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 1-15 in the reply filed on May 18, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 16-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 2,Ferlicca figures 1-3b teach the elastic member (5 resiliently deformable element) includes a torsion spring (rectangular spring), the torsion spring includes: a cylindrical spring body (24 bent circular portion) surrounding the friction member to press the friction member; a first leg bent (16 edge) at a first end, which is one end of the spring body, and extending in a radially outward direction of the spring body; and a second leg bent (16 edge) at a second end, which is another end of the spring body, and extending in the radially outward direction of the spring body.[0021]
However, Ferlicca is silent to the pusher includes a lever located between the first leg and the second leg, the lever configured to be movable between a first position for pressing the first leg and the second leg to reduce a pressure applied by the spring body to the friction member and a second position for releasing the first leg and the second leg for the spring body to apply the pressure to the friction member.
Claims 3-15 are dependent upon claim 2.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ferlicca (EP 2090687 cited in IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Ferlicca figures 1-3b teach a washing machine comprising:
a case (washing machine comprise metal vessel);
a tub (basket) located inside the case;
a drum rotatably provided inside the tub;[0002-0003] and
a damper (friction damper shown in figure 1) provided between the case and the tub and configured to reduce vibration transmitted from the drum to the case,
wherein the damper includes:
a cylinder (10 cylindric casing) coupled to one of the case and the tub;
a piston (20 cylindric stem) having at least a portion movably inserted into the cylinder, and coupled to another one of the case and the tub;
a friction member (11 annular friction element) provided to cover at least a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the piston;
an elastic member (5 resiliently deformable element) surrounding the friction member, and having an inner periphery that is reduced to apply an elastic force to the friction member, allowing the friction member to be pressed toward the piston; and
a pusher (4 threaded portion) in contact with the elastic member, the pusher configured to space the elastic member from the cylinder to reduce the elastic force applied by the elastic member to the friction member.[0016-0025]
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Gracia (EP 2852775) directed towards a rotary damping device with a lever arm.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CRISTI J TATE-SIMS whose telephone number is (571)272-1722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Barr can be reached at 571-272-1414. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
CRISTI J. TATE-SIMS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/CRISTI J TATE-SIMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
Prosecution Insights