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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "104a" and "104c" have both been used to designate a base portion or a sidewall portion in Fig. 4. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2020/0337266 A1 to Yu et al. (hereinafter “Yu”).
Regarding claim 1, Yu teaches a water purifier (see par. 36-39, 41-42, 44-45; figs. 1-5) comprising:
a casing (1)(a water storage tank) including a water intake port; and
a filtering unit (9) disposed inside the casing (1),
wherein the filtering unit (9) includes,
a rotor (32) including blades (34)(impeller) configured to guide fluid and rotatably disposed in a storage space in which raw water is accommodated inside the casing (1);
a filter unit (9) communicating with the storage space and configured to purify fluid supplied from the rotor (32) and discharge the fluid toward the water intake port; and
a stator (31) disposed in a control space (5) isolated from the storage space inside the casing (1) and configured to transmit electromagnetic force to the rotor and rotate the rotor.
Regarding claim 2, Yu teaches that the casing (1) further includes
a water intake container (2)(drinking tray) configured to accommodate fluid discharged from the water intake port while exposing the fluid upwards; and
a water recovery port (21)(overflow through hole) formed in the water intake container (2) to collect fluid in the storage space (see figs. 2, 4; par. 42).
Regarding claim 3, Yu teaches that the casing (1) includes
a raw water case (1)(water storage tank) that forms the storage space and accommodates the rotor (32) and the stator (31), and
the raw water case (1) is equipped with a partition wall formed to divide the inside of the raw water case into the storage space and the control space (5) (see fig. 2; par. 36-37).
Regarding claim 4, Yu teaches that the partition wall includes,
a base portion;
a rotor accommodation groove extending from the base portion to accommodate the rotor (8); and
a sidewall portion extending from the base portion to be supported by the casing (1)(see fig. 2; par. 36).
Regarding claim 10, Yu teaches a driving unit for a water purifier disposed inside the water purifier and configured to form flow of fluid supplied to a filter unit (9) that purifies and discharges fluid (see par. 36-39, 44-45; figs. 1-5) comprising:
a rotor (32) including blades (34)(impeller) configured to guide fluid and rotatably disposed in a storage space in which the fluid flows inside the water purifier; and
a stator (31) disposed in a control space (5) isolated from the storage space inside the water purifier and configured to transmit electromagnetic force to the rotor (32) and rotate the rotor (32).
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 1-7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chinese Patent Publication No. CN 211931981 U (Liu).
Regarding claim 1, Liu teaches a water purifier (see fig. 1-3; par. 32-43) comprising:
a casing (a water storage tank) including a water intake port; and
a filtering unit (16) disposed inside the casing,
wherein the filtering unit (16) includes,
a rotor (8) including blades (7)(impeller) configured to guide fluid and rotatably disposed in a storage space (1) in which raw water is accommodated inside the casing;
a filter unit (16) communicating with the storage space (1)(water storage chamber) and configured to purify the fluid;
a stator (6) disposed in a control space (4) isolated from the storage space (1) inside the casing and configured to transmit electromagnetic force to the rotor and rotate the rotor.
Claim 1 differs from Liu in reciting that a filter unit is configured to purify fluid supplied from the rotor and discharge the fluid toward the water intake port.
Liu teaches that filter unit (16) in the water outlet cover (15) to filter the overflowing water into the water storage chamber (1) (see par. 43).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the location of filter unit of Liu in connection to the rotor effectively to purify the water in the water storage chamber, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claim 2, Liu teaches that the casing further includes
a water intake container (15)(a water discharge cover) configured to accommodate fluid discharged from the water intake port while exposing the fluid upwards; and
a water recovery port (overflow port) formed in the water intake container (15) to collect fluid in the storage space (1)(see figs. 2; par. 42-43).
Regarding claim 3, Liu teaches that the casing (1) includes
a raw water case (1)(water storage chamber) that forms the storage space and accommodates the rotor (8) and the stator (6), and
the raw water case (1) is equipped with a partition wall formed to divide the inside of the raw water case into the storage space (1) and the control space (4)(isolation chamber) (see fig. 2; par. 41).
Regarding claim 4, Liu teaches that the partition wall includes,
a base portion;
a rotor accommodation groove (see working chamber 3) extending from the base portion to accommodate the rotor (8); and
a sidewall portion extending from the base portion to be supported by the casing (see fig. 2; par. 41).
Regarding claim 5, Liu teaches that the filtering unit includes a frame (10) equipped with a main housing forming communication holes, a rotor housing (3)(working chamber) that is connected to the main housing and accommodates the rotor, and a discharge housing (12)(a circular pipe portion of a water discharge pipe 2) for guiding fluid discharged from the rotor housing to the filter unit (16)(see fig. 3; par. 38).
Regarding claim 6, Liu teaches that the frame (10) includes a rotary pin (rotation shaft) rotatably coupled to the rotor (8) inside the working chamber (3)(see fig. 1; par. 38).
Regarding claim 7, Liu teaches that the filtering unit further includes a frame (10) equipped with a main housing forming communication holes (open top), and
the partition wall includes,
a base portion;
a sidewall portion extending from the base portion to be supported by the casing; and
a frame accommodation groove extending from the base portion to accommodate the main housing (see figs. 1-3; par. 35).
Regarding claim 10, Liu teaches a driving unit for a water purifier disposed inside the water purifier and configured to form flow of fluid supplied to a filter unit (16) that purifies and discharges fluid (see fig. 1-3; par. 32-43, particularly par. 41) comprising:
a rotor (8) including blades (7)(impeller) configured to guide fluid and rotatably disposed in a storage space (1) in which the fluid flows inside the water purifier; and
a stator (6) disposed in a control space (4) isolated from the storage space inside the water purifier and configured to transmit electromagnetic force to the rotor (8) and rotate the rotor (8).
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu or Liu as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Korean Patent No. 10-2057934 B1 (Gojaesoo).
Yu and Liu teaches a water purifier as described above.
Both Yu and Liu teaches a filter unit including a filter body through which fluid to be supplied passes.
Claim 8 differs from Yu or Liu in reciting a filter accommodation unit formed to accommodate the filter body and a cover unit detachably coupled to the filter accommodation unit.
Gojaesoo teaches a water filtration module (30) comprising a housing and a space part for receiving a water purification filter (35) in the housing and a cover unit (40, 41) detachably coupled to the filter accommodation unit (see fig. 2-3; par. 32-33).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to substitute filter unit of Yu or Liu for a filter unit having a filter accommodation unit formed to accommodate the filter body and a cover unit detachably coupled to the filter accommodation unit as equivalent filter unit.
Regarding claim 9, Gojaesoo teaches the water purification module (30) comprising a water inlet (31) for the intake of water and an outlet (42) for the discharge of purified water (see figure 2).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1142. The examiner can normally be reached Maxi Flex.
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/John Kim/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1777
JK
3/8/26