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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-5, 11, 12, 14, 16, and 17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/29/2025.
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 9 and 13 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 9 recites the limitation "the one-piece housing" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 13 is rejected as being dependent on claim 9.
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.
Claims 6-10, 13, 15, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Athos Bergamaschi (US 4485554 A – hereinafter Bergamaschi).
Regarding claim 6, Bergamaschi teaches a body hair shaver comprising: a housing (Fig. 7, housing comprising Parts 1, 3, and 5) including: one or more resilient clip members (Fig. 7, Part 5) moveable between an open position (Fig. 7, open position shown) and a closed position (Fig. 12, closed position shown); and one or more slots (Fig. 12, spaces between Parts 1, 3, and 5) for holding one or more blade members (Fig. 5, Blades 11 and 13) in a hair cutting position.
Regarding claim 7, Bergamaschi further teaches the body hair shaver of claim 6, wherein the housing is one piece (Fig. 7, one-piece housing comprising Parts 1, 3, and 5) and comprises one or more elongated openings (Fig. 9, openings adjacent to Discharge Slots 105) in communication with the one or more slots (Fig. 12, spaces between Parts 1, 3, and 5) and configured to expose a cutting edge of the one or more blade members (Fig. 7, Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 8, Bergamaschi further teaches the body hair shaver of claim 6 further comprising a handle coupler (Fig. 12, coupler comprising Appendixes 117) and a handle (Fig. 12, Handle 17).
Regarding claim 9, Bergamaschi further teaches the body hair shaver of claim 6 wherein the housing includes a left side (Fig. 12, leftmost side where item 5 is signified) and a right side (Fig. 12, side obscured from the viewer opposed to the left side) and wherein at least part of the one or more slots are exposed on the left side and right side of the one-piece housing (Fig. 12, gaps between Parts 1, 3, and 5 shown leading to the spaces between Parts 1, 2, and 3).
Regarding claim 10, Bergamaschi further teaches a body hair shaver assembly comprising: a housing (Fig. 7, housing comprising Parts 1, 3, and 5); a handle (Fig. 12, Handle 17); and one or more blade members (Fig. 5, Blades 11 and 13); wherein the housing includes: one or more clip members (Fig. 7, Part 5) moveable between an open position (Fig. 7, open position shown) and a closed position (Fig. 12, closed position shown); and one or more slots (Fig. 12, spaces between Parts 1, 3, and 5) for holding one or more blade members (Fig. 5, Blades 11 and 13) in a hair cutting position when the one or more clip members are in a closed position (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 13, Bergamaschi further teaches a cartridge for a body hair shaver of claim 9 comprising: a one-piece housing (Fig. 7, housing comprising Parts 1, 3, and 5) including: one or more resilient clip members (Fig. 7, Part 5) moveable between an open position (Fig. 7, open position shown) and a closed position (Fig. 12, closed position shown); and one or more slots (Fig. 12, spaces between Parts 1, 3, and 5) for holding one or more blade members (Fig. 5, Blades 11 and 13) in a hair cutting position (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 15, Bergamaschi further teaches the body hair shaver assembly of claim 10 further comprising a cartridge defined by a one-piece housing (Fig. 7, housing comprising Parts 1, 3, and 5) including: one or more resilient clip members (Fig. 7, Part 5) moveable between an open position (Fig. 7, open position shown) and a closed position (Fig. 12, closed position shown); and one or more slots (Fig. 12, spaces between Parts 1, 3, and 5) for holding one or more blade members (Fig. 5, Blades 11 and 13) in a hair cutting position (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 18, Bergamaschi further teaches the body hair shaver of claim 10 and wherein the housing (Fig. 7, housing comprising Parts 1, 3, and 5), in a first configuration, is open such that a blade (Fig. 7, Blade 13) is positioned therein (Fig. 7, open position shown), and where in, the housing, in a second configuration is closed such that the blade is secured therein the housing with a cutting edge exposed at a surface of the housing for cutting hair (Fig. 12, closed position shown).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELLA LORRAINE KEENA whose telephone number is (571)272-1806. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am - 5:00 pm ET.
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/ELLA L KEENA/Examiner, Art Unit 3724 /BOYER D ASHLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3724