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 of the Claims
This is a non-final rejection in response to the amendments and arguments filed 08/05/2026. Claims 1-6 and 10-13 and 15-18 are currently pending with claims 1 and 16 amended. Claims 7-9, 14 and 19 have been canceled.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 09/04/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/23/2026, with respect to the art rejections, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's arguments, Examiner agrees that the combination of the prior art does not teach the limitations as amended in the claims. However, the prior art US Patent Application Publication 2020/0072472 to Kim et al. teaches a first intermediate heating body that is located at an upper surface of an upper plate, see rejection below.
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) 1-6, 10-11 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2019/0223263 to Park et al. (Park) in view of US Patent Application Publication 2020/0072472 to Kim et al. (Kim) and in view of JP 2012028349 to Tamura et al. (Tamura, and based on English Machine Translation).
In Reference to Claim 1
Park discloses a cooking appliance (Fig. 2, 20 for instance) comprising:
upper plate (15 for instance) configured to support an object to be heated (Fig. 3, HO for instance);
a first intermediate heating body (Fig. 2, HE1 or HE2 for instance) located at the upper plate (15);
a plurality of working coils (WC1 or WC2 for instance) configured to generate magnetic fields (¶ [0014]), the magnetic fields being coupled to at least one of the object to be heated and the first intermediate heating body (coupled to the object to be heated for instance, see ¶ [0016]);
an inverter configured to apply current to the plurality of working coils (¶ [0035]); and
a controller configured to control the inverter so that some of the working coils are operated (¶ [0085]),
wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of working coils to operate in the first heating mode (¶ [0015], control of the working coils when the object to be heated is a magnetic body for instance) and a second heating mode (¶ [0041], control of the working coils when the object to be heated is a non-magnetic material for instance),
wherein, in the first heating mode corresponding to heating of a magnetic container (¶ [0015]), the controller is configured to control the plurality of working coils (¶ [0047], [0085] and claim 8, the control of the working coils in all modes and control of the intensity of the working coils for instance) so as to control the heating of the first intermediate heating body (control of heating intensity for instance, ¶ [0047]), and
wherein, in the second heating mode corresponding to heating of a non-magnetic container (¶ [0041]), the controller is configured to control the plurality of working coils to operate simultaneously (the control of all the working coils in any heating mode for instance, see also claim 8, ¶ [0047] and [0085]).
Park does not explicitly teach the first intermediate body located at “... an upper surface of the upper plate ...” or “... such that at least one working coil does not operate during a portion of a cycle ....”
Kim is related to a cooking appliance (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches a first intermediate heating body (Fig. 2, TL1 for instance) located at an upper surface of an upper plate (15 for instance).
Tamura is related to a cooking appliance (abstract) with a plurality of working coils (Fig. 1: 7-9 for instance) configured to generate magnetic fields (¶ [0004]) within a heating zone (2 for instance), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein at least one working coil does not operate during a portion of a cycle (¶ [0016] and Fig. 9, at least one coil stopped in a heating mode for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Park, wherein the first intermediate heating body (of Park) is located at an upper surface (as taught by Kim) of the upper plate (of Park), and in the modification of each heating zone to have a plurality of working coils for instance, such that at least one working coil does not operate during a portion of a cycle (as taught by Tamura) so as to reduce heating (i.e. the stopping of a coil not actively heating the intermediate heating body in Park) of the first intermediate heating body (of Park), so as to use an art known technique (of the configuration of an intermediate heating body to be located on an upper surface of a cooking plate as taught by Kim and of the operation of various working coils within a heating zone as taught by Tamura) into the system of Park, in having a plurality of working coils within a heating zone, and predictably control the operation of the coils in the system and predictably heat an object.
In Reference to Claim 2
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 1, wherein the plurality of working coils includes: a first working coil; and a second working coil (7 and 8 as taught by Tamura for instance, figure 1), and wherein the controller is configured to control the inverter so that: the first working coil is operated for a first half of the cycle; and the second working coil is operated for a second half of the cycle (such as in figure 7 as taught by Tamura, half cycle of left portion and of middle portion for instance).
In Reference to Claim 3
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 1, wherein the plurality of working coils includes: a first working coil (Fig. 8, 7 as taught by Tamura for instance); and a second working coil (9 as taught by Taura for instance), wherein the cycle is divided into a first section, a second section, and a third section (see annotated figure 9 of Tamura), and wherein the controller is configured to control the inverter so that: only the first working coil (7 as taught by Tamura for instance) is operated during the first section (see annotated figure of Tamura); the first working coil and the second working coil (7 and 9 as taught by Tamura for instance) are operated together during the second section (see annotated figure of Tamura); and only the second working coil (9 as taught by Tamura for instance) is operated during the third section (see annotated figure of Tamura), this so as to use an art known technique (of the operation of various working coils in a heating zone as taught by Tamura) into the system of Park and predictably control the operation of the coils in the system.
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In Reference to Claim 4
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control the inverter so that the first section, the second section, and the third section are sequentially performed (as operated one after another for instance from left to right as taught by Tamura).
In Reference to Claim 5
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 4, wherein a time interval for each of the first section, the second section, and the third section is the same (half period as taught by Tamura, see also ¶ [0016]).
In Reference to Claim 6
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust an operating frequency of the inverter so that the plurality of working coils generates maximum output in the first heating mode (various frequency adjustment of the coils as taught by Tamura and so as to maintain uniform temperature for instance, see ¶ [0014] and [0016]).
In Reference to Claim 10
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 1, wherein the first intermediate heating body (Park, HE1 for instance) overlaps in a vertical direction with at least two working coils among the plurality of working coils (WC1 of Park for instance within a heating zone and a plurality of coils, 7, 8, 9, within a heating zone 2 as further taught by Tamura for instance), so as to use an art known technique (of the operation of various working coils in a heating zone as taught by Tamura) into the system of Park and predictably control the magnetic flux in the system.
In Reference to Claim 11
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 10, wherein the plurality of working coils (Park Fig. 2, WC1 and WC2 for instance) are arranged into a plurality of heating zones (Park, 17a and 17b for instance), and wherein the first intermediate heating body (Park, HE1 and HE2 for instance) is located at a position corresponding to one of the plurality of heating zones (Park, see figure 2 for instance).
In Reference to Claim 16
Park discloses a cooking appliance (Fig. 2, 20 for instance) comprising:
an upper plate (15 for instance) configured to support an object to be heated (Fig. 3, HO for instance);
a first intermediate heating body (Fig. 2, HE1 or HE2 for instance) located at the upper plate (15);
a plurality of working coils (WC1 or WC2 for instance) configured to generate magnetic fields (¶ [0014]), the magnetic fields being coupled to at least one of the object to be heated and the first intermediate heating body (coupled to the object to be heated for instance, see ¶ [0016]);
an inverter configured to apply current to the plurality of working coils (¶ [0035]); and
a controller configured to control the inverter so that: some of the working coils are operated when the object to be heated is a magnetic material (see ¶ [0085] and claim 8, the diving of some of the working coils during all modes for instance, including when an object to be heated is magnetic and so as to control the heating of the first intermediate heating body control of heating intensity for instance, ¶ [0047]); and
all of the plurality of working coils operate during a cycle in a second heating mode when the object to be heated is a non-magnetic material (¶ [0085] and claim 8, the driving of all of the working coils during all modes for instance, including when an object to be heated is non-magnetic).
Park does not explicitly teach the first intermediate body located at “... an upper surface of the upper plate ...” or “... at least one of the plurality of working coils does not operate in a portion of a cycle in a first heating mode ....”
Kim is related to a cooking appliance (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches a first intermediate heating body (Fig. 2, TL1 for instance) located at an upper surface of an upper plate (15 for instance).
Tamura is related to a cooking appliance (abstract) with a plurality of working coils (Fig. 1: 7-9 for instance) configured to generate magnetic fields (¶ [0004]) within a heating zone (2 for instance), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein at least one of the plurality of working coils does not operate in a portion of a cycle in a first heating mode (¶ [0016] and Fig. 9, at least one coil stopped for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Park, wherein the first intermediate heating body (of Park) is located at an upper surface (as taught by Kim) of the upper plate (of Park), and in the modification of each heating zone to have a plurality of working coils, wherein at least one of the plurality of working coils does not operate in a portion of a cycle (as taught by Tamura) in a first heating mode (of Park) when the object to be heated is a magnetic material (of Park) (i.e. the stopping of a coil not actively heating the intermediate heating body in Park and so as to reduce heating) of the first intermediate heating body (of Park), so as to use an art known technique (of the configuration of an intermediate heating body to be located on an upper surface of a cooking plate as taught by Kim and of the operation of various working coils within a heating zone as taught by Tamura) into the system of Park, in having a plurality of working coils within a heating zone, and predictably control the operation of the coils in the system and predictably heat an object.
In Reference to Claim 17
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the plurality of working coils includes: a first working coil; and a second working coil (7 and 8 as taught by Tamura for instance, figure 1), and wherein the controller is configured to control the inverter so that: the first working coil is operated for a first half of the cycle; and the second working coil is operated for a second half of the cycle (such as in figure 7 as taught by Tamura, half cycle of left portion and of middle portion for instance).
In Reference to Claim 18
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the plurality of working coils includes: a first working coil (Fig. 8, 7 as taught by Tamura for instance); and a second working coil (9 as taught by Taura for instance), wherein the cycle is divided into a first section, a second section, and a third section (see annotated figure 9 of Tamura), and wherein the controller is configured to control the inverter so that: only the first working coil (7 as taught by Tamura for instance) is operated during the first section (see annotated figure of Tamura); the first working coil and the second working coil (7 and 9 as taught by Tamura for instance) are operated together during the second section (see annotated figure of Tamura); and only the second working coil (9 as taught by Tamura for instance) is operated during the third section (see annotated figure of Tamura), this so as to use an art known technique (of the operation of various working coils in a heating zone as taught by Tamura) into the system of Park and predictably control the operation of the coils in the system.
Claim(s) 12-13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2019/0223263 to Park et al. (Park) in view of US Patent Application Publication 2020/0072472 to Kim et al. (Kim) and in view of JP 2012028349 to Tamura et al. (Tamura, and based on English Machine Translation) as applied to claim(s) 10 or 1 above, and further in view of ES2340900 to Garcia et al. (Garcia, and based on English Machine Translation).
In Reference to Claim 12
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 10, except, “... wherein the first intermediate heating body is located at a position corresponding to a center of the plurality of working coils ....”
Garcia is related to a cooking appliance with a plurality of working coils (Fig. 1: 12a-d for instance) located at a position corresponding to one of a plurality of heating zones (zones 10 as seen in figure 1 for instance, only one labeled), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein a heating zone (10 for instance, see also figure 2) is located at a position corresponding to a center of the plurality of working coils (12a-d).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Park wherein the first intermediate heating body (of Park and as located in the middle of a heating zone) is located at a position corresponding to a center of the plurality of working coils (as taught by Garcia as also located in the middle of a heating zone), so as to use an art known technique (of the positioning of a heating zone, including the positioning of components to a heating zone, as taught by Garcia) into the system of Park and predictably provide control of the components within the heating zone in the system.
In Reference to Claim 13
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 10, wherein a portion of the first intermediate heating body (Park, HE1 for instance) is located at a position overlapping with a working coil among the plurality of working coils (Park, WC1 for instance and within an heating zone 17a for instance), except, “... located closest to an edge of the upper plate ....”
Garcia is related to a cooking appliance with a plurality of working coils (Fig. 1: 12a-d for instance) located at a position corresponding to one of a plurality of heating zones (zones 10 as seen in figure 1 for instance, only one labeled), as the claimed invention for instance, and teaches a heating zone (including a plurality of coils) is located closest to an edge of an upper plate (top right heating zone located close to edge for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Park wherein a portion of the first intermediate heating body (of Park and relative to a heating zone) is located at a position overlapping with a working coil among the plurality working coils (of Park) located closest to an edge (as taught by Garcia within a heating zone located at an edge for instance) of the upper plate (of Park), so as to use an art known technique (of the positioning of a heating zone, including components to a heating zone, as taught by Garcia) into the system of Park and predictably provide a suitable cooking area within the system.
In Reference to Claim 15
Park, as modified by Kim and Tamura, discloses the cooking appliance of claim 1, further comprising a second intermediate heating body (Park Fig. 2, HE2 for instance) located at the upper plate (Park, 15 for instance), except, “... wherein the first intermediate heating body overlaps in a vertical direction with at least two working coils among the plurality of working coils, and wherein the second intermediate heating body overlaps in a vertical direction with at least another two working coils among the plurality of working coils ....”
It should be noted that Tamura teaches a plurality of heating coils (Fig. 1, 7-9 for instance) located within a heating zone (2 for instance) as outlined in claim 1 above.
Garcia is related to a cooking appliance with a plurality of working coils (Fig. 1: 12a-d for instance) located at a position corresponding to one of a plurality of heating zones (zones 10 as seen in figure 1 for instance, only one labeled), as the claimed invention for instance, and teaches a heating zone (10) overlaps in a vertical direction with at least two working coils among the plurality of working coils (12a-d for instance), and wherein a second heating zone (another of 10 at top right for instance) overlaps in a vertical direction with at least another two working coils among the plurality of working coils (coils within second heating zone for instance, not labeled).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Park wherein the first intermediate heating body (of Park and relative to a heating zone) overlaps in a vertical direction with at least two working coils among the plurality of working coils (as taught by Garcia and within a heating zone), and wherein the second intermediate heating body (of Park and relative to another heating zone) overlaps in a vertical direction with at least another two working coils among the plurality of working coils, so as to use an art known technique (of the positioning of a heating zone, including components to a heating zone (as taught by Garcia and within another heating zone), so as to use an art known technique (of the use a plurality of working coils within a heating zone, as taught by Garcia) into the system of Park and predictably provide a suitable cooking area within the system.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, as cited in the Notice of References Cited, are cited to show induction heating systems in hybrid forms.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WAYNE A LAMBERT whose telephone number is (571)270-3516. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 9 am - 7 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathaniel E Wiehe can be reached at (571)272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WAYNE A LAMBERT/Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/NATHANIEL E WIEHE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745
