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 .
Detailed Action
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention Group I (claims 1-11 readable) in the reply filed on 05/14/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejection - 35 U.S.C. 112(b)
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.
2. Claims 4-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
(1) In claim 4, line 5, “the indicator comprises the elastic guard” does not agree with Fig.5 and contradicts paragraph [0109], line 1 of the specification. Fig.5 shows the elastic guard 150 comprising the indicator 152, and paragraph [0109] describes the indicator 152 may be provided at a lower side of the elastic guard 150.
(2) In claim 6, lines 1-2, “the through slit is surrounded by the blade housing” does not agree with Fig.4 which shows the blade housing 110 comprising a through slit 117. It is suggested “surrounding by the blade housing”, at lines 1-2 of the claim, be deleted.
(3) In claim 7, line 2, “the entry direction” has no antecedent basis. Note “an entry direction” is cited in claim 2.
(4) In claim 11, line 3, “the end portion” is vague and should read --the front end portion--.
Claim Rejection - 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)
1. 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.
2. Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Washington (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0299458).
Regarding claim 1, Washington discloses a razor assembly (10) comprising:
a razor handle (14);
at least one razor blade (32a) having a cutting edge (96, see Fig.6) formed thereon;
a blade housing (16) including:
a razor blade mounting portion (see Fig.2) configured to accommodate the razor blade (32) in a longitudinal direction,
an upper surface (66) configured to expose the razor blade (32A), and
a lower surface (68) opposite to the upper surface (66); and
a connector (26) disposed adjacent to the lower surface (68) and including a connecting groove (26) configured to at least partially receive the razor handle (14, see paragraph [0022], lines 7-8),
wherein an indicator (78/88) providing mounting information of the razor handle (14, see paragraph [0028], lines 4-7) is provided within the connecting groove (26).
Regarding claim 2, Washington’s mounting information includes information (e.g., an arrow, see paragraph [0028], lines 1-3 and paragraph [0031], lines 7-10) related to an entry direction of the razor handle (14) relative to the connector (26).
Regarding claim 3, Washington’s mounting information includes information (e.g., an arrow, see paragraph [0028], lines 1-3 and paragraph [0031], lines 7-10) related to an entry position of the razor handle (14) relative to the connector (26).
Regarding claim 4, Washington’s razor assembly (10) further comprises an elastic guard (28, “elastomer pad”, see paragraph [0023], lines 1-3) disposed in the blade housing (16), wherein the blade housing (16) is formed such that at least a portion of the elastic guard (28) is exposed within the connecting groove (26) on the lower surface (68), and wherein the elastic guard (28) comprises the indicator (78/88) exposed within the connecting groove (26).
3. Claims 1-4 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zucker (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0141225).
Regarding claim 1, Zucker discloses a razor assembly (see Fig.9) comprising:
a razor handle (see paragraph [0058], lines 1-4);
at least one razor blade (see Fig.9 not labeled) having a cutting edge formed thereon;
a blade housing (904) including:
a razor blade mounting portion (see Fig.9 not labeled) configured to accommodate the razor blade in a longitudinal direction,
an upper surface configured to expose the razor blade, and
a lower surface opposite to the upper surface; and
a connector (924) disposed adjacent to the lower surface and including a connecting groove (924) configured to at least partially receive the razor handle (14, see paragraph [0058], lines 4-10),
wherein an indicator (e.g., color) providing mounting information of the razor handle is provided within the connecting groove (924, see paragraph [0062], lines 1-15).
Regarding claim 2, Zucker’s mounting information includes information (e.g., color) related to an entry direction of the razor handle relative to the connector (924, see paragraph [0062], lines 1-15).
Regarding claim 3, Zucker’s mounting information includes information (e.g., color) related to an entry position of the razor handle relative to the connector (924, see paragraph [0062], lines 1-15).
Regarding claim 4, Zucker’s razor assembly (904) further comprises an elastic guard (made of the same material as the connecting groove 924, e.g., elastomeric material, see paragraph [0062], lines 1-4 and 7-10) disposed in the blade housing (904), wherein the blade housing (904) is formed such that the connecting groove (924) is exposed within a portion of the elastic guard on the lower surface of the blade housing (904), and wherein the elastic guard comprises the indicator (e.g., color of the connecting groove 924) exposed within the connecting groove (924).
Regarding claim 8, Zucker’s elastic guard is formed in a color different from that of the blade housing (940, see paragraph [0062], lines 7-9).
Claim Rejection - 35 U.S.C. 103
1. 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.
2. Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Washington (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0299458).
Regarding claim 11, Washington’s razor assembly as set forth shows all the clamed limitations, and further the indicator (78/88) is provided between the razor blade (32) and a front end portion (20) of the blade housing (16) except Washington’s indicator (78/88) is closer to the front end portion (20) of the housing (16) rather than to the blade (32). However, the claimed indicator provided closer to the razor blade than the front end portion of the housing is NOT patentably distinct over Washington due to the lack of criticality because as long as the indicator performs the requisite function of providing mounting information of the razor handle, whether the indicator is closer to the front end portion of the housing or to the blade is deemed to be an obvious matter of design choice. It is further evidenced by the Applicant (see paragraph [0052], lines 3-4 of the specification) that the indicator 152 may be provided closer to the razor blade than the front end of the blade housing 16. Thus, Applicant fails to point out the criticality of the claimed location for the indicator but merely discloses as an example.
Indication of Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7, 9 and 10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Prior Art Citations
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0202065 shows a razor assembly (10, see Figs.1B and 2B) comprising a blade housing (120) for accommodating at least one razor blade (110), and a housing cover (130) connected to the blade housing (120) and including a razor blade window (see Figs.1B) and 2B) not labeled) configured to expose at least a portion of a cutting edge (112) of the blade (110).
WO 2024/205267 shows a razor assembly (1, see Fig.12) comprising a handle (1100) having a first indicator (113), and a blade housing (20) having a second indicator (240), wherein the first indicator (113) and the second indicator (240) provide a user with information about the mounting direction of the blade housing (20) and the handle (1100).
Point of Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HWEI-SIU PAYER whose telephone number is (571)272-4511. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Boyer Ashley, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-4502. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HWEI-SIU C PAYER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724
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