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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 32, 52, and 55. (Figs.1 and 4) Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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. 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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 line 2, "[[the]] another side".
Claim 1 line 14, "an electrode body".
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1 and 3-14 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 the phrase "at one side of the filter element far from the air outlet" in line 8. Whereas, "far from" is a relative term and the relationship is unclear—far from what? Does "far from" depend on: installation orientation? a direction in relationship to air flow?
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the surface" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The limitation "a surface" was not previously recited.
Claim 1 recites the phrase "distributed on the surface of the filter element" in line 9. The scope is unclear and raises the question—which surface? Should one consider the phrase relative to an airflow? Is distribution on face of the filter element relative to an air flow from the air inlet to the air outlet of said frame?
Claim 1 recites the limitations "the discharge area" and "the whole filter element" in lines 9 and 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. The limitations "a discharge area" and "a whole filter element" were not previously recited. was not previously recited.
Claim 1 recites "so that the discharge area ...covers the whole filter element" in lines 9-10. The phrase "covers the whole" is a functional boundary of a result, and the language fails to indicate how said result is determined or measured. Should one consider—a projection area? an electric field threshold? an operating condition?
Claim 1 recites the limitation "a first accommodating groove" in line 12. It is unclear whether an additional accommodating groove is required—a second accommodating groove?
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the length direction" in line 14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The limitation "a length direction" was not previously recited.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the groove wall" in line 15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The limitation "a groove wall" was not previously recited.
Claim 1 recites "one of the plurality of electrode heads extends through the groove wall of the first accommodating groove and is connected with the electrode body" in lines 15-16. The phrase "one of… " is unclear. Should one consider only one electrode head of the plurality of electrode heads passes through? If so, what should one consider for the remaining of the plurality of electrode heads? The language is ambiguous, and therefore indefinite.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "fascicular wires" in line 17 that is not defined in the specification (see par [0058] in Specification). What are "fascicular wires"—A bundle of metal wires? A metal tip? Additionally, the recitation "a carbon fiber brush, or fascicular wires," is unclear—Should the limitations "a carbon fiber brush" and "fascicular wires" be interpreted alternatively? or Should the limitation "fascicular wires" be interpreted as an appositive? For examination on the merits, the term "fascicular wires" is considered a carbon fiber brush.
Claim 1 recites "an angle between an arrangement direction of each electrode head and a plane in which the frame body is located is greater than or equal to 0 degrees and less than or equal to 60 degrees" in lines 17-19. The language is ambiguous—What defines an arrangement direction? What is the location of each electrode head arrangement? Since said frame is interpreted as 3-dimensional structure that has more than a single plane, which plane should be considered?
Claim 3 recites the phrase "located in different of" in line 4. The phrase is ambiguous and raises the question—"located in different what? of".
Claim 4 recites the limitation "both sides of the first accommodating groove" in line 3 which is unclear. The sides nor any number of sides for said first accommodating groove is not defined in the claim.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the distance" in lines 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The limitation "a distance" was not previously recited.
Claim 4 recites the limitations "the same side" and "the same first containing groove" in lines 4-5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. The limitations "a same side" and "a same first containing groove" are not previously recited.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "both sides of the same first containing groove" in line 2. The limitation is ambiguous. The claim has not defined sides for "the same first containing groove." Additionally, the limitation "a same first containing groove" are not previously recited.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "at one side of the electrode heads far away from the filter element" in line 3. The phrase "far away" is subjective—what determines how far?
Claims 5 and 8-14 the depend from the claims above are also rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3-10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (CN 214766170 U) see translation, in view of Wang (US 9757735 B2).
Regarding claim 1, as interpreted above, Liao discloses an air purification device (Figs. 1-2), comprising: a frame body (frame 1 shown in Figs. 1, 6), wherein one side of the frame body is provided with an air inlet and the other side is provided with an air outlet (Abstract; Background “the air flows through the electrostatic dust collecting module”), and the frame body is used for accommodating a micro-electrostatic module and a charging mechanism (Figs. 1-2); the micro-electrostatic module comprising a filter element (electrostatic dust collecting module 4; Figs. 1-2), wherein the filter element comprises a plurality of air channels for air circulation (“air flow channel,” see 2nd par above the listing of claims; claim 1), and the filter element is arranged near the air outlet (Figs. 1-2); and the charging mechanism (Background, see “Referring to Fig. 1 to Fig. 6, purifying device, wherein it comprises …a power supply module 2, a power module 3…a plurality of pole needles 33 towards the zero pole member 31; the pole needle 33 is connected with the high voltage…the electrostatic dust collecting module 4 is electrically connected with the power supply module 2.”) is located at one side of the filter element far from the air outlet (Figs. 1-2; claim 1; several pole needles 33 arranged at intervals along the air flow direction), and comprising a plurality of electrode heads distributed on the surface of the filter element (claim 1; Background, “several pole needles”), so that the discharge area of the charging mechanism covers the whole filter element (Figs. 1-2; Abstract, “intervals along the air flow direction”); wherein the charging mechanism further comprises: a first accommodating groove (Figs. 4), and the first accommodating groove is inside the frame body (Figs. 1-2); and a[an] electrode body, and the electrode body is arranged along the length direction of the first accommodating groove (Background, see “Referring to Fig. 4…the pole needle 33 of the mounting), and one of the plurality of electrode heads extends through the groove wall of the first accommodating groove and is connected with the electrode body (Fig. 4). It does not appear that Liao explicitly teaches wherein each electrode head is a carbon fiber brushdirection of each electrode head and a plane in which the frame body is located is greater than or equal to 0 degrees and less than or equal to 60 degrees” is considered a location of the angle between the recited working elements of claim 1. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current invention to relocate each electrode head in the frame body at the recited angle, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art and relocating electrode head would not have changed the function of the air purification device. See MPEP § 2144.04(VIC).
For claim 3, the combined teaching of the prior art is relied upon as indicated above. Liao discloses further wherein the charging mechanism further comprises a plurality of first accommodating grooves and a plurality of electrode bodies (Abstract; Background, “A purifying device, comprising a frame body…component arranged at intervals along the air flow direction…is provided with more than two, pole needle component…the containing groove…conductive piece and the pole needle.”), the plurality of first accommodating grooves are arranged at intervals (Abstract, “pole needle component arranged at intervals…” pole needle component 32, 33 & limiting beam 41 in Figs. 2, 3; groove 323 in Fig. 4), and the plurality of electrode bodies located in different of the first accommodating grooves are connected end to end in sequence. Lastly, he phrase “bodies located in different of the first accommodating grooves are connected end to end in sequence” is considered arrangement of working parts. It has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art and relocating electrode head would not have changed the function of the air purification device. See MPEP § 2144.04(VIC).
For claims 4-6, the combined teaching of the prior art is relied upon as indicated above. The limitations “wherein both sides of the first accommodating groove are connected with the electrode heads, and the distance between two adjacent electrode heads located on the same side of the same first containing groove is equal to the distance between two adjacent first containing grooves”; “wherein the electrode heads located on both sides of the same first accommodating groove are arranged in parallel to form a plurality of electrode head pairs, and the electrode head pairs located in different first accommodating grooves are arranged in a staggered or matrix manner”; and “wherein the electrode heads located at both sides of the same first containing groove are staggered” are considered arrangement of working parts. It has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art and relocating electrode head would not have changed the function of the air purification device. See MPEP § 2144.04(VIC).
For claim 7, the prior art is relied upon as indicated above, Liao discloses wherein the charging mechanism further comprises a conductive discharge plate (Figs. 1-5; Examples, “conductive member 322 is a metal sheet conductor…on the conductive piece 322; the protecting case 321 is provided with a containing groove 323 of the lower side opening of the containing conductive piece 322; the upper side of the protecting case 321 is provided with a needle hole…the conductive piece 322 is installed in the containing groove 323; the pole needle 33 passes through the pole hole…pole needle 33 of the mounting. Referring to FIG. 5,…the zero pole member 31 is a metal sheet, which is provided with a plurality of metal grid 311 to facilitate air entering.”; “It should be noted…a potential difference”), and the conductive discharge plate is located at one side of the electrode heads far away from the filter element (Figs. 1-2), and the conductive discharge plate is provided with a discharge conductive hole matched with the electrode head (see above citation, Examples).
For claim 8, the prior art is relied upon as indicated above, Liao discloses wherein the first accommodating groove is detachably connected with the inside of the frame body (Figs. 1-6), and two ends of the first accommodating groove are provided with notches matched with the frame body (Figs. 4-6), and when the first accommodating groove is installed inside the frame body, the first accommodating groove does not exceed the outer surface of the frame body (Figs. 1-6).
For claim 9, the prior art is relied upon as indicated above, Liao discloses
wherein the frame body comprises a first frame and a second frame, the first frame and the second frame are oppositely arranged (Figs. 1-2, 5-6), and the first frame and the second frame are splicable complementary structures (Examples, “Referring to FIG. 2, in a preferred embodiment, electrostatic dust collecting module 4 of two sides is provided with multiple limiting beam 41, the outer side of the limiting beam 41 of the two ends is installed on the frame 1 of the turning edge 12 … limiting beam 41 is pressed and fixed in the frame 1…Specifically, the support 312 is set on the zero pole member 31 and the electrostatic dust collecting module 4 extending direction… and the frame 1 of the turning 12…to form a whole”).
For claim 10, the prior art is relied upon as indicated above, Liao discloses wherein a power supply bin is arranged on the frame body (“power supply module 2 is installed at the side of the frame body 1” in Fig. 2), the power supply bin comprises a high-voltage power supply, and the high-voltage power supply is electrically connected with the charging mechanism and the filter element (Examples, “power supply module 2…frame body 1; the power module 3 is installed in the purifying chamber 11 and electrically connected with the power supply module 2; the power module 3 comprises a zero pole member 31 and a pole needle member 32 arranged along the air flow direction).
For claim 12, the prior art is relied upon as indicated above, Liao discloses wherein the filter element is provided with a fixing groove (one of the two turning edge 12 in Fig. 6), the frame body is connected with the filter element through a fixing part (edge member 13), the fixing part is embedded in the fixing groove, and the fixing part is connected with the frame body and the filter element to fix the filter element (Figs. 2, 6).
Claim(s) 11 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (CN 214766170 U) see translation and Wang (US 9757735 B2) in view of Bdeir (US 20150236444 A1).
For claim 11, the prior art is relied upon as indicated above. Liao teaches said high-voltage power supply and said power supply bin (Fig. 2). Liao does not appear to disclose the high-voltage power supply is connected with an external power supply through a power adapter, one end of the power supply bin is provided with a power supply switching part for switching the power supply, the power supply switching part is provided with a magnetic attraction female head for providing electrical connection for the high-voltage power supply, and the power adapter is connected with a magnetic attraction male head matched with the magnetic attraction female head. However, it is known for an external power supply to power for high-voltage power (i.e., electric company provide external power to consumers). Additionally, Bdeir discloses a power supply switching part provided with a magnetic attraction female head for providing electrical connection for the high-voltage power supply, and the power adapter is connected with a magnetic attraction male head matched with the magnetic attraction female head (par [0064]) that provide immediate response of the elements without need of circuit assembly. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current invention to utilize the configuration of the elements taught in Bdeir with the combined teaching of the prior art to Liao and Wang to connect the air purification device to an external power supply that provides power for operation without additional expense of circuit assembly.
For claim 13, the prior art is relied upon as indicated above. Liao teaches further wherein the fixing part comprises a boss integrally formed with the frame body (Figs. 2, 6), and the boss extends along a direction close to the filter element, and the boss is embedded in the fixing groove (Figs. 2, 6).
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (CN 214766170 U) see translation and Wang (US 9757735 B2) in view of Rummel (US 3372533 A).
For claim 14, the prior art is relied upon as indicated above. Liao discloses said filter element (Figs. 1-2), the fixing groove (Fig. 6), and a conductive material (see claim 7 above). The phrase “a conductive material are wrapped in the dust-collecting sheets” is considered arrangement of working parts. It has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art and relocating electrode head would not have changed the function of the air purification device. See MPEP § 2144.04(VIC). Liao discloses the conductive material comprise an avoidance groove (another of the two turning edge 12 in Fig. 6), and the avoidance groove is arranged corresponding to the fixing groove. Liao does not specifically disclose a plurality of dust-collecting sheets arranged in a stacked manner and a plurality of spacers arranged between the dust-collecting sheets, the air channels are formed between the dust-collecting sheets and the spacers. Rummel does disclose a filter element comprises a plurality of dust-collecting sheets arranged in a stacked manner and a plurality of spacers arranged between the dust-collecting sheets, the air channels are formed between the dust-collecting sheets and the spacers (Abstract). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current invention to include a filter element of Rummel comprising a plurality of dust-collecting sheets arranged in a stacked manner and a plurality of spacers arranged between the dust-collecting sheets with the teaching of Liao and Wang to increase air filtration efficiency.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. For example,
CN 207170006 U: air filter discharging the high voltage discharge needle is fixed in the fixing frame; the high voltage discharge needle row comprises several discharge needle.
CN 111389589 A: carbon fiber discharge needles
CN 209020573 U: air purifying device, comprising a micro-electrostatic device, a dust collecting device and a frame, the micro-electrostatic device comprises a plate and a discharge assembly, the plate is provided with a through hole; discharge component is composed of a plurality of series of slat and discharge needle is fixed on the long plate is composed of dust collecting device.
CN 218011667 U: filter element (2) for filtering dust particles in the air; the frame body (1) is installed on the outer side of the filter core (2), for fixing the filter core (2) and connected with the external device; wherein the inner side surface of the frame body (1) is provided with an arc-shaped convex strip (104), the filter core (2) is provided with a matching groove (201) matched with the arc-shaped convex strip (104).
KR 20050068045 A: air purifier comprises a filter frame and a plurality of filters coupled to the filter frame.
US 20090084265 A1: air purifier with a high voltage rectifier integrated directly with the frame as a single assembly and one plug-in connector to supply the power for the rectifier.
US 20100077924 A1: an electric field filter further comprises a discharge filament fixed rack and a lower fixed plate.
US 20240165638 A1: electrostatic purification device comprises an electrode strip is embedded in the groove.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SONJI TURNER whose telephone number is (571)272-1203. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (EST).
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/SONJI TURNER/Examiner, Art Unit 1776 February 6, 2026
/Jennifer Dieterle/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1776