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 Objections
Claims 1-15 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “configured to supply heated air into the tub to be discharge from the tub through the air outlet” which should be “configured to supply heated air into the tub to be discharged from the tub through the air outlet”
Claims 2-15 are objected to for being dependent form an objected to claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 8-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2020/0332448 (Hahm hereinafter).
Regarding claim 1, Ham teaches a washing machine with a condensation duct system (Figures 1, 2, 19) that discloses a cabinet (Cabinet 10); a tub inside the cabinet and having an air outlet (Tub 20 with air outlet 120); a drying device above the tub and configured to supply heated air into the tub to be discharge from the tub through the air outlet (Drying device the heater 230 in Figures 2-4); a condensation duct that connects the air outlet to the drying device to guide the heated air discharged from the tub through the air outlet to the drying device (Condensation duct 100 in Figure 19); and a water feed pipe connected to an upper portion of the condensation duct and configured to supply water into the condensation duct to cool the heated air so that moisture in the heated air condenses (Water from feed pipe 160 per Figures 5, 6, and 19), wherein the condensation duct includes a middle scattering protrusion on a middle of an inner surface of a side surface of the condensation duct to scatter water supplied into the condensation duct by the water feed pipe and flowing along the inner surface (Middle scattering portion 180’ in Figure 19), and a lower scattering protrusion on the inner surface below the middle scattering protrusion to scatter water supplied into the condensation duct by the water feed pipe and flowing along the inner surface downward past the middle scattering protrusion (Lower scattering protrusion 181/183 in Figure 19 before 181’).
Regarding claim 8, Hahm’s teachings are described above in claim 1 where Hahm would further disclose that a portion of the inner surface between the middle scattering protrusion and the lower scattering protrusion has a V-shaped cross-section (Evident of Figure 19 of Hahm).
Regarding claim 9, Hahm’s teachings are described above in claim 8 where Hahm further discloses that the middle scattering protrusion has a V-shaped bent bar shape (Evident of Figure 19).
Regarding claim 10, Hahm’s teachings are described above in claim 9 where Hahm further discloses a guide protrusion at a center of a V of the V-shaped bent bar shape, and between the middle scattering protrusion and the lower scattering protrusion to guide water flowing along the inner surface downward past the middle scattering protrusion towards the lower scattering protrusion (Under the broadest reasonable interpretation, the slight extension from the vertical part of 181’ will act as a guide for the overflowing water to fall downwards toward the lower scattering protrusion).
Regarding claim 11, Hahm’s teachings are described above in claim 1 where Hahm further discloses that the condensation duct includes: an upper surface having a discharge port connected to the drying device (Figure 4 with discharge duct 130 and the upper surface with 130), a vertical portion extending downward from the upper surface (Vertical extending portion leading towards 113 and 114 at the water feed pipe 160 in Figure 19), a curved portion extending from the vertical portion (Curved portion of 114 towards “C” in Figure 19), and a lower surface at a lower end of the curved portion (Lower portion at the point that 113 and 114 meet) and having an inlet connected to the air outlet (Figures 4 and 19), and the curved portion is bent so that a straight line passing through a center of the inlet does not pass through the discharge port (Evident from Figure 4).
Regarding claim 12, Hahm’s teachings are described above in claim 11 where Hahm further discloses that the vertical portion includes a first vertical side surface to which the water feed pipe is connected (Side 114 in Figure 19) and a second vertical side surface facing the first vertical side surface (Side 113 in Figure 19), the curved portion includes a first curved side surface extending from the first vertical side surface (Curved middle portion of 114) and a second curved side surface facing the first curved side surface (Curved middle portion of 113) and connected to the second vertical side surface, and the curved portion is configured so that air flowing into the inlet collides with the second curved side surface (Evident from Figure 19).
Regarding claim 13, Hahm’s teachings are described above in claim 12 where Hahm further discloses that the middle scattering protrusion is adjacent to a top of the first curved side surface (Figure 19 of Hahm).
Regarding claim 14, Hahm’s teachings are described above in claim 1 where Hahm further discloses that one end of the water feed pipe is connected to a water hole on one side surface of the condensation duct (End of 160 at 150 in Figure 19), and the washing machine further comprises a water guide part in front of the water hole and configured to guide water supplied into the condensation duct by the water feed pipe to flow downward along the inner surface (Outlet at 160 with guided holes 161 per Figure 6).
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 2-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0332448 (Hahm hereinafter) in view of US 2005/0284195 (Kim hereinafter).
Regarding claim 2, Hahm’s teachings are described above in claim 1 but are silent with respect that the condensation duct has a rectangular cross-section.
However, Kim teaches a condensation duct that discloses the condensation duct featuring a rectangular cross-section (Figure 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the shape of the condensation duct of Hahm with the shape taught in Kim since it has been held a change of shape is involves only routine skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966)
Regarding claim 3, Hahm’s modified teachings are described above in claim 2 where the combination of Hahm and Kim would further disclose that a guide protrusion on the inner surface between the middle scattering protrusion and the lower scattering protrusion to guide water flowing along the inner surface downward past the middle scattering protrusion towards the lower scattering protrusion (Under the broadest reasonable interpretation, Hahm Figure 19 has the slight extension from the vertical part of 181’ will act as a guide for the overflowing water to fall downwards toward the lower scattering protrusion).
Regarding claim 4, Hahm’s modified teachings are described above in claim 3 where the combination of Hahm and Kim would further disclose that an upper end of the guide protrusion is connected to the middle scattering protrusion (Evident of Figure 19 of Hahm at 181’), and a lower end of the guide protrusion is adjacent to the lower scattering protrusion (Evident from Figure 19 of Hahm).
Regarding claim 5, Hahm’s modified teachings are described above in claim 2 where the combination of Hahm and Kim would further disclose that the middle scattering protrusion has a size corresponding to a width of the inner surface (The middle scatter protrusion of Hahm is sized to fit in the width of the condensation duct).
Regarding claim 6, Hahm’s modified teachings are described above in claim 5 where the combination of Hahm and Kim would further disclose that the middle scattering protrusion has a bar shape (A portion of the middle scattering protrusion of Hahm has a bar shape).
Regarding claim 7, Hahm’s modified teachings are described above in claim 5 where the combination of Hahm and Kim would further disclose that a height of the middle scattering protrusion is 1 mm to 60 mm (¶ 142 of Hahm).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0332448 (Hahm hereinafter) in view of US 2013/0291395 (Doh hereinafter).
Regarding claim 15, Hahm’s modified teachings are described above in claim 1 but are silent with respect that the water guide part has an L shape. It could be seen that the outlet of the water supply pipe of Hahm is a general L shape with the outlets being directed downward.
However, Doh teaches a condensation duct with a water supply pipe featuring a water guide part has an L shape (Figure 1 with supply pipe entering 14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the shape of Hahm’s water guide part with the shape of Doh to allow for further directional spraying.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. KR 2007-0075484 (Myung) and US 2018/0355548 (Oak) teach condensation ducts.
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/CONNOR J TREMARCHE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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