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 .
Response to Amendment
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The response filed on June 26, 2026 is acknowledged.
Drawings
The amendment filed June 26, 2026 is objected to under 35 U.S.C. 132(a) because it introduces new matter into the disclosure. 35 U.S.C. 132(a) states that no amendment shall introduce new matter into the disclosure of the invention. The added material which is not supported by the original disclosure is as follows: figure 16 showing cover body 2 without an extension part 21.
Applicant is required to cancel the new matter in the reply to this Office Action.
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 “plurality of projections arranged at intervals are provided…on the second plate surface of the cover body” recited in claim 11 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). 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
Claims 1-10 and 12-20 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 1 recites the limitation “a water outlet hole of the at least one water outlet hole” in lines 13-14. The recitation appears to be repetitive and meaningless. The recitation “a water outlet hole” does not further describe or limit the “at least one water outlet hole.”
Claim 6 recites the limitation “a plurality of water jet channels” in line 5. At least one of the plurality of water jet channels appears to be a double inclusion of the “at least one water jet channel” recited in claim 1.
Claim 7 recites the limitation “a plurality of water outlet holes” in line 2. At least one of the plurality of water outlet holes appears to be a double inclusion of the “at least one water outlet hole” and/or the “water outlet hole” recited in claim 1.
The term “close” in claim 9 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “close” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The location/distance limited by the claim is uncertain.
Claim 19 recites the limitation “a plurality of water jet channels” in line 5. At least one of the plurality of water jet channels appears to be a double inclusion of the “water jet channel” recited in claim 1.
The term “close” in claim 20 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “close” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The location/distance limited by the claim is uncertain.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed June 26, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 6 and 19, Applicant argues that claim 1 has been amended to recite “at least one water channel.” The recitation “a plurality of water jet channels” in claims 6 and 19 remains a double inclusion of the “at least one water channel” recited in claim 1 because the “plurality of water jet channels” are recited as distinct and separate elements from the “at least one water channel.”
Regarding claim 7, the “plurality of water outlet holes” in claim 7 are distinct and separate elements from the “at least one water outlet hole” recited in claim 1.
Regarding claims 9 and 20, Applicant merely asserts that the term “close” is clear as seen in figures 1 and 2. The term “close” is defined as: near. Dictionary.com. The interpretation of what is close or near requires a subjective determination. What may be considered close/near by one of ordinary skill in the art may not be considered close/near by another of ordinary skill in the art.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER S KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-4905. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-3:30.
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, Arthur O Hall can be reached at (571) 270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER S KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752 CHRISTOPHER S. KIM
Examiner
Art Unit 3752
CK
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