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
1. 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.
2. Claims 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 13-14, 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2022/030834 A1 (WO ‘834) in further in view of CN 113007955 (CN ‘955).
With respect to claim 1, WO ‘834 shows a refrigerator appliance (1, Fig.1) defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising: a cabinet defining a food storage chamber (“first space may be a refrigerator chamber”), the food storage chamber extending between a front portion and a back portion along the transverse direction, the front portion of the food storage chamber defining an opening for receipt of food items; and a door (21) positioned at the front portion of the food storage chamber, the door coupled to the cabinet by a hinge (60) whereby the door is movable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the food storage chamber in the closed position and provide access to the food storage chamber in the open position, wherein the hinge comprises: a hinge bracket (620, Fig.16) fixedly mounted to the cabinet, and a cam (640, Fig.16) formed on the hinge bracket, the cam defining a convex curved knob (651, 652, Fig.14) and a flat inner side (653) adjoining the convex curved knob, and a hook (420) mounted to the door (20), the hook (420) configured to engage the cam when the door moves from the open position towards the closed position (Fig.12), whereby the hook (420) urges the door to the closed position, wherein the hook (420) engages the flat inner side of the cam when the door is in the closed position (Fig.9, Fig.12). With respect to claim 1, WO ‘834 doesn’t disclose the hinge bracket comprises metal material and the cam comprises a plastic material.
CN ‘955 teaches the hinge bracket (20) comprising a metal material (pg.6 of the translation paragraph 3 “the base support member 20 may be made of metal”); and the cam (32, Fig.2, Fig.6) comprising a plastic material (32 is part of support member 30, Fig.9; pg.6 of translation paragraph 3, “support member 30 may be made of plastic, organic thermoplastic or organic thermosetting plastic”). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the hinge bracket of WO ‘834 out of metal material, such as taught by CN ‘955, in order to provide a rigid sturdy durable material to support the weight of the door on the cabinet. Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the cam of WO ‘834 out of plastic material, such as taught by CN ‘955, in order to be able to resist wear, reduce noise and friction during contact of the hook on the cam surface and thus provide smooth operation during opening and closing of the door.
With respect to claim 4, the combination (CN ‘955) teaches wherein the hook (51) does not interface with the metal material of the hinge bracket (20, Fig.13).
With respect to claim 5, alternatively the cam is 321 on WO ‘834, FIg.8; the combination (CN ‘955) teaches wherein the cam (32) is overmolded on the hinge bracket (20; plastic pin 34 of the support member 30 is melted by using heating device or ultrasonic welding, after melting, the support member 30 and the base member 20 are firmly bonded, Fig.7, FIg.8, Fig.9, see translation pg.5 paragraph 5).
With respect to claim 8, the combination (WO ‘834) shows wherein the hinge (60, Fig.13) further comprises a pivot pin (622, Fig.16) received in the hinge bracket (620), the pivot pin oriented generally perpendicular to the hinge bracket (620), the door (21) coupled to the pivot pin such that the door is rotatable with respect to the hinge bracket.
With respect to claim 9, the combination (WO ‘834) shows wherein the hinge bracket (620) is oriented generally perpendicular to the vertical direction.
With respect to claims 10, 13, 14, 17 and 18, WO ‘834 in view of CN ‘955 teaches the claimed invention as discussed above.
3. Claims 1, 4, 5, 9, 10, 13-14, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2017/0211304 A1 (FANG) in further in view of CN 113007955 (CN ‘955).
With respect to claim 1, FANG shows a refrigerator appliance (1, Fig.1) defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising: a cabinet defining a food storage chamber, the food storage chamber extending between a front portion and a back portion along the transverse direction, the front portion of the food storage chamber defining an opening for receipt of food items; and a door (2, Fig.1) positioned at the front portion of the food storage chamber, the door coupled to the cabinet by a hinge (5b, FIg.1, Fig.4) whereby the door is movable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the food storage chamber in the closed position and provide access to the food storage chamber in the open position, wherein the hinge comprises: a hinge bracket (24, Fig.4) fixedly mounted to the cabinet, and a cam (26, Fig.5) formed on the hinge bracket, the cam defining a convex curved knob (at 26 in Fig.5) and a flat inner side (at 28 in Fig.5) adjoining the convex curved knob, and a hook (21, Fig.4) mounted to the door, the hook configured to engage the cam when the door moves from the open position towards the closed position (FIg.4-Fig.6); whereby the hook (21) urges the door to the closed position (Fig.6), wherein the hook (at 22, Fig.6) engages the flat inner side of the cam when the door is in the closed position (Fig.6). With respect to claim 1, FANG doesn’t disclose the hinge bracket comprises metal material and the cam comprises a plastic material.
CN ‘955 teaches the hinge bracket (20) comprising a metal material (pg.6 of the translation paragraph 3 “the base support member 20 may be made of metal”); and the cam (32, Fig.2, Fig.6) comprising a plastic material (32 is part of support member 30, Fig.9; pg.6 of translation paragraph 3, “support member 30 may be made of plastic, organic thermoplastic or organic thermosetting plastic”). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the hinge bracket out of metal material, such as taught by CN ‘955, in order to provide a rigid sturdy durable material to support the weight of the door on the cabinet. Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to form the cam of FANG out of plastic material, such as taught by CN ‘955, in order to be able to resist wear, reduce noise and friction during contact of the hook on the cam surface and thus provide a smooth operation during opening and closing of the door.
With respect to claim 4, the combination (CN ‘955) teaches wherein the hook (51) does not interface with the metal material of the hinge bracket (20, Fig.13).
With respect to claim 5, the combination (CN ‘955) teaches wherein the cam (32) is overmolded on the hinge bracket (20; plastic pin 34 of the support member 30 is melted by using heating device or ultrasonic welding, after melting, the support member 30 and the base member 20 are firmly bonded, Fig.7, FIg.8, Fig.9, see translation pg.5 paragraph 5).
With respect to claim 9, the combination (FANG) teaches wherein the hinge bracket (24) is oriented generally perpendicular to the vertical direction (Fig.4).
With respect to claims 10, 13, 14, and 18, FANG in view of CN ‘955 teaches the claimed invention as discussed above.
4. Claims 3 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2022/030834 A1 (WO ‘834) in view of CN 113007955A (CN ‘955) in further in view of KR200459052 (KR ‘052).
With respect to claims 3 and 12, modified WO ‘834 doesn’t explicitly teach the hook comprises a plastic material. KR ‘052 teaches wherein the hook (50, FIg.3) comprises a plastic material (see translation pg.3 last line-pg.4 first line). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the hook of modified WO ‘834 a plastic material, such as taught by KR ‘052, in order to reduce noise and abrasion due to the contact between the hook and the cam during the opening and closing of the door and prevent damage to the cam and the hook.
5. Claims 3 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2017/0211304 A1 (FANG) in view of CN 113007955A (CN ‘955) in further in view of KR200459052 (KR ‘052).
With respect to claims 3 and 12, FANG in view of CN ‘955 doesn’t explicitly teach the hook comprises a plastic material. KR ‘052 teaches wherein the hook (50, FIg.3) comprises a plastic material (see translation pg.3 last line-pg.4 first line). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the hook of FANG in view of CN ‘955 out of plastic material, such as taught by KR ‘052, in order to reduce noise and abrasion due to the contact between the hook and the cam during the opening and closing of the door and prevent damage to the cam and the hook.
6. Claims 8 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2017/0211304 A1 (FANG) in view of CN 113007955A (CN ‘955) in further in view of US Patent 9,903,638 B2 (Dubina).
With respect to claims 8 and 17, FANG shows one of the hinges (5C, FIg.2) further comprises a pivot pin (at 10, Fig.2) received on the hinge bracket, the pivot pin oriented generally perpendicular to the hinge bracket (Fig.2), the door (3) coupled to the pivot pin such that the door (3) is rotatable with respect to the hinge bracket. CN ‘955 further shows wherein the hinge (10) further comprises a pivot pin (31, Fig.3) received on the hinge bracket, the pivot pin (31) oriented generally perpendicular to the hinge bracket (Fig.3), the door (90) coupled to the pivot pin (31) such that the door (90) is rotatable with respect to the hinge bracket (20). The pivot pin is received on the hinge bracket via fastener 40 not received in the hinge bracket.
With respect to claims 8 and 17, Dubina shows the pivot pin (46, Fig.5) received in the hinge bracket (42, at hole 48). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include a hinge pin in the hinge bracket of FANG in view of CN ‘955, such as taught by Dubina, in order to pivotally support the door on the hinge bracket and securely attach the pin to efficiently prevent movement between the hinge bracket and the pivot pin and allow replacement when needed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 10 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
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.
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/HIWOT E TEFERA/Examiner, Art Unit 3637
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