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 § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 203683955 (Gai hereinafter).
Regarding claim 1, Gai teaches a laundry machine that discloses a drum configured to (i) receive clothing articles (Figure 1 shows a washing machine with the drum being at 2 for holding clothing) and (ii) rotate at less than or equal to a maximum operating frequency (The washing machine of Gai is fully capable of this operating range); and a cabinet (i) housing the drum (Housing 1) and (ii) having exterior panels (Exterior panels 11 in Figures 1 and 3), wherein (a) at least one of the exterior panels includes an array of embossments (Figure 3, embossments 1111/1112/1121/1122/1123), (b) depths of the embossments vary between embossments within the array (Figure 4 shows the relative depths of the embossments), and (c) the depths of the embossments increase along the array in first and second opposing directions that extend away from a central region of the array such that a natural frequency of the at least one of the exterior panels is greater than the maximum operating frequency (Figure 4 per ¶ 38: h1 is 5.4 mm, h2 is 4.1 mm, h3 is 4.2 mm, h4 is 5.4 mm, h5 is 7.2 mm; ¶ 2 and 37 detail the increase in natural frequency).
Regarding claim 2, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 1 where Gai further discloses that the embossments are stacked in a vertically extending column (Figure 3 of Gai).
Regarding claim 3, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 2 where Gai further discloses that the depths of the embossments increase along the array in directions extending upward and downward from one or more centrally positioned embossments (¶ 38 with h1 is 5.4 mm, h2 is 4.1 mm, h3 is 4.2 mm, h4 is 5.4 mm, h5 is 7.2 mm).
Regarding claim 4, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 1 where Gai further discloses that each embossment extends inward from an exterior surface of the at least one of the exterior panels to a corresponding depth (Evident from Figure 4).
Regarding claim 5, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 4 where Gai further discloses that each embossment includes a chamfer extending from the exterior surface of the at least one of the exterior panels to the corresponding depth (Chamfered transition seen in Figure 4 from the plane of 11 to the depth of each embossment).
Regarding claim 6, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 4 where Gai further discloses that each chamfer extends about an outer periphery of a corresponding embossment (Evident from Figures 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 7, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 4 where Gai further discloses that the depth of each embossment is substantially constant within an entirety of an area that is internal relative to a corresponding chamfer (Evident from Figures 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 8, Gai teaches a laundry machine (Figures 1-3) that discloses a rear panel (Rear panel between the two embossed side panels in Figure 3); and a side panel extending from the rear panel (Side panel[s] 11 in Figure 3), wherein (i) the side panel includes a plurality of embossments (Embossments 1111/1112/1121/1122/1123 in Figures 3 and 4), (ii) the embossments are aligned in an array (Figure 3), and (iii) depths of the embossments increase along the array in opposing directions that extend outward from a central region of the side panel (Figure 4 per ¶ 38: h1 is 5.4 mm, h2 is 4.1 mm, h3 is 4.2 mm, h4 is 5.4 mm, h5 is 7.2 mm).
Regarding claim 9, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 8 where Gai further discloses that each embossment extends inward from an exterior surface of the side panel to a corresponding depth (Evident from Figures 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 10, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 9 where Gai further discloses that each embossment includes a chamfer extending from the exterior surface of the side panel to the corresponding depth (Chamfered transition seen in Figure 4 from the plane of 11 to the depth of each embossment).
Regarding claim 11, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 9 where Gai further discloses that each chamfer extends about an outer periphery of a corresponding embossment (Evident form Figures 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 12, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 9 where Gai further discloses that the depth of each embossment is substantially constant within an area that is internal relative to a corresponding chamfer (Evident from Figures 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 13, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 9 where Gai further discloses that the depths of the embossments increase in directions extending upward and downward from one or more centrally positioned embossments (¶ 38 with Figure 4: h1 is 5.4 mm, h2 is 4.1 mm, h3 is 4.2 mm, h4 is 5.4 mm, h5 is 7.2 mm).
Regarding claim 14, Gai teaches a laundry machine (Figures 1-4) that discloses at least one panel (Figure 3, Panel 11), wherein (i) the at least one panel includes a plurality of embossments (Embossments 1111/1112/1121/1122/1123 in Figures 3 and 4), (ii) depths of the embossments vary (Evident from Figure 4 and ¶ 38), and (iii) the depths of the embossments increase opposing directions that extend away from a central region of the at least one panel such that a natural frequency of the at least one of the panel is greater than an operational frequency of the laundry machine (Figure 4 per ¶ 38: h1 is 5.4 mm, h2 is 4.1 mm, h3 is 4.2 mm, h4 is 5.4 mm, h5 is 7.2 mm; ¶ 2 and 37 detail the increase in natural frequency).
Regarding claim 15, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 14 where Gai further discloses that each embossment extends inward from an exterior surface of the at least one panel to a corresponding depth (Evident from Figures 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 16, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 15 where Gai further discloses that each embossment includes a chamfer extending from the exterior surface of the at least one panel to the corresponding depth (Chamfered transition seen in Figure 4 from the plane of 11 to the depth of each embossment).
Regarding claim 17, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 16 where Gai further discloses that each chamfer extends about an outer periphery of a corresponding embossment (Evident from Figures 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 18, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 16 where Gai further discloses that the depth of each embossment is substantially constant within an area that is internal relative to a corresponding chamfer (Evident from Figures 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 19, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 14 where Gai further discloses that the embossments are stacked in a vertically extending column (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 20, Gai’s modified teachings are described above in claim 19 where Gai further discloses that the depths of the embossments increase in directions extending upward and downward from one or more centrally positioned embossments (¶ 38 with Figure 4: h1 is 5.4 mm, h2 is 4.1 mm, h3 is 4.2 mm, h4 is 5.4 mm, h5 is 7.2 mm).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. CN 203021793, US 20110227462, US 2011/0234073, CN 104420136, and CN 106436199 all detail side panel embossing for laundry machines.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CONNOR J. TREMARCHE whose telephone number is (571)272-2175. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 0700-1700 Eastern.
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/CONNOR J TREMARCHE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762