DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claim(s) 1, 16, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Flora (US 3060593 A).
Regarding claim 1, Flora discloses a dryer comprising:
a drum comprising:
a drum body (Fig. 1, 22) that defines a space configured to receive clothes,
a front cover (Fig. 1, 16) that defines a front surface of the drum body, the front cover defining a drum inlet in communication with the space of the drum body;
a rear cover (Fig. 1: 24; Fig. 7, 220) that defines a rear surface of the drum body;
a fixing panel (Fig.7, 208) spaced apart from the rear cover, the fixing panel defining a panel through-hole (Fig. 7, 261);
a motor comprising a stator (Fig. 7, 120) disposed in the panel through-hole and a rotor (Fig. 7, 122) configured to rotate relative to the stator;
a power transmitter comprising:
a housing fixed to the fixing panel [Fig. 7 shows a housing, having front (where leader line 76 is pointing), side (110), and back portions (portion with openings 118)],
a first shaft (Fig.7: shaft 121) located at (i.e., near) the housing and coupled to the rotor,
a second shaft (Fig. 7, 74) located at the housing and coupled to the rear cover, and
an interlocking gear (Fig. 7, 76) located in the housing and configured to decelerate a rotational speed of the first shaft, the interlocking gear being configured to transmit rotational force from the first shaft to the second shaft (col. 4, lines 22-28); and
a driving unit bracket (Fig. 7, 80) that is disposed at the panel through-hole, the driving unit bracket being coupled to a surface of the fixing panel and configured to reinforce the fixing panel,
wherein the fixing panel is located between the drum (Fig. 7, 78) and the motor in an axial direction of the first shaft (Fig. 7; a portion of the motor, which include elements 116, 120, 122, 246, is located rearward of the fixing panel 208 in the axial direction).
Regarding claim 16, Flora discloses wherein the first shaft, the second shaft, and the rotor are coaxial (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 22, Flora discloses (see rejection of claim 1 for citations unless otherwise noted) a dryer comprising: a drum comprising: a drum body that defines a space configured to receive clothes, a front cover that defines a front surface of the drum body, the front cover defining a drum inlet in communication with the space of the drum body, and a rear cover that defines a rear surface of the drum body; a fixing panel spaced apart from the rear cover, the fixing panel defining a panel through- hole; a motor comprising a stator disposed in the panel through-hole and a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator; a power transmitter comprising: a housing fixed to the fixing panel, a first shaft located at the housing and coupled to the rotor, a second shaft located at the housing and coupled to the rear cover, and an interlocking gear located in the housing and configured to decelerate a rotational speed of the first shaft, the interlocking gear being configured to transmit rotational force from the first shaft to the second shaft; and a driving unit bracket that is disposed at the panel through-hole, the driving unit bracket (Fig. 7; element 80 + bolt and nut fastener that couples element 80 with the fixing panel 208) being coupled to a surface of the fixing panel and configured to reinforce the fixing panel, wherein the surface of the fixing panel faces the drum (Fig. 7; the surface of the fixing panel on the side of the nut faces the drum).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-10,13-15, 17-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 21 is allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant asserts that Flora does not disclose a bulkhead 208 located between the drum and the motor in an axial direction of the first shaft, as recited in claim 1. The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Fig. 7 shows a significant portion of the motor, which include elements 116, 120, 122, 246, located rearward of the bulkhead 208 in the axial direction.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON LAU whose telephone number is (571)270-7644. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00-6:00.
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/JASON LAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762