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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 28 April 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-2, 4-9, and 11-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant’s arguments in view of the amendment filed 28 April 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-2, 4-9, and 11-15 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made as indicated below.
It is noted that the prior art is replete with teachings of water level detection and maintaining a water level during washing operations. Thus, supplying water and monitoring positive water level during washing operations is considered well within the general knowledge and skill of one having ordinary skill in the art absent evidence to the contrary.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 8-9, and 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2008/0099052 to Lee et al. (“Lee”) in view of US 2007/0084000 to Bernardino et al. (“Bernardino”).
Regarding claims 1-2, 4, 8-9, and 12-13, Lee (in Figs. 1, 3-5, and associated text) discloses a method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus including a tub (11) configured to store water therein, a drum (12) rotatably disposed inside the tub to store an object-to-be-washed therein, a detergent storage (19) with a detergent and rinse chamber configured to store a detergent and rinsing agents therein (see ¶ [0053]), a storage water supply pipe (22) configured to supply water to the detergent/rinse storage, a tub connecting pipe (26) configured to guide water discharged from the detergent storage to the tub, a tub water supply pipe (30) configured to supply water to the tub, a drain hole (top of drain pipe 62) defined to extend through the tub, a sensor (17) configured to sense a water level in the tub, and a drain pump (52) connected to the drain hole, the method comprising:
supplying water to the tub via the tub water supply pipe up to a predetermined water level at which the drain hole is submerged (see step 604/6058; note a predetermined amount of water is added directly to the tub, which manifestly covers the drain hole located at the very bottom of the tub);
supplying the detergent and water into the tub via the storage water supply pipe after completion of supplying the water via the water supply pipe is completed (see step 606); and
washing the object-to-be-washed by rotating the drum after completion of supplying the detergent and water via the storage water supply pipe (see step 620),
wherein the predetermined water level comprises a first water level set to a water level lower than a lowest point of the drum and higher than the drain hole at the tub (see step S6058 - S6062 in Fig. 5),
wherein the laundry treating apparatus further includes a heater (16) fixed to the tub and positioned between the lowest point of the drum and the drain hole, the heater being configured to heat water stored in the tub, and wherein the first water level is set to a water level where the heater is submerged (see step 612 and ¶ [0090]-[0091] where the water is stopped and heated by the heater, manifestly requiring submersion of the heater).
Lee discloses the claimed invention including supplying water to the tub via the tub water supply to a predetermined level which manifestly submerges the drain hole. Lee does not expressly disclose supplying water such that a predetermined water level at which the drain hole is submerged is maintained. Bernardino teaches that it is known in the washing machine to provide a wash tub with a water level sensor to determine and maintain a minimum water level during a washing operation (see Bernardino at ¶ [0026]).
Therefore, the position is taken that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to supply water to the wash tub in the manner taught by Lee, to a predetermined and maintained water level to submerge the drain hole, such as that taught in Bernardino, to yield the same and predictable results.
Claim(s) 5-7, 11, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Bernardino, as applied to claims 1-2, 4, 8-9, and 12-13 above, and further in view of US 2019/0211495 to Im et al. (“Im”).
Regarding claims 5-7, 11, and 14, Lee and Bernardino, supra, disclose the claimed invention including filling steps of supplying water to a set level and supplying water and detergent to a set level. Lee also discloses claim 6 and comprising sensing an amount of the object-to-be-washed stored in the drum before supplying the detergent and the water into the tub via the storage water supply pipe, wherein the second water level is set to increase in proportion to the amount of the object-to-be-washed stored in the drum (see steps 604-608; note ¶ [0110] where amount of load is detected). Lee does not expressly disclose the water levels higher than the lowest point of the drum or rotating the drum to dissolve detergent. Im (in Fig. 11 and associated text) teaches an art-related washing machine and process with a detergent dissolving step S2 with a water level LV1 higher than the bottom of the drum following supplying detergent and water (S1) to the tub and prior to washing (S5).
Therefore, the position is taken that it would have been obvious at the time of effective filing to modify the washing control method of Lee and Bernardino by filling to a water level above a bottom of the drum and dissolving/mixing detergent and water by drum rotation, as taught in Im, to yield the predictable results of dissolving detergent in the washing machine tub prior to washing.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Bernardino, as applied to claims 1-2, 4, 8-9, and 12-13 above, and further in view of US2019/0024297 to Gwon et al. (“Gwon”).
Lee and Bernardino, supra, disclose the claimed invention including a water level sensor. Lee and Bernardino do not expressly disclose the sensor configuration including a communication pipe and the sensor monitoring a change in pressure inside the communication pipe to determine water level. Gwon teaches that it is known in the washing machine art to utilize a pressure sensor 92 and communication pipe 91 to determine water level (see Fig. 1 and ¶ [0057]).
Because Lee, Bernardino, and Gwon teach sensing a water level in a washing machine, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to substitute one known water level sensor for the other to achieve the predictable result of determining a water level in a washing machine.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH L PERRIN whose telephone number is (571)272-1305. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-4:00.
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Joseph L. Perrin, Ph.D.
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/Joseph L. Perrin/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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