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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 9-16 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Group II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 06/09/2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of Group II in the reply filed on 06/09/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that it is respectfully submitted that the subject matter of each of the designated inventions is sufficiently related that a thorough search for the subject matter of each of the designated inventions would encompass a search for the subject matter of the remaining designated inventions. Thus, it is respectfully submitted that the search and examination of the entire application could be made without serious burden. This is not found persuasive because the groups of inventions listed above do not relate to a single general inventive concept under PCT Rule 13.1 because, under PCT Rule 13.2, they lack the same or corresponding special technical features.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 a1 as being anticipated by Lin (US 2010/0219179).
Regarding claim 1, Lin discloses “an electric range” (fig.6A-B, figs.3-5 and fig.7B) comprising:
“a case” (fig.6A, 55 pointed at a case) which forms at least a portion of an appearance of the electric range;
“a heater” (fig.3, 41) which heats an object to be heated;
“an upper bracket” (fig.3, 42) which is positioned below “the heater” (fig.3, 41) and supports the heater;
“an input device” (fig.3, 461 and 402. [0023] The control unit 46 includes multiple operating parts 461 corresponding to the operating keys 402 on the top cover 40) “to receive an operation command for controlling the heater” ([0023], i.e., When one of the operating parts 461 is depressed, a corresponding operating key 402 is triggered such that the induction cooking stove 4 executes a corresponding function.);
“a printed circuit board” (44 pointed at the circuit board) “on which at least one electronic component to drive the heater is mounted” ([0025], i.e., The induction coil 41 is supported on the supporting plate 42 and electrically connected with the circuit board 44. Fig.3, 44 pointed at the circuit board having electronic components that is electrically connected to the induction coil in order to control power supply to the induction coil); and
“a supporter” (45) which is positioned on “a lower portion of the upper bracket” (42),
wherein “the supporter” (45) includes “a first support” (454b pointed at a first support) “which supports “the operation unit input device” (at least 461) and “a second support” (452) which supports “the printed circuit board” (44).
Regarding claim 2, Lin discloses “an upper plate” (fig.4, 40 pointed at an upper plate) which is positioned on “an upper portion of the case” (see fig.6A-6B, 55) and “on which the object to be heated is positioned on an upper surface thereof” (40 is the cooktop that allow object to be positioned on an upper surface thereof), wherein “the heater” (41) is positioned below “the upper plate” (40).
Regarding claim 3, Lin discloses “a lower surface of the second support” (a lower surface of 452) is spaced apart from “an upper surface of the case” (an upper surface of 55).
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.
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US 2010/0219179) in view of Cho (KR 20090121787 A).
Regarding claim 17, Lin discloses all the features of claim limitations as set forth above except for the heater includes a first heater to heat a first region and a second heater to heat a second region, and wherein the upper bracket includes a first upper bracket that is positioned below and supports the first heater, and a second upper bracket that is positioned below and supports the second heater.
Cho teaches “the heater includes a first heater to heat a first region and a second heater to heat a second region” (40 pointed at the heating module (i.e., not including a first board-like structure) at a first region and 200 pointed a working coil (i.e., not including a second board-like structure) at a second region), and wherein “the upper bracket includes a first upper bracket that is positioned below and supports the first heater” (a first board-like structure is considered as the upper bracket for supporting the heater at 40), and “a second upper bracket that is positioned below and supports the second heater” (a second board-like structure is considered as the second upper bracket for supporting the second heater at 200). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Lin with Cho, by modifying Lin’s bracket with Cho’s dual brackets, to provide electrical isolation and stabilizes the coil against powerful electromagnetic forces, ensures a uniform horizontal heating pattern, and minimizes thermal degradation by reducing coil fatigue.
Regarding claim 18, Lin discloses “at least a portion of the printed circuit board is positioned between the first upper bracket and supporter” (Cho, 100 circuit board is between first upper bracket (the board-like structure under 200) and the supporter 10).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-8 and 19-20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIMMY CHOU whose telephone number is (571)270-7107. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Edward Landrum can be reached at (571) 272-5567. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JIMMY CHOU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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