DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 8/04/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-11 remain pending in the application.
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.
Claims 1-4, 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US 20230130022 A1) in view of Hung (US 20060011460 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Lin teaches a switch group (7) for powering an electric hair clipper, comprising:
a box-shaped housing (see Figure 2), in which a chamber is defined (see Figure 2), and provided with an upper wall having an opening (see Figure 2); and a lever group (see Figure 2), arranged at least partially in the chamber, and provided with an actuating knob protruding at least partially from the opening (see Figure 2); wherein the switch group further comprises
Lin fails to teach a covering, in a form of a flexible membrane, applied to the upper wall of the box-shaped housing to close the opening, the covering being provided with a lever hole crossed by the actuating knob of the lever group, the covering adhering to the actuating knob.
Hung teaches a switch (see Figure 1-2) including a covering (131), in a form of a flexible membrane, applied to the upper wall of the box-shaped housing to close the opening, the covering being provided with a lever hole crossed by the actuating knob of the lever group (hole for lever 5), the covering adhering to the actuating knob (see Figures 1-2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device of Lin to add the cover arrangement , as taught by Hung, in order to make the switch waterproof (abstract and paragraph 0013 of Hung).
Regarding claim 2, modified Lin further teaches the lever hole of the covering is dimensioned either to correspond to or be undersized with respect to a cross section of the actuating knob so as to adhere to the actuating knob and prevent infiltration of dirt through the lever hole (as modified by Hung, waterproof mean a seal is formed, which would also prevent the infiltration of dirt, see Figures 1-2 of Hung).
Regarding claim 3, modified Lin further teaches a rigid plate for fixing the covering to the box-shaped housing, the rigid plate being provided with a covering hole crossed by the actuating knob of the lever group (as modified by Hung, added rigid plate of 11 of Hung, see Figures 1-2 of Hung).
Regarding claim 4, modified Lin further teaches the rigid plate is provided with flexible legs with abutment portions suitable for snapping into cavities made in walls of the box-shaped housing (as modified by Hung, added rigid plate of 11 with snap fit legs of Hung, see Figures 1-2 of Hung).
Regarding claim 9, modified Lin further teaches the covering is provided with ribs suitable for fitting into grooves made in the upper wall of the box-shaped housing (as modified by Hung, added rigid plate of 11 with snap fit legs of Hung, see Figures 1-2 of Hung).
Regarding claim 11, modified Lin further teaches a shell supporting a blade assembly in which the switch group of claim 1 is accommodated, wherein the switch group is suitable for turning the blade assembly on and off (see Figure 2 of Lin)
Claims 5-8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (US 20230130022 A1) in view of Hung (US 20060011460 A1) and in further view of Wahl (US 3604915).
Regarding claim 5, modified Lin further teaches the covering is provided with a base body which defines a covering plane and which is positioned above the upper wall, and a deformable zone, provided with the lever hole, which is positioned to close the opening of the upper wall, the deformable zone being formed by center portions, mutually concentric and arranged on different planes (see Figure 2 of Lin and Figures 1-2 of Hung).
Modified Lin fails to teach offset.
Wahl teaches a power switch with the lever offset form the switch area (see Figure 1-2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device of modified Lin to change the location of the lever hole arrangement, as taught by Wahl. Since the courts have held that a rearrangement of parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art, absent any showing of unexpected results. In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) MEPE 2144.04 VI. C.
Regarding claim 6, modified Lin further teaches the offset portions are arranged on planes other than the covering plane defined by the base body (as modified by Wahl, see Figures 1-2 of Wahl).
Regarding claim 7, modified Lin further teaches the actuating knob of the lever group is provided, at a stem portion, with a seat in which a central offset portion of the deformable zone of the covering is at least partially housed, wherein the central offset portion is arranged, on one side, adjacent to the lever hole, and on an opposite side, adjacent to an intermediate offset portion, and wherein the central offset portion protrudes with respect to a plane defined by the intermediate offset portion (as modified by Wahl, see Figure 1-2 of Wahl).
Regarding claim 8, modified Lin further teaches the switch group further comprises a rigid plate for fixing the covering to the box-shaped housing, the rigid plate being provided with a covering hole crossed by the actuating knob of the lever group, and wherein the deformable zone comprises a peripheral offset portion which adheres to a periphery of the covering hole of the rigid plate, the peripheral offset portion protruding with respect to the covering plane defined by the base body of the covering, and/or protruding with respect to a plate plane defined by a base portion of the rigid plate (as modified by Hung, added rigid plate of 11 with snap fit legs of Hung, see Figures 1-2 of Hung).
Regarding claim 10, modified Lin further teaches all elements of the current invention as set forth in claim 1 above.
Modified Lin fails to teach the lever group comprises: a lever, made of a plastic material, formed by the actuating knob integral with a lever body provided with a metal ball; and a metal band provided with at least one contact hole for electrical contact with the metal ball, wherein the actuating knob is translatable between an OFF position, in which the metal ball is misaligned with respect to the contact hole, and an ON position, in which the metal ball is at the contact hole.
Wahl teaches the lever group comprises: a lever, formed by the actuating knob integral with a lever body provided with a ball; and a band provided with at least one contact hole for electrical contact with the metal ball, wherein the actuating knob is translatable between an OFF position, in which the metal ball is misaligned with respect to the contact hole, and an ON position, in which the metal ball is at the contact hole (see Figure 1-2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device of modified Lin to change the internal make up of the switch, as taught by Wahl, in order to provide a suitable electric switch (abstract of Wahl).
Regarding the material of the of the ball and lever, it would a material of design choice to pick the known material for the suitable purpose of making an electric switch. MPEP 2144.07.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks, filed 8/04/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-11 under Sato have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Lin (US 20230130022 A1) in view of Hung (US 20060011460 A1).
In response that Lin fails to teach the claimed switch group structure. Examiner notes that Lin is only rely upon for the teaching of a hair clipper with a switch, while the details of the switch is reply upon the teaching of newly added reference of Hung.
In response to applicant’s argument that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to combine the references, the examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, Hung teaching of making a switch waterproof, which also allow the device to prevent dust from entering.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LIANG DONG whose telephone number is (571)270-0479. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8 AM-6 PM.
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/LIANG DONG/Examiner, Art Unit 3724 10/09/2026
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