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 05/22/2026. Claims 1-6, 8-9, 12-16, and 18-19 remain pending for consideration.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-6, 8-9, and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park (US 20100024463 A1), in view of Kwon (KR20100029979A), in view of Li et al. (CN216432182U, herein after referred to as Li), and in further view of Fan et al. (CN106568254A, herein after referred to as Fan).
Regarding claim 1, Park teaches a refrigerator (refrigerator 10 Fig. 1) comprising: an outer case (main body 11 Fig. 1) forming an exterior of the refrigerator (Figs. 1-2); an inner case (corresponds to the interior walls of refrigerator 10 Figs. 1-2) provided in the outer case (Figs. 1-2) and defining a storage compartment (refrigerating chamber 12 and freezing chamber 13 Fig. 1), the inner case comprising a first inner wall (right wall of freezing chamber 13 Fig. 2) and a second inner wall (left wall of freezing chamber 13 Fig. 2) opposing the first inner wall (Fig. 2); and an ice maker (ice-making device 90 Fig. 2) mounted in the inner case (Figs. 1-2) and configured to make ice (paragraph [0043]), the ice maker comprising an ice maker case (storage box 60 Fig. 2), wherein the ice maker case comprises: a first ice maker case wall (right wall of storage box 60 Fig. 2) supported by the first inner wall (Fig. 2); a second ice maker case wall (left wall of storage box 60 Fig. 2) supported by the second inner wall (Fig. 2); and a protrusion (junction 70 Fig. 2) provided on the first ice maker case wall (Fig. 2), the protrusion being configured to interfere with the first inner wall (Figs. 2-3 where it is understood that junction 70 is interfering with the inner sidewalls of freezing chamber 13 via connection elements 50), wherein the first inner wall comprises a holder (connection elements 50 Fig. 2) configured to support the first ice maker case wall (Fig. 2).
Park teaches the invention as described above but fails to explicitly teach “the protrusion is an elastic protrusion; the elastic protrusion being configured to be elastically deformable in a direction in which the elastic protrusion is pressed by the first inner wall”.
However, Kwon teaches a protrusion (the combination of top right reinforcing member 80 and top right fixing member 70 Fig. 2 corresponds to the protrusion of Park) that is an elastic protrusion (paragraph [0029]); the elastic protrusion being configured to be elastically deformable in a direction (referring to paragraphs [0046] and Fig. 3, a person skilled in the art would recognize that the direction of deformation is a direction that is perpendicular to the sidewalls of inner case 111) in which the elastic protrusion is pressed by a first inner wall (paragraph [0046] and Fig. 3 where the right sidewall of inner case 111 corresponds to the first inner wall of Park) to reduce the possibility of damaging the protrusion during assembly/disassembly of the ice maker (paragraph [0014]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the apparatus of Park to include “the protrusion is an elastic protrusion; the elastic protrusion being configured to be elastically deformable in a direction in which the elastic protrusion is pressed by the first inner wall” in view of the teachings of Kwon to reduce the possibility of damaging the protrusion during assembly/disassembly of the ice maker.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “wherein the elastic protrusion comprises: an interference portion configured to be in contact with a portion of the first inner wall; and a connecting portion connecting the interference portion to the first ice maker case wall, the connecting portion formed by cutting a portion of the first ice maker case wall, wherein the connecting portion comprises a fixed end fixed to the first ice maker case wall and a free end opposing the fixed end, and the connecting portion is configured to be elastically deformable about the fixed end in response to the interference portion being pressed by the first inner wall, and wherein the interference portion protrudes from the free end, in a direction different to a direction in which the connecting portion extends from the fixed end to the free end, toward the portion of the first inner wall”.
However, Li teaches wherein an elastic protrusion (limiting protrusion 150 Figs. 6-7 corresponds to the elastic protrusion of Kwon) comprises: an interference portion (contact surface 151 Fig. 7) configured to be in contact with a portion of a first inner wall (guide rail 22 Fig. 9 where the right side wall of freezer chamber 21 corresponds to the first inner wall of Park); and a connecting portion (the portion of limiting protrusion 150 that connects contact surface 151 to slide groove 140 Figs. 6-7) connecting the interference portion to a first ice maker case wall (the wall of cabinet 100 illustrated in Fig. 6 corresponds to the first ice maker case wall of Park), the connecting portion formed by cutting a portion of the first ice maker case wall (Figs. 6-7 and paragraph [35]), wherein the connecting portion comprises a fixed end (disclosed “first end of the limiting protrusion 150” in paragraph [36]) fixed to the first ice maker case wall (paragraph [36]) and a free end opposing the fixed end (disclosed “second end of the limiting protrusion 150” in paragraph [36]), and the connecting portion is configured to be elastically deformable about the fixed end in response to the interference portion being pressed by the first inner wall (paragraphs [36] and [38]), and wherein the interference portion protrudes from the free end (Fig. 7), in a direction different to a direction in which the connecting portion extends from the fixed end to the free end (Fig. 7), toward the portion of the first inner wall (Fig. 7) to prevent the ice maker case from sliding out of the storage compartment (paragraph [30]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the apparatus of the combined teachings to include “wherein the elastic protrusion comprises: an interference portion configured to be in contact with a portion of the first inner wall; and a connecting portion connecting the interference portion to the first ice maker case wall, the connecting portion formed by cutting a portion of the first ice maker case wall, wherein the connecting portion comprises a fixed end fixed to the first ice maker case wall and a free end opposing the fixed end, and the connecting portion is configured to be elastically deformable about the fixed end in response to the interference portion being pressed by the first inner wall, and wherein the interference portion protrudes from the free end, in a direction different to a direction in which the connecting portion extends from the fixed end to the free end, toward the portion of the first inner wall” in view of the teachings of Li to prevent the ice maker case from sliding out of the storage compartment.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “wherein the elastic protrusion is provided under the holder, the interference portion configured to be in contact with the portion of the first inner wall under the holder”.
However, Fan teaches wherein an elastic protrusion (see below annotated Fig. 7 of Fan) is provided under a holder (Fig. 7 where support member 30 corresponds to the holder of Park), an interference portion (see below annotated Fig. 7 of Fan) configured to be in contact with a portion of a first inner wall (Fig. 7 where side wall 20b corresponds to the first inner wall of Park) under the holder (Fig. 7) to provide a tight fit between the ice maker case and the inner liner of the refrigerator (paragraph [04]).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the apparatus of the combined teachings to include “wherein the elastic protrusion is provided under the holder, the interference portion configured to be in contact with the portion of the first inner wall under the holder” in view of the teachings of Fan to provide a tight fit between the ice maker case and the inner liner of the refrigerator.
Regarding claim 2, the combined teachings teach wherein the interference portion is pressed in a direction (lateral direction of Fig. 9 of Li) from the first inner wall toward the second inner wall by the first inner wall (paragraph [38] and Fig. 9 of Li where the left sidewall of freezer compartment 21 corresponds to the second inner wall of Park).
Regarding claim 3, the combined teachings teach wherein the interference portion protrudes in a first direction (longitudinal direction of Fig. 7 of Li) from the free end of the connecting portion toward the portion of the first inner wall (Figs. 6-7 and 9 of Li), and wherein the interference portion extends in a second direction (lateral direction which corresponds to the thickness of abutting surface 151 Fig. 7 of Li) parallel to the first inner wall (Figs. 6-7 and 9 of Li).
Regarding claim 4, the combined teachings teach wherein the interference portion comprises: a contact surface (see below annotated Fig. 2 of Kwon) provided at one end of the interference portion (see below annotated Fig. 2 of Kwon) and configured to come in contact with the first inner wall (Fig. 3 of Kwon); and a corner surface (see below annotated Fig. 7 of Park) provided at an end of the contact surface (see below annotated Fig. 7 of Park) in the second direction, and wherein the corner surface is inclined relative to the second direction (see below annotated Fig. 7 of Park) and extends from the contact surface in a direction (see below annotated Fig. 2 of Park) moving away from the first inner wall (see below annotated Fig. 7 of Park).
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Regarding claim 5, the combined teachings teach wherein the second direction is parallel to a forward-backward direction of the inner case (Fig. 3 of Kwon where the direction that is perpendicular to the rear wall of inner case 111 is the forward-backward direction of inner case 111 where inner case 111 corresponds to the inner case of Park).
Regarding claim 6, the combined teachings teach wherein the interference portion is configured to be movable in a direction (the direction that is perpendicular to both sidewalls of inner case 111 Fig. 3 of Kwon) parallel to the first direction by being elastically deformed (paragraph [0046] and Fig. 3 of Kwon).
Regarding claim 8, the combined teachings teach wherein the interference portion is pressed in a first direction (lateral direction of Fig. 9 of Li) by the first inner wall, and wherein the connecting portion extends from the fixed end in a direction (longitudinal direction of Fig. 9 of Li) different from the first direction (Figs. 7 and 9 of Li).
Regarding claim 9, the combined teachings teach wherein the first ice maker case wall comprises a cut-open portion (corresponds to the space provided between limiting protrusion 150 and groove 140 as described in paragraph [35] of Li) formed in the direction in which the connecting portion extends (Fig. 7 and paragraph [35] of Li), and wherein the connecting portion is provided at the cut-open portion (Fig. 7 and paragraph [35] of Li).
Regarding claim 12, the combined teachings teach wherein the holder extends in a direction parallel (Fig. 2 of Park) to a forward-backward direction of the inner case (Fig. 2 of Park), and wherein the ice maker case is mounted by sliding from a front of the inner case (Fig. 3 of Park) toward a rear thereof along the holder (Fig. 3 of Park).
Regarding claim 13, the combined teachings teach wherein the ice maker case (grille pan cover 61 Fig. 2 of Kwon corresponds to the ice maker case of Park) further comprises a plurality of elastic protrusions (Fig. 2 of Kwon) arranged in an up-down direction (Fig. 2 of Kwon) and including the elastic protrusion (Fig. 2 of Kwon).
Regarding claim 14, the combined teachings teach wherein the elastic protrusion is a first elastic protrusion (the combination of top right reinforcing member 80 and top right fixing member 70 Fig. 2 of Kwon), wherein the ice maker case further comprises a second elastic protrusion (the combination of top left reinforcing member 80 and top left fixing member 70 Figs. 2-3 of Kwon) provided on the second ice maker case wall (the left sidewall of grill pan cover 61 Figs. 2-3 of Kwon corresponds to the second ice maker case wall of Park), and wherein the second elastic protrusion is configured to interfere with the second inner wall (Fig. 3 of Kwon where the left sidewall of inner case 111 corresponds to the second inner wall of Park) and to be elastically deformable in a direction (the direction that is perpendicular to both sidewalls of inner case 111 Fig. 3 of Kwon) in which the second elastic protrusion is pressed by the second inner wall (paragraph [0046] and Fig. 3 of Kwon).
Regarding claim 15, the combined teachings teach wherein the inner case further comprises an opening (opening illustrated in Fig. 3 of Park) formed at a front of the storage compartment (Fig. 3 of Park) and a rear wall (rear wall of the inner case of Park illustrated in Fig. 3) formed at a rear of the storage compartment (Fig. 3 of Park) and configured to face the opening of the inner case (Fig. 3 of Park), and wherein the elastic protrusion is disposed to be closer to the opening of the inner case than to the rear wall of the inner case (Fig. 3 of Park).
Claims 16 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, in view of Li, and in further view of Fan.
Regarding claim 16, Park teaches an ice maker (ice-making device 90 Fig. 2) comprising: at least one ice making tray (ice-making tray 92 Fig. 2) configured to receive and hold an amount of water (paragraph [0043]); and an ice maker case (storage box 60 Fig. 2) configured to support the at least one ice making tray (Fig. 2), wherein the ice maker case comprises: a first ice maker case wall (right wall of storage box 60 Fig. 2) configured to be supported by a first inner wall (right wall of freezing chamber 13 Fig. 2) of a refrigerator (refrigerator 10 Fig. 1); a second ice maker case wall (left wall of storage box 60 Fig. 2) configured to be supported by a second inner wall of the refrigerator (left wall of freezing chamber 13 Fig. 2); and a protrusion (junction 70 Fig. 2) provided on the first ice maker case wall (Fig. 2), the protrusion being configured to interfere with the first inner wall when the ice maker is mounted in the refrigerator (Figs. 2-3 where it is understood that junction 70 is interfering with the inner sidewalls of freezing chamber 13 via connection elements 50 when the ice maker is mounted), wherein the first inner wall comprises a holder (connection elements 50 Fig. 2) configured to support the first ice maker case wall (Fig. 2).
Park teaches the invention as described above but fails to explicitly teach “the protrusion is an elastic protrusion being configured to be elastically deformable in a direction in which the elastic protrusion is pressed by the first inner wall when the ice maker is mounted in the refrigerator, wherein the elastic protrusion comprises: an interference portion configured to be in contact with a portion of the first inner wall; and a connecting portion connecting the interference portion to the first ice maker case wall, the connecting portion formed by cutting a portion of the first ice maker case wall, wherein the connecting portion comprises a fixed end fixed to the first ice maker case wall and a free end opposing the fixed end, and the connecting portion is configured to be elastically deformable about the fixed end in response to the interference portion being pressed by the first inner wall, and wherein the interference portion protrudes from the free end, in a direction different to a direction in which the connecting portion extends from the fixed end to the free end, toward the portion of the first inner wall”.
However, Li teaches a protrusion (limiting protrusion 150 Figs. 6-7 corresponds to the protrusion of Park) is an elastic protrusion (paragraph [31]) being configured to be elastically deformable in a direction (lateral direction in Fig. 9 and paragraph [38]) in which the elastic protrusion is pressed by a first inner wall (Figs. 7 and 9 where the right side wall of freezer chamber 21 corresponds to the first inner wall of Park) when an ice maker (the ice maker illustrated in Fig. 3 corresponds to the ice maker of Park) is mounted in a refrigerator (paragraph [38] where refrigerator 20 Fig. 9 corresponds to the refrigerator of Park), wherein the elastic protrusion comprises: an interference portion (contact surface 151 Fig. 7) configured to be in contact with a portion of the first inner wall (guide rail 22 Fig. 9); and a connecting portion (the portion of limiting protrusion 150 that connects contact surface 151 to slide groove 140 Figs. 6-7) connecting the interference portion to a first ice maker case wall (the wall of cabinet 100 illustrated in Fig. 6 corresponds to the first ice maker case wall of Park), the connecting portion formed by cutting a portion of the first ice maker case wall (Figs. 6-7 and paragraph [35]), wherein the connecting portion comprises a fixed end (disclosed “first end of the limiting protrusion 150” in paragraph [36]) fixed to the first ice maker case wall (paragraph [36]) and a free end opposing the fixed end (disclosed “second end of the limiting protrusion 150” in paragraph [36]), and the connecting portion is configured to be elastically deformable about the fixed end in response to the interference portion being pressed by the first inner wall (paragraphs [36] and [38]), and wherein the interference portion protrudes from the free end (Fig. 7), in a direction different (longitudinal direction of Fig. 7) to a direction (lateral direction of Fig. 7) in which the connecting portion extends from the fixed end to the free end (Fig. 7), toward the portion of the first inner wall (Fig. 7) to prevent the ice maker case from sliding out of the storage compartment (paragraph [30]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the apparatus of Park to include “the protrusion is an elastic protrusion being configured to be elastically deformable in a direction in which the elastic protrusion is pressed by the first inner wall when the ice maker is mounted in the refrigerator, wherein the elastic protrusion comprises: an interference portion configured to be in contact with a portion of the first inner wall; and a connecting portion connecting the interference portion to the first ice maker case wall, the connecting portion formed by cutting a portion of the first ice maker case wall, wherein the connecting portion comprises a fixed end fixed to the first ice maker case wall and a free end opposing the fixed end, and the connecting portion is configured to be elastically deformable about the fixed end in response to the interference portion being pressed by the first inner wall, and wherein the interference portion protrudes from the free end, in a direction different to a direction in which the connecting portion extends from the fixed end to the free end, toward the portion of the first inner wall” in view of the teachings of Li to prevent the ice maker case from sliding out of the storage compartment.
The combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to explicitly teach “wherein the elastic protrusion is provided under the holder, the interference portion configured to be in contact with the portion of the first inner wall under the holder”.
However, Fan teaches wherein an elastic protrusion (see below annotated Fig. 7 of Fan) is provided under a holder (Fig. 7 where support member 30 corresponds to the holder of Park), an interference portion (see below annotated Fig. 7 of Fan) configured to be in contact with a portion of a first inner wall (Fig. 7 where side wall 20b corresponds to the first inner wall of Park) under the holder (Fig. 7) to provide a tight fit between the ice maker case and the inner liner of the refrigerator (paragraph [04]).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effectively filed date to modify the apparatus of the combined teachings to include “wherein the elastic protrusion is provided under the holder, the interference portion configured to be in contact with the portion of the first inner wall under the holder” in view of the teachings of Fan to provide a tight fit between the ice maker case and the inner liner of the refrigerator.
Regarding claim 18, the combined teachings teach wherein the elastic protrusion is configured to deflect in a first direction (lateral direction of Fig. 9 of Li) when the ice maker is mounted in the refrigerator (paragraph [38] of Li), and wherein the connecting portion extends from the fixed end in a direction (Longitudinal direction of Fig. 9 of Li) different from the first direction (paragraph [38] and Fig. 9 of Li).
Regarding claim 19, the combined teachings teach wherein the first ice maker case wall comprises a cut-open portion (corresponds to the space provided between limiting protrusion 150 and groove 140 as described in paragraph [35] of Li) formed in the direction in which the connecting portion extends (Fig. 7 and paragraph [35] of Li), and wherein the connecting portion is provided at the cut-open portion (Fig. 7 and paragraph [35] of Li).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims 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.
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/SAMBA NMN GAYE/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JERRY-DARYL FLETCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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