DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Medicine
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 5/13/2026 has been entered.
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the communications filed on 5/13/2026.
The Examiner notes claims 1-25 are currently pending and have been examined; claim(s) 1 is/are currently amended; claim(s) 20-25 are newly added; all other claims are original or previously presented. Please see the Response to Amendments and Response to Arguments sections below for more details.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
And/or
(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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5-8, 10, & 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CAI et al. (CN 116570177 A), hereinafter Cai.
Regarding claim 1. (Each claim status is listed above in the Status of Claims section) Cai discloses a surface cleaning device [Fig 1-4; ¶n0042 of the translation; 100 is a floor brush for a vacuum cleaner (i.e. surface cleaning device)], comprising:
a cleaning head [100] configured to be moved over a surface to be cleaned [¶n0042 of the translation; a vacuum cleaner is a surface cleaning apparatus and can be moved over a surface to clean said surface];
a lens disposed on a front-facing surface of the cleaning head [Fig 1-4; ¶n0059 of the translation; 32 is a lens placed on a front-facing surface of 100 and can have one], the lens being convex and configured to disperse passing light [Figure 1 of this action & Fig 1-4; ¶n0058-¶n0059 of the translation; 32 is a convex in shape and guides (i.e. disperses) passing light]; and
a light at the cleaning head [Figure 1 of this action & Fig 1; ¶n0042 of the translation; 31 at the cleaning head emits a light] configured to emit blue light through the lens to illuminate the surface to be cleaned in a region forward of the cleaning head and to illuminate debris on the surface [Fig 3-4; ¶n0042 of the translation; the light emitted can be blue and can illuminate the surface to be cleaned in a region forward of the cleaning head].
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Figure 1: Cropped Images of Fig 1 & 2 of Cai
Regarding claim 2. Cai discloses the surface cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the blue light has a wavelength in a range of 400 nm to 494 nm [¶n0045 of the translation; the light wavelength can be between 360 nm and 480 nm].
Regarding claim 5. Chung discloses the surface cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the blue light has a wavelength in a range of 455 nm to 485 nm [¶n0045 of the translation; the light wavelength can be between 360 nm and 480 nm].
Regarding claim 6. Chung discloses the surface cleaning device of claim 1, further comprising an agitator at the cleaning head, the agitator being configured to rotate to agitate debris on the surface to be cleaned [Fig 1-2; ¶n0048 of the translation; 20].
Regarding claim 7. Chung discloses the surface cleaning device of claim 6, wherein the cleaning head is configured to move in a forward direction over the surface to be cleaned; the agitator is located at a forward portion of the cleaning head; and the light and the lens are located laterally of the agitator and at the forward portion of the cleaning head [Fig 1-4; the cleaning head can move in a forward direction and the agitator is located in a forward portion of the cleaning head and the light and lens can be located forward and laterally of the agitator].
Regarding claim 8. Chung discloses the surface cleaning device of claim 6, further comprising an actuator configured to be actuated by a user and thereby cause the light to begin emitting the blue light and the agitator to begin rotating [¶n0067 of the translation; the user can operate a button (i.e. actuator) to operate the light and agitator].
Regarding claim 10. Chung discloses the surface cleaning device of claim 6, further comprising a motor [¶n0062-¶n0063 of the translation; the vacuum can have an electric motor] configured to drive the rotation of the agitator; and a power supply configured to supply power to the light and to the motor [¶n0062-¶n0063 & ¶n0067 of the translation; the vacuum has a battery supplying power to operate the cleaning functions, which includes rotation of the agitator, and lighting functions].
Regarding claim 12. Chung discloses the surface cleaning device of claim 1, further comprising an upright section pivotally coupled to the cleaning head; and an actuator at the upright section, the actuator being configured to be actuated by a user and thereby cause the light to begin emitting the blue light [Fig 1-2; ¶n0062-¶n0063 & ¶n0067 of the translation; 100 is a brush head for main unit (i.e. upright section) of the vacuum cleaner and is coupled to main unit at 50 (see Fig 2); the buttons are housed on the main unit to turn the light on and off].
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.
Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai in view of Willenbring (US 20070240275), hereinafter Willenbring.
Regarding claim 3. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 2, but may not explicitly disclose wherein a maximum current of the light is 700 mA.
However Willenbring teaches a light system for a vacuum that includes an electric circuit [40] for controlling the light [36] through varying the electrical current [¶36].
Willenbring may not explicitly disclose a maximum current value.
However the Applicant has not disclosed that having the maximum current of the light be 700 mA solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose beyond having the light’s wavelength be limited to the blue light spectrum which has already been taught by Cai. Moreover, it appears that the light would perform equally well with the maximum current being 700 mA. Accordingly, it would have been a matter of obvious design choice to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the maximum current of the light be 700 mA do not appear to provide any unexpected results.
Regarding claim 4. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 2, wherein a maximum current of the light is 350 mA [Claim 4 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 3 with the maximum current of the light being 350 mA corresponding to another portion of the blue light spectrum as taught by Cai].
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai in view of Chung et al. (US 20240081596), hereinafter Chung.
Regarding claim 9. Cai discloses the surface cleaning device of claim 6, but may not explicitly disclose further comprising a fluid reservoir configured to hold a cleaning fluid; and a fluid distributor configured to apply the cleaning fluid to the agitator and/or the surface to be cleaned .
Chung teaches an illuminating surface cleaning device [Fig 1; 10] further comprising a fluid reservoir configured to hold a cleaning fluid; and a fluid distributor configured to apply the cleaning fluid to the agitator and/or the surface to be cleaned [¶6 & ¶93; the cleaning device can have a fluid reservoir and delivery system to apply the fluid to the floor] .
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surface cleaning device as disclosed by Cai to further comprise a fluid reservoir configured to hold a cleaning fluid; and a fluid distributor configured to apply the cleaning fluid to the agitator and/or the surface to be cleaned as taught by Chung for the purpose having a wet/dry surface cleaner to further increase the cleaning the device can perform [Chung: ¶6 & ¶93].
Claim(s) 11, 13-19, & 20-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai in view of Dimbylow et al. (US 20230036398), hereinafter Dimbylow.
Regarding claim 11, 13, & 20. (Claim 13 is shown, but includes limitations of 1-2, 6, & 11) Cai discloses a surface cleaning device [Fig 1-4; ¶n0042 of the translation; 100 is a floor brush for a vacuum cleaner (i.e. surface cleaning device)], comprising:
a cleaning head [100] configured to be moved over a surface to be cleaned [¶n0042 of the translation; a vacuum cleaner is a surface cleaning apparatus and can be moved over a surface to clean said surface];
an agitator at the cleaning head [Fig 1-2; 20], the agitator being configured to rotate to agitate debris on the surface to be cleaned [Fig 1-2; ¶n0048 of the translation]; and
a light at the cleaning head [Fig 1-4; 30 is an optical system that produces a light and is located at the cleaning head], the light being configured to emit blue light to illuminate a region on the surface to be cleaned [Fig 3-4; ¶n0042 of the translation; the light emitted can be blue and can illuminate the surface to be cleaned in a region forward of the cleaning head];
wherein the blue light has a wavelength in a range of 400 nm to 494 nm [¶n0045 of the translation; the light wavelength can be between 360 nm and 480 nm];
a first side [34] of the region extends from a first corner of the region to a second corner of the region [Fig 3-4], the second corner being located laterally … of the cleaning head on a first side of the cleaning head [Fig 3-4]; the first side is at a first angle from a front surface of the cleaning head [Fig 3-4], the first angle being in a range of … [Fig 3; ¶n0051 of the translation; the angle from the front edge can be from 45 to 75 degrees];
a second side [33] of the region extends from the first corner to a third corner of the region [Fig 3-4], the third corner being located laterally outward of the cleaning head on a second side of the cleaning head that is opposite to the first side of the cleaning head [Fig 3-4]; and the second side is at a second angle from the front surface of the cleaning head,… [Fig 3; ¶n0051].
Cai may not explicitly disclose the second corner being located laterally outward of the cleaning head on a first side of the cleaning head; the first angle being in a range of 120° to 140°; and the second angle being in a range of 1° to 25°.
However Dimbylow teaches a cleaning head with a light [Fig 2-3; 46] that can emit light in a first side [R2] of the region extends from a first corner of the region to a second corner of the region [Fig 2; the first corner is the window (49) that the light is emitted through and extends to a second corner extending away from 49], the second corner being located laterally outward of the cleaning head on a first side of the cleaning head [Fig 2; ¶34; the second corner of R2 extends outwardly farther than the distance from 49 to the cleaning head sidewall (26)]; the first side is at a first angle from a front surface of the cleaning head, the first angle being in a range of 120° to 140° [Fig 2; ¶14 & ¶33-¶34; Z2 is the angle from a direction perpendicular to the from front surface of the cleaning head and Z2 can be in a range from 25 to 45 degrees; Z1 is the angle between R2 & R1 and is in a range from 70 to 110 degrees; so if Z1 is 110 degrees and Z2 is 25 degrees then the angle from R1 to the front surface of the cleaning head is 10 degrees; and thereby the first angle is Z1 (110 degrees) plus 10 degrees which is 120 degrees];
a second side of the region extends from the first corner to a third corner of the region [Fig 2], the third corner being located laterally outward of the cleaning head on a second side of the cleaning head that is opposite to the first side of the cleaning head [Fig 2]; and the second side is at a second angle from the front surface of the cleaning head, the second angle being in a range of 1° to 25° [Fig 2; ¶14 & ¶33-¶34; the proposed angle scenario above has the angle from the front surface of the cleaning head to R1 being 10 degrees].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the light as disclosed by Cai to have the second corner being located laterally outward of the cleaning head on a first side of the cleaning head; the first angle being in a range of 120° to 140°; and the second angle being in a range of 1° to 25° as taught by Dimbylow for the purpose of illuminating a larger area and allowing the user to better see debris outside of the direct path of the cleaning head and thereby to better facilitate cleaning [Dimbylow: ¶12].
Claim 13 is rejected above and claims 11 & 20 have the same or similar limitations that are all contained in claim 13. Claims 11 & 20 are rejected for the same reasons as claim 13.
Regarding claim 14. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 13, wherein the blue light has a wavelength in a range of 455 nm to 485 nm [Cai: ¶n0045 of the translation; the light wavelength can be between 360 nm and 480 nm].
Regarding claim 15. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 13, wherein the first angle is in a range of 125° to 140°; and the second angle is in a range of 1° to 20° [Dimbylow: Fig 2; ¶14; if Z1 is 110 degrees and the radii R1 is 19 degrees from the front surface of the cleaning head then the first angle is 129 degrees (110 + 19 degrees) and the second angle is 19 degrees].
Regarding claim 16. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 13, wherein the first angle is in a range of 120° to 130°; and the second angle is in a range of 8° to 25° [Rejected for the same reasons as claim 15].
Regarding claim 17. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 13, further comprising a lens at the cleaning head; wherein the light is configured to emit the blue light through the lens; and the first corner of the region is at the lens [Cai: Fig 3; ¶n0051 & ¶n0059; the first corner is at 32 which is a lens].
Regarding claim 18. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 17, wherein the light and the lens are located to one side of the agitator [Cai: Fig 1-3].
Regarding claim 19. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 13, wherein the region is located entirely forward of the agitator [Cai: Fig 4].
Regarding claim 21. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 20, further comprising a convex lens disposed in front of the light source and configured to disperse light emitted by the light source passing therethrough [Cai: Figure 1 of this action & Fig 1-2].
Regarding claim 22. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 21, further comprising a protruding top surface disposed above the lens and extending relatively forward of the lens [Cai: Figure 1 of this action & Fig 2; there is a protruding surface disposed above the lens which extends forward of the lens].
Regarding claim 23. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 22, wherein a region disposed below the lens is free from a protruding surface [Cai: Figure 1 of this action & Fig 2].
Regarding claim 24. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 22, further comprising a protruding side surface disposed laterally of the lens in an outward direction and extending relatively forward of the lens [Cai: Figure 1 of this action & Fig 2; there is a protruding side surface disposed laterally of the lens in an outward direction and extending relatively forward of the lens].
Regarding claim 25. Cai as modified teaches the surface cleaning device of claim 24, wherein a region laterally of the lens in an inward direction is free from a protrusion surface [Cai: Figure 1 of this action & Fig 2; laterally inward of the lens is free from a protrusion surface].
Response to Arguments
35 U.S.C. 102 & 103 Rejections
Applicant's arguments, see Pages 7-10, filed 5/13/2026 have been fully considered but moot in light of the new grounds of rejection, see above. All arguments directed at Chung and Dimbylow are moot as they are not relied upon for the same reasons as in previous Office Actions.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See Notice of References Cited, PTO form 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON R MCCONNELL whose telephone number is (303)297-4608. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 0700-1600 MST [0900-1800 EST] 2nd Friday 0700-1500 MST [0900-1700 EST].
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/AARON R MCCONNELL/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/BRIAN D KELLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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