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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-12 in the reply filed on 12/05/2025 is acknowledged.
Claim 13-20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/05/2025.
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 nonobviousness.
Claims 1-6 & 9-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung (US20220112648A1) in view of Kim (KR20230108068A).
The applied reference Kim (KR20230108068A) has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).
As to claim 1, Jung discloses a detergent feeder embodied as a drawer (Figs.1 & 3-8 ref 100) comprising: a body having a storage portion (Fig.7 ref 200) comprising a storage space (Fig.7 ref 210) configured to store detergents, and a detergent connecting portion (Fig.7 ref 213) including a valve [0163] provided within the first body and configured to discharge a first detergent from a storage portion; a housing (Fig.4 ref 300) comprising a first chamber (see Fig.4 area bounded by refs 301 & 302) allowing the body to be withdrawably accommodated therein, and a chamber discharge portion (Fig.8 ref 310) configured to discharge the detergents and water to an outside of the storage unit [0097 & 0127-0128]; a detergent pump (Figs.3-4 ref 320) connected to the housing, the pump being configured to be connected to the discharge valve to move the detergent from the storage portion to the housing when the body is inserted into the first chamber [0117, 0126, & 0162-0163]; and a first flow passage (Figs.3 & 10-12 ref 442) providing a path for movement of water along a direction orthogonal to a withdrawal direction of the body to supply water to the first chamber [0089].
Jung does not disclose a second chamber defining a space separated from a first chamber and connected to the first chamber through a connecting flow passage; the detergent moved from the storage portion into the second chamber when the body is inserted into the first chamber; and a second flow passage branching from a first flow passage to supply water to the second chamber.
Kim discloses an art related washing machine (abstract), wherein it is shown that a detergent device (see Fig.3) is provided with a housing having a first chamber (ref 404) and a second chamber (ref 402) separate from the first chamber and connected to the first chamber via a connecting flow passage (see Figs.3-8). The second chamber receives detergent from a detergent storage unit [0119-0120 & 0124-0125] and the water diffusion unit (ref 500) includes a first flow path towards the first space, and a second flow path branching from the first flow path to the second chamber (see Fig.8). The configuration of Kim allows for the inclusion of a detergent sensor (ref 300) within the housing for detection of a plurality of detergents [0115-0116] and determination of the detergent being exhausted [0117-0118], while also ensuring the detergent sensor is cleaned to prevent malfunction [0015, 0106, & 0141].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Jung to provide a second chamber for the receipt of detergent from the storage portion, a detergent sensor, and provide the water supply portion with the branched second flow passage from the first flow passage to supply liquid to the second chamber having detergent in order to allow for detection of the detergent and ensure cleaning of the detergent sensor (Kim [0015, 0106, 0115-0118, & 0141]). Such a modification would also ensure detergent is provided into the second chamber when the drawer is inserted into the first chamber so that the detergent sensor can determine the presence of detergents.
As to claim 2, Modified Jung teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the second flow passage is configured to resupply water not supplied to the second chamber to the first flow passage (see Kim Fig.8, showcasing the branching flow path has multiple section through which water from second flow path can transition to first flow path).
As to claim 3, Modified Jung teaches the device of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of first outlets configured to discharge water inside the first flow passage to the first chamber, the first outlets being positioned on one side of the connecting flow passage (see Kim Fig.8 refs 502, e.g., left half of ref 500) and a plurality of second outlets configurated to discharge the water inside the first flow passage into the first chamber, the second outlets being positioned on an opposite side of the connecting flow passage (see Kim Fig.8 refs 502, e.g., right half of ref 500).
As to claim 4, Modified Jung teaches the device of claim 1, further comprising a first flow passage body fixed to the housing and defining a top surface of the first chamber and providing a space to define the first flow passage (see Kim Fig.3 & 8 portion of ref 500 which defines the first flow passage); and a second flow passage body (see Kim Figs.3 & 5-8, portion of ref 500 having ref 510 and including portion containing ref 442) integrally fixed to the first flow passage body, the second flow passage body dividing an inside of the second chamber into an upper space and a lower space and providing a space to define the second flow passage (see Kim Figs.5 & 7-8).
As to claim 5, Modified Jung teaches the device of claim 4, wherein a bottom surface of the first flow passage (see Kim Fig.8 area above ref 502) is positioned at a higher point than a bottom surface of the second flow passage (see Kim Fig.7 ref 442 defining bottom of second flow passage; also visible from Fig.3 showcasing that second chamber is disposed lower than first chamber thus second flow passage will be lower than the first).
As to claim 6, Modified Jung teaches the device of claim 4, wherein the second flow passage comprises: a second flow passage outlet (Kim Fig.5 ref 514) formed through the second flow passage body to connect the upper space and the lower space; a first branch flow passage provided in the second flow passage body and connected to the first flow passage, the first branch flow passage extending from the first flow passage toward the second chamber and a second branch flow passage provided in the second flow passage body to connect the first branch flow passage and the second flow passage outlet, the second branch flow passage extending toward the first flow passage (i.e., see Kim Fig.8 ref 512 defining a boundary on either side of which is a first and second branch flow passage which extend toward the second chamber and the first flow passage as well as connecting to each other to supply fluid to a respective second flow passage outlet).
As to claim 9, Modified Jung teaches the device of claim 6, wherein the second branch flow passage connects the first branch flow passage to the second chamber to allow water not supplied to the second chamber through the second flow passage outlet to be re-supplied to the first flow passage (see Kim Fig.8 two arrows to refs 514 defining first and second branch flow passages which allows for fluid from one branch to pass to the next branch and possibly to arrow leading into ref 502).
As to claim 10, Modified Jung teaches the device of claim 9, further comprising: a first guide provided in the second flow passage body to define the first and the second branch flow passages (see Kim Fig.8 see walls defining passages); and a second guide (see Kim Fig.8 unlabeled portion centrally positioned between first and second passages) positioned between the first flow passage and the second flow passage. However, assuming arguendo that Kim does not explicitly state such an element is a guide, Kim discloses the use of a flow guide rib (Fig.8 ref 512) is positioned between two separate flow paths in order to guide water flow [0146-0148]. Further, Jung also showcases the use of flow guide walls (Fig.12 ref 446) positioned between two flow passages for the guidance of water flow [0196-0198]. Thus, a skilled artisan would find it obvious to implement a second guide between the first and second passages in order to aid in guidance of the water flow as desired (Kim [0146-0148] & Jung [0196-0198]).
As to claim 11, Modified Jung teaches the device of claim 10, wherein Kim showcases that a guide rib may protrude from a bottom surface of the second branch flow passage (see Kim Figs.5 & 7-8) such that it protrudes upwardly at a higher point on the water flow surface (Kim ref 500). Accordingly, a skilled artisan would reasonably expect that the rib is higher than a bottom surface of a first flow passage due to its upwardly protruding shape. Further, Jung showcases that a guide wall may be provided with cut-outs (Jung Fig.12 ref 447). Thus, a skilled artisan would find the feature of the second guide protruding from the second flow passage to merely be a variation in the water guide design, which lengths the rib while also providing cut-outs in order to allow for communication between the flow passages.
As to claim 12, Modified Jung teaches the device of claim 10, wherein Kim showcases that a guide rib may protrude from a bottom surface of the second branch flow passage (see Kim Figs.5 & 7-8) such that it protrudes upwardly at a higher point on the water flow surface (Kim ref 500). Accordingly, a skilled artisan would reasonably expect that the rib is higher than a bottom surface of a first flow passage due to its upwardly protruding shape. Further, Jung showcases that a guide wall may be provided with cut-outs (Jung Fig.12 ref 447). Thus, a skilled artisan would find the feature of the second guide protruding from the second flow passage to merely be a variation in the water guide design, which lengths the rib while also providing cut-outs in order to allow for communication between the flow passages. The free end of the wall (i.e., top portion of rib ref 512) is between a bottom surface of the first flow passage and an upper end of the first guide (i.e., the upper end of ref 512 is lower than sidewalls defining the branch flow passages).
This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C.102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B); or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. See generally MPEP § 717.02.
Claim(s) 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung (US20220112648A1) in view of Kim (KR20230108068A) as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Tanaka (US20180057986A1) and Lee (US20140053614A1).
As to claims 7-8, Modified Jung teaches the device of claim 6, wherein the bottom surface of the first branch flow passage is positioned at a higher point than the second flow passage outlet (see Kim Figs.5 & 7-8 outlet ref 514 is positioned lower in order for liquid to drain through). Modified Jung does not disclose the bottom of the first flow passage being higher than a bottom surface of the first branch flow passage, and the second branch flow passage being inclined down toward the second flow passage outlet. However, such a feature would have been obvious in view of Tanaka and Lee.
Tanaka discloses an art related washing machine and water supply device (abstract), wherein it is known to provide downwardly inclined portions for a flow path extending to an outlet in order to allow for a stronger flow of water being discharged and greater splashing reach of said water [0022-0023 & 0080-0081].
Lee discloses an art related washing machine and detergent device (abstract), wherein it can be seen that a portion of a water channel located at a rear may inclined downwardly compared to a portion at a front of the water supply unit (see Fig.7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Jung to provide the first and second branch water portions with downwardly inclined portions leading to the second flow passage outlet in order to allow for stronger flow of discharged water and greater splashing reach of said water (Tanaka [0022-0023 & 0080-0081]) in order to ensure good flushing of the detergent as desired by Kim (see Kim [0015, 0106, & 0141]). Further, a skilled artisan recognizes that it is a known configuration in the art to provide rear portions of a water flow channel with a downward incline and lower portions (see Lee Fig.7). Accordingly, a skilled artisan would also find it obvious to provide such a configuration, as it is known in the art. It is in the purview of one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize one known flow channel configuration (i.e., downwardly inclined rear portions) in place of another with a reasonable expectation of success.
Conclusion
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/OMAIR CHAUDHRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711