DETAILED ACTION
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 8 and 9 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 8 states that the pipes are connected to points “with the same water pressure inside the neck.” However, the pressure inside the neck is a process variable dependent on the manner of use of the apparatus. The claim defines the connection point locations based on a non-fixed variable and thus does not particularly define the apparatus such that one of ordinary skill in the art would have clear notice of the subject matter required of the claim and could reasonably determine if the claim would be infringed. Points along the neck may have the same water pressure during portions of a process but may have different pressures during other portions of a process.
Claim 9 is rejected due to its dependency on claim 8.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3, and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication 20230129622 by Yoon et al.
As to claim 1, Yoon discloses a laundry treating apparatus comprising a cabinet 102 (fig. 1); a tub 108 inside the cabinet (fig. 3); a drum 114 inside the tub; a water supply pipe 166 in the cabinet through which water from an external source 170 flows through; and a detergent pipe 168 in the cabinet, wherein detergent discharged from a storage 158 flows through the detergent pipe, wherein the water supply pipe includes a neck (within venturi pump 164) where a cross-sectional area decreases and then increases again along a flow direction of water, wherein the detergent pipe 168 is connected to the neck to provide detergent into the water supply pipe.
As to claim 3, Yoon discloses a detergent outlet 176 in the cabinet (fig. 3), the outlet connected to the water supply pipe downstream of the neck to receive water and detergent, wherein the detergent outlet 176 discharges water and detergent 178 into the tub.
As to claim 4, Yoon discloses that the water supply pipe 166 is connected to the tub and supplies water and detergent to the tub together (from outlet 176, fig. 3).
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.
Claims 2 and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 20230129622 by Yoon et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20060081016 by Hsu et al.
As to claim 2, Yoon teaches that the neck is connected to the detergent pipe 168 (fig. 3) but only schematically depicts the spatial arrangement of its neck and detergent storage 158. Thus, it does not explicitly teach that the neck is located downwardly (i.e. below in a vertical direction) of the detergent storage. However, Hsu teaches a laundry treating apparatus having a neck of a water supply pipe (venturi pump section) below a detergent storage 40 (fig. 6). One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that it would have been an obvious design choice to locate the neck downwardly of the detergent storage based on Hsu’s teachings that demonstrate success of such spatial arrangement. Therefore, the claimed invention would have been obvious at its effective filing date.
As to claim 5, Yoon does not teach a second detergent storage and a second detergent pipe. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to modify the apparatus taught by Yoon to have a second storage and a second pipe and connect the pipes to the neck of the water supply pipe. Hsu teaches a laundry treating apparatus having a plurality of detergent storages 40 and respective detergent pipes 47, 48, 49 connected to the neck portion of a water supply pipe venturi tube (fig. 7). Hsu teaches that this arrangement allows for automatic dispensing of various types of detergents, such as a detergent, fabric softener, and bleach (para. 40). One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to modify the apparatus taught by Yoon to have first and second detergent storages and respective detergent pipes arranged as claimed in order to allow for dispensing of different detergents during a washing cycle as desired. Therefore, the claimed invention would have been obvious at its effective filing date.
As to claim 6, Yoon does not teach a plurality of detergent pipes. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to have a plurality of pipes based on the teachings of Hsu discussed above. Hsu teaches that its plurality of detergent pipes 47, 48, 49 are spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal direction of the neck and are connected to the neck (fig. 7).
As to claim 7, Hsu teaches a plurality of detergent valves 32 respectively connected to detergent pipes 47, 48, 49 to regular detergent flows (fig. 7), wherein a least a portion of the neck extends parallel to an arrangement direction of the valves and is connected to the detergent pipes.
Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 20230129622 by Yoon et al. in view of CN112663295A by Ju et al.
As to claims 8 and 9, Yoon does not teach a plurality of detergent pipes and thus does not teach pipes connected to the neck at a same location on a longitudinal direction of the neck (where the water pressure would be presumed to be the same at each connection point). However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to modify the apparatus taught by Yoon to have a plurality of detergent pipes connected at the same longitudinal location along the neck. Ju teaches a laundry treating apparatus having a plurality of detergent pipes 20 connected to respective detergent storage boxes 40, each pipe 20 connected to the neck of a venturi section of a water supply pipe at the same longitudinal (axial) direction (para. 50). Ju teaches that this arrangement allows for providing different types of treatment agents and ensuring that each detergent pipe 40 can have the same suction force to deliver detergent (para. 50). One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to modify the apparatus taught by Yoon to have the detergent pipes and arrangement taught by Ju in order to have the ability to deliver different agents with the same suction force to ensure delivery. Therefore, the claimed invention would have been obvious at its effective filing date.
Claims 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 20230129622 by Yoon et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20120048306 by Pelkey et al.
As to claims 10 and 11, Yoon teaches a water supply valve 172 connected to the water supply pipe to regulate a flow of water (fig. 3), but does not teach a pressure regulator. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to modify the apparatus taught by Yoon to have a pressure regulator. Pelkey teaches a detergent delivery system for laundry treating apparatuses, the system including a water supply valve 56 (fig. 2) and a pressure regulator 64 connected to the water supply pipe between the valve and an aspirator assembly 12 where detergent is injected. Pelkey teaches that the pressure regulator allows gas to flow into the water supply pipe and blocks water inside the pipe from flowing out to resolve a negative pressure inside the pipe in order to prevent water backflow and allowing water to be delivered to the aspirator with sufficient pressure (para. 24). One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to modify the apparatus taught by Yoon to have the claimed pressure regulator in order to realize the benefits taught by Pelkey. Therefore, the claimed invention would have been obvious at its effective filing date.
Claims 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 20230129622 by Yoon et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200325610 by Chae et al.
As to claim 12, Yoon does not teach a detergent detector at a point of the water supply pipe downstream of the neck. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to modify the apparatus of Yoon to have a detergent detector in the claimed location. Chae teaches a laundry treating apparatus with a detergent delivery system, the apparatus having a detergent detector 900 in a water supply pipe downstream of a detergent addition means configured to determine whether detergent is present in the wash fluid (para. 79). Chae teaches that this allows for verification of detergent presence so that a washing course could be prevented from proceeding without detergent and problems can be detected (paras. 11-14). One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to modify the apparatus of Yoon to have a detergent detector in its water supply pipe downstream of the detergent pipe, which would be downstream of the neck, in order to detect the presence of detergent and operate the apparatus accordingly, as taught by Chae. Therefore, the claimed invention would have been obvious at its effective filing date.
As to claim 13, Chae teaches that its detergent detector includes a pair of electrodes exposed into its water supply pipe (paras. 17-21).
As to claim 14, Chae teaches a controller connected to the detergent detector and configured to determine whether detergent is present via a value measured by the pair of electrodes (paras. 231-234).
Conclusion
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/SPENCER E. BELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711