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 .
Drawings
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 external positioning ribs to contact the curling edge as recited in claim 4 (Fig. 2 shows the nozzle ball head is in a circumferential eccentric swaying state. However, the plurality of external positioning ribs 35 do not contact the curling edge 15); and
the double-layer wear-resistant washer as recited in claim 5 (Fig. 2 shows a regular washer. It is unclear what is a double-layer wear-resistant washer? Would a washer with two opposite surfaces qualified as a double-layer washer? Why and why not?)must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Clarification is respectfully requested.
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
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.
Claims 7-10 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 7 recites the limitation "a pressure relief hole extending through the fixing cover along the axis is provided in the fixing cover" in lines 1-2. It appears to be idiomatically and/or grammatically incorrect. It is unclear what element or combination of elements are provided in the fixing cover? Furthermore, the limitation "the axis" in line 2 lacks sufficient antecedent basis. There are at least three “axis (of the nozzle, of the water wheel ball head and of the water wheel)” in the claim, it is unclear which “axis” is referred by the Applicant. Clarification is respectfully requested.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the axis" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Same rejection applies to all pending claims.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dautel et al. (US4802628. Dautel hereinafter).
With respect to claim 1, Dautel discloses an eccentric swaying washing nozzle (Figs. 1-3), comprising a housing (3) and a jet hole (19) at a front end of the housing, wherein a nozzle (28 and 25), a fixing ring (defining 16), a water wheel (12), and a fixing cover (2) that are successively mounted from back to front are arranged in the housing, the fixing ring and the fixing cover are both fixed in the housing, the water wheel is rotatably mounted in the housing, a nozzle ball head (25) is arranged at a front end of the nozzle, a plurality of evenly distributed circumferential external positioning ribs (ribs defining 35 and ribs at 27. Fig. 1) are arranged on an outer circumferential surface of the nozzle ball head, a nozzle hole (35) extending through the nozzle along an axis (of 25) is provided in the nozzle, a front end of the nozzle hole extends through the nozzle ball head and is in communication with the jet hole to form water outflow, water entering the housing drives the water wheel to rotate and drives a rear end (at 31) of the nozzle to perform circumferential eccentric rotation, and then drives the nozzle ball head to synchronously perform circumferential eccentric swaying relative to the jet hole under the restriction (constrains) of the plurality of external positioning ribs (same configuration as the Applicant’s invention), and the water outflow formed by the nozzle hole in communication with the jet hole is also spraying in a circumferential eccentric swaying manner.
With respect to claim 2, Dautel discloses the eccentric swaying washing nozzle according to claim 1, wherein each of the external positioning ribs (See enlarged Fig. 1 of Dautel with additional annotations below) is a rectangular bump (Having the shape of a rectangle. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) extending along an axial direction of the nozzle.
With respect to claim 3, Dautel discloses the eccentric swaying washing nozzle according to claim 1, wherein a curling edge (See enlarged Fig. 1 of Dautel with additional annotations below) that is turned up from a hole edge (top edge of 19) of the jet hole to a rear circumference is arranged in the jet hole, and the nozzle ball head is attached to an inner edge of the curling edge through a spherical surface (of 23) to perform circumferential eccentric swaying.
With respect to claim 5, Dautel discloses the eccentric swaying washing nozzle according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of evenly distributed circumferential blades (Col. 3, lines 8-18) in a radial pattern are arranged on an outer circumferential surface of the water wheel, and a double-layer wear-resistant washer (4 and 21) is arranged between front (downstream) end surfaces of the plurality of blades and a rear end surface (at 7) of the fixing ring.
With respect to claim 6, Dautel discloses the eccentric swaying washing nozzle according to claim 1, wherein a water wheel ball head (32) is arranged on a front (downstream) end of the water wheel, an axis of the water wheel ball head is eccentric with respect to a rotation axis of the water wheel (along 11), the water wheel ball head passes through (over) a center hole (top opening of the rim defining 16) of the fixing ring and is movably fitted in a rear (upstream) end of the nozzle hole, and the water wheel rotates to drive the water wheel ball head to perform circumferential eccentric rotation in the rear end of the nozzle hole, thereby driving the rear end of the nozzle to synchronously perform the circumferential eccentric rotation (same configuration as the Applicant’s invention).
With respect to claim 7, Dautel discloses the eccentric swaying washing nozzle according to claim 6, wherein a pressure relief hole (5 , 9 and opening from 10 to the opening of 3) extending through the fixing cover along the axis is provided in the fixing cover, a water wheel hole (from 10 to the opening of 3) extending through the water wheel along the axis is provided in the water wheel, a front (downstream) end of the water wheel hole extends through the water wheel ball head, high-pressure water enters the housing, and a pressure of the high-pressure water is relieved (at jet hole) by the pressure relief hole, the water wheel hole, the nozzle hole, and the jet hole that are in communication with each other in sequence (same configuration as the Applicant’s invention).
With respect to claim 8, Dautel discloses the eccentric swaying washing nozzle according to claim 7, wherein a core shaft (30, 26 and 37) extending forward along the axis is arranged on a front (downstream) end surface of the fixing cover, the water wheel is rotatably sleeved on (over) the core shaft through a rear (upstream) end of the water wheel hole, and the pressure relief hole is provided in the core shaft and runs through along the axis.
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.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dautel in view of Sesser et al. (US 10864534. Sesser hereinafter).
With respect to claim 4, Dautel discloses the eccentric swaying washing nozzle according to claim 3, Dautel further discloses wherein the nozzle ball head performs a circumferential eccentric swaying relative to the jet hole. Dautel fails to disclose the nozzle ball head drives the plurality of external positioning ribs to contact the curling edge to form a circumferential eccentric swaying stroke of the nozzle ball head.
However, Sesser teaches an eccentric swaying washing nozzle (Figs. 1-26, especially the embodiment in Figs. 4-26) comprising a nozzle ball head (46) performs a circumferential eccentric swaying relative to the jet hole (at 14), wherein the nozzle ball head drives the plurality of external positioning ribs (on 342) to contact the curling edge (of 425. Figs. 24 and 25) to form a circumferential eccentric swaying stroke of the nozzle ball head.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of the nozzle ball head drives the plurality of external positioning ribs, as taught by Sesser, to Dautel’s nozzle ball head, in order to improve start-up reliability (Col. 7, lines 21-36 and Figs. 24-26).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following patents are cited to show the art with respect to an eccentric swaying washing nozzle: Flack et al., Le Moon, Munz, Buckner, Hruby et al., Hunter, Bristow et al., Meyer, Clark et al., Furness et al. and Osmond.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHEE-CHONG LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-1916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am -5pm.
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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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/CHEE-CHONG LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752 July 28, 2026
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