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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the wind duct between a wind inlet in a dust box of an automatic dust collection apparatus in a dust collection state and the dust outlet in claim 10 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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 8, 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.
The term “smooth” in the claims is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “smooth” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 8-12, 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shu CN 110974090 A.
Re claims 1, 10, Shu discloses a self-cleaning dust collection seat 20 [figs. 1, 8s, 8A, 10], comprising:
a body 211 of the self-cleaning dust collection seat, wherein a body base 210 is included below the body of the self-cleaning dust collection seat, and the body base comprises:
a dust collection opening [2120, 2122, figs. 8-8A] configured to collect dust after being docked with a dust outlet of an automatic cleaning apparatus 10, the dust collection opening extending in a first direction [downwards], a base wind duct 2123 communicated with the dust collection opening 2120, the base wind duct extending in the first direction to a position substantially at an edge of the body base [fig. 8, bottom edge] and then extending in a second direction [backwards] substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and
the body 211 of the self-cleaning dust collection seat comprises:
a dust collection chamber 22, wherein the dust collection chamber with an opening 223 facing upward and forward is disposed at a top end of the body of the self-cleaning dust collection seat, and
a body wind duct 2124 communicated with the base wind duct 2123, the body wind 2124 duct being disposed at least on a side wall of the body of the self-cleaning dust collection seat [evidenced by the position of duct 2124 in fig. 10], and being configured to communicate the base wind duct 2123 with the dust collection chamber 22;
the dust collection opening 2120 configured to collect dust after being docked with a dust outlet 140 of an automatic cleaning apparatus 10, an extension direction of a length of the dust collection opening being the same as an extension direction of a length of the dust outlet 140 [the openings 140 and 2120 have the same extension direction in fig. 1], wherein a direction [backwards] of at least a part of the base wind duct 2123 is substantially parallel to a direction of a wind duct [construed as the inside of the duct box 14 as seen in fig. 1 from forward to backwards direction] between a wind inlet [not expressly disclose but inherent to the collection box 14] in a dust box 14 of an automatic dust collection apparatus 10 in a dust collection state and the dust outlet 140. It is noted that the limitation does not include the construction of the wind duct nor how it is connected between the wind inlet and the dust outlet, therefore, the Examiner has interpreted the wind duct under BRI as the inside of the collecting box 14 which has inherently multiple directions, including a parallel direction to the second conduit 2123.
Re claims 2, 11, wherein the dust collection opening 2120 has a length extending in the first direction [downwards] and a width extending in the second direction [backwards], and the base wind duct 2123 is communicated with the dust collection opening at an end in a length direction [fig. 8A] of the dust collection opening.
Re claim 3, 12, wherein a width of the base wind duct 2123 is slightly smaller than the width of the dust collection opening 2120.
Re claims 8, 17, wherein the base wind duct has a smoothly arc connection at a turn where the base wind duct 2123 extends in the first direction [downwards] and in the second direction [backwards], and a turn where the base wind duct extends in the second direction and the body wind duct 2124 extends upward is also a smoothly arc connection [fig. 8A].
Re claim 9, Shu discloses a dust collection system, comprising: an automatic cleaning apparatus 10 and the self- cleaning dust collection seat 20.
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.
Claim(s) 4-6, 13-15, 18-19, 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shu CN 110974090 A in view of Xiao CN 108403017 A.
Re claims 4-5, 13-14, 18, Shu discloses all limitations as discussed for claims 1 and 10 above but a washing trough disposed at a lower part of the self-cleaning dust collection seat between the dust collection opening and a rear wall of the body of the self-cleaning dust collection seat, the washing trough being configured to clean a cleaning component in an automatic cleaning apparatus, and wherein a position where the base wind duct extends in the second direction is located between an edge of the washing trough and an edge of the body base.
Xiao teaches a washing trough 14 [fig. 4] disposed at a lower part of the self-cleaning dust collection seat 11 between the dust collection opening 15 and a rear wall of the body 1 of the self-cleaning dust collection seat, the washing trough 14 being configured to clean a cleaning component in an automatic cleaning apparatus 2, and wherein a position where the base wind duct 115 extends in the second direction [backwards] is located between an edge of the washing trough 14 and an edge of the body base 1.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the trough of Xiao with the cleaning seat of Shu in order to yield the predictable result of incorporation both dust suction and cleaning mop systems to the self-cleaning apparatus.
Re claims 6, 15, Xiao further teaches wherein the washing trough 14 extends in the second direction to a side wall of the body of the self-cleaning dust collection seat 1, and Shu further teaches the body wind duct 2124 extends upward along the side wall to a dust collection bin 22.
Re claim 19, Shu further teaches wherein a width of the base wind duct 2123 is slightly smaller than a width of the dust collection opening 2120.
Re claim 21, Shu discloses a dust collection system, comprising: an automatic cleaning apparatus 10 and the self- cleaning dust collection seat 20.
Claim(s) 7, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shu CN 110974090 A in view of Xie CN 213046752 U and claim(s) 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shu CN 110974090 A in view of Xiao CN 108403017 A and in further view of Xie CN 213046752 U.
Re claims 7, 16, 20, Shu teaches the invention as discussed above for claims 7 and 17, and Shu and Xiao teach the invention as discussed above for claim 20. Shu does not teach wherein a width of the body wind duct is greater than a width of the base wind duct.
However, Xie teaches wherein a width of the body 22 wind duct [figs. 3, 6]is greater than a width of the base wind duct 21 [“wherein the upstream sub-pipe 22 is a dust collecting pipe 2 inlet end, downstream corresponding to the outlet end; the normal air flow is from the inlet end to the outlet end. by analyzing the blockage position of the dust collecting pipeline 2…setting a plurality of sub-pipes 22, and the inner diameter of the downstream sub-pipe 22 is not less than the inner diameter of the upstream sub-pipe 22, avoiding the inlet and outlet caused by large and small, such as can be designed as equal inner diameter or uniformly increasing inner diameter”].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Xie with Shu and have a width in the body wind duct greater than a width of the base wind duct in order to yield the predictable result of avoiding blockage of the dust.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Carlos A. Rivera whose telephone number is (571)270-5697. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM -4PM.
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, Brian Keller can be reached at (571) 272-8548. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
C. A. R.
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 3723
/C. A. RIVERA/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
Prosecution Insights