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 .
Response to Remarks
Applicant’s remarks with respect to claim(s) 1, 9-10, and 14-15, see pages 6-8 filed December 2, 2025, have been considered but are moot because of the new ground of rejection presented here within.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 9, 14, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 6046979 B2 (hereafter JP ’979; citations for the prior art are disclosed in paratheses with the claims listed below) in view of Jackson (US 4919123 A).
Claim 1. An air conditioner (Fig. 1 “electric dust collector”) comprising: a housing (rectangular parallelepiped main body case 1) including a suction inlet (suction port 2; Fig. 1); a fan disposed inside the housing and configured to generate an air flow which is sucked into the housing through the suction inlet to flow in a first direction from upstream to downstream (“fan [not shown] are arranged along the flow direction of dust-containing air [denoted Air in the drawing]. The motor 8 is attached to the back side of the main body case 1 as a drive source for rotating the fan”), the suction inlet being perpendicular to the first direction (Fig. 1); and an electrostatic precipitator disposed inside the housing (Fig. 1) and including: a discharge electrode (discharge needle electrode 80 of charging device 6; Figs. 1, 2, 8) configured to receive a voltage and to generate ions toward the suction inlet “charging device 6 includes a charging device body 12 and a high voltage power supply unit 13 that applies a high voltage to the charging device body 12. The high voltage power supply unit …”; ), and an upstream electrode (ground electrode plate 40) disposed upstream of the discharge electrode with respect to the first direction (Figs. 2-4), grounded to form an electric field with the discharge electrode (Figs. 7, 9, 10), and disposed between the discharge electrode and the suction inlet so as to form a space between the discharge electrode and the upstream electrode in the first direction, wherein the upstream electrode is positioned adjacent and parallel to the suction inlet a first distance in the first direction between the upstream electrode and the suction inlet being shorter than a second distance in the first direction between the upstream electrode and the discharge electrode (Figs. 1, 2, 4); wherein the upstream electrode is disposed to be in contact with the suction inlet.
The instant invention is an apparatus. The phrase “so that at least a portion of the ions generated from the discharge electrode are passed through the suction inlet so as to charge aerosols in air outside the housing” is an intended use or function. Apparatus claims are distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than intended use or function. See MPEP § 2114.
The prior art to JP ’979 does not explicitly disclose the suction inlet is a suction panel. Jackson is analogous art and does disclose a suction panel (panel 52) for an opening in the ductwork to receive and retain an air filter in a manner providing for filter removal as a maintenance item associated with HVAC operation (Jackson, col. 1, l. 60-col. 2, l. 1; “panel 52” at col. 3, ll. 30-52). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current invention to include the suction panel of Jackson at the suction opening identified in ductwork of the primary reference JP ‘979 to receive and retain an air filter in a manner providing for filter removal as a maintenance item associated with HVAC operation with a reasonable expectation of success.
Claim 14. JP ’979 and Jackson are relied upon as set forth above with claim 1. Jackson further teaches wherein the suction panel includes a cover portion (Figs. 1, 2, 4) disposed toward the electrostatic precipitator to prevent the electrostatic precipitator from being exposed to the outside of the housing.
Regarding claims 2, 3, 9, and 15 below, the teaching of JP ‘979 and Jackson is relied upon as indicated above (see claim 1), and JP ‘979 further discloses the following:
Claim 2. The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the upstream electrode extends along a plane perpendicular to the first direction to at least partially cover the suction panel (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8); whereas, viewing the structural elements in Fig. 1, 2, 3, and 4 from downstream to upstream and toward the suction panel the upstream electrode partially covers the view of the suction panel, i.e., at least partially cover the suction panel.
Claim 3. The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the upstream electrode includes: a hollow (opening 41), and an electrode member forming an outer circumference of the hollow (ground electrode plate 40; “The ground electrode plate 40 is formed in a flat plate shape from a single rectangular conductive metal… in which a large number of round hole-shaped openings 41 are formed”) and having a length extending along a plane perpendicular to the first direction (Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8).
Claim 9. The air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the upstream electrode is configured in a rod shape (Fig. 8; whereas; discharge needle electrode 80 is configured in a rod shape under BRI) .
Claim 15. The air conditioner of claim 14, wherein: the cover portion includes a discharge electrode cover portion provided at a position corresponding to the discharge electrode with respect to the first direction (Figs. 1, 2, 5).
Claim(s) 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP ’979 and Jackson taken with Makishima (JP 2015066509 A).
For claim 4, JP ’979 and Jackson are relied upon as set forth above but does not appear to teach the discharge electrode with the limitations explicitly as recited in the claim.
However, the teaching of Makishima does disclose in Figs. 14 and 17 the discharge electrode includes: a first discharge electrode, and a second discharge electrode spaced apart from the first discharge electrode in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the upstream electrode includes: a first upstream electrode disposed so that a center of the first upstream electrode is disposed in a position corresponding to the first discharge electrode along the first direction, and a second upstream electrode disposed so that a center of the second upstream electrode is disposed in a position corresponding to the second discharge electrode along the first direction, the second upstream electrode being spaced apart from and disposed adjacent to the first upstream electrode, and the air conditioner further comprises: a through hole extending between the first upstream electrode and the second upstream electrode in (Figs. 13, 14, 16, 17). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current invention to substitute the upstream electrode of Makishima as an equivalent structure in the combined teaching of JP ’979 and Jackson since selection of known equivalents would be within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP § 2144.06.
For claim 5, the teaching of Makishima discloses in Figs. 14 and 17 the discharge electrode includes: a first discharge electrode, and a second discharge electrode spaced apart from the first discharge electrode in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the upstream electrode includes: a first upstream electrode disposed so that a center of the first upstream electrode is disposed in a position corresponding to the first discharge electrode along the first direction, and a second upstream electrode disposed so that a center of the second upstream electrode is disposed in a position corresponding to the second discharge electrode along the first direction, the second upstream electrode disposed adjacent to the first upstream electrode, and the electrode member of the second upstream electrode extends from the electrode member of the first upstream electrode. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current invention to substitute the upstream electrode of Makishima as an equivalent structure in the combined teaching of JP ’979 and Jackson since selection of known equivalents would be within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP § 2144.06.
For claim 6, the teaching of the prior art is relied upon as indicated above. Makishima further discloses the electrode member is configured in a polygonal ring shape (Fig. 17).
For claim 7, the teaching of the prior art is relied upon as indicated above. Makishima further discloses wherein the electrode member is configured in a circular ring shape (Fig. 14).
For claim 8, the teaching of the prior art is relied upon as indicated above. Makishima further discloses a cross section of the electrode member has a circular shape (Fig. 14).
Claim(s) 11, 12, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP ’979 and Jackson taken with Tanaka (JP 2022147333 A).
For claim 11, the prior art as set forth above and discloses the electrostatic precipitator but does not appear to teach said electrostatic precipitator further includes a downstream electrode disposed downstream of the discharge electrode with respect to the first direction, and the downstream electrode is grounded to form an electric field with the discharge electrode. However, Tanaka discloses a downstream electrode (32 downstream ground electrode plate; Figs. 4, 6) disposed downstream of the discharge electrode with respect to the first direction, and the downstream electrode is grounded to form an electric field with the discharge electrode (Fig. 4 “conductive metal”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current invention employ the downstream electrode of Tanaka for the combined teaching of the device of JP ’979 and Jackson to arrive at an electrode disposed downstream of the discharge electrode with respect to the first direction, and the downstream electrode is grounded to form an electric field with the discharge electrode as claimed for the purpose of electrically enhancing particle flow for collection of particles with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 12, the teaching of the prior art is set forth above, and Tanaka further discloses the downstream electrode has a mesh shape (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 13, the teaching of the prior art is set forth above, and Tanaka further discloses wherein at least a portion of the downstream electrode includes a conductive material (“conductive metal”).
NOTE: See Notice of References Cited for additional prior art references to FR 883953 A (Figs. 1, 2) and GB-1046652-A (Figs. 1, 3, 4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Applicant should consider prior art examples provided below in response to this correspondence.
US 2893220 A: Air conditioner unit with panels Figs. 1-2; unit 10 with suitable panels (col. 3, ll. 22-35, 45-58; “device 10, which is covered by the panel 70 is provided with means to admit the air which passes through the device to be conditioned”).
US 4169500 A: modular air conditioning apparatus featuring selective panel enclosures; panel members in the plenum sections; enclosure panels provided for enclosing the first and second open box frames along the access sides; FIG. 3, a pair of vertically disposed and generally parallel galvanized sheet metal panels 42.
US 3662738 A: panels (col. 2, ll. 15-60).
US 7065978 B2: air conditioner with cabinet includes a plurality of frames being standing at corners of a base; an upper panel provided on upper parts of the frames, the upper panel having the inlet and the outlet; and a plurality of panels such as a front panel, a rear panel and side panels between the respective frame; tray 410i n Fig. 2; Fig. 4.
US 11454407 B1: HVAC; Figs. 4B-C; different access panels that can be utilized with the housing.
US 4449376 A: access panel 24 covering the one lateral face of the module is removed for service and repair.
US 20160332169 A1: Air conditioner and electric dust collection device; [0037] Fig. 2 schematic illustrating an external appearance of the indoor unit 12; a main body 26 of the indoor unit 12 is covered with an outer panel 27.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SONJI TURNER whose telephone number is (571)272-1203. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (EST).
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/SONJI TURNER/Examiner, Art Unit 1776 June 18, 2026
/Jennifer Dieterle/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1776
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