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
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) 1, 3, 6, 8-12, 14, 17, 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maynard (US Patent No. 5,966,958) in view of Correa (US Patent No. 6,343,480) and Baxter (US Patent No. 4,766,737).
Regarding claim 1, Maynard discloses an air conditioner unit (refrigeration assembly 10 in Figs. 1 and 2 with condensate tray 40 in Figs. 3-5) defining a vertical (vertical direction of Fig. 1), a lateral (distance between evaporator assembly 12 and condenser assembly 14), and a transverse direction (length direction of bulkhead 16), the air conditioner unit comprising:
a bulkhead (16) defining an indoor portion (a portion with the evaporator assembly 12 that provides refrigeration for cooling air and products in storage compartment, see background of the invention of Maynard) and an outdoor portion (a portion with the condenser assembly 14 that dissipates heat to ambient air);
an indoor heat exchanger positioned within the indoor portion (the evaporator assembly 12);
an outdoor heat exchanger positioned within the outdoor portion (the condenser assembly 14);
a base pan (condenser support 22) positioned under the outdoor heat exchanger (under the condenser 14) for collecting condensate that drips off the outdoor heat exchanger (condensate collects in a condensate tray 40 in Fig. 3 from an evaporator pan 18 in Fig. 1);
a thermal distributor element (the condensate tray 40 that distributes heat from coil 41) mounted within the base pan (within a rectangular opening of the condenser support 22, Fig. 3) and defining a top surface (upper surface 53, Fig. 4) and a bottom surface (lower coil-facing surface 44, Fig. 4), wherein the top surface at least partially defines a condensate collection reservoir (the upper surface collects the condensate).
Maynard fails to disclose a wall sleeve defining a mechanical compartment configured for receiving at least a portion of the base pan, the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger; and
the bottom surface is positioned within a gap defined between the base pan and the wall sleeve, and
Maynard fails to explicitly disclose wherein the thermal distributor element is a flat plate.
Correa discloses a wall sleeve (rectangular housing 16, Figs. 1, 4 and 8) defining a mechanical compartment (the space within the rectangular housing 16) configured for receiving at least a portion of the base pan (24), the indoor heat exchanger (28), and the outdoor heat exchanger (32).
Therefore, the refrigeration assembly 10 of Maynard may be provided with the rectangular housing 16 of Correa to protect the heat exchangers and define air flows in the refrigeration assembly 10.
Note that the rectangular housing 16 of Correa may be provided around the refrigeration assembly 10 of Maynard. As a result, the bottom surface (the lower coil-facing surface 44, Fig. 4 of Maynard) is positioned within a gap defined between the base pan and the wall sleeve (a gap between the condenser support 22 of Maynard and the outermost the rectangular housing 16 of Correa).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a wall sleeve defining a mechanical compartment configured for receiving at least a portion of the base pan, the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger; and the bottom surface is positioned within a gap defined between the base pan and the wall sleeve in Maynard as taught by Correa in order to Protect the heat exchangers and to define air flows in the refrigeration assembly 10.
Baxter discloses wherein the thermal distributor element (condensate pan 84 that that distributes heat from high temperature coil 94 of a condenser 14, Figs. 1 and 2) is a flat plate (bottom side of the pan 84 is a flat plate).
The condensate tray 40 of Maynard may be modified to have a flat bottom as taught by Baxter. It is expected that a cavity between projections 50 (Fig. 3 of Maynard) may be eliminated to prevent undesired accumulation of condensate within the cavity.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the thermal distributor element is a flat plate in Maynard was taught by Baxter in order to prevent undesired accumulation of condensate in the cavity between projections 50 for sanitary reasons or for preventing corrosion.
Regarding claim 3, Maynard as modified further discloses wherein the thermal distributor element is constructed from metal or stainless steel (stamped stainless steel, col. 4, lines 45-49).
Regarding claim 6, Maynard as modified further discloses wherein the base pan defines one or more pan holes for discharging the condensate (the rectangular opening of the condenser support 22), and wherein the thermal distributor element extends to the one or more pan holes (the condensate tray 40 extends through the rectangular opening).
Regarding claim 8, Maynard as modified further discloses wherein the thermal distributor element forms a trough under the outdoor heat exchanger (the condensate tray 40 in Fig. 3 forms a trough and is placed under the condenser 14 in prior art in Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 9, Maynard as modified fails to disclose wherein the base pan is formed from plastic.
Correa further discloses wherein the base pan (basepan 24) is formed from plastic (abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the base pan is formed from plastic in Maynard as taught by Correa in order to lower the cost or lower the weight of the refrigeration assembly.
Regarding claim 10, Maynard as modified further discloses wherein the air conditioner unit is a single-package vertical unit or a package terminal air conditioner (the refrigeration assembly 10 as modified includes compressor 24, evaporator 12 and condenser 14 as “single package” as claimed, and having a vertical height as “vertical unit” as claimed).
Regarding claim 11, Maynard as modified further discloses the wall sleeve is mountable within an opening in a building wall (“The air conditioner is enclosed in a substantially rectangular housing 16 and is adapted to be positioned in a rectangular opening in an exterior wall”, col. 2, lines 31-33 of Correa).
Maynard as modified fails to disclose wherein the wall sleeve is made from stainless steel or painted steel and is mountable within an opening in a building wall.
Examiner takes official notice that the rectangular housing 16 of Correa in modified Maynard may be made from stainless steel or painted steel for adequate strength to protect the compressor, evaporator and condenser within the housing.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the wall sleeve is made from stainless steel or painted steel and is mountable within an opening in a building wall in Maynard and Correa in order to provide adequate strength to protect internals of the refrigeration assembly.
Regarding claim 12, Maynard discloses a condensate management system for an air conditioner unit (the assembly in Figs. 3-5), the air conditioner unit comprising a bulkhead (16) defining an indoor portion (a portion with the evaporator assembly 12 that provides refrigeration for cooling air and products in storage compartment, see background of the invention of Maynard) and an outdoor portion (a portion with the condenser assembly 14 that dissipates heat to ambient air), an indoor heat exchanger positioned within the indoor portion (the evaporator assembly 12), and an outdoor heat exchanger positioned within the outdoor portion (the condenser assembly 14), the condensate management system comprising:
a base pan positioned under the outdoor heat exchanger for collecting condensate that drips off the outdoor heat exchanger (see item 6 of claim 1);
a thermal distributor element mounted within the base pan and defining a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface at least partially defines a condensate collection reservoir and the bottom surface is positioned within a gap defined between the base pan and the wall sleeve (see item 7 of claim 1).
Maynard fails to disclose a wall sleeve defining a mechanical compartment configured for receiving at least a portion of the base pan, the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger;
the bottom surface is positioned within a gap defined between the base pan and the wall sleeve, and
Maynard fails to explicitly disclose wherein the thermal distributor element is a flat plate.
Correa discloses a wall sleeve (rectangular housing 16, Figs. 1, 4 and 8) defining a mechanical compartment (the space within the rectangular housing 16) configured for receiving at least a portion of the base pan (24), the indoor heat exchanger (28), and the outdoor heat exchanger (32).
Therefore, the refrigeration assembly 10 of Maynard may be provided with the rectangular housing 16 of Correa (as the cabinet and wall sleeve claimed) so that the bulkhead 16 mounted within the housing 16 and to protect the heat exchangers and define air flows in the refrigeration assembly 10.
Note that the rectangular housing 16 of Correa may be provided around the refrigeration assembly 10 of Maynard. As a result, the bottom surface (the lower coil-facing surface 44, Fig. 4 of Maynard) is positioned within a gap defined between the base pan and the wall sleeve (a gap between the condenser support 22 of Maynard and the outermost the rectangular housing 16 of Correa).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a bulkhead mounted within a cabinet; a wall sleeve defining a mechanical compartment configured for receiving at least a portion of the base pan, the indoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger; and the bottom surface is positioned within a gap defined between the base pan and the wall sleeve in Maynard as taught by Correa in order to Protect the heat exchangers and to define air flows in the refrigeration assembly 10.
Baxter discloses wherein the thermal distributor element (condensate pan 84 that that distributes heat from high temperature coil 94 of a condenser 14, Figs. 1 and 2) is a flat plate (bottom side of the pan 84 is a flat plate).
The condensate tray 40 of Maynard may be modified to have a flat bottom as taught by Baxter. It is expected that a cavity between projections 50 (Fig. 3 of Maynard) may be eliminated to prevent undesired accumulation of condensate within the cavity.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the thermal distributor element is a flat plate in Maynard was taught by Baxter in order to prevent undesired accumulation of condensate in the cavity between projections 50 for sanitary reasons or for preventing corrosion.
Regarding claim 14, please see the rejection of claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 17, please see the rejection of claim 6 above.
Regarding claims 19-20, please see the rejection of claims 8-9 above.
Claim(s) 4 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maynard (US Patent No. 5,966,958) in view of Correa (US Patent No. 6,343,480) and Baxter (US Patent No. 4,766,737) as applied to claim 1 or 12 above, and further in view of Queinnec (FR 2936187 A1).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Maynard as modified fails to disclose wherein the thermal distributor element is overmolded into an aperture defined in the base pan.
Queinnec discloses wherein the thermal distributor element (condensate drainage device 3) is overmolded into an aperture defined in the base pan (the peripheral lip 14 the sleeve 10 are attached by overmolding onto the housing 4, 3rd last paragraph of the translation).
Maynard further discloses that the liner 42 of the condensate tray 40 may be formed by any suitable means and made of any suitable material such as vacuum formed thermoplastic (col. 4, lines 45-49).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the thermal distributor element is overmolded into an aperture defined in the base pan in Maynard as taught by Queinnec in order to simplify assembly of the refrigeration assembly 10 by eliminating the fasteners 54 to assemble the tray 40 and the condenser support 22.
Claim(s) 5 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maynard (US Patent No. 5,966,958) in view of Correa (US Patent No. 6,343,480) and Baxter (US Patent No. 4,766,737) as applied to claim 1 or 12 above, and further in view of Fromm (US Patent No. 5,787,721).
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Maynard as modified fails to disclose wherein the thermal distributor element is attached to the base pan using an adhesive.
Fromm discloses wherein the thermal distributor element (funnel 44) is attached to the base pan using an adhesive (the flange 100 is attached onto an aperture 58 of a shelf 42 by an adhesive, col. 4, lines 28-36).
Since the liner 42 of the condensate tray 40 in Maynard is also a flange structure as the flange 100 of Fromm, the liner 42 may be provided with an adhesive to attach the condenser support 22 so that replaces the fasteners 54.
It is also noted that Maynard further discloses that the liner 42 of the condensate tray 40 may be formed by any suitable means and made of any suitable material such as vacuum formed thermoplastic (col. 4, lines 45-49).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the thermal distributor element is attached to the base pan using an adhesive in Maynard as taught by Fromm in order to also simplify assembly of the refrigeration assembly 10 by eliminating the fasteners 54 to assemble the tray 40 and the condenser support 22.
Claim(s) 7 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maynard (US Patent No. 5,966,958) in view of Correa (US Patent No. 6,343,480) and Baxter (US Patent No. 4,766,737) as applied to claim 1 or 12 above, and further in view of Mitsuyoshi (JP 59-74438 A).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Maynard as modified fails to disclose wherein the thermal distributor element defines a cutout for a drain valve.
Mitsuyoshi discloses wherein the thermal distributor element (base plate 1a that collects condensate) defines a cutout (drain outlet 1b) for a drain valve (water level adjusting device 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided wherein the thermal distributor element (tray 40) defines a cutout for a drain valve in Maynard as taught by Mitsuyoshi in order maintain condensate level in the tray 40.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 12 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument (the teaching of Baxter having a pan 84 with a flat bottom).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/JIANYING C ATKISSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/F.K.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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