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 .
Status of Claims
Currently claims 1-14 are pending and claims 1-14 are amended.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-11 objected to because of the following informalities: “The device for cleaning a surface of an optical element of a vehicle” should read “The device for cleaning the surface of the optical element of the vehicle” as the claimed limitations. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 3-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sykula (U.S. 2021/0146406).
With respect to claim 1, Sykula discloses a device (figures 5-7) for cleaning a surface (34) of an optical element (44) of a vehicle (figures 1-9b, 30), comprising an air nozzle (82/84) with an outlet oriented toward the surface of the optical element (see figure 5), and a cleaning liquid spray nozzle (40) comprising including outlet ports oriented toward the surface of the optical element (See figures 5-7), the cleaning liquid spray nozzle and the air nozzle being configured to spray the cleaning liquid and the air onto the surface of the optical element from a same side of the surface of the optical element (as shown in figure 5).
With respect to claim 3, Sykula discloses the air nozzle is arranged to emerge closer to the surface of the optical element than the cleaning liquid spray nozzle (see figure 5, 82 being closer to 34).
With respect to claim 4, Sykula discloses the cleaning liquid spray nozzle is fastened to the air nozzle so that the cleaning liquid is sprayed into the air nozzle (as shown in figure 5, fluid from 40 hits the air coming up from 82).
With respect to claim 5, Sykula the cleaning liquid spray nozzle and the air nozzle are capable of spraying the liquid and the air separately onto the surface of the optical element (see figure 5, paragraph 0057, the system being capable of such a function).
With respect to claim 6, Sykula discloses the cleaning liquid spray nozzle and the air nozzle are capable of spraying the liquid and the air jointly onto the surface of the optical element (see figure 5, paragraph 0057, the system being capable of such a function).
With respect to claim 7, Sykula discloses the cleaning liquid spray nozzle and the air nozzle are superposed (see figure 9a, 82/84 further having that of 108 at its base which 42 is superposed onto).
With respect to claim 8, Sykula discloses the air nozzle and the cleaning liquid spray nozzle are capable of spraying the air and the liquid in directions of propagation of the air and the liquid on the surface of the optical element that are parallel (see figure 5, paragraph 0057, the system being capable of such a function).
With respect to claim 9, Sykula discloses the air nozzle and the cleaning liquid spray nozzle are capable of spraying the air and the liquid in directions of propagation of the air and the liquid that intersect each other, until the air and the liquid reach the surface of the optical element (see figure 5, paragraph 0057, the system being capable of such a function).
With respect to claim 10, Sykula discloses the air nozzle and the cleaning liquid spray nozzle are offset from each other along one side of the surface of the optical element (as shown in figure 5, being offset such that the air nozzle is closer to the element then that of the liquid nozzle along one side (bottom side) of the optical element).
With respect to claim 11, Sykula discloses a member for blowing air through the air nozzle, the blowing member being a fan or a compressor (compressor 76).
With respect to claim 12, Sykula discloses a detection system for a vehicle comprising an optical element (44) a surface (34) for detecting the surrounding area and a cleaning device configured to clean the surface of the optical element (see figure 5), wherein the cleaning device includes an air nozzle (82/84) with an outlet oriented toward the surface of the optical element (see figure 5), and a cleaning liquid spray nozzle (40) including outlet ports oriented toward the surface of the optical element (see figure 5), with the cleaning liquid spray nozzle and the air nozzle being configured to spray the cleaning liquid and the air onto the surface of the optical element from a same side of the surface of the optical element (see figure 5, the bottom side).
With respect to claim 13., Sykula discloses the air nozzle and the cleaning liquid spray nozzle are on a same side of the detection surface, selected from among an upper side, a lower side, and a lateral side (being a lower side, see figure 5).
With respect to claim 14, Sykula discloses a vehicle (figure 1) comprising a detection system (having 44), the detection system includes an optical element (44) with a surface (34) for detecting the surrounding area and a cleaning device (see figure 5) configured to clean the surface of the optical element (see figure 5), wherein the cleaning device includes an air nozzle (82/84) with an outlet oriented toward the surface of the optical element (see figure 5), and a cleaning liquid spray nozzle (40/42) including outlet ports oriented toward the surface of the optical element (see figure 5), with the cleaning liquid spray nozzle and the air nozzle being configured to spray the cleaning liquid and the air onto the surface of the optical element from a same side of the surface of the optical element (see figure 5).
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hattori (U.S. 2011/0073142).
With respect to claim 1, Hattori discloses a device for cleaning a surface (surface of 5) of an optical element of a vehicle (see figure 19b), comprising an air nozzle (nozzle from 153) with an outlet oriented toward the surface of the optical element (as shown in figure 19b), and a cleaning liquid spray nozzle (11) comprising including outlet ports oriented toward the surface of the optical element (See figure 19b), the cleaning liquid spray nozzle and the air nozzle being configured to spray the cleaning liquid and the air onto the surface of the optical element from a same side of the surface of the optical element (as shown in figure 19b).
With respect to claim 2, Hattori discloses the cleaning liquid spray nozzle is arranged to emerge closer to the surface of the optical element than the air nozzle (as shown in figure 19b, where 11 is closer to 5).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH A GREENLUND whose telephone number is (571)272-0397. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm EST.
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/JOSEPH A GREENLUND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752
