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
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.
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, 5 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cui et al. (US 2020/0253073 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 2009/0201124 A1) and Li et al. (CN 112538723 A).
Cui et al. discloses an interface (Fig. 3) comprising: an encoder 21 including a fixing portion 211 (Fig. 7), a rotating portion 212 rotatably coupled to the fixing portion 211, 2111 (Fig. 7, paragraph [0047]), and a first circuit board 22; an actuator including a shaft 13 fixed to the rotating portion (paragraph [0049]), a handle 112 fixed to the shaft and configured to receive a force required for rotation of the shaft (paragraph [0041]), and an accommodation space provided in the handle (Fig. 4, space within 13); a display unit 12 including a fastening body 124, 123 fixed to the fixing portion 211,2111 to pass through the shaft 13, an accommodation body 122 fixed to the fastening body (Fig. 6) and located inside the accommodation space (Fig. 4), and a display 121 fixed to the accommodation body 122 and configured to display information (Figs. 5-6). However, Cui et al. does not explicit a signal generator configured to generate an electrical signal during rotation of the rotating portion and connected to a first circuit board. Cui et al. also does not disclose a protrusion provided on at least one of the accommodation body and the handle and maintaining an interval between the accommodation body and the handle. Kim et al discloses an interface (Fig. 1) comprising an encorder and a signal generator configured to generate an electrical signal during rotation of the rotating portion and connected to a first circuit board (paragraph [0012]). Lee discloses an interface comprising a protrusion 11 provided on handle 10 (Fig. 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the interface of Cui et al to include a signal generator configured to generate an electrical signal during rotation of the rotating portion and connected to a first circuit board as taught by Kim et al. in order to improve the control efficiency and to further modify the interface of Cui et al. to provide a protrusion on the handle as taught by Cui et al. in order to keep spacing between the handle and the accommodation body. With regard to claim 12, Cui et al. discloses the interface is used in electrical appliance device such as washing machine, clothes dryer etc (paragraph [0018]). It is known in the art the clothes dryer comprising a cabinet including a panel inlet and a drum pivotably provide in the cabinet to accommodate clothes therein and including a drum inlet communicating with the panel inlet. Kim et al. discloses a laundry treatment apparatus comprising a cabinet 1 including a panel inlet (Fig. 1); and a drum pivotably provided in the cabinet 1 to accommodate clothes therein and including a drum inlet communicating with the panel inlet; and an encorder (not shown, paragraph [0012]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 6-11 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA J YUEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4878. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MICHAEL G HOANG can be reached at (571) 272-6460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Jessica Yuen/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3762
JY
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