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
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 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, 4-10 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent 11,181,310 to Harata et al. (Harata).
In reference to claim 1, Harata teaches an ice making assembly for an ice maker appliance (1, FIG. 1-10), comprising a carriage (5, FIG. 1-10), the carriage rotatable between a first position (FIG. 9) and a second position (FIG. 10); a mold (ice making tray within cartridge 5; col 6, lines 7-11) defining a cavity (9, FIG. 1-10) for formation of an ice piece therein (col 6, lines 28-32), the mold (ice making tray within cartridge 5; col 6, lines 7-11) releasably received in the carriage (5, FIG. 1-10) whereby the mold is rotatable with the carriage between the first position (FIG. 9) and the second position (FIG. 10); an ejector (70, FIG. 1-10) positioned adjacent to the mold (ice making tray within cartridge 5; col 6, lines 7-11) and rotatable with the carriage (5, FIG. 1-10) between the first position and the second position (FIG. 9 and 10, respectively), the ejector configured to push the ice piece out of the cavity as the carriage rotates between the first position and the second position (by twisting the mold; col 12, lines 36-48); and a motor (within driving unit 6, FIG. 1-10) for rotating the carriage (5, FIG. 1-10) from the first position (FIG. 9) to the second position (FIG. 10).
In reference to claim 4, Harata teaches the ice making assembly as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Harata additionally teaches a cam (33, FIG. 5) in mechanical communication with the ejector (70, FIG. 1-10), the cam defining a compound arcuate path that is followed by one end of the ejector as it rotates between the first position (FIG. 9) and the second position (FIG. 10).
In reference to claim 5, Harata teaches the ice making assembly as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Harata additionally teaches wherein the ejector (70, FIG. 1-10) is configured to move between a retracted position (FIG. 9) and an extended position (FIG. 10) as the carriage rotates between the first position (FIG. 9) and the second position (FIG. 10).
In reference to claim 6, Harata teaches the ice making assembly as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Harata additionally teaches wherein the carriage (5, FIG. 1-10) comprises a mechanical stop (26, FIG. 1-10), the mechanical stop positioned and configured to abut a bracket of the ice making assembly when the carriage reaches the second position (FIG. 10).
In reference to claim 7, Harata teaches the ice making assembly as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Harata additionally teaches wherein the mold (ice making tray within cartridge 5; col 6, lines 7-11) comprises a flexible material (col 4, lines 58-60), wherein the flexible material of the mold deforms when the ejector pushes the ice piece out of the cavity (inherent in the structure of FIG. 9 and 10 since it allows for twisting motion of the mold/ice tray 5).
In reference to claim 8, Harata teaches the ice making assembly as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Harata additionally teaches a feeler arm and a lever (8, FIG. 5) attached to the feeler arm, the lever configured to rotate the feeler arm upwards as the carriage (5, FIG. 1-10) rotates from the first position (FIG. 9) to the second position (FIG. 10), the feeler arm positioned and configured to extend into a storage volume of a storage bin positioned below the cartridge while the carriage is in the first position, whereby the feeler arm detects a level of ice pieces stored in the storage volume (col 13, lines 38-56).
In reference to claim 9, Harata teaches the ice making assembly as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Harata additionally teaches a sweep assembly (26, FIG. 1-10), the sweep assembly configured to move across the mold when the carriage rotates from the first position (FIG. 9) to the second position (FIG. 10).
In reference to claim 10, Harata teaches an ice making assembly for an ice maker appliance (1, FIG. 1-10), comprising a cartridge (5, FIG. 1-10) comprising a mold (ice making tray within cartridge 5; col 6, lines 7-11) and an ejector (70, FIG. 1-10), the mold defining a cavity (9, FIG. 1-10) for formation of an ice piece therein (col 6, lines 28-32), the ejector (70, FIG. 1-10) positioned adjacent to the mold (ice making tray within cartridge 5; col 6, lines 7-11), the cartridge (5, FIG. 1-10) rotatable between a first position (FIG. 9) and a second position (FIG. 10), the ejector configured to push the ice piece out of the cavity as the cartridge rotates between the first position and the second position (by twisting the mold; col 12, lines 36-48); and a motor (within driving unit 6, FIG. 1-10) for rotating the cartridge (5, FIG. 1-10) from the first position (FIG. 9) to the second position (FIG. 10).
In reference to claim 14, Harata teaches the ice making assembly as explained in the rejection of claim 10 above, and Harata additionally teaches a cam (33, FIG. 5) in mechanical communication with the ejector (70, FIG. 1-10), the cam defining a compound arcuate path that is followed by one end of the ejector as it rotates between the first position (FIG. 9) and the second position (FIG. 10).
In reference to claim 15, Harata teaches the ice making assembly as explained in the rejection of claim 10 above, and Harata additionally teaches wherein the ejector (70, FIG. 1-10) is configured to move between a retracted position (FIG. 9) and an extended position (FIG. 10) as the cartridge rotates between the first position (FIG. 9) and the second position (FIG. 10).
In reference to claim 16, Harata teaches the ice making assembly as explained in the rejection of claim 10 above, and Harata additionally teaches wherein the mold (ice making tray within cartridge 5; col 6, lines 7-11) comprises a flexible material (col 4, lines 58-60), wherein the flexible material of the mold deforms when the ejector pushes the ice piece out of the cavity (inherent in the structure of FIG. 9 and 10 since it allows for twisting motion of the mold/ice tray 5).
In reference to claim 17, Harata teaches the ice making assembly as explained in the rejection of claim 10 above, and Harata additionally teaches a feeler arm and a lever (8, FIG. 5) attached to the feeler arm, the lever configured to rotate the feeler arm upwards as the cartridge (5, FIG. 1-10) rotates from the first position (FIG. 9) to the second position (FIG. 10), the feeler arm positioned and configured to extend into a storage volume of a storage bin positioned below the cartridge while the cartridge is in the first position, whereby the feeler arm detects a level of ice pieces stored in the storage volume (col 13, lines 38-56).
In reference to claim 18, Harata teaches the ice making assembly as explained in the rejection of claim 10 above, and Harata additionally teaches a sweep assembly (26, FIG. 1-10), the sweep assembly configured to move across the mold when the cartridge rotates from the first position (FIG. 9) to the second position (FIG. 10).
In reference to claim 19, Harata teaches a cartridge for an ice making assembly (5, FIG. 1-10), the cartridge comprising a mold (ice making tray within cartridge 5; col 6, lines 7-11) defining a cavity (9, FIG. 1-10) for formation of an ice piece therein (col 6, lines 28-32); and an ejector (70, FIG. 2) positioned adjacent to the mold (ice making tray within cartridge 5; col 6, lines 7-11) wherein the cartridge is rotatable between a first position (FIG. 9) and a second position (FIG. 10), the ejector (70, FIG. 2) configured to push the ice piece out of the cavity as the cartridge rotates between the first position and the second position (by twisting the mold; col 12, lines 36-48).
In reference to claim 20, Harata teaches the cartridge as explained in the rejection of claim 19 above, and Harata additionally teaches wherein the cartridge (5, FIG. 1-10) is configured to be releasably received in a carriage (7, FIG. 1-10) of the ice making assembly, the cartridge (5, FIG. 1-10) further comprising a latch (within shaft unit 18, FIG. 1-10), wherein the latch (18, FIG. 1-10) is configured to releasably engage the carriage (via shaft hole 49, FIG. 1-10) while the cartridge (5, FIG. 1-10) is received in the carriage (7, FIG. 1-10).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3 and 11-13 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See attached PTO-892 for relevant prior art.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JD Fletcher can be reached at 5712705054. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FILIP ZEC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763