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.
Claims 14, 15, 17, 19-25, and 27-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0245272 (Bocchino hereinafter) in view of US 2021/0262149 (Lee hereinafter).
Regarding claim 14, Bocchino teaches a laundry device and method of operation hat discloses an accommodator configured to accommodate clothes (Drum 14 in Figures 4); a circulation flow path configured to provide air discharged from the accommodator to the accommodator (Airflow path 32 to 24 to 20); a heat exchanger (Heat exchanger 26) including (i) a fan configured to cause the air to move along the circulation flow path (Fan 22), (ii) a first heat exchanger configured to cool the air in the circulation flow path (First exchanger 34 per ¶ 56-57), and (iii) a second heat exchanger configured to heat the air having passed through the first heat exchanger (Second exchanger 40 per ¶ 57); a storage configured to store condensate from the air passing through the first heat exchanger (Drain 38 channel per ¶ 74 and Figures 10-11); a drain tank configured to store the condensate (Drain tank being the condensate holding area by the pump 50); a washer (Washer 52 in Figure 4); a drain configured to discharge water from the storage (Drain from 296 in Figure 20 with ¶ 91); a flow path controller (Controller 58 per ¶ 90-99) including (i) a housing configured to receive the water from the drain (Housing of 58 in Figure 20-23), (ii) a washer water pipe that connects the housing to the washer (Washer pipe 292/294), (iii) a tank water pipe that connects the housing to the drain tank (Pipe 290 in Figure 20), and (iv) a disk that is rotatably provided inside the housing and defines a disk through hole (Valve 272 with hole 282 per ¶ 90), the disk through hole being configured to sequentially open the washer water pipe and the tank water pipe based on rotation of the disk (Figures 22-23 with ¶ 90-91); and a position detector configured to detect a position of the disk through hole (Detector 278 per ¶ 90), the method comprising: supplying air to the accommodator by operating the heat exchanger (Inherent operation of the laundry device shown in Figure 4); while supplying the air to the accommodator, executing a control command for moving the disk through hole to (i) a first position at which the washer water pipe is opened (Figure 22 and Figure 18) or (ii) a second position at which the tank water pipe is opened (Figure 23 and Figure 18); and determining, through the position detector, whether the disk through hole is positioned at a position corresponding to the control command (¶ 90).
Bocchino is silent with respect to a washer configured to wash the first heat exchanger by spraying water to the first heat exchanger.
However, Lee teaches a laundry treating apparatus that discloses a washer configured to wash the first heat exchanger by spraying water to the first heat exchanger (Figure 4 shows the washer from 631 and the equivalent valve 63 to 58 of Bocchino).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the washer system of Bocchino with the heat exchanger washer of Lee to allow for cleaning of the heat exchanger.
Regarding claim 15,Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 14 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose that based on determining that the disk through hole is not positioned at the position corresponding to the control command, rotating the disk by supplying an overcurrent to a motor configured to rotate the disk (¶ 90 of Bocchino).
Regarding claim 17, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 15 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose that after rotating the disk by supplying the overcurrent to the motor, repeating execution of the control command for rotating the disk and determination of the position of the disk through hole (During normal operation, the cycling of valve position is taught and shown in Figure 18); and based on determining that the disk through hole is not positioned at the position corresponding to the control command after repeating the execution of the control command, rotating the disk by supplying the overcurrent to the motor again (Inherent corrective operation from Bocchino to ensure that the valve is correctly positioned).
Regarding claim 19, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 14 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose that determining whether a water level in the storage reaches a preset reference water level (¶ 149 of Bocchino); and based on determining that the water level reaches the preset reference water level, executing the control command and determining the position of the disk through hole (¶ 149).
Regarding claim 20, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 19 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose that the preset reference water level is predetermined for washing the first heat exchanger (Resultant combination of the control of Bocchino and the washer location of Lee).
Regarding claim 21, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 14 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose that the position detector includes a magnet fixed to the disk (Hall sensor of Bocchino ¶ 90), and wherein the method further comprises detecting magnetic force of the magnet while the disk rotates to thereby determine the position of the disk through hole (¶ 90 of Bocchino).
Regarding claim 22, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 14 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose that the housing comprises a housing cover that defines a plurality of supply inlets that are configured to face the disk through hole based on rotation of the disk (Figures 20-21 of Bocchino), and wherein the method further comprises: supplying the water from the housing to the washer water pipe based on the disk through hole being disposed at the first position and facing one of the plurality of supply inlets (Figure 22 with control of Bocchino ¶ 90-99); and supplying the water from the housing to the tank water pipe based on the disk through hole being disposed at the second position and facing another of the plurality of supply inlets (Figure 23 with control of Bocchino ¶ 90-99).
Regarding claim 23, Bocchino teaches a laundry device and method of operation hat discloses an accommodator configured to accommodate clothes (Drum 14 in Figures 4); a circulation flow path configured to provide air discharged from the accommodator to the accommodator (Airflow path 32 to 24 to 20); a heat exchanger (Heat exchanger 26) including (i) a fan configured to cause the air to move along the circulation flow path (Fan 22), (ii) a first heat exchanger configured to cool the air in the circulation flow path (First exchanger 34 per ¶ 56-57), and (iii) a second heat exchanger configured to heat the air having passed through the first heat exchanger (Second exchanger 40 per ¶ 57); a storage configured to store condensate from the air passing through the first heat exchanger (Drain 38 channel per ¶ 74 and Figures 10-11); a drain tank configured to store the condensate (Drain tank being the condensate holding area by the pump 50); a washer (Washer 52 in Figure 4); a drain configured to discharge water from the storage (Drain from 296 in Figure 20 with ¶ 91); a flow path controller (Controller 58 per ¶ 90-99) including (i) a housing configured to receive the water from the drain (Housing of 58 in Figure 20-23), (ii) a washer water pipe that connects the housing to the washer (Washer pipe 292/294), (iii) a tank water pipe that connects the housing to the drain tank (Pipe 290 in Figure 20), and (iv) a disk that is rotatably provided inside the housing and defines a disk through hole (Valve 272 with hole 282 per ¶ 90), the disk through hole being configured to sequentially open the washer water pipe and the tank water pipe based on rotation of the disk (Figures 22-23 with ¶ 90-91); and a position detector configured to detect a position of the disk through hole (Detector 278 per ¶ 90), the method comprising: determining whether a water level in the storage reaches a preset reference water level (¶ 149 of Bocchino); and based on determining that the water level reaches the preset reference water level, executing the control command and determining the position of the disk through hole (¶ 149); supplying air to the accommodator by operating the heat exchanger (Inherent operation of the laundry device shown in Figure 4); while supplying the air to the accommodator, based on determining that the water level reaches the preset reference water level while supplying the air to the accommodator, performing a drainage operation for moving the condensate from the storage to the drain tank by controlling the flow path controller and the drain (Figure 18 when 296 is open to per ¶ 93); measuring the water level after the drainage operation is completed (¶ 149); based on the water level measured after the drainage operation reaching the preset reference water level within a preset reference time, executing a control command for moving the disk through hole to (i) a first position at which the washer water pipe is opened (Figure 22 and Figure 18) or (ii) a second position at which the tank water pipe is opened (Figure 23 and Figure 18); and determining, through the position detector, whether the disk through hole is positioned at a position corresponding to the control command (¶ 90).
Bocchino is silent with respect to a washer configured to wash the first heat exchanger by spraying water to the first heat exchanger.
However, Lee teaches a laundry treating apparatus that discloses a washer configured to wash the first heat exchanger by spraying water to the first heat exchanger (Figure 4 shows the washer from 631 and the equivalent valve 63 to 58 of Bocchino).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the washer system of Bocchino with the heat exchanger washer of Lee to allow for cleaning of the heat exchanger.
Regarding claim 24, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 23 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose that based on determining that the disk through hole is not positioned at the position corresponding to the control command, rotating the disk by supplying an overcurrent to a motor configured to rotate the disk (¶ 90 of Bocchino).
Regarding claim 25, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 24 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose that after rotating the disk by supplying the overcurrent to the motor, repeating execution of the control command and determination of the position of the disk through hole (During normal operation, the cycling of valve position is taught and shown in Figure 18); and based on determining that the disk through hole is not positioned at the position corresponding to the control command after repeating the execution of the control command, rotating the disk by supplying the overcurrent to the motor again (Inherent corrective operation from Bocchino to ensure that the valve is correctly positioned).
Regarding claim 27, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 24 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose stopping an operation of the fan based on determining that the disk through hole is positioned at the position corresponding to the control command (¶ 91-91 when the disk is in the sensed correct position); and performing the drainage operation after stopping the operation of the fan (Figure 18 when the draining step is set).
Regarding claim 28, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 27 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose that measuring the water level based on completing the drainage operation after stopping the operation of the fan (¶ 113 of Bocchino); based on the water level measured after completion of the operation of the drain reaching the preset reference water level within the preset reference time, displaying (i) a failure of the drain or (ii) a request to empty the drain tank (¶ 113 of Bocchino)
Regarding claim 29, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 23 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose that the position detector includes a magnet fixed to the disk (Hall sensor in Bocchino ¶ 90), and wherein the method further comprises detecting magnetic force of the magnet while the disk rotates to thereby determine the position of the disk through hole (¶ 90 of Bocchino).
Regarding claim 30, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 23 where the combination of Bocchino and Lee would further disclose that the housing comprises a housing cover that defines a plurality of supply inlets that are configured to face the disk through hole based on rotation of the disk (Figures 20-21 of Bocchino), and wherein the method further comprises: supplying the water from the housing to the washer water pipe based on the disk through hole being disposed at the first position and facing one of the plurality of supply inlets (Figure 22 with control of Bocchino ¶ 90-99); and supplying the water from the housing to the tank water pipe based on the disk through hole being disposed at the second position and facing another of the plurality of supply inlets (Figure 23 with control of Bocchino ¶ 90-99).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0245272 (Bocchino) in view of US 2021/0262149 (Lee) and further in view of US 2017/0067235 (Christiansen hereinafter).
Regarding claim 16, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 16 but are silent with respect to rotating the disk by supplying the overcurrent to the motor comprises: alternately rotating the disk in a clockwise rotation and in a counterclockwise rotation.
However, Christiansen teaches a diverter valve and the control scheme that discloses operating a diverter valve with an alternating motor (¶ 40). The resultant combination would be such that rotating the disk by supplying the overcurrent to the motor comprises: alternately rotating the disk in a clockwise rotation and in a counterclockwise rotation.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the motor of Bocchino’s diverter valve with the motor control of Christiansen via simple substitution to obtain the well-known and predictable result of controlling the position of the valve disk.
Claims 18 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0245272 (Bocchino) in view of US 2021/0262149 (Lee) and further in view of US 2016/0077531 (Kucera hereinafter).
Regarding claim 18, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 17 but are silent with respect to determining a number of performances of rotating the disk by supplying the overcurrent to the motor; and notifying a user of a failure of the flow path controller based on the number of performances being greater than or equal to a preset reference number.
However, Kucera teaches a valve monitoring system that discloses determining a number of performances of rotating the disk by supplying the overcurrent to the motor (¶ 60); and notifying a user of a failure of the flow path controller based on the number of performances being greater than or equal to a preset reference number (¶ 60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the control of Bocchino with the monitoring and alert system of Kucera to allow for the user to be aware of failures.
Regarding claim 26, Bocchino’s modified teachings are described above in claim 25 but are silent with respect to determining a number of performances of rotating the disk by supplying the overcurrent to the motor; and notifying a user of a failure of the flow path controller based on the number of performances being greater than or equal to a preset reference number.
However, Kucera teaches a valve monitoring system that discloses determining a number of performances of rotating the disk by supplying the overcurrent to the motor (¶ 60); and notifying a user of a failure of the flow path controller based on the number of performances being greater than or equal to a preset reference number (¶ 60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the control of Bocchino with the monitoring and alert system of Kucera to allow for the user to be aware of failures.
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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