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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on January 14, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 6-8, filed December 12, 2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 13 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Tartuferi (US 11,408,115).
Tartuferi figure 6 reproduced below teaches a gasket (7 bellows) defining a sealing flange that extends outward in a radial direction, a component mounting bracket (7a bellows housing) seated against an outer radial surface of the gasket against the sealing flange having a recirculation nozzle (40).
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(s) 1-5, 7-8, 10-11, and 13-17, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aring (EP 2418314 A1 Espacenet translation), and further in view of Tartuferi (US 11,408,115) and Kim (US 2011/0100070).
Regarding claim 1, Aring figures 1-7 teach a washing machine appliance comprising:
a cabinet (2 housing) comprising a front panel defining a chamber opening (6 charging opening);
a wash tub (3 washing solution container) positioned within the cabinet and defining a wash chamber;
a wash basket (4 drum) rotatably mounted within the wash tub for receiving a load of clothes;
a door (5) rotatably mounted to the front panel for providing selective access to the wash chamber through the chamber opening; and
a door gasket assembly (shown in figures 2-7) positioned between the front panel and the door, the door gasket assembly comprising:
a gasket (7 bellows seal) surrounding the chamber opening, the gasket defining an aperture (shown in figures 2-3).[pages 1-3]
Aring is silent to a sealing flange that extends outward along a radial direction and a component mounting bracket positioned within the aperture of the gasket, the component mounting bracket being seated against an outer radial surface of the gasket against the sealing flange.
Tartuferi is directed towards a laundry washing machine. Tartuferi figure 6 teaches the gasket (7 bellows) defines a sealing flange that extends outward along a radial direction, and a component mounting bracket (7a bellows housing) positioned within the aperture of the gasket, the component mounting bracket being seated against an outer radial surface of the gasket against the sealing flange comprising a recirculation nozzle (40) directed into the wash chamber.[col 7 lines 25-50]
PNG
media_image1.png
416
492
media_image1.png
Greyscale
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Sealing flange)]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a nozzle and bellows assembly as taught in Tartuferi to guarantee the desired liquid distribution over the laundry at different flow rate conditions.[col 2 lines 20-25]
Aring in view of Tartuferi is silent to the component mounting bracket defining a plurality of mounting ports for receiving auxiliary components through the gasket.
Kim is directed towards a washing machine wherein figures 13-15 teach gasket 128 may be provided between the tub 122 and the cabinet 111 to seal the tub 122 and cabinet 111. Kim teaches a boss portion 128c may be protruded from an upper portion of the gasket 128 such that the nozzle device 300 is connected to the gasket 128. The connecting nozzle device 300 may be disposed to pass through the boss portion 128c. The connecting nozzle device 300 may include a plurality of cylindrical portions 301, 302 and 303 formed to be exposed to the upper portion of the gasket 128 through the boss portion 128c when installed at the gasket 128, a plurality of hose coupling portions 304, 305 and 306 formed to be coupled to the steam hose 148, the circulation flow path 137 and the second water supply hose 149, and a plurality of nozzle portions 309 provided to connect all of the lower ends of the plurality of the cylindrical portions 301, 302 and 303 and spray wash water and/or steam into the gasket 128.[0062][0189-190]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide a gasket configuration as taught in Kim to spray wash water into the drum and the door.[0027-30]
Regarding claim 2, Aring figures 5-7 teach the auxiliary components comprise: a main water fill nozzle (21) directed into the wash chamber.
Regarding claim 3, Kim figure 15 teaches door spray portion 310 may spray wash water on the inner side surface of the door 112 to clean the inner side surface of the door 112 such that contaminant, washing detergent, or fabric softener is not stuck on the inner side surface of the door 112 thereby reading on a door glass rinse nozzle directed toward a window of the door.[0200]
Regarding claim 4, Kim teaches after the main-spinning 233, drying may be performed to dry the laundry, by supplying hot air into the drum 124 thereby suggesting an air vent port fluidly coupled to an air vent system for discharging chamber air to an ambient environment to be an obvious modification.[0149]
Regarding claim 5, Aring figures 4 and 6-7 teach the auxiliary components comprise: a tub light (20) for illuminating the wash chamber.
Regarding claim 7, Kim figure 13 suggests the component mounting bracket extends along an arc length that is less than 25 percent of a perimeter of the gasket.
Regarding claim 8, Kim figure 13 suggests the arc length is less than 15 percent of the perimeter of the gasket.
Regarding claim 10, Kim figures 13-15 teach fitting protrusions 303b protruding a radial direction to the gasket 128 may be formed on the plurality of cylindrical portions 301, 302 and 303, respectively. A fitting holes (not shown) to which the fitting protrusions 303b are fitted may be formed on the boss portion 128c of the gasket 128 thereby suggesting the component mounting bracket defines a retention lip that seats against the sealing flange of the gasket.[0193]
Regarding claim 11, Kim figure 13 teaches the door gasket assembly is mounted to the front panel and the component mounting bracket is positioned proximate a top of the chamber opening.
Regarding claim 13, Aring figures 1-7 teach a door gasket assembly for a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance comprising a cabinet (2 housing) comprising a front panel defining a chamber opening (6 charging opening) and a door (5) rotatably mounted to the front panel for providing selective access to a wash chamber through the chamber opening, the door gasket assembly comprising:
a gasket (7 bellows seal) surrounding the chamber opening, the gasket defining an aperture (shown in figures 2-3).[pages 1-3]
Aring is silent to a sealing flange that extends outward along a radial direction, a component mounting bracket positioned within the aperture of the gasket, the component mounting bracket being seated against an outer radial surface of the gasket against the sealing flange.
Tartuferi is directed towards a laundry washing machine wherein figure 6 teaches a sealing flange that extends outward along a radial direction, and a component mounting bracket (7a bellows housing) positioned within the aperture of the gasket, the component mounting bracket being seated against an outer radial surface of the gasket against the sealing flange comprising a recirculation nozzle (40) directed into the wash chamber.[col 7 lines 25-50]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a nozzle and bellows assembly as taught in Tartuferi to guarantee the desired liquid distribution over the laundry at different flow rate conditions.[col 2 lines 20-25]
Aring in view of Tartuferi is silent to the component mounting bracket defining a plurality of mounting ports for receiving auxiliary components through the gasket.
Kim is directed towards a washing machine wherein figures 13-15 teach gasket 128 may be provided between the tub 122 and the cabinet 111 to seal the tub 122 and cabinet 111. Kim teaches a boss portion 128c may be protruded from an upper portion of the gasket 128 such that the nozzle device 300 is connected to the gasket 128. The connecting nozzle device 300 may be disposed to pass through the boss portion 128c. The connecting nozzle device 300 may include a plurality of cylindrical portions 301, 302 and 303 formed to be exposed to the upper portion of the gasket 128 through the boss portion 128c when installed at the gasket 128, a plurality of hose coupling portions 304, 305 and 306 formed to be coupled to the steam hose 148, the circulation flow path 137 and the second water supply hose 149, and a plurality of nozzle portions 309 provided to connect all of the lower ends of the plurality of the cylindrical portions 301, 302 and 303 and spray wash water and/or steam into the gasket 128.[0062][0189-190]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to provide a gasket configuration as taught in Kim to spray wash water into the drum and the door.[0027-30]
Regarding claim 14, Aring figures 5-7 teach the auxiliary components comprise: a main water fill nozzle (21) directed into the wash chamber.
Regarding claim 15, Kim figure 15 teaches door spray portion 310 may spray wash water on the inner side surface of the door 112 to clean the inner side surface of the door 112 such that contaminant, washing detergent, or fabric softener is not stuck on the inner side surface of the door 112 thereby reading on a door glass rinse nozzle directed toward a window of the door.[0200]
Regarding claim 16, Kim teaches after the main-spinning 233, drying may be performed to dry the laundry, by supplying hot air into the drum 124 thereby suggesting an air vent port fluidly coupled to an air vent system for discharging chamber air to an ambient environment to be an obvious modification.[0149]
Regarding claim 17, Aring figures 4 and 6-7 teach the auxiliary components comprise: a tub light (20 LED lighting) for illuminating the wash chamber.
Regarding claim 19, Kim figure 13 suggests the component mounting bracket extends along an arc length that is less than 25 percent of a perimeter of the gasket.
Regarding claim 20, Kim figures 13-15 teach fitting protrusions 303b protruding a radial direction to the gasket 128 may be formed on the plurality of cylindrical portions 301, 302 and 303, respectively. A fitting holes (not shown) to which the fitting protrusions 303b are fitted may be formed on the boss portion 128c of the gasket 128 thereby suggesting the component mounting bracket defines a retention lip that seats against the sealing flange of the gasket.[0193]
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aring, Tartuferi, and Kim as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim (US 2022/0098785 cited in IDS).
Aring modified by Tartuferi and Kim is silent to the component mounting bracket is injection molded.
Kim 785 is directed towards a washing machine wherein a spray nozzle assembly 220 for spraying the wash water supplied from the water supplier 140 into the drum and to the gasket. Kim teaches the fastening plate 210, the spray nozzle assembly 220, and the steam nozzle assembly 230 may be integrally injection-molded with the same material.[0051-54][0091-96]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to integrally form the nozzle assemblies taught in Kim 785 as an effective method for manufacturing gasket components.[0083]
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CRISTI J TATE-SIMS whose telephone number is (571)272-1722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Barr can be reached at 571-272-1414. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
CRISTI J. TATE-SIMS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/CRISTI J TATE-SIMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711