DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 11/22/2024 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
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.
Claims 1-6, 8-15 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kajuch 2019/0351436.
In regards to Independent Claims 1 and 10, Kajuch teaches a modular spray assembly (40) for a spray head (10), the modular spray assembly comprising: a stator (50) comprising an inlet (50c) configured to receive a flow of fluid (paragraph [0052]); a cover (90) coupled to the stator (as shown in figure 8) and comprising a first bearing (bearing on 90b, paragraph [0057]) disposed in the stator (90b within 50 in figure 8); an impeller (80) rotatably coupled to the first bearing (80 upon 90b, paragraph [0057]), the impeller comprising a second bearing (80b acts as a second bearing on 80); and a rotor rotatably coupled to the second bearing (rotor 70 on bearing 80b as shown in figure 8), the rotor configured to rotate eccentrically relative to the impeller by the second bearing (paragraph [0062]); wherein the impeller is configured to rotate responsive to the inlet receiving the flow of fluid (paragraph [0062]).
Regarding Dependent Claims 2 and 11, Kajuch teaches a seal (labyrinth seal between 50 and 60, paragraph [0054]) disposed within the stator, wherein the seal is configured to prevent the flow of fluid from leaking through the stator (paragraph [0054]).
Regarding Dependent Claims 3 and 12, Kajuch teaches the inlet is a first inlet of a plurality of inlets (one or more inlets 50c, paragraph [0052]); and the plurality of inlets are disposed circumferentially about a side of the stator (paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Dependent Claims 4 and 13, Kajuch teaches the inlet is disposed at an angle relative to a side of the stator to direct the flow of fluid towards the impeller (angled inlets 50c, paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Dependent Claims 5 and 14, Kajuch teaches the impeller (80) includes a plurality of vanes (80c) disposed circumferentially about the impeller (as shown in figure 8); and at least one of the plurality of vanes extends at an angle to cause the flow of fluid to flow towards the rotor (paragraph [0057]).
Regarding Dependent Claims 6 and 15, Kajuch teaches the stator includes an opening at an end of the stator (50a’ is an opening at the end of 50), the opening defining a first diameter (diameter of opening 50a’); the rotor includes a nozzle (nozzle 60) that at least partially extends through the opening of the stator (60 extends through 50a’ in figure 8), the nozzle defining a second diameter; and the first diameter is greater than the second diameter (60 will have smaller diameter than 50a’ in order to be inserted into 50a’ as shown in figure 8).
Regarding Dependent Claims 8 and 17, Kajuch teaches the stator (50) includes an inner undulating surface (50d, paragraph [0052]); and the rotor (70) includes an outer undulating surface (70a, paragraph [0055]) configured to engage with the inner undulating surface of the stator (paragraph [0055]).
Regarding Dependent Claims 9 and 18, Kajuch teaches the rotor includes a nozzle (60) that extends at an outward angle away from a center axis of the rotor (nozzles 60 extends in both the axial and radial direction as shown in figure 8).
In regards to Independent Claim 19, Kajuch teaches a modular spray assembly (40) for a spray head (10), the modular spray assembly comprising: a body (50) comprising an inner undulating surface (50d, paragraph [0052]), an inlet configured (50c) to receive a flow of fluid (paragraph [0052]), and an outlet (50a’) configured to dispense the flow of fluid (paragraph [0052]); a cover (90) coupled to the body (as shown in figure 8) and comprising a first bearing (bearing on 90b, paragraph [0057]) disposed in the body (90b within 50) defining a first axis (axis through 90b); an impeller (80) rotatably coupled to the first bearing (paragraph [0057]), the impeller comprising a second bearing (80b acts as a bearing) defining a second axis that is offset from the first axis (axis through 80b offset from 90b, paragraph [0057]); and a rotor (70) rotatably coupled to the second bearing (paragraph [0057]) and comprising an outer undulating surface (70a), the rotor configured to rotate about the second axis relative to the impeller by the second bearing (paragraph [0057]); wherein the impeller is configured to rotate about the first axis responsive to the inlet receiving the flow of fluid (paragraph [0057]); and wherein rotation of the impeller is configured to cause the outer undulating surface of the rotor to engage with the inner undulating surface of the body such that a portion of the rotor orbits relative to the outlet of the body (eccentric rotation of 70, paragraph [0057]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 20, Kajuch teaches a seal disposed within the body between the outlet of the body and the rotor (seal between 50 and 60 or rotor, paragraph [0054]), wherein the seal is configured to prevent the flow of fluid from leaking through the body (paragraph [0054]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: prior art fails to teach, in combination with the other limitations of dependent claims 7 and 16, that the first diameter is substantially equal to the second diameter plus two times a distance between a first center axis defined by the first bearing and a second center axis defined by the second bearing.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN M SUTHERLAND whose telephone number is (571)270-1902. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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/STEVEN M SUTHERLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752
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