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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 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.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (WO 2019/172644A1) in view of Xu et al. (CN 111595026A). Lee et al. teaches a tank assembly 100 (figure 1) comprising a tank member 110 that is connected to an outside, constitutes an inlet flow path 112 through which a fluid is introduced, and has one side in a height direction open (upper end through which 114 extends), a cover portion that is connected to an outside (cover portion at upper end through which 114, 140 and 152 extend), constitutes an outlet flow path 114 of the fluid introduced into an inside, covers the one side of the tank member (upper side), and is coupled to the tank member.
Lee et al. discloses the claimed invention except for the outlet buffer portion. Xu et al. teaches that it is known to provide a tank with an outlet buffer portion (see elements 33, 34 in outlet 32). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the tank of Lee et al. with an outlet buffer portion , as taught by Xu et al., in order to better direct and control the flow of liquid to the outlet.
Further regarding claim 1, Lee et al., as modified by Xu et al. above, teaches an outlet buffer portion (33, 34 of Xu et al.) that is coupled to the cover portion (via connection with outlet pipe) to constitute the outlet flow path of the fluid together with the cover portion, and is accommodated in the tank member to be located at the one side of the tank member (upper end where outlet is located in Lee et al.), wherein the outlet buffer portion comprises an outlet buffer space (through 33 of Xu et al.) communicated with a cover space formed inside the cover portion (through which outlet pipe extends), and an outlet buffer communication hole (34 of Xu et al.) communicating the outlet buffer space with a tank space formed inside the tank member (as taught by Xu et al.; figure 2).
Regarding claim 2, an outlet buffer body (element 33 of Xu et al.) surrounding the outlet buffer space, wherein the outlet buffer communication hole (34 of Xu et al.) is formed through a part of the outlet buffer body (figure 2 of Xu et al.).
Regarding claim 3, the cover portion is connected to the outside (figures 6 and 7) at one side (upper side) in its longitudinal direction, and the outlet buffer communication hole (34 of Xu et al.) is formed at the other side (lower side opposite outlet pipe) in the longitudinal direction, wherein the fluid introduced into the outlet buffer space by passing through the outlet buffer communication hole (34 of Xu et al.) flows from the other side to the one side along the longitudinal direction, and then flows out to the outside (as taught by Xu et al.).
Regarding claim 4, the cover portion is connected to the outside at one side in its longitudinal direction (upper side), and the outlet buffer communication hole (34 of Xu et al.) is formed in plural, and the plurality of outlet buffer communication holes are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (holes 33 and 34 of Xu et al.), wherein the sum of the cross-sectional areas of a part of the outlet buffer communication holes disposed at the one side (holes 34 of Xu et al.) in the longitudinal direction is less than or equal to the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the remaining outlet buffer communication holes (holes 33 of Xu et al.) disposed at the other side in the longitudinal direction (Xu et al. defines holes 33 as larger holes, and holes 34 as smaller holes).
Regarding claim 5, the cover portion is connected to the outside at one side in its longitudinal direction (upper side; figures 6 and 7), and the outlet buffer communication hole is formed in plural (holes 33 and 34 of Xu et al.), and the plurality of outlet buffer communication holes are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (at 33 and 34 in figure 2 of Xu et al.), wherein the number of the outlet buffer communication holes disposed at one side in the longitudinal direction is less than or equal to the number of the outlet buffer communication holes disposed at the other side in the longitudinal direction (multiple big holes and two small holes disclosed in Xu et al.).
Regarding claim 6, a heater portion 140 coupled to the tank member, and configured to heat the fluid introduced into the tank space, wherein the tank member 110 comprises a tank inlet pipe 112 member located at the other side in the height direction and connected to the outside to constitute the inlet flow path of the fluid, wherein the heater portion 140 is located between the tank inlet pipe member and the outlet buffer portion in the height direction (figure 2).
Regarding claim 7, the tank inlet pipe member 112 is located at the one side of the tank member in the longitudinal direction, wherein the outlet buffer communication hole is formed in plural, and the plurality of outlet buffer communication holes are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (see holes 33 and 34 of Xu et al.), wherein the sum of the cross-sectional areas of a part of the outlet buffer communication holes disposed at the one side in the longitudinal direction is less than or equal to the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the remaining outlet buffer communication holes disposed at the other side in the longitudinal direction (Xu et al. defines holes 33 as larger holes, and holes 34 as smaller holes).
Regarding claim 8, the cover portion comprises a cover body (shown in figures 6 and 7) surrounding the cover space at the one side in the height direction and in the horizontal direction, and an outlet flow path 114 coupling portion located at the one side of the cover body in the longitudinal direction (figure 7), and coupled to an inlet flow path portion (via the coupling with the tank walls), and communicating the inlet flow path portion with the cover space (through mutual communication with tank cavity space).
Regarding claim 9, a heater portion 140 coupled to the tank member, and configured to heat the fluid introduced into the tank space, wherein inside the outlet flow path coupling portion, a cover outlet hollow is formed through (through which 114 extends) in the height direction and communicates the cover space with the outside, wherein the time for the fluid introduced into the tank space to be heated by the heater portion 140 is increased as much as time for the fluid to flow a distance between the outlet buffer communication hole and the cover outlet hollow.
Regarding claim 10, an inlet buffer portion 130 accommodated in the tank space to be located at the other side of the tank member in the height direction, and connected to the outside to constitute the inlet flow path of the fluid, wherein the inlet buffer portion 130 comprises a tank inlet coupling portion at 112 connected to the outside, an inlet buffer body 130 located to be spaced apart from the other side of the tank member in the height direction, and an inlet buffer space formed between the inlet buffer body and the other side of the tank member (between tank bottom wall and 136), and connected to the tank inlet coupling portion and the tank space.
Regarding claim 11, the inlet buffer portion 130 comprises an inlet buffer communication hole 135 formed through the inside of the inlet buffer body, and communicating the inlet buffer space with the tank space.
Regarding claim 12, the tank inlet coupling portion 112 is located on one side of the inlet buffer body in the longitudinal direction, and the inlet buffer communication hole 135 is provided in plural (figure 4), and the plurality of inlet buffer communication holes 135 are disposed to be spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction (figure 4), and the sum of the cross-sectional areas of a part of the inlet buffer communication holes disposed at the one side in the longitudinal direction is less than or equal to the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the remaining inlet buffer communication holes 135 disposed at the other side in the longitudinal direction (equal to).
Regarding claim 13, the tank member comprises an inlet buffer support rib at 132 extending from the other side of the tank member in the height direction, and supporting the inlet buffer body (figure 4).
Regarding claim 14, a bidet (see Abstract; “bidet hot water system”) comprising the tank assembly 100, as described above, a fluid supply unit connected to the tank assembly and the outside, respectively, to constitute the inlet flow path 112 of the fluid, and a fluid injection unit connected to the tank assembly and the outside, respectively, to constitute the outlet flow path 114 of the fluid.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art is cited for the buffer mechanism.
THIS ACTION IS NON-FINAL.
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/NIKI M ELOSHWAY/Examiner, Art Unit 3736