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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show the
"ramp (62)", "root (63)" and "edge (65)" (Ln 20, Claim 1 & Para.s [0048], [0050])
as described in the specification. Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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, Ln 16, the limitation "a coupling" is indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim whether the coupling recited is the first coupling member, the second coupling member or another, as yet unrecited, coupling (all nouns) or a noun/verb meaning a joining or to join, the difference between a coupling member and a coupling having no definition in the SPECIFICATION of the INSTANT APPLICATION. In order to examine the claims and advance prosecution, Examiner has interpreted the limitation to mean a joining, a union or a connection (all interpreted as synonymous).
Regarding Claim 13, Ln 3, the limitation "a user" is indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim whether is a required element of the coupling mechanism for a shaving device, or not. In order to examine the claims and advance prosecution, Examiner has interpreted the limitation to mean the user is an element of intended use and not a required structural element of the claimed coupling mechanism for a shaving device.
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) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Liberatore (US 2017/0326741), hereafter Liberatore.
Examiner notes that all limitations including the phrase "configured to" have been interpreted as intended use and not structural limitations of the claimed invention.
Regarding Claim 1, Liberatore discloses a coupling mechanism for a shaving device (as illustrated in at least Fig 1), the coupling mechanism comprising:
a first coupling member (140) (Para [0084], Ln 1; as illustrated in at least Fig 8A) being configured to move between a first coupling member first position and a first coupling member second position (Para [0086], Ln 1-5 describes the movement of the first coupling member from an engaged, or first, position to a disengaged, or released, position); and
a second coupling member (300) (Para [0080], Ln 5; as illustrated in at least Fig 6) being configured to move relative to the first coupling member between a second coupling member first position and a second coupling member second position (Examiner notes removable second coupling member {Para [0016], Ln 55-58}, being moved from a removed, or disengaged, position to an attached, or engaged, position, or vice versa, would be recognized by a skilled Artisan as first and second positions), and
the second coupling member being configured to cause the first coupling member to move from the first coupling member first position toward the first coupling member second position when the second coupling member moves relative to the first coupling member from the second coupling member first position toward the second coupling member second position (Examiner notes removable second coupling member {Para [0016], Ln 55-58}, being moved from a removed, or disengaged, position to an attached, or engaged, position causes the first coupling member to move from the first to second, or vice versa, positions, as required by engagement/disengagement, as described in previously recited Para [0086]),
wherein,
the first coupling member is configured to move from the first coupling member second position (Examiner notes this is the disengaged position) to the first coupling member first position (Examiner notes this is the engaged position) when the second coupling member is in the second coupling member second position (Examiner notes this is the attached position), and
the first coupling member is configured to secure a coupling (Examiner has interpreted the installation of the blade cartridge as a coupling of the handle with the cartridge) between the first coupling member and the second coupling member when the second coupling member is in the second coupling member second position (Examiner notes this is the attached position) and the first coupling member is in the first coupling member first position (Examiner notes this is the engaged position).
Examiner notes Liberatore is silent to wherein the second coupling member includes a ramp, however Liberatore discloses the first coupling member including a ramp, the first coupling member including a ramp (145) Para [0085], Ln 6; as illustrated in at least Fig 8A) extending from a root (inner face of the guide slot [148]) to an edge (inner face opposite the guide slot [148]; rightmost face as illustrated in Fig 10). A reversal of positions from first of second coupling member would be recognized by a skilled Artisan as a reversal of positions able to accomplish the same effect, namely to couple the first and second coupling members.
It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the coupling mechanism for a shaving device, as disclosed by Liberatore, to include the first coupling member including a ramp extending from a root to an edge, in order to couple the first and second coupling members.
Modified Liberatore similarly teaches the ramp being configured to contact the first coupling member when the second coupling member moves relative to the first coupling member between the second coupling member first position and the second coupling member second position (Par [0085], Ln 3-8; as illustrated in at least Fig 12C).
Regarding Claim 2, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches the first coupling member includes a bias member (214) (Par [0084], Ln 4; as illustrated in at least Fig 8A) being configured to bias the first coupling member toward the first coupling member first position (Para [0085], Ln7-8).
Regarding Claim 3, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches movement of the first coupling member along the ramp from the root toward the edge causes the first coupling member to move from the first coupling member first position toward the first coupling member second position (Para [0086], Ln 1-5).
Regarding Claim 4, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches the first coupling member is configured to abut the edge of the ramp to guide the coupling between the first coupling member and the second coupling member when the second coupling member is in the second coupling member second position and the first coupling member is in the first coupling member first position (as illustrated in Fig 11A).
Regarding Claim 5, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches the second coupling member includes a frame (144) comprising the ramp and the ramp extends from a surface of the frame toward a center of the frame (as illustrated in Fig.s 10 & 11A).
Regarding Claim 6, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches the frame includes a leading surface and a trailing surface opposing the leading surface, the leading surface and the trailing surface are connected to each other by a first sidewall surface (crosshatched surface) and a second sidewall surface opposite surface from crosshatched surface), and the ramp is oriented at an angle within a range of 0 degrees and 50 degrees with respect to the first sidewall surface and/or the second sidewall surface (as illustrated in Fig 10). Examiner notes the angle of the ramp appears to be substantially 45 degrees, within the claimed range, as illustrated in at least Fig 10.
Regarding Claim 7, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches a third coupling member (500 Para [0116], Ln 5; as illustrated in at least Fig 6) configured to support the second coupling member (as illustrated in at least Fig 6).
Regarding Claim 8, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches the second coupling member is configured to move between the second coupling member first position and the second coupling member second position on the third coupling member (500 Para [0116], Ln 5. Examiner notes the nomination of the third coupling member as a "Swivel arm connection" has been interpreted to mean the third coupling member allows the second coupling member to move, or swivel, from a first extreme position, through an arc, to a second extreme position.
Regarding Claim 9, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches the second coupling member includes a pair of opposing guide members (346) (para [0166], Ln 2; as illustrated in at least Fig 14F), the third coupling member includes a pair of opposing flanges (510) (Para [0116], Ln 18-19; as illustrated in at least Fig 20A), and the pair of opposing guide members of the second coupling member are configured to engage the pair of opposing flanges of the third coupling member (Para [0116], Ln 20-29; as illustrated in at least Fig 1).
Regarding Claim 10, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches the third coupling member is pivotable with respect to the first coupling member (Par [0120], Ln 4-9).
Regarding Claim 11, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches the third coupling member includes a bias member (23) [Para [0084], Ln 10; as illustrated in at least Fig 8A) being configured to bias the second coupling member toward the second coupling member first position. Examiner notes the purpose of (210) is to cause the second coupling member to move from the engaged, or second position, to the disengaged, or first position, as stated above. A skilled Artisan would recognize the utility of the bias member (23) to urge the second coupling member to move from the engaged, or second position, to the disengaged, or first position.
Regarding Claim 12, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches the second coupling member includes an engagement member (394) (Para [0114], Ln 4; as illustrated in at least Fig 14D) being configured to engage the first coupling member when the first coupling member is in the first coupling member first position and the second coupling member is in the second coupling member second position (Para [0114], Ln 1-7).
Regarding Claim 13, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches a button (21) (Para [0084], Ln 3; as illustrated in at least Fig 8A) being configured to be manipulated by a user (Para [0086], Ln 1-2) and to move the first coupling member between the first coupling member first position and the first coupling member second position. Examiner notes the nomination of button (210) as a "release button" has been interpreted to mean the button is used by a user to move first coupling member between the first coupling member first position and the first coupling member second position, as would be recognized by a skilled Artisan.
Regarding Claim 14, Liberatore teaches all aspects of the claimed invention, as stated above. Liberatore further teaches a shaving head (300) (Para [0080], Ln 5; as illustrated in at least Fig 3); and a handle (100) (Para [0080], Ln 4; as illustrated in at least Fig 3);
wherein, the handle includes the first coupling member of the coupling mechanism (as illustrated in at least Fig 3) and the shaving head includes the second coupling member of the coupling mechanism (as illustrated in at least Fig 3).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 3,872,592 to Iten teaches coupling mechanism for a shaving device.
US 4,258,471 to Jacobson teaches coupling mechanism for a shaving device.
US 4,428,116 to Chen, et alia teaches coupling mechanism for a shaving device.
US 2014 0026726 to Griffin, et alia teaches coupling mechanism for a shaving device.
US 2019 0061187 to Robertson, et alia teaches coupling mechanism for a shaving device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Fred C Hammers whose telephone number is (571)272-9870. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 0080-1700.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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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/FRED C HAMMERS/
Examiner
Art Unit 3724
/BOYER D ASHLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3724