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Claims 19 and 20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 5-15-2026.
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.
Claims 1,5,6,17,18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Russian reference(RU213100U1).
Russian reference in figures 1 and 2 teach a humidifier(humidifier housing 1) comprising: a humidifying device(water reservoir 10 ,ultrasonic evaporators 19, partition 9) configured to generate humidified air; and a display(control board 21 including digital humidity level indicator 20) coupled to the humidifying device(noting adjacent connection of control board 21 to partition 9, wherein partition 9 is a part of humidifying device in figure 2), wherein the display includes: a display housing which defines an internal space and is open toward the humidifying device; and a display circuitry which is provided in the internal space of the display housing(noting circuitry of control board 21 not shown and facing tank 10), and wherein the humidifying device includes a coupling cover(plastic cover 22 in figure 2) which extends in an outward direction, and covers a portion of the display housing(noting covering arrangement in figure 2).
With regards to claim 5, Russian reference further teaches wherein the display is coupled to a side surface of the humidifying device, and wherein the humidifying device includes: a supply pipe(tank tube inlet 13) which is disposed on an upper surface of the humidifying device and configured to receive water into the humidifying device; and a humid air outlet(humid air duct 5) which is disposed on the upper surface of the humidifying device and configured to discharge the humidified air from the humidifying device.
With regards to claim 6, Russian reference further teaches wherein the display circuitry includes insulation provided a surface facing the humidifying device.
With regards to claim 17, Russian reference further teaches further comprising a case(housing 1) which accommodates the humidifying device and the display, wherein the display housing includes an open side that faces the humidifying device; and a closed side that faces away from the humidifying device, and wherein the case includes an opening, and the closed side of the display is exposed outside of the humidifier through the opening of the case.
With regards to claim 18, Russian reference further teaches wherein the display is configured to output information regarding a state of the humidifier(digital humidity level indicator) to a user and to receive an input from the user.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4,7-16 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.
Claim 2 recites “wherein the humidifying device includes: a first tank configured to receive water used to generate the humidified air; a main housing which accommodates the first tank; and a tray which is coupled to an upper side of the main housing, and wherein the display is coupled to the main housing and the tray.”. Russian reference teaches a first tank configured to receive water used to generate the humidified air and a main housing which accommodates the first tank, however Russian reference does not teach or suggest a tray which is coupled to an upper side of the main housing, and wherein the display is coupled to the main housing and the tray. Claims 3,4,9-12,14-16 depend on claim 2 and hence would also be allowable upon incorporation of claim 2 into claim 1.
Claim 7 recites “further comprising: a case which accommodates the humidifying device and the display; and a water tank which is disposed above the humidifying device, and is configured to store water supplied to the humidifying device, wherein the case includes: an outer shell which is spaced outward from the water tank in a radial direction; and an inner shell which is disposed inside the outer shell in the radial direction, and in which the water tank is accommodated, wherein a first discharge flow path through which humidified air flows from the humidifying device is defined between the inner shell and the water tank, and wherein the display is disposed outside the inner shell.”. Russian reference teaches a case which accommodates the humidifying device and the display, however Russian reference does not teach or suggest a water tank which is disposed above the humidifying device, and is configured to store water supplied to the humidifying device, wherein the case includes: an outer shell which is spaced outward from the water tank in a radial direction; and an inner shell which is disposed inside the outer shell in the radial direction, and in which the water tank is accommodated, wherein a first discharge flow path through which humidified air flows from the humidifying device is defined between the inner shell and the water tank, and wherein the display is disposed outside the inner shell. Claims 8,13 depend on claim 7 and hence would also be allowable upon incorporation of claim 7 into claim 1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT A HOPKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-1159. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 6am-4pm.
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/ROBERT A HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
June 8, 2026
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