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 § 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.
Claim 20 isrejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021/137389 (Kim hereinafter) in view of US 4570360 (Nakagomi hereinafter).
Regarding claim 20, Kim teaches a shoe care device that discloses an inner cabinet configured to accommodate a shoe therein (Figures 1-3 with cabinet 10 and the inherent inner space); a steam generator configured to supply steam into the inner cabinet (Steam generator per “The shoe manager may further include a water supply tank (not shown), a steam generator (not shown), and a steam injection device (not shown). The water supply container may be disposed at the lower portion of the shoe care room 30 . Water from the water supply tank may be supplied to a steam generator and used to form steam. The water supply tank may be installed detachably from the body to facilitate water replenishment.”); an inlet configured to allow air to be sucked from the inner cabinet (Inlet at 31 in Figure 3); a first nozzle located inside the inner cabinet, the first nozzle being configured to be inserted into the shoe to spray at least one of steam and air into the shoe (First nozzle being 51 or 52 in Figures 4/5 is configured to blow at least air into the shoe); a connecting passage connecting the inlet to the first nozzle (Connecting passage from 31 to 50 as seen in Figure 3); a blowing fan located at the connecting passage, the blowing fan being configured to blow air from the inlet toward the first nozzle (Fan/blower 44); and a dehumidifier located at the connecting passage, the dehumidifier being configured to dehumidify the blown air (Heat exchanger 47 per “The heat exchanger 47 may be provided to dehumidify and heat the air inside the shoe care room 30 as necessary.”).
Kim is silent with respect to a dehumidifying material located at the connecting passage, the dehumidifying material being configured to dehumidify the blown air.
However, Nakagomi teaches a dehumidifying system that discloses the use of a dehumidifying material (Material in 14 and 15 within flow passages shown in Figure 1). The resultant combination would incorporate the dehumidifying material of Nakagomi into the connecting passage of Kim to assist in removing moisture from the air taken in from the cabinet.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the connecting passage of Kim with the dehumidifying material of Nakagomi to allow for moisture to be removed from the air passively when the heat exchanger of Kim is not on or needed.
Claims 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 37, 38, and 39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021/137389 (Kim) in view of US 4570360 (Nakagomi) and further in view of KR 10-2166463 (Kang hereinafter).
Regarding claim 21, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 20 where the combination of Kim and Nakagomi would further disclose that the first nozzle has at least one spray hole located at an end of the first nozzle (Holes 51a or 52a of the respective nozzle 51/52).
Kim is silent with respect that the first nozzle being configured to be adjustable to control a direction in which the at least one spray hole is inserted into the shoe.
However, Kang teaches a shoe drying system that discloses a first nozzle being configured to be adjustable to control a direction in which the at least one spray hole is inserted into the shoe (Figure 5 shows an adjustable nozzle via hinge 36 for entering a shoe). The resultant combination would be such that the nozzles 51 and 52 of Kim would be adjustable in a similar manner as shown in Figure 5 of Kang.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the nozzles of Kim with the adjustability of Kang to allow for easy storage and shoe size adaptability.
Regarding claim 22, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 21 where the combination of Kim, Nakagomi, and Kang would further disclose that the first nozzle is configured to spray steam and air into the shoe when the first nozzle is inserted into the shoe from above the shoe (Resultant combination of Kim and Kang).
Regarding claim 24, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 21 where the combination of Kim and Kang further discloses that the at least one spray hole includes a pair of spray holes on opposite sides of the end of the first nozzle to face in opposite directions from each other (Figures 3-5 shows the plurality of spray holes).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the single sided spray holes of Kim with the dual sided spray holes of Kang to allow for increased airflow inside the shoe.
Regarding claim 25, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 20 where the combination of Kim and Nakagomi would further disclose a first nozzle duct protruding inside the inner cabinet (Duct from 70 to the outlet of 50 in Figures 3-5 of Kim), the first nozzle duct defining a portion of the connecting passage (A portion of the duct forms the described connecting passage between 31 and 50).
Kim is silent with respect to wherein the first nozzle is hinge-coupled to the first nozzle duct.
However, Kang teaches a shoe drying system that discloses a first nozzle is hinge-coupled to the first nozzle duct (Figures 3-5 of Kang shoes the hinge 36).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the nozzle assembly of Kim with the hinge of Kang to allow for variable mounting spaces for shoes.
Regarding claim 26, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 25 where the combination of Kim and Kang would further disclose that the first nozzle duct is hinge-coupled to the inner cabinet (Hinge 36 of Kang in Figure 5 as applied to 50 of Kim).
Regarding claim 27, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 26 where the combination of Kim and Kang would further disclose that the first nozzle duct protrudes from one upper side of the inner cabinet (Evident from Figures 1-3 of Kim).
Regarding claim 28, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 26 where the combination of Kim and Kang would further disclose a holder located on an upper portion of the inner cabinet, the holder being configured to releasably hold the first nozzle duct (Under the broadest reasonable interpretation, the connection point at 50 and 60 of Kim reads on the required holder when assembling the shoe treatment cabinet).
Regarding claim 30, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 26 where the combination of Kim and Kang would further disclose a first rotation-angle adjuster connecting the first nozzle duct to the inner cabinet (Hinge 36 of Kang).
Regarding claim 31, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 30 where the combination of Kim and Kang would further disclose that the first rotation-angle adjuster includes a cogwheel to selectively position the first nozzle duct inside the inner cabinet (Hinge 36 of Kang is broadly seen as a cogwheel per Figure 5).
Regarding claim 32, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 26 where the combination of Kim and Kang would further disclose a second rotation-angle adjuster connecting the first nozzle duct and the first nozzle (Hinge 36 of Kang as applied to the individual nozzle 51 of Kim).
Regarding claim 33, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 25 where the combination of Kim and Kang would further disclose a second nozzle hinge-coupled to the first nozzle duct, the second nozzle being spaced apart from the first nozzle (Hinge 36 of Kang as applied to the nozzle 52 of Kim).
Regarding claim 34, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 25 where the combination of Kim and Kang would further disclose a distribution housing extending in a first direction inside the inner cabinet (60 of Kim in Figure 3), the distribution housing defining a portion of the connection passage configured to form a portion of the connecting passage (Evident from Figure 3 of Kim); and a second nozzle duct extending inside the inner cabinet, the second nozzle duct being spaced from the first nozzle duct (Ducting leading towards 52 of Kim from 60/70 of Kim), wherein the first nozzle duct and the second nozzle duct are connected to the distribution housing (Inherent of Kim).
Regarding claim 35, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 34 where the combination of Kim and Kang would further disclose a dry air duct defining a portion of the connecting passage (Ducting along 70 of Kim), the dry air duct being coupled to a first portion of the distribution housing (Evident form Figure 3 of Kim), the dry air duct being configured to guide air passing through the dehumidifying material to the distribution housing (Passage from 70 through 60 to 50 of Kim).
Regarding claim 37, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 20 where the combination of Kim, Nakagomi, and Kang would further disclose a heater configured to heat the dehumidifying material (Heater 16 of Nakagomi per Column 1 Line 57 through Column 2 Line 1); and a regeneration passage, the regeneration passage being configured such that air passing through the dehumidifying material is blown to a portion of the shoe care device other than the first nozzle while the dehumidifying material is heated (Passage 103 with opening 106 in Figure 3 of Kim as well as any of the other chambers of Kim).
Regarding claim 38, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 37 where the combination of Kim, Nakagomi, and Kang would further disclose a dehumidifying material housing located at the connecting passage (housing containing the dehumidifying material of Nakagomi as applied along the passage from 31 to 70 of Kim), the dehumidifying material and the heater being located in the dehumidifying material housing (Inherent combination of Kim and Nakagomi).
Regarding claim 39, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 37 where the combination of Kim, Nakagomi, and Kang would further disclose that the connecting passage includes a pair of branched passages, wherein the dehumidifying material is provided as a pair of dehumidifying materials, each dehumidifying material of the pair of dehumidifying materials being arranged in a corresponding branched passage of the pair of branched passages (Nakagomi in Figure 1 shows two distinct sets of dehumidifying material in 14/15 with the heater 17).
Nakagomi is silent with respect that the heater is provided as a pair of heaters, each heater of the pair of heaters being configured to heat a corresponding dehumidifying material of the pair of dehumidifying materials.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to duplicate the heater of Nakagomi to give each dehumidifying material its own heater, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v Bemis Co. 193 USPQ 8.
Claim 36 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021/137389 (Kim) in view of US 4570360 (Nakagomi) in view of KR 10-2166463 (Kang) and further in view of CN 108478163 (Zhou hereinafter).
Regarding claim 36, Kim’s modified teachings are described above in claim 35 but are silent with respect to a steam inlet in a second portion of the distribution housing, and wherein the steam generator is connected to the steam inlet.
However, Zhou teaches a shoe treatment device that discloses a steam inlet in a portion of a distribution housing, and wherein the steam generator is connected to the steam inlet (Figure 2 with steam generator 2 and distribution housings being the tubing from 2 towards the shoes). The resultant combination would take the not shown steam generator of Kim and place the steam generator such that a steam inlet in a second portion of the distribution housing, and wherein the steam generator is connected to the steam inlet.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the steam system of Nakagomi with the teachings of Zhou to ensure steam is routed to the shoes when required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 23 and 29 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 23 recites “wherein the first nozzle is configured to spray only air into the shoe when the first nozzle is inserted into the shoe from below the shoe.” The current combination would require additional programing with additional sensors to detect not only the position of the shoe but then to change flow pattern. This would require at least one more reference which is not obvious in the Examiner’s point of view.
Claim 29 recites “the holder includes: a holding base located on the upper portion of the inner cabinet; and a holding wall protruding downwards from the holding base, the holding wall having a holding protrusion, and wherein the first nozzle duct includes a holding groove corresponding to the holding protrusion of the holding wall.” Applicant uses claim 29 to further clarify the structure of the holder previously introduced and any further modifications would require extensive modifications to Kim that would not be obvious in the Examiner’s view point.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CONNOR J. TREMARCHE whose telephone number is (571)272-2175. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 0700-1700 Eastern.
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/CONNOR J TREMARCHE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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