DETAILED ACTION
The communication dated 03/24/2026 has been entered and fully considered.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending. Claims 7-14 and 18-20 are withdrawn.
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 with traverse of Invention I. Claims 1-11 and 15-18 in the reply filed on 03/24/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that each embodiment would overlap one another and would not present an additional burden to the Examiner. This is not found persuasive because the species are not obvious variants of each other based on the current record as there are electrical insert modules and non-electrical insert modules.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Additionally, claims 7-11 and 18 are also withdrawn as there is no electrical feature associated with the filtration media according to the Applicant’s specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. U.S. Publication 2005/0265890 (henceforth referred to as Yang) in view of Sachon DE102009046576 (henceforth referred to as Sachon).
As to claim 1, (Original) Yang teaches a laundry appliance comprising:
a cabinet (FIG. 1 paragraph [0030] housing 10);
a basket rotatably mounted within the cabinet, the basket defining a laundry chamber for the receipt of clothes (FIG. 2 paragraph [0031] rotary tub 22);
a door movably mounted to the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the basket (paragraph [0030] door 11).
Yang differs from the instant claim in failing to teach the door comprising a perimeter rim defining a module pocket therein; and an insert module received within the module pocket, the insert module comprising a module faceplate supported on the door and movable relative thereto.
Sachon teaches a household appliance (paragraphs [0001] and [0017] a household appliance which can be a washing machine). Sachon teaches the door comprising a perimeter rim defining a module pocket therein (FIG. 4 paragraph [0025] cuboid receiving area 16a or opening 50a reads on the claimed module pocket. Cuboid receiving area is on a perimeter rim of the door); and an insert module received within the module pocket (FIG. 4 paragraph [0025] operating input unit 10a reads on the claimed insert module), the insert module comprising a module faceplate supported on the door and movable relative thereto (FIG. 4 paragraph [0011] the device’s front surface is made of glass. The front surface reads on the module faceplate).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the laundry appliance as taught by Yang with a module pocket and insert module as taught by Sachon. It would have been obvious to have a module that can be detachable in order to control the appliance remotely (paragraph [0030]).
As to claim 2, (Original) The combination of Yang and Sachon further teach the module pocket is defined at an upper half of the door (Sachon FIG. 4 paragraph [0025] the receiving area 16a is located on an upper part 24a of the door 22a) above a rotation axis of the basket (Sachon’s receiving area will be located above Yang’s rotation axis).
As to claim 3, (Original) Sachon further teaches the insert module is selectively attached to the door at the module pocket for selective separation of the insert module from the door (paragraph [0025] the operating input unit 10a can be detached from the assembly unit 12a without tools).
Claims 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. U.S. Publication 2005/0265890 (henceforth referred to as Yang) and Sachon DE102009046576 (henceforth referred to as Sachon) as applied to claim 1 above, in further view of Park et al. KR20050052131 (henceforth referred to as Park).
As to claim 4, (Original) Yang and Sachon differ from the instant claim in failing to teach the insert module comprises a filtration media contained behind the module faceplate.
Park teaches a laundry appliance (FIG. 3 paragraph [3] washing machine). Park teaches the insert module comprises a filtration media contained behind the module faceplate (FIG. 4 page 8 a filter 62 is installed in the ventilation panel. The filter 62 is located behind ventilation cover 64, which reads on the claimed module faceplate).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the laundry appliance as taught by Yang and Sachon with a filtration media as taught by Park. It would have been obvious to add a filtration media to filter out the dust as the air is vented into the chamber (page 7).
As to claim 5, (Original) Park teaches the filtration media is in upstream fluid communication with laundry chamber (page 8 the filter 62 installed in the ventilation panel 60 filters dust in the air vented to the washing tub. This means that the filter 62 is in upstream fluid communication with the laundry chamber).
As to claim 6, (Original) Park further teaches the module faceplate is pivotably attached to the door (FIG. 4 page 9 ventilation cover 64 is connected to the washing machine door by a hinge 64a).
Claims 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. U.S. Publication 2005/0265890 (henceforth referred to as Yang) in view of Sachon DE102009046576 (henceforth referred to as Sachon) and Park et al. KR20050052131 (henceforth referred to as Park).
As to claim 15, (Original) Yang teaches a laundry appliance comprising:
a cabinet (FIG. 1 paragraph [0030] housing 10);
a basket rotatably mounted within the cabinet, the basket defining a laundry chamber for the receipt of clothes (FIG. 2 paragraph [0031] rotary tub 22);
a door movably mounted to the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the basket (paragraph [0030] door 11).
Yang differs from the instant claim in failing to teach the door comprising a perimeter rim defining a module pocket extending therethrough; and an airflow module received within the module pocket, the airflow module comprising a module faceplate supported on the door and movable relative thereto, and a filtration media contained behind the module faceplate.
Sachon teaches a household appliance (paragraphs [0001] and [0017] a household appliance which can be a washing machine). Sachon teaches the door comprising a perimeter rim defining a module pocket therein (FIG. 4 paragraph [0025] cuboid receiving area 16a or opening 50a reads on the claimed module pocket. Cuboid receiving area is on a perimeter rim of the door); and an insert module received within the module pocket (FIG. 4 paragraph [0025] operating input unit 10a reads on the claimed insert module), the insert module comprising a module faceplate supported on the door and movable relative thereto (FIG. 4 paragraph [0011] the device’s front surface is made of glass. The front surface reads on the module faceplate).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the laundry appliance as taught by Yang with a module pocket and insert module as taught by Sachon. It would have been obvious to have a module that can be detachable in order to control the appliance remotely (paragraph [0030]).
Park teaches a laundry appliance (FIG. 3 paragraph [3] washing machine). Park teaches an airflow module received within the module pocket, the airflow module comprising a module faceplate supported on the door and movable relative thereto (page 9 ventilation cover 64 reads on the module faceplate and is attached to the washing machine door 52), and a filtration media contained behind the module faceplate (FIG. 4 filter 62 is contained behind the module faceplate).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the laundry appliance as taught by Yang with an airflow module as taught by Park. It would have been obvious to add an airflow module as it would provide a safer way to allow air to be ventilated into the washing tub during operation of the washing machine (page 7).
As to claim 16, (Original) The combination of Yang and Sachon further teach the module pocket is defined at an upper half of the door (Sachon FIG. 4 paragraph [0025] the receiving area 16a is located on an upper part 24a of the door 22a) above a rotation axis of the basket (Sachon’s receiving area will be located above Yang’s rotation axis).
As to claim 17, (Original) Park further teaches the filtration media is in upstream fluid communication with laundry chamber (page 8 the filter 62 installed in the ventilation panel 60 filters dust in the air vented to the washing tub. This means that the filter 62 is in upstream fluid communication with the laundry chamber).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAUREN G ORTA whose telephone number is (703)756-5455. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30-5:00.
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/L.G.O./Examiner, Art Unit 1711
/MICHAEL E BARR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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