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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 13, 18, and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2, line 5, “with relative with” should be --relative with--
Claim 13, line 5, “with relative with” should be --relative with--
Claim 18, line 5, “with relative with” should be --relative with--
Claim 19, line 2, “bellow” should be --below--
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 1-20 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 limitation "at least air nozzle, with one air nozzle" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "at least air nozzle, with one air nozzle" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "at least air nozzles” in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 2-11, 13-16, and 18-20 are rejected as being dependent upon a rejected base claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over China Patent CN 115474558 to Huang in view of U.S. Patent No. 11,559,039 to Hoffmann et al.
Regarding Claims 1, 12 and 17, Huang teaches a portable pet hair grooming machine, comprising: a housing (Huang Fig. 1 #1); a pipeline (Huang English abstract “air pipe is connected with the air inlet”), configured to mounted to the housing; a suction and blowing device (Huang English abstract and title; impeller #10 and wind cylinder #9), fixed inside the housing and configured to suction hair; a hair collection chamber (Huang Fig. 1 #2 and/or #23), mounted on an outer surface of the housing and be in communication with the suction and blowing device; wherein one side of the housing defines a first air inlet (Huang Fig. 1 #4) in communication with the pipeline and the hair collection chamber.
Huang is silent on a placement chamber is disposed on the housing and configured to place at least air nozzle, with one air nozzle is selected to couple to the pipeline away from the housing. However, Hoffmann teaches the general knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art that it is known to provide a placement chamber (Hoffmann Fig. 1, 5, and 11 #132) is disposed on the housing and configured to place at least air nozzle, with one air nozzle is selected to couple to the pipeline away from the housing (Hoffmann Fig. 1 #12 and Fig. 11 #300). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Huang with the teachings of Hoffmann before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to store accessories and cleaning supplies as taught by Hoffmann. The modification is merely the application of a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
Regarding Claims 2, 13 and 18, Huang as modified teaches the placement chamber (Hoffmann #132) is disposed on a rear side of the housing, a clamping member (Hoffmann Fig. 11 #141 and #142) disposed within the placement chamber and configured to retain the air nozzles at corresponding positions within the placement chamber.
Huang as modified is silent on the pet hair grooming further comprises a cover being
configured to close or open with relative with the housing so as to cover or uncover the placement chamber. However, the examiner takes official notice that it is old and notoriously well-known to place a cover over the placement chamber. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to further modify the teachings of Huang with a cover before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to prevent water from entering the compartment. The modification is merely the application of a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
Regarding Claim 3, Huang as modified teaches a plurality of positioning slots are disposed within the clamping member, the clamping member retains the air nozzles by placing the air nozzles in corresponding positioning slots (Hoffmann Fig. 11 #142, #141, #316, #356).
Regarding Claims 4, 14, and 20, Huang as modified teaches the hair collection chamber and the pipeline are detachably connected to the housing (Huang #2 and/or #23 and pipe connected at #4 are capable of being detached, applicant doesn’t claim the structural features of the connection).
Regarding Claim 19, Huang as modified teaches wherein the suction and blowing device is disposed bellow the clamping member (Hoffmann Fig. 2 #132 contains clamping members Fig. 11).
Claim(s) 5 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over China Patent CN 115474558 to Huang in view of U.S. Patent No. 11,559,039 to Hoffmann et al as applied to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20 above, and further in view of U.S. Patent No. 5,074,006 to Eremita et al.
Regarding Claims 5 and 15, Huang as modified teaches a first air outlet (Huang Fig. 1 #3) and the first air outlet is in communication with the suction and blowing device, but is silent on wherein the hair collection chamber defines a second air inlet, the second air inlet in communication with the first air inlet. However, Eremita teaches the general knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art that it is known to provide the hair collection chamber defines a second air inlet (Eremita Fig. 2 #60), the second air inlet in communication with the first air inlet. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to further modify the teachings of Huang with the teachings of Eremita before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to cool the motor as taught by Eremita. The modification is merely the application of a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
Claim(s) 6 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over China Patent CN 115474558 to Huang in view of U.S. Patent No. 11,559,039 to Hoffmann et al as applied to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20 above, and further in view of China Patent CN 215836511 to Zheng.
Regarding Claim 6, Huang as modified is silent on a hair blocking plate with a plurality of through holes is disposed within the first air outlet. However, Zheng teaches the general knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art that it is known to provide a hair blocking plate with a plurality of through holes is disposed within the first air outlet (Zheng Fig. 1 and 8 #612). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to further modify the teachings of Huang with the teachings of Zheng before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to prevent direct access to the interior of the housing as taught by Zheng. The modification is merely the application of a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
Regarding Claim 11, Huang as modified teaches a plurality of cushion blocks
are arranged on the housing, the cushion blocks are located around the second air outlet (Huang Fig. 1 and 3 cushion legs extending from base #16).
Claim(s) 7 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over China Patent CN 115474558 to Huang in view of U.S. Patent No. 11,559,039 to Hoffmann et al as applied to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20 above, and further U.S. Patent No. 6,189,178 to Roberts.
Regarding Claims 7 and 16, Huang as modified is silent on a second air outlet is defined at one end of the housing, the second air outlet is disposed on one side adjacent to the
suction and blowing device. However, Roberts teaches the general knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art that it is known to provide a second air outlet (Roberts Fig. 1 #172 and #174) is defined at one end of the housing, the second air outlet is disposed on one side adjacent to the suction and blowing device. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to further modify the teachings of Huang with the teachings of Roberts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to prevent overheating as taught by Roberts. The modification is merely the application of a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
Claim(s) 8, 9, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over China Patent CN 115474558 to Huang in view of U.S. Patent No. 11,559,039 to Hoffmann et al and U.S. Patent No. 6,189,178 to Roberts as applied to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 above, and further U.S. Patent No. 9,220,237 to Dryden.
Regarding Claim 8, Huang as modified is silent on a first grille plate and a second
grille plate are arranged inside the second air outlet, the first grille plate is disposed on
an inner side of the second grille plate. However, Dryden teaches the general knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art that it is known to provide a first grille plate and a second
grille plate (Dryden Fig. 7 #69 and #70) are arranged inside the second air outlet, the first grille plate is disposed on an inner side of the second grille plate. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to further modify the teachings of Huang with the teachings of Dryden before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to provide HEPA features taught by Dryden. The modifications is merely the application of a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
Regarding Claim 9, Huang as modified teaches the first grille plate is integrally
formed with the housing (Dryden Fig, 7 #69).
Regarding Claim 10, Huang as modified teaches a handle (Huang Fig. 1 #17) is disposed on the housing, the handle being located at the end of the housing away from the second air outlet.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The prior art of record is a teaching of the general knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art with regard to grooming devices for pets with suction and/or blowing features:
U.S. Patent No. 4,485,583; U.S. Patent No. 5,647,091; U.S. Patent No. 5,926,972; U.S. Patent No. 8,857,011; U.S. Patent No. 9,173,532; PCT WO 2019/059465; U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2023/0210331; China Patent CN 217089125; China Patent CN 219305712; U.S. Patent No. 11,156,229.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREA M VALENTI whose telephone number is (571)272-6895. The examiner can normally be reached Available Monday and Tuesday only, eastern time.
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/ANDREA M VALENTI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3643
20 July 2026
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