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 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.
(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) 24-29, 31-39 and 47 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim (US 20180274790 A1).
Re claim 24: Kim discloses a control panel assembly of a household appliance (1 in fig 1), the control panel assembly comprising:
a touch panel (touch input part 160 in fig 4); and
a touch module abutting against said touch panel, said touch module including a structural support frame (elastic member 330 in fig 8) and a touch sensor group (touch PCB 320 in fig 8); said touch sensor group including at least one touch sensor, said at least one touch sensor having one side adhered to said structural support frame and another side attached to said touch panel;
said at least one touch sensor (320 in fig 8) having outer dimensions substantially matching outer dimensions of said structural support frame (330 in fig 8).
Re claim 25: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, wherein said structural support frame (elastic member 330) is formed of a flexible material (see paragraph 138; herein, the elastic member 330 may be formed of a rubber, urethane or silicone material which has elasticity).
Re claim 26: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, wherein said structural support frame (330 in fig 9 and paragraphs 142-146) includes a support portion (boundary parts 334 + aligning protrusions 331 in fig 9) and an elastic portion (partition parts 335 in fig 9), said elastic portion being fixed to said support portion, and said at least one touch sensor being adhered to said elastic portion (see paragraph 142; herein, the front surface of the elastic member 330 may be coated with an adhesive, and then may be bonded to the rear surface of the touch PCB 320).
Re claim 27: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, wherein said elastic portion is formed in one piece with said support portion (see fig 9 and paragraph 144).
Re claim 28: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, wherein said touch module includes an electronic board (sensor control part 340 in figs 4, 8 and paragraphs 136, 140-141) for providing (i.e., functional language) a light source, said electronic board being fixed to said structural support frame, and said structural support frame being located between said at least one touch sensor and said electronic board.
Re claim 29: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance,
wherein said touch module includes a first touch module, said first touch module includes a first touch sensor (touch PCB 320 in fig 8) and a first structural support frame (elastic member 330 in fig 8), and said first touch module is configured to (i.e., functional language) control procedure selection.
Re claim 31: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, which further comprises a positioning identifier (first aligning protrusion 322 in fig 8 and paragraph 139) located on said at least one touch sensor (320), said positioning identifier configured to (i.e., functional language) locate an adhesion position of said at least one touch sensor.
Re claim 32: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, which further comprises a printed pattern (indication part 163 in fig and paragraph 118): said printed pattern located on a side of said touch panel facing said at least one touch sensor.
Re claim 33: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, which further comprises a housing (outer plate 41 + guide case 200 + supporter 400 in figs 3-4) having a receiving cavity (installation opening 43 in figs 3-4), said touch module being located in said receiving cavity (see figs 15-16), and said touch panel (160 in figs 3-4) being connected to said housing.
Re claim 34: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, wherein:
said housing includes a front housing (outer plate 41 + outer casing 200 in fig 3) and a rear housing (supporter 400 in fig 3);
said front housing has a mounting opening (220 in figs 3-4);
said touch panel (160) abuts against said touch module through said mounting opening;
said rear housing (supporter 400 in figs 3-4) is detachably connected to said front housing; and
said rear housing abuts against said touch module (i.e., via elastic parts 431 in figs 14-16 and paragraph 154) to apply pressure to said touch module, causing said at least one touch sensor to abut against said touch panel.
Re claim 35: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, wherein said rear housing has a side facing said front housing, said side has an abutting portion (elastic parts 431 in figs 14-16 and paragraph 154), and said abutting portion abuts against said touch module.
Re claim 36: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, wherein said abutting portion (elastic parts 431) is elastic.
Re claim 37: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, wherein said abutting portion includes an elastic abutting column, or an elastic sheet, or a spring (see 431 in figs 10-11, 14).
Re claim 38: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance,
wherein:
said mounting opening (220 in fig 7) defines an inner edge;
said structural support frame (330 in fig 8) has an outer edge;
one of said inner edge or said outer edge is provided with an inlay bayonet (aligning grooves 221 in fig 7);
and another of said inner edge or said outer edge is provided with an inlay protrusion (second aligning protrusion 331 in fig 8 and paragraph 139) adapted to said inlay bayonet.
Re claim 39: Kim discloses a household appliance (cooking apparatus 1 in fig 1), comprising the control panel assembly according to claim 24.
Re claim 47: Kim discloses the control panel assembly of a household appliance, wherein: said support frame (elastic member 330) is made of a flexible material (see paragraph 138; herein, the elastic member 330 may be formed of a rubber, urethane or silicone material which has elasticity), and said touch sensor is adhered to said flexible material (see paragraph 142; herein, the front surface of the elastic member 330 may be coated with an adhesive, and then may be bonded to the rear surface of the touch PCB 320).
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) 30 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20180274790 A1) in view of Chu et al. (US 20210131720 A1).
Kim discloses the control panel assembly, wherein said touch module includes a second structural support frame (display installation part 210 in fig 7) connected to said first touch module (300 in fig 7), and a display portion (60 in fig 7), said display portion is configured to (i.e., functional language) display setting content.
Kim fails to disclose a second touch sensor coupled to the second structural support frame and the display portion.
Chu discloses a touch display device (80 in figs 27-28 and paragraph 259-260) comprising a touch module (touch assembly 1100 in paragraph 267), wherein said touch module includes a touch sensor, a structural support frame (sensor PCB in paragraph 267) and a display portion (frame assembly 1300 in figs 28, 30 and paragraphs 285-286).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the display portion of Kim with a second touch sensor in order to provide more intuitive user experience and promoting increased productivity.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 2/23/2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Nidhi Thaker whose telephone number is (571)270-3408. The examiner can normally be reached M, TH, F 10am-6pm.
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/NIDHI THAKER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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