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 . This office action is in response to the amendment filed on 12/14/2025 in which claims 1-17 are pending, claim 1, 9, and 11 and 16 are currently amended.
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 1-17 are 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.
Regarding claim 1 and 11, the phrase "arch-like, or “the like" renders the claim(s) indefinite because the claim(s) include(s) elements not actually disclosed (those encompassed by "or the like"), thereby rendering the scope of the claim(s) unascertainable. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
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.
Claims 11-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Man Wong et al. (U.S. Patent 9,751,225), herein referred to as Man Wong.
In regards to claim 1 and 11, Man Wong discloses a hair cutter (10), comprising a static cutter (outer cutter 20) and a movable cutter (inner cutter 22) for cooperating with the static cutter (20); wherein the static cutter (20) cooperates with the movable cutter (22) to cut hair in a moving direction of the movable cutter, the static cutter (20) has at least one static cutter cutting portion (cutter ribs 64), the at least one static cutter cutting portion has static cutter teeth (64), and a cutting groove (between the cutting ribs) is formed between any two adjacent static cutter teeth, the static cutter has a first surface which faces a skin and a second surface which is opposite to the first surface, and the static cutter (20) has a local recess area (60), the local recess area is formed in the first surface or the second surface, and the local recess area at least partially overlaps with an area where the at least one static cutter cutting portion is located: and the movable cutter (22) is provided with a movable cutter toothed portion (32,34) for cooperating with the at least one static cutter cutting portion (64), and the movable cutter toothed portion forms movable cutter teeth (32,34); the static cutter (20) further comprises a static cutter fixed seat (frame 26), the static cutter fixed seat comprises two supporting walls (arms 48,50) and a seat body (base 46) for connecting the two supporting walls (48/50) and the two supporting walls and the seat body form an arch or arch-like structure (see fig. 5).
In regards to claim 12, Man Wong discloses wherein the hair cutter further comprises a movable cutter seat (carriage 24), the movable cutter seat is connected to the movable cutter (22) to drive the movable cutter to move back and forth, an elastic member (spring 54/56) is provided between the movable cutter seat (24) and the static cutter fixed seat (frame 26), and the elastic member (54/56) has an elastic force perpendicular (vertical direction) to the moving direction (horizontal direction) of the movable cutter (22) to push the movable cutter toward the static cutter (20).
In regards to claim 13, Man Wong discloses wherein the hair cutter further comprises a movable cutter bracket (carriage 24) and an elastic member (54/56), the movable cutter bracket (24) is connected to the movable cutter (22), the elastic member (54/56) has an elastic force perpendicular to the moving direction of the movable cutter, one end of the elastic member is limited by the static cutter fixed seat (26), and another end of the elastic member is pressed against the movable cutter (22; fig. 2).
In regards to claim 14, Man Wong discloses wherein the hair cutter further comprises a movable cutter bracket (carriage 24), an elastic member (spring 54/56) and a fixing member bracket (26), the movable cutter bracket (24) is connected to the movable cutter (22), the fixing member bracket (26) is connected to the static cutter fixed seat (48), the elastic member (54/56) has an elastic force perpendicular to the moving direction of the movable cutter, one end of the elastic member is limited by the fixing member bracket (26), and another end of the elastic member (54/56) is pressed against the movable cutter (22).
In regards to claim 15, Man Wong discloses, wherein the fixing member bracket (26) is provided with a connecting structure (locking pins 78/80) which is connected to the static cutter fixed seat (48), the static cutter fixed seat (48) is provided with an auxiliary connecting structure (holes) for cooperating with the connecting structure (pins 78/80), and the connecting structure is connected to the auxiliary connecting structure by insertion or snapping.
In regards to claim 16, Man Wong discloses wherein the hair cutter further comprises a movable cutter limiting member (24), the movable cutter limiting member is arranged to be relatively fixed to the movable cutter (22), and the movable cutter limiting member (24) is provided with a guiding structure (42) for guiding and limiting the movement of the movable cutter.
In regards to claim 17, Man Wong discloses wherein the movable cutter limiting member is connected to the elastic member (54/56) or the static cutter fixed seat.
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.
Claims 2-3, 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Man Wong (U.S. Patent 9,751,225) in view of Kim (CN 208051971).
Man Wong sets forth an electric razor with a stationary outer blade and a moving inner blade. However, Man Wong does not disclose that the stationary outer shaver possesses all of the claimed features. Kim discloses a reciprocating hair cutting device comprising a fixed, strip shaped blade and a movable blade disposed beneath the fixed blade, wherein the fixed blade include an inlet groove extending along its length. The groove is open toward the long side of the blade forming a large opening configured to facilitate entry of hair of various shapes into the cutting region thereby increasing cutting efficiency and improving user comfort (see abstract). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to substitute the stationary outer blade of Man Wong with the static blade of Kim in order to improve hair entry into the cutting region, thereby increasing cutting efficiency and improving shaving comfort as expressly taught by Kim. Such substitution merely involves replacing one known stationary cutter element with another known stationary cutter element having improved hair guiding features, in a device that otherwise operates on the same reciprocating blade principle. The substitution of Kim’s static blade into Man Wong’s electric shaver would not change the principal operation of Man Wong’s device.
In regards to claim 2, the modified device of Man Wong discloses wherein the at least one static cutter cutting portion extends along the moving direction of the movable cutter, and the local recess area (Kim between 5-5) covers the area (Kim containing the grooves 3 and cutting portion) where the at least one static cutter cutting portion is located.
In regards to claim 3, the modified device of Man Wong discloses wherein the static cutter comprises one static blade body, the static blade body (Kim fig. 3) comprises one flat surface portion and two inclined surface portions extending from two sides of the flat surface portion, the at least one static cutter cutting portion is formed in at least one of the flat surface portion or the inclined surface portions, or connections between the flat surface portion and the corresponding inclined surface portions, and the local recess area is formed in at least one of the flat surface portion and the inclined surface portions (see annotations of Kim below).
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In regards to claim 6, the modified device of Man Wong discloses wherein the static cutter comprises two connecting walls which are opposite to each other, and the two connecting walls are provided with positioning structures for positioning the static cutter (see annotated Kim below)
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In regards to claim 7, the modified device of Man Wong discloses wherein the static cutter further comprises a static cutter fixed seat, the static cutter fixed seat is provided with auxiliary positioning structures for cooperating with the positioning structures, and the static cutter is positioned between the positioning structures and the auxiliary positioning structures by means of a pin or a thin shaft (see annotated Kim below).
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In regards to claim 8, the modified device of Man Wong discloses wherein the static cutter fixed seat comprises two static cutter retaining walls (on opposite ends of 4 Kim) which are opposite, the static cutter (1 Kim) has two end portions in the moving direction of the movable cutter, and the two static cutter retaining walls are in contact and arranged outside the two end portions.
In regards to claim 9, the modified device of Man Wong discloses wherein the static cutter further comprises a static cutter fixed seat, the static cutter fixed seat has two supporting walls (holding the aux. positioning structures Kim), an insertion groove is defined by the static cutter, the static cutter forms notches of the insertion groove respectively at two ends along the moving direction of the movable cutter, the static cutter fixed seat is inserted into the static cutter through the notch (the opening ) of the insertion groove to cooperate with the static cutter, and the two supporting walls support portions, corresponding to two sides of the insertion groove, of the static cutter.
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In regards to claim 10, the modified device of Man Wong discloses wherein the local recess area (between 5-5 Kim) is located at the static cutter teeth on two sides of the static cutter.
Claim 4 is are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Man Wong (U.S. Patent 9,751,225) in view of Burghardt et al. (U.S. Patent 12,415,288), herein rereferred to as Burghardt. Man Wong sets forth an electric razor with a stationary outer blade and a moving inner blade. However, Man Wong does not disclose that the stationary outer shaver possesses all of the claimed features. Burghardt discloses a reciprocating hair cutting device including an outer blade and a movable blade disposed beneath the outer blade, wherein the outer blade comprising tooth tips that do not project beyond a skin support surface. This configuration reduces skin irritation and increasing the cutting efficiency by lifting the hair prior to cutting (see col. 2, lines 31-38). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to substitute the stationary outer blade of Man Wong with the outer blade of Burghardt in order to reduce skin irritation and improve skin irritation through controlled tooth geometry and hair lifting as expressly taught by Burghardt. Such substitution merely involves replacing one known stationary cutter element with another known stationary cutter element having improved hair guiding features, in a device that otherwise operates on the same reciprocating blade principle. The substitution of Burghardt’s outer blade into Man Wong’s electric shaver would not change the principal operation of Man Wong’s device.
In regards to claim 4, the modified device of Man Wong discloses wherein the static cutter comprises a static blade body, the static blade body comprises one flat surface portion and two inclined surface portions extending from two sides of the flat surface portion (see Burghardt annotated drawing below), an arc surface portion is formed between the flat surface portion and the corresponding inclined surface portion, the at least one static cutter cutting portion is formed in at least one of the flat surface portion, the inclined surfaces or the arc surface portions, or connections between the arc surface portions and the flat surface portion and between the arc surface portions and the corresponding inclined surface portions, and the local recess area is formed in at least one of the flat surface portion, the inclined surface portion and the arc surface portion.
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Claim 5 is are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Man Wong (U.S. Patent 9,751,225) in view of Liu (U.S. Publication 2010/0212160). Man Wong sets forth an electric razor with a stationary outer blade and a moving inner blade. However, Man Wong does not disclose that the stationary outer shaver possesses all of the claimed features.
Liu discloses a shaving device including a blade having a plurality of long slots formed therein wherein the slots are configured to allow long and/or curly hairs to enter the shaver and the blade thickness and slot configuration enables simultaneous shaving of both long and short hairs, thereby improving shaving efficiency (see paragraph [0037]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to replace the stationary outer blade of Man Wong with the outer blade of Liu in order to facilitate entry of long and/or curly hairs into the cutting region and improve shaving efficiency by enabling cutting of different hair types as expressly taught by Liu. Such substitution merely involves replacing one known stationary cutter element with another known stationary cutter element having improved hair guiding features, in a device that otherwise operates on the same reciprocating blade principle. The substitution of Liu’s outer blade into Man Wong’s electric shaver would not change the principal operation of Man Wong’s device.
In regards to claim 5, the modified device of Man Wong discloses wherein the static cutter comprises a static blade body, the static blade body comprises a first flat surface portion (Liu 11), two second flat surface portions (Liu 2/2) extending from two sides of the first flat surface portion, and two curved surface (Liu between 11 and 2) portions extending from the two second flat surface portions, an arc surface portion (Liu between 11 and 2) is formed between the first flat surface portion (Liu 11) and the corresponding second flat surface portion (Liu 2/2), the at least static cutter cutting portion is arranged on the first flat surface portion (Liu 11), the second flat surface portion (Liu 2) and the arc surface portion (Liu between 11 and 2), and the local recess area is formed in at least one of the first flat surface portion (Liu 11), the second flat surface portion (Liu 2) or the arc surface portion (Liu between 11 and 2).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/14/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant’s assert that Man Wong (U.S. Patent 9,751,225), does not disclose the static cutter seat as claimed having two supporting walls and a seat body that form an “arch” or “arch-like” structure. However, the claimed “arch-like structure” is defined by two supporting walls connected by a seat body forming a curved or bridging configuration between the walls. As shown in Figure 5 of Man Wong, the static cutter seat includes opposing supporting walls and intermediate seat portion extending between the walls forming a continuous structure. This configuration constitutes an “arch-like” structure in that the seat body bridges between the supporting walls in a manner consistent with the claimed arrangement. While Applicant may characterize the structure as “arch-like”, the limitation does not require a particular curvatures or degree of arcuate shape, but rather a structural relationship in which a seat portion extends between and is supported by two side walls. Man Wong clearly discloses such a configuration.
Additionally, as reproduced below, the Applicant’s arch like static cutter seat and the static cutter seat of Man Wong exhibit substantially similar structural features. Accordingly, the features identified by Applicant forming an “arch-like” structure are likewise present in Man Wong. To the extend Applicant interprets such features as satisfying the claimed arch-like limitations, the corresponding structure in Man Wong reasonably meets the same limitation under broadest reasonable interpretation.
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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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA M LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-8339. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8a.m.- 5p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Boyer Ashley can be reached at 571-272-4502. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAURA M LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724