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 § 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.
Claim 31 is 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 31 recites the limitation “opposite to” but does not state a reference point or surface or location which the members are opposite to each other in reference to. Appropriate correction is required.
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(s) 16-17, 23-32, 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakano (JP H0835769) in view of Liu (US 2014/0340879).
Regarding claim 16, Nakano (hereafter “D1”) discloses a shoe care apparatus (drying cabinet 1 for shoes A) comprising: an accommodation space (shoe storage chamber 8 - main interior space which receives shoes A) for accommodating shoes therein (figure 1); a first body (outer case 2) including an air flow channel (at/between bottom plate 23 and suction port 31) connected to the accommodation space (at bottom plate 23 – figure 2); a second body (at shoe storage box 5 – figure 4), the first body and the second body being configured to define the accommodation space (figure 2); a blower (fan unit 18 or fan 20) configured to circulate air in the accommodation space and the air flow channel (fan 20 outside air into the shoe storage chamber 8). D1 does not teach a transparent window or a first light along an air flow channel.
Liu (hereafter “D2”) discloses lighting units (41) in/on a lower surface of an upper body of a showcase unit ([0023]) and a transparent (abstract) front window plate (32) for viewing items in the showcase.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to add a lighting unit taught by D2 in the upper (first) body space (between fan 20 and accommodation portion 22) of D1 such that a portion of the air flow channel extends along a portion of a perimeter of the first light and to utilize a transparent material for front (and sides) of body of D1 for the purpose of accommodating user viewing of items in the device of D1.
Regarding claim 17, D1 as modified discloses wherein the air flow channel includes a suction port (31) and a discharge port (breathable bottom plate 23) on opposite sides of the first light (as modified added light is added between 31 and 23 – figure 1).
Regarding claim 23, D1 as modified discloses wherein the first body (2) further includes an upper body defining a top surface of the accommodation space (figure 4), the upper body having an upper space separated from the accommodation space (upper space of 2 is separated from 8 by inner frame 4 – figure 4), wherein the air flow channel (in/through frame 4) is located above the accommodation space, and wherein the air flow channel is separated from the upper space (space outside of air flow path).
Regarding claim 24, D1 as modified discloses a heater (17/25) configured to heat the air moving along the air flow channel; and a controller (at least heater switch) configured to control a temperature of the heater.
Regarding claim 25, D1 as modified discloses wherein the heater (17) comprises: a heating wire (17a); and a heat dissipation member coupled to the heating wire, the heat dissipation member being in contact with the air moving along the air flow channel (figure 6 shows heater arrangement).
Regarding claim 26, D1 as modified discloses wherein the air flow channel (at fan 20) includes a first spacing projection (at bottom plate 16) on a first inner surface of the air flow channel to space the heat dissipation member from the first inner surface of the air flow channel (figure 2).
Regarding claim 27-28, D1 as modified discloses wherein the heat dissipation member (at 17a/b/c) comprises a first heat dissipation plate (17a) having a plurality of winding holes (formed in 17c – figure 6) through which the heating wire is wound.
Regarding claim 29, D1 as modified discloses wherein the upper body (at/above frame 4) comprises an upper bottom plate (bottom of 4) configured to separate the upper space from the accommodation space (8) (figure 4), the upper bottom plate defining the first inner surface of the air flow channel (at 23), and wherein the first spacing projection (at bottom plate 16 of fan support) extends parallel to a portion of air flow in the air flow channel.
Regarding claim 30, D1 as modified discloses wherein the air flow channel (portion of channel flowing through to accommodation space) further includes a second spacing projection (at 23) on a second inner surface of air flow channel (figure 2), and wherein the heat dissipation member further comprises a second heat dissipation plate (cauterizing plate of heater 25 – from translation) arranged parallel to the second inner surface of the air flow channel, the second heat dissipation plate being in contact with the second spacing projection (figure 2).
Regarding claim 31, as best understood, D1 as modified discloses wherein the first inner surface of the air flow channel is opposite the second inner surface of the air flow channel (figure 2).
Regarding claim 32 and 34, D1 as modified discloses wherein the upper body (at 2) further comprises a first external cabinet (figure 1) configured to separate the upper space from an outside of the shoe care apparatus, and wherein the second inner surface of the air flow channel (at 23) includes an isolation projection (boundary of frame 4 at side of 22/23 – figure 2) configured to surround an edge of the second heat dissipation plate (at 25).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-22, 33, 35 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 an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art of record does not disclose or suggest any combination meeting the limitations of the independent claim(s). Specifically, D1 in view of D2 does not teach at least the claimed turntable or suction port and discharge port in bottom plate or insertion housing and the prior art documents of record do not suggest a modification to meet these limitations.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See notice of references cited form PTO-892. References not applied but cited are relevant as disclosing or suggesting at least one feature in the claims or disclosure of the present application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK D HAWN whose telephone number is (571)270-5320. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9-6.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Liu can be reached at 5712728227. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PATRICK D HAWN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631
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