DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 non-obviousness.
Claims 1,12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiao et al (CN104990371) in view of Jaworski et al (US6478440B1) and further in view of Shindo et al (WO2017077671).
Xiao teaches:
Regarding claim 1, a sealed container (1, Fig.2) with heating-regeneration and drying-dehumidifying functions, comprising:
a body (1, Fig. 2);
a drying device (3, Fig.2) provided in the body
a sealing structure (12, Fig 6 & 7) provided around the body;
a heating device (PTC 8, Fig 6 & 7) provided in the body or the drying device and electrically connected;
Xiao teaches the invention as discussed above but is silent regarding:
Claim 1, wherein one of the body and the drying device is provided with a groove, and the groove is provided with an exhaust port and an inlet port on a wall thereof; an electrical connection portion provided on the wall of the groove; a sealing cover provided in the groove; wherein when the sealing cover is removed from the groove, the electrical connection portion is used for a power cord
Claim 12, wherein the drying device is detachable from the body.
Claim 14, the sealed container according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator which is provided in the groove.
Jaworski teaches:
Regarding claim 1 wherein one of the body and the drying device is provided with a groove (11, 20 Figs. 2 & 7, see Jaworski), and the groove is provided with an exhaust port (5, Fig. 1 & 2, see Jaworski) and an inlet port (4, Fig. 1 & 2, see Jaworski) on a wall thereof; an electrical connection portion (3, 12, Fig. 5, see Jaworski) provided on the wall of the groove; a heating device (8, Fig.7, see Jaworski) provided in the body or the drying device and electrically connected to the electrical connection portion.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filled to have Xiao’s housing substituted with Jaworski’s housing because substituting of one known element for another would have yielded predictable result of housing the heating element and drying element.
Regrading claim 12, Jaworski teaches wherein the drying device is detachable from the body (in combination these references teach that drying device of Xiao placed in the body of Jaworski would’ve been capable to be detached and removed from the groove 11 (see Jaworski Fig. 3)).
Consequently, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filled to have the drying device of Xiao’s invention placed in Jaworski’s slot 6 to receive the drying device which may be removed and replaced in the cartridge modified grammatically in order to mention that the device is detachable.
Regarding claim 14, Jaworski teaches the sealed container according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator light (7, Fig. 2, see Jaworski), which is provided in the groove (10, Fig. 3, see Jaworski) and is used to indicate whether the heating device is in a heating state or a cooling state.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have Xiao invention modified with Jaworski’s indicator light in the groove in order to improve the user’s interaction with the device as well as to provide immediate visual feedback about the device’s status; which is knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill.
Xiao in view of Jaworski teaches the invention as discussed above, but is silent about a sealing cover provided in the groove; wherein when the sealing cover is removed from the groove, the electrical connection portion is used for a power cord to be inserted therein and to supply power to the heating device, and the heating device is used to heat the drying device.
However, Shindo et al teaches:
Regarding claim 1 a sealing cover (10,11, Fig. 4) provided in the groove (23, Fig. 4); the electrical connection portion is used for a power cord (31, Fig. 7) to be inserted therein and to supply power. (Note; main housing 20 of Jaworski would have been modified slightly by Shindo to have an indention where receptacle 3 is located as well as aligning the indention with the front cover 2)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filled to have Xiao in view of Jaworski’s invention modified with the Shindo’s receptacle in the groove with cover in order to provide reliable sealing of the electrical connection portion and a power cord to be inserted therein for power supplying purposes. In addition, having the sealing cover in the groove for the electrical connection portion as taught by Shindo would have helped with waterproof and dustproof performances. As well as making sure that the receptacle is not exposed while it is plugged into a wall outlet by means of plug 12.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiao (CN104990371) in view of Jaworski (US6478440B1) and Shindo (WO2017077671) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Higashimoto et al. (JP2002346333).
Xiao in view of Jaworski and Shindo teaches the invention as discussed above but is silent about the sealed container according to claim 1, further comprising a labeling portion, which is provided on the body or the drying device.
Higashimoto teaches:
Regarding claim 13, the sealed container according to claim 1, further comprising a labeling portion (4, Fig. 1, see Higashimoto), which is provided on the body or the drying device and is used to indicate whether the drying device is in a dry state or a hygroscopic state.
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have Xiao in view of Jaworski and Shindo’s invention modified with Higashimoto’s indicator with blue and pink labels for indicating the hygroscopic state and the regeneration state of the hygroscopic substance. The known potential solution of a labeling portion which is provided on the body or the drying device in order to tell the user what state the dehumidifier is in, could have been pursued by one of ordinary skill in the art with a reasonable expectation of success.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over unpatentable over Xiao (CN104990371) in view of Jaworski (US6478440B1) and Shindo (WO2017077671) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Shiro Nishimoto et al (JP2711722B2).
Xiao in view of Jaworski and Shindo teaches the invention discussed above but is silent about the sealed container according to claim 1, further comprising a fan, which is provided in the body, close to the exhaust port; wherein the body has a surrounding wall on an inner wall thereof, the surrounding wall is located between the exhaust port and the inlet port.
Shiro teaches:
Regarding claim 15, the sealed container according to claim 1, further comprising a fan (10, Fig. 2, see Shiro), which is provided in the body, close to the exhaust port (9, Fig.2, see Shiro); wherein the body has a surrounding wall on an inner wall ( 16, 19, & 15, Fig. 1, see Shiro) thereof, the surrounding wall (16, Fig.1, see Shiro) is located between the exhaust port(9, Fig. 2, see Shiro) and the inlet port (8, Fig. 2, see Shiro) and is used to separate the exhaust port from the inlet port.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have Xiao in view of Jaworski and Shindo’s invention modified with Shiro’s invention to incorporate an electrically connected fan close to the exhaust port of a dehumidifier; to direct and manage the warm, moist air that is vented out of the unit during operation and thus improve dehumidification.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 – 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the partitions provided in the pedestal and divide inside of the pedestal into a plurality of compartments; the base is provided in the accommodating tank and has an upper chamber; a lower chamber and the groove was not found in any single piece of art and was not obvious over any reasonable combination of pieces of art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Li (CN102200371) teaches a sealed box is for absorbing device, especially hygroscopic for dehumidifying and drying device with automatic regeneration function. Wang et al (CN217283241) teaches a humidifying device with DC power interface is provided with an indicating lamp, when the DC power interface is connected with the power supply. Takahiko Saito (JP3959483) teaches a dehumidifier having a plurality of passages through which air passes, having a reversible moisture absorption / release function and placed in a stationary state, and a blower for passing air through the passages of the dehumidifiers. Han (WO2016144020) best mode section teaches medicine container having plurality of independent spaces, cover plate, the receiving space and the plurality of micro holes. Ushida et al (JP2004306005) teaches a cleaning and drying apparatus with a plurality of desiccants.
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/HERVE DEREK SHYAKA/Examiner, Art Unit 3762
/HELENA KOSANOVIC/Supervisory Patent Examiner,
Art Unit 3762
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