DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
Acknowledgements
This office action is in response to the communication filed 6/18/2026.
Claims 1-20 are pending and have been examined.
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 § 102
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 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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-12, 14 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al. (US 2012/0204607 A1).
Re claim 1, Yang discloses a bubble generator (ref. 70, see figs. 2-4), comprising:
a housing (ref. 71) comprising a first port (ref. 71a) configured to be connected to a pump (ref. 61 via ref. 64, see fig. 1), a second port (ref. 71e) configured to be connected to a drum (ref. 30), and a third port (ref. 71d) configured to be connected to a tub (ref. 20);
a valve device (ref. 72) comprising a valve (ref. 72a opening/closing port to open and close the switching passage 71 c) rotatably installed inside the housing (see figs. 2-4), wherein:
the valve is configured to be in a first position (fig. 3) or a second position (fig. 4),
the valve is configured to be rotated between the first position and the second position (see figs. 3-4),
when the valve is in the first position, the valve at least partly forms an air inlet (see annotated fig. 3 below) between the second port and the third port (¶ [0040]-[0041] air from 71e through 71c to 71d), and
when the valve is in the first position, the valve at least partly forms an orifice portion (ref. 71c) from the first port to the the third port inside the housing and the valve decreases a passage width of the orifice portion upstream of the air inlet (see figs. 3 movement of ref. 72a decreases width at ref. 71c, as compared to fig. 4, and also decreases as a comparison to the absence of any valve 72a); and
an actuator (ref. 731) configured to adjust a rotation angle of the valve device.
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Re claims 2-8, wherein the second port is configured to be connected to the drum by a first connection pipe (ref. 13), and wherein one end of the first connection pipe is configured to be connected to the second port, and another end thereof is configured to be connected to an upper side of the drum (see fig. 1). wherein the first port is configured to provide washing water from the pump into the housing (¶ [0032]). wherein the third port is configured to be installed under the tub (see fig. 1). wherein the valve device at least partly forms a wall configured to interrupt a flow of washing water from the first port toward the second port (the broadest reasonable interpretation of “to interrupt” is “to break the uniformity or continuity of” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interrupt), here the opening of the wall of valve device causes redirection of flow from the first port toward the second port, see fig. 3-4 arrows indicating flow changes from first port to second port to first/second port to third port, thus satisfying “interrupt”). wherein the valve device is configured to guide air introduced through the air inlet toward the orifice portion when the valve is in the first position (¶ [0040]-[0041] air in the water tub 20 is sucked into orifice portion 71c). wherein when the valve is in the first position (see fig. 3), the passage width of the orifice portion is greater than or equal to a passage width of the air inlet (see fig. 3 opening to the third port enables formation of the air inlet at ref. 71c thus having an equal passage width or if the air inlet is considered normal to the second port then the air inlet appears smaller than the orifice portion 71c). wherein when the valve is in the first position, the bubble generator is configured to mix washing water introduced through the first port with air introduced through the air inlet in the orifice portion to form a bubble, and the bubble generator is configured to discharge the bubble through the third port (¶ [0040]-[0041]).
Re claims 9-12, 14 and 16, wherein the valve device is at least partly forms a circulation flow path portion from the first port to the second port when the valve is in the second position (see fig. 4), and wherein when the valve is in the second position, the bubble generator is configured to discharge washing water introduced through the first port through the circulation flow path portion and then the second port (see fig. 4 circulation flow path portion to ref. 71e). wherein two opposite ends of the valve device contact an inner wall of the housing when the valve is in the second position (see fig. 4), and one end of the valve device contacts the inner wall of the housing when the valve is in the first position (see fig. 3). wherein the valve device includes a rotation shaft (ref. 72b) configured to be rotated by an actuator (ref. 731), wherein the valve is a plate (ref. 72a) connected to the rotation shaft, and wherein the plate comprises a first portion and a second position positioned at an angle relative to the first portion at the rotation shaft (see fig. 2 ref. 72a appearing flat with a portion with a raised rim and having a slight curvature along the arm of ref. 72a). wherein the angle is obtuse angle or equal to 180 degrees (180 degrees flat). wherein the housing includes one or more engaging protrusions provided inside the housing to contact the plate (see figs. 3-4 left portion of ref. 71c having a protrusion type shape to match the curvature of ref. 72a). wherein the housing includes one or more embossed surfaces provided inside the housing to contact an edge of the plate (see figs. 3-4 left wall of ref .71c is embossed to curvature of plate 72a).
Re claim 17, Independent claim 17 defines over claim 1 only in the recitation of a washer. Yang further discloses the washer (¶ [0025], see fig. 1).
Re claims 18-20, wherein the first port is configured to provide washing water introduced from the pump into the housing (see fig. 1 via ref. 64), wherein the second port is connected to the drum by a first connection pipe (ref. 13), and wherein one end of the first connection pipe is connected to the second port, and another end of the first connection pipe is connected to an upper side of the drum, and wherein the third port is installed under the tub (see fig. 1). wherein the valve device at least partly forms a wall configured to interrupt a flow of washing water from the first port toward the second port (the broadest reasonable interpretation of “to interrupt” is “to break the uniformity or continuity of” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interrupt), here the opening of the wall of valve device causes redirection of flow from the first port toward the second port, see fig. 3-4 arrows indicating flow changes from first port to second port to first/second port to third port, thus satisfying “interrupt”). wherein the valve device is configured to guide air introduced through the air inlet toward the orifice portion when the valve is in the first position (¶ [0040]-[0041] air in the water tub 20 is sucked into orifice portion).
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang, as applied above.
Re claim 13, Yang discloses as shown above including an axis of the first port and an axis of the second port appearing about 90 degrees (see figs. 2-3) and the angle of the first portion and the second portion is about 180 degrees (flat, see figs. 3-4), but does not show wherein an axis of the first port and an axis of the second port forms an obtuse angle. However, at the time of filing, the mere change in angle of the axis of the first port and an axis of the second port by 1 degree, such to satisfy an obtuse angle, would have been an obvious engineering expedient to one of ordinary skill in the art, for the purpose of optimizing space surrounding the housing. See MPEP 2144.04(VI)(A) Rearrangement of Parts and MPEP 2144.05(I) Overlapping, Approaching, and Similar Ranges, Amount and Proportions.
Re claim 15, Yang further discloses wherein the engaging protrusions include a front protrusion the plate may contact the front protrusion based on opening between the first port and the third port (see figs. 2-3 left portion of ref. 71c), but does not explicitly disclose a rear protrusion. However, regarding “a rear protrusion”, at the time of filing, the mere duplication and/or change in shape of the right-wall of ref. 71c to similarly match the curvature of the plate 72a is prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, for the purpose of providing conforming parts to prevent leaks and turbulent flow. See MPEP 2144.04(IV)(B) Changes in Shape.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/18/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant's arguments that Yang fails to disclose "when the valve is in the first position, the valve at least partly forms an air inlet between the second port and the third port" and "when the valve is in the first position, the valve at least partly forms an orifice portions from the first port to the third port inside the housing and the valve decreased a passage width of the orifice portion upstream of the air line", Examiner respectfully disagrees. Here, Applicant has not defined any relative comparison of the second position to which the first position "decreas[ing]" the passage width should be compared. That is, here, Yang teaches a valve body that "decreases" a width of an orifice portion relative to the valve not either a) not in the first position or b) not being present. Examiner also highlights that Yang has a slight curvature to the valve, so it similarly "decreases" [after increasing] the orifice in the direction of the flow.
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Moreover, Examiner notes the current language is awkward. The current claims recites a first position change from/relative to a second position, where the second position is not defined in the claims. Examiner suggests reversing the first and second position as presently claimed [or reverting to the open/closed position as in the interview proposed amendments, with clarification the closed position references the third port being closed] and possibly clarifying the valve divides an open portion into an air inlet and orifice portion, and the valve when rotated to the [open, fig. 6] position increases the air inlet and decreases the orifice portion as function of rotation of the valve.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
JP2005007224A note recirculating water to tank and then outputting simultaneously via 3 way valve.
US20180149284A1 note rotating valve 80 at an exit port for regulating bubble generator.
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 KEVIN LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-7299. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30am to 6:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Barr can be reached on 571-272-1414. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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KEVIN G. LEE
Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/KEVIN G LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 1711
/MICHAEL E BARR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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