DETAILED ACTION
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-15 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.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed on 12/9/2024 and 5/28/2025 are acknowledged by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 12/9/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gong et al. WO2019169748 (“Gong”).
Regarding Claim 1, Gong discloses a switching mechanism (3), comprising: a housing assembly (1), the housing assembly (1) having a liquid inlet flow channel (12), a mounting cavity (38), and at least one liquid outlet flow channel (A to 211; B to 212; see fig. 8), wherein the mounting cavity (38) is communicated between the liquid inlet flow channel (12) and the liquid outlet flow channel (A, B), the mounting cavity (38) has a first position (211) and a second position (212) sequentially provided in a first direction (rotation direction from 211 to 212), and the first position (211) has a plurality of switching positions (para 0070, first preset angle and second preset angle); a switching assembly (32), the switching assembly movably mounted (switch assembly 32 is moved by teeth 341 of driving member 34) in the mounting cavity (38), wherein the switching assembly (32) is at least partially located at the first position and configured to be capable of being position-limitedly connected to different switching positions to change an communication/discommunication state between the mounting cavity (38) and the at least one liquid outlet flow channel (A, B); a reset spring (37), the reset spring (37) provided in the housing assembly (12) and being capable of generating a driving force (reset spring 37 moves the switching assembly 32) for abutting the switching assembly (32) against the first position; and a driving member (34), the driving member (34) movably mounted in the housing assembly (1), wherein the driving member (34) is configured to be movable relative to the switching assembly (32) in the first direction under an action of an external force (pressure on button 35), to compress the reset spring (37), and the switching assembly (32) is driven to move out of one of the plurality of switching positions after the driving member (34) moves a distance and to be at least partially located at the second position, so that the switching assembly is capable of being driven by a liquid entering the mounting cavity from the liquid inlet flow channel to rotate around the first direction until the switching assembly is position-limitedly connected to the housing assembly (para 0070, “After the water dividing tray 32 continues to rotate the second predetermined angle by 10 degrees in the same direction, the first wedge block 324 is rotated to the plane positioning slot 336 for positioning”), and after the external force (pressure on button 35) is withdrawn, the switching assembly (32) is capable of being moved out of the second position and position-limitedly connected to another one of the plurality of switching positions under an action of the driving force and a limitation of the housing assembly (1), and the driving member (34) is capable of being reset under an action of the reset spring (see para 0070-0072 regarding actuation of switch assembly 32 caused by driving assembly 34; “[0070] When button 35 is pressed, the transmission shaft 34 is driven by button 35, and the water distribution plate 32 and the transmission shaft 34 achieve a first transmission engagement through the first helical tooth 321 and the second helical tooth 341. The water distribution plate 32 rotates a first preset angle of 50 degrees. Then, button 35 is released, and button 35 is reset by the first spring 36, thereby driving the transmission shaft 34 to reset. The water distribution plate 32 is reset by the second spring 37. At the same time, the first wedge block 324 and the second wedge block 331 on it achieve a second transmission engagement. After the water distribution plate 32 continues to rotate in the same direction by a second preset angle of 10 degrees, the first wedge block 324 rotates to the planar positioning groove 336 to achieve positioning. [0071] During the switching process described above, because there is a pressure relief gap 340 between the water distribution plate 32 and the drive shaft 34, the water in the water inlet chamber 38 can fully fill the lower surface of the water distribution plate 32, forming an upward buoyancy on the water distribution plate 32 to balance the downward water pressure on the water distribution plate 32. As shown in Figure 12, the effective cross-sectional area of the water distribution plate 32 subjected to downward water pressure is 276.9 mm<sup>2</sup>, and as shown in Figure 13, the effective cross-sectional area of the water distribution plate 32 subjected to upward water pressure is 264.7 mm<sup>2</sup>. Therefore, the force-bearing areas of the water distribution plate 32 subjected to the upward and downward water pressure are approximately the same, and the operating force of pressing the button 35 is approximately enough to overcome the elastic force of the spring. This makes the operation feel lighter and easier. [0072] Secondly, the second helical tooth 341 and the second wedge block 331 of the above structure are roughly located on the same plane. This allows the travel of the button 35 of the button switching device 3 to be controlled within 2mm, thereby effectively controlling the thickness of the shower head and realizing the ultra-thin design of the multi-functional shower head.”).
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GONG FIGURES 3 and 8
Regarding Claim 16, Gong discloses a liquid outlet device (multi-function shower head), comprising: the switching mechanism (32) as claimed in claim 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daphne Barry whose telephone number is (571)272-9966 and fax number is (571) 273-9966. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday 9 AM-6 PM (eastern).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor either Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at (571) 272-4881 or Craig Schneider can be reached at (571) 272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAPHNE M BARRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753