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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 22 April 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claim 24, Applicant argues that Kim does not disclose the claimed invention. Specifically, Applicant argues that Kim does not disclose “wherein the connection path includes a first path defined by the inner space of the dehumidifying block and a second path defined by an outer space of the dehumidifying block such that air in the first path passes through the dehumidifying material to flow to the second path.” Examiner disagrees and submits that the heat exchanger of Kim including an evaporator and condenser is made of “material” used to dehumidify in the function of drying air therein. Examiner further notes that generic language such as “dehumidifying block” and “dehumidifying material” read on any basic heat exchanger as this is the function of a heat exchanger.
Applicant’s arguments are wholly silent as to how or why the dehumidifying block and dehumidifying material in a drying device imparts patentability to the claims, and no such patentability is readily apparent based on the current record. As previously indicated, the drying device of Kim manifestly includes a “dehumidifying material” in order to dehumidify the air therein during a drying operation. Thus, Applicant's arguments fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.111(b) because they amount to a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2022/0313061 to Kim et al. (“Kim”).
Regarding claim 24, Kim discloses a shoe care device (1) comprising:
an inner cabinet (30) configured to accommodate a shoe therein;
an outlet (31) configured to suction air from the inner cabinet;
an inlet (below path 71 and feeding into duct 70) configured to discharge air into the inner cabinet;
a connection path connecting the outlet to the inlet (see bottom portion of Fig. 3);
a blower (44) configured to generate airflow in the connection path; and
a dehumidifying block (condenser 43) including a dehumidifying material, the dehumidifying block having an inner space bordered by the dehumidifying material (note the inside of the condenser 43 is made of a material capable of performing dehumidifying of air),
wherein the connection path includes a first path defined by the inner space of the dehumidifying block (see air pathway passing through condenser 43) and a second path (downwind of condenser 43) defined by an outer space of the dehumidifying block such that air in the first path passes through the dehumidifying material to flow to the second path (note airflow through condenser 43 and in a path towards the inside of the cabinet).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 45-46 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of US 2015/0020398 to Bae et al. (“Bae”).
Regarding claims 45-46, Kim discloses the claimed invention including plural sections connected between the inlet and outlet, including a blower and dehumidifying block. Kim does not expressly disclose wherein the shoe care device further comprises: a regeneration path configured to cause air having passed through the dehumidifying material to move therethrough and to diverge from the third section of the connection path; and a damper configured to selectively shield the third section and the regeneration path. Bae teaches an art-related drying device incorporating a section having a damper housing and damper (7) for supplying air circulating by the blower to be selectively controlled through a condensation passage and moisture absorption passage.
Therefore, the position is taken that it would have been obvious at the time of effective filing to provide the air flow passage of Kim with a damper path, such as that taught in Bae, in order to control airflow and selectively shield the air flow passage through a regeneration path as desired.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 25-44 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.
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 JOSEPH L PERRIN whose telephone number is (571)272-1305. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-4:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael E. Barr can be reached at 571-272-1414. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Joseph L. Perrin, Ph.D.
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/Joseph L. Perrin/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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