DETAILED ACTION
Claims 16-32 are pending in the application. Claims 1-15 have been cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/04/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the prior art of record (Kim et al US 2019/0170429 A1, in view of Pemwieser US 10,181,678 B2) fails to teach the claim limitations as currently constructed. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicant argues that the prior art fails to teach a “positioning device arranged on a inner face of the housing slot, positioning device fixes the module at least axially in said housing slot” (emphasis added). Examiner respectfully disagrees. The claim as currently constructed does not speak to the type of positioning device nor does it speak to the type of housing slot. The claim read in its broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI) requires a device that can be connected in a housing slot. As shown in Kim, camera 160 is clearly inserted into a housing slot. The connector as shown in Pemwieser is a widely used snap-fit connector in electronics. Whether the connector is high frequency or not is irrelevant and immaterial to the claim as currently constructed. As recited in Pemwieser, “the plug connector is suitable for arbitrary application within the entire field of electronics” (emphasis added). The connector used in the instant application refers to a “snap-fit connector”. Therefore, it is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that a combination of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, would be sufficient as applied to the claims as currently constructed within the instant application. Based on this reasoning/rationale, the prior art of rejection will remain, it is highly suggested to amend the claims further highlight the inventive concept.
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.
Claims 16-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2019/0170429 A1) in view of Pemwieser (US 10,181,678 B2).
As per claim 16, Kim discloses a household appliance (fig. 1, refrigerator), comprising:
a camera having a housing (fig. 1, refrigerator, camera 160), said housing having a housing slot with a longitudinal axis (fig. 1, refrigerator, camera 160, camera seat groove 122 (i.e. housing slot) has a longitudinal axis).
Kim fails to teach a module with a first electrical connector, said module being distinct from said housing and being arranged in said housing and a positioning device arranged on an inner face of said housing slot, said positioning device fixing said module at least axially in said housing slot. However Pemwieser discloses a plug connection apparatus 1 used for connecting cameras, comprising of plug connectors 2 and 3, wherein plug connector 3 may be connected to the back of a camera module and plug connector 2 may be connected to a housing slot, said plug connector 2 also is comprised of connection installation element 5 (i.e. positioning device) for connecting/securing plug connector 3 where camera module would be located (Pemwieser, fig. 1, plug connection apparatus 1, plug connectors 2 and 3, connection installation element 5, col. 11 lines 43 through col. 12 lines 45).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, by incorporating the plug connection apparatus as taught by Pemwieser, into the camera as taught by Kim, because doing so would provide a more efficient way of connecting a camera(s) to a household appliance, thus being able to install/remove camera(s) with an ease of use.
As per claim 17, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the household appliance according to claim 16, wherein said module comprises a printed circuit board, which is mechanically connected directly to said positioning device so that said printed circuit board is axially fixed in said housing slot (Pemwieser, fig. 1, plug connection apparatus 1, plug connectors 2 and 3, are mechanically and electrically coupled, furthermore plug connectors 2 and 3 may be configured as a circuit-board plug connector, col. 5 lines 29 and 30, col. 11 lines 43-47).
As per claim 18, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the household appliance according to claim 17, wherein said positioning device comprises axial guide channels on said inner face, and said printed circuit board engages in said axial guide channels (Pemwieser, fig. 1 plug connection apparatus 1, plug connectors 2 and 3, connection installation element 5 is comprised of positive guide 6 and plug connector 3 is comprised of gate block 7, where the connectors 2 and 3 are connected together, col. 12 lines 1-25).
As per claim 19, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the household appliance according to claim 17, wherein said positioning device is formed with an axial stop on said inner face and said printed circuit board has an edge resting against said axial stop (Pemwieser, fig. 1, plug connection apparatus 1, plug connectors 2 and 3, connection installation element 5, securing member 12 (i.e. axial stop), edge of plug connectors 2 and 3 rest against securing member 12, see fig. 1, also col. 15 lines 16-38).
As per claim 20, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the household appliance according to claim 17, wherein said positioning device has an engaging element arranged on said inner face and engages in a counter engaging element on an edge of said printed circuit board to secure the axial position of said printed circuit board (Pemwieser, fig. 1, plug connection apparatus 1, plug connectors 2 and 3, connection installation element 5, securing member 12 engages with element 14, to connect plug connectors 2 and 3).
As per claim 21, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the household appliance according to claim 16, wherein said module is disposed in an axial center of said housing slot (Kim, figs. 1 and 7, refrigerator 1, camera 160, is in center of camera seat groove 122, i.e. housing slot).
As per claim 22, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the household appliance according to claim 16, wherein said housing slot is formed as a straight and tubular opening (Kim, figs. 1 and 7, refrigerator 1, camera 160, camera seat groove 122 is a straight tubular opening).
As per claim 23, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the household appliance according to claim 22, wherein said housing slot is formed as a straight, tubular, and square tube (Kim, figs. 1 and 7, refrigerator 1, camera 160, camera seat groove 122, is a square tube).
As per claim 24, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the household appliance according to claim 16, wherein said housing has a front part that is separate from said housing slot and is connected to said housing slot by at least one snap-fit connection (Pemwieser, fig. 1, plug connection apparatus 1, plug connectors 2 and 3, connection installation element 5, securing member 12, may be configures as a “snap-fit” connection, col. 15 lines 27-38).
As per claim 25, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the household appliance according to claim 16, wherein said housing has a front part that is separate from said housing slot, and further comprising an image capturing module of said camera arranged in said front part and held in said front part by at least one snap-fit connection (Kim, figs. 1 and 7, refrigerator 1, camera 160, camera seat groove 122, camera is separate from camera seat groove 122, Pemwieser, plug connection apparatus 1, plug connectors 2 and 3, are mounted on camera and camera seat groove for snap-fit connection, see claim 16 and 24 above).
As per claim 26, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the household appliance according to claim 25, wherein said image capturing module has a printed circuit board, which is snap-fitted in said front part by said at least one snap-fit connection that interacts mechanically and directly with said printed circuit board (claim limitations have been discussed and rejected, see claims 17 and 24 above).
As per claim 30, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the household appliance according to claim 16, configured as a household refrigeration appliance (Kim, fig. 1, refrigerator 1).
As per claim 31, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses a method for mounting a camera of a household appliance, the method comprising:
providing a housing of the camera with a housing slot;
providing a module that is separate from the housing slot and has a first electrical connector;
inserting the module into the housing slot;
moving the module axially in the housing slot towards of a predefined end position of the module in the housing slot; and
mechanically coupling the module to a positioning device, which is configured on an inner face of the housing slot, to thereby fix the module at least axially in an end position in the housing slot (claim limitations have been discussed and rejected, see claims 16 and 17 above).
As per claim 32, the combined teachings of Kim in view of Pemwieser, as a whole, further discloses the method according to claim 31, which comprises assembling a household appliance with:
a camera having a housing, the housing having a housing slot with a longitudinal axis;
a module with an electrical connector, the module being distinct from the housing and being arranged in the housing; and
a positioning device arranged on an inner face of the housing slot and fixing the module in the housing slot (claim limitations have been discussed and rejected, see claim 16 above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 27-29 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 27, none of the prior art cited alone or in combination provides the motivation to teach the following claimed limitations, with emphasis that it is each claim, taken as a whole, including the interrelationships and interconnections between various claimed elements make them allowable over the prior art of record, the household appliance according to claim 25, wherein: said module comprises a printed circuit board, which is mechanically connected directly to said positioning device so that said printed circuit board is axially fixed in said housing slot; said image capturing module has a printed circuit board, which is connected to said printed circuit board of said module by a flexible conductor board.
Regarding Claim 28, none of the prior art cited alone or in combination provides the motivation to teach the following claimed limitations, with emphasis that it is each claim, taken as a whole, including the interrelationships and interconnections between various claimed elements make them allowable over the prior art of record, the household appliance according to claim 24, wherein said housing further has a separate curved segment, which is arranged between said front part and said housing slot and which is configured as an angular position adapter for said front part, and wherein said curved segment is connected non-destructively and releasably to said front part and to said housing slot.
Regarding Claim 29, claim depends from Claim 28 and is allowable for the same reasons stated above.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN H MOREHEAD III whose telephone number is (571)270-3845. The examiner can normally be reached M - F 0930-1800 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Twyler Haskins can be reached at (571) 272-7406. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOHN H MOREHEAD III/Examiner, Art Unit 2639
/TWYLER L HASKINS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2639
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