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 .
Status
This Office Action is in response to the remarks and amendments filed on 06/23/2026. The previous objections to the claims have been withdrawn. Furthermore, the previous 35 USC 112 rejections have also been withdrawn. Claims 1-2 and 6-23 remain pending for consideration.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION. —The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-2 and 6-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites “a fixing cover on the upper surface of the main body and including a cover portion that covers a portion of the water supply hose …, the fixing cover configured to fix a second portion of the supply line” which renders the claim indefinite. As recited, the claim is confusing because it seems to indicate that the disclosed “portion of the water supply hose” that is covered by the cover portion is distinct from the disclosed “second portion of the supply line” fixed by the fixing cover. However, referring to Fig. 8 of the drawings, the “portion of the water supply hose” and the “second portion of the supply line” are illustrated as referring to the same hose portions. More clarity is requested.
Claim 23 recites the limitation “a vertical direction” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For examination purposes, the phrase “a vertical direction” will be interpreted as -- the vertical direction --
Claim 23 recites the limitation “a horizontal direction” in lines 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For examination purposes, the phrase “a horizontal direction” will be interpreted as -- the horizontal direction --
Claim 23 recites the limitation “an outer surface of the connector” in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For examination purposes, the phrase “an outer surface of the connector” will be interpreted as -- the outer surface of the connector --
Claims 2 and 6-22 are also rejected due to dependency.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-2 and 6-23 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Reasons for Indicating Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1, the prior art of record when consider as a whole, alone or in combination, neither anticipates nor renders obvious “a refrigerator comprising: a main body forming a storage room; a door to open and close the storage room; a hinge supporting the door so that the door is rotatable with respect to the main body between an open position in which the storage room is open and a closed position in which the storage room is closed; a supply line having one end connected to the main body and another end connected to the door, and a first portion of the supply line is movable when the door is rotated between the open position and the closed position, the supply line including a water supply hose that includes: a first hose portion, a second hose portion, and a connector connecting the first hose portion to the second hose portion; a guide cover on an upper surface of the main body and forming an accommodating space in which the first portion of the supply line is movably accommodated; and a fixing cover on the upper surface of the main body and including a cover portion that covers a portion of the water supply hose such that the water supply hose is between the cover portion and the upper surface of the main body, the fixing cover configured to fix a second portion of the supply line such that the second portion is maintained in a fixed position when the door is rotated between the open position and the closed position, the fixing cover including: a fixing portion that is disposed inside the cover portion and surrounds at least a portion of an outer surface of the connector to maintain the connector in the fixed position, and the fixing portion spaces the connector from the main body and fixes the connector to the fixing cover, the fixing portion including: a support portion above the connector and that protrudes from an inner wall of the cover portion, a first extension portion that extends from an end of the support portion toward the upper surface of the main body in a vertical direction and has a surface that faces the inner wall of the cover portion, and a second extension portion that extends from an end of the first extension portion, which is opposite to the support portion, toward the inner wall of the cover portion in a horizontal direction and has a surface that faces the support portion, wherein the connector is supported by the support portion, the first extension portion and the second extension portion, and the second extension portion is spaced apart from the upper surface of the main body in the vertical direction”.
The closet prior art reference(s), Lee (US20240060708A1), Kang (US20130047656A1), and Kim et al. (US20120011877 A1), teach “a refrigerator comprising: a main body forming a storage room; a door to open and close the storage room; a hinge supporting the door so that the door is rotatable with respect to the main body between an open position in which the storage room is open and a closed position in which the storage room is closed; a supply line having one end connected to the main body and another end connected to the door, and a first portion of the supply line is movable when the door is rotated between the open position and the closed position, the supply line including a water supply hose that includes: a first hose portion, a second hose portion, and a connector connecting the first hose portion to the second hose portion; a guide cover on an upper surface of the main body and forming an accommodating space in which the first portion of the supply line is movably accommodated; and a fixing cover on the upper surface of the main body and including a cover portion that covers a portion of the water supply hose such that the water supply hose is between the cover portion and the upper surface of the main body, the fixing cover configured to fix a second portion of the supply line such that the second portion is maintained in a fixed position when the door is rotated between the open position and the closed position, the fixing cover including: a fixing portion that is disposed inside the cover portion and surrounds at least a portion of an outer surface of the connector to maintain the connector in the fixed position, and the fixing portion spaces the connector from the main body and fixes the connector to the fixing cover, the fixing portion including: a support portion that protrudes from an inner wall of the cover portion, a first extension portion that extends from an end of the support portion in a vertical direction and has a surface that faces the inner wall of the cover portion, and a second extension portion that extends from an end of the first extension portion in a horizontal direction, wherein the connector is supported by the support portion, the first extension portion and the second extension portion, and the second extension portion is spaced apart from the upper surface of the main body in the vertical direction”.
However, the reference(s) fail(s) to disclose, suggest or teach “the support portion is above the connector, the first extension portion extends toward the upper surface of the main body, the second extension portion, which is opposite to the support portion, extends toward the inner wall of the cover portion and has a surface that faces the support portion”.
Therefore, independent claim 1 with dependent claims therefrom (claims 2 and 6-23) are considered allowable.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMBA NMN GAYE whose telephone number is (571)272-8809. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 4:30AM to 2:30PM.
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/SAMBA NMN GAYE/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JERRY-DARYL FLETCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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