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 .
This is the Final Office action from the examiner in charge of this application in response to the Amendment filed on 3/4/2026, in which claim 3 was cancelled. Claims 2, and 4-21 are pending.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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) 2, 4-6, 8-14, 16-17, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2012/0280608 to Park et al (hereinafter Park ‘608) in view of DE 102013103820 to Kretschmer et al (hereinafter Kretschmer).
Park ‘608 discloses (Claim 2). A refrigerator 1 comprising: a cabinet 10 that has a storage space defined therein; a door 20 configured to open and close the storage space, the door 20 comprising (i) a door plate 22,24 that defines a front surface of the door 20 and (ii) a door liner 23 that defines a rear surface of the door 20; and a door opening device provided on the door 20 and configured to be manipulated to open the door 20; wherein the door opening device comprises: a case 31 (such as shown in Figs. 3-4 & 6-7) that is provided inside the door 20 and defines an accommodation space, a door handle 32,33 rotatably mounted inside the case and configured to be rotated by a user's manipulation, and a push slider 34 accommodated in the case, the push slider 34 being configured to reciprocate in a straight line according to rotation of the door handle and to push the cabinet 10 to open the door 20, and wherein the door plate 22,24 comprises (such as shown in Figs. 2-5): a front part 22 that defines the front surface of the door, the front part having a plate opening 221 through which the door handle is exposed, a side part 24 that is bent from the front part and defines a side surface of the door 20, and a rear part that is bent from the side part and defines a portion of the rear surface of the door, the rear part having a slider outlet 243 (Fig. 5) through which the push slider 34 selectively protrudes to push the cabinet 10; wherein the door plate 22 is made of a metal material; wherein the case 31 is in communication with the plate opening 221 and the slider outlet 243 to allow movement of the door handle 32,33 and the push slider 34 relative to the case (such as shown in Fig. 8); (Claim 4). The refrigerator 1 of claim 2, wherein an end of the rear part connects to the door liner 23 and defines the rear surface of the door 20 with the door liner 23 ([0032]); (Claim 5). The refrigerator 1 of claim 2, wherein one end 342 of the push slider 34 is in contact with the door handle, and another end 341 of the push slider 34 protrudes through the slider outlet 243, the push slider 34 being configured to move rearward based on the door handle being rotated; (Claim 6). The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the case contacts the front part and the side part 24 of the door plate to define the accommodation space within the door 20 to allow movement of the door handle and the push slider; (Claim 8). The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the door 20 further comprises an insulation material 25 (Figs. 8-9) provided in the door 20, and wherein the case of the door opening device defines the accommodation space in which penetration of the insulation material 25 is prevented; (Claim 9). The refrigerator of claim 2, further comprising a gasket 231 that is in contact with the cabinet 10 and seals a space between the storage space and the door 20, the gasket 231 being provided around the rear surface of the door liner 23; (Claim 10). The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the push slider 34 protrudes through the slider outlet 243 to an outside of the gasket 231; (Claim 11). The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the plate opening 221 has a size corresponding to that of a front 321 of the door handle, and wherein the plate opening 221 communicates with the accommodation space and the door handle shields the plate opening 221; (Claim 12). The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the case comprises: a handle accommodation part which is opened toward the plate opening 221 and in which the door handle is accommodated; and a slider accommodation part 317 configured to communicate with the handle accommodation part, open toward the side part, and extend to the rear surface of the door, to accommodate the push slider (such as shown in Figs. 7-9); (Claim 13). The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the door handle comprises a handle rotation shaft 331 (Fig. 7) configured to protrude to both sides to serve as a rotation shaft of the door handle, the handle rotation shaft 331 being disposed on the rear surface of the door handle, and wherein the handle rotation shaft is rotatably coupled to the case; (Claim 14). The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein a pressing protrusion configured to be in contact with the push slider 34 when the door handle is rotated is formed on a rear surface of the door handle above the handle rotation shaft 331; (Claim 16). The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the push slider 34 comprises: a horizontal part 342 accommodated in the case and in contact with an upper rear end of the door handle; and a vertical part 341 extending vertically rearward from an end portion of the horizontal part 342 and in contact with the cabinet 10 through the slider outlet 243; (Claim 17). The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein the case is provided with a spring 35 configured to support the horizontal part 342 from a rear side of the horizontal part 342, and wherein the spring 35 is configured to be compressed based on the push slider 34 moving rearward; (Claim 19). The refrigerator of claim 17, wherein, in a state where the door handle is not manipulated, the push slider 34 is supported by the spring 35, and a rear end of the push slider 34 maintains a state of being spaced apart from the cabinet (Fig. 8); (Claim 20). The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein a distance from the handle rotation shaft 331 to a lower end of the door handle is formed to be longer than a distance from the handle rotation shaft 331 to an upper end of the door handle (Fig. 7).
The differences being that Park ‘608 fails to clearly disclose the limitations in claim 1 of wherein the door plate is made of a metal material and continuously bent to form the front part, the side part, and the rear part (instead of two parts 22 and 24).
However, Kretschmer discloses a refrigerator 1 comprising: a cabinet 2 that has a storage space defined therein; a door 4 configured to open and close the storage space, the door 4 comprising (such as shown in Figs. 2-4) (i) a door plate that defines a front surface 3 of the door 4 and (ii) a door liner that defines a rear surface of the door 4; and a door opening device 7 provided on the door 4 and configured to be manipulated to open the door 4; wherein the door opening device 7 comprises: a door handle rotatably mounted and configured to be rotated by a user's manipulation, and a push slider 12, the push slider 12 being configured to reciprocate in a straight line according to rotation of the door handle and to push the cabinet 2 to open the door 4, and wherein the door plate comprises: a front part 3 that defines the front surface 3 of the door 4, a side part that is bent from the front part and defines a side surface 9 of the door 4, and a rear part (not numbered, but can be clearly seen in Figs. 2-4) that is bent from the side part 9 and defines a portion of the rear surface of the door, the rear part having a slider outlet through which the push slider 12 selectively protrudes to push the cabinet 1; wherein the door plate is made of a material continuously bent to form the front part, the side part, and the rear part.
Therefore, it would have been obvious and well within the level of one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, in view of Kretschmer, to modify Park ‘608 to include the limitations in Claim 1 of wherein the door plate is made of a metal material continuously bent to form the front part, the side part, and the rear part with a reasonable expectation of success in order reduce the number of parts of the refrigerator.
Claim(s) 7 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park ‘608, as modified, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of CN 212299105 to Shi.
Park ‘608, as modified, discloses all the elements as discussed above except for the limitations recited in the above listed claims.
However, Shi discloses a home appliance comprising: a cabinet that has a storage space defined therein; a door 110 configured to open and close the storage space, the door comprising a door plate that defines a front surface of the door 110 and a door liner that defines a rear surface of the door; and a door opening device 120 provided on the door 110 and configured to be manipulated to open the door 110; wherein the door opening device comprises: a door handle 120 rotatably mounted inside the door 110 and configured to be rotated by a user’s manipulation; wherein the door plate comprises a front part that defines the front surface of the door 110, the front part having a plate opening through which the door handle is exposed; wherein, in a state where the door handle is not manipulated (such as shown in Fig. 3), a front surface of the door handle 120 shields the plate opening of the door plate and forms a same plane as the front surface of the door plate such that the front surface of the door handle 120 forms a substantially continuous surface with the front surface of the door plate, and wherein in a state where the door handle is manipulated (such as shown in Fig. 4), the door handle 120 protrudes from the front surface of the door plate for a user to grip and pull the door handle to open the door 110; wherein a pressing part 124 configured to rotate the door handle 120 by a user pressing the door handle 120 is formed on a front surface of the door handle 120 above a handle rotation shaft 130.
Therefore, it would have been obvious and well within the level of one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, in view of Shi, to modify Park ‘608, as modified, to include the limitations in Claim 7 of wherein, in a state where the door handle is not manipulated, a front surface of the door handle shields the plate opening of the door plate and forms a same plane as the front surface of the door plate such that the front surface of the door handle forms a substantially continuous surface with the front surface of the door plate, and wherein in a state where the door handle is manipulated, the door handle protrudes from the front surface of the door plate for a user to grip and pull the door handle to open the door; and Claim 15 of wherein a pressing part configured to rotate the door handle by a user pressing the door handle is formed on a front surface of the door handle above the handle rotation shaft with a reasonable expectation of success in order to improve overall appearance of the refrigerator.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park ‘608, as modified, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 2009/0205357 to Lim et al (hereinafter Lim).
Park ‘608, as modified, discloses all the elements as discussed above including the limitations in claim 18 of wherein the case comprises a spring mounting part 318 (Figs. 8-9) protruding through the spring 35. The difference being that Park ‘608 fails to clearly disclose wherein the horizontal part defines a guide hole that is opened to pass through the spring mounting part and configured to guide movement of the push slider in a front-rear direction.
However, Lim discloses a refrigerator comprising: a cabinet 10 that has a storage space defined therein; a door 20 configured to open and close the storage space; and a door opening device provided on the door 20 and configured to be manipulated to open the door 20, wherein the door opening device comprises: a case that is provided inside the door 20 and defines an accommodation space, a door handle rotatably mounted inside the case and configured to be rotated by a user's manipulation, and a push slider 40 accommodated in the case, the push slider 40 being configured to reciprocate in a straight line according to rotation of the door handle and to push the cabinet 10 to open the door 20; wherein the case comprises: a handle accommodation part which is opened toward a plate opening and in which the door handle is accommodated; and a slider accommodation part configured to communicate with the handle accommodation part, open toward the side part, and extend to a rear surface of the door 20, to accommodate the push slider 40; wherein the push slider 40 comprises: a horizontal part 44 accommodated in the case and in contact with an upper rear end of the door handle; and a vertical part 42 extending vertically rearward from an end portion of the horizontal part and in contact with the cabinet through a slider outlet; wherein the case is provided with a spring 50 configured to support the horizontal part 44 from a rear side of the horizontal part 44, and wherein the spring 50 is configured to be compressed based on the push slider 40 moving rearward; wherein the case comprises a spring mounting part 28 protruding through the spring 50, and wherein the horizontal part 44 defines a guide hole 43 (such as shown in Fig. 3) that is opened to pass through the spring mounting part 28 and configured to guide movement of the push slide 40 in a front-rear direction.
Therefore, it would have been obvious and well within the level of one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, in view of Lim, to modify Park ‘608, as modified, to include the limitations in Claim 18 of wherein the horizontal part defines a guide hole that is opened to pass through the spring mounting part and configured to guide movement of the push slider in a front-rear direction with a reasonable expectation of success in order to prevent nonuniform contraction and restoration of the elastic member and to increase the overall versatility of the refrigerator.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park ‘608, as modified, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of 2019/0024965 to Park (hereinafter Park ‘965).
Park ‘608, as modified, discloses all the elements as discussed above except for the limitations recited in claim 21.
However, Park ‘965 discloses a refrigerator 3,4 comprising (such as shown in Figs. 14-15): a cabinet 30,40 that has a storage space defined therein; a door (Fig. 14: 34,35; Fig. 15: 45) configured to open and close the storage space; and a door opening device provided on the door and configured to be manipulated to open the door, wherein the door opening device can be used on (i) a cabinet comprises (Fig. 14): a barrier 31 that partitions the storage space into a left storage space 33 and a right storage space 32, wherein the door is configured to open and close the left or right storage space by rotation, and wherein a push slider is configured to protrude toward the barrier 31; or (ii) a cabinet comprises (Fig. 15): a barrier 41 that partitions the storage space into an upper storage space and a lower storage space.
Therefore, it would have been obvious and well within the level of one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, in view of Park ‘965, to modify Park ‘608, as modified, to include the limitations in Claim 21 of wherein the cabinet comprises a barrier that partitions the storage space into a left storage space and a right storage space, wherein the door is configured to open and close the left or right storage space by rotation, and wherein the push slider is configured to protrude toward the barrier with a reasonable expectation of success in order to increase the overall versatility of the refrigerator.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/4/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to applicant’s arguments on page 8 that (i) the cap 24 of Park ‘608 is not made of a metal material as claimed, but rather is made of a plastic material, and (ii) the outer case 22 and the cap 24 are separate parts, and thus fails to meet the claimed limitations of the door plate is continuously bent to form a front part, a side part, and a rear part, the examiner respectfully take the position that (a) claim 1 is being rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 in view of Kretschmer; therefore, Park ‘608 is not required to disclose all the elements of the door plate is made of a metal material and continuously bent to form a front part, a side part, and a rear part; (b) Park ‘608 discloses the outer case/front plate 22 being made of a metal material, and Kretschmer teaches the idea of a refrigerator door plate being continuously bent to form a front part, a side part, and a rear part. Therefore, it would have been obvious and well within the level of one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, in view of Kretschmer, to modify Park ‘608 to include the limitations in Claim 1 of wherein the door plate is made of a metal material continuously bent to form the front part, the side part, and the rear part with a reasonable expectation of success in order reduce the number of parts of the refrigerator. Further, US 2019/0024965 to Park also shows that it is well known in the art to provide a door having a door plate 100 being made of a metal material ([0064]) and continuously bent to form: a front part that defines a front surface of the door, a side part that is bent from the front part and defines a side surface of the door, and a rear part that is bent from the side part (such as shown in Figs. 3-4 & 10-15).
In response to applicant’s argument on page 8, second full paragraph that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to combine the references, the examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, the motivation to do so is in order reduce the number of parts of the refrigerator.
In response to applicant’s argument on pages 8-9 regarding Kretschmer, the examiner respectfully take the position that Kretschmer is used only for the teaching that it is well known in the art to provide a door plate being continuously bent to form: a front part, a side part, and a rear part. Therefore, Kretschmer is not required to disclose the door plate is made of a metal material, the front part having a plate opening, and the rear part having a slider outlet.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HANH VAN TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-6868. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00-5:30.
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, DANIEL TROY can be reached at (571)270-3742. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HVT
April 13, 2026
/HANH V TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637
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