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 § 102
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) 1-9 and 12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lewis (US 2020/0015647).
Lewis discloses a cleaning module, comprising a first rolling brush (310) comprising a first brush; and a second rolling brush (320) arranged substantially side by side with the first rolling brush and comprising a second brush, wherein the first brush and the second brush distributed in rotational-mirror symmetry (Fig. 4A; paragraph 51).
Regarding claim 2, wherein the first brush (310) and the second brush (320) are staggered (Fig. 4A).
Regarding claim 3, wherein an outer contour formed by a trajectory of an outer end of the first brush and an outer contour formed by a trajectory of an outer end of the second brush at least partially interfere with each other (Fig. 4A; paragraph 52).
Regarding claim 4, wherein the first rolling brush (310) is configured to rotate in a first rotational direction and the second rolling brush (320) is configured to rotate in a second rotational direction the first brush is not in contact with the second brush during rotation (Fig. 9; paragraph 73).
Regarding claim 5, wherein the first brush (310) is a first long brush (318), and the first rolling brush further comprises a first short brush (340), the first long brush and the first short brush being alternately arranged at an interval (Fig. 11A; paragraph 104); or the second brush (310b) is a second long brush (325a), and the second rolling brush comprises a second short brush (340), the second long brush and the second short brush being alternately arranged at an interval (Fig. 11A).
Regarding claim 6, wherein the first long brush and the second long brush are staggered, or the first short brush and the second short brush are staggered (Fig. 11A).
Regarding claim 7, the first short brush (340) and the second short brush (340) are in rotational-mirror symmetry the first rolling brush and the second rolling brush are assembled (Fig. 11A).
Regarding claim 8, further comprising: an air channel (CC) opening located at the tops of the first rolling brush and the second rolling brush wherein an unobstructed airflow channel exists the air channel opening and a surface to be cleaned when the first rolling brush and the second rolling brush rotate (Fig. 11A; paragraph 98).
Regarding claim 9, wherein the first brush spirally extends in an axial direction of the first rolling brush (367) (Fig. 4A); or the second brush spirally extends in an axial direction of the second rolling brush (Fig. 4A).
Regarding claim 12, wherein the first brush and the second brush are able to be in mirror symmetrical distribution in an unassembled state of the first rolling brush and the second rolling brush (Fig. 4C; paragraph 51).
Regarding claim 13, wherein the first rolling brush (310) and the second rolling brush (320) are arranged one behind the other side by side in a direction of movement of the cleaning module (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 14, wherein the first brush is a first long brush (318), and the first rolling brush further comprises a first short brush (340); the second brush is a second long brush (325a), and the second rolling brush comprises a second short brush (340); and the first long brush and the second short brush are arranged opposite to each other, or the second long brush and the first short brush are arranged opposite to each other after the first rolling brush and the second rolling brush are assembled (Fig. 11A; paragraph 106).
Regarding claim 15, wherein the first brush is a first long brush (318), and the second brush is a second long brush (325a), wherein the first rolling brush further comprises a first short brush (340), or the second rolling brush further comprises a second short brush (340) (Fig. 11; paragraph 106).
Regarding claim 16, wherein the first rolling brush (310) further comprises the first short brush (340), and the second long brush (318) and the first short brush are arranged opposite to each other; or the second rolling brush (320) further comprises the second short brush (340), and the first long brush and the second short brush are arranged opposite to each other (Fig. 11A).
Regarding claim 17, wherein the first brush is V-shaped, or the second brush is V-shaped (Fig. 4A).
Regarding claim 18, a cleaning module comprises: a first rolling brush (310) comprising a first brush (360); and a second rolling brush (320) arranged substantially side by side with the first rolling brush and comprising a second brush (367), wherein the first brush and the second brush are distributed in rotational-mirror symmetry (Fig. 4C; paragraph 51).
Regarding claim 19, wherein an outer contour formed by a trajectory of an outer end of the first brush and an outer contour formed by a trajectory of an outer end of the second brush at least partially interfere with each other (Fig. 4C; paragraph 52).
Regarding claim 20, wherein the first rolling brush (310) is configured to rotate in a first rotational direction and the second rolling brush is configured to rotate in a second rotational direction, and the first brush is not in contact with the second brush during rotation (paragraph 39).
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.
Claim(s) 10 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lewis (US 2020/0015647) in view of Verhasselt (US 11,730,331).
Lewis discloses the claimed invention except for the first rolling brush comprises, at least a part of a supporting surface being incompressible; or the second rolling brush comprises a second support, the second support being provided with a supporting surface that supports a second brush member in a contact manner, at least a part of the supporting surface being incompressible; wherein the supporting surface of the first rolling brush is incompressible; or the supporting surface of the second rolling brush is incompressible.
Verhasselt teaches a cleaning system comprising rolling brushes (30, 32) wherein the rolling brushes comprises, at least a part of a supporting surface being incompressible; or the second rolling brush (32) comprises a second support, the second support being provided with a supporting surface that supports a second brush member in a contact manner, at least a part of the supporting surface being incompressible; wherein the supporting surface of the first rolling brush is incompressible; or the supporting surface of the second rolling brush is incompressible (Fig. 2; col. 10, lines 20-35). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the brushes of Lewis be made from an incompressible material as taught by Verhasselt to allow for more consistent contact with the floor while the brush maintains is shape improving agitation across the cleaning width.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RACHEL RUNNING STEITZ whose telephone number is (571)272-1917. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm EST.
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/RACHEL R STEITZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3772 8/7/2026
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