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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement submitted on 04/26/2024 is being considered by the Examiner.
Specification Objections
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Page 2, line 19, “when fluid is moved form the clean fluid reservoir to the waste fluid tank”. This is likely a typographical error, and was intended to actually read “from”.
Page 4, line 34, “interreference”. This is likely a typographical error, and was intended to read “interference”, as written on Page 4, line 33 and line 32, with respect to the same clip.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 3-4, 6, 11, 16, and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding Claim 1, “clean fluid” is likely a typographical error, and is intended to refer to “cleaning fluid” which has already been appropriately introduced. The Examiner advises the Applicant to remain consistent in claim language.
Regarding Claim 1, “fluid collector inlet” is likely a typographical error, and is intended to refer to the “waste fluid collector inlet” which has already been appropriately introduced. The Examiner advises the Applicant to remain consistent in claim language.
Regarding Claim 3, “a waste fluid tank” is likely a typographical error, and is intended to read “the waste fluid collection tank”. The “waste fluid collection tank” has already been appropriately introduced in Claim 1 for which Claim 3 is dependent upon, whereas “a waste fluid tank” is implying the introduction of a new element. Please amend the claim to reflect the Applicant’s intention.
Regarding Claim 4, “a clean fluid reservoir” is likely a typographical error, and is intended to read “the clean fluid reservoir”. The “clean fluid reservoir” has already been appropriately introduced in Claim 1 for which Claim 4 is dependent upon. Please amend the claim to reflect the Applicant’s intentions.
Regarding Claim 4, “the waste fluid tank” is likely a typographical error, and is intended to read “the waste fluid collection tank”.
Regarding Claim 6, the “waste fluid tank” is disclosed twice, and is likely a typographical error for both instances. It is likely this is intended to read “the waste fluid collection tank”.
Regarding Claim 6, “the housing” is likely a typographical error, and is intended to read “the outer housing”. The Examiner advises the Applicant to remain consistent in claim language.
Regarding Claim 11, the “machine” is likely a typographical error, and is intended to read “the floor treatment machine”. The Examiner advises the Applicant to remain consistent in claim language.
Regarding Claim 16, “floor” is likely a typographical error, and is intended to read “the floor surface”. The “floor surface” has already been appropriately introduced in Claim 1 for which Claim 16 is dependent upon. Please amend the claim to reflect the Applicant’s intention.
Regarding Claim 18, the “waste fluid tank” is disclosed twice, and is likely a typographical error for both instances. It is likely this is intended to read “the waste fluid collection tank”.
Regarding Claim 18, the “reservoir” is likely a typographical error, and is intended to read “the clean fluid reservoir”. The “clean fluid reservoir” has already been appropriately introduced in Claim 1 for which Claim 18 is dependent upon. Please amend the claim to reflect the Applicant’s intentions.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 8 is 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 8 recites the limitation “the required orientation” in the body of the claim. This is a two-fold indefiniteness issue. Firstly, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Please amend the claim to reflect appropriate antecedent basis. Secondly, it is unclear what structure is intended to be imparted into the claimed invention. When seeking to ascertain the intended structure of the claimed invention, the Examiner reflected upon the intended claim scope in light of the specification, but the specification was silent as to further details. However, Figures 1-4 of the instant application show tank module 50 in an upright-orientation, parallel with respect to shaft 41 and handle portion 40, and Figures 8, 13, and 15 show sections of tank module 50 with “resilient retaining portions” 54 arranged to encourage the tank module 50 to be oriented in an upright-orientation, parallel with respect to shaft 41 and handle portion 40.
For the purposes of Examination, the Examiner is interpreting the claimed invention to impart that the “required orientation” is a new limitation to be introduced, and the required orientation is an upright-orientation perpendicular to the floor surface. Please see the below claim language suggestions for clarification, however, please amend the claim to reflect the Applicant’s intention. An example of an edit, per the Examiner’s suggestion, is as follows: “…arranged to retain the portions of the tank module in a required upright-orientation, parallel with respect to the handle portion, and comprises at least one resilient portion…”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 1-6, and 10-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Vines (US 8595897 B2), herein after referred to as "Vines".
Regarding Claim 1, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine for cleaning and/or treating a floor surface (Vines: see Col. 4, lines 65-67, "cleaning device 100 may be useable to clean and remove liquid and/or debris from smooth and/or hard surfaces" such as flooring), the floor treatment machine comprising:
a base portion provided with at least one floor treatment workhead (Vines: see Col. 5, lines 28-30 in view of FIG. 1A and 1B, "cleaning head 102" and "agitator 110"), a cleaning fluid outlet located such that cleaning fluid is entrained in the floor treatment workhead during operation (Vines: see Col. 16, line 43-35 in view of FIG. 7A, "fluid distributor 722" dispenses cleaning fluid onto the outer surface of agitator 110; see also Vines, Col. 12, lines 32-37, wherein the outer foam layer of agitator 110 absorbs fluids), and a waste fluid collector inlet locatable proximate the floor treatment workhead in use and arranged to collect waste fluid therefrom (Vines: see Col. 20, lines 33-34 in view of FIG. 7A, "debris and fluid inlets 724, 726" are formed as a "removable inlet tray 730"; see also Vines, Col. 19, lines 62-63, fluid inlet 726 may be located close to the agitator surface to improve fluid removal from the agitator 110);
a handle portion movably connected to the base portion such that the handle portion is arranged to guide movement of the base portion (Vines: see Col. 5, lines 20-22 and 49-50, "handle 104" is attached to the "cleaning head 102 by a pivot 114", and handle 104 is "provided to maneuver the cleaning head 102 over a surface for cleaning");
and a tank module comprising a clean fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid outlet and arranged to selectively feed clean fluid thereto (Vines: see Col. 7, 50-52, "tank assembly 112 comprises a fluid supply tank 116 that is mounted below a fluid recovery tank 118"; see also Vines, Col. 18, lines 18-21, "fluid supply tank 116" may be connected "to the fluid distributor 722 through a simple tube, and a user-operated valve may be provided to control when fluid is conveyed by gravity to the fluid distributor 722"), and a waste fluid collection tank in fluid communication with the fluid collector inlet and arranged to receive waste fluid therefrom (Vines: see Col. 19, lines 24-32, wherein fluid inlet 726 comprises "air passages through the cleaning head 102 that lead from the area adjacent the agitator 110 to a cleaning head outlet 1408", and cleaning head outlet 1408 is connected by hose to the vacuum source 108, with recovery tank 118 "interposed in the air flow between the cleaning head outlet 1408 and vacuum source 108"), wherein the tank module is selectively attachable to the handle portion such that the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are simultaneously removable and attachable to the handle portion (Vines: see Col. 7, lines 50-55, wherein tank assembly 112, comprising fluid supply tank 116 and fluid recovery tank 118, may have both tanks 116 and 118 temporarily "joined together to allow them to be removed as a unit" from the recess 128 on handle 104).
Regarding Claim 2, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are vertically stacked within the tank module that is selectively attachable to the handle portion (Vines: see Col. 7, lines 50-52 in view of FIG. 1B, fluid supply tank 116 is mounted below fluid recovery tank 118).
Regarding Claim 3, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module comprises a waste fluid tank stacked vertically above the clean fluid reservoir (Vines: see Col. 7, lines 50-52, fluid supply tank 116 is mounted below fluid recovery tank 118).
Regarding Claim 4, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module comprises a clean fluid reservoir stacked vertically above the waste fluid tank (Vines: see Col. 28, lines 43-45, the supply and recovery tanks "may be held together in any other orientation, such as side-by-side, supply tank on top, fore-aft, and so on").
Regarding Claim 5, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are separable from one another when the tank module is removed from the floor treatment machine (Vines: see Col. 7, lines 50-54, wherein fluid supply tank 116 and fluid recovery tank 118 may be temporarily "joined together to allow them to be removed as a unit").
Regarding Claim 6, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module comprises an outer housing to contain the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid tank, wherein the housing of the tank module may form at least part of one of the clean fluid reservoir or waste fluid tank (Vines: see Col. 7, lines 50-54, wherein the fluid supply tank and fluid recovery tank may be "permanently joined together to allow them to be removed as a unit"; see also Vines, Col. 28, lines 47-49, wherein "the supply tank 2302 and recovery tank 2304 may be integrally formed with one another").
Regarding Claim 10, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle portion is reclinable with respect to the base portion in an operational configuration (Vines: see Col. 16, lines 3-10 in view of FIG. 11, cleaning head 102 is shown with pivot 114 reclined for use in corner-cleaning operations) and the handle portion is locatable in a substantially vertical position with respect to the base portion in a non- working configuration (Vines: see Col. 5, lines 35-37, "It is also known to provide features to deactivate or disengage vacuum cleaner brushrolls when the device's handle is in the upright position"; see also Vines, Col. 26, lines 43-44, "pivot 114 may include a pivot lock that holds the handle 104 upright relative to the cleaning head 102"), and wherein the tank module is selectively attachable to the handle portion such that the tank module is located on a side of the handle portion that is above the base portion when the machine is in the non-working configuration (Vines: see Col. 5, lines 12-16 in view of FIG. 1A, wherein the tank assembly 112 is attached on a side of handle 104 above the cleaning head 102; see also Vines, Col. 7, lines 52-55, wherein the tank assembly 112 is removable).
Regarding Claim 11, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base portion is provided with wheels arranged to support and facilitate movement of the machine (Vines: see Col. 5, lines 25-26 in view of FIG. 1A, "cleaning head 102 is supported for movement on a surface to be cleaned by one or more wheels"), and wherein the tank module is attached to the handle portion such that the centre of gravity of the tank module is located within an area defined by the wheels in the non-working configuration (Vines: see Col. 9, lines 11-17 in view of FIGS. 1 and 4, wherein the upright cleaning device 100 is shown, and wherein the "cleaning head 102 may be supported at the front by the agitator 110, and at the rear by one or more wheels", of which the wheels are located within the first and second wheel wells 406, 408, respectively; see also Col. 7, lines 54-55, wherein tank assembly 112 may be mounted "in a recess 128 located in the handle 104, or at any other location").
Regarding Claim 12, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module is attachable on the handle portion in a location towards a lower end region of the handle portion (Vines: see Col. 7, lines 54-55, wherein tank assembly 112 may be mounted "in a recess 128 located in the handle 104, or at any other location").
Regarding Claim 13, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine according to claim 1, further comprising securing means for selectively securing the tank module to the handle portion, wherein the securing means comprise complementary inter-engaging portions located on the handle portion and the tank module (Vines: see Col. 8, lines 4-7, wherein the supply tank and recovery tank "may be mounted in any suitable manner to the handle 104",; see also Vines, Col. 7, lines 57-60, wherein handle 120 may include a structure that locks tank assembly 112 to the handle 104; see also Vines, Col. 30, lines 29-34 and 43-44 in view of FIG. 25, wherein the handle 2508 of the recovery tank 2304 has a latch 2504 positioned to engage the tab 2506 when inserted into the recess 128 on the handle 104).
Regarding Claim 14, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the securing means comprise complementary inter-engaging portions having dimensions selected to provide an interference connection therebetween (Vines: see Col. 8, lines 29-32, wherein the "supply and/or recovery tanks may be attached" to the cleaning device 100 by "mechanical latches or interference ("snap") fit").
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 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.
Claim(s) 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vines (US 8595897 B2), herein after referred to as “Vines”, in view of Barrick et al (US 20060272120 A1), herein after referred to as "Barrick".
Regarding Claim 7, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module comprises several portions selectively retained (Vines: see Col. 8, lines 29-30, wherein the supply and/or recovery tanks may be attached to the device "by mechanical latches or interference ("snap") fit"; see also Vines, Col. 28, lines 18-21, latch 2306 holds supply tank 2302 and recovery tank 2304 together, and that "any suitable kind of latch or latches may be used to connect the tanks"; see also Vines, Col. 28, line 27, "tabs 2316").
Vines does not disclose by means of resilient retaining clips.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Barrick discloses by means of resilient retaining clips (Barrick: see Paragraph [0052] in view of FIG. 7, supply and recovery tanks 106, 108, are held in place by resiliently biased parts such as clamps).
Vines discloses a cleaning device 100 useable to “clean and remove liquid and/or debris from smooth and/or hard surfaces” (Vines: Col. 4, lines 65-67), including a cleaning head 102, handle 104, and a tank assembly 112 (Vines: Col. 5, lines 12-15). Tank assembly 112 “comprises a fluid supply tank 116 that is mounted below a fluid recovery tank 118”, wherein both tanks are “temporarily or permanently joined together to allow them to be removed as a unit” from a recess 128 in the handle 104 (Vines: Col. 7, lines 50-55). Of particular note, Vines discloses that the “supply and/or recovery tanks may be attached to the device in any suitable manner” (Vines: Col. 8, lines 29-30).
Similarly, Barrick discloses “a portable wet extractor 100 having a base assembly 102 and a carry handle 104 attached thereto” (Barrick: Paragraph [0040]), with the upper surface of the base assembly 102 retaining “a removable fluid supply tank 106 and a removable recovery tank 108”, specifically in a “laterally juxtaposed orientation” (Barrick: Paragraph [0040]). With respect to Figure 7, the supply tank 106 and recovery tank 108 are lowered into pockets 366, 368, and are "held in place by gravity or by gravity and snap fittings", wherein the snap fittings may include "any other engagement by resiliently biased parts" such as "clamps" (Barrick: Paragraph [0052]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined the cleaning device, disclosed by Vines, with the resiliently biased clamps, disclosed by Barrick, such that the combined unit of the supply tank and recovery tank are affixed to the cleaning device by the resiliently biased clamps. This would have been obvious to try as it is already a contemplated modification, wherein Vines remarks that “supply and/or recovery tanks may be attached to the device in any suitable manner” (Vines: Col. 8, lines 29-30), and wherein Barrick remarks that their supply and recovery tanks, which are optionally connected as one unit, may be held in place by gravity and snap fittings, or other forms of engagement with resiliently biased parts such as clamps (Barrick: see Paragraph [0040] and [0052]).
Regarding Claim 8, Vines in view of Barrick discloses the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Vines further discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein each resilient retaining clip is constructed and arranged to retain the portions of the tank module (Barrick: see Paragraphs [0058], wherein detents 420 have corresponding protrusions in the upper housing 302 to "hold the supply tank 106 in place by snap engagement"; see also Barrick, Paragraph [0062], recovery tank 108 has detents 608 with corresponding protrusions in upper housing 302 to hold the recovery tank in place by snap engagement) in the required orientation (Barrick: see Paragraph [0040], wherein the fluid supply tank 106 and recovery tank 108 are both removable, and optionally may be individually removable or connected to be removed together from their "laterally juxtaposed orientation"; and comprises at least one resilient portion that is resiliently deformable on application of a force to enable removal of one portion the tank module from another (Barrick: see Paragraphs [0058] and [0062] in view of Paragraph [0052], “snap engagements” can include clamps).
Claim(s) 9 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vines (US 8595897 B2), herein after referred to as “Vines”, in view of Yiu et al (EP 2636354 A2), herein after referred to as “Yiu”.
Regarding Claim 9, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module is removably attached to the handle portion (Vines: see Col. 7, lines 54-55, tank assembly 112 is mounted in a recess 128 in the handle 104, but optionally may be mounted "at any other location").
Vines does not disclose a leading edge of the handle portion.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Yiu discloses a leading edge of the handle portion (Yui: see Col. 6, lines 11-12, wherein the water tank assembly 80 is installed on the handle assembly 12; see also Col. 14, lines 39-40, "water tank assembly 80" is installed onto the "front enclosure 62").
Yiu discloses a “surface cleaning apparatus”, including a “fluid supply tank (80, 82)”, an upright housing (12), a foot (14) coupled to the upright housing, and an agitator (422) (Yiu: see Abstract). With respect to FIG. 1, “upper handle portion 18 and lower body portion 20 can be fastened together” to form the upright handle assembly 12, wherein lower body portion 20 comprises a front enclosure 62 (Col. 4, lines 48-49, and 56-58). With respect to FIGS. 5-6A, the front enclosure 62 houses the removable water tank assembly 80, which is further separated into the reservoir 88 and auxiliary liquid supply tank 82 (Yiu: Col. 5, lines 23-27). The water tank assembly 80 is affixed to the front enclosure 62 of the handle assembly 12 (Yiu: Col. 6, lines 11-12, and Col. 14, lines 39-40) through engagement of sliding “retention tracks 148 over the outer hooks 162 of the T-ribs 156 until the detent bumps 166 engage the top of the retainer tabs 150”, thus securing the water tank assembly 80 (Yiu: see Col. 14, lines 34, and 39-43 in view of FIGS. 5-6A).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined the cleaning device disclosed by Vines, with the leading-edge mounting of the tank assembly on the handle, as disclosed by Yiu. A cleaning device, which has already been contemplated with alternative placements of the supply and recovery tanks (Vines: see Col. 28, lines 43-45), having the tank assembly mounted towards the front-facing orientation of the handle, as opposed to being recessed within a handle cavity, offers greater surface area for a user to grasp, wherein Yiu remarks that “a reservoir grip 128” is provided for the removal, transportation, and reinstallation of the water tank assembly to the handle assembly (Yiu: see Col. 5, lines 55-58, and Col. 6, lines 1-12). Someone having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to combine Vines in view of Yiu for the purposes of providing a more easily-handled tank assembly for activities such as carrying, refilling, or emptying the tank or tanks.
Regarding Claim 15, Vines in view of Yiu discloses the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Vines further discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the inter-engaging portions comprise a key and a keyway to engage the tank module with the handle portion and allow relative sliding movement therebetween (Yiu: see Col. 14, lines 34, and 39-43 in view of FIGS. 5-6A, water tank assembly 80 is installed onto the front enclosure "by sliding the retention tracks 148 over the outer hooks 162 of the T-ribs 156 until the detent bumps 166 engage the top of the retainer tabs 150").
Claim(s) 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vines (US 8595897 B2), herein after referred to as “Vines”, in view of Kento and Jiyon (JP H05184509 A), herein after referred to as “Kento”.
Regarding Claim 16, Vines discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1.
Vines does not disclose wherein the base of the tank module has at least one substantially planar supporting portion that may be placed upon a surface to enable the tank module to be supported in an upright position on the surface or floor.
However, from the same or similar field of endeavor, Kento discloses wherein the base of the tank module has at least one substantially planar supporting portion that may be placed upon a surface to enable the tank module to be supported in an upright position on the surface or floor (Kento: see English Translation, Page 6, line 5 in view of Annotated Figure 6, wherein the "Contaminated Solution Tank Feet" enables the contaminated solution tank 36 to be placed upon a flat surface in an upright-oriented position; see also Kento, English Translation, Page 11, lines 19-20, the cleaning device includes an "integrated tank unit 34").
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Kento discloses a cleaning device for the application of a cleaning solution onto a floor to be cleaned, a vacuum source to vacuum the floor (Kento: see English Translation, Page 3, lines 27-29). Cleaning device main unit 10 comprises a handle 14, a pair of legs 20 to support wheels 18, and a tank unit 34, wherein tank unit 34 further includes a clean water tank 35 and contaminated solution tank 35 (Kento: see English Translation, Page 5, lines 20-22, 27, and Page 6, line 5). Additionally, the tank unit 34 is an “integrated tank unit” (Kento: see English Translation, Page 11, lines 19-20).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have combined the cleaning device, disclosed by Vines, with the tank unit design including two flat-surfaced “Contaminated Solution Tank Feet” (Kento: see Annotated Figure 6), as disclosed by Kento, such that a user may remove the tank assembly and rest it upon a floor surface while refilling the contents of the fluid supply tank, or emptying the contents of the fluid recovery tank. One would be motivated to do this for ease of use, as Vines discloses a carrying handle 120 at the top of the tank assembly 112 for “removing and/or carrying the tank assembly 112” (Vines: Col. 7, lines 55-57), but is silent as to whether the base of the tank assembly 112 includes a planar surface to rest the tank upon a floor in an upright position. However, Kento discloses two legs (Kento: see Annotated Figure 6, “Contaminated Solution Tank Feet”), offering a solution to the tank assembly design that permits a user to set a detached tank assembly unit upright on a floor. For this purpose, someone having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to incorporate the tank feet into the cleaning device to produce a tank assembly capable of supporting itself in an upright-orientation when rested upon a flat floor surface.
Regarding Claim 17, Vines in view of Kento discloses the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Vines further discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base of the tank module comprises at least two feet to support the tank module in a substantially upright orientation (Kento: see Annotated Figure 6, "Contaminated Solution Tank Feet"; see also Kento, English Translation, Page 5, lines 27-28, "a pair of legs 20" support the wheel 18; see also Kento, English Translation, Page 7, lines 10-11 in view of FIG. 2, "the cleaning device 10 in an upright position on the wheels 18" is shown).
Regarding Claim 18, Vines in view of Kento discloses the claimed invention as applied above, wherein Modified Vines further discloses a floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base of at least one of the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid tank (Vines: see Col. 7, lines 50-54, wherein the tanks may be temporarily "joined together to allow them to be removed as a unit") is arranged such that the reservoir and/ or the waste fluid tank is self-supporting in an upright position when removed from the tank module (Kento: see Annotated Figure 6, "Contaminated Solution Tank Feet").
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JON M HEGEMIER whose telephone number is (571)467-6405. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Posigian can be reached at 313-446-6546. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JON M HEGEMIER/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/DAVID S POSIGIAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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