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 .
Rejections 35 U.S.C. § 112
1. 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.
The term “hard” in the penultimate claim 27 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “hard” 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 term “hard” cannot be discernible based on the context of the claim since it raises the issue to what other entity is the shaft lever is being compared to.
Claims 28-41 are rejected for their dependency on claim 27.
Rejections 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1)
2. 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 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent (4,426,751) to Nordeen.
Regarding independent claim 22, Nordeen discloses a first rolling brush (16) including a first brush member (32); and a second rolling brush (17) arranged substantially in parallel to the first rolling brush (16) and comprising a second brush member (33) with as the first rolling brush (16) and the second rolling brush (17) rotate (See Col. 3 lines 15-25), the first brush member (16) and the second brush member (17) rotate to a position where the first brush member (16) and the second brush member (17) approach each other (See Col. 3 lines 35-45), and a point where the first brush member (16) and the second brush member (17) approach each other moves dynamically in a predetermined direction.
Claims 22-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Publication (2014/0196230) to Pyne et al. (cited by Applicant).
Regarding independent claim 22, Pyne et al. discloses a first rolling brush (14) including a first brush member (See bristle set on the left in FIG. 1); and a second rolling brush (18) arranged substantially in parallel to the first rolling brush (14) and comprising a second brush member (See bristle set on the right FIG. 1) with as the first rolling brush (14) and the second rolling brush (18) rotate (See paragraphs [0024]-[0027]), the first brush member (14) and the second brush member (18) rotate to a position where the first brush member (14) and the second brush member (18) approach each other, and a point where the first brush member (14) and the second brush member (18) approach each other moves dynamically in a predetermined direction.
Regarding claim 23, Pyne et al. discloses that the predetermined direction is a direction from both ends of the first rolling brush (14) or the second rolling brush (18) to a middle of the first rolling brush (14) (See FIG. 1) or the second rolling brush in an axial direction of the first rolling brush or the second rolling brush; or the predetermined direction is a direction from one end of the first rolling brush or the second rolling brush to the other end of the first rolling brush or the second rolling brush in an axial direction of the first rolling brush or the second rolling brush.
Regarding claim 24, Pyne et al. discloses that the first brush member and/or the second brush member are/is V-shaped structure(s); or the first brush member (14) and/or the second brush member (18) are spiral structure (See FIG. 1).
Regarding claim 25, Pyne et al. discloses the first brush member is not in contact with the second brush member when the first rolling brush and the second rolling brush rotate; or the first brush member (14) and the second brush member (18) abut against each other when the first rolling brush (14) and the second rolling brush (18) rotate (See paragraph [0030]).
Claims 22 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Publication (2014/0259475) to Doughty.
Regarding independent claim 22, Doughty discloses a first rolling brush (310a) including a first brush member (318); and a second rolling brush (310b) arranged substantially in parallel to the first rolling brush (310a) and comprising a second brush member (320) with as the first rolling brush (310a) and the second rolling brush (310b) rotate (See paragraphs [0067]-[0071]), the first brush member (318) and the second brush member (320) rotate to a position where the first brush member (318) and the second brush member (320) approach each other (See paragraphs [0070]-[0071]), and a point where the first brush member (318) and the second brush member (320) approach each other moves dynamically in a predetermined direction.
Regarding claim 26, Doughty discloses at least one of the first rolling brush (310a) or the second rolling brush further includes a cylindrical member (340) and a shaft lever (314), the cylindrical member (340) and the shaft lever (314) have basically the same lengths, and the cylindrical member (340) and the shaft lever (314) are coaxially arranged (See paragraph [0076]).
Conclusion
3. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL D. JENNINGS whose telephone number is (571)270-1536. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4:30pm. EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica S. 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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MICHAEL DEANGILO. JENNINGS
Examiner
Art Unit 3723
/MICHAEL D JENNINGS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
