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 .
Status
This Office Action is in response to the remarks and amendments filed on 12/23/2025. Claims 29-30 are cancelled. Claim 30 is new. Claims 1, 5-18 and 31 remain pending for consideration on the merits.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/23/2025 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/23/2025 was filed after the mailing date of the published application on 11/16/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 5-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi (KR 20180135547 A, hereinafter Choi) in view of Hyun et al (US 10302345 B2, hereinafter Hyun), Bao et al (CN 108426405 A, hereinafter Bao), Park et al (US 20120047934 A1, hereinafter Park) and Ma et al (CN 209672683 U, hereinafter Ma).
Regarding claim 1, Choi teaches a refrigerator (refrigerator, abstract) comprising: a self-supporting cabinet (body 100) which is internally provided with at least one, thermal-insulated storage cavity (storage space 120) configured to accommodate perishable foodstuff (placed on shelf members 150, figure 5), an electrically-operated cooling system (a refrigeration cycle apparatus, paragraph 0014) which is accommodated inside the self-supporting cabinet (a refrigeration cycle device installed in the refrigeration cycle facility space 130 of the refrigeration system body 100, paragraph 0037) and is configured to cool down the inside of said at least one storage cavity (for guiding the cool air generated by the refrigeration cycle device to converge, paragraph 0037); wherein the electrically-operated cooling system (a refrigeration cycle apparatus, paragraph 0014) comprises a heat-pump assembly (as shown on figures 2 and 5) which is provided with at least one low-pressure heat exchanger (evaporator E) configured to down the inside of said storage cavity (a refrigeration cycle device installed in the refrigeration cycle facility space 130 of the refrigeration system body 100, paragraph 0037).
Choi teaches the invention as described above but fail to teach a platelike air-guide member (14) comprising a block (19) of thermal insulating material and a protective cover (20) placed over a first face of the block (19), and an air channel (16) extending inside a second face of the block (19).
However, Hyun teaches a platelike air-guide member (cool air generator 50, figure 2) comprising a block of thermal insulating material (insulation member 52j, figure 4) and a protective cover (cover 52) placed over a first face of the block (figures 2 and 4), and an air channel (first/second flow paths 53a/53b, as shown on figure 2) extending inside a second face of the block (19) (as shown on figure 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the refrigerator in the teachings of Choi to include a platelike air-guide member (14) comprising a block (19) of thermal insulating material and a protective cover (20) placed over a first face of the block (19), and an air channel (16) extending inside a second face of the block (19) in view of the teachings of Hyun in order to yield the predictable results of preventing dew formation on the cover and allowing a passage through which cool air generated moves to the storage area.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach an electrically-operated air-circulation assembly (8) adapted to circulate the air in closed loop inside said storage cavity (3) of the self- supporting cabinet (2); wherein the air-circulation assembly (8) comprises: a platelike air-guide member (14) which is separate from the self-supporting cabinet (2) and is rigidly attached to a wall (18) of said storage cavity (3); an air channel (16) that extends inside, or is at least delimited by, said platelike air-guide member (14) and directly communicates, at the ends, with the inside of said storage cavity (3); an electrically-operated air-blowing device (15) which is placed along the air channel (16) and is adapted to generate/produce an airflow (f) that circulates in closed loop along the air channel (16) and the storage cavity (3, 4).
However, Bao teaches an electrically-operated air-circulation assembly (air duct assembly 5) adapted to circulate the air in closed loop inside said storage cavity (for controlling air flow, paragraph 0006) of the self- supporting cabinet (rear portion of refrigerator body, figure 8); wherein the air-circulation assembly (air duct assembly 5) comprises: the platelike air-guide member (cover plate 1) separate from the self-supporting cabinet (cabinet of refrigerator, figures 8-9) and is rigidly attached to a wall (rear wall, figure 8) of said storage cavity (compartment 601, figure 7); the air channel (air channel 201) directly communicates, at the ends, with the inside of said storage cavity (each compartment 601 are distributed with a pair of dividing air channel 201, paragraph 0009); a fan (15) (the fan is fixed in the fan slot 204, paragraph 0007) which is placed along the air channel (as shown on figure 4) and is configured to generate/produce an airflow (along air chamber 210, figure 4) that circulates in a closed loop along the air channel (air channel 201) and the storage cavity (compartment 601, figure 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the refrigerator in the combined teachings to include an electrically-operated air-circulation assembly (8) adapted to circulate the air in closed loop inside said storage cavity (3) of the self- supporting cabinet (2); the refrigerator (1) being characterized in that said air-circulation assembly (8) comprises: a platelike air-guide member (14) which is discrete from the self-supporting cabinet (2) and is rigidly attached to a wall (18) of said storage cavity (3); an air channel (16) that extends inside, or is at least delimited by, said platelike air-guide member (14) and directly communicates, at the ends, with the inside of said storage cavity (3); an electrically-operated air-blowing device (15) which is placed along the air channel (16) and is adapted to generate/produce an airflow (f) that circulates in closed loop along the air channel (16) and the storage cavity (3, 4) in view of the teachings of Bao in order to yield the predictable results of increasing air-cycle efficiency.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein the low-pressure heat exchanger (12) is located within the air channel (16) inside the platelike air-guide member (14)
However, Park teaches wherein the low-pressure heat exchanger (evaporator 51) is located within the air channel (rear portion of storage chamber 21, paragraphs 0077-0078 and as shown on figures 3 and 9) inside the platelike air-guide member (cool air duct assembly 50).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the refrigerator in the combined teachings to include wherein the low-pressure heat exchanger (12) is located within the air channel (16) inside the platelike air-guide member (14) in view of the teachings of Park in order to yield the predictable results of generating cool air for the storage chamber.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach a main decorative panel (17) which is separate from said platelike air-guide member (14), and is placed over an exposed front face of the platelike air-guide member (14) so as to conceal the platelike air-guide member (14) inside the storage cavity (3), wherein said main decorative panel (17) is attached to said platelike air-guide member (14) in detachable manner and wherein said main decorative panel (17) is attached to the exposed front face of said platelike air-guide member (14) via one or more snap-on fasteners (24, 125) configured to couple with the platelike air- guide member (14).
However, Ma teaches a main decorative panel (air plate 10) which is separate from said platelike air-guide member (cover plate 1), and is placed over an exposed front face of the platelike air-guide member (as shown on figure 1) so as to conceal the platelike air-guide member (as shown on figure 2) inside the storage cavity, wherein said main decorative panel (air plate 10) is attached to said platelike air-guide member (cover plate 1) in detachable manner (as shown on figure 1) and wherein said main decorative panel (air plate 10 of Ma) is attached to the exposed front face of said platelike air-guide member (cover plate 1 of Ma) via one or more snap-on fasteners (as illustrated below on figure 1 of Ma) configured to couple with the platelike air- guide member (as illustrated below on figure 1 of Ma).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the refrigerator in the combined teachings to include a main decorative panel (17) which is separate from said platelike air-guide member (14), and is placed over an exposed front face of the platelike air-guide member (14) so as to conceal the platelike air-guide member (14) inside the storage cavity (3), wherein said main decorative panel (17) is attached to said platelike air-guide member (14) in detachable manner and wherein said main decorative panel (17) is attached to the exposed front face of said platelike air-guide member (14) via one or more snap-on fasteners (24, 125) configured to couple with the platelike air- guide member (14) in view of the teachings of Ma in order to yield the predictable results of air in the refrigerating chamber forming uniform circulation.
Further, it is understood, claim 1 includes an intended use recitation, for example “…configured to...”. The applicant is reminded that a recitation with respect to the manner which a claimed apparatus is intended to be does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the structural limitations of the claims, as is the case here. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, the claims are directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function.
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Regarding claim 5, the combined teachings teach wherein an exposed surface (figure 1 o Ma) of said main decorative panel (air plate 10 of Ma) has logo/s, graphic symbol/s, patterns (air guide plate 10 is a decorative mask of metal material, paragraph 0010 of Ma) or writings laser marked thereon.
Regarding claim 6, the combined teachings teach wherein the exposed front face of said platelike air-guide member (front face of cover plate 1, as shown below on figure 1 of Ma) is vertically divided into an upper sector and a lower sector (as illustrated below on figure 1 of Ma) complementary to one another (as illustrated below on figure 1 of Ma), and at least the upper sector (as illustrated below on figure 1 of Ma) of said exposed front face (front face of cover plate 1, as shown below on figure 1 of Ma) is completely covered by said main decorative panel (covered by air plate 10 when installed, as shown on figure 2 of Ma).
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Regarding claim 7, the combined teachings teach wherein said main decorative panel (plate 4 of Bao, corresponding to air plate 10 of Ma) is dimensioned to completely cover the exposed front face (covering cover plate 1 when installed, as shown on figures 8-9 of Bao) of said platelike air-guide member (cover plate 1 of Bao).
Regarding claim 8, the combined teachings teach wherein said platelike air-guide member (cover plate 1 of Bao) is rectangular in shape (as shown on figure 1 of Bao).
Regarding claim 9, the combined teachings teach wherein said main decorative panel (air plate 10 of Ma) includes a metal sheet (air guide plate 10 is a decorative mask of metal material, paragraph 0010 of Ma).
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as modified by Hyun, Park, Bao, Ma as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Lee et al (US 20190360745 A1, hereinafter Lee ‘745).
Regarding claim 10, the combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein a front face of said metal sheet (23) is polished or frosted.
However, Lee ‘745 teaches wherein a front face of said metal sheet (light guide plate 64 forming part of panel assembly 60, figure 12, corresponding to air plate 10 of Ma) is polished (a polishing process for smoothing a surface of the light guide plate 64, paragraph 0321).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the refrigerator in the combined teachings to include wherein a front face of said metal sheet (23) is polished or frosted in view of the teachings of Lee ‘745 in order to yield the predictable results of smoothing a surface of the light guide plate and a process for checking whether defects occur may be performed.
Regarding claim 11, the combined teachings teach wherein said metal sheet (light guide plate 64 forming part of panel assembly 60, figure 12 of Lee ‘745, corresponding to air plate 10 of Ma) is made of steel (metal plate may be made of a steel, paragraph 0306 of Lee ‘745).
Claims 12 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as modified by Hyun, Park, Bao, Ma as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Chen (CN 110579068 A, hereinafter Chen).
Regarding claim 12, the combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein said glass sheet (123) has beveled or rounded edges or the thickness of the glass sheet (123) ranges between 1 and 20 millimeters.
However, Chen teaches wherein said glass sheet (transparent glass plate 11) has beveled (bevel edge processed, paragraph 0009) or rounded edges or the thickness of the glass sheet (123) ranges between 1 and 20 millimeters.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the refrigerator in the combined teachings to include wherein said glass sheet (123) has beveled or rounded edges or the thickness of the glass sheet (123) ranges between 1 and 20 millimeters in view of the teachings of Chen in order to yield the predictable results of manufacturing process of the glass decorative lighting assembly.
Regarding claim 14, the combined teachings teach wherein said glass sheet (transparent glass plate 11 of Chen) is made of transparent glass (transparent glass, abstract of Chen) and has an opaque (the light transmittance of the glass sheet 11 the non-light incidence side mirror surface silver, figure 7 of Chen) or light-reflective enameled rear face.
Regarding claim 15, the combined teachings teach wherein said glass sheet (plate 4 of Bao, corresponding to transparent glass plate 11 of Chen) is directly attached to the rear wall (figure 8 of Bao) of said storage cavity (figure 8 of Bao) and is configured to hold the platelike air-guide member (cover plate 1 of Bao) in abutment against the rear wall (figure 8 of Bao) of said storage cavity (figure 8 of Bao).
Further, it is understood, claim 15 includes an intended use recitation, for example “…configured to...”. The applicant is reminded that a recitation with respect to the manner which a claimed apparatus is intended to be does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the structural limitations of the claims, as is the case here. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, the claims are directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as modified by Hyun, Park, Bao, Ma as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Becke et al (WO 2009043678 A1, hereinafter Becke).
Regarding claim 13, the combined teachings teach wherein a front face or a rear face of said glass sheet (123) is frosted or satinated.
However, Becke teaches wherein a front face or a rear face of said glass sheet (front surface of glass panel, paragraph 0027) is frosted (frosted glass, paragraph 0027) or satinated.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the refrigerator in the combined teachings to include wherein a front face or a rear face of said glass sheet (123) is frosted or satinated in view of the teachings of Becke in order to yield the predictable results of providing a transparent material.
Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as modified by Hyun, Park, Bao, Ma and Chen as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Candeo et al (US 20170276421 A1, hereinafter Candeo).
Regarding claim 16, the combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein said glass sheet (123) is directly attached to the rear wall (18) of said storage cavity (3) via a number of protruding snap-on fasteners (125) which are firmly fixed to the rear face of the glass sheet (123) by glue or by pieces of double-sided adhesive tape.
However, Candeo teaches wherein said glass sheet (evaporator coil cover 42, corresponding to transparent glass plate 11 of Chen) is directly attached to the rear wall (coupled to the rear wall 24, paragraph 0021) of said storage cavity (as shown on figure 1) via a number of protruding snap-on fasteners (coupled to the rear wall 24 by any suitable mechanical (e.g., screws, rivets, nuts and bolts, etc, paragraph 0021) which are firmly fixed to the rear face of the glass sheet (paragraph 0021) by glue (evaporator coil cover 42 can be coupled to the rear wall 24 by any suitable mechanical (e.g., screws, rivets, nuts and bolts, etc.), chemical (e.g., adhesive, paragraph 0021) or by pieces of double-sided adhesive tape.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the refrigerator in the combined teachings to include wherein said glass sheet (123) is directly attached to the rear wall (18) of said storage cavity (3) via a number of protruding snap-on fasteners (125) which are firmly fixed to the rear face of the glass sheet (123) by glue or by pieces of double-sided adhesive tape in view of the teachings of Candeo in order to yield the predictable results of hindering movement of the fan in a direction generally perpendicular to a surface of the plate.
Regarding claim 17, the combined teachings teach wherein at least one of said protruding snap-on fasteners (fasteners, as illustrated above on figure 1 of Ma) engages in pass-through manner (interpreted to engage when installed, as shown on figure 1 of Ma) said platelike air- guide member (cover 1 plate, figure 1 of Ma).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as modified by Hyun, Park, Bao, Ma and Chen as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Lee (US 5819552 A, hereinafter Lee ‘552)
Regarding claim 18, the combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein said glass sheet (123) is attached to the rear wall (18) of said storage cavity (3) via a number of protruding centering fittings (126) which are arranged along the perimeter edge of the glass sheet (123) and cooperate with the perimeter edge of the platelike air-guide member (14) so as to center the glass sheet (123) over the exposed front face of the same platelike air-guide member (14).
However, Lee ‘552 teaches wherein said glass sheet (air duct cover 190, corresponding to transparent glass plate 11 of Chen) is attached to the rear wall (as shown on figure 11) of said storage cavity (refrigerating compartment 110) via a number of protruding centering fittings (engaging hook members 191) which are arranged along the perimeter edge of the glass sheet (as shown on figure 9) and cooperate with the perimeter edge of the platelike air-guide member (outer perimeter edge of main air duct 160, as shown on figures 6-7) so as to center the glass sheet (centering air duct cover 190 with main air duct 160, as shown on figure 5) over the exposed front face of the same platelike air-guide member (front face of main air duct 160, as shown on figures 5-7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the refrigerator in the combined teachings to include wherein said glass sheet (123) is attached to the rear wall (18) of said storage cavity (3) via a number of protruding centering fittings (126) which are arranged along the perimeter edge of the glass sheet (123) and cooperate with the perimeter edge of the platelike air-guide member (14) so as to center the glass sheet (123) over the exposed front face of the same platelike air-guide member (14) in view of the teachings of Lee ‘552 in order to yield the predictable results of providing the cooled air generated in the evaporator is flowed therethrough to the refrigerating compartment.
Claim 31 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as modified by Hyun, Park, Bao, Ma as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wieser et al (CN 104024772 B, hereinafter Wieser).
Regarding claim 31, the combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein the low-pressure heat exchanger (12) is dimensioned so as to take up a whole cross-section of the air channel (16).
However, Wieser teaches wherein the low-pressure heat exchanger (evaporator 13) is dimensioned so as to take up a whole cross-section of the air channel (evaporator 13 dimensioned to take up the cross section in between side channels 26 and 27, as shown on figure 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the refrigerator in the combined teachings to include wherein the low-pressure heat exchanger (12) is dimensioned so as to take up a whole cross-section of the air channel (16) in view of the teachings of Wieser in order to yield the predictable results of providing cooled to low temperature of the refrigerating chamber.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 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
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/DARIO ANTONIO DELEON/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JERRY-DARYL FLETCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763