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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendments filed on July 21, 2025, have been entered.
The previously raised drawing objections have been withdrawn in light of the amendment submitted by the Applicant on July 21, 2025.
The previously raised claim objections have been withdrawn in light of the amendment submitted by the Applicant on July 21, 2025.
The previously raised claim rejections have been withdrawn in light of the amendment submitted by the Applicant on July 21, 2025.
Drawings
The drawings were received on July 21, 2025. These drawings are accepted.
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 1-5 and 7-9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Glucksman et al (US 20030230316 A1, hereinafter “Glucksman”) in view of Bousfield et al (US 7069935 B2, hereinafter “Bousfield).
Regarding claim 1. Glucksman discloses a device (abstract and Fig 1-9), comprising: a longitudinally elongated housing (annotated Fig 4, A) comprising a pipe (annotated Fig 4, B) ; a retainer (annotated Fig 5, 68) disposed within the pipe (Fig 4-5); a tine (Fig 5, hook 65) disposed within the pipe (Fig 4-5); and an electromechanical drive configured to move the tine (annotated Fig 4, C which includes motor 30 and ¶0041-0042).
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Glucksman is silent the device is configured to unravel a hair braid.
Bousfield teaches similar device including a housing (Fig 5, 120) with motor 140 that can be permitted to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise (Col 4 lines 7-11).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the electromechanical drive motor of Glucksman’s device to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, as taught by Bousfield. In this instance, rotation of the motor in the opposite direction, which can be either clockwise or counterclockwise direction of the motor, would help the user to remove unwanted stuck hair while braiding the hair in order to meet the user’s needs and preference. Thus, the device is capable to unravel a hair braid during use.
Regarding claim 2. Glucksman and Bousfield teach the invention of claim 1. Glucksman further teaches the electromechanical drive comprises an actuator (Fig 5, third gear 62 associated with 21B).
Regarding claim 3. Glucksman and Bousfield teach the invention of claim 1. Glucksman further teaches the electromechanical drive comprises a motor (motor 30).
Regarding claim 4. Glucksman and Bousfield teach the invention of claim 1. Glucksman further teaches the tine (hook 65) is configured to move transversely within the pipe (hook 65 is capable to move transversely within the pipe while the body 20 is rotating).
Regarding claim 5. Glucksman and Bousfield teach the invention of claim 1. Glucksman further teaches the tine (Hook 65) is configured to unravel a braid when the braid is inserted within the pipe (Hook 65 is capable to unravel a braid when the braid is inserted within the pipe, while rotating the motor of the combination of Glucksman and Bousfield in the opposite direction).
Regarding claim 7. Glucksman and Bousfield teach the invention of claim 1. Glucksman further teaches the tine (Hook 65) is configured to penetrate a braid inserted within the pipe (¶0040. Hook 65 is capable to penetrate a braid inserted within the pipe) and is configured to unravel the braid (Hook 65 is capable to unravel the braid while rotating the motor of the combination of Glucksman and Bousfield in the opposite direction).
Regarding claim 8. Glucksman and Bousfield teach the invention of claim 7. Glucksman further teaches a suppressor (Fig 5, upper end of portion 64) configured to tamp down the braid (Fig 5, upper end of portion 64 is capable to tamp down the braid).
Regarding claim 9. Glucksman and Bousfield teach the invention of claim 1. Glucksman further teaches a threaded member (Fig 5, 58) disposed longitudinally within the housing and configured to be driven by the electromechanical drive (Fig 4 and ¶0042).
Regarding claim 11. Glucksman and Bousfield teach the invention of claim 1. Glucksman further teaches a limit switch (switch 16) configured to establish a home state of the electromechanical drive (¶0028 and ¶0035).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 10 are 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-11 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Regarding the Applicant’s remark on page 6-7: The Applicant alleges that the newly amended claims 1 and 6 recite sufficient structure to perform the recited function and that interpretation under 35 U.S.C. §112(f) should be withdrawn for claims 1 and 6.
In response: The Examiner notes that interpretation under 35 U.S.C. §112(f) is withdrawn for claim 6. However, the newly amended claim 1 is still does not recite sufficient structure to perform the claimed function. Therefore, interpretation under 35 U.S.C. §112(f) is maintained for claim 1.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP§ 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
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/KARIM ASQIRIBA/Examiner, Art Unit 3772
/RACHEL R STEITZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3772