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 § 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.
Claims 1-3 and 7-14 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 “wherein the air suction device is configured on a lower side of the head, the garment is tensioned to be flat, and
wherein the head is provided with a power supply portion, and the air suction device is provided with a power receiving portion; when the air suction device is assembled on the head, the power supply portion is electrically connected to the power receiving portion; and when the air suction device is detached from the head, the power supply portion is electrically disconnected from the power receiving portion, power is supplied to the air suction device by an external power supply, such that the air suction device is detached without being intervened by a power supply wire, or
wherein the air suction device comprises a power supply and a switch, and the switch controls the power supply to supply power to or stop supplying power to the air suction device, the air suction device works separately”.
It is unclear the limitations “wherein the head is provided with a power supply portion…by a power supply wire” and “wherein the air suction device comprises a power supply…separately” are alternate limitations? Or the limitations “wherein the air suction device is configured on a lower side of the head, the garment is tensioned to be flat, and wherein ….a power supply wire” and “wherein the air suction device comprises a power supply…separately” are alternate limitations” are alternate limitations?
For the benefit of applying art, it is interpreted that the limitations “wherein the head is provided with a power supply portion…by a power supply wire” and “wherein the air suction device comprises a power supply…separately” are alternate limitations.
Any remaining claims are rejected as depending from a rejected base claim.
In the art rejections below the claims have been treated as best understood by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN202658459(hereinafter CN’459).
Regarding claim 1, CN’459 teaches a steam ironing head (fig. 2) provided with a detachable air suction device, comprising a head (fig. 2, head 20) provided with an ironing surface (fig. 2, panel 21), steam outlets (fig. 2, steam outlets 23) being distributed in the ironing surface, wherein the head is provided with the detachable air suction device (fig. 1, device 30), the air suction device is provided with a suction inlet (fig. 1, hole 13), and the air suction device is configured to suck air via the suction inlet when the ironing surface is close to a garment (abstract), and promote the garment to be attached thereto to be close to the ironing surface (abstract),
wherein the air suction device is configured on a lower side of the head (fig. 2), the garment is tensioned to be flat (fig. 2, machine translation, as steam spraying hole and the air suction hole are in the same plane), and
wherein the air suction device comprises a power supply (fig. 1, power supply 12) and a switch (fig. 1, switch 16), and the switch controls the power supply to supply power to or stop supplying power to the air suction device (machine translation, switch 16 is configured to facilitate the start-up control of device 30), the air suction device works separately (machine translation, the device can be used alone as an absorption tool to enhance the practicality of the iron head of the hanging iron machine).
Regarding claim 2, CN’459 teaches the suction inlet located in a front wall of the air suction device (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, CN’459 teaches the front wall and the ironing surface are in any one of the following positional relations: (1) the front wall and the ironing surface are located in a same plane (fig. 2, machine translation).
Regarding claim 11, CN’459 teaches the air suction device comprises a housing (fig. 1, housing 10) and a fan (fig. 1, fan 11), the fan is located in the housing, and the suction inlet (fig. 1, hole 13) is formed in the housing, and the housing is provided with air outlets (fig. 1, ports 14).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN202658459, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of CN220555768 (hereinafter CN’768).
Regarding claim 7, CN’459 does not teach a grating is arranged at the suction inlet.
However, in the same field of endeavor, CN’768 teaches a grating (fig. 4, grille 5) is arranged at the suction inlet.
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine CN’459 with a grating at the suction inlet as taught by CN’768 for the benefit of providing air intake areas while providing protection from dust and debris.
Regarding claim 8, CN’459 does not teach an air suction direction of the suction inlet of the air suction device is configured to be adjustable.
However, CN’768 teaches an air suction direction of the suction inlet of the air suction device is configured to be adjustable (machine translation, para. [0011], [0057], there is a dust baffle at the suction inlet, the dust baffle is closed under normal conditions and opens the suction port 2.3 when receiving negative pressure).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine CN’459 with a dust baffle as taught by CN’768 for the benefit of collecting dust from the garment when the suction power is on and preventing from dust collection when the suction power is off (CN’768, para. [0011], [0057]).
Regarding claim 9, the modified structure CN’459-CN’768 teaches a louver with an adjustable angle (CN’768, dust baffle 2.4 has adjustable angle between open and closed positions) is arranged at the suction inlet.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN202658459, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of CN202898840 (hereinafter CN’840).
Regarding claim 10, CN’459 does not clearly teach the air suction device is clamped on the head.
However, CN’459 teaches the air suction device is detachably connected to the iron head.
Further, in the same field of endeavor, CN’840 teaches the air suction device is clamped on the head (machine translation, para. [0021], the main body is provided with a groove, and the suction brush 5 is provided with a fixture block to be inserted in the groove).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine CN’459 with clamping method as taught by CN’840 for the benefit of securing the air suction device to the ironing head.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN202658459, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Fang (US 2025/0003141).
Regarding claim 12, CN’459 does not teach a handheld garment steamer as in the claim.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Fang teaches a handheld garment steamer (fig. 1), comprising a water tank (fig. 10, tank 120), a water pump (fig. 12, pump 130) and a steam generator (fig. 8, assembly 200), the water pump being used for transporting water from the water tank to the steam generator (para. [0024]), the steam generator being used for atomizing the water into steam (para. [0051], [0084]), wherein the steam generated by the steam generator is released via the steam outlets (fig. 1, outlets 301), and the steam ironing head, the water tank, the water pump and the steam generator are assembled together to be held for ironing (fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine CN’459 with a handheld garment steamer as taught by Fang for the benefit of providing convenient, quick and easy in removing wrinkles of garments.
Claims 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN202658459, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lauchet (US 2019/0376230).
Regarding claims 13-14, CN’459 does not clearly teach structures of an upright garment steamer as in the claim.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Lauchet teaches an upright garment steamer (fig. 1), comprising a main body provided with a water tank (para. [0036]), a water pump (para. [0037]) and a steam generator (para. [0038]), the water pump being used for transporting water from the water tank to the steam generator (para. [0037]), the steam generator being used for atomizing the water into steam (para. [0038]), wherein the upright garment steamer further comprises the steam ironing head (fig. 1, iron 3), the steam ironing head is connected to the steam generator by means of a steam pipe (para. [0085]), and the steam generated by the steam generator is transported to the steam ironing head by means of the steam pipe and released via the steam outlets to be used for ironing (para. [0085], [0056], steam is released through holes 30A).
Lauchet also teaches a support rod, wherein the support rod is attached to the main body, extends upwards from the main body and is used for hanging garments or/and supporting an ironing board for spreading or supporting garments (figs. 1-2).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the invention to combine CN’459 with structures of the upright garment steamer as taught by Lauchet for the benefit of performing a vertical smoothing operation with a rigid support board (Lauchet, para. [0006]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, dated 04/10/2026, with respect to the rejections of claims under 35 U.S.C 102/103 have been fully considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 UYEN THI THAO NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-8370. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30 AM-4:30 PM EST.
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/UYEN T NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3732
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