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 transmitting portion (element 134) described in claim 9 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.
Claim 7 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 7 recites the limitations "the guide portion" and “the board” in the second line of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. Specifically, because claim 7 is dependent on claims 1 and 5, and “a guide portion” and “a board” were never described in claims 1 or 5, there is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitations. For purposes of compact prosecution, Examiner interprets claim 7 to be dependent on claim 6 which does describe “a guide portion” and “a board”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-5, 8, 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Freese (US 2020/0046184).
Regarding claim 1, Freese discloses a suction port body for an electric vacuum cleaner, comprising:
a case body having a curve-shaped portion being curved so as to protrude upward and a suction port in a bottom surface (case body defined as housing 110 which has a curve shaped portion defined as the lip denoted by 160 which as seen in Fig 1 below, is curved such that it protrudes upwards, and a suction port defined as opening 127 in bottom surface 120 [0009]);
a pipe portion that is provided at rear of the curve-shaped portion and is configured to allow communication between a suction source and the suction port (pipe portion indicated as the upwardly extending pipe shaped portion in Fig 1 above element 114 which is rear of the curve shaped portion and as illustrated by the arrows in Fig 2 below and explained by [0009] allows communication between the suction port 127 and a suction motor elsewhere in the vacuum); and
a light source arranged so as to radiate light to a front side of the case body, wherein the light source is located in front of the pipe portion and at rear of a top portion of the curve-shaped portion (light sources 111 are arranged to radiate light to a front side, element 112, of the case body 110, are located in front of the pipe portion and are at rear of a top portion, defined as the highest point of 160, of the curve shaped portion, Figs 1-2 [0018]).
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Regarding claim 2, Freese discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the case body comprises:
a main body case that has the suction port and defines a suction space (main body case defined as the housing except for the very top layer of the housing that is visible in Fig 1, which defines a suction space, defined as agitator chamber 123 as seen in Fig 2 [0009]); and
a covering case covering at least a part of the main body case, and wherein the light source is arranged between the main body case and the covering case (the covering case defined as the very top layer of the housing visible in Fig 1, or in other words all of housing 110 not included in the main body case, which covers at least a part of the main body case, and the light sources 111 are arranged between the main body case and the covering case, as seen in Fig 1 111 are below the upper most layer of the housing and above the rest of the housing 110).
Regarding claim 3, Freese discloses the limitations of claim 2, as described above, and further discloses the suction space (123 as previously described); and
a communicating portion that is provided at rear of the suction space and is configured to allow communication between the suction space and the pipe portion (dirty air inlet 129 is provided at rear of 123 and allows communication between the 123 and the pipe portion as indicated by the arrows in Fig 2 above [0009]),
wherein the light source is arranged above the suction space (as shown by Fig 2 above, the light source is arranged such that there is a significant portion of the suction space 123 below it vertically and is therefore arranged above 123).
Regarding claim 4, Freese discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the case body includes a base portion at rear of the top portion of the curve-shaped portion (base portion defined as the base provided by main body portion of 110 that the light source is situated on top of which extends all the way from where the light source sits to directly above leading roller 124, as shown in Fig 2, which is behind the top portion of the curve shaped portion), and
wherein, when a light-emitting unit including the light source is arranged on the base portion, an optical axis of the light source is inclined so as to extend toward the bottom surface (111 can include LEDs which are a light emitting unit [0018], 111 is arranged on the base portion and an optical axis of the light source would be capable of extending in the general direction of the bottom surface 120).
Regarding claim 5, Freese discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses the case body includes a base portion at rear of the top portion of the curve-shaped portion, and wherein the base portion is arranged at a position lower than the top portion (base portion defined as the base provided by main body portion of 110 that the light source is situated on top of which extends all the way from where the light source sits to directly above leading roller 124, as shown in Fig 2, which is behind the top portion of the curve shaped portion and the base portion contains geometry arranged at a position lower than the top portion, annotated Fig 2 provided below for reference).
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Regarding claim 8, Freese discloses the limitations of claim 2, as described above, and further discloses a rotary cleaning body provided rotatably in the suction space (rotary cleaning body 122 is provided rotatably in suction space 123 [0010] Fig 2);
a drive unit serving as a drive source for the rotary cleaning body (motor 3202 drives 122 [0065] Figs 32-33 shown below); and
a power transmission mechanism configured to transmit a drive force from the drive unit to the rotary cleaning body (power transmission mechanism including drive gear 3206 and gear train/belt 3208 which transmit the force from the motor to 122 [0065]),
wherein the covering case covers the power transmission mechanism (as seen below in Fig 32 the power transmission mechanism including 3206 and 3208 are located below the top most surface of case body 110 which is defined as the covering case and are therefore covered by the covering case).
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Regarding claim 10, Freese discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses a rotary cleaning body provided rotatably inside the case body (rotary cleaning body 122 is provided rotatably in suction space 123 [0010] Fig 2);
a drive unit serving as a drive source for the rotary cleaning body (motor 3202 drives 122 [0065] Figs 32-33); and
a power transmission mechanism configured to transmit a drive force from the drive unit to the rotary cleaning body (power transmission mechanism including drive gear 3206 and gear train/belt 3208 which transmit the force from the motor to 122 [0065]),
wherein the drive unit is arranged above and diagonally behind the rotary cleaning body (drive unit 3202 as shown in Fig 32 is arranged above and contains geometry diagonally behind the rotary cleaning body 122).
Regarding claim 11, Freese discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above, and further discloses an electric vacuum cleaner comprising the suction port body of claim 1 ([0007] explains the cleaning apparatus may include any type of vacuum cleaner and [0020] explains the use of an electrical motor).
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 6-7, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Freese (US 2020/0046184) in view of Wyatt (US 20210229289).
Regarding claim 6, Freese discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above. However, Freese fails to disclose a light-emitting unit including: a cover that allows transmission of light emitted from the light source; and a guide portion configured to guide the light emitted from the light source to the cover, wherein the light-emitting unit is fixed to the case body while the guide portion is interposed between a board on which the light source is arranged and the cover (Specifically, Freese does disclose a light emitting unit and light source as previously mentioned but does not disclose specifics on how they are arranged or covered).
Wyatt is also concerned with light emitting units and teaches a light-emitting unit including:
a cover that allows transmission of light emitted from the light source (light-transmissive cover 34 allows transmission of light emitted from source 27 which are LEDs [0045] [0049] Fig 2 shown below); and
a guide portion configured to guide the light emitted from the light source to the cover (guide portion defined as holes 26 and fins 25, the fins act to segment the light from 27 making the light more directional thereby guiding it [0047] Fig 2),
wherein the light-emitting unit is fixed to the case body while the guide portion is interposed between a board on which the light source is arranged and the cover (guide portion is interposed between a board 28 on which 27 is arranged and the cover 34, specifically the guide portion lies on mount 24 [0047] Fig 2).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to simply substitute the light emitting unit disclosed by Wyatt for the light emitting unit used in Freese. Different lighting configurations are known to be beneficial in different scenarios, in the art. Leading to the predictable result of a functioning light emitting unit illuminating an area.
Regarding claim 7, Freese, as modified, discloses the limitations of claim 5, as described above, and further discloses the guide portion and the board are fixed to each other through intermediation of an engagement structure (the guide portion, 26 and 25, and the board 28 are fixed to each other through intermediation of mount 24, defined as engagement structure [0045]).
Regarding claim 9, Freese discloses the limitations of claim 1, as described above. However, Freese fails to disclose the case body includes a transmitting portion having translucency, and wherein light emitted from the light source is transmitted through the transmitting portion.
Wyatt is also concerned with light emitting units and teaches a transmitting portion having translucency, and wherein light emitted from the light source is transmitted through the transmitting portion (transmitting portion defined as cover 34 which is a light-transmissive cover, interpreted as having translucency, where light emitted from the light source 27 is transmitted through the transmitting portion [0045]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to simply substitute the light emitting unit disclosed by Wyatt for the light emitting unit used in Freese. Different lighting configurations are known to be beneficial in different scenarios, in the art. Leading to the predictable result of a functioning light emitting unit illuminating an area.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN M LARSON whose telephone number is (571)272-2765. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm.
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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.
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/J.M.L./Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/BRIAN D KELLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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