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.
Claims 1-2, 13, and 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Onishi (US 20030172490).
As to claim 1, Onishi discloses a noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly comprising: an inner chamber housing having a generally cylindrical internal volume (Fig. 22), at least one inlet opening located at one end of the inner chamber housing (Fig. 22), and at least one outlet opening located at an opposing end of thereof(Fig. 22); a vacuum motor locate d within the generally cylindrical internal volume of the inner chamber housing (Fig. 22), with a clearance space provided around the vacuum motor (Fig. 22), the vacuum motor, when in use, drawing an airflow through the inner chamber housing from the inlet opening(s) and through the clearance space before exiting through the outlet opening (Fig. 22), such that a degree of laminar flow is induced in the airflow when passing through the clearance space (Para 0047, 0051, 0094, and 0098); and an inner noise suppression cover mountable on the inner chamber housing over the outlet opening(s) (Fig. 23), the inner noise suppression cover having a plurality of elongate passages extending in a generally parallel and adjacent relation therethrough (Fig. 23); wherein the airflow passing through the elongate passages of the inner noise suppression cover is directed in a same general direction to thereby induce a further degree of laminar flow in the airflow passing through the inner noise suppression cover (Para 0096-0098).
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As to claim 2, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the clearance space is in the form of an annular gap (Fig. 23), and the elongated passages are provided within an annular region of the inner noise suppression cover that is generally aligned with the clearance space when the inner noise suppression cover is mounted on the inner chamber housing (Fig. 23).
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As to claim 13, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum motor is held in place within the inner chamber housing by the inner noise suppression cover, with a resilient spacer located between the vacuum motor and the inner noise suppression cover (Fig. 23).
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As to claim 15, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the clearance space is in the form of a generally annular gap (Fig. 23).
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As to claim 16, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a support bracket having a cup section for engaging the inner chamber housing (22; Fig. 23).
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As to claim 17, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 16, wherein the support bracket includes at least one outlet passage (23) passing therethrough which the airflow from the inner chamber housing can exit the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly (Fig. 3).
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As to claim 18, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 17, wherein the outlet passage(s) is provided through a wall of the cup section (fig. 3).
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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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 3-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi and in view of Ming (WO 2019011313).
As to claim 3, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 1.
Onishi fails to disclose wherein at least some of the elongate passages are positioned on a circular line around a centre of the inner noise suppression cover.
Ming, however, discloses wherein at least some of the elongate passages are positioned on a circular line around a centre of the inner noise suppression cover (Fig. 8-9).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide the assembly of Onishi with at least some of the elongate passages are positioned on a circular line around a centre of the inner noise suppression cover, as disclosed by Ming, to optimize noise reduction.
As to claim 4, the combination of Onishi and Ming discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of the circular lines of elongate passages are arranged concentrically on the inner noise suppression cover (Fig. 8-9 of Ming).
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As to claim 5, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 1.
Onishi fails to disclose wherein at least some of the elongate passages are positioned in one or more radial lines extending from a centre of the inner noise suppression cover.
Ming, however, discloses wherein at least some of the elongate passages are positioned in one or more radial lines extending from a centre of the inner noise suppression cover (Fig. 8-9).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide the assembly of Onishi with wherein at least some of the elongate passages are positioned in one or more radial lines extending from a centre of the inner noise suppression cover, as disclosed by Ming, to optimize noise suppression.
As to claim 6, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 1.
Onishi fails to disclose wherein each elongate passage extends from a rear face to a front face of the inner noise suppression cover.
Ming, however, discloses wherein each elongate passage extends from a rear face to a front face of the inner noise suppression cover (Fig. 8-9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide the assembly of Onishi with wherein each elongate passage extends from a rear face to a front face of the inner noise suppression cover, as disclosed by Ming, to optimize noise suppression.
As to claim 7, the combination of Onishi and Ming discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 6, wherein at least some of the elongate passages taper outwardly from the rear face to the front face thereof (Fig. 8-9 of Ming).
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Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi and in view of Fabien (CN 101152065).
As to claim 8, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 1.
Onish fails to disclose at least one layer of acoustic foam located over the inner noise suppression cover.
Fabien, however, discloses at least one layer of acoustic foam located over the inner noise suppression cover (Para 0051).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide the assembly of Onishi with at least one layer of acoustic foam located over the inner noise suppression cover, as disclosed by Fabien, to improve dampening of the vibrations.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi and in view of Chen (CN 109171550).
As to claim 9, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 1.
Onishi fails to disclose at least one layer of dense material surrounding the inner chamber housing.
Chen, however, discloses at least one layer of dense material surrounding the inner chamber housing (Fig. 1).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide the assembly of Onishi with at least one layer of dense material surrounding the inner chamber housing, as disclosed by Chen, to improve dampening of the vibrations.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi and in view of Yao (CN 112186944).
As to claim 19, Onishi discloses a noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 1.
Onishi fails to disclose a water tank assembly for a vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising: a water tank having an elongate cavity therein.
Yao, however, discloses a water tank assembly for a vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising: a water tank having an elongate cavity therein (Fig. 2).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide the assembly of Onishi with a water tank assembly for a vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising: a water tank having an elongate cavity therein, as disclosed by Yao, to improve cleaning features of the assembly.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-12, and 14 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.
As to claim 10, the combination of Onishi and Chen discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 9.
Onishi fails to disclose further comprising at least one layer of dense material located over the inner noise suppression cover.
As to claim 11, the combination of Onishi and Chen discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 9.
Onishi fails to disclose further comprising at least one layer of dense material located over an inlet opening end of the inner chamber housing.
As to claim 12, the combination of Onishi and Chen discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 9.
Onishi fails to disclose wherein the dense material is Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV).
As to claim 14, Onishi discloses the noise suppressed vacuum motor assembly according to claim 13.
Onishi fails to disclose wherein the resilient spacer is a sponge gasket.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
should be directed to ETHAN N VO whose telephone number is (571)270-7593. The examiner can
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where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ETHAN NGUYEN VO/
Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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