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 .
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 9-19 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.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the pressing body portion" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, as “a pressing body portion” was originally recited in claim 8, and claim 9 does not depend upon claim 8.
As claims 10-19 depend upon claim 9, they are similarly rejected.
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) 1-7 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zheng (US PG Pub No. 20220202267).
In regards to claim 1, Zheng discloses
an automatic cleaning device (autonomous cleaning device, [abstract]), comprising:
a moving platform (casing 1, fig. 1-9), configured to automatically move on an operation surface (floor; [0037]: device classified as floor sweeper, wiper, washing machine) and comprising
a cover plate (upper casing of casing 1; [0043], see fig. 1-9), wherein the cover plate constitutes at least a part of a top surface (see fig. 1 - ann. 1) of the moving platform (casing 1, fig. 1-9); and
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a button assembly (at least switch assembly 3 and sensory assembly 4; fig. 2-9), assembled on the cover plate (upper casing of casing 1; [0043], see fig. 1-9), wherein the button assembly comprises
a button cap (cover 2, fig. 1-3, 5) and a bracket (part A, see fig. 2-4, 7), the button cap (cover 2, fig. 1-3, 5) is assembled on the bracket (part A, see fig. 2-4, 7), and the bracket comprises a step structure (see fig. 7 - ann. 1) extending in a circumferential direction.
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In regards to claim 2, Zheng discloses
the automatic cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein in an assembled state, the step structure (see fig. 7 - ann. 2) is a step continuously ascending from outside to inside.
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In regards to claim 3, Zheng discloses
the automatic cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the bracket (part A, see fig. 2-4, 7) comprises at least one side wall (see fig. 7 – ann. 5), and an assembly portion (see fig. 7 – ann. 5) is formed on an inner side of the at least one side wall.
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In regards to claim 4, Zheng discloses
the automatic cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the bracket (part A, see fig. 2-4, 7) comprises
a first side wall extending (see fig. 7 – ann. 6) circumferentially and continuously along an outer edge of the bracket and a second side wall (see fig. 7 – ann. 6) extending circumferentially and continuously along an interior of the bracket,
a first assembly portion (see fig. 7 – ann. 6) is formed between the first side wall and the second side wall, and a second assembly portion (see fig. 7 – ann. 6) is formed inside the second side wall.
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In regards to claim 5, Zheng discloses
the automatic cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein at least a part of the step structure (see fig. 7 - ann. 2) is located on the first assembly portion, and another part of the step structure is located on the second assembly portion (as the second side wall includes the second assembly portion, and second side wall is part of the step portion).
In regards to claim 6, Zheng discloses
the automatic cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein each of two ends of the bracket (part A, see fig. 2-4, 7) comprises
a positioning hole (at least one of installation holes 14; see fig. 7 - ann. 4),
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a lower surface of the cover plate (see fig. 5 – ann. 1) is provided with a positioning column (see fig. 5 - ann. 1) corresponding to the positioning hole, and the positioning column (see fig. 5 - ann. 1) passes through the positioning hole to realize fixation of the bracket (part A, see fig. 2-4, 7).
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In regards to claim 7, Zheng discloses
the automatic cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the bracket (part A, see fig. 2-4, 7) further comprises
a button plate (moveable member 521; fig. 8; [0075]) connected by at least one elastic arm (compression spring [0075]; see fig. 8), the button plate (moveable member 521; fig. 8; [0075]) is configured to move downwards under an external force to implement a pressing function, and the elastic arm (compression spring [0075]; see fig. 8) is configured to restore the button plate.
In regards to claim 20, Zheng discloses
an automatic cleaning system, comprising
an automatic cleaning device, wherein the automatic cleaning device comprises: a moving platform (casing 1, fig. 1-9), configured to automatically move on an operation surface (floor; [0037]: device classified as floor sweeper, wiper, washing machine) and comprising
a cover plate (upper casing of casing 1; [0043], see fig. 1-9), wherein the cover plate (upper casing of casing 1; [0043], see fig. 1-9) constitutes at least a part of a top surface (see fig. 1 - ann. 1) of the moving platform (casing 1, fig. 1-9); and
a button assembly (at least switch assembly 3 and sensory assembly 4; fig. 2-9) (at least switch assembly 3 and sensory assembly 4; fig. 2-9), assembled on the cover plate (upper casing of casing 1; [0043], see fig. 1-9), wherein the button assembly (at least switch assembly 3 and sensory assembly 4; fig. 2-9) comprises a button cap (cover 2, fig. 1-3, 5) and a bracket (part A, see fig. 2-4, 7), the button cap (cover 2, fig. 1-3, 5) is assembled on the bracket (part A, see fig. 2-4, 7), and the bracket (part A, see fig. 2-4, 7) comprises a step structure (see fig. 7 - ann. 1) extending in a circumferential direction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 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.
In regards to claim 8, Zheng discloses
the automatic cleaning device according to claim 3, but fails to disclose the structure of the button cap (cover 2, fig. 1-3, 5) having “a pressing body portion and at least one protruding portion extending downwards around the pressing body portion” and that “the at least one protruding portion is adapted to the assembly portion formed on the inner side of the at least one side wall.”
While Zheng discloses bosses on the underside of the button cap, it fails to disclose those bosses having another structure extending downwards around those bosses such that they mate/correspond to the inner side of a side wall of the assembly part A of Zheng. Zheng fails to anticipate or make obvious the claim as presented.
Claims 9-19 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
In regards to claim 9, Zheng discloses
the automatic cleaning device according to claim 7, but fails to provide that the button cap (cover 2, fig. 1-3, 5) comprises “a first protruding portion and a second protruding portion extending downwards around [[the]]a pressing body portion, and the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion are adapted to the first assembly portion and the second assembly portion respectively when the button cap (cover 2, fig. 1-3, 5) is assembled on the bracket (part A, see fig. 2-4, 7).”
Similar to claim 8, Zheng discloses bosses on the underside of the button cap, but fails to disclose those bosses having a first or second structure extending downwards around those bosses such that they mate/correspond to the inner side of a side wall of the assembly part A of Zheng. Zheng fails to anticipate or make obvious the claim as presented.
As claims 10-19 depend upon claim 9, they are also under conditions for allowance pending the 112(b) rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON KHALIL HAWKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-5446. The examiner can normally be reached M-F; 8-5PM.
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/JASON KHALIL HAWKINS/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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