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
1. 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.
2. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0248386 (Islas) in further in view US 2019/0145041 A1 (Bhandare).
With respect to claim 1, Islas shows a method of assembling a door assembly for a laundry appliance (100), the door assembly (134) comprising a window (136, Fig.3), an outer frame (135) outboard of the window (136), a vent (180, Fig.4) formed in the outer frame (135), and a grille (190, Fig.3) mounted to the outer frame in the vent (Fig.3, Fig.2), the door assembly (134) configured to be rotatably mounted to a cabinet (102) of the laundry appliance (section 0024).
With respect to claim 1, Islas does not show the door assembly has an inner frame, the window being in the inner frame, the outer frame outboard of the inner frame; Islas teaches that the grille can be coupled to the outer frame using mechanical fasteners but does not teach the method comprising: forming a cap on one of the grille or the outer frame by heat stake welding, whereby the grille is coupled to the outer frame by the heat stake welded cap.
Bhandare teaches a method of assembling a door assembly (100) for a laundry appliance (10), the door assembly comprising an inner frame (130, FIg.3), a window (132, Fig.3) in the inner frame, an outer frame (106, FIg.3) outboard of the inner frame and the window; a grille (104, FIg.9, grille means “a grating forming a barrier or a screen” Merriam-webster; and member 104 forms a grating/lattice, FIg.9, forming a barrier or screen for the door assembly) mounted to the outer frame (106, Fig.9), the method comprising: forming a cap (top cap of 148, FIg.12B) on one of the grille or the outer frame (106) by heat stake welding (“heat can be applied by a heating apparatus 154 in order to melt the top of the heat stake posts 148 while applying downward pressure to create a cap”, paragraph 0052), whereby the grille (104) is coupled to the outer frame (106) by the heat stake welded cap (cap of 148, Fig.12B). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include an inner frame to the door assembly of Islas, and place the window in the inner frame, such as taught by Bhandare, in order to further reinforce and protect the window between an inner frame and the outer frame and provide further support for the window therein. Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to couple the grille with the outer frame by forming a cap on one of the grille or outer frame by heat stake welding, such as taught by Bhandare, in order to efficiently secure and fix the grille to the outer frame and prevent unwanted movement.
With respect to claim 2, the combination (Bhandare) teaches passing a cylindrical boss (148, Fig.10,Fig.11A, Fig.12A, Fig.12B) on the one of the grille or the outer frame (106, FIg.11A) through a passage (hole in 146, Fig.12A) in the other of the grille (104) or the outer frame (Fig.10, Fig.12A) prior to forming the cap on the one of the grille or the outer frame by heat stake welding (Fig.12A, Fig.12B).
With respect to claim 3, the combination (Bhandare) teaches wherein forming the cap on the one of the grille or the outer frame (Fig.12B) comprises heating a distal end (via heating apparatus 154) of the cylindrical boss (148), and applying a forming tool (154) to the distal end of the cylindrical boss (148), whereby the distal end of the cylindrical boss (148) is formed into the cap (FIg.12B).
With respect to claim 4, the combination (Bhandare) teaches wherein heating the distal end of the cylindrical boss (148) comprises heating the forming tool (154), whereby applying the forming tool (154) to the distal end of the boss (148) also heats the distal end of the boss (Fig.12A, Fig.12B, paragraph 0052).
With respect to claim 5, the combination (Bhandare) teaches wherein a proximal portion of the boss (148) remains cylindrical after forming the cap on the distal end of the boss (Fig.12B).
With respect to claim 6, the combination (Bhandare) teaches wherein the proximal portion of the boss (148) defines an outer diameter (FIg.12B), the passage (hole in 146, Fig.12A) defines an inner diameter (Fig.12A), and the cap (Fig.12B) defines a major dimension at a shoulder of the boss (148).
With respect to claim 7, the combination (Bhandare) teaches wherein the shoulder of the boss (Fig.12B) abuts a distal end of the passage (Fig.12B).
With respect to claim 8, the combination (Bhandare) teaches wherein the major dimension of the cap (cap formed on the top of 148, Fig.12B) is greater than the inner diameter of the passage (FIg.12B).
With respect to claim 9, the combination (Islas) teaches the outer frame (135) comprises a plastic material (section 0036).
With respect to claim 10, modified Islas doesn’t explicitly teach the grille comprises plastic. Bhandare teaches wherein the grille (104) and the outer frame (106) comprises a plastic material (both can be formed of plastic; paragraphs 0037 and 0038). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the grille of modified Islas, out of plastic, such as taught by Bhandare in order to provide a durable material that can easily be assembled and coupled to the outer frame without scratching each other and have a uniform material for aesthetically pleasing appearance and furthermore it would have been obvious since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice.
With respect to claim 11, Islas shows a laundry appliance (100), comprising: a cabinet (102) defining an opening (132, Fig.2, section 0024); a vessel (120, Fig.2) mounted within the cabinet, the vessel accessible through the opening; and a door assembly (134, Fig.1) rotatably mounted to the cabinet at the opening (section 0024), the door assembly (134) rotatable between a closed position wherein the vessel is enclosed within the cabinet (102) and an open position permitting access to the vessel through the opening, the door assembly comprising a window (136, Fig.3), an outer frame (135) outboard of the window (136), a vent (180, Fig.4) formed in the outer frame (135), and a grille (190, Fig.3) mounted to the outer frame in the vent (Fig.3, Fig.2), the door assembly (134) configured to be rotatably mounted to a cabinet (102) of the laundry appliance (section 0024).
With respect to claim 11, Islas does not show the door assembly has an inner frame, the window being in the inner frame, the outer frame outboard of the inner frame; and that the grille is coupled to the outer frame by a heat stake welded cap formed on one of the grille or the outer frame.
Bhandare shows a laundry appliance (10, Fig.1) comprising a door assembly (100, Fig.2) comprising: an inner frame (130, Fig.3); a window (132, Fig.3) in the inner frame; an outer frame (106) outboard of the inner frame (130) and the window (132); and a grille (104, Fig.9) mounted to the outer frame (106, Fig.9), wherein the grille (104) is coupled to the outer frame (106) by a heat stake welded cap (cap formed on top of 148, Fig.12B; “heat can be applied by a heating apparatus 154 in order to melt the top of the heat stake posts 148 while applying downward pressure to create a cap”, paragraph 0052) formed on one of the grille or the outer frame (106). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include an inner frame in the door assembly of Islas, and place the window in the inner frame, such as taught by Bhandare, in order to further protect the window between an inner frame and the outer frame and provide further reinforcement and support for the window therein. Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to couple the grille to the outer frame by a heat stake welded cap formed on one of the grille or the outer frame, such as taught by Bhandare, in order to efficiently secure and fix the grille to the outer frame and prevent unwanted movement.
With respect to claim 12, the combination (Bhandare) teaches wherein the cap (cap on top of 148, Fig.12B) is formed on a distal end of a boss (148) of the one of the grille and outer frame (106), the boss comprising a cylindrical proximal portion (Fig.12A, Fig.10), the proximal portion of the boss extending through a passage (hole in 146, Fig.10, Fig.12A) in the other of the grille (104) or the outer frame.
With respect to claim 13, the combination (Bhandare) teaches wherein the proximal portion of the boss (148) defines an outer diameter, the passage defines an inner diameter (Fig.12A), and the cap (cap of 148, FIg.12B) defines a major dimension at a shoulder of the boss (148, FIg.12B).
With respect to claim 14, the combination (Bhandare) teaches wherein the shoulder of the boss (148) abuts a distal end of the passage (Fig.12B).
With respect to claim 15, the combination (Bhandare) teaches wherein the major dimension of the cap (cap of 148, FIg.12B) is greater than the inner diameter of the passage (hole in 146, FIg.12B).
With respect to claims 16-20, Islas in view of Bhandare teach all the limitations as discussed above in claims 11-15.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 11 and 16, regarding Bhandare not disclosing a vent in the outer frame have been considered but is moot in view of the new grounds of rejection. Furthermore, regarding applicant’s arguments that member 104 of Bhandare does not form a grating/lattice and that there is no evidentiary support for this term in which the office action imports into the definition of grille, e.g. a grating and lattice are not synonymous, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Definition of “grating” is “a wooden or metal lattice used to close an opening” (Merriam-webster) and thus grating and lattice are synonymous, and furthermore the structural ribs on member 104 form a lattice structure (Fig.8, Fig.9) used to cover opening between the inner frame 130 and the cover 102.
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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/HIWOT E TEFERA/Examiner, Art Unit 3637
