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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01/13/2026 has been entered.
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103(a) as being unpatentable over CN 111457662 (“Nie et al.”) in view of US 3462208 (“Black et a.”).
Regarding Claim 1, Nie et al. discloses a refrigerator comprising:
a storage (1); and
a drawer (11) including:
one or more rollers (22) disposed on at least one side of the drawer (11), the rollers being configured to enable the drawer (11) to move relative to the storage (1) in a first direction,
one or more accommodation portions (111) that at least partially receive the rollers, respectively, and one or more protruding ribs extending along an outer perimeter surface of the one or more accommodation portions (111), at least a part of the one or more protruding ribs extending parallel to the first direction,
wherein the one or more protruding ribs (along the top of 111) protrude outward from the one or more accommodation portions (111) and are located outward relative to the one or more rollers (22).
Nie et al. substantially discloses the claimed invention but does not disclose the one or more ribs extending parallel to the first direction.
Black et al. discloses a drawer with an outer perimeter comprising a plurity of ribs (60) protruding outward along an outer perimeter surface of the drawer .
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the ribs could have also been positioned along the outer perimeter surface of the one or more accommodation portions one or more ribs extending parallel to the first direction, similar to the manner taught by Black et al. to provide the accommodation portion with reinforcing ribbings to strengthen the roller accommodation portion to prevent warping when the drawer is heavy .
Regarding Claim 2, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein the one or more protruding ribs includes a plurality of protruding ribs, and wherein the plurality of protruding ribs are spaced apart from each other (as modified by Black et al.).
Regarding Claim 3, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein each of the rollers includes: a rolling element (23); a roller cover (24) configured to accommodate the rolling element (23) and enable the rolling element (23) to rotate; and a latch (241, 242) disposed at a side surface of the roller cover (24) and protruding outwards, and wherein the one or more accommodation portions (111) include a latching groove (hole that receives 241) configured to be coupled by the latch (241, 242).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein the plurality of protruding ribs includes a first protruding rib, at least a portion of the first protruding rib extending to overlap the latching groove (as modified by Black et al., the ribs are arranged to overlap the latching groove).
Regarding Claim 5, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein the plurality of protruding ribs includes a first protruding rib, at least a portion of the first protruding rib being spaced apart from the latching groove and extending along a shape of the latching groove (as modified by Black et al., the ribs are arranged to overlap the latching groove).
Regarding Claim 6, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein each of the rollers includes: a rolling element (23); a roller cover (24) configured to accommodate the rolling element (23) and enable the rolling element (23) to rotate; an insertion hole (in 111) disposed at a lower portion of the one or more accommodation portions (111); and support parts (rectangular protrusion around 24) disposed at both side surfaces of the insertion hole (in 111) and disposed at a side surface of the roller cover (24).
Regarding Claim 7, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) the plurality of protruding ribs includes a second protruding rib, at least a portion of the second protruding rib extending along the insertion hole (in 111) and a shape of at least one of the support parts (rectangular protrusion around 24).
Regarding Claim 8, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein at least a portion of the at least one of the support part supports (protrusion surrounding 24) the lower portion of the one or more accommodation portions (111).
Regarding Claim 9, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein at least a portion of the at least one of the support parts (rectangular protrusion around 24) supports a lower portion of the second protruding rib.
Regarding Claim 10, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein a third protruding rib is spaced apart from the first protruding rib and is disposed above the first protruding rib.
Regarding Claim 11, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein the drawer (11) includes: a body portion; and a front surface portion disposed in front of the body portion, wherein the front surface portion includes a side protrusion protruding outward of a side surface of the body portion, wherein the one or more accommodation portions (111) include a boundary surface defining a boundary between the side surface of the body portion and a rear surface of the side protrusion, and wherein the boundary surface includes a curved surface.
Regarding Claim 12, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein a lowermost end of the boundary surface defines the boundary with the rear surface of the side protrusion and starts from an outermost surface of the side protrusion.
Regarding Claim 13, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein the protruding ribs protrude outward from the one or more accommodation portions (111) and do not extend beyond an outermost surface of the side protrusion (as modified by Black et al.).
Regarding Claim 14, Nie et al. discloses a refrigerator comprising: a storage (1); and a drawer (11) including: a roller (22)disposed at a side of the drawer (11) and configured to enable the drawer (11) to horizontally move relative to the storage (1),an accommodation portion that at least partially receives the roller, and a protruding rib (along the top) extending along an outer perimeter surface of the accommodation portion and at least partially extending horizontally wherein the protruding rib protrudes outward from the accommodation portion and is located outward relative to the roller(as modified by Black et al.).
Nie et al. substantially discloses the claimed invention but does not disclose the protruding rib partially extending horizontally outward from the accommodation portion and is located outward relative to the roller.
Black et al. discloses a drawer with an outer perimeter comprising a plurity of ribs (60) protruding outward along an outer perimeter surface of the drawer .
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the ribs could have also been configured to protruding rib to extending horizontally outward from the accommodation portion , similar to the manner taught by Black et al. to provide the accommodation portion with reinforcing ribbings to strengthen the roller accommodation portion to prevent warping when the drawer is heavy .
Regarding Claim 15, the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein the protruding rib includes a plurality of protruding ribs, and wherein the plurality of protruding ribs are spaced apart from each other (as taught by Black et al.).
Regarding Claim 16,the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein the roller includes: a rolling element (23); a roller cover (24) configured to accommodate the rolling element (23) and enable the rolling element (23) to rotate; and a latch (241, 242) disposed at a side surface of the roller cover (24) and protruding outwards, and wherein the accommodation portion includes a latching groove (a hole in 111) configured to be coupled by the latch (241, 242).
Regarding Claim 17,the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein the plurality of protruding ribs includes a first protruding rib, at least a portion of the first protruding rib extending to overlap the latching groove (a hole in 111); as modified by Black et al.
Regarding Claim 18,the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein the roller includes: a rolling element (23); a roller cover (24) configured to accommodate the rolling element (23) and enable the rolling element (23) to rotate; an insertion hole (in 111) disposed at a lower portion of the accommodation portion; and a support part (protruding from 24) disposed at a side surface of the insertion hole and disposed at a side surface of the roller cover (24).
Regarding Claim 19,the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein the plurality of protruding ribs includes a second protruding rib, at least a portion of the second protruding rib extending along the insertion hole (in 111); as modified by Black et al.
Regarding Claim 20,the combination discloses (Nie et al.) wherein at least a portion of the support part supports (protruding around 24) the lower portion of the accommodation portion.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIMBERLEY S WRIGHT whose telephone number is (571)270-3328. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 11:30-5:30.
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/KIMBERLEY S WRIGHT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637