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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/2/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment/Arguments
Applicant's submission filed on 1/2/2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 4-5, and 8-10 remain pending on the application.
Applicant argues:
Lee discloses a sterilization module including an ultraviolet light source, an infrared light source for generating heat, a plasma/ozone light source, and a liquid sterilant sprayer. Specifically, Lee teaches that a sterilization and disinfection unit 140 is installed in an embedded form in an upper portion of a sterilization chamber 110 to sterilize objects stored in the sterilization chamber 110. See Lee at [0005]'. The sterilization and disinfection unit 140 includes an ultraviolet sterilizer 141, a far-infrared generator 142 emitting far-infrared rays, an ozone sterilizer 143 configured to generate and spray ozone, and a ULV sprayer 144 configured to spray a sterilant in ultrafine particles. See Lee at [0032]-[0034]. In this regard, the ultraviolet sterilizer 141, the far-infrared generator 142, the ozone sterilizer 143, and the ULV sprayer 144 are disclosed as being used in combination or selectively. Id.
Accordingly, the sterilization and disinfection unit 140 of Lee merely allows various types of sterilizers to be combined or selectively used. However, Lee neither discloses nor suggests any configuration in which the types and arrangement order of sterilizers correspond to the type of curtain. Therefore, Lee provides no information that discloses or suggests "wherein the liquid-disinfectant-based disinfector, the ultraviolet-based disinfector, the plasma-based disinfector, and the heat-based disinfector of each disinfection module are sequentially disposed when the curtain is made of woven fabric" and "wherein the liquid-disinfectant-based disinfector, the ultraviolet-based disinfector, and the plasma-based disinfector are sequentially disposed when the curtain is made of synthetic resin," when considered with the other elements of the claim.
The additionally cited references provide no additional information that would remedy the deficiency of Lee. Therefore, the cited references, individually or in combination, fail to disclose or suggest each and every feature of claim 1.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. As cited previously, Fig. 6 of Lee does in fact show the various sterilization modules being arranged in sequence and this would remain true regardless of the material that the curtain is made out of, especially since the claim language does not teach a specific sequence, but only that the modules are arranged in some sequence. That is, the order of these modules within the sequence is not specified and the type of sequence is not specified. The sequence may be a linear arrangement or a circular arrangement. Lee teaches wherein all the modules are arranged together in one sterilization module 140, which means that since the modules are in proximity to each other with nothing interrupting them, there would be some sort of sequence between them that can be recognized, regardless of what material the curtain is made of.
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 4-5, 8, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCormick (US 20180289847 A1, provided in Applicant’s IDS of 5/13/2022) in view of Joung (KR 20080113560 A), Lee (KR 20120029758 A), and Shin (KR 20070090652 A).
Regarding claim 1, McCormick teaches A movable curtain disinfection device comprising:
frames installed on an upper portion of a support (Fig. 1: walls 20, 22, base 16), spaced apart from each other to face each other (Fig. 1-2), and configured to define a disinfection space for a curtain provided between the frames (Fig. 1-2: space in between walls);
rotary rollers provided so that a pair of rotary rollers thereof is mounted on an inner surface of each of the frames, the rotary rollers being configured to rotate so that the curtain passes through the disinfection space (Paragraph 58, Fig. 8B: wheels 102a-d; Fig. 6A: all 8 rollers):
rotary belts each configured to surround an outer portion of each of the pairs of rotary rollers. the rotary belts being configured to guide a movement of the curtain while rotating in conjunction with rotations of the rotary rollers (Fig. 8B: belts 106): and
disinfection modules disposed between the pairs of rotary rollers and configured to disinfect the curtain passing through the disinfection space (Fig. 8B.: UV lights 34)
elastic members configured to press the rotary rollers in a direction in which the rotary rollers face one another so that the curtain passes through the disinfection space while being supported by the rotary rollers (par. 58: In one example, the wheels 102 and track or belt 106 can be configured to be biased, e.g., spring biased, to accommodate different thicknesses in curtains 14 and to help provide traction for moving the curtain 14 through the curtain channel 24)
wherein the rotary rollers comprise two pairs of rotary rollers mounted on the inner surfaces of the frames so as to face one another, and the rotary rollers are mounted in a longitudinal direction of the frames and disposed at two opposite sides of the inner surfaces of the frames (Fig. 8B: wheels 102a-d; par. 55: a total of four pairs of wheels 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d are provided on the walls 20, 22, with two pairs 102a, 102b and 102c, 102d being provided on each inner surface 30. One pair of wheels 102a, 102c on each inner surface 30 is situated approximate the open top end 28 and the other pair 102b, 102d is situated approximate the base 16. The wheels 102 in each pair 102a-d are situated on opposite sides of the UV-C light 34 and are horizontally aligned with one another. Each wheel 102 in each pair of wheels 102a-d corresponds with and is situated in a spaced apart and opposing relationship to another wheel 102 on the opposing inner surface 30 so that the opposing pairs of wheels 102a, 102c and 102b, 102d are aligned with another and provide a gap 108 that receives the curtain 14),
wherein the disinfection module comprises at least one of an ultraviolet-based disinfector (Fig. 1: 34)
but does not teach
each disposed rearward of each pair of rotary rollers. Instead, McCormick is silent with respect to the position of the spring members.
Joung teaches a clothing sterilization device (abstract: A sterilization and drying device for bedclothes and clothes is provided to perform the sterilization and drying of the clothes and bedclothes in a short time). Joung teaches wherein the rollers are at least disposed at two opposite sides of the inner surface of the frames, along a longitudinal direction (Fig. 3. 7: pipes 310, 320), and wherein elastic members are disposed rearward of the upper pair of rollers and configured to press the rollers towards the cloth so that the disinfection space is sealed as the belts are in surface contact with the clothing (Fig.7c-7e, Fig. 9: springs 420) in order to ensure a consistent pressure being applied to the clothing (pg. 4 last par.: In addition, the shock absorbing unit 400 installed at both ends of the upper moving part 300 has the movable bracket 430 fixed to the hot air pipe 310 and the suction pipe 320 by the thickness of the bedding and the garment 500, the spring 420. It is raised while compressing, the movable bracket 430 is constantly receiving the elastic force of the spring 420, so it can flow up and down according to the thickness change of the bedding and clothing 500, the bedding and clothing 500 up and down Not only can the friction between the moving parts 300 at a constant pressure, thereby to ensure a stable movement of the bedding and clothing 500).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the spring members of McCormick to be positioned rearward of each pair of rotary rollers, as taught by Joung, as one way of implementing spring biasing members for a curtain disinfection device involving rollers and to provide a specific positioning for the spring members.
McCormick modified by Joung does not teach a plasma-based disinfector, a heat-based disinfector, and a liquid-disinfectant-based disinfector and wherein the disinfection module is detachably mounted,
wherein the liquid- disinfectant-based disinfector, the ultraviolet-based disinfector, the plasma-based disinfector, and the heat-based disinfector of the disinfection module are sequentially disposed when the curtain is made of woven fabric, and
wherein the liquid-disinfectant-based disinfector, the ultraviolet-based disinfector, and the plasma-based disinfector are sequentially disposed when the curtain
is made of synthetic resin
Lee teaches a sterilization chamber (abstract: PURPOSE: A sterilizing and disinfecting chamber is provided to efficiently implement a sterilizing and disinfecting process with respect to medical appliances by forming foldable wheels on a carrier). Lee teaches a sterilization module comprising a UV light source, an infrared light source for generating heat, a plasma/ozone source, and a liquid disinfectant sprayer (abstract: sterilizing and disinfecting chamber includes a plurality of sterilizing and disinfecting units(140); pg. 3 par. 9-12: The sterilization disinfection unit 140 is installed in the form of a plurality embedded in the upper part of the disinfection room 110 to disinfect sterilization of the sterilization objects stored in the disinfection room 110, UV sterilizer 141 and far-infrared rays that emit ultraviolet rays. The far-infrared generator 142 that emits and the ozone sterilizer 143 for generating and spraying ozone and the ULV sprayer 144 for spraying the disinfectant with ultrafine particles are provided to be used in combination or selectively. Here, the UV sterilizer 141 may be, for example, a 253.7 nm UV-C type UV lamp for generating a wavelength of the region having the highest sterilization efficiency or an ultraviolet LED emitting a specific UV wavelength. As the far-infrared generator 142, for example, when a current is applied, a far-infrared heater which emits large amounts of far-infrared rays and generates radiant heat may be used. The ozone sterilizer 143, for example, has a structure in which one or both electrodes are coated with a dielectric such as glass or ceramic so that the discharge gap of the electrode portion is opposed to 1 to 3 mm, and the AC high voltage of about 5 to 20 kv and about 50 Hz to 2 kHz is used. When is applied, a silent discharge type that generates ozone by light blue fine pulse discharge in the discharge space can be used. The ULV (Ultra Low Volume) sprayer 144 is, for example, the liquid medicine stored in the medicine container is injected into the ultra-fine particles by the negative pressure in the nozzle in the process of being injected through the nozzle with the high-pressure air supplied from the air compressor It is possible to use a device spraying and spraying, or a device for spraying and spraying using a high pressure to split the liquid drug into fine particles through a high speed rotation of the power source). Lee teaches wherein all these disinfection modules are arranged sequentially on an interior surface of its frame (Fig. 3-4: sterilization disinfection unit 140; Fig. 6: 141-144 arranged sequentially).
Lee is intended to sterilize cloth, among other things (pg. 3 par. 1: In particular, the disinfection room 110 is a space for disinfecting various types of medical and welfare equipment, such as beds, mattresses, wheelchairs, air mattresses, bedding,).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the UV lights of McCormick modified by Joung to be adjacent to a plasma disinfector, a heat disinfector, and a liquid spraying disinfector, each arranged sequentially, as taught by Lee, in order to provide additional, more varied sources of sterilization for more effective sterilization of cloth. All these individual disinfection units are interpreted to be part of the same disinfection module that previously only comprised of the UV lights, since Lee itself also interprets all these units as part of one unit. Since these units are located together, they would also be necessarily disposed in some type of sequence, whether the sequence is linear or radial.
McCormick modified by Joung and Lee thus teaches
wherein the liquid- disinfectant-based disinfector, the ultraviolet-based disinfector, the plasma-based disinfector, and the heat-based disinfector of the disinfection module are sequentially disposed when the curtain is made of woven fabric, and
wherein the liquid-disinfectant-based disinfector, the ultraviolet-based disinfector, and the plasma-based disinfector are sequentially disposed when the curtain
is made of synthetic resin (NOTE: whether the curtain is made of woven fabric or synthetic resin is a recitation of intended use, as the curtain is not positively recited in the apparatus claim and thus the apparatus can be used with curtains of different materials).
Shin teaches a toothbrush sterilizer (abstract). Shin teaches a structure for holding the UV lamp that makes it easy to replace because it is detachable, which reads on the UV based disinfector being detachably mounted (pg. 2 par. 1: and the sterilizing lamp holder is easy to replace the sterilizing lamp; pg. 9 2nd last par.: And a fixing holder at the bottom of the sterilizing lamp, inserted into the socket of the main body through the fixing holder, and the holder is amplified by fixing the projection to secure the fixing force of the sterilizing lamp and to be easily detached and replaced).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disinfection module of McCormick modified by Joung and Lee to be detachably mounted, as taught by Shin, in order to provide the convenience of being able to easily replace the UV lamps. This modification resulting from an independent motivation just so happens to modify everything within the disinfection module, including individual disinfection units.
Regarding claim 4, McCormick modified by Joung, Lee, and Shin teaches the movable curtain disinfection device of claim 1, as set forth above, but does not teach wherein the rotary belts are provided at upper and lower sides of the rotary rollers.
Joung teaches rotary rollers provided so that a pair of rotary rollers thereof is mounted on an inner surface of each of the frames, the rotary rollers being configured to rotate so that the curtain passes through the disinfection space (Fig. 7: pipes 310, 320),
rotary belts each configured to surround an outer portion of each of the pairs of rotary rollers. the rotary belts being configured to guide a movement of the curtain while rotating in conjunction with rotations of the rotary rollers, wherein the belts are provided at upper and lower sides of the rollers (Fig. 5: belt 330). All this is powered by a motor 211 (Fig. 3). As such, the top and bottom rollers being integrated into one pipe provides the advantage of being easily driven by one motor rather than having separate motors or mechanisms for each roller.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the each of the top and bottom rollers of McCormick to be integrated into a single pipe, as taught by Joung, so that the rotation of the top and bottom belts can be synchronized and powered by a single motor. McCormick modified by Joung, Lee, and Shin in this way has its belts positioned on the top and bottom of each roller pipe.
Regarding claim 5, McCormick modified by Joung, Lee, and Shin teaches the movable curtain disinfection device of claim 4, as set forth above, and teaches wherein the disinfection space is sealed as the rotary belts are in surface contact with the curtain passing through the disinfection space (par. 58: In one example, the wheels 102 and track or belt 106 can be configured to be biased, e.g., spring biased, to accommodate different thicknesses in curtains 14 and to help provide traction for moving the curtain 14 through the curtain channel 24; NOTE: since “sealed” in this case just means that the rotary belts are in surface contact with the curtain as it passes through, then the device of McCormick modified by Joung, Lee, and Shin can perform the same function, and since it also has the same structure, it reads on this limitation)
Regarding claim 8, McCormick modified by Joung, Lee, and Shin teaches the movable curtain disinfection device of claim 1, as set forth above, and teaches further comprising:
a plurality of wheels disposed on a lower portion of the support and configured to move the frames while supporting the frames (Fig. 1: wheels 60).
Regarding claim 10, McCormick modified by Joung, Lee, and Shin teaches the movable curtain disinfection device of claim 1, as set forth above, and teaches further comprising:
an operation panel disposed on an outer surface of the frames and configured such that operation commands related to operations of the rotary rollers, the rotary belts, and the disinfection modules are inputted into the operation panel (par. 59: With further reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the curtain sanitizer device 100 also can include a touch screen interface 110, which can be associated with a control system including a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions, as is known to those skilled in the art, to perform at least one sanitizing operation. The computer-readable instructions may be stored in a non-transitory computer storage medium, such as a computer memory in communication with the processor. The touch screen interface 110, such as via user input, may perform any or all of the above identified functions associated with operation of the device 100, including, but not limited, to turning the device 100 on or off, turning the UV-C lights 34 on or off, adjusting the intensity or controlling the duration of the UV-C lights 34, turning the rotation of motorized wheels 102 on or off, and adjusting the speed of rotation of motorized wheels 102 thereby allowing the user to change the speed that the curtain 14 passes through the treatment zone 80, etc.; NOTE: the Lee modification to add disinfection modules to the disinfection unit would connect the modules to the same operation panel since it is part of the same disinfection unit as the preexisting UV light disinfection module).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCormick modified by Joung, Lee, and Shin in view of Mauzerall (US 20150314026 A1).
Regarding claim 9, McCormick modified by Joung, Lee, and Shin teaches the movable curtain disinfection device of claim 8, as set forth above, but does not teach further comprising:
a height adjustment member provided to be embedded in the support, connected between the lower portion of the support and the wheels, and configured to adjust a height in a vertical direction.
McCormick already teaches adjusting the height of its device to fit different curtains (par. 41: And the manufactured length (L) of the wall(s) 20, 22 and, thus, the overall height of the device 10 may be adjusted accordingly to correspond to the height needed to desirably sanitize the target curtain(s) 14. In another example, one wall 20, 22 may be shorter or longer than the other wall 20, 22). Therefore, as indicated by Fig. 4, there would also be a motivation to adjust the height of the base according to the distance between the curtain and the ground, as needed.
Mauzerall teaches a sterilization cabinet (abstract). Mauzerall teaches a scissor lift for adjusting the height of its base relative to its wheels (Fig. 10; par. 155: In accordance with this aspect of the invention, scissor lift 315 may be actuated so as to enable upper platform 305 to be lowered until it is substantially flush with the floor).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of McCormick modified by Joung, Lee, and Shin to have a scissor lift attached to its base and wheels to adjust the height of the base relative to the wheels, as taught by Mauzerall, in order to adapt the device for different curtain dimensions.
Conclusion
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/C.C./Examiner, Art Unit 1796
/DONALD R SPAMER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1799