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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
1. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
2. Claims 1 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KR20200048100A (KR ‘100).
With respect to claim 1, KR ‘100 shows a refrigerator (10, Fig.1) comprising: a main body (11) forming a storage chamber (111); a first door (121, Fig.1) rotatably coupled to the main body to open and close at least a portion of the storage chamber; a second door (122, Fig.1) adjacent to the first door and rotatably coupled to the main body to open and close at least another portion of the storage chamber; and a rotating bar (200) rotatably coupled to the first door and configured to cover a gap between the first door and the second door when the first door and the second door are closed, wherein the rotating bar (200) comprises: a case (212, FIg.9); a case cover (214, Fig.9) coupled to the case, the case cover (214) and the case (212) together forming an inner space; and a foamed heat insulator (213, Fig.9, section 0088 of translation) disposed in the inner space and coupling the case (212) and the case cover (214) to each other; and a cover plate (211) comprising a protrusion accommodating portion (211b) which comprises a protrusion accommodating hole (211b, FIg.9), wherein the case cover (214) comprises a plate coupling portion (Fig.9) and a coupling protrusion (214c, Fig.9, section 0113) on the plate coupling portion, wherein the cover plate (211) is seated in the plate coupling portion (groove formed between sides of 214, Fig.11c), and wherein the protrusion accommodating portion (211b) protrudes from the cover plate (211) toward the case cover (214, Fig.9, 11a-11c) and the coupling protrusion (214c, Fig.9) is inserted into the protrusion accommodating hole (211b, Fig.9, Fig.11c, section 0113).
With respect to claim 11, KR ‘100 shows wherein the rotating bar (200) further comprises a guide protrusion (250, Fig.2) protruding upward from an upper surface of the rotating bar (section 0070), and wherein the main body (111) comprises a guide groove configured to guide the guide protrusion (250) during opening of the first door (121, section 0070 of translation).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
4. Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR20200048100A (KR ‘100) in further in view of CN 112303994 A (CN ‘994).
With respect to claim 2, KR ‘100 teaches the heat insulator is formed by injecting and foaming urethane but doesn’t show an injection hole in the case. CN ‘994 shows wherein the case (47, Fig.9) of the rotating bar (35) comprises an injection hole (52, Fig.9) provided on a lower surface of the case (47) and configured to receive a foaming liquid that is injected therein to form the foamed heat insulator 50 (see translation pg.8 second to last paragraph). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include an injection hole in the case of KR ‘100, such as taught by CN ‘994, in order to easily fill the inner space of the rotating bar with the foamed heat insulator.
5. Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR20200048100A (KR ‘100) in further in view of CN215892927U (CN ‘927).
With respect to claim 2, KR ‘100 teaches the heat insulator is formed by injecting and foaming urethane but doesn’t show an injection hole in the case. CN ‘927 shows wherein the case (210, Fig.4) of the rotating bar (20) comprises an injection hole (231, Fig.4) provided on a lower surface of the case (210) and configured to receive a foaming liquid that is injected therein to form the foamed heat insulator (see translation, “shell 210 is further provided with a feeding hole 231 for injecting foaming material into foaming space 230”). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include an injection hole on a lower surface of the case of KR ‘100, such as taught by CN ‘927, in order to easily fill the inner space of the rotating bar with the foamed heat insulator and prevent overflow from foaming.
6. Claims 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable KR20200048100A (KR ‘100) in further in view of US 2018/0209209 (Ham).
With respect to claim 3, KR ‘100 shows wherein the rotating bar (200) further comprises a hinge member (220, Fig.3), wherein the hinge member (220) comprises a door coupling portion coupled to the first door (121, sections 0056, 0057 of translation) and wherein the rotating bar (200) is rotatably coupled to the first door (121) via the hinge member (220, sections 0056, 0057). With respect to claim 3, KR ‘100 doesn’t show a shaft portion coupled to the case.
With respect to claim 3, Ham teaches the rotating bar (100) comprises a hinge member (120/130, FIg.4), wherein the hinge member comprises a door coupling portion (121/132, Fig.4) coupled to the first door (paragraph 0082) and a shaft portion (122/132) rotatably coupled to the case (110), and wherein the case comprises a first fixing protrusion (123) and a second fixing protrusion (113), the shaft portion (122) is coupled to the first fixing protrusion and the second fixing protrusion, and a gap (gap that accommodates 122, Fig.5) is formed between the first fixing protrusion and the second fixing protrusion. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the hinge member of KR ‘100, such that it has a shaft portion coupled to first and second fixing protrusion on the case, such as taught by Ham, in order to easily mount the hinge member to the case while allowing easy rotation of the rotating bar with respect to the first door.
With respect to claim 5, the combination (Ham) teaches wherein the case further comprises a hinge partition wall (bottom horizontal wall parallel to 113 in figure 5 at 114) protruding from the case toward the case cover and configured to partition the inner space, and wherein the rotating bar further comprises a hinge cover (123, Fig.5, in this instant case the first fixing protrusion in clam 3 would just be the top protrusion at 123a) coupled to the hinge partition wall (via coupler 110b, Fig.5) to form a hinge accommodating portion that accommodates the hinge member.
With respect to claim 7, KR ‘100 shows wherein the case cover (214) further comprises a support rib (ribs formed at each upper and lower end of 214, Fig.9) spaced apart from the coupling protrusion (214c) and configured to support the cover plate (211). With respect to claim 7, KR ‘100 doesn’t explicitly disclose the cover plate is formed of a metal material. Ham teaches a cover plate (112, Fig.4) formed of a metal material (section 0073). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the cover plate of KR ‘100 out of metal material, such as taught by Ham, in order to provide a durable material for structural integrity and resistance to wear and corrosion and provide high thermal conductivity.
With respect to claim 9, the combination shows (KR ‘100) wherein a gap exists between an inner edge of the protrusion accommodating hole (211b) and each of a first side end and a second side end of the coupling protrusion (214c, Fig.11c).
With respect to claim 10, the combination (KR ‘100) shows wherein a gap exists between an outer edge of the protrusion accommodating portion and the support rib (Fig.9).
With respect to claim 12, KR ‘100 doesn’t show the rotating bar has a blocking rib protruding upward from the upper surface of the case. Ham teaches wherein the rotating bar (100) further comprises a blocking rib (161, Fig.3, FIg.8) protruding upward from an upper surface of the case and disposed apart from the guide protrusion (150), and wherein the blocking rib (161) is configured to cover at least a portion of the guide groove (92) to prevent discharge of air from the storage chamber through the guide groove (paragraph 0115). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include a blocking rib on the upper surface of the case, such as taught by Ham, in order to prevent air from coming out of the storage compartment in the closed position of the door.
7. Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable KR20200048100A (KR ‘100) in view of US 2018/0209209 (Ham) in further view of CN202347979 (CN ‘979).
With respect to claim 4, the combination doesn’t show the gap is smaller than a diameter of the shaft portion. CN ‘979 shows a gap (6-1, Fig.5) is smaller than a diameter of the shaft portion (3, Fig.4), and wherein the shaft portion (3) passes through the gap (6-1, Fig.4a, Fig.4b) by deforming the first fixing protrusion and the second fixing protrusion (protrusions creating the gap 6-1, Fig.5). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to deformably fix the shaft portion of modified KR ‘100 to fixing protrusions forming a gap smaller than the diameter of the shaft portion, such as taught by CN ‘979, in order to easily attach and hold the shaft portion to the case of the rotating bar and easily remove it when needed.
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claims 13, 15 and 16 are allowed.
9. Claim 6 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/23/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. With respect to claim 1, applicant argued that KR ‘100 describes the insulating member 213 being press fit between the frame 214 and the cover 212 and thus KR ‘100 does not teach the insulating member 213 couples the case and the case cover together. The examiner respectfully disagrees. The term “couple” merely means “to join, connect, link or combine two things together”. The insulating member 213 has plurality of protrusions (213a, Fig.9) that are coupled to holes 214a on the case cover 214 and insulating member 213 is press fitted to the case cover and the case and thus because the insulating member is provided to press fit tight and bond with the case cover and the case, the insulating member joins/connects/links the case cover and the case. Thus, the insulating member is coupling the case and the case cover to each other. Thus applicant’s arguments regarding claim 1 are not persuasive.
With respect to claim 7, applicant argued that KR ‘100 does not teach a structure similar to a support rib that supports element 211 and that there is no apparent point at which 211 is supported in the ribs considered by the examiner formed at each upper and lower end of 214. The examiner respectfully disagrees. The cover plate 211 is fitted within the outer protruding side walls and upper and lower protruding walls (equivalent to supporting ribs) of the case cover 214 (see Fig.8, FIg.9, FIg.11a-11c) and thus the upper and lower protruding walls (i.e. supporting ribs) support the upper and lower ends of the cover plate 211 in the assembled position. Thus applicant’s arguments regarding claim 7 are not persuasive.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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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/HIWOT E TEFERA/Examiner, Art Unit 3637
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