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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-5, 7-8, and 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son et al. (US 2013/0081412 A1), hereafter referred to as “Son,” in view of Yoon et al. (US 2019/0219317 A1), hereafter referred to as “Yoon.”
Regarding Claim 1: Son teaches an ice maker (10) comprising: a first tray assembly (11) configured to define a first portion of a cell (113); a second tray assembly (12) configured to define a second portion of the cell (141), the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed by the cell and in which a liquid is phase-changed into ice (see Figures 6 and 8, paragraphs [0024] and [0026]); a heater (18) configured to provide heat to the cell (paragraph [0031]); a bracket (22, 13) configured to support the first tray assembly (11); and a pusher (19 or 20) comprising: a first edge (end of 192 or tip of 20) formed with a surface to press one or more of the first tray assembly, the second tray assembly (via 20 to 141), or the ice (via holes 115 by 192) within the cell (paragraph [0041]) to facilitate separation of the ice from the first and second tray assemblies (11 and 12), a rod (192) extending from the first edge (at 19), and a second edge located an end of the rod (end into 115), wherein the pusher (19) is coupled to the bracket (22 via 193, 194).
Son fails to teach a controller configured to control the heater;
Yoon teaches a controller (105) configured to control a heater (120).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a controller configured to control the heater to the structure of Son as taught by Yoon in order to advantageously provide the controller to make ice in accordance to the ice making mode selected by a user (see Yoon, paragraph [0141]).
Regarding Claim 2: Son further teaches further comprising a driver (paragraph [0072]) configured to move the second tray assembly (tray 12), wherein the driver is coupled to the bracket (via rotation shaft 21, paragraph [0072]).
Regarding Claim 3: Son further teaches further comprising a liquid supply dispenser (16) configured to supply the liquid to the cell (paragraph [0031]), wherein the liquid supply dispenser is coupled to the bracket (16 onto 13, see Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 4: Son further teaches wherein the bracket (117/13) comprises a through-hole (opening in 117) through which cold supplied by a cooler passes (paragraph [0003]).
Regarding Claim 5: Son fails to teach wherein the bracket is supported by a wall defining a storage chamber in which the ice maker is received.
Yoon teaches a bracket (frame of 110) is supported by a wall defining a storage chamber (see Figure 5, paragraph [0039]) in which an ice maker (100) is received.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the bracket is supported by a wall defining a storage chamber in which the ice maker is received to the structure of Son as taught by Yoon in order to advantageously provide a secured connection of the ice making tray within a refrigerator (see Yoon, Figure 5, paragraph [0039]).
Regarding Claim 7: Son further teaches wherein the pusher (19) includes a coupling plate (191) and a plurality of the rods (192) extended from the coupling plate and spaced apart from each other (see Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 8: Son further teaches wherein the coupling plate (111) is coupled to the bracket (117/13, see Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 13: Son fails to teach wherein the controller is configured to control the heater to be turned on at least a portion of a time when a cooler supplies cold to the cell, wherein the controller is configured to control the heater so that, when a heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of the cell increases, a heating amount of the heater increases, and wherein the controller is configured to control the heater so that, when the heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of cell decreases, the heating amount of the heater decreases.
Yoon teaches a controller (105) is configured to control a heater (120, 130) to be turned on at least a portion of a time when a cooler (20/40) supplies cold to a cell (112), wherein the controller is configured to control the heater (120, 130) so that, when a heat transfer amount between the cold and a liquid of the cell (112) increases (see Figure 30), a heating amount of the heater increases, and wherein the controller (105) is configured to control the heater (120/130) so that, when the heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of cell decreases, the heating amount of the heater decreases (see Figures 29-30, paragraphs [0161] and [0166]-[0172]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the controller is configured to control the heater to be turned on at least a portion of a time when a cooler supplies cold to the cell, wherein the controller is configured to control the heater so that, when a heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of the cell increases, a heating amount of the heater increases, and wherein the controller is configured to control the heater so that, when the heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of cell decreases, the heating amount of the heater decreases to the structure of Son as taught by Yoon in order to advantageously provide the controller to make ice in accordance to the ice making mode selected by a user (see Yoon, paragraph [0141]).
Regarding Claim 14: Son teaches an ice maker (10) comprising: a first tray assembly (11) configured to define a first portion of a cell (113); a second tray assembly (12) configured to define a second portion of the cell (141), the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed by the cell and in which a liquid is phase-changed into ice (see Figures 6 and 8, paragraphs [0024] and [0026]); a heater (18) configured to provide heat to the cell (paragraph [0031]); and a pusher (20) comprising: a first edge formed with a surface to press (see Figures 8-9) one or more of the first tray assembly (11), the second tray assembly (12), or the ice within the cell to facilitate separation of the ice from the first and second tray assemblies (11 and 12), a shaft extending from the first edge (edges of 13 with 135/136), and a second edge located an end of the shaft (other end of 13 with other 135/136), wherein the second tray assembly (12) comprises a pressing region (area around 141) including a surface which is capable of being brought into contact with and being separated from the pusher (see Figure 9), and a peripheral region (15) having a greater degree of deformation resistance (15 in frame of 12) and a lesser degree of restoration than the pressing region (along 141, see paragraph [0035]).
Son fails to teach a controller configured to control the heater.
Yoon teaches a controller (105) configured to control a heater (120).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a controller configured to control the heater to the structure of Son as taught by Yoon in order to advantageously provide the controller to make ice in accordance to the ice making mode selected by a user (see Yoon, paragraph [0141]).
Regarding Claim 15: Son further teaches wherein at least a portion of a line connecting a center of the first edge to a center of the second edge along the shaft (see Figure 5, curves of 133, 134 and the connectors 135,136) is a curved line (curve of 133).
Regarding Claim 16: Son further teaches wherein the first edge includes a portion disposed in a different height from the second edge (curves of 133, 134, paragraphs [0050]-[0052]).
Regarding Claim 17: Son teaches an ice maker (10) comprising: a first tray assembly (11) configured to define a first portion of a cell (113); a second tray assembly (12) configured to define a second portion of the cell (141), the first portion and the second portion being configured to define a space formed by the cell and in which a liquid is phase-changed into ice (see Figures 6 and 8, paragraphs [0024] and [0026]); a cooler (refrigerator, paragraph [0003]) configured to supply cold into the cell (paragraph [0003]); a heater (18) configured to provide heat to the cell (paragraph [0031]); and a pusher (19) comprising a plurality of bars (192) that are spaced apart from each other (see Figure 3), and a coupling plate (111) configured to support the plurality of bars (192), wherein one of the bars (192) includes: a first edge (end of 192 that goes into 115) formed with a surface to press one or more of the first tray assembly, the second tray assembly, or ice (ice via holes 115) within the cell to facilitate separation of the ice from the first and second tray assemblies (paragraph [0041]), and a second edge located an end of the bar (at 19), and wherein the coupling plate (111) is fixed to a bracket (22, 13).
Son fails to teach a controller configured to control the heater.
Yoon teaches a controller (105) configured to control a heater (120).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a controller configured to control the heater to the structure of Son as taught by Yoon in order to advantageously provide the controller to make ice in accordance to the ice making mode selected by a user (see Yoon, paragraph [0141]).
Regarding Claim 18: Son fails to teach wherein the controller is configured to control the heater to be turned on during at least a portion of a time when the cooler supplies the cold so that air bubbles in the liquid within the cell move from a region of the cell at which the liquid is phase-changing into the ice, toward another region at which the liquid is in a fluid state to increase a transparency of the ice.
Yoon teaches a controller (105) is configured to control a heater (120/130) to be turned on during at least a portion of a time when a cooler (20/40) supplies the cold so that air bubbles in the liquid within a cell (112) move from a region of the cell at which the liquid is phase-changing into the ice (clear ice mode, paragraph [0168]), toward another region at which the liquid is in a fluid state to increase a transparency of the ice (see Figures 29-30, paragraphs [0161] and [0166]-[0172]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the controller is configured to control the heater to be turned on during at least a portion of a time when the cooler supplies the cold so that air bubbles in the liquid within the cell move from a region of the cell at which the liquid is phase-changing into the ice, toward another region at which the liquid is in a fluid state to increase a transparency of the ice to the structure of Son as taught by Yoon in order to advantageously provide the controller to make ice in accordance to the ice making mode selected by a user (see Yoon, paragraph [0141]).
Regarding Claim 19: Son fails to teach wherein the controller is configured to control the heater so that, when a heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of the cell increases, a heating amount of the heater increases.
Yoon teaches a controller (105) is configured to control a heater (120/130) so that, when a heat transfer amount between a cold (via 20/40) and a liquid of a cell (112) increases, a heating amount of the heater increases (see Figures 29-30, paragraphs [0161] and [0166]-[0172]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the controller is configured to control the heater so that, when a heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of the cell increases, a heating amount of the heater increases to the structure of Son as taught by Yoon in order to advantageously provide the controller to make ice in accordance to the ice making mode selected by a user (see Yoon, paragraph [0141]).
Regarding Claim 20: Son fails to teach wherein the controller is configured to control the heater so that, when a heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of the cell decreases, a heating amount of the heater decreases.
Yoon teaches controller (105) is configured to control a heater (120/130) so that, when a heat transfer amount between cold (from 20) and a liquid of a cell (112) decreases, a heating amount of the heater decreases (see Figures 29-30, paragraph [0161]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the controller is configured to control the heater so that, when a heat transfer amount between the cold and the liquid of the cell decreases, a heating amount of the heater decreases to the structure of Son as taught by Yoon in order to advantageously provide the controller to make ice in accordance to the ice making mode selected by a user (see Yoon, paragraph [0141]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son et al. (US 2013/0081412 A1), hereafter referred to as “Son,” in view of Yoon et al. (US 2019/0219317 A1), hereafter referred to as “Yoon,” as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Voglewede et al. (US 2006/0086107 A1), hereafter referred to as “Voglewede.”
Regarding Claim 6: Son modified supra fails to teach wherein the controller is configured to control the second tray assembly to move towards the pusher.
Voglewede teaches a controller (150) is configured to control a tray assembly (40) to move towards a pusher (110).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the controller is configured to control the second tray assembly to move towards the pusher to the structure of Son modified supra as taught by Voglewede in order to advantageously provide control of the movement and position of the rotating tray (see Voglewede, paragraph [0059]).
Claims 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son et al. (US 2013/0081412 A1), hereafter referred to as “Son,” in view of Yoon et al. (US 2019/0219317 A1), hereafter referred to as “Yoon,” as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Son et al. (US 2013/0327081 A1), hereafter referred to as “Son ‘081.”
Regarding Claim 9: Son fails to teach wherein the bracket includes a wall coupled to the coupling plate, and the wall includes a mounting groove on which the coupling plate is mounted.
Son ‘081 teaches a bracket (250) includes a wall (211) coupled to a coupling plate (222), and the wall (211) includes a mounting groove (211a) on which the coupling plate (222) is mounted (see Figure 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the bracket includes a wall coupled to the coupling plate, and the wall includes a mounting groove on which the coupling plate is mounted to the structure of Son modified supra as taught by Son ‘081 in order to advantageously provide a structure to mount the elements of the ice maker securing them to the refrigerator (see Son ‘081, paragraph [0056]).
Regarding Claim 10: Son modified supra fails to teach wherein the mounting groove is provided with a coupling hole through which a fastener passes, the fastener being fixed to the coupling plate.
Son ‘081 teaches a mounting groove (211) is provided with a coupling hole (hole in 211a) through which a fastener (shaft, paragraph [0071]) passes, the fastener (shaft, paragraph [0071]) being fixed to a coupling plate (222).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the mounting groove is provided with a coupling hole through which a fastener passes, the fastener being fixed to the coupling plate to the structure of Son modified supra as taught by Son ‘081 in order to advantageously provide a structure to mount the elements of the ice maker securing them to the refrigerator (see Son ‘081, paragraph [0056]).
Regarding Claim 11: Son modified supra fails to teach wherein the bracket includes a wall to which the coupling plate is fixed, and the wall includes a strength reinforcement support.
Son ‘081 teaches a bracket (250) includes a wall (211) to which a coupling plate (222) is fixed, and the wall (211) includes a strength reinforcement support (210).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the bracket includes a wall to which the coupling plate is fixed, and the wall includes a strength reinforcement support to the structure of Son modified supra as taught by Son ‘081 in order to advantageously provide a structure to mount the elements of the ice maker securing them to the refrigerator (see Son ‘081, paragraph [0056]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son et al. (US 2013/0081412 A1), hereafter referred to as “Son,” in view of Yoon et al. (US 2019/0219317 A1), hereafter referred to as “Yoon,” and Son et al. (US 2013/0327081 A1), hereafter referred to as “Son ‘081,” as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of Maehara et al. (US 2008/0237000 A1), hereafter referred to as “Maehara.”
Regarding Claim 12: Son modified supra fails to teach wherein the strength reinforcement support includes ribs disposed in a lattice form.
Maehara teaches a strength reinforcement support (10) includes ribs (104) disposed in a lattice form (paragraph [0031]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the strength reinforcement support includes ribs disposed in a lattice form to the structure of Son modified supra as taught by Maehara in order to advantageously provide improved strength to the of the mounting structure (see Maehara, paragraph [0031]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hara (4,910,974).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIRSTIN U OSWALD whose telephone number is (571)270-3557. The examiner can normally be reached 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Len Tran can be reached on 571-272-1184. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KIRSTIN U OSWALD/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/LEN TRAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763