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 Objections
Claim 15 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 1. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m). Claim 15 depends on claim 12, wherein claim 12 depends on claim 1, and claim 15 recites substantial duplicate limitations to claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 15 recites “the lowest position”. There is a lack of antecedent basis for “the lowest position” in previous claim limitations. Claims 16-19 depend on claim 15 and hence are also rejected.
Claim 20 recites “the downward movement limiting part”. There is a lack of antecedent basis for “the downward movement limiting part” in previous claim limitations.
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 13,14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Chinese reference(CN101424423A).
Chinese reference in figures 2,5 teaches an air conditioner(para 0054 stating “an air conditioner according to this embodiment) comprising a cabinet assembly(main body 2) defining an external appearance of the air conditioner and having an air suction port(ai suction port 6) formed therein, a filter assembly(filter 42) disposed at the air suction port to remove a foreign substance from air, and a filter cleaning assembly configured to remove the foreign substance from the filter assembly, wherein the filter cleaning assembly comprises a filter cleaner(filter cleaning unit 46) configured to remove the foreign substance from the filter assembly, a movement guider(power transmission device 390) configured to guide movement of the filter cleaner, a power supply device(not shown but required for movement of the filter cleaner) configured to supply power to the filter cleaner, wherein when the filter cleaner is positioned at a lowest position in a movement range in which the filter cleaner is able to move along the movement guider, a vertical level on an upper end of the filter cleaner is lower than a vertical level of a lower end of the filter assembly( Examiner notes figure 5 showing the power transmission device 390 extending to a position vertically lower than the filter element 42 when positioned in the filter cover 44, thereby providing a vertical level on an upper end of the filter cleaner 46 is lower than a vertical level of a lower end of the filter assembly).
With regards to claim 14, Chinese reference further teaches wherein the filter assembly comprises a filter module(filter 42) configured to remove foreign substances from flowing air, and a filter mounting member(filter cover 44) on which the filter module is mounted, wherein when the filter cleaner is positioned at the lowest position in the movement range in which the filter cleaner is able to move along the movement guider, a position of the filter module is changed so that a width position of the filter module is aligned with a frontward direction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-19 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 15 recites “wherein the movement guider comprises: a guide rail configured to guide movement of the filter cleaner; and a downward movement limiting part coming into contact with the filter cleaner when the filter cleaner is positioned at the lowest position in the movement range in which the filter cleaner is able to move along the movement guider. “. Chinese reference teaches a movement guider including a power transmission device, the power transmission device including fixed gears, and a downward movement limiting part, however Chinese reference does not teach or suggest a guide rail configured to guide movement of the filter cleaner. Claims 16-19 depend on claim 15 and hence would also be allowable upon incorporation of claim 15 into claim 13.
Claims 2-12 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 2 recites “an air conditioner comprising a cabinet assembly defining an external appearance of the air conditioner and having an air suction port formed therein; a filter assembly disposed at the air suction port to remove a foreign substance from air; and a filter cleaning assembly configured to remove the foreign substance from the filter assembly, wherein the filter cleaning assembly comprises: a filter cleaner configured to remove the foreign substance from the filter assembly; a movement guider configured to guide movement of the filter cleaner; and a power supply device configured to supply power to the filter cleaner, wherein the movement guider comprises: a guide rail configured to guide movement of the filter cleaner; and a downward movement limiting part configured to limit downward movement of the filter cleaner moving along the guide rail, wherein a distance from the downward movement limiting part to a lower end of the air suction port is greater than a vertical length of the filter cleaner.”.
Chinese reference teaches an air conditioner(para 0054 stating “an air conditioner according to this embodiment) comprising a cabinet assembly(main body 2) defining an external appearance of the air conditioner and having an air suction port(ai suction port 6) formed therein, a filter assembly(filter 42) disposed at the air suction port to remove a foreign substance from air, and a filter cleaning assembly configured to remove the foreign substance from the filter assembly, wherein the filter cleaning assembly comprises a filter cleaner(filter cleaning unit 46) configured to remove the foreign substance from the filter assembly), a movement guider(power transmission device 390) configured to guide movement of the filter cleaner, a power supply device(not shown but required for movement of the filter cleaner) configured to supply power to the filter cleaner. However Chinese reference does not teach or suggest wherein the movement guider comprises: a guide rail configured to guide movement of the filter cleaner; and a downward movement limiting part configured to limit downward movement of the filter cleaner moving along the guide rail, wherein a distance from the downward movement limiting part to a lower end of the air suction port is greater than a vertical length of the filter cleaner. Chinese reference teaches a movement guider including a power transmission device, the power transmission device including fixed gears , however Chinese reference does not teach or suggest a guide rail configured to guide movement of the filter cleaner.
Claims 3-12 depend on claim 2 and hence are also allowed.
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/ROBERT A HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
January 7, 2026