DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities:
The phrase “of the bottom plate” should be added after the word “end” in line 2.
The word “on” should be added between the words “backward” and “the” of line 3.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 6, 7 and 14 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:
The limitation “substantially located at an edge of a joint”, in line 9, is unclear because it does not require any specific position (as opposed to “located at…” for example), provides a vague range of the actual location (how close is “substantially at” a location, and may have different interpretations (i.e. is a substantial amount of the part located at the edge, is the part mostly/substantially at the edge, as in the part is near the edge). Further confusing the disclosure, is the drawings (most particularly Fig. 11) that shows the opening as being slightly spaced from an edge of the joint. As best understood by the examiner, the limitation is considered to be intended to define that the opening is near or adjacent to the edge of the joint, and will be treated as such for the sake of the current Office Action.
Similarly, lines 11-12 also use the term “substantially located”, which is also considered to be intended as “near or adjacent to”.
The limitation “in a first direction to the bottom plate”, in lines 14-15, is unclear and is assumed to be intended as ““in a first direction relative to the bottom plate”.
Claim 3 uses another similar limitation, “substantially disposed on”, which also confuses the required structure. In this case, the drawings clearly show the wedge-shaped component to be positioned on the second upper surface, and will be considered as such for the sake of the current Office Action.
Claim 7 also uses the limitation “substantially located at”, which also confuses the required structure. In this case, the drawings clearly show the beveled body component to be located at a middle position, and will be considered as such for the sake of the current Office Action.
Claims 11 and 20 are unclear because each claim completely relies on functional language that will provide a specific function to an automatic cleaning apparatus, which is not claimed or defined in the claims. Therefore, the claim appears to fail to definitively provide any additional structure other than the lifting structure having a preset distance from (and thus spaced from) the terminating end.
Regarding claim 14:
The limitation “substantially located in a direction close to the dust collection opening and away from the body” is unclear due to the “substantially” language, similar to claim 1, and also fails to clearly define a direction that could be considered as “close to an opening” (close is a relative positioned, as opposed to a direction).
The limitation “in a first direction to the self-cleaning dust collection seat”, in line 14, is unclear and is assumed to be intended as “in a first direction relative to the self-cleaning dust collection seat”.
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
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)(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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gao (CN 215305520 U).
The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Regarding claim 1, Goa discloses a bottom plate (portion of 212 to the left of the inlet 211 in Fig. 5) connected to a body (200 in Fig. 4), a body base (212) is comprised below the body of the self-cleaning dust collection seat, and is connected to the bottom plate, and wherein the body base and the bottom plate are, after being connected, configured to support an automatic cleaning apparatus (100; Fig. 4) when the automatic cleaning apparatus returns to the self-cleaning dust collection seat; a dust collection opening (211) substantially located at an edge of a joint (at the connection between parts, but the term “joint” in itself is not considered to require any movable structure) between the body base and the bottom plate; and a lifting structure (213) disposed on an upper surface of the bottom plate and adjacent to the edge of the joint between the body base and the bottom plate, wherein the lifting structure is identical to the lifting structure as disclosed for the current Office Action, and this is configured to perform the same functions.
Claim 2 – Gao discloses that the body base comprises a first upper surface with a first slope factor (as seen in Fig. 5), the bottom plate comprises a second upper surface (2121) with a second slope factor, and the first slope factor is greater than the second slope factor (the slope factor of the body appears to align with the slope factor of the outer side of the plate, whereas the central portion 2121 of the plate clearly has less of a slope factor, such that the slope factor of 2121 is clearly less than the slope factor of the base adjacent to the opening 211).
Claim 3 – Gao discloses that the lifting structure comprises: a wedge-shaped component component comprises a first inclined surface (2133), a first top surface (2134) and a second inclined surface (2135) in sequence in the first direction, and the first inclined surface, the first top surface and the second inclined surface are abutted with each other in sequence in the first direction; and a roller (2132) disposed on the first top surface, wherein the roller is configured to perform the same functions as the applicant’s disclosed invention.
Claim 4 – Gao discloses that a first included angle (α) between the first inclined surface and the first upper surface is smaller than a second included angle (β) between the second inclined surface and the first upper surface (Fig. 6).
Claim 5 – Gao discloses that a portion of the roller is embedded in the wedge-shaped component, and the roller is detachably connected to the wedge-shaped component (disclosed in written specification).
Claim 6 – Gao discloses that a number of the lifting structure is two, the two lifting structures are disposed opposite to each other in a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and a spacing between the two lifting structures in the second direction is equivalent to a width of the dust collection opening in the second direction (Fig. 5).
Claim 7 – Gao discloses that the bottom plate of the self-cleaning dust collection seat further comprises: a beveled body (2122) disposed on the edge of the joint between the bottom plate and the body base and substantially located at a middle position between the two lifting structures, wherein the beveled body is configured to prevent the automatic cleaning apparatus from touching an edge of the dust collection opening when the automatic cleaning apparatus enters a station in a forward direction (slightly different in shape, but would obviously be capable of functioning in the same manner as the beveled body of the current invention, dependent on the configuration of the automatic cleaner).
Claim 8 – Gao discloses that the bottom plate member comprises a recessed portion (2121) located at a center of the bottom plate (both sides of recessed portion are centered on the bottom plate) and raised portions (2123) located on two sides of the recessed portion, wherein the lifting structures and the beveled body are both disposed in the recessed portion.
Claim 9 – Gao discloses that a height of the lifting structure is greater than a height of each of the raised portions, and a height of the beveled body is substantially flush with the height of each of the raised portions (the upper end of the beveled body appears to meet at the opening, which is aligned with the raised portions, to the extent that the beveled body is considered to be at least substantially flush).
Claim 10 – Gao discloses that the raised portions are each provided with an anti-skid structure (not numbered but clearly shown) in the first direction, and the anti-skid structure is at least disposed on a starting end and a terminating end of the bottom plate in the first direction.
Claim 11 – Gao discloses that the lifting structure has a preset distance from the end, and the preset distance is configured to provide all of the claimed functions of the nearly identical lifting structure of the current invention.
Claim 12 – Gao discloses that the bottom plate of the self-cleaning dust collection seat is detachably connected to the body of the self-cleaning dust collection seat (shown in Fig. 5 disconnected from the body).
Claim 13 – Gao discloses a dust collection system comprising an automatic cleaning apparatus (100) and the self-cleaning dust collection seat of claim 1.
Claim 14, Gao discloses the self-cleaning dust collecting seat of claim 1, further comprising the a dust collection opening (211) configured to be docked with a dust outlet of the automatic cleaning apparatus when the automatic cleaning apparatus returns to the self- cleaning dust collection seat for a dust collection operation; and the lifting structure (213)
Regarding claims 15-20, Gao discloses all limitations, as previously addressed for corresponding claims 3-7 and 11, respectively.
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 1-3, 6-9, 13-15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (CN 113017485 A).
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses a bottom plate (portion of 21 to the left of the inlet 211 in Fig. 1) connected to a body (2 in Fig. 1), a body base (portion of 21 to the right of the inlet 211 in Fig. 1) is comprised below the body of the self-cleaning dust collection seat, and is connected to the bottom plate, and wherein the body base and the bottom plate are, after being connected, configured to support an automatic cleaning apparatus (1) when the automatic cleaning apparatus returns to the self-cleaning dust collection seat; a dust collection opening (211) substantially located at an edge of a joint (at the connection between parts, but the term “joint” in itself is not considered to require any movable structure) between the body base and the bottom plate; and a lifting structure (24) disposed on an upper surface of the bottom plate and adjacent to the edge of the joint between the body base and the bottom plate, wherein the lifting structure is configured and located in a position to perform the same functions as the applicant’s disclosed lifting structure, which substantially depends on the structure of the automatic cleaner.
Claim 2 – Wang discloses that the body base comprises a first upper surface (231) with a first slope factor (as seen in Fig. 4), the bottom plate comprises a second upper surface (any upper surface of the plate, defined as portion of 21 to the right of the inlet 211 in Fig. 1) with a second slope factor, and the first slope factor is greater than the second slope factor.
Claim 3 – Wang discloses that the lifting structure comprises: a wedge-shaped component perform the same functions as the applicant’s disclosed invention, again being substantially dependent on the structure of the automatic cleaner.
Claim 6 – Wang discloses that a number of the lifting structure is two, the two lifting structures are disposed opposite to each other in a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and a spacing between the two lifting structures in the second direction is equivalent to a width of the dust collection opening in the second direction (Fig. 4).
Claim 7 – Wang discloses that the bottom plate of the self-cleaning dust collection seat further comprises: a beveled body (opposed inner faces of 242, joined by seal 26) disposed on the edge of the joint between the bottom plate and the body base and substantially located at a middle position between the two lifting structures (when considered to include the seal 26), wherein the beveled body is configured to prevent the automatic cleaning apparatus from touching an edge of the dust collection opening when the automatic cleaning apparatus enters a station in a forward direction (slightly different in shape, but would function as part of the lifting structure, effectively function in the same manner as the beveled body of the current invention, dependent on the configuration of the automatic cleaner).
Claim 8 – Wang discloses that the bottom plate member comprises a recessed portion (majority of the plate, recessed below the lifting structure) located at a center of the bottom plate and raised portions (23) located on two sides of the recessed portion, wherein the lifting structures and the beveled body are both disposed in the recessed portion.
Claim 9 – Wang discloses that a height of the lifting structure is greater than a height of each of the raised portions (rollers shown to be higher than raised portions in Fig. 11), and a height of the beveled body is substantially flush with the height of each of the raised portions (the upper end of the beveled body appears to meet at the opening, which is aligned with the raised portions, to the extent that the beveled body is considered to be at least substantially flush).
Claim 13 – Wang discloses a dust collection system comprising an automatic cleaning apparatus (1) and the self-cleaning dust collection seat of claim 1.
Claim 14, Wang discloses the self-cleaning dust collecting seat of claim 1, further comprising the a dust collection opening (211) configured to be docked with a dust outlet of the automatic cleaning apparatus when the automatic cleaning apparatus returns to the self- cleaning dust collection seat for a dust collection operation; and the lifting structure (24)
Regarding claim 15, Wang discloses all limitations, as previously addressed for corresponding claim 3.
Claim 20, Wang discloses that the lifting structure has a preset distance from a terminating end of a bottom plate of the self-cleaning dust collection seat, and the preset distance is configured such that when the automatic cleaning apparatus enters backward the bottom plate of the self-cleaning dust collection seat, before driving wheels of the automatic cleaning apparatus climb on the terminating end, the lifting structure is not in contact with the cleaning module, and after the driving wheels of the automatic cleaning apparatus climb on the terminating end, the lifting structure props up the cleaning module. All functional structure is dependent on the configuration of the automatic cleaner, such that the structure disclosed by Wang would be inherently capable of performing the claimed functions.
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 5 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (CN 113017485 A).
Wang discloses that a portion of the roller is embedded in the wedge-shaped component, but fails to specifically disclose that the roller is detachably connected to the wedge-shaped component. However, it would have been obvious to anyone of ordinary skill in the art that it would be preferable to make the roller(s) of Wang removable to allow for removal of hair or string tangled therein, replace the rollers as needed and/or remove for service such as greasing of bearing replacement.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Each of Morin (JP 2021-35500 A)Gong et al. (TW 201709864 A), Li et al. (2024/0324842), Yu et al. (2024/0215790) and Jang et al. (2021/0031244) disclose systems having similar structure as the applicant’s claimed and disclosed invention.
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/BRYAN R MULLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723 15 July 2026
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