DETAILED ACTION
WINDOW CLEANING ROBOT
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 § 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) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US20250072674A1) in view of Chao (US20250031922A1).
Regarding claim 1, Liu teaches a main body (1, figure 1a) including a top shell (30, figure 1a) and a bottom shell (10, figure 1a), wherein the top shell and the bottom shell define an internal space (figure 1a) of the main body and the bottom shell includes a plurality of air inlets (676, figure 1a,2,7; para 0094);
driving mechanism (297, figure 9a; para 0047,0054-0093) , wherein the air inlets (676, figures 1a-7) are disposed;
mechanism (21, para 0080) disposed in the internal space (figure 1a) and configured to extract air, through the inlets of the bottom shell, between the two driving mechanisms to create negative pressure to form a vacuum area located between the two driving mechanisms (para 0072-0082);
an accommodating portion (22, figure 1a) configured to accommodate the mechanism; and an air tube (666/7, figures 1a) disposed in the internal space, including an air inlet end coupled to an opening of the accommodating portion and an air outlet end coupled to an air exhaust opening toward the driving mechanism (para 0078-0080);
wherein the air inlet end of the air tube is configured to receive the extracted air and the extracted air is then exhausted toward the driving mechanism via the air tube and the air exhaust opening (par 0078-0080).
Liu fails to teach at least two driving mechanisms, wherein the air inlet is disposed between the two driving mechanisms and air pump.
However Liu does disclose the apparatus includes a track wheel set, and not be limited to one track wheel set and can be increased the number of track wheel sets to increase a cleaning area and cleaning power.
Chao teaches a window cleaning machine (abstract) that includes at least two driving mechanism, and plurality of air inlets (551 and 552, figure 4) is disposed between the two driving mechanism (12a and 12b, figures 1-5) and air pump (para 0034) configured to extract air, through the inlets (551 and 552, figure 4) of the bottom shell.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liu’s apparatus to include at least two driving mechanism, wherein the plurality air inlets are disposed between the two driving mechanisms ,and air pump based on the teachings of Chao. This modification would help increase the cleaning area and cleaning power, and clean a non-horizontal pane surface more efficiently and clings firmly to the non-horizontal pane surface by suction (see para 0120 of Chao).
Regarding claim 2, modified Liu teaches wherein the driving mechanism includes a caterpillar mechanism (see Liu 0093 and see para ).
Regarding claim 3, modified Liu teaches the bottom shell is coupled to a floating plate (see Liu 642, figure 2) and the floating plate includes an opening (see Liu 607, figure 2) to exposure the air inlets and at least two driving mechanism relief holes (see Liu 657 and para 0069-0075,0093).
Regarding claim 4, modified Liu teaches wherein the window cleaning robot further includes a water tank (see Liu para 0047).
Regarding claim 5, modified Liu teaches wherein the accommodating portion (see Liu 660, figure 1a) includes a cylindrical accommodating portion (see Liu figure 1a).
Regarding claim 6, modified Liu teaches an inner wall of the cylindrical accommodating portion (see Liu 660, figures 2-9) surrounds the air inlets (see Liu 676, and 659 figures 2-9a) and of the bottom shell of the window cleaning robot.
Regarding claim 7, modified Liu teaches wherein an inner wall of the accommodating portion, close to the air inlets, is formed an air guide wall in a way toward the air inlets (see Liu 658, para 0071-0077).
Regarding claim 8, modified Liu teaches wherein the extracted air is exhausted, via the air exhaust opening and an opening of the bottom shell, toward the driving mechanism, wherein a sealing foam (see Liu para 0066-0072) is located between the air exhaust opening (see Liu 372, figure 1a) and the opening of the bottom shell.
Regarding claim 9, modified Liu teaches wherein the window cleaning robot further includes a cleaning member (see Liu 670, figure 7) detachably fixed on the floating plate.
Regarding claim 10, modified Liu teaches wherein the two driving mechanisms (see Chao 12a and 12b, figures 1-5 ) are arranged in parallel (see Chao figures 1-5).
Conclusion
Seemann (US20030048081A1) discloses a surface adhering tool carrying robot.
Jia (CN113796770A) discloses an automatic window cleaning equipment
Abramson (US20170164797A1) discloses a window cleaning robot
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SARAH AKYAA FORDJOUR whose telephone number is (571)272-0390. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm and Friday 6:00am-3:00pm.
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/SARAH AKYAA FORDJOUR/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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