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 Objections
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities: the term “that that divide…”, recited in line 2, has a typo error and should be changed to “that divide”. Also, in Claim 19, the term “to to the body…”, recited in line 6, has a typo error and should be changed to “to the body”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, 8-15 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jones (US 2010/0089248) cited by applicant, in view of Perez (US 2016/0348925) and Paller et al (2022/0154934). Jones discloses a convection grill comprising a body (1) having a heating chamber (13) and a main cooking chamber (Figures 1, 2), the main cooking chamber being separate from the heating chamber (Figures 1-2); a lid (5) hingedly coupled to the body and configured to move between a first open position and a closed position (Figures 1-2), wherein the lid (5) encloses both the heating chamber and the main cooking chamber when in the closed position (Figure 2); a heating elements (14) disposed within the main cooking chamber (1); and a temperature control (10, par. 0012-par. 0037, and Figures 1-3). However, Jones does not disclose a first heating element and a convection fan disposed within the heating chamber; wherein, when the heating mode selection includes a convection mode, the control interface is configured to activate the first heating element, the second heating element, and the convection fan; and wherein when the heating mode selection includes a grill mode, the control interface is configured to activate the second heating element while failing to activate the first heating element and the convection fan. Perez discloses a first heating element (120) and a convection fan (121) disposed within the heating chamber (110, Figure 1). Paller discloses when the heating mode selection includes a convection mode, the control interface is configured to activate the first heating element (124), the second heating element (126), and the convection fan (138); and wherein when the heating mode selection includes a grill mode, the control interface is configured to activate the second heating element (126) while failing to activate the first heating element and the convection fan (par. 0031). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to utilize in Jones a first heating element and a convection fan disposed within the heating chamber as taught by Kim in order to provide the convection heat and when the heating mode selection includes a convection mode, the control interface is configured to activate the first heating element, the second heating element, and the convection fan; and wherein when the heating mode selection includes a grill mode, the control interface is configured to activate the second heating element while failing to activate the first heating element and the convection fan as taught by Paller in order to provide optimum heat to each different mode. Regarding claims 2-3, Jones discloses a plurality of accessories configured to nest together to fit within the main cooking chamber (par. 0037 and figure 1: the removable grill plate (2) disposed within the main cooking chamber). Regarding claim 4, Jones discloses a drip tray (3) configured to removably nest inside the lower region of the main cooking chamber underneath the plurality of accessories (Figure 1). Regarding claim 6, Jones discloses the second heating element (removable grill plate 2 having heating element 14) is embedded in one of the plurality of accessories (par. 0037; Figure 3). Regarding claim 8, Perez discloses the heating chamber and located behind the main cooking chamber (110, Figure 1). Regarding claims 9-10, It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to utilize in be easily derived from the disclosures of Jones (par. 0030 and figure 2: the fan control (9) is for adjusting speed of the fan (13) and the temperature control (10) is for adjusting the heat of the heating element (14) or for deactivating or activating any or all elements); and Kim ([par. 0013] – [par. 0019], Figure 1,: the output of the heating element (120) and the rotation of the fan (121) are each controlled separately by one of knobs (114)). Regarding claims 11-12, discloses in Jones (par. 0020 and figure 1: the lid (5) is removably coupled to the body (removable for cleaning), wherein the lid includes couplers that removably fit. Regarding claims 13-14, discloses in Jones, (par. 0020 and figures 1-2: the lid (5) includes an inner surface and an outer surface separated from inner surface by gap, wherein the inner surface has a dome shape to promote better air flow for convection cooking and provides enough space for roasting). Regarding claim 15, it is merely a variation of Jones (par. 0027 and figure 2: a forced air outlet orifice (6)). Regarding claim 17, It would have been easy derived from the disclosure of Jones (Figure 2: the fan chamber has a conical interior wall).
Claim(s) 5 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jones (US 2010/0089248) cited by applicant, in view of Perez (US 2016/0348925), Paller et al (2022/0154934) and further in view of CN 211212751U cited by applicant. Regarding claim 5, Jones/Perez/Paller discloses substantially all features of the claimed invention except lower air flow channels that divide the lower region of the main cooking chamber from the heating chamber, wherein the lower air flow channels are configured to enable air heated by the first heating element to flow from the heating chamber into the lower region of the main cooking chamber, and wherein the drip tray includes air flow holes configured to align with the lower air flow channels when the drip tray is nested within the lower region of the main cooking chamber. CN 211212751U discloses, in par. 0044and figures 1-4, an air frying oven comprises a fan (15) with a second heating tube (23) and air outlet (7), wherein operation of the fan (15) provides a lower heated air flow through lower air outlets into a lower region of the baking cavity (12). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to utilize in Jones/Perez/Paller an air frying oven comprises a fan with a second heating tube and air outlet, wherein operation of the fan provides a lower heated air flow through lower air outlets into a lower region of the baking cavity as taught by CN 211212751U in order to provide heated air throughout the baking cavity. Regarding claim 16, CN 211212751U discloses , in par. 0044 and figures 1-4, an air frying oven comprises a fan (15) with a second heating tube (23) and air outlet (7), wherein operation of the fan (15) provides an upper heated air flow through upper air outlets (7) into an upper region of a baking cavity (12) and a lower heated air flow through lower air outlets into a lower region of the baking cavity (12).
Claim(s) 7 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jones (US 2010/0089248) cited by applicant, in view of Perez (US 2016/0348925), Paller et al (2022/0154934) and further in view of JP 2012-174593A cited by applicant. Regarding claims 7 and 19, Jones/Perez/Paller discloses substantially all features of the claimed invention except the one of the plurality of accessories in which the second heating element is embedded includes a protrusion configured to interface with a recessed latch located in the main cooking chamber so as to secure one of the plurality of accessories and the second heating element within the main cooking chamber; wherein the second heating element includes electrical contacts configured to interface with an electric heater connection in the body; and wherein the control interface is configured to refrain from activating the second heating element in both the grill mode and the convection mode when the control interface fails to detect that the electrical contacts are interfaced with the electric heater connection and that the protrusion is interfaced with the recessed latch. JP 2012-174593A discloses, in par. 0033, par. 0038 and figures 1-2, a vessel (10) comprises heaters (41, 45) each coupled to electric contacts (42, 46) inserted into a recess (72) for receiving power from a device (100), wherein a controller (50) is configured to detect whether the electric contact (42, 46) are inserted into the recess (72) or not. It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to utilize in Jones/Perez/Paller a vessel comprises heaters each coupled to electric contacts inserted into a recess for receiving power from a device, wherein a controller is configured to detect whether the electric contact are inserted into the recess or not as taught by JP 2012-174593A in order to hold up one of the plurality of accessories with the second heating element together in the main cooking chamber.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jones (US 2010/0089248) cited by applicant, in view of Perez (US 2016/0348925), Paller et al (2022/0154934) and further in view of WO 01-91618A2 cited by applicant. Regarding claim 18, Jones/Perez/Paller discloses substantially all features of the claimed invention except a hinge section of the lid includes a plurality of stops that hold the lid at the first open position and a second open position, wherein an angle formed between the lid and the body is greater in the first open position than in the second open position, and wherein the angle formed between the lid and the body is greater in the second open position than in the closed position. WO 01-91618A2, in page 8 and Figures 4-6, a hinge mechanism for a cover connected to a roaster oven provides a closed position (Figure 4), a fully open position (Figure 6), and a partially open position (Figure 5). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling dated of the invention was made to utilize in Jones/Perez/Paller a hinge mechanism for a cover connected to a roaster oven provides a closed position, a fully open position, and a partially open position as taught by WO 01-91618A2 in order to suit user specific application.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jones (US 2010/0089248), in view of Perez (US 2016/0348925) both cited by applicant, Paller et al (2022/0154934), JP 2012-174593A cited by applicant and further in view of CN 211212751U cited by applicant. Regarding claim 20, Jones/Perez/Paller/JP 2012-174593A discloses substantially all features of the claimed invention except the air flow channels include upper air flow channels that that divide an upper region of the main cooking chamber from the heating chamber, wherein the air flow channels include lower air flow channels that that divide a lower region of the main cooking chamber from the heating chamber, wherein the heating chamber is a rear heating chamber positioned and located behind the main cooking chamber, and wherein the rear heating chamber includes a conical interior wall that surrounds the first heating element and the convection fan to direct air flow through the upper air flow channels and the lower air flow channels. Jones also discloses, figure 2, the fan chamber has a conical interior wall; and CN 211212751U discloses, in par. 0044, figures 1-4, an air frying oven comprises a fan (15) with a second heating tube (23) and air outlets (7), wherein operation of the fan (15) provides an upper heated air flow through upper air outlets (7) into an upper region of a baking cavity (12) and a lower heated air flow through lower air outlets into a lower region of the baking cavity (12). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to utilize in Jones/Perez/Paller/JP 2012-174593A an air frying oven comprises a fan with a second heating tube and air outlets, wherein operation of the fan provides an upper heated air flow through upper air outlets into an upper region of a baking cavity and a lower heated air flow through lower air outlets into a lower region of the baking cavity as taught by CN 211212751U in order to provide heated air throughout the baking cavity.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Backus et al (US7,325,484) discloses enclosed rotisserie with added convenience.
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/QUANG T VAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761 August 6, 2026
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