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.
Claims 1-3, 5-16, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jerg et al. herein referred to as “Jerg” (USPN 9,055,858).
As to claim 1, Jerg discloses a dishwasher comprising: a tub that defines a washing space configured to accommodate one or more objects to be washed (Fig. 1: dishwasher with washing container 1 for holding crockery to be washed); and a sorption drying device comprising: a moisture absorbent configured to absorb water vapor in air discharged from the tub (col. 3, lines 45-53: sorption device 22 contains as the drying means a reversibly dehydratable material such as, for instance, zeolite by means of which air is dried at a drying step T. A heavily moisture-laden air current is for that purpose ducted by means of air blower 27 from washing container 1 through sorption device 22. The zeolite provided in sorption device 22 absorbs the moisture in the air and the relatively dry air is returned to washing container 1), and a regeneration heater configured to heat the air to be supplied to the moisture absorbent to thereby dry the moisture absorbent (heating element 24); a washing water heater configured to heat washing water to be supplied to the washing space (water heater 23); and a controller configured to perform a plurality of courses, each of the plurality of courses comprising a plurality of cycles for washing the one or more objects (Fig. 1: control device 25), wherein the plurality of courses include a first course and a second course, and wherein the controller is configured to, based on the second course being selected, perform a simultaneous operation process in which power is supplied to both of the regeneration heater and the washing water heater (Fig. 2, see variety of courses V, R, Z, K, and T; at delta tH there is heating of both the heating element 24 and heating element 23, see also col. 4, paras at lines 18 and 28).
As to claim 2, Jerg discloses wherein the controller is configured to, based on the first course being selected, perform a non-simultaneous operation process in which power is supplied to one of the regeneration heater or the washing water heater (as noted above, during heating steps of cleaning course R, the heating elements 24 and 23 are performed non-simultaneously, or in other words, one after another).
As to claim 3, Jerg discloses wherein an operating time of the second course is less than an operating time of the first course (Fig. 2, the course time of Z is shorter than the course time of R).
As to claim 5, Jerg discloses wherein the plurality of cycles of the second course comprise a washing cycle (Fig. 2: cleaning course R), and wherein the controller is further configured to, based on the second course being selected, perform the washing cycle by supplying the power to the regeneration heater and the washing water heater while the washing cycle is performed (both heaters 24 and 23 are operated during cycle R).
As to claim 6, Jerg discloses wherein the controller is further configured to maintain the power to be supplied to the regeneration heater during a water discharge cycle, wherein the water discharge cycle is configured to be executed after each of the plurality of courses has been completed (Fig. 4, see second regeneration segment delta tR2 after heating phase delta tH during post-washing time N).
As to claim 7, Jerg discloses wherein the plurality of cycles of the second course comprise a rinse cycle, and wherein the controller is further configured to, based on the second course being selected, perform the rinse cycle by supplying the power to the regeneration heater while the rinse cycle is performed (Fig. 2, see rinse phases Z, K; claim 1 for disclosure of both the first and second heating elements of Jerg being operated asynchronously to prevent overheating of the appliance).
As to claim 8, Jerg discloses the controller is further configured to maintain the power to be supplied to the regeneration heater during a water discharge cycle and a water supply cycle, wherein the water discharge cycle and the water supply cycle are configured to be executed after the rinse cycle has been completed (Fig. 2: after a first rinse cycle Z water is drained and another rinse occurs during cycle K; power is maintained to both heaters 24 and 23 due to the asynchronous application of heat of each heat source).
As to claim 9, Jerg discloses wherein the plurality of cycles of the second course comprise a heating rinse cycle (Fig. 2: cleaning course R combined with heated rinse cycle course Z), and wherein the controller is configured to, based on the second course being selected, perform the heating rinse cycle by simultaneously supplying the power to the regeneration heater and the washing water heater while the heating rinse cycle is performed (generally, in Jerg both heaters 24 and 23 are not operated simultaneously, however, in the beginning of cycle R, there can be simultaneous operation of both heaters 23 and 24. Jerg at col. 5, lines 4-14 discloses the following: Water heater 23 can--as an alternative to the exemplary embodiment shown--even be started at start time t.sub.0 of cleaning step R.sub.1 if the regeneration process is suitably positioned in time terms relative to start time t.sub.0 of cleaning step R. That is because at the start of the heating phase water heater 23 initially only heats the washing liquid in washing container 1 and the air only after a time delay. Thus at the start of heating phase .DELTA.t.sub.H1 there is no risk of an over-heated air current reaching sorption device 22 during regeneration process delta tR and thermally damaging the zeolite).
As to claim 10, Jerg discloses wherein the controller is further configured to maintain the power to be supplied to the regeneration heater during a water discharge cycle, wherein the water discharge cycle is configured to be executed after the heating rinse cycle has been completed (Fig. 4: regeneration segment delta tR2 occurs during post-washing time N).
As to claim 11, as noted above Jerg discloses both sequential and simultaneous/overlapping operation of its heaters 24 and 23.
As to claim 12, after all washing operations, the both heaters 24 and 23 in Jerg are turned off.
As to claim 13, Jerg discloses wherein the simultaneous operation process further comprises: before simultaneously turning off the regeneration heater and the washing water heater, (i) turning off the regeneration heater by cutting off the power supplied to the regeneration heater, and (ii) turning the regeneration heater back on by re-supplying the power to the regeneration heater after the regeneration heater has been turned off (After regeneration process is complete during course R, then heater 24 is turned off and water heater 23 is turned on. This avoids thermal damage to the drying means in the sorption device. Subsequently, in other courses, the air drying heater 24 is turned back on. See Jerg at col. 4, para at line 18 and Figs. 2 and 4).
As to claim 14, Jerg discloses wherein the simultaneous operation process further comprises: after the regeneration heater and the washing water heater have been turned on simultaneously or sequentially, sequentially turning off the regeneration heater and the washing water heater by sequentially cutting off the power supplied to the regeneration heater and the washing water heater (in Jerg, see first washing operating mode, as discussed above).
As to claim 15, Jerg discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: after supplying the power to the regeneration heater and the washing water heater to thereby turn on the regeneration heater and the washing water heater simultaneously or sequentially, adjust a voltage of the power supplied to the regeneration heater and the washing water heater to thereby limit an output current of a power supply below a preset allowable output current, the power supply being configured to supply the power to the regeneration heater and the washing water heater (Jerg’s first washing operating mode reads on these steps, further, the power supply to each heater 24 and 23 have different heating capacities, i.e. different output current; see Jerg at col. 4, lines 25-27, for example).
As to claim 16, Jerg discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: control the power supply to supply the power of a first voltage to the regeneration heater or the washing water heater based on one of the regeneration heater or the washing water heater being turned on; and control the power supply to supply the power of a second voltage less than or equal to the first voltage to the regeneration heater or the washing water heater based on both of the regeneration heater and the washing water heater being turned on (in Jerg, the voltages of each heating element 24 and 23 are different, particularly at col. 4, lines 25-27, the water heater 23 has a larger heating capacity and air heater 24 has a lower heating capacity; at Fig. 3, both the water heater 23 and air heater 24 are in operation during overlapping times).
As to claim 19, Jerg discloses variable heating of its water heater 23. Further, Jerg discloses its water heater 23 having a heating capacity maximum of around 2200 W (col. 4, lines 24-27). Based on this wattage, and standard household 10-15 amp circuit for dishwashers, the voltage would therefore be a maximum of around 146 V. This encompasses applicant’s claimed variable ranges which range from 90 to 130 V.
As to claim 20, Jerg discloses wherein the sorption drying device further comprises a discharge guide configured to supply the air passing through the moisture absorbent to the washing space (Fig. 1: see m2 discharge guide for returning water released from zeolite back into the washing container 1).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 4 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jerg, as applied to claims above.
As to claim 4, Jerg does not specify the exact run time of each of its cleaning courses V, R, Z, K, T, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to limit the operating time such that all the functions can be performed in a reasonable time so that user can gain access to its cleaned dishware for reuse. Typically, normal wash cycles may take 1.5-2 hours, thus the longest course would preferably be under 1 hour, and the others would be 15-30 minutes, to constitute the range of 1.5 to 2 hours.
As to claim 17, Jerg discloses its water heater 23 having a heating capacity maximum of around 2200 W (col. 4, lines 25-26); this reads on variable heating as claimed of 700 to 1300 W. Based on the type of dishware, the heating may be altered for delicate dishware the heating capacity may be lowered in the 700 W range and for high dry dishware, the heating capacity may be in the 1300 W range. It would have been obvious to have a variable heating capacity for the water heater, based on the item being washed and the sanitization level desired.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jerg as applied to claims above, and further in view of Son (USPN 7,998,280).
As to claim 18, Jerg is silent regarding the type of water heater it uses for its water heater 23. However, in the art of dishwashers, a water heater is commonly used to heat water pumped through the machine for heated water and as disclosed by Son, a sheath heater is a well-known type of heater (col. 2 of Son, last line through col. 3, lines 1-5). It would have been obvious to use a sheath heater as the type of water heater in Jerg, as this has excellent watertight properties for use as a heating device in a dishwasher as noted by Son. Having watertight properties means that water being heated surrounding the heater will not penetrate the heater and thus allow the life of the heater to be long lasting, reducing need for damage and related replacement costs.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RITA P ADHLAKHA whose telephone number is (571)270-0378. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8-5pm EST.
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/RITA P ADHLAKHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711