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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 12-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species (Applicant has elected species A, Fig. 10), there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 07/21/2026.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 are original. Claims 12-20 are withdrawn. Therefore, claims 1-20 are currently pending and claims 1-11 have been considered below.
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 following must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s).
the first toothed groove and the second toothed groove are respectively located at opposite ends of the limiting region (Claim 7)
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.
Claims 4-7 and 9 are 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 control assembly" in line 1 of claim 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the bottom inner wall of the knob" in lines 1-2 of claim 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 6-7 depend on claim 5, therefore claims 6-7 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the inner side wall of the connector" in line 5 of claim 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
(Note 1: cross-out limitations in this office action indicates the lack of explicit teaching in the primary reference; the limitation is addressed by the teaching reference(s) below).
Claim(s) 1 and 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (US 2024/0001384) in view of Grimm (US 2017/0320085).
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a spray generation apparatus (Fig. 1-24, all structural features) comprising:
a housing (Fig. 2, 101 & Fig. 19, 520-523);
a knob (Fig. 18-19, 510), wherein the knob comprises an open bottom (Fig. 18-19, 511) and a connector (Fig. 18-19, 511A) extending in a direction of the open bottom, wherein the housing comprises an aperture (Para. 0071 – “chamber”; Fig. 21) for the connector to pass through, wherein the connector is rotatably connected to the housing after passing through the aperture so that the knob is capable of rotating relative to the housing (Para. 0073 – “the rotatable dial 510 is rotated”; Para. 0071), wherein the housing comprises a first detent position (Fig. 19, Position when 512a is in contact with 523) and a second detent position (Fig. 19, Position when 512b is in contact with 523), wherein the knob is capable of being rotated to the first detent position or the second detent position (Para. 0073);
a resistor device (Fig. 18, 530; Para. 0072), wherein the resistor device is disposed inside the housing (Fig. 5 and 18; Para. 0071), wherein the connector is attached to the resistor device (Para. 0072);
a motor (Fig. 22, 620); and
a motor controller (Fig. 20, 250; Para. 0075-0077), for controlling the motor to generate a first spray with a first spray output pattern when the resistor device generates a first voltage value and the knob is at a first position (Underline to emphasize difference from the claimed language.; Any position generating a flow of the pump.; Para. 0071-0072, 0077) a second position (Underline to emphasize difference from the claimed language.; Any position different than the first position generating a flow of the pump.; Para. 0071-0072, 0077)
Li does not disclose wherein the first position is the first detent position and the second position is the second detent position.
However, Grimm teaches a prior art comparable control panel (Fig. 8, 174) comprising a knob (Fig. 8, 176) is at a first detent position (Fig. 8, 180; Detent labeled “30”, while in “PSI” mode) to generate a first spray (Para. 0073-0074; Fig. 5, Spray 151 at 50 PSI) and a second detent position (Fig. 8, 180; Detent labeled “50”, while in “PSI” mode) to generate a second spray (Para. 0073-0074; Fig. 5, Spray 151 at 30 PSI).
Therefore, the Examiner finds that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the known technique of providing specific knob positions relating to specific sprays (a first detent position to generate a first spray a second detent position to generate a second spray) by Grimm by incorporating this technique into the knob and motor controller disclosed by Li yielding the predictable result of two positions on the knob relating to two different sprays.
Regarding claim 10, Li in view of Grimm teaches the spray generation apparatus of claim 1.
Li in view of Grimm further discloses the apparatus comprising a liquid tank (Li – Fig. 2, 110; Para. 0058), wherein the motor is controlled by the motor controller to generate the first spray with liquid stored in the liquid tank at a first pressure and flow rate (Li – Para. 0077; The pressure and flow rate when at the first detent position taught by Grimm), and wherein the motor is controlled by the motor controller to generate the second spray with liquid stored in the liquid tank (Li – Para. 0077; The pressure and flow rate when at the second detent position taught by Grimm).
Regarding claim 11, Li in view of Grimm teaches the spray generation apparatus of claim 10.
Li further discloses the spray generation apparatus comprising a battery container (Battery compartment shown in Fig. 9 housing battery 210) disposed in the housing, wherein a power switch (Fig. 19-20, {520-523}) is provided on the housing to turn on power (Para. 0071).
Claim(s) 2-4 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Grimm and Snider (US 5,537,893)
(Note 2: Claim 2 will be annotated claim 2a for one rejection and will be alternatively rejected as claim 2b for a second alternative rejection to meet the dependent claim limitations. Underlines for claims 2a and 2b are to emphasize the differences between the rejections.)
Regarding claim 2a, Li in view of Grimm teaches the spray generation apparatus of claim 1, but does not teach wherein the housing comprises a positioning seat surrounding the aperture, the positioning seat being provided with at least a first toothed groove and a second toothed groove, and wherein the knob further comprises a protruding portion extending from a side of the connector in the direction of the open bottom, wherein the knob is in the first detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the first toothed groove, and the knob is in the second detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the second toothed groove.
However, Snider teaches a prior art comparable control knob and housing (Fig. 2-5, all structural features) comprising a housing (Fig. 5, 32) comprises a positioning seat (Fig. 5, 63) surrounding an aperture (Fig. 5, 48), the positioning seat being provided with at least a first toothed groove (Fig. 5, 64; Groove 64 furthest away from leader 63 in the counterclockwise direction.) and a second toothed groove (Fig. 5, 64; First groove 64 clockwise from the first toothed groove.), and wherein a knob (Fig. 4, all structural features) further comprises a protruding portion (Fig. 3-4, 60) extending from a side (Fig. 4, 58) of a connector (Fig. 4, 56) in the direction of an open bottom (Fig. 4, 54), wherein the knob is in a first detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the first toothed groove, and the knob is in a second detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the second toothed groove (Col. 3: Ln. 2-13).
Therefore, the Examiner finds that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the known technique of indexing the control knob to different positions due to detents/toothed groves (surrounding an aperture, the positioning seat being provided with at least a first toothed groove and a second toothed groove, and wherein a knob further comprises a protruding portion extending from a side of a connector in the direction of an open bottom, wherein the knob is in a first detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the first toothed groove, and the knob is in a second detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the second toothed groove) taught by Grimm by incorporating this technique into the knob and motor controller disclosed by Li yielding the predictable result of two positions on the knob relating to two different sprays.
Regarding claim 2b, Li in view of Grimm teaches the spray generation apparatus of claim 1, but does not teach wherein the housing comprises a positioning seat surrounding the aperture, the positioning seat being provided with at least a first toothed groove and a second toothed groove, and wherein the knob further comprises a protruding portion extending from a side of the connector in the direction of the open bottom, wherein the knob is in the first detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the first toothed groove, and the knob is in the second detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the second toothed groove.
However, Snider teaches a prior art comparable control knob and housing (Fig. 2-5, all structural features) comprising a housing (Fig. 5, 32) comprises a positioning seat (Fig. 5, 63) surrounding an aperture (Fig. 5, 48), the positioning seat being provided with at least a first toothed groove (Fig. 5, 64; Groove 64 furthest away from leader 63 in the counterclockwise direction.) and a second toothed groove (Fig. 5, 64; Groove 64 closest to leader 63 in the counterclockwise direction.), and wherein a knob (Fig. 4, all structural features) further comprises a protruding portion (Fig. 3-4, 60) extending from a side (Fig. 4, 58) of a connector (Fig. 4, 56) in the direction of an open bottom (Fig. 4, 54), wherein the knob is in a first detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the first toothed groove, and the knob is in a second detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the second toothed groove (Col. 3: Ln. 2-13).
Therefore, the Examiner finds that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the known technique of indexing the control knob to different positions due to detents/toothed groves (surrounding an aperture, the positioning seat being provided with at least a first toothed groove and a second toothed groove, and wherein a knob further comprises a protruding portion extending from a side of a connector in the direction of an open bottom, wherein the knob is in a first detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the first toothed groove, and the knob is in a second detent position when the protruding portion is confined within the second toothed groove) taught by Grimm by incorporating this technique into the knob and motor controller disclosed by Li yielding the predictable result of two positions on the knob relating to two different sprays.
Regarding claim 3, Li in view of Grimm and Snider teaches the spray generation apparatus of claim 2a,
Snider further teaches wherein the first toothed groove and the second toothed groove are adjacent to each other (Fig 5), such that the outer edge (Fig. 5, Edge of 63 shown by leader 64) of the positioning seat has a wavy shape (Fig. 5; Col. 3: ln. 5-9).
Regarding claim 4, Li in view of Grimm and Snider teaches the spray generation apparatus of claim 2a,
Snider further teaches wherein the control assembly (Fig. 2-5, all structural features) further comprises an elastic member (Fig. 4, 56 omitting 62) fixedly connected to the knob (Col. 2: Ln. 2: Ln 65- to Col. 3: Ln. 5), wherein the elastic member is sleeved on the connector (Fig. 4; Col. 2: Ln. 65- to Col. 3: Ln. 2 ;The examiner is interpreting sleeved on as a sleeve. Collins Dictionary provides definitions for both internal and external sleeves such as “A sleeve is a tube of material that is put into a cylindrical bore, for example to reduce the diameter of the bore or to line it with a different material,” and “a tube or tubelike part fitting over or around another part.” ), wherein the protruding portion is disposed on the elastic member and extends over the outside of the connector (Fig. 3-4), and wherein the protruding portion is compressed to deform the elastic member when the knob switches between the first detent position and the second detent position (Col. 3: Ln. 2-13).
Regarding claim 9, Li in view of Grimm teaches the spray generation apparatus of claim 1.
Li further discloses wherein the resistor device is provided with a positioning portion (Annotated Fig. 18) and a positioning member (Fig. 18, 530 & Para. 0072 “attaching means”; Para. 0072) fixedly connected to the positioning portion, wherein the positioning portion is fixedly connected to the housing (Fig. 20),
Li in view of Grim does not teach wherein the positioning member is provided with a positioning surface, wherein a corresponding mating surface is provided on an inner side wall of the connector and the positioning surface and the mating surface abut against each other.
However, Snider teaches wherein a positioning member (Fig. 3, 46) is provided with a positioning surface (Col. 2: Ln. 62-65; Flat portion of the D-shaped shaft.)), wherein a corresponding mating surface (Fig. 4, 66) is provided on the inner side wall of a connector (Fig. 4, {50, 54 & 56}) and the positioning surface and the mating surface abut against each other (Fig. 3).
Therefore the examiner finds it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide wherein the positioning member is provided with a positioning surface, wherein a corresponding mating surface is provided on an inner side wall of the connector and the positioning surface and the mating surface abut against each other because Li discloses that coupling the resistor device to the connector may be connected by a variety of attaching means (Para. 0072), and therefore the examiner finds a reasonable expectation of success.
Annotated Figure(s)
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Claim(s) 5 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Grimm, Snider, and von Arx (US 11630474), hereinafter Arx
Regarding claim 5, Li in view of Grimm, Snider teaches the spray generation apparatus of claim 2b.
Snider further teaches, wherein the housing further comprises a first limiting part (Fig. 5, face of 63 abutting 34 furthest away from leader 63 counterclockwise) and a second limiting part (Fig. 5, face of 63 abutting 34 nearest leader 63) extending outwardly from the positioning seat (Fig. 5), the first limiting part and the second limiting part extending in different directions (The first limiting portion is at approximately the 9 o’clock position and the second position is at approximately the 12 o’clock position) to form a limiting region between them.
Li in view of Grimm, Snider does not teach wherein the bottom inner wall of the knob is provided with an isolation post protruding toward the connector, and wherein when the knob is connected to the housing, the isolation post is located within the limiting region, and wherein when the knob is rotated, the isolation post slides along the limiting region.
However, Arx teaches a prior art comparable calibration knob (Fig. 1-8, all structural features) comprising a bottom inner wall (Fig. 2, 146) of a knob (Fig. 1, 100) is provided with an isolation post (Fig. 2, 190) protruding toward a connector (Fig. 2, 160), wherein a housing (Fig. 4, 302) further comprises a first limiting part (Fig. 4 & 7, Instance of 316 nearest leader 314) and a second limiting part (Fig. 4 & 7, Second instance of 316) extending outwardly from the positioning seat (Fig. 1, 206), the first limiting part and the second limiting part extending in different directions to form a limiting region between them (Fig. 7; Col. 9: Ln. 52-54), wherein when the knob is connected to the housing, the isolation post is located within the limiting region, and wherein when the knob is rotated, the isolation post slides along the limiting region (Fig. 7; Col. 9: Ln. 52-54).
Therefore, the Examiner finds that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the known technique of providing an isolation post to limit movement via a first limiting part and second limiting part between the knob and housing (wherein the bottom inner wall of the knob is provided with an isolation post protruding toward the connector, and wherein when the knob is connected to the housing, the isolation post is located within the limiting region, and wherein when the knob is rotated, the isolation post slides along the limiting region) taught by Arx by incorporating this technique into the spray generation apparatus taught by Li in view of Grimm and Snider yielding the predictable result limiting the movement of the knob relative to the housing.
Regarding claim 7, Li in view of Grimm, Snider, and Arx teaches the spray generation apparatus of claim 5.
Snider further teaches wherein the first toothed groove and the second toothed groove are respectively located at opposite ends of the limiting region (Fig. 5).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Grimm, Snider, Arx, and Andersson (US 5,663,619)
Regarding claim 6, Li in view of Grimm, Snider and Arx teaches the spray generation apparatus of claim 5.
Snider further teaches wherein the limiting region is a sector-shaped area (Fig. 5).
Li in view of Grimm, Snider and Arx does not teach wherein the limiting region is a sector-shaped area (Fig. 5) of 200°, and wherein the knob is capable of rotating between 0° and 200°
However, Andersson teaches a sector-shaped area of 200° (Fig. 1, a; Col. 4: Ln. 21-26), and wherein a knob (Fig. 1, 1) is capable of rotating between 0° and 200° (Col. 4: Ln. 21-26).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the sector-shaped area of 200° and wherein the knob is capable of rotating between 0° and 200° as taught by Anderson into the spray generation apparatus taught by Li in view of Grimm, Snider and Arx to adapt to the whole range of movement of the potentiometer/resistive device to facilitate maximum possible use of the whole range of movement of the potentiometer/ resistive device and hence make full use of the latter's accuracy (Col. 4: Ln. 29-33)
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Grimm, and Mohr (US 4,920,823).
Regarding claim 8, Li in view of Grimm teaches the spray generation apparatus of claim 1, but does not teach wherein the end of the connector is provided with an elastically extending locking arm and a locking hook protruding outwardly from the locking arm, wherein the housing is provided with a coupling portion surrounding the aperture, and wherein when the knob is connected to the housing, the locking hook engages with the coupling portion.
However, Mohr teaches a prior art comparable rotary knob and housing (Fig. 1-5, all structural features) wherein an end of the connector (Fig. 5, 5) connector is provided with an elastically extending locking arm (Fig. 5, 19) and a locking hook (Fig. 5, 21 & 25) protruding outwardly from the locking arm, wherein a housing (Fig. 5, 3) is provided with a coupling portion (Annotated Fig. 5) surrounding an aperture (Annotated Fig. 5), and wherein when the knob is connected to the housing, the locking hook engages with the coupling portion (Col. 3: Ln. 55-63).
Therefore the examiner finds It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of an elastically extending locking arm and a locking hook protruding outwardly from the locking arm, wherein the housing is provided with a coupling portion surrounding the aperture, and wherein when the knob is connected to the housing, the locking hook engages with the coupling portion as taught by Mohr into the spray generation apparatus taught by Li in view of Grimm to provide a knob that can be manufactured and mounted in a simple manner, can be arranged in a flexible manner and is locked against displacements in the axial direction (Col. 1: Ln. 33-37).
Annotated Figure(s)
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW DOMENIC ONDREJCAK whose telephone number is (571)270-5465. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:00-5:00 EST.
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/ANDREW DOMENIC ONDREJCAK/Examiner, Art Unit 3752 September 16, 2026
/TUONGMINH N PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752
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