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 § 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3,10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chinese reference(CN211600985U) taken together with Smith et al(10304324).
Chinese reference in figure 2 teaches a humidifier(humidifier outer shell 1) comprising a humidification unit(noting evaporator 3 in figure 2) generating mist, a flow path body (noting air flow channel 11) disposed above the humidification unit, that has a discharge flow path having an annular cross section(noting annular cross section external to water storage tank 6) through which mist emitted from the humidification unit flows. Chinese reference is silent as to a plurality of guide vanes disposed on the discharge flow path, slanted from the vertical, and wherein the plurality of guide vanes are spaced from each other along the periphery of the discharge flow path.
Smith et al in figure 2 teaches a humidifier(noting column 1 lines 13 stating a control system for a humidifier) including an air inlet(102), and impeller(116) downstream from the air inlet, and a flow path body (diffuser 118) downstream from the impeller, wherein the diffuser includes a plurality of guide vanes(column 11 lines 8-10 stating “the diffuser 118 comprises a plurality of blades for guiding the air flow towards the outlet of the duct”) disposed on a discharge flow path(guide vanes upstream from air outlet 104), slanted from the vertical, and wherein the plurality of guide vanes are spaced apart from each other along the periphery of the discharge flow path.
With regards to claim 2, Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al further teaches wherein the humidification unit has an outlet(air outlet 7 in Chinese reference) from which generated mist is emitted, wherein the outlet is placed off to one side of the center of the discharge flow path.
With regards to claim 3, Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al further teaches wherein the flow path body further comprises a tank(water tank 6 in Chinese reference) having open top, and storing water, and a shell(outer shell 1) spaced outward from the outer periphery of the tank, and wherein the discharge flow path is formed between the tank and the shell and communicates with the outlet.
With regards to claim 10, Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al further teaches an annular discharge grille disposed on the discharge flow path(annular discharge grille shown in figure 1 of Chinese reference) and having a plurality of discharge vanes, wherein the plurality of discharge vanes are spaced apart from each other along the periphery of the discharge grille, and wherein a discharge opening communicating with the discharge flow path is formed between the plurality of discharge vanes.
With regards to claim 11, Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al further teaches wherein the discharge grille is spaced upward from the plurality of guide vanes.
With regards to claim 12, Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al further teaches wherein the plurality of discharge vanes are extended vertically.
With regards to claim 13, Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al further teaches wherein upper ends of the plurality of discharge vanes are slanted downward and inward.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-9,14,15 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.
Claim 4 recites “wherein the shell comprises: an inner shell spaced outward from the outer periphery of the tank; and an outer shell spaced outward from the outer periphery of the inner shell, wherein the discharge flow path includes: an inner discharge flow path formed between the tank and the inner shell, and an outer discharge flow path formed between the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein the outlet communicates with the inner discharge flow path, and wherein the plurality of guide vanes comprise a plurality of inner guide vanes disposed on the inner discharge flow path.”. Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al teaches a humidifier shell and a discharge flow path including a plurality of guide vanes, however Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al does not teach or suggest wherein the shell comprises: an inner shell spaced outward from the outer periphery of the tank; and an outer shell spaced outward from the outer periphery of the inner shell, wherein the discharge flow path includes: an inner discharge flow path formed between the tank and the inner shell, and an outer discharge flow path formed between the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein the outlet communicates with the inner discharge flow path, and wherein the plurality of guide vanes comprise a plurality of inner guide vanes disposed on the inner discharge flow path. Claims 5 and 6 depend on claim 3 and hence would also be allowable upon incorporation of claims 2-4 into claim 1.
Claim 7 recites “further comprising: a guide grille disposed on the discharge flow path, and wherein the guide grille comprises: the plurality of guide vanes, and a guide rim that extends along the periphery of the discharge flow path and connects the plurality of guide vanes.”. Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al teaches a discharge flow path including guide vanes, however Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al does not teach or suggest a guide grille disposed on the discharge flow path, and wherein the guide grille comprises: the plurality of guide vanes, and a guide rim that extends along the periphery of the discharge flow path and connects the plurality of guide vanes.
Claim 8 recites “wherein the plurality of vanes are convex upward”. Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al teaches a discharge flow path including guide vanes , wherein Smith et al teaches straightening vanes, which would teach against convex upward vanes.
Claim 9 recites “wherein the plurality of guide vanes comprise: a front end receiving ascending mist; and a rear end discharging ascending mist, and wherein an angle at which the rear end is slanted from the vertical is larger than an angle at which the front end is slanted from the vertical.”. Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al teaches a discharge flow path including guide vanes , wherein Smith et al teaches straightening vanes, which would teach against an angle at which the rear end is slanted from the vertical is larger than an angle at which the front end is slanted from the vertical.
Claim 14 recites “wherein the flow path body comprises a tank having an open end and storing water, a tank holder into which the tank is inserted , and which covers the outer periphery of the tank; and a shell spaced outward from the outer periphery of the tank holder, wherein the discharge flow path is formed between the tank holder and the shell, and wherein the tank holder comprises a holder rib protruding outward from the outer periphery and spaced inward from the inner periphery of the shell.”. Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al teaches a flow path body including a tank having an open end and storing water, however Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al does not teach or suggest a tank holder into which the tank is inserted , and which covers the outer periphery of the tank; and a shell spaced outward from the outer periphery of the tank holder, wherein the discharge flow path is formed between the tank holder and the shell, and wherein the tank holder comprises a holder rib protruding outward from the outer periphery and spaced inward from the inner periphery of the shell. Claim 15 depends on claim 14 and hence are also allowable upon incorporation of claims 2 and 14 into claim 1.
Claim 16 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Chinese reference in figure 2 teaches a humidifier(humidifier outer shell 1) comprising a humidification unit(noting evaporator 3 in figure 2) generating mist, a flow path body (noting air flow channel 11) disposed above the humidification unit, that has a discharge flow path having an annular cross section(noting annular cross section external to water storage tank 6) through which mist emitted from the humidification unit flows. Chinese reference is silent as to a plurality of guide vanes disposed on the discharge flow path, slanted from the vertical, and wherein the plurality of guide vanes are spaced from each other along the periphery of the discharge flow path.
Smith et al in figure 2 teaches a humidifier(noting column 1 lines 13 stating a control system for a humidifier) including an air inlet(102), and impeller(116) downstream from the air inlet, and a flow path body (diffuser 118) downstream from the impeller, wherein the diffuser includes a plurality of guide vanes(column 11 lines 8-10 stating “the diffuser 118 comprises a plurality of blades for guiding the air flow towards the outlet of the duct”) disposed on a discharge flow path(guide vanes upstream from air outlet 104), slanted from the vertical, and wherein the plurality of guide vanes are spaced apart from each other along the periphery of the discharge flow path.
However Chinese reference taken together with Smith et al does not teach or suggest wherein an inlet angle at which ascending mist flows into the plurality of guide vanes is smaller than an angle at which mist is discharged from the plurality of guide vanes. Smith et al teaches guide vanes, wherein the guide vanes are straightening vanes, and wherein an angle which mist is discharged would be smaller than an inlet angle to provide for straightening of an airflow, teaching against an inlet angle at which ascending mist flows into the plurality of guide vanes is smaller than an angle at which mist is discharged from the plurality of guide vanes, wherein a larger angle at discharge would create a spiral flow.
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/ROBERT A HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
January 7, 2026