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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The listing of references in a PCT document does not constitute an information disclosure statement and also fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
Specification
The changes to specification were received on 9/03/2025. These changes are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 21-27 and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Japanese Patent JP 10-306972 to Ochiai.
Ochiai teaches
21. A refrigerator comprising: a mechanism chamber (2) having a lateral wall (6) that defines a ventilation hole (Figure 1) configured to discharge air from the mechanism chamber to an outside of the mechanism chamber; and a noise-reducing device (8, 8a, 9) that is disposed adjacent to the ventilation hole and defines a communication hole (8b or the large diameter hole that aligned with the ventilation hole and fan axis) in communication with the ventilation hole, the noise-reducing device having a hollow shape (as best seen in figure 2) with a predetermined inner space (11), wherein the noise-reducing device comprises a frame (9) that defines a plurality of hollow portions (as best seen in figure 1) that are arranged around the ventilation hole, wherein the frame comprises: a first piece (9c) that is disposed inside the noise-reducing device and defines the communication hole, and a second piece (9 and/or 9b) that defines an outside (as best seen in figures 1 and 2) of the noise-reducing device, and wherein the noise-reducing device is one of a plurality of noise-reducing devices (as best seen in figure 1) that are coupled to one another, and the second piece partitions the plurality of noise-reducing devices (as best seen in figures 1 and 2).
22. wherein the frame defines a through-hole (large diameter hole that aligned with the ventilation hole and fan axis or 8b) that communicates air between the plurality of hollow portions and the outside.
23. wherein the through-hole is one of a plurality of through-holes (8b), and wherein the plurality of through-holes are arranged to surround the communication hole, each of the plurality of through-holes having a predetermined depth (as best seen in figure 2).
24. wherein the plurality of noise- reducing devices are attached to the lateral wall of the mechanism chamber (as best seen in figure 1).
25. wherein the through hole faces an inside of the mechanism chamber (as best seen in figure 1 and 2)
26. wherein the frame further comprises: a third piece that couples the first piece to the second piece, the third piece defining the through-hole (as best seen in figures 1 and 2, the frame includes three sides and the third piece is the side between the first and second piece).
27. further comprising: a partition wall (9b) that is coupled to the first piece, the second piece, and the third piece of the frame to thereby partition the frame into the plurality of hollow portions.
29. wherein each of the plurality of noise-reducing devices defines one communication hole (8b) in communication with the ventilation hole (as best seen in figure 1 and 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 31-34 and 36-41 are allowed.
Claim 28 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 9/03/2025 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.
It should be noted that claim 21 did not include all of the limitations of the previous allowable claim(s) and therefore has a different scope than previously examined.
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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/T.M.A/Examiner, Art Unit 3637 /DANIEL J TROY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3637