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 .
This Office action is in response to the application filed 02/09/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, 10 and 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (KR 20030043032 A).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses an air conditioner comprising: a case (52, Fig. 3) configured to be fixed in a first position or a second position that is different from the first position (52 can be installed vertically or horizontally; paragraph 30); a fan (60) disposed inside the case; and a heat exchanger (64) that is (i) spaced apart from the fan in a first direction based on the case being fixed in the first position (vertically spaced with installed vertically) or (ii) spaced apart from the fan in a second direction based on the case being fixed in the second position (horizontally spaced when mounted horizontally), wherein the second direction intersects with the first direction, wherein, based on the case being fixed in the second position, a first drain pan (69) is disposed at a lateral side end of the heat exchanger (64; paragraph 32), and wherein, based on the case being fixed in the second position, a second drain pan (68) that is detachably coupled to the case is disposed below the heat exchanger (paragraphs 36-38).
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses the air conditioner of claim 1, wherein, based on the case being fixed in the first position, the first drain pan (69) is disposed below the heat exchanger (64), and wherein, based on the case being fixed in the first position, the second drain pan (68) is separated from the case (68 easily removed by screws 78a, 78b; paragraph 42).
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses the air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the first position corresponds to a position on a ceiling of an indoor space, and the second position corresponds to a position on a wall surface of the indoor space (paragraph 30).
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses the air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the first direction corresponds to a horizontal direction relative to a ground (ceiling), and the second direction corresponds to a vertical direction relative to the ground (wall; paragraph 30).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses the air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the first drain pan (69) and the second drain pan (68) are detachably coupled to each other (via bracket 74).
Regarding claim 10, Kim discloses the air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the first drain pan (69) comprises a seating body (portion of 69 surrounding or seating heat exchanger 66), and wherein the heat exchanger (66) is disposed at the seating body.
Regarding claim 12, Kim discloses the air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger (64) is disposed at an oblique angle relative to an upper side surface of the second drain pan (68), and wherein the second drain pan comprises a second wall (70) that is (i) spaced apart from and disposed below the heat exchanger (64) and (ii) inclined in a direction parallel to the heat exchanger (inclined upward and parallel to the heat exchanger).
Regarding claim 13, Kim discloses the air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the second drain pan comprises: a second plate (70) that is spaced apart from and disposed below the heat exchanger (64); a second water discharge port that protrudes outward from an outer surface of the second plate (port shown in Fig. 4); and a protruding body (72) that protrudes from the second plate and faces the second water discharge port (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 14, Kim discloses the air conditioner of claim 1, wherein the second drain pan comprises: a second plate (74) spaced apart from and disposed below the heat exchanger (64); a second wall (70) that extends from the second plate toward the heat exchanger; and a fence (72) that protrudes upward from the second wall.
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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 20030043032 A) in view of Yamazaki et al. (JP 2005265332 A).
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses the air conditioner of claim 1, but does not explicitly teach a partition wall disposed between the heat exchanger and the fan, wherein an assembly space is defined between the partition wall and the first drain pan, and wherein the second drain pan is disposed at the assembly space.
Yamazaki teaches the concept of an air conditioner including a partition wall (300) disposed between the heat exchanger (210) and the fan (130), wherein an assembly space (space with pan 222) is defined between the partition wall (300) and the first drain pan (221), and wherein the second drain pan (222) is disposed at the assembly space that separates the blower section and heat exchanger section while also maintaining strength of the air conditioner housing and to secure parts such as the blower (paragraph 12). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the air conditioner of Kim to have a partition wall disposed between the heat exchanger and the fan, wherein an assembly space is defined between the partition wall and the first drain pan, and wherein the second drain pan is disposed at the assembly space taught by Yamazaki in order to separate the blower section and heat exchange section as well as to maintain strength of the air conditioner.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 20030043032 A) in view of Fukatsu (JP 06241492 A).
Regarding claim 11, Kim discloses the air conditioner of claim 1, but does not explicitly teach wherein the first drain pan comprises a plurality of ribs that are disposed between the heat exchanger and the second drain pan and spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger.
Fukatsu teaches the concept of an air conditioner including a first drain pan (17) having a plurality of ribs (20a, 20b) that are disposed between the heat exchanger (12) and the second drain pan (13) and spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger (12) that channels and guides the condensed water into the drain pan to be collected. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the air conditioner of Kim to have the first drain pan comprises a plurality of ribs that are disposed between the heat exchanger and the second drain pan and spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger taught by Fukatsu in order to collect and guide the water into the drain pans to prevent water from splashing out or leaking from the air conditioner.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-9 and 15-20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the independent claims, and specifically does not show the first plate, second plate, packing portion with packing supporter and detachable air guide in the arrangement as claimed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH F TRPISOVSKY whose telephone number is (571)270-5296. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8AM-4PM.
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/JOSEPH F TRPISOVSKY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763