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 .
Drawings
Figures 1-3 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
As noted in Applicant’s disclosure at page 4, description of drawings, Figs. 1-3 refer to prior art.
Election/Restrictions
The restriction requirement mailed on 10/8/2025 is reconsidered and removed based on Applicant’s reply filed 12/2/2025. All pending claims will be examined together.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maunsell et al. herein referred to as “Maunsell” (USPN 7,988,790, cited in the IDS filed 3/9/2023).
As to claim 1, Maunsell discloses a washing appliance (claim 10: washing appliance, dishwasher) comprising:
a water softener containing ion-exchange resin (claim 1: water softener with resin container connected to the water supply and the wash chamber),
a brine generator to supply brine to the water softener for regenerating the ion- exchange resin therein, the brine generator having a brine container with a filling orifice to allow solid salt to be added to the brine container (claim 1: brine container connected to the water Supply and to said resin container, said brine container having a salt inlet for the introduction of salt into said brine container, a water inlet for the supply of raw water from the water Supply into said brine container, and an outlet for Supplying brine from said brine container to said resin container),
a water supply path for providing water, via an entrance port, to the brine container (claim 1: water supply of flow directing arrangement), and
a valve that opens the entrance port when the liquid in the brine container is at a relatively low level and closes the entrance port when liquid in the brine container is at a relatively high level, the valve preventing backflow of liquid from the brine container to or through the water supply path when the liquid is above the level of the entrance port so that brine displaced by solid salt added to the brine container is able to flow out of the brine container via the filling orifice in preference to the water supply path.
In Maunsell at Fig. 6, float valve 250 controls the fluid level in the brine container 203 at a lower side of the brine container. Although Maunsell discloses a float valve 250 to prevent backflow at one port of the brine container, Maunsell fails to disclose a float valve to prevent backflow at another fluid port of the brine container at opening 204. Similar to the location of the float valve 250 at one of the fluid openings to prevent backflow of fluid, duplicating the use of a float valve at the other opening, that is at port 204 would similarly perform to prevent backflow of briny fluid. The duplication of use of a one-way valve at another open port of the brine container would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to 1) prevent backflow as acknowledged by Maunsell, 2) prevent brine from flowing into areas in which brine would not be useful, and limit exposure of salt to internal conduits that would be damaged over time from such exposure.
As to claim 2, Maunsell discloses wherein the valve opens and closes the entrance port to control the level of liquid in the brine container to a nominal maximum level that is above a lowest height of the water supply path (in Maunsell, as discussed above, duplication of the known float valve at the location of the fluidic opening at 204 would read on the nominal maximum level).
As to claims 3 and 17, Maunsell discloses comprising a primary water supply path for providing washing and/or rinsing water to the washing appliance, wherein the water supply path to the brine container has a first end at the entrance port to the brine container and a second end at an opening in a washing tub of the washing appliance, and wherein liquid is bled-off or leaks from the primary water supply path to at least partially fill the water supply path, the water within the water supply path flowing under gravity to the brine container when the valve is open but only when the water level in the water supply path is filled to above the height of the entrance port (Supply water to the machine is bled-off, leaks or is diverted at air break 201 via path 202 that feed wash supply conduit 222. The leakage to path 202 flows under gravity to conduit 222 at weir 204. Excess liquid overflows weir 204 and flows back along water supply conduit 222, overflowing a weir 230 before entering the washing chamber via overflow port 231.)
As to claim 4, Maunsell discloses wherein the entrance port is displaced vertically above the opening in the washing tub (An entrance port at 204 is illustrated above the opening in the washing tub).
As to claims 5 and 18, Maunsell discloses wherein the height of the entrance port is at or above the lowest height of the filling orifice (Fig. 4A, see height of orifice 208 is at or above the lowest height of the filling orifice 208).
As to claims 6 and 19, Maunsell discloses wherein the valve is a float valve having a float which rises and falls with the liquid level in the brine container, and wherein the valve closes the brine container entrance port when the float is at an upper float position (duplication of Maunsell’s float valve 250 reads on the claimed float valve and operation thereof).
As to claim 7, Maunsell discloses wherein the float is provided within a float chamber which shares brine with the brine container, the float chamber communicating, at or near an upper side thereof, with a vent passage to allow trapped air to escape from the float chamber (Duplication of float valve 250 at port 204 has a chamber that is surrounded by brine, and has a vent at its top side).
As to claims 8 and 20, Maunsell discloses wherein the water softener further comprises a resin compartment for containing the ion-exchange resin, the resin compartment fluidly connected to the brine container by a filter for constraining solid salt to an upper part of the brine container, and wherein the float is positioned within the upper part of the brine container (Fig. 5: see resin container 207, brine container, mesh 240, brine pump 206, and use of a float valve at opening 204).
As to claim 9, Maunsell discloses wherein the float is housed in, and able to move at least vertically within, a float chamber which is positioned in the upper region of the brine container, the float chamber having a plurality of openings therein that are shaped to allow brine to pass therethrough but to block solid salt crystals (duplication of a float valve 250 and mesh 240 to prevent block solid salt crystals; the float valve moves vertically based on the orientation of the apparatus and fluid flow).
As to claim 10, Maunsell discloses wherein a brine pump is located in a lower part of the brine container, the brine pump for supplying brine for regenerating the ion-exchange resin (see Fig. 5: brine pump 206)
As to claims 11-12, Maunsell discloses wherein the substantially "U"- shaped water supply path has a substantially horizontal duct connecting lower ends of substantially parallel, substantially vertical side ducts (see Figs. 4A-6 for U-shaped water supply path 222).
As to claim 13, Maunsell discloses wherein an upper end of a first side duct of the water supply path opens into the brine container and an upper end of a second side duct of the water supply path is connected to an opening in a washing tub of the appliance, the second side duct being fed with a supply of water at a position between its upper and lower ends, for example about mid-way between the upper and lower ends (see Fig. 4A at U-shaped conduit 222 connecting to vertical sides about mid-way as claimed).
As to claim 14, Maunsell discloses its apparatus is a dishwasher at claim 10.
As to claims 15-16, Maunsell discloses the washing appliance is a drawer-type dishwasher or a drop-door-type dishwasher, and wherein the water softener and brine generator are provided in the front wall of a drawer of the drawer-type dishwasher or in the door of the drop-door-type dishwasher (claim 10: dishwasher; see Figs. 1-3 for drawer-type location at the front wall).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RITA P ADHLAKHA whose telephone number is (571)270-0378. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8-5pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Barr can be reached at 571-272-1414. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RITA P ADHLAKHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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