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 3 and 18 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 3 recites “a length of the at least one cleaning surface” twice within the claim, it is unclear if these are the same lengths or different lengths. Similarly, claim 3 recites “a width of the at least one cleaning surface” twice within the claim and it is unclear if these are the same widths or different widths.
Claim 18 recites the same phrasing as claim 3 and is unclear for the same reasons as discussed with regard to 3.
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) 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cheng, Pan et al. CN 215993841 (CN’841).
Regarding claim 1, CN’841 teaches a robotic cleaning system comprising: a robotic cleaner (cleaning robot 10, abstract, page 4, see fig. 1-2) comprising: a housing (machine body 110, see fig. 1-2); and at least one wet cleaning element comprising at least one cleaning surface on an underside of the housing (wet cleaning system 153, see fig. 3-4, page 7); and a docking station (base station 20, page 5-6, see fig. 1 and 5) comprising: a base; a support extending laterally from the base (the base station in configured to support the cleaning robot while charging, see fig. 1 and 5, page 17), the support configured to receive at least a portion of the robotic cleaner on top of the support, the support defining a cavity (see fig. 1 and 5); and at least one cleaning shuttle within the cavity (cleaning assembly 30, cleaning groove 211 of the base station for containing the cleaning assembly 30, page 17, see fig. 5-6) and comprising at least one spray nozzle (the nozzle of the liquid outlet device 35, pages 11-12, see fig. 6) and at least one mechanical contacting element (first cleaning piece 31 and the second cleaning piece 32 include brush and/or blade, pages 9 and 11-12), the at least one spray nozzle configured to spray cleaning fluid onto at least a first portion of the at least one cleaning surface (the liquid outlet device sprays liquid out to the cleaning system 150 of the cleaning robot 10, page 11), the at least one mechanical contacting element configured to contact at least a second portion of the at least one cleaning surface (in performing the cleaning process, the cleaning piece of the brush or blade can be inserted into the cleaning head 1531 and contact the wet cleaning system cleaning head, page 7 and 9).
Regarding claim 2, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 1. CN’841 further teaches wherein the at least one cleaning shuttle is configured to move in at least one direction relative to the at least one cleaning surface while the at least one spray nozzle is spraying the cleaning fluid and the at least one mechanical contacting element is in contact with the at least one cleaning surface (performing the cleaning process includes moving the cleaning assembly 30 left to right while spraying cleaning liquid on the cleaning system 150 and the cleaning piece of the brush or blade can be inserted into the cleaning head 1531 and contact the wet cleaning system cleaning head while moving the cleaning assembly left to right, page 7-9, see fig. 5-8).
Regarding claim 3, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 1. CN’841 further teaches wherein the first portion of the at least one cleaning surface comprises a first strip of the at least one cleaning surface comprising a first length equal to a length of the at least one cleaning surface and a first width that is less than a width of the at least one cleaning surface, wherein the second portion of the at least one cleaning surface comprises a second strip of the at least one cleaning surface comprising a second length equal to a length of the at least one cleaning surface and a second width that is less than a width of the at least one cleaning surface (any cleaning surface can be segmented into many possible sections including a first portion and second portion having any definable lengths and widths), and wherein, upon movement of the at least one cleaning shuttle in the at least one direction relative to the at least one cleaning surface, the at least one spray nozzle sprays the cleaning fluid on substantially an entire surface of the at least one cleaning surface and the at least one mechanical contacting element scrapes substantially the entire surface of the at least one cleaning surface (the nozzles 35 are spread across the length of cleaning assembly along the length of the mechanical cleaning parts, located at the two sides of the first cleaning piece 31 and the cleaning assembly is moved left to right and back and forth to clean the cleaning head of the robot, as discussed above, see fig. 5-7, page 11-12, therefore the cleaning is performed across an length and with of the cleaning surface, as discussed above, while the nozzles spray the cleaning head of the robot and the mechanical cleaning part contacts the cleaning system of the robot)
Regarding claim 4, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 1. CN’841 further teaches wherein the at least one spray nozzle comprises two spray nozzle (the nozzles 35 are spread across the length of cleaning assembly along the length of the mechanical cleaning parts, located at the two sides of the first cleaning piece 31 and the cleaning assembly is moved left to right and back and forth, see fig. 5-7, page 11-12).
Regarding claim 5, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 1. CN’841 further teaches wherein the at least one spray nozzle comprises at least one of a deflector nozzle (the liquid outlet device 35 also can be the cleaning liquid sprayed on at least one of the first cleaning piece 31 and the second cleaning piece 32, so as to pass through the first cleaning piece 31 and/or the second cleaning piece 32 the cleaning liquid quickly, uniformly coated to the cleaning system 150, page 7-8, see fig. 6-7, therefore the liquid is deflected off of the roller brush or blade 31 or 32 before it contact the cleaning system 150)
Regarding claim 6-7, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 1. CN’841 is silent about the operating pressure such that wherein the at least one spray nozzle is configured to spray the cleaning fluid at a pressure of 100-300 pounds per square inch, with regard to claim 6 and wherein the at least one spray nozzle is configured to spray the cleaning fluid at a pressure of 10-30 pounds per square inch, with regard to claim 7. However, it is noted that the applicant claimed configuration of “the spray nozzle" recites the intended use of the nozzle. And a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. The apparatus of CN’841includes liquid outlets that can dispense cleaning liquid at a wide range of pressures for the purpose of cleaning a cleaning surface of a robotic cleaning system and therefore would be capable of spraying cleaning liquid at any range necessary for performing the process, which is the same process as the instant application. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made would have known that the structural limitations of the nozzles taught by the prior art and the nozzles claimed would have been the same and since the claim is directed towards an apparatus, the apparatus is independent of the intended use.
Regarding claim 8, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 1. CN’841 further teaches wherein the first portion of the at least one cleaning surface comprises a strip of the at least one cleaning surface comprising a first length equal to a length of the at least one cleaning surface and a first width that is less than a width of the at least one cleaning surface (any cleaning surface can be segmented into many possible sections including a first portion having any definable lengths and widths and he nozzles 35 are spread across the length of cleaning assembly along the length of the mechanical cleaning parts, located at the two sides of the first cleaning piece 31 and the cleaning assembly is moved left to right and back and forth to clean the cleaning head of the robot, as discussed above, see fig. 5-7, page 11-12).
Regarding claim 9, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 1. CN’841 further teaches wherein the at least one mechanical contacting element comprises at least one of a plurality of bristles (hair brush, page 9, see fig. 6-7).
Regarding claim 10, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 9. CN’841 further teaches wherein the at least one mechanical contacting element comprises a first vertical bar and a first plurality of bristles on a first side of the at least one spray nozzle and a second vertical bar and a second plurality of bristles on a second side of the at least one spray nozzle opposite the first side (see fig. 7 page 7-9, cleaning piece 32 includes a bar with hairs making hair brushes on either side of the nozzles 35).
Regarding claim 11, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 1. CN’841 further teaches wherein the second portion of the at least one cleaning surface comprises a strip of the at least one cleaning surface comprising a first length equal to a length of the at least one cleaning surface and a first width that is less than a width of the at least one cleaning surface (any cleaning surface can be segmented into many possible sections including a first portion having any definable lengths and widths and he nozzles 35 are spread across the length of cleaning assembly along the length of the mechanical cleaning parts, located at the two sides of the first cleaning piece 31 and the cleaning assembly is moved left to right and back and forth to clean the cleaning head of the robot, as discussed above, see fig. 5-7, page 11-12).
Regarding claim 12, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 1. CN’841 further teaches wherein the at least one wet cleaning element comprises a plate detachably connected to the underside of the housing, and wherein the at least one cleaning surface comprises a mop pad on an underside of the plate (cleaning head 1531 includes cleaning cloth, is mounted on supporting platform 1534, page 7, see fig. 4)
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN’841 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Pileggi US 6,647,584 (US’584).
Regarding claims 13-15, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 1. CN’841 further teaches a cleaning fluid tank configured to store the cleaning fluid (the base station supplies cleaning liquid to the cleaning assembly, page 15-17, see fig. 5 and 8) and at least one internal cleaning fluid conduit (see fig. 8, conduits are shown as connected to cleaning assembly 30).
CN’841 does not teach wherein the docking station further comprises: a pump configured to pump the cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid tank to the at least one spray nozzle via at least one internal cleaning fluid conduit, with regard to claim 13, wherein the docking station further comprises: an accumulator fluidly coupled to the pump and configured to store the cleaning fluid under pressure; and a valve configured to release the cleaning fluid stored under pressure in the accumulator to the at least one spray nozzle via at least one internal cleaning fluid conduit, with regard to claim 14 and wherein the docking station further comprises: an air compressor fluidly coupled to the accumulator and configured to increase pressure within the accumulator, with regard to claim 16.
US’584 teaches an apparatus for cleaning an object surface (abstract). US’584 teaches a tank, accumulator, connected to a compressor and pump and delivery valves to deliver a cleaning solution to a surface to be cleaned without delivering too much or too little cleaning solution and allows adjustment for the amount of cleaning solution delivered to the object surface to be cleaned (col. 1-5, see fig. 2 and 3). Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the cleaning device of CN’841 can be modified to include the structural features recited in claims 13-15 for the purpose of controlling the delivery of the cleaning liquid.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of CN’841 to include wherein the docking station further comprises: a pump configured to pump the cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid tank to the at least one spray nozzle via at least one internal cleaning fluid conduit, with regard to claim 13, wherein the docking station further comprises: an accumulator fluidly coupled to the pump and configured to store the cleaning fluid under pressure; and a valve configured to release the cleaning fluid stored under pressure in the accumulator to the at least one spray nozzle via at least one internal cleaning fluid conduit, with regard to claim 14 and wherein the docking station further comprises: an air compressor fluidly coupled to the accumulator and configured to increase pressure within the accumulator, with regard to claim 16 because US’548 teaches it controls the amount of cleaning fluid delivered to the object surface to be cleaned so that the cleaning process does not deliver too much or too little cleaning solution and combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results is obvious, see MPEP 2141 III (A).
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) 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cheng, Pan et al. CN 215993841 (CN’841).
Regarding claim 16, CN’841 teaches a docking station for a robotic cleaner (base station 20 for cleaning robot 10, abstract, page 4-6, see fig. 1-2 and 5), comprising: a base; a support extending laterally from the base (the base station in configured to support the cleaning robot while charging, see fig. 1 and 5, page 17), the support configured to receive at least a portion of a robotic cleaner on top of the support, the support defining a cavity; (see fig. 1 and 5); and at least one cleaning shuttle within the cavity (cleaning assembly 30, cleaning groove 211 of the base station for containing the cleaning assembly 30, page 17, see fig. 5-6) and comprising at least one spray nozzle (the nozzle of the liquid outlet device 35, pages 11-12, see fig. 6) and at least one mechanical contacting element (first cleaning piece 31 and the second cleaning piece 32 include brush and/or blade, pages 9 and 11-12), the at least one spray nozzle configured to spray cleaning fluid onto at least a first portion of at least one cleaning surface of at least one wet cleaning element on an underside of the robotic cleaner (the liquid outlet device sprays liquid to the cleaning system 150 of the cleaning robot 10, page 7 and 11, see fig. 3-4), he at least one mechanical contacting element configured to contact at least a second portion of the at least one cleaning surface (in performing the cleaning process, the cleaning piece of the brush or blade can be inserted into the cleaning head 1531 and contact the wet cleaning system cleaning head, page 7 and 9).
Regarding claim 17, CN’841 teaches the docking station of claim 16. CN’841 further teaches wherein the at least one cleaning shuttle is configured to move in at least one direction relative to the at least one cleaning surface while the at least one spray nozzle is spraying the cleaning fluid and the at least one mechanical contacting element is in contact with the at least one cleaning surface (performing the cleaning process includes moving the cleaning assembly 30 left to right while spraying cleaning liquid on the cleaning system 150 and the cleaning piece of the brush or blade can be inserted into the cleaning head 1531 and contact the wet cleaning system cleaning head while moving the cleaning assembly left to right, page 7-9, see fig. 5-8)
Regarding claim 18, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 17. CN’841 further teaches wherein the first portion of the at least one cleaning surface comprises a first strip of the at least one cleaning surface comprising a first length equal to a length of the at least one cleaning surface and a first width that is less than a width of the at least one cleaning surface, wherein the second portion of the at least one cleaning surface comprises a second strip of the at least one cleaning surface comprising a second length equal to a length of the at least one cleaning surface and a second width that is less than a width of the at least one cleaning surface (any cleaning surface can be segmented into many possible sections including a first portion and second portion having any definable lengths and widths), and wherein, upon movement of the at least one cleaning shuttle in the at least one direction relative to the at least one cleaning surface, the at least one spray nozzle sprays the cleaning fluid on substantially an entire surface of the at least one cleaning surface and the at least one mechanical contacting element scrapes substantially the entire surface of the at least one cleaning surface (the nozzles 35 are spread across the length of cleaning assembly along the length of the mechanical cleaning parts, located at the two sides of the first cleaning piece 31 and the cleaning assembly is moved left to right and back and forth to clean the cleaning head of the robot, as discussed above, see fig. 5-7, page 11-12, therefore the cleaning is performed across an length and with of the cleaning surface, as discussed above, while the nozzles spray the cleaning head of the robot and the mechanical cleaning part contacts the cleaning system of the robot).
Regarding claim 19, CN’841 teaches the cleaning system of claim 16. CN’841 further teaches wherein the at least one spray nozzle comprises at least one of a deflector nozzle (the liquid outlet device 35 also can be the cleaning liquid sprayed on at least one of the first cleaning piece 31 and the second cleaning piece 32, so as to pass through the first cleaning piece 31 and/or the second cleaning piece 32 the cleaning liquid quickly, uniformly coated to the cleaning system 150, page 7-8, see fig. 6-7, therefore the liquid is deflected off of the roller brush or blade 31 or 32 before it contact the cleaning system 150) and wherein the at least one mechanical contacting element comprises at least one of a plurality of bristles (hair brush, page 9, see fig. 6-7).
Claim(s) 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cheng, Pan et al. CN 215993841 (CN’841).
Regarding claim 20, CN’841 teaches a method, comprising: receiving at least a portion of a robotic cleaner on top of a support extending laterally from a base of a docking station (the base station supports the cleaning robot while charging and cleans a cleaning system of the robot while in the based station, see fig. 1 and 5, page 8-9 and 17), the support defining a cavity (see fig. 1 and 5); moving at least one cleaning shuttle within the cavity in at least one direction relative to at least one cleaning surface of at least one wet cleaning element on an underside of the robotic cleaner (cleaning groove 211 of the base station for containing the cleaning assembly 30 which includes liquid outlet device which sprays liquid out to the cleaning system 150 of the cleaning robot 10 while the cleaning assembly moves back and forth, page 8-11, fig. 1, 5 and 6), the at least one cleaning shuttle comprising at least one spray nozzle and at least one mechanical contacting element (cleaning assembly 30 includes nozzles of the liquid outlet device 35 and brush and or blade cleaning pieces, see fig. 6, pages 11-12); while moving the at least one cleaning shuttle, spraying, with the at least one spray nozzle, cleaning fluid onto at least a first portion of the at least one cleaning surface; and while moving the at least one cleaning shuttle, contacting, with the at least one mechanical contacting element, at least a second portion of the at least one cleaning surface (performing the cleaning process includes moving the cleaning assembly 30 left to right while spraying cleaning liquid on the cleaning system 150 and the cleaning piece of the brush or blade can be inserted into the cleaning head 1531 and contact the wet cleaning system cleaning head while moving the cleaning assembly left to right, page 7-9, see fig. 5-8).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIN FLANAGAN BERGNER whose telephone number is (571)270-1133. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joshua Allen can be reached at 571-270-3176. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ERIN F BERGNER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1713
Prosecution Insights