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
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 1-5,9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Korean reference(KR101805814B1).
Korean reference in figures 2 and 5 teaches a humidifier comprising: a case(lower case 10) with an intake opening(intake ports 15); a discharge opening(opening in figure 5 as part of upper case 20) that opens toward the outside of the case; a fan(fan 500) disposed inside the case; a humidification assembly(humidifying filter 300) including a humidification chamber where mist is produced and an outlet through which the mist produced in the humidification chamber flows; a humidification flow path(flow path shown by arrows in figure 5 within upper case 20) to which mist released through the outlet is admitted, and which extends from the top of the outlet and connects to the discharge opening; and a guide(air guide 600) disposed between the outlet and the humidification flow path and including a guide wall that slopes upward toward the humidification flow path from the outlet(figure 5 noting upward sloping guide wall).
With regards to claim 2, Korean reference further teaches wherein the guide projects in a direction away from the humidification flow path, and the outlet is connected to the bottom of the guide.
With regards to claim 3, Korean reference further teaches wherein the guide includes: a guide intake portion(unnumbered but shown in figure 5) connecting the outlet and the guide wall; and a guide intake hole(hole unnumbered but shown in exploded view of guide wall 600 in figure 2) formed through the guide intake portion, that communicates with the inside of the humidification chamber.
With regards to claim 4, Korean reference further teaches wherein the guide includes a guide side wall(part of upper case 20) that extends upward from the guide wall and is positioned radially outward from the humidification flow path.
With regards to claim 5, Korean reference further teaches wherein the guide has a downwardly projecting conical shape(conical shape shown in exploded view of guide wall 600 in figure 2), and has a space surrounded by the guide wall.
With regards to claim 9, Korean reference further teaches wherein the outlet is attached to the guide at a positioned spaced from the center of the guide.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8, 10-16 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 6 recites “wherein the outlet is connected to the guide, at a position spaced from the center of the guide, and the guide wall includes: a first guide portion positioned in a direction away from the center of the guide with respect to the outlet; and a second guide portion positioned in a direction toward the center of the guide with respect to the outlet, wherein the angle of inclination of the first guide portion is larger than the angle of inclination of the second guide portion.”. Korean reference teaches an outlet is connected to the guide, at a position spaced from the center of the guide, and a guide wall including a first guide portion positioned in a direction away from the center of the guide with respect to the outlet. However Korean reference does not teach or suggest a second guide portion positioned in a direction toward the center of the guide with respect to the outlet, wherein the angle of inclination of the first guide portion is larger than the angle of inclination of the second guide portion.
Claim 7 recites “ further comprising: a water reservoir that supplies water to the humidification assembly, spaced upward from the outlet; and an inner case spaced radially outward form the water reservoir, between which and the water reservoir the humidification flow path is formed, wherein the guide is disposed between the water reservoir and the humidification assembly and attached to the inner case.”. Korean reference teaches a water reservoir(water tank 100) that supplies water to the humidification assembly, however Korean reference does not teach or suggest a water reservoir spaced upward from the outlet; and an inner case spaced radially outward form the water reservoir, between which and the water reservoir the humidification flow path is formed, wherein the guide is disposed between the water reservoir and the humidification assembly and attached to the inner case.
Claim 8 recites “further comprising a water reservoir that supplies water to the humidification assembly, spaced upward from the outlet, wherein the water reservoir includes a water reservoir lower wall vertically facing the outlet, and the humidification flow path is formed radially outward from the water reservoir lower wall.”. Korean reference teaches a water reservoir(water tank 100) that supplies water to the humidification assembly, however Korean reference does not teach or suggest a water reservoir spaced upward from the outlet, wherein the water reservoir includes a water reservoir lower wall vertically facing the outlet, and the humidification flow path is formed radially outward from the water reservoir lower wall.
Claim 10 recites “further comprising: a water reservoir that supplies water to the humidification assembly, spaced upward from the outlet; and a guide rim protruding toward the humidification flow path from the water reservoir and extending along the circumference of the water reservoir.”. Korean reference teaches a water reservoir(water tank 100) that supplies water to the humidification assembly, however Korean reference does not teach or suggest a water reservoir spaced upward from the outlet, and a guide rim protruding toward the humidification flow path from the water reservoir and extending along the circumference of the water reservoir. Claims 11 and 12 depend on claim 10 and hence would also be allowable upon incorporation of claim 10 into claim 1.
Claim 13 recites “further comprising a water reservoir that supplies water to the humidification assembly, spaced upward from the outlet, wherein the guide includes a coupling body spaced upward from the outlet, over which the water reservoir is mounted.”. Korean reference teaches a water reservoir(water tank 100) that supplies water to the humidification assembly, however Korean reference does not teach or suggest a water reservoir spaced upward from the outlet, wherein the guide includes a coupling body spaced upward from the outlet, over which the water reservoir is mounted. Claims 14-16 depend on claim 13 and hence would also be allowable upon incorporation of claim 13 into claim 1.
Claims 17-20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 17 recites “A humidifier comprising:
a case with an intake opening;
a discharge opening that opens toward the outside of the case;
a fan disposed inside the case;
a humidification assembly including a humidification chamber where mist is produced and an outlet through which the mist produced in the humidification chamber flows;
a water reservoir that supplies water to the humidification assembly, spaced upward from the outlet;
a humidification flow path formed between the outlet and the discharge opening, that extends to surround the water reservoir; and
a guide rim protruding toward the humidification flow path from the water reservoir and extending in the direction in which the humidification flow path extends,
wherein the length the guide rim protrudes toward the humidification flow path becomes larger as the guide rim becomes closer to the outlet.”.
Korean reference in figures 2 and 5 teaches a case with an intake opening; a discharge opening that opens toward the outside of the case; a fan disposed inside the case; a humidification assembly including a humidification chamber where mist is produced and an outlet through which the mist produced in the humidification chamber flows; a water reservoir that supplies water to the humidification assembly, a humidification flow path formed between the outlet and the discharge opening. However Korean reference does not teach or suggest a water reservoir spaced upward from the outlet, a humidification flow path that extends to surround the water reservoir, and a guide rim protruding toward the humidification flow path from the water reservoir and extending in the direction in which the humidification flow path extends, wherein the length the guide rim protrudes toward the humidification flow path becomes larger as the guide rim becomes closer to the outlet. Claims 18-20 depend on claim 17 and hence are also allowed.
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/ROBERT A HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
December 17, 2025