (paragraph 101), and Na discloses that the "robot cleaner station 100 may include a station housing 110" (paragraph 73).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Na to further modify Semeck, already modified to reject claim 25, to ensure proper functioning of the surrounding cleaning device by utilizing a known nozzle for cleaning.
As to claim 28, Semeck as modified to reject claim 24 above, already includes teaches that the passage (the passage in Fig. 1 defined by the passage between points indicated approximately by “50F” and “10E”) is disposed above the dust collector (“container 50G”; Fig. 1–2), and that the dust collection motor (“fan or a blower 50Y” that corresponds to 50J in Fig. 1–2, in support thereof is Fig. 2 showing that 50J indicates a well-known symbol for a vacuum pump) is disposed below the dust collector.
As to claim 29, Semeck as modified to reject claim 24 above, discloses all limitations of base claim 24, except it does not expressly teach that the surrounding cleaning device comprises a hose configured to be stored inside the housing and to extend to an outside of the housing.
Na teaches that the surrounding cleaning device ("connection hose 220") comprises a cleaning hose ("connection hose 220") configured to be stored inside the housing, "The connection hose 220 may be accommodated inside the station housing 110" (paragraph 92; Fig. 4). Na then implicitly teaches that the surrounding cleaning device ("connection hose 220") extends to an outside of the housing by teaching that "the connection hose 220 may be separated from the guide portion 210 to clean the floor around the robot cleaner station 100, as illustrated in FIG. 8" (paragraph 101; Fig. 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Semeck, already modified to reject claim 24, by employing the surrounding cleaning device of Na, to achieve at least one of the benefits described above, to reject claim 24.
Additionally, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Semeck, already modified by the preceding paragraph, by storing the cleaning device inside the housing as taught by Na, and extending the device to outside the housing as taught by Na, to protect the surrounding cleaning device until employed to clean an area.
As to claim 30, Semeck as modified to reject claim 29 above, discloses all limitations of claim 30 except for a communication hole.
Na teaches a housing ("station housing 110") that comprises an outer wall ("front housing 111" and "rear housing 113") that defines a communication hole (hole remaining after one opens "rear housing 113" or "rear cover 117" or "connection hose cover 370") at a position corresponding to the cleaning hose ("connection hose 220"), and wherein the cleaning hose is configured to extend to the outside of the housing through the communication hole. (paragraph 75, 101, 117, 123; Fig. 1-2, 8, 15, 18).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Semeck, already modified to reject claim 29, by designing into the housing of Semeck (“housing 50A”): a communication hole of Na (hole remaining after one opens "rear housing 113" or "rear cover 117" or "connection hose cover 370"). Motivation for this modification would have been to achieve the benefit as taught by Na, of providing access to the cleaning hose ("connection hose 220") from the housing (compared to providing no access to the cleaning hose). (paragraph 75, 101, 117, 123; Fig. 1-2, 8, 15, 18).
Claim 31 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Semeck, Kim, and Na, and further in view of Graves (US 20160242612 Al).
As to claim 31, Semeck as modified to reject claim 30 above, discloses a housing ("station housing 110"). Semeck as modified to reject claim 30, does not teach a surrounding cleaning device cover.
Na teaches a surrounding cleaning device cover ("rear housing 113" or "rear cover 117" or "connection hose cover 370"). Na also teaches that it is disposed in the housing and configured to open and close the communication hole of Na (hole remaining after one opens "rear housing 113" or "rear cover 117" or "connection hose cover 370"). (paragraph 75, 101, 117, 123; Fig. 1-2, 8, 15, 18). By comparing Na Fig. 1, 2, 3, or 15, with, Na Fig. 5, 8, or 18, one of ordinary skill would have understood that the surrounding cleaning device cover is separable from the housing of Na ("station housing 110").
Graves teaches how the surrounding cleaning device cover opens and closes. One of ordinary skill would have understood that the structure labeled "B" in annotated Fig. 3 of Graves is a surrounding cleaning device cover that is disposed at the housing ("airtight chamber 11" at paragraph 54, or "airtight container 11" at paragraph 52, or "chamber" at paragraph 55; and each of the preceding structures comprises a "hose chamber 10" at paragraph 52–53, 55; or the housing is the "Air Tight Container (11)" in annotated Fig. 3 of Graves) and configured to open and close the communication hole (labeled "A" in annotated Fig. 3 of Graves) at a position corresponding to the cleaning hose ("hose," "flexible hose," "flexible hose 21," or "vacuum hose" at paragraph 52 and 54; or "Vacuum Hose (21)" in annotated Fig. 3 of Graves). Moreover, one of ordinary skill would have understood that annotated Fig. 3 of Graves shows that the surrounding cleaning device cover is configured to rotate relative to the outer wall (labeled "C" in annotated Fig. 3 of Graves) of the housing because he or she would have understood that the cover is shown in an open position and that a cover end touches the axis of rotation (dotted line labeled "H" in annotated Fig. 3 of Graves).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Semeck, already modified to reject claim 30, by integrating the surrounding cleaning device cover of Na into the housing, and by employing a rotatable mechanism as taught by Graves, to open and close the surrounding cleaning device cover of Na, to achieve the benefit of eliminating a burden of storing the cover after separating the cover from the housing.
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Annotated Fig. 3 of Graves.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The limitation that distinguishes the claimed invention over prior art is in claim 12, “at least a portion of the surrounding cleaning device cover is fixedly coupled to the surrounding cleaning device.” Roughly speaking, this limitation is interpreted to be a hose coupling with an integrated panel cover, and this hose coupling rotates about a hose. Relevant prior art includes: Graham (US 6459056 B1), Gordon (US 7653962 B2), Song et al. (WO 2022124782 A1), Semeck et al. (DE 102019004417 A1), Graves (US 20160242612 A1), and Na et al. (US 20210000315 A1). However, none of the prior art discloses or renders obvious integrating a hose coupling with a panel cover.
The specification describes an embodiment of the distinguishing limitation,
The surrounding cleaning device cover 1841 may be divided into a horizontal portion and a vertical portion.
The horizontal portion of the surrounding cleaning device cover 1841 is rotatably disposed on the passage 180. Specifically, the horizontal portion is fixedly coupled to the upper support 1842a of the cleaning hose 1842, and rotates simultaneously with the upper support 1842a as the upper support 1842a rotates.
(page 23, line 3–8). The “upper support 1842a” is interpreted to be coupling or fitting, of a hose or pipe. “The surrounding cleaning device cover 1841” is fixed, or integrated into, the “upper support 1842a” so that they rotate as one. The specification discloses that the “upper support 1842a rotates” but not about which structure. Claim 21 limitation provides this information, “the surrounding cleaning device cover is configured to rotate relative to the outer wall of the housing.” Thus, “upper support 1842a rotates” relative to the outer wall of the docking station housing. From the frame of reference of a user, the “upper support 1842a rotates” while the docking station housing remains stationary. The embodiment (of the distinguishing limitation) is shown in originally filed Fig. 3 (filed February 9, 2024), Replacement Sheet Fig. 4 (filed June 5, 2026), and originally filed Fig. 5 (filed February 9, 2024). All other limitations in claims 12–31 are disclosed or taught by prior art.
Na discloses all limitations of claim 12 except for the distinguishing limitation. Na discloses a docking station to which docks a robot vacuum cleaner. Once docked, the robot vacuum is emptied by a passage in the docking station. A portion of the passage, however, is actually a section of hose that is the claimed “surrounding cleaning device” (except for the distinguishing limitation). When not emptying out the robot vacuum, one end of the section of hose can be pulled out of the docking station housing. In this way, this section of hose can suction up debris that surrounds the docking station. Like Na, Song discloses all limitations of claim 12 except for the distinguishing limitation.
Ignoring the distinguishing limitation, Song additionally discloses the currently amended, claim 21 limitation, “the surrounding cleaning device cover is configured to rotate relative to the outer wall of the housing.” On its own, this claim 21 limitation is a flip cover or lid. Each of Graham, Gordon, and Graves also teaches this claim 21 limitation—the flip cover. Neither Song nor Graham, Gordon, and Graves, however, disclose or render obvious this flip cover, claim 21 limitation, because claim 21 depends on base claim 12, and each of these patent documents fails to render obvious: connecting or integrating the surrounding cleaning device to a coupling having an integrated flip cover. As shown in Song Fig. 7, once the flip cover is lifted, the surrounding cleaning device is inserted into the housing, rather than, for example: a flip cover having an integrated coupling; once the flip cover is lifted, the surrounding cleaning device is attached to a coupling (with integrated flip cover), and the coupling rotates relative to an outer wall of the housing.
Semeck discloses a docking station that docks a handheld vacuum cleaner, and at the same time docks a robot vacuum cleaner. This docking station arranges or accommodates these two vacuum cleaners, plus internal passages and an internal docking station motor, in a way that renders obvious, broadly, the arrangement of structures shown in Fig. 1–3, whether as originally filed or one of the Replacement Sheet drawings. Semeck does not teach a surrounding cleaning device, however. Employing a surrounding cleaning device (except for its distinguishing limitation) in the docking station, would have been obvious in view of disclosures and motivations provided by Na and Song, both of which teach a docking station having a surrounding cleaning device (except for the distinguishing limitation), and describe its benefits.
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.
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/ENRICO MIOTTO/Examiner, Art Unit 3711
/NICHOLAS J. WEISS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3711
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