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 .
Amendments
It would be helpful, but not required, for the applicant to provide a clean copy of any amended claims (in addition to a marked up copy, which is required), which would facilitate examiner review of the amended claim language for any remaining informalities.
Claim Objections
In claims 3, 6, and 10, consider use of numbered or lettered identifiers (i.e. (1), (2) … or (a), (b) …) and indents [as well as line breaks] to more clearly distinguish the groups of alternative limitations, such as using:
--(a) [group of limitations]; and/or
(b) [group of limitations]; and/or
(c) [group of limitations]. --
Additionally, with respect to claim 10, consider more clearly delimiting limitations, including through selective use of semicolons such as reciting:
--The vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, (a) wherein the partition wall, the outer connection wall and the outer duct are arc-shaped, and the circumferential wall surrounds the axis of the rotating shaft of the motor; and/or
[add indent] (b) the vacuum cleaner further comprises an outer shell, the outer shell is located on the upper side of the lower cover and covers the exhaust air hood, the air window wall is arranged on the outer shell, and a lower end edge of the air window wall is attached to the lower cover[[;]] , [substituted comma for semicolon] the lower cover is provided with a suction air port, a bottom plate and an annular wall for being surrounded to form the lower annular part, the suction airflow flows through the suction air port, the suction air port penetrates through upper and lower sides of the bottom plate, the bottom plate constitutes a bottom wall of the lower annular part, the impeller shell is located between a lower end of the middle cylinder wall and the bottom plate, and the plurality of first extending portions and the bottom plate clamp the third noise reducer along an up-down direction, [inserted comma, deleted semicolon and “and”] the annular wall extends upward from a circumferential edge of the bottom plate, the circumferential wall couples with the annular wall along the up-down direction, the circumferential wall constitutes an outer circumferential wall of the upper annular part, and the annular wall constitutes an outer circumferential wall of the lower annular part--.
The examiner does not consider claim 10 to be indefinite, despite the second recitation of “and” as well as the delimitation using semicolons in view of the prosecution history, and how line breaks were presented in the claim, as it is clear that the limitations were added into claim 10 from now canceled claim 14 and intended to be an alterative to the limitations in original claim 10 (i.e. the claim requires [all of the limitations of originally filed claim 10] and/or [all of the limitations from originally filed claim 14])
In claim 6, consider --wherein the end of the outer duct, constituting the air duct outlet, of the outer duct, constituting the air duct outlet, the airflow through the exhaust air duct is all discharged out of the exhaust air duct from the air duct outlet and all passes through the first noise reducer; and/or the first noise reducer blocks the outer duct--
In claim 9, optionally consider --The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein the exhaust air duct constitutes a spiral duct, the vacuum cleaner further comprises a spiral side wall for forming the spiral duct, the spiral side wall is provided with a circumferential wall [[for]] being surrounded to form the inner duct and an outer connection wall connected with the circumferential wall, the circumferential wall is in a non- closed annular shape, the partition wall belongs to the circumferential wall, the partition wall is further configured for forming the outer duct with the outer connection wall, a[[n]] first end of the partition wall is a free end and constitutes a[[n]] first end of the circumferential wall, an opposite second end of the circumferential wall is connected with a[[n]] first end of the outer connection wall, and an air outlet of the inner duct is formed between the opposite second end of the circumferential wall and the free end of the partition wall, the air outlet of the inner duct constitutes an air inlet of the outer duct, an air outlet of the outer duct is formed between an opposite second end of the outer connection wall and an opposite second end of the partition wall, and the air outlet of the outer duct constitutes the air duct outlet--. The examiner suggests this would further distinguish the recitation of multiple ends in the claim language.
In claim 10, consider --;and/or the vacuum cleaner further comprises an outer shell, the outer shell is located on [[the]] an upper side of [[the]] a lower cover and covers [[the]] a exhaust air hood, the air window wall is arranged on the outer shell, and a lower end edge of the air window wall is attached to the lower cover; the lower cover is provided with a suction air port, a bottom plate and an annular wall [[for]] being surrounded to form [[the]] a lower annular part, the suction airflow flows through the suction air port, the suction air port penetrates through an upper side and a lower side[[s]] of the bottom plate, the bottom plate constitutes a bottom wall of the lower annular part, [[the]] an impeller shell is located between a lower end of [[the]] a middle cylinder wall and the bottom plate, and [[the]] a plurality of first extending portions and the bottom plate clamp [[the]] a third noise reducer along an up-down direction; and the annular wall extends upward from a circumferential edge of the bottom plate, the circumferential wall couples with the annular wall along the up-down direction, the circumferential wall constitutes an outer circumferential wall of [[the]] an upper annular part, and the annular wall constitutes an outer circumferential wall of the lower annular part--.
In claim 15, consider --an airflow output by the air duct outlet is discharged into the expansion chamber, and [[the]] a distal wall, the expansion chamber and the air duct outlet are located on a periphery of the circumferential wall; and the spiral duct surrounds the axis of the rotating shaft of the motor, the air window wall constitutes an outer wall of the expansion chamber relative to an exterior of the vacuum cleaner, a part of the circumferential wall is opposite to the air window wall along a radial direction of the rotating shaft of the motor, the part of the circumferential wall opposite to the air window wall along a radial direction of the rotating shaft of the motor and the air window wall are located on the same side of the motor--
In claim 16, consider -- a bottom surface A of a[[n]] first end, adjacent to the air duct outlet, of the spiral top wall is lower than a bottom surface B, […] [[an]] the first end, adjacent to the air duct outlet, of the spiral top wall is higher than an opposite second end of the spiral top wall, and the opposite second end of the spiral top wall is integrally connected with the free end of the partition wall--.
In claim 23, consider -- an air inlet window and an air outlet window are respectively located on a left and a right side[[s]] of the outer shell--, -- the first concave portion and the second concave portion are respectively located on the left side and the right side[[s]] of the outer shell--, and -- a fourth noise reducer is located on a first side, facing away from the first buckle, of the air inlet window, and a fifth noise reducer is located on a first side, facing away from the second buckle, of the air outlet window.--
In claim 25, consider -- the air window wall is arranged on a front side or a rear side of the outer shell--, -- the first groove is located on a second side, facing away from the fourth noise reducer, of the air inlet window; the second groove is located on a second side, facing away from the fifth noise reducer, of the air outlet window--, -- the air outlet window is in direct communication with the second groove and [[the]] an interior of the second protrusion portion--
In claim 26, consider -- the first protrusion portion is provided with a first outer side wall and a second outer side wall that are respectively located on a front side and a rear side[[s]] thereof--, -- the second protrusion portion is provided with a third outer side wall and a fourth outer side wall that are respectively located on a front side and a rear side[[s]] thereof--
In claim 30, consider -- the air outlet window is located downstream of the air outlet of the heat dissipation duct, and the heat dissipation duct is in fluid communication between the heat dissipation air outlet of the motor and [[an]] the interior of the second protrusion portion;
the air outlet of the heat dissipation duct and the air outlet window are respectively located on a left side and a right side[[s]] of the second protrusion portion, the air outlet of the heat dissipation duct is toward the air outlet window--
The applicant is strongly encouraged to review the amended claims for any antecedent basis issues, with consideration of claim dependency, as incorporation of limitations from one claim into another claim can introduce further antecedent basis issues. This would provide for further streamlined prosecution. As mentioned above it would be helpful, but not required, for the applicant to provide a clean copy of any amended claims (in addition to a marked up copy, which is required), which would facilitate examiner review of the amended claim language for any remaining informalities.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (CN 110522344 A) in view of Holsten (US 6158083 A) and Kraus (EP 2510851 B1).
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Ann. fig. 2 (Sun)
With respect to claim 1, Sun discloses A vacuum cleaner, comprising an exhaust air duct (101, figs. 1-2; [0032-0033]) an air window wall for ventilation (air window wall at the location of 20, figs. 1-2; [0032]), a first noise reducer which is breathable (the noise reducer 30 [of the multiple noise reducers] at the location between the ends of leader lines of two of 201, fig. 2, see ann. fig. 2 above, noise reducer 30 described in [0032-0033] and detailed in fig. 3; the first noise reducer includes holes as in [0034] in 301 and 302, fig. 3 that at least partially allows air flow), and a tail end of the exhaust air duct is provided with an air duct outlet for air exhaust of the exhaust air duct (ann. fig. 2, above, leads to exhaust at 20, [0032-0033]), the air window wall is located downstream of the air duct outlet (the exhaust port is at 20 and airflows from exhaust port 10, fig. 2 into the duct 101, then into 20, as in [0048]), the first noise reducer blocks the exhaust air duct (the first noise reducer includes holes as in [0034] in 301 and 302, fig. 3 that at least partially blocks air flow), however does not explicitly disclose a motor, an impeller being able to be driven by the motor to rotate so as to generate a suction airflow, a second noise reducer which is breathable, and the second noise reducer is shielded on an inner side of the air window wall, where an airflow discharged by the impeller flows through the exhaust air duct and sequentially passes through the first noise reducer, the second noise reducer, and the air window wall,
As for a motor, an impeller being able to be driven by the motor to rotate so as to generate a suction airflow, Sun provides that the arrangement configured to collect dust ([0008-0009]).
Holsten, in the same field of endeavor, related to vacuum cleaners (abstract), teaches of a motor an impeller being able to be driven by the motor to rotate so as to generate a suction airflow (motor 124, fig. 5 with an impeller 126, fig. 5 col 5 lines 24-31, generates airflow as blower assembly, which would be suction on one side). Holsten states that it is conventional to include a motor and impeller to generate air flow and collect debris (col 1 lines 20-33).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Sun and have included a motor and impeller, as taught by Holsten, to enable collection of debris by generation of an airflow.
Karus, in the same field of endeavor teaches of a second noise reducer which is breathable (second noise reducer 19, fig. 1 [0025], allows air through), and the second noise reducer is shielded on an inner side of the air window wall (is shielded on a side of an inner wall of exhaust at 15, fig .1; [0022], and can be in series with a filter as in [0011]). Karus teaches that this arrangement reduces noise ([0025]) which is desirable for everyday activities ([0005]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Sun and have included a second noise reducer, using the teachings of Karus, to reduce noise for everyday activities. The modification would have resulted in where an airflow discharged by the impeller flows through the exhaust air duct and sequentially passes through the first noise reducer, the second noise reducer, and the air window wall, as Sun provides that the air flow passes through the duct, and thus the filters before the air window wall (Sun, the exhaust port is at 20 and airflows from exhaust port 10, fig. 2 into the duct 101, then into 20, as in [0048]), and adding in a second noise reducer as taught by Karus would result in flow through the second noise reducer before the air window wall where it is finally exhausted.
With respect to claim 2, Sun, as modified, teaches the limitations of claim 1 above, and further teaches wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises an expansion chamber located downstream of the air duct outlet (Sun, expansion chamber in ann. fig. 2, the downstream air flow in [0048], as air flows tough duct 101 before exiting at 20, and the expansion chamber is between), the second noise reducer is located inside the expansion chamber (Karus provides for a noise reducer immediately before the external exhaust 15, fig. 1, and as such the second noise reducer would be located in the expansion chamber, also immediately before the external exhaust 20 in Sun ), and an airflow output by the air duct outlet is discharged into the expansion chamber and sequentially passes through the second noise reducer and the air window wall so as to be discharged out of the expansion chamber (Sun, [0048] describes the air flow, the modified result would be that the air passes through the expansion chamber right after the air duct outlet, and into the second noise reducer which is right before the air window wall) ; and the airflow output by the air duct outlet spreads in the expansion chamber (Sun, given the volume and shape of the expansion chamber, the air can spread, not being contained by the walls of the air duct), and the air duct outlet constitutes an air inlet of the expansion chamber (at the interface of such, the air duct outlet constitutes an air inlet of the expansion chamber, which is otherwise consistent with the instant drawings).
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Ann. fig. 1 (Sun)
With respect to claim 3, Sun, as modified, teaches the limitations of claim 2 above, and further teaches wherein the air window wall is exposed to an outer side of the vacuum cleaner (Sun, see figs. 1 and 2, where the wall where the air window 20 is located in forms an outer side of the vacuum cleaner), the air window wall is in communication with an exterior of the vacuum cleaner and the expansion chamber (Sun, through air windows in ann. fig. 1 above), the air window wall is provided with a first air window, a second air window and an airtight baffle connected between the first air window and the second air window (Sun, the grille arrangement in ann. fig. 1 above), the first air window is located on a side, close to the air duct outlet, of the airtight baffle, the second air window is located on a side, away from the air duct outlet, of the airtight baffle (Sun, one of the air windows of the grille are closer to the air duct outlet than the other because of the curvature of the wall, in this case, the left side air window is closer), the second noise reducer abuts on an inner side of the first air window, an inner side of the second air window and an inner side of the airtight baffle (second noise reducer would abut by being adjacent to the baffle, consistent with instant fig. 3 where there is a gap between the air window 300 and 301, and reducer 13), the second noise reducer completely shields the first air window and the second air window (the noise reducer would “completely shield” the air window by being in front of it in terms of air flow, while allowing air flow through, as in the configuration of Karus, fig. 1 with reducer 19 and exhaust 15), and the airflow discharged from the air duct outlet into the expansion chamber is discharged out of the expansion chamber through the first air window and the second air window (Sun, the air would flow through the grilles, which are provided for the purpose of air flow, the air flow would go through the expansion chamber after leaving the air duct); and/or the vacuum cleaner further comprises a handle and an outer shell, the handle is located on an outer side of the outer shell and is connected with the outer shell, the air window wall is arranged on the outer shell, the outer shell is provided with at least one first positioning portion extending downward, the at least one first positioning portion and the air window wall clamp the second noise reducer, and the at least one first positioning portion is located inside the expansion chamber (group of limitations in the alternative not addressed); and/or the first noise reducer is arranged at the air duct outlet, and the air duct outlet is toward the air window wall (Sun, see position of first noise reducer relative to duct outlet in ann. fig. 1 above).
With respect to claim 19, Sun, as modified, teaches the limitations of claim 2 above, and further teaches wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises at least one second positioning portion (Sun, at the portion of the air duct, where the columns holding plate 302, fig. 3 are found, ann. fig. 1 above [0035-0036] described “groove” which as seen in figs. 1-2 are defined by two side columns protruding from the wall of the air duct) the first noise reducer is arranged at a predetermined position of the exhaust air duct (Sun, the first noise reducer, ann. fig. 1, is held at a specific position, at least in the arraignment of the figure, [0035-0036]), and the at least one second positioning portion blocks a side of the first noise reducer to prevent the first noise reducer from leaving the predetermined position under an impact of airflow in the exhaust air duct (Sun, the second positioning portions hold plate 302, fig. 3, [0035-0036] in place, though columns in in which the plate 302 is held in place with); the predetermined position is the air duct outlet (Sun, figs 1-2; one of the noise reducers are held at the outlet, see also ann. fig. 1 above) and the at least one second positioning portion blocks a downstream side of the first noise reducer (Sun, protrudes into part of the plate 302, fig. 3; from the perspective of figs. 1-2 to slot it in place) the at least one second positioning portion is arranged as spaced-apart extension columns (Sun, two columns protruding from the wall of the air duct, ann. fig .1, fig. 2).
Claim(s) 5-6, 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (CN 110522344 A) in view of Holsten (US 6158083 A) and Kraus (EP 2510851 B1), and further in view of Gau (TW I308488 B)
With respect to claim 5, Sun, as modified, teaches the limitations of claim 2 above, and further teaches the impeller is able to be driven by the rotating shaft of the motor to rotate (Holsten, motor 124, fig. 5 with an impeller 126, fig. 5 col 5 lines 24-31) however does not explicitly teach wherein the exhaust air duct is provided with an inner duct, an outer duct connected with the inner duct, and a partition wall, the inner duct is annular around an axis of a rotating shaft of the motor, the impeller is able to be driven by the rotating shaft of the motor to rotate, the outer duct surrounds the inner duct, the outer duct is located downstream of the inner duct, an end of the outer duct constitutes the air duct outlet, an opposite end of the outer duct is in direct communication with the inner duct, and the partition wall is shared by the inner duct and the outer duct so as to separate the inner duct from the outer duct.
Gau (references are to page numbering in translation), in the same field of endeavor ,related to vacuum cleaners (abstract), teaches wherein the exhaust air duct is provided with an inner duct (inner duct 42, fig. 3; last 8 lines of page 5 to first 4 lines of page 6) an outer duct connected with the inner duct (outer duct being a set of ducts 45, fig. 3 and duct 24, fig .3; last 4 lines of page 5 to first 4 lines of page 6; page 5 lines 28-35; an air duct with multiple “partial” ducts is consistent with the instant disclosure), and a partition wall (“a spacer (44) extending a spiral ring shape is formed at a position slightly higher than the bottom of the inner groove (41), fig. 3; last 6 lines of page 5 to first 4 lines of page 6), the inner duct is annular around an axis of a rotating shaft of the motor (inner duct 42 surrounds motor 30, fig. 3 page 5 lines 35-38, including an axis at the center of the motor which drives impeller 31 shown in fig. 2), the outer duct surrounds the inner duct, the outer duct is located downstream of the inner duct (outer duct 45 is shown in fig. 3 to surround inner duct, see airflow in fig. 4; page 6 lines 22-36; this interpretation of surround is consistent with instant fig. 2 and 3 to include a partial surround), an end of the outer duct constitutes the air duct outlet (Gau provides that the outer duct leads to outlet at 25, fig. 3, page 6 lines 22-36, when modified into Sun, would result in a spiral duct terminating with a noise reducer as in ann. fig. 1 of Sun, before exhausting to the outside), an opposite end of the outer duct is in direct communication with the inner duct (the ducts are in sequential communication with each other, see airflow in fig. 4; page 6 lines 22-36), and the partition wall is shared by the inner duct and the outer duct so as to separate the inner duct from the outer duct (see partition wall 44, fig. 3 of Gau). Gau teaches that this arrangement reduces noise (abstract).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Sun and have included the spiral air duct arrangement with an inner and outer air duct of Gau, for the purpose of reducing noise.
With respect to claim 6, Sun, as modified, teaches the limitations of claim 5 above, and further teaches wherein the end, constituting the air duct outlet, of the outer duct constitutes a tail end of the exhaust air duct, and the first noise reducer blocks the end, constituting the air duct outlet, of the outer duct, so as to block the exhaust air duct (as explained in the rejection of claim 5, the air duct of Sun ultimately terminates in the noise reducer, and the outer air duct of Gau would be incorporated into Sun to have the same terminating arrangement, and in claim 1 it was explained that the noise reducer partially blocks the end with holes to allow air through) ; and/or the partition wall is airtight, so as to prevent air in the inner duct from entering the outer duct through the partition wall , and an airflow conveyed by the exhaust air duct is all discharged out of the exhaust air duct from the air duct outlet and all passes through the first noise reducer; (group of limitations in the alterative not addressed) and/or the first noise reducer blocks the outer duct (as explained in the rejection of claim 5, the air duct of Sun ultimately terminates in the noise reducer, and the outer air duct of Gau would be incorporated into Sun to have the same terminating arrangement, and in claim 1 it was explained that the noise reducer partially blocks the end with holes to allow air through).
With respect to claim 9, Sun, as modified, teaches the limitations of claim 5 above, however does not explicitly teach wherein the exhaust air duct constitutes a spiral duct, the vacuum cleaner further comprises a spiral side wall for forming the spiral duct, the spiral side wall is provided with a circumferential wall for being surrounded to form the inner duct and an outer connection wall connected with the circumferential wall, the circumferential wall is in a non- closed annular shape, the partition wall belongs to the circumferential wall, the partition wall is further configured for forming the outer duct with the outer connection wall, an end of the partition wall is a free end and constitutes an end of the circumferential wall, an opposite end of the circumferential wall is connected with an end of the outer connection wall, and an air outlet of the inner duct is formed between the opposite end of the circumferential wall and the free end of the partition wall, the air outlet of the inner duct constitutes an air inlet of the outer duct, an air outlet of the outer duct is formed between an opposite end of the outer connection wall and an opposite end of the partition wall, and the air outlet of the outer duct constitutes the air duct outlet.
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Ann. fig. 2 (Gau)
Gau further teaches wherein the exhaust air duct constitutes a spiral duct (last 8 lines of page 5 to first 4 lines of page 6, spiral ring shape, spiral annular manner), the vacuum cleaner further comprises a spiral side wall for forming the spiral duct (ann. fig. 2), the spiral side wall is provided with a circumferential wall for being surrounded to form the inner duct and an outer connection wall connected with the circumferential wall (ann. fig. 2, the circumferential wall/partition wall, consistent with instant disclosure, forms inner duct 42), the circumferential wall is in a non- closed annular shape (ann. fig. 2 above), the partition wall belongs to the circumferential wall (partition wall is/is part of circumferential wall), the partition wall is further configured for forming the outer duct with the outer connection wall (ann. fig. 2 above, forms part of outer duct 45 with outer connection wall) , an end of the partition wall is a free end and constitutes an end of the circumferential wall (ann. fig. 2 above), an opposite end of the circumferential wall is connected with an end of the outer connection wall (circumferential wall then spirals around meeting with outer connection wall), and an air outlet of the inner duct is formed between the opposite end of the circumferential wall and the free end of the partition wall (the transition/air outlet between the inner duct and the outer duct is as in ann. fig. 2 above), the air outlet of the inner duct constitutes an air inlet of the outer duct (an inlet of outer duct is outlet of inner duct at point of connection), an air outlet of the outer duct is formed between an opposite end of the outer connection wall and an opposite end of the partition wall (same as with the inlet of the inner duct), and the air outlet of the outer duct constitutes the air duct outlet (as explained in the rejection of claim 5, the air duct of Sun ultimately terminates in the noise reducer, and the outer air duct of Gau would be incorporated into Sun to have the same terminating arrangement, which is at the end of the air duct outlet). Gau teaches that this arrangement reduces noise (abstract).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Sun and have included the spiral air duct wall arrangement of Gau, for the purpose of reducing noise.
With respect to claim 10, Sun, as modified, teaches the limitations of claim 9 above, wherein the partition wall, the outer connection wall and the outer duct are arc-shaped, and the circumferential wall surrounds the axis of the rotating shaft of the motor (Gau, the partition wall, outer connection wall and the outer duct are arc-shaped to form a spiral duct as explained in the rejection of claim 9 above using ann. fig. 2 of Gau; and as addressed in claim 5 the inner duct, and therefore it’s circumferential wall surrounds the axis of the rotating shaft of the motor); and/or the vacuum cleaner further comprises an outer shell, the outer shell is located on the upper side of the lower cover and covers the exhaust air hood, the air window wall is arranged on the outer shell, and a lower end edge of the air window wall is attached to the lower cover; the lower cover is provided with a suction air port, a bottom plate and an annular wall for being surrounded to form the lower annular part, the suction airflow flows through the suction air port, the suction air port penetrates through upper and lower sides of the bottom plate, the bottom plate constitutes a bottom wall of the lower annular part, the impeller shell is located between a lower end of the middle cylinder wall and the bottom plate, and the plurality of first extending portions and the bottom plate clamp the third noise reducer along an up-down direction; and the annular wall extends upward from a circumferential edge of the bottom plate, the circumferential wall couples with the annular wall along the up-down direction, the circumferential wall constitutes an outer circumferential wall of the upper annular part, and the annular wall constitutes an outer circumferential wall of the lower annular part (group of limitations in the alterative not required by claim, and not addressed)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-12,15-16, 23, 25-30 and 32 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.
With respect to claim 11, Sun provides for multiple noise reducers (see multiple noise reducers 30), however does not provide for a third noise reducer arranged as in the claim, with all of the limitations required by the claim. Murata (JP 2004081428 A) provides for a noise reducer around an impeller/motor however, the claim requires a specific arrangement, including, amongst other limitations a specific impeller shell and with extending portions of a hood abutting the third noise reducer, that would be a non-obvious arrangement. Claim 12 is dependent on claim 11 and is also thus allowable subject matter.
With respect to claim 15, Gau, as above is the closest prior art, however Gau does not, alone or in combination, together with the other limitations required by claim 15, teach the expansion chamber and the air duct outlet are located on a periphery of the circumferential wall. Because Gau provides for an exit as part of an analogous upper shell/hood, and the circumferential wall is part of a lower shell/hood, and because Sun is spaced from analogous circumferential wall around 10, the arrangement as a whole would be non-obvious. Claim 16 is dependent on claim 15 and is also thus allowable subject matter.
With respect to claim 23, the claim requires a specific arrangement of a fourth noise reducer and fifth noise reducer, buckle, and heat dissipation fan. While Gau provides for a heat dissipation fan (32), Sang (CN 121549682 A) provides for buckles with air grilles (fig. 9) as well as a fan (16) for heat dissipation, and Murata provides for peripheral sound deadening members (27a), the combination of the claim as a whole, including with the intervening claims would be non-obvious, requiring, in the view of the examiner, inventive effort to accomplish, and requires the arrangement of multiple distinct air flows and placement of noise reducers at air inlets/outlets relative to buckles. Claims 25-30 and 32, require the limitations of claim 23 and is also thus allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Steven Huang whose telephone number is (571)272-6750. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 6:30 am to 2:30 pm, Friday 6:30 am to 11:00 am (Eastern Time).
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/Steven Huang/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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