DETAILED ACTION
The communication dated 01/04/2024 has been entered and fully considered.
Claims 1-19 are currently pending.
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
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.
Claims 1-4, 12, 14-17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schaumann et al. U.S. Publication 2020/0048813 (henceforth referred to as Schaumann) in view of Sakata et al. U.S. Publication 2019/0276967 (henceforth referred to as Sakata) and Qin et al. CN113089256 (henceforth referred to as Qin).
As to claim 1, Schaumann teaches a method for operating a washing machine, said washing machine comprising:
a drum (FIG. 1 paragraph [0034] rotating drum 14),
a drive motor for said drum (FIG. 1 paragraph [0034] drive motor 16),
a power supply for said drive motor (paragraph [0036] power control unit 32) with monitoring of a motor current (paragraph [0036] current sensor 35),
a washing machine control (paragraph [0036] control 34), wherein said washing machine control monitors and detects said motor current by means of said power supply (paragraph [0036] control 34 is connected to a current sensor 35 to supervise the drive current supplied to the drive motor 16 by the power control unit 32),
with the steps of:
A said drum with laundry items in it is rotated by means of said drive motor and, in doing so, said motor current is constantly monitored and recorded (paragraph [0009] the drive current is monitored or supervised), whereby a rotational position of said drum is also monitored and recorded (paragraph [0037] integrated into the drive motor 16 is a rotation position sensor means for supervising or detecting a rotation position of the drum),
B a full revolution of said drum is divided into at least three rotation sections (FIG. 2 the drum is divided into four sections) and said motor current is monitored and recorded for each of said rotation sections,
C said drum is rotated for at least three full revolutions at a constant rotational speed (paragraph [0009] in the second step, the drum is rotated at a speed of less than 100 rpm. It would have been obvious that the drum would complete several revolutions as it reaches the desired rotational speed),
G from a determination of said behaviour of said laundry items, parameters are determined for a further operation of said washing machine with regard to a treatment of said laundry items, such as temperature (paragraph [0012] Based on the information gathered by the comparison of actual parameters with various reference curves, processing means may change a temperature for the laundry process), duration, rotational speed (paragraph [0012] a rotation speed of the drum can be changed), type and quantity of additives used or the like (paragraph [0012] it is possible to introduce certain additives or additional laundry treating substances into the laundry treating process).
Schaumann differs from the instant claims in failing to teach for said motor current determined for each rotation section, an envelope curve of said motor current is calculated, and from said envelope curve a standard deviation is calculated with a formula; then said respective standard deviation is divided by a mean value of said motor current or of said envelope curve to determine a coefficient of variation for each rotation section; by comparing said coefficient of variation for each rotation section that has been determined with stored values for said coefficient of variation, a behaviour of said laundry items is determined as to whether laundry items slide down said drum inner wall during rotation in said drum, fall from said drum inner wall or rotate together with said drum while remaining in substantially the same position on said drum inner wall.
Sakata teaches a similar method for operating a washing machine (paragraph [0006] a control method for controlling an operation mode of a washing machine). Sakata teaches for said motor current determined for each rotation section, an envelope curve of said motor current is calculated, and from said envelope curve a standard deviation is calculated with a formula (paragraphs [0054] and [0060]-[0061] extractor 130 extracts a predetermined feature from the transmission data and calculates a standard deviation of data in each field. The transmission data consists of torque current value and acceleration.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method as taught by Schaumann with a way to calculate standard deviation as taught Sakata. Standard deviation is a well-known mathematical formula. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to collect any relevant data (such as motor current) in order calculate the standard deviation. If the usage of the standard deviation formula is different than its expected purpose, it must be explained.
Qin teaches a similar method for operating a washing machine (paragraph [n0003] washing machine control method). Qin teaches said respective standard deviation is divided by a mean value of said motor current or of said envelope curve to determine a coefficient of variation for each rotation section (paragraph [n0059] calculating whether the coefficient of variation is less than the variation threshold).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method as taught by Schaumann with a way to calculate the coefficient of variation as taught by Qin. The formula for coefficient of variation is a well-known mathematical formula. If one could calculate the standard deviation, then one skilled in the art would be able to calculate the coefficient of variation. If the usage of the coefficient of variation is different than its expected purpose, it must be explained.
The combination of Schaumann and Qin teach by comparing said coefficient of variation (Qin paragraph [n0059] coefficient of variation) for each rotation section that has been determined with stored values for said coefficient of variation, a behaviour of said laundry items is determined as to whether laundry items slide down said drum inner wall during rotation in said drum, fall from said drum inner wall or rotate together with said drum while remaining in substantially the same position on said drum inner wall (Schaumann paragraph [0009] a signal in the current sensor means for the drive current indicates when laundry is falling off the protrusion or is sliding over the protrusion during the rotation movement).
As to claim 2, a method wherein a formula for calculating said coefficient of variation is: CV=
S
t
a
n
d
a
r
d
D
e
v
i
a
t
i
o
n
M
e
a
n
v
a
l
u
e
=
σ
μ
(Qin teaches calculating a coefficient of variation. It would be obvious that if a coefficient of variation is calculated, it would use the well-known mathematical formula, including the applicant’s claimed equations with the expectations of achieving the desired calculations).
As to claim 3, a method wherein a formula for calculating said Standard Deviation is:
σ
=
∑
i
=
1
N
x
i
-
μ
2
N
wherein xi is a Datapoint value, µ is a samples mean value and N is a samples size (Sakata teaches calculating standard deviation. It would be obvious that if standard deviation is calculated, it would use the well-known mathematical formula, including the applicant’s claimed equations with the expectations of achieving the desired calculations).
As to claim 4, Schaumann further teaches said drum is rotated for said three full revolutions at a rotational speed between 30 rpm and 90 rpm (paragraph [0009] in the second step, the drum is rotated at a speed of less than 100 rpm, preferably between 50 rpm and 30 rpm. It would have been obvious that the drum would complete several revolutions as it reaches the desired rotational speed).
As to claim 12, Schaumann and Sakata further teach a moistening of laundry items in said drum with water is monitored for said detection of a sufficiently uniform moistening of said laundry items in said drum (Schaumann paragraphs [0009] and [0015] a testing is performed as a second step before actual treatment of the laundry begins. During the second step of testing, the laundry should be wet with water.): said weight of said laundry items determined at said beginning (Schaumann paragraph [0010] the main purpose of the invention is to improve the treatment of the laundry by making use of the information such as the weight. This would mean that the weight is taken near the beginning), a stored value for said coefficient of variation for said determined weight of said laundry items and for a behaviour of said laundry items with rotation together with said drum (Schaumann paragraph [0009] the continuous curve is compared to the reference curve in order to determine the weight of the laundry, typical size of pieces of laundry, and above all, major fiber portion of the laundry by the best corresponding or most similar curves), then said laundry items are moistened by introducing water into said drum or onto said laundry items, then steps B to E are carried out to determine whether said value for said coefficient of variation determined in this way corresponds to said stored value for said behaviour of said laundry items with rotation together with said drum (steps B to E can be performed as described in claim 1 above), and
- if this is the case, said drum is rotated faster for a high speed or for a dry spinning process (Sakata paragraph [0038] the laundry after the removal of the detergent is subjected to the spin-drying step.), and
- if this is not the case, said rotational speed and/or direction of rotation of said drum are changed (Schaumann paragraph [0012] the processing means may also calculate the major fiber portion of the laundry by the information gathered by the comparison of actual parameters with various reference curves. In consequence, the processing means may adapt at least one parameter of a further laundry treating process to better take into account the detected load and/or major fiber portion of the laundry such as changing the rotation speed of the drum.).
As to claim 14, Schaumann further teaches a washing process for said laundry items in said drum with water is monitored, using for said detection of an appropriate washing process (paragraphs [0009] and [0015] a testing is performed as a second step before actual treatment of the laundry begins. During the second step of testing, the laundry should be wet with water.) for said laundry items in said drum one of the following: said weight of said laundry items determined at said beginning (paragraph [0010] the main purpose of the invention is to improve the treatment of the laundry by making use of the information such as the weight. This would mean that the weight is taken near the beginning), a stored value for said coefficient of variation for said determined weight of said laundry items and for said behaviour of said laundry items desired for said washing process (paragraph [0009] the continuous curve is compared to the reference curve in order to determine the weight of the laundry, typical size of pieces of laundry, and above all, major fiber portion of the laundry by the best corresponding or most similar curves. After this, the actual treatment of the laundry in the device is adapted to the variable or variables detected before), then steps B to E are carried out to determine whether said value for said coefficient of variation determined in this way corresponds to said stored value for said desired behaviour of said laundry items (steps B to E can be performed as described in claim 1 above), and
- if this is the case, said drum is rotated at the same rotational speed and in said same direction for a next wash cycle (paragraph [0012] some parameters such as the temperature of the water, a shape of the protrusion or a rotational speed can be changed. If the temperature of the water of the shape of the protrusion is changed, then the speed would remain and the rotational direction would remain the same), and
- if this is not the case, said rotational speed and/or direction of rotation of said drum is changed (paragraph [0012] the processing means may also calculate the major fiber portion of the laundry by the information gathered by the comparison of actual parameters with various reference curves. In consequence, the processing means may adapt at least one parameter of a further laundry treating process to better take into account the detected load and/or major fiber portion of the laundry such as changing the rotation speed of the drum.).
As to claim 15, Schaumann further teaches a quantity or weight of said laundry items in said drum is determined in said beginning either by weighing or by monitoring said motor current as said drum with said laundry items in it rotates (paragraph [0012] the processing means is also adapted to calculate the load of weight of laundry in the drum, in particular by making use of the information from the drive current sensor means).
As to claim 16, Sakata and Qin further teach said coefficient of variation is used in addition to said standard deviation and said mean deviation (it is known in the art that standard deviation and mean deviation is used to calculate coefficient of variation).
As to claim 17, Schaumann further teaches in step B said rotation sections are of equal size (FIG. 2 the rotation sections are of equal size).
As to claim 19, Schaumann teaches a washing machine comprising:
- a drum (FIG. 1 paragraph [0034] rotating drum 14),
- a drive motor for said drum (FIG. 1 paragraph [0034] drive motor 16),
- a power supply for said drive motor with monitoring of a motor current (paragraph [0036] power control unit 32),
- a washing machine control (paragraph [0036] control 34), wherein said washing machine control monitors and detects said motor current by means of said power supply, wherein said washing machine control is designed to perform said method according to claim 1 (see above claim limitations).
Claims 5-6, 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schaumann et al. U.S. Publication 2020/0048813 (henceforth referred to as Schaumann), Sakata et al. U.S. Publication 2019/0276967 (henceforth referred to as Sakata), and Qin et al. CN113089256 (henceforth referred to as Qin) as applied to claim 1 above, in further view of Gaulter et al. U.S. Publication 2009/0249560 (henceforth referred to as Gaulter).
As to claim 5, Schaumann, Sakata, and Qin further teach the method with steps A to F (as shown in claim 1 above).
Schaumann, Sakata, and Qin differ from the instant claim in failing to teach the method is carried out several times for different rotational speeds in each case.
Gaulter teaches a similar method for operating a washing machine (paragraph [0011] method of controlling a speed of a clothes washing extractor). Gaulter teaches the method is carried out several times for different rotational speeds in each case (paragraph [0035] such steps of incrementally measuring and increasing the speed is repeated).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method as taught by Schaumann, Sakata, and Qin with a method to increase the speed as taught by Gaulter as the speed can be increased until the measured out of balance condition falls with the specified range (paragraph [0035] such steps of incrementally measuring and increasing the speed is repeated until either the measured out of balance condition falls within the specified range, or the measured out of balance falls above the specified range).
As to claim 6, Gaulter further teaches said rotational speeds increase by 10% to 100% (paragraph [0035] such steps of incrementally measuring and increasing the speed is repeated).
Since the art recognizes that the speed increase is a result effective variable, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to determine an optimal value for the rotational speed in Schaumann and Gaulter, through routine experimentation, and that the claimed speed would have been found obvious through such routine experimentation, unless the applicant can demonstrate unexpected results.
As to claim 8, Schaumann and Sakata further teach for said detection of a sufficiently even distribution of said laundry items in said drum the following is used: an initially determined weight of said laundry items (Schaumann paragraph [0010] the main purpose of the invention is to improve the treatment of the laundry by making use of the information such as the weight. This would mean that the weight is taken near the beginning), a stored value for said coefficient of variation for said determined weight of said laundry items and for a behaviour of said laundry items with falling from said drum inner wall (Schaumann paragraph [0009] a discrimination of these characteristics of the laundry is mainly achieved by a very accurate supervision of the drive current supplied to the drive motor. This is based on the aspect of the invention that, especially with a rather low speed of the drum with less than 100rpm, the typical behavior of laundry inside the drum is between being rotated together with the drum with mostly no relative movement to the drum or falling off the inner walls of the drum), then said steps B to E are carried out in order to determine whether said value for said coefficient of variation determined in this way corresponds to said stored value (steps B to E can be performed as described in claim 1 above), and
- if this is not the case, said rotational speed or direction of rotation of said drum is changed (Schaumann paragraph [0012] some parameters such as rotational speed can be changed), and
- if this is the case, said drum is rotated faster for a high speed for dry spinning (Sakata paragraph [0038] the laundry after the removal of the detergent is subjected to the spin-drying step.).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schaumann et al. U.S. Publication 2020/0048813 (henceforth referred to as Schaumann), Sakata et al. U.S. Publication 2019/0276967 (henceforth referred to as Sakata), Qin et al. CN113089256 (henceforth referred to as Qin), and Gaulter et al. U.S. Publication 2009/0249560 (henceforth referred to as Gaulter) as applied to claim 6 above, in further view of Hamin et al. U.S. Publication 2014/0115793 (henceforth referred to as Hamin).
As to claim 9, Schaumann, Sakata, and Gaulter further teach for said detection of said sufficiently even distribution of said laundry items in said drum the following is used: said weight of said laundry items determined at a beginning (Schaumann paragraph [0010] the main purpose of the invention is to improve the treatment of the laundry by making use of the information such as the weight. This would mean that the weight is taken near the beginning), a stored value for said coefficient of variation for said determined weight of said laundry items and for said behaviour of said laundry items with falling from said drum inner wall (Schaumann paragraph [0009] a discrimination of these characteristics of the laundry is mainly achieved by a very accurate supervision of the drive current supplied to the drive motor. This is based on the aspect of the invention that, especially with a rather low speed of the drum with less than 100rpm, the typical behavior of laundry inside the drum is between being rotated together with the drum with mostly no relative movement to the drum or falling off the inner walls of the drum), then steps B to E are carried out in order to determine whether said value determined in this way for said coefficient of variation corresponds to said stored value (steps B to E can be performed as described in claim 1 above), and
- if this is the case, said drum is rotated faster for a high speed or for a dry spin (Sakata paragraph [0038] the laundry after the removal of the detergent is subjected to the spin-drying step.), and
- if this is not the case, a check is made as to whether said items of laundry rotate together with said drum (Schaumann paragraph [0009] the typical behavior of laundry inside the drum is between being rotated together with the drum or falling off the inner walls of the drum or off the protrusions at a certain height. This behavior can be detected by a current sensor), said weight of said laundry items being determined at said beginning (Schaumann paragraph [0010] the main purpose of the invention is to improve the treatment of the laundry by making use of the information such as the weight. This would mean that the weight is taken near the beginning), a stored value for said coefficient of variation for this determined weight of said laundry items and for said behaviour of said laundry items rotating with said drum being used, and then steps B to E are carried out to determine whether said value of said coefficient of variation thereby determined corresponds to said stored value for said behaviour of said laundry items with rotation together with said drum (steps B to E can be performed as described in claim 1 above), and
o if this is the case, said drum is rotated more slowly and then it is checked again to see if said laundry items still fall from said drum inner wall at said lower rotational speed (Schaumann paragraph [0009] when the pieces of laundry fall down onto the lower part of the inside of the drum wall, the drive motor is slightly slowed down)
- if this is the case, said drum is rotated faster and then checked again to see if said laundry still falls from said drum inner wall at said higher rotational speed (Gaulter paragraph [0035] such steps of incrementally measuring and increasing the speed is repeated to measure the out of balance condition), and
- if this is not the case, a check is made in accordance with claim 7 to see whether said items of laundry still fall from said drum inner wall while said rotational speed remains the same (Gaulter FIG. 4 paragraphs [0036] if the measured out of balance condition falls within the specified range, then the speed is not changed).
Schaumann, Sakata, Qin, and Gaulter differ from the instant claim in failing to teach steps B to E are carried out at constant rotational speed to determine whether said determined value for said coefficient of variation corresponds to said stored value for said behaviour of said laundry items with sliding down said drum inner wall.
Hamin teaches a similar method for operating a washing machine (paragraph [0007] method of operating the laundry treatment machine). Hamin teaches steps B to E are carried out at constant rotational speed to determine whether said determined value for said coefficient of variation corresponds to said stored value for said behaviour of said laundry items with sliding down said drum inner wall (paragraph [0040] the drum can run on constant velocity rotation to detect unbalance).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method as taught by Schaumann, Sakata, Qin, and Gaulter with a way to run at constant rotational speed as taught by Hamin. It is known in the art that detection of unbalance may be implemented based upon variation in the rate of rotation of the drum or a ripple component of a current value detected by the current detector (paragraph [0040]). If laundry is sliding in the drum, it would produce a ripple or spike that is detectable by a drive current.
Claims 7, 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schaumann et al. U.S. Publication 2020/0048813 (henceforth referred to as Schaumann), Sakata et al. U.S. Publication 2019/0276967 (henceforth referred to as Sakata), and Qin et al. CN113089256 (henceforth referred to as Qin) as applied to claim 1 above, in further view of Gaulter et al. U.S. Publication 2009/0249560 (henceforth referred to as Gaulter).
As to claim 7, Schaumann, Sakata, and Qin differ from the instant claim in failing to teach said method detects whether said laundry items in said drum are sufficiently evenly distributed by using a predefined limit value for said coefficient of variation for comparison with a measured value for said coefficient of variation, and if said comparison falls below this predefined limit value, then said rotational speed for said drum is changed to redistribute laundry items in said drum for a more even distribution to compensate for imbalance of said laundry items in said drum.
Gaulter teaches a similar method for operating a washing machine (paragraph [0011] method of controlling a speed of a clothes washing extractor). Gaulter teaches said method detects whether said laundry items in said drum are sufficiently evenly distributed by using a predefined limit value for said coefficient of variation for comparison with a measured value for said coefficient of variation, and if said comparison falls below this predefined limit value, then said rotational speed for said drum is changed to redistribute laundry items in said drum for a more even distribution to compensate for imbalance of said laundry items in said drum (FIG. 4 paragraphs [0050]-[0053] if the measured out of balance condition is less than a specified amount, the rotational speed can be incrementally increased, whereas if the out of balance condition is greater than a specified amount, the rotational speed can be incrementally decreased until the out of balance condition is within a specified amount).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method as taught by Schaumann, Sakata, and Qin with a way to change the rotational speed based on the distribution of the laundry items as taught by Gaulter. It is known in the art to change the rotational speed in order to decrease the out of balance condition in order to prevent damage to the washer/extractor (paragraph [0008]).
As to claim 10, Gaulter further teaches in the event that a distribution of said laundry items is considered to be sufficiently uniform, a treatment process of said laundry items is further carried out (FIG. 4 paragraph [0053] the steps 1020, 1100, 1040 can be continued until the end of the extraction process step 1050).
As to claim 11, Gaulter further teaches said treatment process is a dry spinning process (FIG. 4 paragraph [0053] extraction process step is continued until the end which is step 1050).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schaumann et al. U.S. Publication 2020/0048813 (henceforth referred to as Schaumann), Sakata et al. U.S. Publication 2019/0276967 (henceforth referred to as Sakata), and Qin et al. CN113089256 (henceforth referred to as Qin) as applied to claim 12 above, in further view of Hamin et al. U.S. Publication 2014/0115793 (henceforth referred to as Hamin) and Gaulter et al. U.S. Publication 2009/0249560 (henceforth referred to as Gaulter).
As to claim 13, Schaumann further teaches in the event that said determined value for said coefficient of variation does not correspond to said stored value for a behaviour of said laundry items with rotation together with said drum, a check is made at constant rotational speed as to whether said laundry items fall from said drum inner wall (paragraph [0009] a signal in the current sensor means for the drive current indicates when laundry is falling off of the protrusion or is sliding over the protrusion during the rotation movement), said weight of said laundry items determined at said beginning being used for this purpose (paragraph [0010] the main purpose of the invention is to improve the treatment of the laundry by making use of the information such as the weight. This would mean that the weight is taken near the beginning), a stored value for said coefficient of variation for this determined weight of said laundry items and for said behaviour of said laundry items with falling from said drum inner wall is used (paragraphs [0009] when the pieces of laundry fall down onto the lower part of the drum, the drive motor is slightly slowed down and, in consequence, has to produce a slightly larger moment. This can then be detected in the drive current, preferably as small spikes, which information in turn can be combined with the position information of the drum together with the information about the rotation speed of the drum. The curves are compared to reference curves), and then steps B to E are carried out in order to determine whether said value for said coefficient of variation determined in this way corresponds to said stored value for said behaviour of said laundry items with falling from said drum inner wall (steps B to E can be performed as described in claim 1 above).
Schaumann, Sakata, and Qin differ from the instant claim in failing to teach steps B to E are carried out at constant rotational speed to determine whether said determined value for said coefficient of variation corresponds to said stored value for said behaviour of said laundry items with sliding down said drum inner wall; said drum is rotated faster and then it is checked again to see whether said laundry items are still rotating together with said drum at said higher rotational speed; if this is said case, said drum is rotated faster and then it is checked again to see if said laundry items are still sliding down said drum inner wall at said higher rotational speed (Gaulter paragraph [0035] such steps of incrementally measuring and increasing the speed is repeated to measure the out of balance condition); and if this is not the case, a check is made in accordance with claim 7 to see whether said laundry items are still rotating with said drum at the same rotational speed (Gaulter FIG. 4 paragraphs [0036] if the measured out of balance condition falls within the specified range, then the speed is not changed).
Hamin teaches a similar method for operating a washing machine (paragraph [0007] method of operating the laundry treatment machine). Hamin teaches steps B to E are carried out at constant rotational speed to determine whether said determined value for said coefficient of variation corresponds to said stored value for said behaviour of said laundry items with sliding down said drum inner wall (paragraph [0040] the drum can run on constant velocity rotation to detect unbalance).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method as taught by Schaumann, Sakata, and Qin with a way to run at constant rotational speed as taught by Hamin. It is known in the art that detection of unbalance may be implemented based upon variation in the rate of rotation of the drum or a ripple component of a current value detected by the current detector (paragraph [0040]). If laundry is sliding in the drum, it would produce a ripple or spike that is detectable by a drive current.
Gaulter teaches a similar method for operating a washing machine (paragraph [0011] method of controlling a speed of a clothes washing extractor). Gaulter teaches said drum is rotated faster and then it is checked again to see whether said laundry items are still rotating together with said drum at said higher rotational speed; if this is said case, said drum is rotated faster and then it is checked again to see if said laundry items are still sliding down said drum inner wall at said higher rotational speed (Gaulter paragraph [0035] such steps of incrementally measuring and increasing the speed is repeated to measure the out of balance condition); and if this is not the case, a check is made in accordance with claim 7 to see whether said laundry items are still rotating with said drum at the same rotational speed (Gaulter FIG. 4 paragraphs [0036] if the measured out of balance condition falls within the specified range, then the speed is not changed).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method as taught by Schaumann, Sakata, and Qin with a way to increase the rotational speed based on the laundry items being rotated together with the drum as taught by Gaulter. It is known in the art to that rotating the drum at a higher speed in order to extract water from the clothes (paragraph [0011]).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schaumann et al. U.S. Publication 2020/0048813 (henceforth referred to as Schaumann), Sakata et al. U.S. Publication 2019/0276967 (henceforth referred to as Sakata), and Qin et al. CN113089256 (henceforth referred to as Qin) as applied to claim 1 above, in further view of Kim et al. KR20210079728 (henceforth referred to as Kim).
As to claim 18, Schaumann, Sakata, and Qin differ from the instant claim in failing to teach said drum is rotated for said three full revolutions at a rotational speed between 55 rpm and 65 rpm.
Kim teaches a similar method for operating a washing machine (paragraph [0001] control method for a clothing treatment device). Kim teaches drum is rotated for said three full revolutions at a rotational speed between 55 rpm and 65 rpm (paragraph [0099] the drum rotation speed is 58 RPM).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method as taught by Schaumann, Sakata, and Qin with a rotational speed as taught by Kim. Rotating the drum at a speed of 58 RPM may be used to measure the occurrence of imbalance when the drum rotates (paragraph [0099]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAUREN G ORTA whose telephone number is (703)756-5455. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30-5:00.
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/L.G.O./Examiner, Art Unit 1711
/MICHAEL E BARR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1711