DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on July 8, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed June 20, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 3 – 5, 9 – 16, 19 and 20 are pending in the application with claims 2, 6 – 8, 17 and 18 being cancelled.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 3 – 5, 9 – 16, 19 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 7: “the connector” should read --a connector--.
Claim 1, line 17: “a connector” should read --the connector--.
Claims 3 – 5, 9 – 16, 19 and 20 are objected to for being dependent on claim 1.
Appropriate correction is required.
Examiner’s note
With respect to primary reference of Ugreen relied upon in the prior art rejections below, following is to be noted: 1) The images of Ugreen’s product from Amazon.com are further relied upon to better reflect the teachings of the claimed limitations; and 2) The product was publicly available on October 27, 2023 which is evident from page 31 of the provided document (see disclosure under “Amazon Price History”) or alternatively, was publicly available on January 9, 2024 which is evident from page 22 of the provided document (see product review left on January 9, 2024).
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.
Claims 1, 3 – 5 and 11 – 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ugreen (“Portable Electric Air Compressor” – herein after Ugreen) and evidenced by Marini, Maurizio (WO 2016/012989A2 – herein after Marini) in view of Lou et al. (CN 220909949U – herein after Lou) and further in view of Nguyen et al. (US 2021/0398756 – herein after Nguyen).
In reference to claim 1, Ugreen teaches an inflation pump (see fig. A below), comprising:
a housing (see fig. A below), provided with a storage groove (labeled “air hose compartment” in fig. A below) extending along an outer surface of the housing in a circumferential direction of the housing, wherein the storage groove comprises a first groove (see fig. A below) and a second groove (see fig. A below) in communication with the first groove, the second groove is wider than the first groove (as evident from fig. A below), the first groove matches the pipe body in shape (as evident from fig. A below), the second groove matches a connector in shape (as evident from fig. A below), and a transition region (see fig. A below) having a gradually decreasing width is formed at a connection between the first groove and the second groove and is configured to limit a movement range of the connector to prevent the connector from being pulled into the first groove under an elastic force of the pipe body (the transition region is capable of having the claimed feature of limiting movement range of the connector to prevent the connector from being pulled into the first groove under an elastic force of the pipe body; the pipe body being elastic in nature is an inherent feature in view of images on page 16 of the provided copy which shows bending of the pipe body while inflating objects);
an air source (inherent feature in view of 2nd image from top on page 15 of the provided copy; air source = pump + motor), disposed in the housing;
a ventilation pipe (labeled “air hose” in fig. A below), and comprising a pipe body (see fig. A below) and the connector that is wider and more rigid than the pipe body (connector being more rigid than the pipe body is an inherent property is such inflation pumps) and configured to be connected to a device to be inflated, the pipe body has one end (labeled in fig. A below; this end is an end that is coupled to the air outlet part of the air source) extending to the storage groove and another end connected to the connector (see fig. A below), and the connector is shorter (in radial direction) than the second groove (as evident from fig. A below);
wherein the ventilation pipe comprises a first state (inserted/stored state) and a second state (state corresponding to pulling the pipe out of its groove) with respect to the housing, wherein in the first state, the pipe body is stored in the first groove, the connector is stored and clamped in the second groove; and in the second state, the connector is separated from the second groove.
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Fig. A: Edited images on page 4, page 13 and page 27 of Ugreen’s provided NPL copy to show claim interpretation.
Ugreen remains silent on the inflation pump, wherein the ventilation pipe is “disposed in the housing” and the one end of the pipe body “passing through the housing”.
However, Marini evidences an inflation pump, wherein a ventilation pipe or pipe body (8, see fig. 1 and disclosure on page 3) has one end (in circled region shown in fig. B below) disposed in the housing (this end portion of the pipe extends into the housing for being connected to the outlet of the pump 11) and wherein the one end passes through the housing.
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Fig. B: Edited fig. 2 of Marini to show claim interpretation.
Since applicant in the instant application has not disclosed any criticality associated with having the one end of the pipe “disposed in the housing” and “passing through the housing”, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the one end of the ventilation pipe or the pipe body in Ugreen’s inflation pump in a manner such that it is disposed in the housing and passes through the housing as a matter of design choice, as evidenced by Marini above. One of ordinary skill in the art, furthermore, would have expected Ugreen’s pump to perform equally well with this claimed arrangement.
Ugreen remains silent on the inflation pump, comprising: “a through hole in communication with the storage groove” and “a switch module disposed in the housing and comprising an abutting arm passing through the through hole”.
However, Lou teaches a similar inflation pump, comprising:
a housing (10, see fig. 1 and ¶57 of translation), provided with a through hole (hole through which element 30 passes, see fig. 5) in communication with a storage groove (114, see fig. 2);
a switch module (30, see fig. 5 or fig. 7 and ¶88 of translation), disposed in the housing and comprising an abutting arm (32; see fig. 6) passing through the through hole and extending toward the storage groove; and
a ventilation pipe (20, see ¶84 of translation), disposed in the housing and comprising a pipe body (see fig. 4) and a connector (see fig. 4) that is wider and more rigid than the pipe body (connector being more rigid than the pipe body is an inherent property is such inflation pumps);
wherein the ventilation pipe comprises a first state (inserted state of pipe in slot 114, see ¶60 or ¶63 of translation) and a second state (state corresponding to pulling the pipe out of slot 114, see ¶88 of translation) with respect to the housing, wherein in the first state, the pipe body is stored to abut against the abutting arm and the connector body is stored, and the air source stops working (see ¶64 of translation); and in the second state, the connector is separated, to remove the abutting of the ventilation pipe against the switch module, and the air source works and is in communication with the ventilation pipe (see ¶63 or ¶65 of translation).
It would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the inflation pump of Ugreen for provision of a switch module that interacts with the ventilation pipe as taught by Lou for the purpose of “avoiding the user from manually opening the push switch assembly, improving the operating convenience of the inflation device”, as recognized by Lou (see ¶63 of translation). In view of ¶2 of Lou’s translation, the switch module avoids the need of having user manually turn on/off the switch of the inflation device.
Ugreen, as modified, does not teach the inflation pump with a particular location of the switch module in the second groove, i.e. the inflation pump, wherein the through hole is in communication “with the second groove” and wherein the abutting arm “extends toward the second groove”.
Since applicant in the instant application has not disclosed any criticality associated with claimed location of the through hole and the switch module {location being in the second groove such that the abutting arm extends toward the second groove}, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the location of the through hole and the switch module in the modified Ugreen’s inflation pump such that the through hole is in communication with the second groove and the abutting arm extends toward the second groove as a matter of design choice since such a modification would have involved a rearrangement of the component/feature (in this case, feature being the through hole and the abutting switch). It has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70. One of ordinary skill in the art, furthermore, would have expected modified Ugreen’s inflation pump to perform equally well with claimed location of the through hole and the switch module in the second groove.
Ugreen, as modified, does not teach the inflation pump, comprising: a flexible protective member, disposed in the second groove, interposed between the connector and the abutting arm, and covering the abutting arm at the through hole to prevent ingress of liquid or dust through the through-hole.
However, Nguyen teaches a button assembly inside an electronic device (see figs, 5A-5B and ¶91) wherein a dome sheet (251) included in the switch module (250) have the exterior skin (252) such as an exterior member made of rubber, a plastic such as polyethylene terephthalate, or any other suitable material.
It would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to dispose a flexible protective member as taught by Nguyen in the second groove such that it is interposed between the connector and the abutting arm and covers the switch module (i.e. covers the abutting arm of the switch module at the through hole) in the modified inflation pump of Ugreen for the well-known purpose of preventing any ingress of undesirable contaminants through the hole in which the switch module is disposed.
Ugreen, as modified, teaches the inflation pump, wherein the ventilation pipe (per Ugreen) comprises a first state (inserted/stored state; in Ugreen) and a second state (state corresponding to pulling the pipe out of its groove; in Ugreen) with respect to the housing, wherein in the first state, the pipe body is stored in the first groove, the connector is stored and clamped in the second groove to press the flexible protective member (per Nguyen) and thereby abut against the abutting arm (per Lou) via the flexible protective member, and the air source stop working; and in the second state, the connector (per Ugreen) is separated from the second groove, to remove the abutting of the ventilation pipe against the switch module (per Lou), and the air source (per Ugreen) works and is in communication with the ventilation pipe.
In reference to claim 3, Ugreen, as modified, teaches the inflation pump, wherein in the first state (see middle image in fig. A above or image on page 13 in the provided copy of Ugreen), the ventilation pipe (of Ugreen) exposed outside the housing is completely embedded in the storage groove and extends along the storage groove.
In reference to claim 4, Ugreen, as modified, teaches the inflation pump, wherein (see Ugreen)
the housing (see fig. A above) comprises a first surface (front surface) and a second surface (rear surface) that are opposite to each other, and a peripheral surface (outer peripheral surface of the middle shell) connected between the first surface and the second surface;
the peripheral surface comprises (outer peripheral surface of the middle shell; in view of fig. A above) a first peripheral surface (surface on top side) and a second peripheral surface (surface on bottom side) that are opposite to each other, and a third peripheral surface (surface on right side) and a fourth peripheral surface (surface on left side) that are connected between the first peripheral surface and the second peripheral surface and that are opposite to each other; and
the storage groove extends (as evident from fig. A above) from the first peripheral surface (surface on top side) to the third peripheral surface (surface on right side).
In reference to claim 5, Ugreen, as modified, teaches the inflation pump, wherein the storage groove extends (see fig. A above) to the fourth peripheral surface (surface on left side), and the ventilation pipe extends into the housing from a side (side corresponding to “one end” in fig. A above) where the fourth peripheral surface is located.
In reference to claim 11, Ugreen, as modified, teaches the inflation pump, wherein the housing (of Ugreen; see fig. A above) comprises a front shell (see fig. A above) and a rear shell (see fig. A above) that are opposite to each other, and a middle shell (see fig. A above) connected between the front shell and the rear shell; the air source (of Ugreen) and the switch module (of Lou) are separately disposed in the middle shell (Lou’s switch module is considered to be disposed in the middle shell since it needs to be in communication with the ventilation pipe or air hose), and the middle shell (as evident from fig. A above) is provided with the storage groove (“air hose compartment” = first groove + second groove; see fig. A above).
In reference to claim 12, Ugreen, as modified, teaches the inflation pump, wherein the front shell (see fig. A above) and the rear shell (see fig. A above) are respectively buckled (bended/curved; see circled images in top image of fig. A above) on two opposite sides (left and right sides in view of left image in top image of fig. A above) of the middle shell (see fig. A above).
In reference to claim 13, Ugreen, as modified, teaches the inflation pump, wherein the inflation pump comprises a battery (see fig. A above) disposed in the middle shell and a circuit board (“controller/circuit board” being an inherent feature that controls various operations of the inflation pump; see images on pages 15-16 of the provided copy), the battery is electrically connected to the circuit board and supplies power to the air source (inherent feature), and the switch module (of Lou) is electrically connected to the circuit board (inherent feature since Lou’s switch module controls the operational state of the pump).
Ugreen, as modified, remains silent on the inflation pump, wherein the circuit board is disposed in the middle shell.
Since applicant in the instant application has not disclosed any criticality associated with claimed location of the circuit board in the middle shell, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the location of the circuit board in the modified Ugreen’s inflation pump such that it is disposed in the middle shell as a matter of design choice since such a modification would have involved a rearrangement of the component/feature (in this case, feature being the circuit board). It has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70. One of ordinary skill in the art, furthermore, would have expected modified Ugreen’s inflation pump to perform equally well with claimed location of the circuit board in the middle shell.
In reference to claim 14, Ugreen teaches the inflation pump, wherein (see image on page 13 of the provided copy) a button and a display screen are disposed on the housing, and the display screen is in communication connection with the circuit board (inherent feature since display screen displays status and parameters).
In reference to claim 15, Ugreen teaches the inflation pump, wherein the inflation pump comprises a light-emitting module (labeled “flash light” in fig. A above) electrically connected to the circuit board [flash light is inherently considered to be indirectly electrically connected to the controller for controlling its operation (i.e. turning on or off the flashlight) on press of the flashlight button].
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ugreen, Marini (evidentiary reference) in view of Lou and further in view of Nguyen and Zhou et al. (CN 221373849U – herein after Zhou).
Ugreen remains silent on the inflation pump, wherein the inflation pump comprises a lanyard connected to the housing.
However, Zhou teaches an inflation pump (see fig. 1), comprising a lanyard (see fig. C below; “lanyard” = structure forming space for allowing fingers of user to pass through for carrying the pump) connected to a housing (1).
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Fig. C: Edited fig. 1 of Zhou to show claim interpretation.
It would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Ugreen’s housing for connecting a lanyard as taught by Zhou for the well-known purpose of providing an alternate capability of carrying the pump.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ugreen, Marini (evidentiary reference) in view of Lou and further in view of Nguyen and Xiao et al. (CN 110422145A – herein after Xiao).
Ugreen remains silent on the inflation pump, wherein the inflation pump comprises a safety belt connected to the housing, the safety belt comprises a free end detachably connected to the housing, and in the first state, the safety belt is arranged across the storage groove and limits, into the storage groove, the end, externally connected to the device to be inflated, of the ventilation pipe.
However, Xiao teaches an inflation pump, wherein the inflation pump comprises a safety belt (buckle 141; see fig. 6 and ¶51 of translation) connected to the housing (10), the safety belt comprises a free end detachably connected to the housing [asserted safety belt (buckle 141) is shown as passing over the tube 60 and thus, inherently, has a free end that is detachably connected to the housing so that tube 60 can be removed from its corresponding groove when there is a need to inflate the object], and in the first state, the safety belt is arranged across the storage groove (14, see fig. 1) and limits, into the storage groove, the end, externally connected to the device to be inflated, of the ventilation pipe (60).
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Fig. D: Edited fig. 6 of Xiao to show claim interpretation.
It would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to connect a safety belt as taught by Xiao to the housing in the inflation pump of Ugreen such that the safety belt is arranged across the second groove of the storage groove for the purpose of providing additional securing means for the connector of the tube so that it does not become loose while transporting/moving the inflation pump in its non-operational state.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ugreen, Marini (evidentiary reference) in view of Lou and further in view of Nguyen and Haderer, Edward (US 3,399,285 – herein after Haderer).
Ugreen, as modified, remains silent on the inflation pump, wherein the switch module comprises a bearing member disposed in the middle shell, a first conductor and a second conductor that are disposed on the bearing member, and the abutting arm rotatably connected to the bearing member; the middle shell is provided with the through hole and the first conductor and the second conductor are electrically connected to the circuit board separately; in the first state, the abutting arm drives the first conductor and the second conductor to be in contact with each other and to be conducted; and in the second state, the first conductor and the second conductor are kept in a separated state.
However, Haderer teaches a toggle switch mechanism (see embodiment in figs. 1-2 for instance) comprises a bearing member (housing or support 1), a first conductor (for instance, one of the terminals 17 corresponding to left switch 15) and a second conductor (other of the terminals 17 corresponding to left switch 15) that are disposed on the bearing member, and an abutting arm (33) rotatably connected to the bearing member; wherein in one state (state where switch actuator 19 is pressed causing the internal contacts of the switch 15 to be in contact) the abutting arm drives the first conductor and the second conductor to be in contact with each other and to be conducted (see col. 2, lines 49-56 of Haderer); and in another state (state where the same switch actuator 19 is not pressed), the first conductor and the second conductor are kept in a separated state.
Lou provides for a concept for an automatic switch: the air tube’s position controls the power. Haderer provides a specific, reliable and “non-teasing” mechanical solution for that switch. It would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the switch module in the modified inflation pump of Ugreen using the teaching of Haderer for the purpose of providing robust and responsive switch that does not operate by teasing, as recognized by Haderer (see col. 1, lines 25-50). The core of this modification lies in replacing “pressing switching assembly” of Lou with “toggle switch mechanism” of Haderer. The ventilation pipe or tube’s movement in and out of the storage groove will become the “toggle arm” motion.
Thus, Ugreen, as modified, teaches the inflation pump, wherein the switch module (modified switch module using teaching of Haderer) comprises a bearing member (of Haderer) disposed in the middle shell (of Ugreen), a first conductor (of Haderer) and a second conductor (of Haderer) that are disposed on the bearing member, and the abutting arm (of Haderer) is rotatably connected to the bearing member; the middle shell is provided with the through hole and the first conductor and the second conductor are electrically connected to the circuit board separately [first and second conductors (conductors being electrical contacts) being electrically connected to Ugreen’s circuit board separately being an inherent feature in the modified pump]; in the first state, the abutting arm drives the first conductor and the second conductor to be in contact with each other and to be conducted [“first state” corresponds to Lou mechanism’s “off” state and Haderer mechanism’s “pressed” state: when the pipe/tube is placed in the storage groove, it presses against the arm; this pressure causes the arm to pivot, driving the first and second conductors together, which completes a circuit that signals the controller to turn the pump off; in the Lou disclosure, “first state” is when the pump is turned off, and in the Haderer mechanism, “first state” is pressed state which may or may not be the “on” state {see col. 2, lines 49-56 of Haderer}; in the modification, the pressed state is off state]; and in the second state, the first conductor and the second conductor are kept in a separated state [“second state” corresponds to Lou mechanism’s “on” state and Haderer mechanism’s “released” state: when the pipe/tube is removed from the storage groove, the pressure on the arm is released; the biasing means (spring) of the Haderer mechanism would then snap the arm to a new, separated position, pulling the first and second conductors apart; this action breaks a specific control circuit, causing the controller to power on the inflation assembly; the instantaneous snap action ensured there’s no “teasing” or partial on/off state].
Claims 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ugreen, Marini (evidentiary reference) in view of Lou and further in view of Nguyen and Bosway et al. (US 2025/0237204 – herein after Bosway).
In reference to claim 19, Ugreen teaches the inflation pump, wherein the air source (pump+motor) comprises a motor (see images on page 15 of the provided copy), a pump (inherently present; “pump” being a pumping apparatus that is driven by the motor to pressurize fluid), and the ventilation pipe is in communication with the pump [the pipe being in fluid communication with the pump is an inherent feature].
Ugreen remains silent on the inflation pump, wherein the air source comprises a reciprocating pump, i.e. the air source comprising “a crank linked with an output end of the motor, a piston connected to the crank, and a cylinder block for the piston to perform telescopic motion and the ventilation pipe is in communication with the cylinder block”.
However, Bosway teaches an inflation pump, wherein an air source comprises a motor (see ¶31), a crank (see fig. 1B) linked with an output end of the motor, a piston (see ¶31) connected to the crank, and a cylinder block (109; see fig. 1B) for the piston to perform telescopic motion; and the ventilation pipe (106) is in communication with the cylinder block (as evident from fig. 1B).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the housing in the inflation pump of Ugreen for substituting pump-motor combination for the one as taught by Bosway in order to obtain the predictable result of providing pressurized fluid to the inflatable objects connected to the inflation pump. KSR Int’l v. Teleflex Inc., 127 S. Ct. 1727, 1740-41, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1396 (2007).
In reference to claim 20, Ugreen, as modified, remains silent on the inflation pump, wherein the inflation pump comprises a fan (110; see fig. 1B of Bosway) linked with another output end of the motor, and the housing is provided with a heat dissipation hole (viewed as air vent holes 503 in fig. 5B of Bosway).
Response to Arguments
The arguments filed June 20, 2026 have been fully considered but they are moot. The amendment to independent claim 1 changed the scope of the claim. As a result, the prior arts have been re-evaluated and re-applied to claim 1, in view of newly found prior art of Ugreen.
Conclusion
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/CHIRAG JARIWALA/Examiner, Art Unit 3746
/BRYAN M LETTMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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