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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/18/2025, 8/18/2025, and 4/23/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In paragraph [0069], line 2, “pipe” is repeated twice. Thus, “drain pipe pipe of kitchen furniture” should be written as “drain pipe of kitchen furniture.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-8 and 10-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al. (KR 20120007943 A), hereinafter Jung, in view of Zhou (CN 217429921 U).
Regarding claim 1, Jung teaches a robot cleaner station (maintenance station 60) comprising: a housing (housing 61); a seating assembly (platform 62) [located in the housing] the seating assembly being configured to accommodate at least a portion of a robot cleaner (“The platform 62 may support the robot cleaner 20 when the robot cleaner 20 is docked to the maintenance station 60,” pg. 9, lines 13-14, Jung), the seating assembly including a base (base of platform 62 as shown in annotated Fig. 8 below); a dust collector (second dust container 94) configured to collect dust inside a dust bin (first dust container 43) of the robot cleaner (“The first dust container 43 of the robot cleaner 20 stores dust collected from the floor while the robot cleaner 20 moves, and the second dust container 94 of the maintenance station 60 is made of the robot cleaner 20. 1 is to collect and store the dust discharged from the dust container (43),” pg. 9, lines 28-31, Jung); a suction flow path (suction duct 92) configured to connect the dust bin of the robot cleaner to the dust collector (as shown in annotated Fig. 8 below); a dust collection motor (“The pump unit 91 may include a fan and a motor,” pg. 11, lines 27-28, Jung) configured to generate a suction force (“The pump unit 91 is a device for sucking / discharging air,” pg. 11, line 27, Jung; “the suction force of the pump unit 91,” pg. 13, line 26, Jung) so that the dust inside the dust bin of the robot cleaner flows into the dust collector through the suction flow path (“The dust removing device 90 maintains the cleaning performance of the robot cleaner 20 by emptying the dust stored in the first dust container 43 of the robot cleaner 20 to the second dust container 94 of the maintenance station 60,” pg. 11, lines 18-21, Jung; “The dust removing device 90 allows the flow exhausted from the exhaust duct 93 to be sucked back into the suction duct 92 and removes the dust stored in the first dust container 43 of the robot cleaner 20 by using the reflux,” pg. 11, lines 23-26, Jung); and an exhaust flow path (exhaust duct 93) configured to guide air discharged from the dust collection motor to a suction unit of the robot cleaner (“The air discharged from the pump unit 91 exits the exhaust ports 93a and 93b of the exhaust duct 93 at a high flow rate and passes through the side region of the first opening 21a of the robot cleaner 20 to clean the robot cleaner (20 may flow into the first dust container 43,” pg. 12-13, lines 38-39 & 1-2, Jung), the exhaust flow path being located in the base of the seating assembly (as shown in annotated Fig. 8 below).
PNG
media_image1.png
692
869
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Jung does not teach a seating assembly located in the housing.
However, Zhou does teach a seating assembly located in the housing (as shown in annotated Fig. 2 below).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing data of the claimed invention, to modify Jung to incorporate the teachings of Zhou to dispose the seating assembly inside the housing to provide structural support and stability as the robot vacuum cleaner will not be able to fall off the seating assembly as it enters and exits the housing via moving up and down the inclined portion compared to being exposed on top of the housing, putting the robot cleaner at risk of falling off the seating assembly, leading to potential damage to the robot cleaner (pg. 2, lines 5-6, Zhou; as shown in annotated Fig. 2 below).
PNG
media_image2.png
702
806
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, Jung, as modified, teaches the invention as rejected above in claim 1, wherein the robot cleaner is configured to be seated on an upper side of the base (“The platform 62 may support the robot cleaner 20 when the robot cleaner 20 is docked to the maintenance station 60,” pg. 9, line 13-14, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 8 above).
Regarding claim 3, Jung, as modified, teaches the invention as rejected above in claim 1, wherein the seating assembly further includes: an agitator accommodation portion (second opening 62a) located in the base (“A second opening 62a may be formed in the platform 62,” pg. 9, line 21, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 8 above), the agitator accommodation portion being configured to accommodate at least a portion of an agitator of the robot cleaner (as shown in annotated Fig. 8 above), and an exhaust port (exhaust ports 93a and 93b) located at an end of the exhaust flow path (as shown in annotated Fig. 6 below), the exhaust port being located at the agitator accommodation portion (“exhaust ports 93a and 93b may form part of the second opening 62a,” pg. 12, line 1, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 5a below).
PNG
media_image3.png
781
766
media_image3.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image4.png
808
700
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 4, Jung as modified, teaches the invention as rejected above in claim 3, wherein the seating assembly further includes an inclined portion (“The platform 62 may be formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle θ or more (see FIG. 7),” pg. 10, lines 6-7, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 7 below), wherein the robot cleaner is configured to move up the inclined portion when the robot cleaner enters the robot cleaner station (“The platform 62 may be formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle θ or more (see FIG. 7). The robot cleaner 20 passes when the robot cleaner 20 passes through the platform 62 which is inclined to the predetermined angle θ or more. The front of the robot cleaner 20 may be slightly lifted because the weight of the) is biased backward,” pg. 10, lines 6-9, Jung), and wherein the exhaust port is located under the inclined portion (as shown in annotated Fig. 8 above).
PNG
media_image5.png
502
731
media_image5.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 5, Jung, as modified, teaches the invention as rejected above in claim 3, wherein the agitator accommodation portion includes: a recess recessed in the base (recessed area of second opening 62a as shown in annotated Fig. 8 above), the recess having the exhaust port located at one side thereof (as shown in annotated Fig. 5a above); and a protrusion (brush cleaning member 95a) protruding from the base (“The brush cleaning member 95a of the maintenance station 60 may protrude from the bottom of the housing 61 toward the second opening 62a and may be formed in plural along the longitudinal direction of the second opening 62a,” pg. 13, lines 16-19, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 8 above), the protrusion being configured to guide air discharged through the exhaust port to the suction unit of the robot cleaner (“The air discharged from the pump unit 91 exits the exhaust ports 93a and 93b of the exhaust duct 93 at a high flow rate and passes through the side region of the first opening 21a of the robot cleaner 20 to clean the robot cleaner ( 20 may flow into the first dust container 43,” pg. 12-13, lines 38-39 & 1-2, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 8 above).
Regarding claim 6, Jung, as modified, teaches the invention as rejected above in claim 5, wherein, when the robot cleaner is seated on the base, the protrusion is located between a pair of wheels of the robot cleaner (“The platform 62 is formed with a caster guide part 63a for guiding the casters 32 of the robot cleaner 20, and a driving wheel guide part for guiding the left and right driving wheels 31a and 31b of the robot cleaner 20. 63b and 63c may be formed. Each of the caster guide part 63a and the driving wheel guide parts 63b and 63c may be formed to be recessed than the periphery,” pg. 9, lines 16-20, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 5a above).
Regarding claim 7, Jung, as modified, teaches the invention as rejected above in claim 1, wherein the exhaust flow path is bent at least once (as shown in annotated Fig. 6 above).
Regarding claim 8, Jung, as modified, teaches the invention as rejected above in claim 1, wherein the exhaust flow path includes an exhaust port (exhaust ports 93a and 93b) and wherein the robot cleaner station further comprises a dust collection motor housing (portion of housing 61 containing the pump unit 91 as shown in annotated Figs. 6 and 8 above) configured to accommodate the dust collection motor (as shown in annotated Figs. 6 and 8 above), the dust collection motor housing having a discharge hole (as shown in annotated Figs. 6 and 8 above) located at a same height as a height of the exhaust port of the exhaust flow path (as shown in annotated Fig. 8 above), the dust collection motor housing being configured to guide air discharged from the dust collection motor to the exhaust port of the exhaust flow path (“The air discharged from the pump unit 91 exits the exhaust ports 93a and 93b of the exhaust duct 93 at a high flow rate and passes through the side region of the first opening 21a of the robot cleaner 20 to clean the robot cleaner ( 20 may flow into the first dust container 43,” pg. 12-13, lines 38-39 & 1-2, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 6 above).
Regarding claim 10, Jung, as modified, teaches the invention as rejected above in claim 1, wherein the base further includes an inclined portion (“The platform 62 may be formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle θ or more (see FIG. 7),” pg. 10, lines 6-7, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 7 above), and wherein the robot cleaner is configured to move up the inclined portion when the robot enters the robot cleaner station (“The platform 62 may be formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle θ or more (see FIG. 7). The robot cleaner 20 passes when the robot cleaner 20 passes through the platform 62 which is inclined to the predetermined angle θ or more. The front of the robot cleaner 20 may be slightly lifted because the weight of the) is biased backward,” pg. 10, lines 6-9, Jung).
Regarding claim 11, Jung, as modified, teaches the invention as rejected above in claim 10, wherein a front portion of the inclined portion is at a same height as a floor outside of the robot cleaner station (as shown in annotated Figs. 5a and 8 above).
Regarding claim 12, Jung, teaches a robot cleaner system comprising: a robot cleaner (robot cleaner 20) the robot cleaner including: a suction unit (blower unit or blowing unit 22) configured to suction air and dust (“the blowing unit 22 has a small dust container 43b through the second inlet 43b'. It can suck and store small dust floating on the hair. In particular, the brush cleaning member 41c is provided in the vicinity of the second inlet 43b ', and the brush cleaning member 41c filters the hair wound on the brush unit 41 and then removes the hair by the suction force of the blower unit 22,” pg. 5-6, lines 34-38 & 1, Jung); and a dust bin (first dust container 43) configured to store the dust suctioned through the suction unit (“The first dust container 43 of the robot cleaner 20 stores dust collected from the floor while the robot cleaner 20 moves [wherein dust is suctioned through blower unit 22 of robot cleaner 20],” pg. 9, lines 28-29, Jung), and a robot cleaner station (maintenance station 60) [located in a lower space of a structure including plumbing], the robot cleaner station including: a housing (housing 61); a seating assembly (platform 62) configured to accommodate at least a portion of the robot cleaner (“The platform 62 may support the robot cleaner 20 when the robot cleaner 20 is docked to the maintenance station 60,” pg. 9, lines 13-14, Jung), the seating assembly being located in the housing (“The housing 61 may be provided with a platform 62,” pg. 9, line 13, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 5a above); a dust collector (second dust container 94) configured to collect the dust inside the dust bin of the robot cleaner (“The first dust container 43 of the robot cleaner 20 stores dust collected from the floor while the robot cleaner 20 moves, and the second dust container 94 of the maintenance station 60 is made of the robot cleaner 20. 1 is to collect and store the dust discharged from the dust container (43),” pg. 9, lines 28-31, Jung); a suction flow path (suction duct 92) configured to connect the dust bin of the robot cleaner to the dust collector (as shown in annotated Fig. 8 above); a dust collection motor configured to generate a suction force (“The pump unit 91 is a device for sucking / discharging air,” pg. 11, line 27, Jung; “the suction force of the pump unit 91,” pg. 13, line 26, Jung so that the dust inside the dust bin of the robot cleaner flows into the dust collector through the suction flow path (“The dust removing device 90 maintains the cleaning performance of the robot cleaner 20 by emptying the dust stored in the first dust container 43 of the robot cleaner 20 to the second dust container 94 of the maintenance station 60,” pg. 11, lines 18-21, Jung; “The dust removing device 90 allows the flow exhausted from the exhaust duct 93 to be sucked back into the suction duct 92 and removes the dust stored in the first dust container 43 of the robot cleaner 20 by using the reflux,” pg. 11, lines 23-26, Jung); and an exhaust flow path (exhaust duct 93) configured to guide air discharged from the dust collection motor to the suction unit of the robot cleaner (“The air discharged from the pump unit 91 exits the exhaust ports 93a and 93b of the exhaust duct 93 at a high flow rate and passes through the side region of the first opening 21a of the robot cleaner 20 to clean the robot cleaner ( 20 may flow into the first dust container 43,” pg. 12-13, lines 38-39 & 1-2, Jung).
Jung does not teach a robot cleaner station located in a lower space of a structure including plumbing.
However, Zhou does teach a containing cabinet for a cleaning robot base station comprising a robot cleaner station located in a lower space of a structure including plumbing (“Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 is a cleaning robot base station of the containing cabinet, comprising a plurality of containing space of the cabinet body 1, the containing space comprises a lower chamber 3 and the upper chamber 2, the lower chamber 3 is provided with a cleaning robot base station of the set 31, set 31 is hollow avoiding, the cleaning robot base station 5 placed on the placing position 31,” pg. 4, lines 15-19, Zhou; as shown in annotated Fig. 2 below).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing data of the claimed invention, to modify Jung to incorporate the teachings of Zhou to provide a plumbing structure above the robot cleaner station to enable quick and easy access to clean, running water that can be used to refill a water tank or clean the water cleaner station itself, while also draining waste or dirty water that may be present in the water cleaner station (pg. 5, lines 25-28, Zhou).
PNG
media_image6.png
693
806
media_image6.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 13, Jung, as modified, teaches the claimed invention as rejected above in claim 12.
Jung, as modified, does not teach the structure including plumbing includes at least one of a water supply pipe and a drain pipe, wherein the robot cleaner station is located at a lower portion of the structure including plumbing.
However, Zhou does teach the structure including plumbing includes at least one of a water supply pipe (communication between clear water tank 52 (or cleaning water tank 52) and water head and cleaning head; “when the robot enters the parking cabin 54, clear water tank 52 through water pump communicate water head and cleaning head, the robot for supplying water and cleaning the floor cleaning component,” pg. 5, lines 25-27, Zhou) and a drain pipe (communication between sewage tank 53 and suction pump; “the sewage tank 53 through the suction pump communicate the sewage after cleaning the cleaning robot,” pg. 5, lines 27-28, Zhou), wherein the robot cleaner station is located at a lower portion of the structure including plumbing (“Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 is a cleaning robot base station of the containing cabinet, comprising a plurality of containing space of the cabinet body 1, the containing space comprises a lower chamber 3 and the upper chamber 2, the lower chamber 3 is provided with a cleaning robot base station of the set 31, set 31 is hollow avoiding, the cleaning robot base station 5 placed on the placing position 31,” pg. 4, lines 15-19, Zhou; as shown in annotated Fig. 2 above).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing data of the claimed invention, to modify Jung, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Zhou to provide a plumbing structure above the robot cleaner station to enable quick and easy access to clean, running water that can be used to refill a water tank or clean the water cleaner station itself, while also draining waste or dirty water that may be present in the water cleaner station (pg. 5, lines 25-28, Zhou).
Regarding claim 14, Jung, as modified, teaches the claimed invention as rejected above in claim 12.
Jung, as modified, does not teach the structure including plumbing comprises a cabinet, the cabinet including at least one of a water supply pipe and a drain pipe, and wherein the robot cleaner station is located at a lower portion of the cabinet.
However, Zhou does teach the structure including plumbing comprises a cabinet (cabinet body 1), the cabinet including at least one of a water supply pipe (communication between clear water tank 52 (or cleaning water tank 52) and water head and cleaning head; “when the robot enters the parking cabin 54, clear water tank 52 through water pump communicate water head and cleaning head, the robot for supplying water and cleaning the floor cleaning component,” pg. 5, lines 25-27, Zhou) and a drain pipe (communication between sewage tank 53 and suction pump; “the sewage tank 53 through the suction pump communicate the sewage after cleaning the cleaning robot,” pg. 5, lines 27-28, Zhou), and wherein the robot cleaner station is located at a lower portion of the cabinet (“Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 is a cleaning robot base station of the containing cabinet, comprising a plurality of containing space of the cabinet body 1, the containing space comprises a lower chamber 3 and the upper chamber 2, the lower chamber 3 is provided with a cleaning robot base station of the set 31, set 31 is hollow avoiding, the cleaning robot base station 5 placed on the placing position 31,” pg. 4, lines 15-19, Zhou; as shown in annotated Fig. 2 above).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing data of the claimed invention, to modify Jung, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Zhou to provide a plumbing structure above the robot cleaner station to enable quick and easy access to clean, running water that can be used to refill a water tank or clean the water cleaner station itself, while also draining waste or dirty water that may be present in the water cleaner station (pg. 5, lines 25-28, Zhou).
Regarding claim 15, Jung, as modified, teaches the claimed invention as rejected above in claim 12.
Jung, as modified, does not teach the structure including plumbing includes at least one of a water supply pipe and a drain pipe, wherein the robot cleaner station is located at a lower portion of the structure and is spaced a predetermined distance from a floor.
However, Zhou does teach the structure including plumbing includes at least one of a water supply pipe (communication between clear water tank 52 (or cleaning water tank 52) and water head and cleaning head; “when the robot enters the parking cabin 54, clear water tank 52 through water pump communicate water head and cleaning head, the robot for supplying water and cleaning the floor cleaning component,” pg. 5, lines 25-27, Zhou) and a drain pipe (communication between sewage tank 53 and suction pump; “the sewage tank 53 through the suction pump communicate the sewage after cleaning the cleaning robot,” pg. 5, lines 27-28, Zhou), wherein the robot cleaner station is located at a lower portion of the structure (“Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 is a cleaning robot base station of the containing cabinet, comprising a plurality of containing space of the cabinet body 1, the containing space comprises a lower chamber 3 and the upper chamber 2, the lower chamber 3 is provided with a cleaning robot base station of the set 31, set 31 is hollow avoiding, the cleaning robot base station 5 placed on the placing position 31,” pg. 4, lines 15-19, Zhou; as shown in annotated Fig. 2 above) and is spaced a predetermined distance from a floor (as shown in annotated Fig. 2 above).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing data of the claimed invention, to modify Jung, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Zhou to provide a plumbing structure above the robot cleaner station to enable quick and easy access to clean, running water that can be used to refill a water tank or clean the water cleaner station itself, while also draining waste or dirty water that may be present in the water cleaner station (pg. 5, lines 25-28, Zhou).
Additionally, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing data of the claimed invention, to modify Jung, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Zhou to provide a predetermined distance between the robot cleaner station and the floor to provide sufficient space for an inclined portion to be provided into order to accommodate the robot vacuum clear when entering the robot cleaner station (pg. 6, lines 12-19; as shown in annotated Fig. 2 above).
Regarding claim 16, Jung, as modified, teaches the claimed invention as rejected above in claim 15.
Jung, as modified, does not teach the robot cleaner system is located at a toe space between the structure and the floor.
However, Zhou does teach the robot cleaner system is located at a toe space (placing position 31 or installation position 31) between the structure and the floor (“Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 is a cleaning robot base station of the containing cabinet, comprising a plurality of containing space of the cabinet body 1, the containing space comprises a lower chamber 3 and the upper chamber 2, the lower chamber 3 is provided with a cleaning robot base station of the set 31, set 31 is hollow avoiding, the cleaning robot base station 5 placed on the placing position 31,” pg. 4, lines 15-19, Zhou; as shown in annotated Fig. 2 above).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing data of the claimed invention, to modify Jung, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Zhou to provide a plumbing structure above the robot cleaner station to enable quick and easy access to clean, running water that can be used to refill a water tank or clean the water cleaner station itself, while also draining waste or dirty water that may be present in the water cleaner station (pg. 5, lines 25-28, Zhou).
Additionally, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing data of the claimed invention, to modify Jung, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Zhou to provide a predetermined distance between the robot cleaner station and the floor to provide sufficient space for an inclined portion to be provided into order to accommodate the robot vacuum clear when entering the robot cleaner station (pg. 6, lines 12-19; as shown in annotated Fig. 2 above).
Regarding claim 17, Jung, as modified, teaches the claimed invention as rejected above in claim 12, wherein the robot cleaner station further includes: an accommodation space (portion of platform 62 as shown in annotated Figs. 5a and 8 above) configured to accommodate the robot cleaner (“The platform 62 may support the robot cleaner 20 when the robot cleaner 20 is docked to the maintenance station 60,” pg. 9, lines 13-14, Jung), the accommodation space being located on the seating assembly (as shown in annotated Figs. 5a and 8 above) and an exhaust port (exhaust ports 93a and 93b) configured to guide the air discharged from the dust collection motor to the accommodation space (“The air discharged from the pump unit 91 exits the exhaust ports 93a and 93b of the exhaust duct 93 at a high flow rate and passes through the side region of the first opening 21a of the robot cleaner 20 to clean the robot cleaner ( 20 may flow into the first dust container 43 [wherein the guided air makes contact with the accommodation space],” pg. 12-13, lines 38-39 & 1-2, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 8 above).
Regarding claim 18, Jung, as modified, teaches the claimed invention as rejected above in claim 17, wherein the robot cleaner further includes an agitator (brush unit 41 of robot cleaner 20), wherein the robot cleaner station further includes an agitator accommodation portion (second opening 62a) configured to accommodate the agitator of the robot cleaner (as shown in annotated Fig. 8 above), and wherein the exhaust port is located at the agitator accommodation portion (“exhaust ports 93a and 93b may form part of the second opening 62a,” pg. 12, line 1, Jung; as shown in annotated Fig. 5a above).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al. (KR 20120007943 A), hereinafter Jung, in view of Zhou (CN 217429921 U), and further in view of Cho et al. (US 20220160201 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Jung teaches the invention as rejected above in claim 1, wherein the robot cleaner further includes a suction motor (blower unit or blowing unit 22) configured to provide a suction force to the suction unit of the robot cleaner (“the blowing unit 22 has a small dust container 43b through the second inlet 43b'. It can suck and store small dust floating on the hair. In particular, the brush cleaning member 41c is provided in the vicinity of the second inlet 43b ', and the brush cleaning member 41c filters the hair wound on the brush unit 41 and then removes the hair by the suction force of the blower unit 22,” pg. 5-6, lines 34-38 & 1, Jung).
Jung does not teach the suction motor is driven when the dust collection motor is driven.
However, Cho does teach the suction motor is driven when the dust collection motor is driven (“when the vacuum cleaner 100 is coupled to the docking station 200, the docking station 200 may perform communication with the vacuum cleaner 100 and simultaneously control the first suction device (suction motor) of the vacuum cleaner 100 and the second suction device (suction motor) of the docking station 200 to allow the foreign matter to be more efficiently discharged from the dust collecting bin 15,” [0093], Cho).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing data of the claimed invention, to modify Jung, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Cho to allow for the suction motor and dust collection motor to be driven simultaneously to enable for dust to be more efficiently discharged from the dust bin of the robot cleaner ([0093], Cho).
Claims 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al. (KR 20120007943 A), hereinafter Jung, in view of Zhou (CN 217429921 U), as rejected above in claim 12, and further in view of an embodiment of Jung represented by Fig. 10.
Regarding claim 19, Jung, as modified, teaches the claimed invention as rejected above in claim 17.
Jung, as modified, does not teach the exhaust flow path includes a connection pipe having a first end communicating with the suction unit and a second end communicating with the exhaust port.
However, the embodiment of Jung does teach the exhaust flow path includes a connection pipe (intake / exhaust double pipe 200) having a first end communicating with the suction unit (first end of intake / exhaust double pipe 200 is connected to the robot cleaner, thus communicating with the suction motor of the robot cleaner 120 as shown in annotated Fig. 10 below) and a second end communicating with the exhaust port (second end of intake / exhaust double pipe 200 is connected to the exhaust duct 193, with connection portion, between the two representing the exhaust part, as shown in annotated Fig. 10 below).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing data of the claimed invention, to modify Jung, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of the embodiment of Jung represented by Fig. 10 to provide a connection pipe communicating between the suction unit and the exhaust port on each respective end to enable for the connection pipe to operate as both an intake/suction and exhaust path, enabling improved efficiency within the vacuum system (pg. 16, lines 24-29, Jung).
PNG
media_image7.png
703
756
media_image7.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 20, Jung, as modified, teaches the claimed invention as rejected above in claim 19.
Jung, as modified, does not teach the connection pipe is configured to discharge air from the exhaust port.
However, the embodiment of Jung does teach the connection pipe is configured to discharge air from the exhaust port (“As such, the air discharged from the pump unit 191 is an exhaust duct 193, an exhaust pipe 293 of the intake / exhaust double pipe 200, a first dust container 143 of the robot cleaner 120, and an intake / exhaust double pipe 200,” pg. 17, lines 16-18, Jung).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing data of the claimed invention, to modify Jung, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of the embodiment of Jung represented by Fig. 10 to provide a connection pipe communicating between the suction unit and the exhaust port on each respective end to enable for the connection pipe to operate as both an intake/suction and exhaust path, enabling improved efficiency within the vacuum system (pg. 16, lines 24-29, Jung).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Buehler et al. (US 20180368646 A1) teaches a system for refilling, emptying, and recharging an autonomous floor cleaner comprising a docking station adapted to be coupled with a plumbing infrastructure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ISHAQ M ISHAQ whose telephone number is (571)270-0696. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30AM-5PM.
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, David Posigian can be reached at 313-446-6546. 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.
/I.M.I./Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/DAVID S POSIGIAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
Prosecution Insights