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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In para 12, line 3, “nap-fitted” should read “snap-fitted”
In para 41, line 2, “handle” should read “handle 14.”
In para 48, line 1, “FIG. 64 and 7” appears to be in error as there is no Fig. 64 in the drawings.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 4-5 objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 4, line 2, “an liner” should read “a liner.”
In claim 5, line 4, “bottom of installation chamber” should read “bottom of the installation chamber.”
In claim 5, line 7 “the the slot” should read “the limit slot.”
In claim 6, line 4 “nap-fitted” should read “snap fitted.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 6-9 objected to because claim 6 claims a limitation “a ring protection support (54)” on line 3, and all subsequent recitations are claimed as “the ring protection bracket (54).” To reduce potential confusion about the scope of the claims, the same wording should be used for the limitation. Claim 8 objected to because on line 12 the limitation “limit rocker plate (56)” is recited, and all subsequent recitations are claimed as “limit rocker (56).” To reduce potential confusion about the scope of the claims, the same wording should be used for the limitation.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 4-9 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 4 recites the limitation "the internal heat" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of examination it is assumed the limitation should read “an internal heat.”
Claim 5 is rejected due to its dependency on claim 4.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the side wall" in 7-8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of examination, it has been assumed the limitation should read “a side wall.” Claim 7 is rejected due to its dependency on claim 4 and 6.
Claim 8 recites the limitation “the expansion ring (513), a conical ring, extends…” It is unclear if this is intended to modify the expansion ring or to positively recite a new limitation. For the purpose of examination it has been assumed the claim should read “the expansion ring (513) is a conical ring and extends…”
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the mouth wall" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of examination, it has been assumed the limitation should read “the side wall.”
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the opening" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of examination, it has been assumed the limitation should read “an opening.”
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ji et al. CN 207398861 U (herein Ji). All text location references to Ji will be provided from the English translation.
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Ji Figure 1
Regarding claim 1, Ji teaches a starting power supply for car battery (abstract), comprising a housing (10), a power module (pg. 3, ln 19-21) installed inside the housing (10) to charge the car battery, an inflation module (50, note that Ji uses 50 for two different elements) that is used for inflation, and a vacuumizing module (attached withing the housing to tube 40) that is used for vacuumization, wherein the housing (10) is provided with a lighting lamp (80) that is electrically connected to the power module (2), and the power module (pg. 3, ln 19-21) is adjacent to and is spaced apart from the inflation module (50, note that Ji uses 50 for two different elements), and the vacuumizing module (attached withing the housing to tube 40) is located at the bottom of the power module (pg. 3, ln 19-21).
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Ji Figure 2
Regarding claim 2, Ji teaches the power module (pg. 3, ln 19-21) comprises a lithium battery block (pg. 3, ln 19) and a multifunctional wiring port (20 and 14), and the multifunctional wiring port (20 and 14) comprises a car battery wiring port (20), a fast charging wiring port (14, instance on left), and a data cable wiring port (14, instance on right).
Regarding claim 3, Ji teaches the inflation module (50, note that Ji uses 50 for two different elements) comprises an inflation pump (50, specifically the element “inflating pump;” pg. 3, ln 25-26) and an inflation head (50, specifically the element “air connecting port;” pg. 3, ln 25-26), the inflation pump (50, specifically the element “inflating pump;” pg. 3, ln 25-26) is installed inside the housing (10), the inflation head (50, specifically the element “air connecting port;” pg. 3, ln 25-26) is installed on the inflation pump (50, specifically the element “inflating pump;” pg. 3, ln 25-26), and the housing (10) is provided with an inflation port (the hole element 50 is depicted at in Fig 1) for the inflation head (50, specifically the element “air connecting port;” pg. 3, ln 25-26) to insert and pass through.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ji et al. CN 207398861 U (herein Ji) as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Bian et al. CN 108158499 B (herein Bian).
All text location references to Bian will be provided from the English translation.
Regarding claim 4, Ji teaches the limitations of claim 1 as claimed.
Ji does not teach specifics about the internal configuration of the housing.
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Figure 3 of Bian
However, in a related device, Bian teaches a vacuum device comprising a housing (14) which comprises a liner (combination of 40 and 132), an outer shell sleeve (31), and a heat dissipation top cover (partial dome portion of 31), a power module (batteries in battery slots 138 and 144) and a vacuum module (42) are both disposed inside the liner (combination of 40 and 132), the outer shell sleeve (31) is sleeved on the liner (combination of 40 and 132), a heat dissipation gap is provided between the outer shell sleeve (31) and the liner (combination of 40 and 132), the liner (combination of 40 and 132) is provided with an inner heat dissipation through-hole (128) connected to the heat dissipation gap, and the outer wall of the outer shell sleeve (31) is provided with an outer shell heat dissipation through-hole (60) connected to the heat dissipation gap, the heat dissipation top cover (partial dome of 31) is disposed on the top of the liner (31), and the heat dissipation top cover (partial dome of 31) is provided with a top cover heat dissipation through-hole (portion of 39 that intersects the dome portion of 31) for dissipating an internal heat of the liner (combination of 40 and 132). Further Bian teaches that this outer shell sleeve and liner configuration advantageously allows enhanced cooling of the batteries and vacuum motor, prolonging the service life of the device (pg. 4, ln 13-15). It would have been obvious, prior to filing date of instant application, to apply the outer shell sleeve and liner configuration of Bian to the battery, inflation module and vacuumizing module of Ji to advantageously allow enhanced cooling of the batteries and inflation/vacuumizing motors, prolonging the service life of the device. Furthermore, all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions such that the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Ji and Bian teaches the liner (combination of 40 and 132 of Bian) comprises a first inner shell (40 of Bian) and a second inner shell (132 of Bian), an installation chamber (space between 116 and 142 of Bian) is provided on one side of the first inner shell (132 of Bian) close to the second inner shell (113 of Bian), and the bottom of installation chamber (space between 116 and 142 of Bian) is provided with a plurality of partitions (walls of element 118 of Bian) that are spliced to form a battery placement slot (outside of 118, where 138 and 144 sit of Bian) to accommodate the lithium battery block (pg. 3, ln 19 of Ji), and the bottom of installation chamber (space between 116 and 142 of Bian) is also provided with a limit slot (126 of Bian), and the inflation pump (50 of Ji) is provided with a limit block (126 of Bian) that is inserted into the limit slot (117 of Bian) to limit the inflation pump (31 of Bian), and the internal heat dissipation through-hole (60 of Bian) is disposed on the first inner shell (40 of Bian).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ji et al. CN 207398861 U (herein Ji) in view of Bian et al. CN 108158499 B (herein Bian) as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Kopco et al. US 4800614 A.
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Ji and Bian teaches the vacuumizing module (attached withing the housing to tube 40) is a blower (vacuums blow air out of their exhaust) the bottom of the housing (10) is provided with an air inlet (40) into which vacuum suction nozzles can be inserted. The combination of Ji and Bian does not teach an air outlet into which blowing nozzles of different specifications can be inserted.
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Figure 4 of Kopco
However, in a related device, Kopco teaches a vacuum cleaner (abstract) wherein a dust receptacle (1) can be removed from an air outlet (30) to attach blowing nozzles (L) of different specifications. Kopco further teaches that this advantageously allow for the use of the exhaust of the vacuum cleaner as a blower (col 4, ln 13-15). It would have been obvious, prior to filing date of instant application, to apply the air out let and nozzle of Kopco to the vacuumizing module of the combination of Ji and Bian to advantageously allow for the use of the exhaust of the vacuum cleaner as a blower (col 4, ln 13-15). Furthermore, all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions such that the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ji et al. CN 207398861 U (herein Ji) in view of Bian et al. CN 108158499 B (herein Bian) as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Lin CN 111317397 A.
All text location references to Lin will be provided from the English translation.
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Ji and Bian teaches the vacuumizing module (attached withing the housing to tube 40 of Ji) is a vacuum cleaner module (pg. 3, ln 1-2 of Ji) comprising a dust collecting bucket (38 of Bian), a vacuum motor (42 of Bian), a filter ring (36 of Bian), the vacuum motor (42 of Bian) is installed inside the liner (combination of 40 and 138 of Bian), and the filter ring (36 of Bian) is installed at the bottom of the liner (combination of 40 and 138 of Bian) and inserted into the dust collecting bucket (36 of Bian). The combination of Ji and Bian does not explicitly teach a ring protection bracket fitted to the bottom of the liner or a suction port on a side wall of the dust collection bucket.
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Lin Figure 10
However, in a related device, Lin teaches a vacuum cleaner module (abstract) comprising a dust collecting bucket (23), a filter ring (21), and a ring protection support (22), the top of the dust collecting bucket (23) is open, the dust collecting bucket (23) is snap-fitted (L shaped locks 1 snap into their locked positions) at the bottom of a liner (10), and the filter ring (21) is installed at the bottom of the liner (10) and inserted into the dust collecting bucket (23), the ring protection bracket (22) is installed at the bottom of the liner (10) and fitted onto the filter ring (21), the side wall of the dust collecting bucket (23) is provided with a suction port (Q) that is connected to the interior of dust collecting bucket (23) and fits the vacuum nozzles of different specifications or vacuum suction nozzles. Lin further teaches that this connection method of the dust cylinder assembly advantageously provides for easier assembly and lowers risk of damage due to incorrect assembly (pg. 3, ln 18-22). It would have been obvious, prior to filing date of instant application, to apply the connection method of the dust cylinder assembly of Lin to the advantageously provide for easier assembly and lower risk of damage due to incorrect assembly (pg. 3, ln 18-22). Furthermore, all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions such that the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ji et al. CN 207398861 U (herein Ji) in view of Bian et al. CN 108158499 B (herein Bian) and Lin CN 111317397 A as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Liu et al. CN 110680235 A (herein Liu).
All text location references to Liu will be provided from the English translation.
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Lin Figure 13, annotated
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Ji, Bian, and Lin teaches a convex ring (ring which corresponds to the convex ring connector, see annotated Fig 13 of Liu) is provided at the bottom of the liner (combination of 40 and 138 of Bian), the outer peripheral wall of the convex ring (ring which corresponds to the convex ring connector, see annotated Fig 13 of Liu) is provided with a limit block (block which locks with L Locking Groove, similar to 2 of Liu, see annotated Fig 13 of Liu), the ring protection bracket (22) is sleeved on the convex ring (ring which corresponds to the convex ring connector, see annotated Fig 13 of Liu), and the inner wall of the ring protection bracket (22) is provided with an L locking groove (see annotated Fig 13 of Liu) in which the limit block (block which locks with L Locking Groove, similar to 2 of Liu, see annotated Fig 13 of Liu) slides, inserts, and rotates to limit the ring protection bracket (22) on the convex ring (ring which corresponds to the convex ring connector, see annotated Fig 13 of Liu).
The combination of Ji, Bian, and Lin does not teach a dust bag.
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Liu Figure 3, annotated
However, in a related device, Liu teaches a top opening dust bag (3) is provided inside a dust collecting bucket (1), and a dust inlet (310) connected to a suction port (4) is provided on one side of the dust bag (3) near the suction port (4) to allow in garbage, and an elastic annule (35) is provided at the air outlet (320) to tighten the air outlet (320), and an expansion ring (513) is provided at the suction port (4) to make the dust inlet (310) open. Further Liu teaches that this dust bag advantageously retains dust better within the bag when changing (pg. 4, ln 2-5) and that the elastic annule advantageously seals the air outlet when the vacuum is removed from the dust collecting bucket (pg. 5, ln 31-32). It would have been obvious, prior to filing date of instant application, to apply the dust bag of Liu to the vacuum module of the combination of Ji, Bian, and Lin to advantageously retain dust better within the bag when changing (pg. 4, ln 2-5) and to apply the elastic annule to the dust inlet to advantageously seal the air inlet when the vacuum is removed from the dust collecting bucket (pg. 5, ln 31-32). Furthermore, all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions such that the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ji et al. CN 207398861 U (herein Ji) in view of Bian et al. CN 108158499 B (herein Bian), Lin CN 111317397 A, and Liu et al. CN 110680235 A (herein Liu) as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Du et al. CN 113679285 A (herein Du).
All text location references to Du will be provided from the English translation.
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Ji, Bian, Lin, and Liu teaches the limitations of claim 7 as claimed.
The combination of Ji, Bian, Lin, and Liu does not teach specific structure of the expansion ring as claimed.
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Du Figure 8, annotated
However, in a related device, Du teaches a dust bag assembly (abstract) wherein an expansion ring (11) is a conical ring and extends towards the center of the vacuum, the outer diameter of the expansion ring (11) on the side close to center of the vacuum is smaller than the outer diameter on the side away from the center of the vacuum, and a groove (see annotated Fig 8) is provided on the outer wall of the expansion ring (11) for the partial insertion of the dust bag (20); a notch (see annotated Fig 8) is provided on one side of the expansion ring (11), and a limit rocker plate (32) is rotatably installed at the notch (see annotated Fig 8), the side wall of the limit rocker plate (32) is provided with a rotating shaft (see annotated Fig 8) through which the limit rocker plate (32) is rotatably installed on a side wall at the notch (see annotated Fig 8), the distance from the side of the limit rocker plate (32) near center of the vacuum to the rotating shaft (see annotated Fig 8) is greater than the distance from the side of the limit rocker plate (32) away from the center of the vacuum to the rotating shaft (see annotated Fig 8), and the bottom of liner (10) is provided with a driving rod (31) that drives the limit rocker (32) to rotate, so that the dust bag (20) is less likely to detach from the expansion ring (11), and the limit rocker (32) is provided with a caulking groove (312) for partial insertion of the dust bag (20); when the vacuum is assembled and the button (301) is not engaged, the driving rod (31) drives the limit rocker (32) to rotate and limit the dust bag (20) to the expansion ring (11); when vacuum is disassembled and the button (301) is engaged, the limit rocker (32) automatically rotates and resets to detach dust bag (32) from the caulking groove (312). Du further teaches that this mechanism advantageously allows for a more convenient, fast, and tidy dismounting of the dust bag from the air inlet (pg. 6, ln 11-12). It would have been obvious, prior to filing date of instant application, to apply the dust bag detachment apparatus of Du to the combination of Ji, Bian, Lin, and Liu to advantageously allow for a more convenient, fast, and tidy dismounting of the dust bag from the air inlet (pg. 6, ln 11-12) and when combining to combine in such a way that the ring protection bracket corresponds to the center of the vacuum of Du, the driving rod extends from the liner, and the rocker plate is on the side of the expansion ring closer to the liner. Furthermore, all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions such that the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ji et al. CN 207398861 U (herein Ji) in view of Bian et al. CN 108158499 B (herein Bian), Lin CN 111317397 A, Liu et al. CN 110680235 A (herein Liu), and Du et al. CN 113679285 A (herein Du) as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Bumb et al. EP 0655217 A1 (herein Bumb) and Latimer US 20170065136 A1.
All text location references to Bumb will be provided from the English translation.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Ji, Bian, Lin, Liu, and Du teaches the opening of the dust bag (3 of Liu) is provided with a contraction rope (36 of Liu) to shrink the opening. The combination of Ji, Bian, Lin, Liu, and Du does not teach the dust bag or the dust collecting bucket comprising a dovetail system or the contraction rope being attached to hooks within the interior of the apparatus.
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Bumb Figure 6
However, in a related device, Bumb teaches a dust bag (17) wherein the outer peripheral wall of the dust bag (17) is provided with a plurality of dovetail strips (24) spaced apart in the circumferential direction, and the inner peripheral wall of a dust collecting bucket (14) is provided with a plurality of dovetail grooves (22) in which the dovetail strips (24) slides and inserts to limit the dust bag (17). Bumb further teaches that these dovetails advantageously prevent premature removal of the dust bag (pg. 2, ln 40-44). It would have been obvious, prior to filing date of instant application, to apply the dovetails of Bumb to the combination of Ji, Bian, Lin, Liu, and Du to advantageously prevent premature removal of the dust bag (pg. 2, ln 40-44). Furthermore, all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions such that the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
The combination of Ji, Bian, Lin, Liu, Du, and Bumb does not teach the contraction rope being attached to hooks within the interior of the apparatus.
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Latimer Figure 5
However, in a related device, Latimer teaches a dust bag wherein the opening of the dust bag (152) is provided with a contraction rope (156) to shrink the opening, and the underside of a liner (102) is provided with a hook (138) to hang the contraction rope (156); when the dust collecting bucket (202) is removed from the liner (11), the dust bag (55) moves together with the dust collecting bucket (202), and meanwhile the contraction rope (156) helps contract the opening of dust bag (152). Latimer further teaches that this apparatus allows for advantageously closing the dust bag such that a user does not have to contact the contents (para 13, ln 7-10). It would have been obvious, prior to filing date of instant application, to apply the bag closure apparatus of Latimer, such that the hooks are provided on the ring protection bracket, to the combination of Ji, Bian, Lin, Liu, Du, and Bumb to advantageously close the dust bag such that a user does not have to contact the contents (para 13, ln 7-10). Furthermore, all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions such that the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Miller et al. US 20210091578 A1 as it relates to a combination inflator and battery bank, including internal configuration.
Diebolder US 5059223 A as it relates to dust bags with contraction ropes.
Chen CN 111472957 A as it relates to a combination inflator and battery bank, including internal configuration.
Fukushima et al. JP H09220178 A as it relates to dust bag expansion rings with driving rods to connect/disconnect the dust bag.
KR 20070020712 U as it relates to top opening dust bags with side wall suction ports.
Yuan CN 200410070695 A as it relates to a combination vacuum, inflator, and battery bank, including internal configuration.
Nook et al. CA 3085762 A1 as it relates to a combination inflator and battery bank, including internal configuration.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GRANT D HAY whose telephone number is (571)272-9510. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30am-3:30pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Carter can be reached at 571-272-4475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/G.D.H./Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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