DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 08/11/2026 has been entered.
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 .
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-2, 6-9, & 11-15 are pending on the application, of which claims 1, 6, 9, & 13 are amended, and claims 3-5 & 10 is cancelled.
In light of the amendments to the claims, the previous rejection is withdrawn in favor of the new ground of rejection presented below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejections utilizes a different interpretation of the Favaro reference to meet the limitation of the first connection portion, second connection portion, and the extension portion. Similarly, newly cited references are utilized to meet the newly added limitations.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 6, 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Favaro (US20100139328A1) in view of Ban (WO2015161607A1), Lee (US20090288454A1), and Seo (US20150252514A1).
As to claim 1, Favaro discloses a clothes treating apparatus (abstract), comprising: a housing (e.g., see Fig.1 ref 1); a tub (ref 2) provided inside the housing; a detergent supply device (see Fig.2 ref 3) disposed below the tub and configured to supply a detergent to the tub; a drainage device (e.g., line from ref 2 up to and including ref 9) comprising a drain pipe (i.e., line from ref 2 to ref 9) configured to discharge water from the tub to the detergent supply device; wherein the detergent supply device includes: a detergent case (ref 12); an inlet port provided in the detergent case (see Fig.2, connection of ref 7 to ref 21 inside ref 12) and configured to receive the water discharged from the drainage device (see Figs.1-2); an outlet port (i.e., portion of ref 8 connected to ref 21 inside of ref 12) provided in the detergent case and configured to discharge the received water toward the tub; a first detergent box and a second detergent box (see Fig.1 refs 11); a first detergent pump (Figs.1-2 one of ref 17 or 17a) configured to discharge a detergent from the first detergent box; a second detergent pump (Figs.1-2 the other of ref 17 or 17a) configured to discharge a detergent from the second detergent box; a case guide (e.g., from ref 19 up to and including ref 21) comprising a flow passage provided in the detergent case and extending between the inlet and outlet port (see Figs.1-2); wherein the flow passage includes a first connection portion coupled to an outlet of the first detergent pump, a second connection portion coupled to an outlet of the second detergent pump (see refs 19), and an extension portion fluidly coupling the first connection portion to the second connection portion (see Figs.1-2 portion where refs 19 join and/or including inside of ref 21); a first connection portion fluidly coupled to an outlet of the first detergent pump, a second connection portion fluidly coupled to an outlet of the second detergent pump, and an extension portion fluidly coupling the first portion to the second portion (see annotated figure below), such that water introduced through the inlet passes through the first connection portion, the extension portion, and the second connection portion in sequence and is discharged through the outlet port (see Fig.2 and annotated figure below).
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Favaro does not explicitly disclose the presence of a third detergent box, or the second detergent pump discharging the second or third detergent from a single outlet. However, the use of a single detergent pump to output multiple detergents is known in the art, as seen by Ban. Favaro also does not disclose the presence of a third detergent box which is connectable to a second pump. However, one of ordinary skill in the art recognizes that the inclusion of a third detergent box would merely provide an additional reservoir for containing a different detergent/additive or increased capacity of an additive within another of the detergent boxes. Thus, a skilled artisan would find the feature of including a third detergent box to be obvious to provide such benefits. Further, the usage of three detergent boxes is known in the art, as seen by Lee and Seo.
Ban discloses an art related dispensing system for a washing machine (abstract), wherein it is shown that a single pump (ref 40) can be utilized in order to dispense additives from two different reservoirs (refs 11 & 12) via a single outlet of the pump (ref 42). Accordingly, Ban showcases a manner in which dispensing of two additives can be handled via a single pump, reducing the number of pumps required.
Both Lee and Seo disclose art related washing machines (abstract), wherein it is shown that multiple detergent boxes can be utilized, including three detergent boxes (Lee Fig.3 refs 186 and/or 200 & Seo Fig.9 refs 200a, 230, 250a, and 250b) in order to store as many additives as required/desired. Thus, a skilled artisan would also find it obvious to implement as many detergent boxes as required for storage of as many additives as desired.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Favaro to implement a third detergent box in order to allow for the storage of usage of more additives, as desired, during a washing process. Further, as it is known that washing machine may utilize three detergent compartments (see Lee), a skilled artisan would find such a modification routine and mundane. Further, as it is known in the art that a pump can have a single outlet to dispense two additives (see Ban), a skilled artisan would also find it obvious to utilize the configuration of Ban to reduce the number of required pumps for dispensing the additives. In the case of three additives (e.g., first, second, and third detergent boxes), a skilled artisan would find it obvious to implement the pump to handle either the second and third detergents or the first and second detergents to reduce the number of pumps. It is in the purview of one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize one known pump in place of, or in addition to, another known pump with a reasonable expectation of success.
As to claim 2, Favaro teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first detergent pump is configured to supply a detergent from the first detergent box to the case guide (see Figs.1-2).
As to claim 6, Favaro teaches the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a circulation conduit fluidly connecting the inlet port to the drainage device (see portion of ref 7 from refs 9/10 to interior of ref 12); and a detergent conduit (see portion of ref 8 which connects to interior of ref 12 and leads to ref 2) fluidly connecting the outlet port to the tub.
As to claim 8, Favaro teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detergent supply device is located below the tub in a direction of gravity (see Figs.1-2).
As to claim 9, Favaro teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detergent case is configured to accommodate at a portion of the first and second detergent box (see Fig.2), wherein the case guide is provided in the detergent case (see Fig.2). Since Favaro indicates that the detergent boxes are provided in the detergent case, a skilled artisan would also find it obvious to provide the third detergent box at such a location.
Claim(s) 7 & 11-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Favaro (US20100139328A1), Ban (WO2015161607A1), Lee (US20090288454A1), and Seo (US20150252514A1) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Bueno (US 20190106829 A1).
As to claim 7, Favaro teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drainage device includes a circulation pump to discharge water from the tub to the detergent supply device (see Figs.1-2). Favaro does not disclose the presence of a drain pump for discharging water from the tub to outside, however such a feature is well-known in the art for removal of water from the washing machine, as seen by Bueno.
Bueno discloses an art related washing machine (abstract), wherein it is shown that a pump (ref 74) allows for circulation of fluid (Fig.17) that can be mixed with detergent from a detergent supply (ref 200) and drainage of liquid from the tub (see ref 76). Bueno also indicates that in place of a single pump for circulation and drainage a discharge device can include a drain pump and a recirculation pump (Bueno [0079]) for the draining of water to an outside of the housing and the discharging of water to the detergent mixing location.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Favaro to implement a drain pump in order to discharge liquid from the washing machine, as is well-known and customary in the art (see Bueno [0079]).
As to claim 11, Favaro teaches the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller (ref 25) to control the detergent pumps [0018, 0021, & 0023]. Favaro does not disclose the controller controlling the drainage device, the detergent pumps being controlled by an input, or the controller having a processor and circuitry. However, the use of a controller with a processor to control a fluid pump and detergent pumps, is known in the art, as seen by Bueno.
Bueno discloses an art related washing machine (abstract) wherein a controller (Fig.3 ref 96) having a processor (Bueno Fig.3 ref 102) and associated circuitry [0082-0083] and is configured to control a pump (Bueno [0083-0084]) and the detergent pumps (Bueno [0042]) based on an input (Bueno [0041, 0067 & 0069]). Such a configuration allows for an input to be provided to the controller and allow for appropriate dispensing timing and amount of desired additives [0042].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Favaro to utilize a controller with a processor and associated circuitry in order to control the pumps and associated components in order to appropriately dispense the correct additive in the correct dosage when desired (Bueno [0042]).
As to claims 12 & 14, Modified Favaro teaches the apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller controls the detergent pumps to discharge detergent based on an input (Favaro [0018, 0021, & 0023] & Bueno [0041-0042]). Thus, the detergent would discharge from the respective box to the case guide in order to be supplied into the tub (see Favaro Figs.1-2 & Bueno [0061, 0070, & 0077]). The controller can also control the drainage device to allow water in the tub to pass through the detergent supply device based on an input for supplying detergent into the tub (Favaro Figs.1-2 & Bueno [0067-0070 & 0083], see also Fig.23).
As to claim 13, Favaro teaches the apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller allows for the second detergent pump to supply detergent from the second detergent box to the case guide (see Favaro Figs.1-2) based on the appropriate input to do so (Bueno [0041-0042, 0067 & 0069]).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Favaro (US20100139328A1), Ban (WO2015161607A1), Lee (US20090288454A1), and Seo (US20150252514A1) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Kim (US 20160186370 A1).
As to claim 15, Favaro teaches the apparatus of claim 1, but does not disclose the presence of a filter for the drainage device. However, such a feature is known in the art, as seen by Kim.
Kim discloses an art related detergent dispenser for a washing machine (abstract), wherein a drainage device (Fig.6 ref 30) can be provided with a filter in order to filter out foreign substance from washing water (see [0125, & 0141-0143]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Favaro to provide the drainage device with a filter in order to filter out foreign substances from the passing water (Kim [0125, & 0141-0143]) and thereby prevent recirculation of the undesired foreign substances.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim (US 20140096572 A1) showcases a detergent box located at least partially below tub (see Fib.3B) and flow path (ref 573) from pump to detergent dissolving box [0036].
Seo (US 20240183096 A1) discloses utilizing a controller to selectively control which detergent pump activates to selectively discharge a desired detergent [0194-0195].
Jung (US 20170342632 A1) showcases detergent box located below tub (see Figs.1-3) with pumps (refs 311 312).
Kim (US 20100088828 A1) showcases detergent box located below tub (Figs.3 & 5).
Jung (US 20170191205 A1) showcases a detergent box below tub (Figs.1-3) with separate pumps for softener and detergent (refs 211a 211b).
Gallagher (US 20170037559 A1) showcases detergent housing below tub and pump for pumping detergent (Figs.36-37, 47-50).
Kim (US 20140076009 A1) showcases pumps on case behind detergent boxes (Figs.6 & 11).
Kim (US 20100115709 A1) showcases a detergent dispenser located below a tub and providing detergent supply into a recirculation line (Fig.3).
Huang (US20260110132A1) showcases that a flow passage (ref 10) can be provided with a first connection portion (see portion of ref 10 where ref 142 connects), an extension portion (see portion of ref 10 between refs 31 & 32), and a second connection portion (see portion of ref 10 where ref 131 connects). The configuration of Huang allows for water to flow from an inflow port through the first connection portion, the extension portion, and the second connection portion in sequence in order to deliver a desired detergent to the washing drum (see Figs.2-5). Huang utilizes venturi elements (refs 100-102) to allow for mixing of detergent with the liquid water supplied. Accordingly, Huang discloses that an alternative mixing arrangement to a mixing chamber is a venturi element with the configuration shown.
Lee (US20090293556A1) showcases that three detergent reservoirs (see Figs.2-5 ref 200 & claim 28) can be provided in order to hold desired additives for use in a washing process.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMAIR CHAUDHRI whose telephone number is (571)272-4773. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 7:00am to 5:00pm EST.
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/OMAIR CHAUDHRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
