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 § 102
1. 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.
2. Claims 1, 2, 4-6, 8 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 109385851 (CN ‘851).
With respect to claim 1, CN ‘851 shows a laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet (Fig.1) including a front panel (1, Fig.1, Fig.3) having an inlet (4, Fig.3) defined therein; an accommodation portion disposed inside the cabinet to accommodate laundry input via the inlet (4) therein; a door seating portion (3, Fig.3) defined in the front panel (1), surrounding the inlet (4), and recessed rearward (Fig.3); and a door (2, FIg.3) disposed on the front panel to open and close the inlet, wherein at least a portion of the door is accommodated in the door seating portion (3) in a state of closing the inlet (Fig.3, Fig.5, Fig.6), wherein the door (2) includes: a door frame (23, Fig.8) pivotably coupled to the front panel (via hinges 7, Fig.8) and accommodated in the door seating portion (Fig.7); and a door cover (22, Fig.7) covering a front surface of the door frame and exposed forward (Fig.7), wherein the door frame includes: an inner frame (23-2) accommodated in the door seating portion (Fig.7) and facing the inlet; and an outer frame (23-1, Fig.7) coupled to the inner frame from the front and having the door cover (22) disposed on a front surface thereof, wherein the front surface (see annotation below) of the outer frame (23-1) is configured to be positioned rearward of a front surface (see annotation) of the front panel (1).
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With respect to claim 2, wherein a portion of the outer frame (sloped portion, FIg.7, see annotation below) is configured to be positioned rearward of a front surface of the front panel (1), and a remainder (see annotation below) thereof is configured to be positioned forward of the front surface of the front panel.
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With respect to claim 4, wherein the outer frame (23-1) includes a cover seating portion recessed rearward to provide a space where at least a portion of the door cover (22, FIg.7) is configured to be inserted, wherein a recessed surface of the cover seating portion is positioned rearward of a front surface of the front panel (see upper recessed portion of 23-1 that accommodates top edge of door cover 22 in Fig.7).
With respect to claim 5, wherein an edge of the door frame (edge of outer frame 23-1) includes a frame circumferential portion (see annotation for claim 2 labeled “portion forward of front surface of front panel”) protruding forward and extending along an edge of the door cover, wherein a front end of the frame circumferential portion is configured to be positioned forward of a front end of the front panel (1, see annotation above, see figure 7).
With respect to claim 6, wherein a frame coupling portion where the inner frame (23-2) and the outer frame (23-1) are coupled to each other is configured to be located at the rear of a front surface of the front panel (1, Fig.7).
With respect to claim 8, wherein an edge (see upper edge in FIg.7) of a front surface of the door cover (22) is configured to be positioned together with a front end of the door frame on one virtual surface perpendicular to the ground (front end of the outer door frame 23-1 is flush with the edge of the front surface of the door cover 22, Fig.7)
With respect to claim 12, wherein an edge of the door frame (edge of the outer door frame 23-1) includes a frame circumferential portion (see annotation for claim 2 labeled “portion forward of front surface of front panel”) protruding forward and extending along a circumferential surface of the door cover (22), wherein an edge of a front surface of the door cover (22) and a front end of the frame circumferential portion are configured to be positioned together on one surface perpendicular to the ground (front end of the circumferential portion of the outer door frame 23-1 is flush with the edge of the front surface of the door cover 22, Fig.7).
3. Claims 1, 2, 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent 7,299,666 B2 (Geyer).
With respect to claim 1, Geyer shows a laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet (1, Fig.1) including a front panel (at 1, Fig.2) having an inlet (3, FIg.1) defined therein; an accommodation portion disposed inside the cabinet to accommodate laundry input via the inlet therein; a door seating portion (see recess in FIg.2) defined in the front panel, surrounding the inlet, and recessed rearward; and a door (2) disposed on the front panel to open and close the inlet, wherein at least a portion of the door (2) is accommodated in the door seating portion (Fig.2) in a state of closing the inlet, wherein the door includes: a door frame (4) pivotably coupled to the front panel (Fig.1) and accommodated in the door seating portion (Fig.2); and a door cover (9, Fig.2) covering a front surface of the door frame (4) and exposed forward, wherein the door frame includes: an inner frame (6) accommodated in the door seating portion and facing the inlet; and an outer frame (8) coupled to the inner frame from the front and having the door cover (9) disposed on a front surface thereof, wherein the front surface of the outer frame (8) is configured to be positioned rearward of a front surface of the front panel (1, FIg.2).
With respect to claim 2, wherein a portion of the outer frame (8) is configured to be positioned rearward of a front surface of the front panel (1, FIg.2), and a remainder thereof (front end of the hook at 8, FIg.2) is configured to be positioned forward of the front surface of the front panel (FIg.2).
With respect to claim 4, wherein the outer frame (8) includes a cover seating portion (at the upper hook, FIg.2) recessed rearward to provide a space where at least a portion of the door cover (9) is configured to be inserted, wherein a recessed surface of the cover seating portion is positioned rearward of a front surface of the front panel (Fig.2).
With respect to claim 5, wherein an edge of the door frame (upper edge of the outer door frame 8) includes a frame circumferential portion (end hook) protruding forward and extending along an edge of the door cover (9), wherein a front end of the frame circumferential portion is configured to be positioned forward of a front end of the front panel (1, FIg.2)
With respect to claim 6, wherein a frame coupling portion (between thrust ring 12 and 6, FIg.2) where the inner frame (6) and the outer frame (8) are coupled to each other is configured to be located at the rear of a front surface of the front panel (Fig.2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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.
5. Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 109385851 (CN ‘851) in further in view of CN 217709999 A (CN ‘999).
With respect to claim 7, CN ‘851 shows wherein an edge of a front surface of the door cover (22) is configured to be positioned forward of the front surface of the front panel (1) but it is unclear whether a portion of the door cover is configured to be positioned rearward of a front surface of the front panel. CN ‘999 shows wherein a portion of the door cover (rear surface of 240, Fig.5) is configured to be positioned rearward of a front surface of the front panel (100, Fig.5). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a portion of the door cover rearward of a front surface of the front panel, such as taught by CN ‘999, in order to provide sufficient support of the door cover on the door frame.
6. Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 109385851 (CN ‘851) in further in view of US 2007/0113421 A1 (Uhara).
With respect to claim 7, CN ‘851 shows wherein an edge of a front surface of the door cover (22) is configured to be positioned forward of the front surface of the front panel (1) but it is unclear whether a portion of the door cover is configured to be positioned rearward of a front surface of the front panel. Uhara shows wherein a portion of the door cover (72, Fig.3) is configured to be positioned rearward of a front surface of the front (front panel of main body 1, Fig.1) , wherein an edge of a front surface of the door cover (72) is configured to be positioned forward of the front surface of the front panel (Fig.1). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make a portion of the door cover of CN ‘851 rearward of a front surface of the front panel, such as taught by Uhara, in order to provide sufficient support of the door cover on the door frame and provide aesthetically pleasing outer appearance of the door that is not protruded out too much and thus prevent debris from entering the edges of the door.
7. Claims 9-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 109385851 (CN ‘851) in further in view of EP3690127 A1 (EP ‘127).
With respect to claim 9, CN ‘851 doesn’t show the door cover includes a connecting curved surface. EP ‘127 shows wherein the door cover (20) includes a connecting curved surface (201, FIg.16/FIg.14) connecting an edge of a front surface of the door cover (20) with a front end of a circumferential surface of the door cover (Fig.16), wherein at least a portion of the connecting curved surface (201) is configured to be protrude forward of a front end of the door frame (at 34, FIg.14/Fig.16). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a connecting curved surface connecting an edge of the front surface of the door cover with a front end of the circumference surface of the door cover and to protrude it forward from a front end of the door frame, such as taught by EP ‘127, in order to easily and smoothly mount the door cover on the door frame and easily disengage the door cover from the door frame when needed to be replaced and provide aesthetically pleasing outside appearance of the door cover.
With respect to claim 10, the combination (EP ‘127) shows wherein a front end of the connecting curved surface (201, Fig.14) is configured to be positioned forward of the front end of the door frame (at 34, FIg.16/Fig.14), wherein a rear end (at 202, Fig.14/Fig.16) of the connecting curved surface (201) is configured to be positioned rearward of the front end (at 34, Fig.14/Fig.16) of the door frame.
With respect to claim 11, the combination (EP ‘127) shows wherein the circumferential surface (202/203, Fig.14, Fig.16) of the door cover (20) is configured to be positioned rearward of the front end (at 34) of the door frame (14).
With respect to claim 13, the combination (EP ‘127) shows wherein an edge of the door frame includes a frame circumferential portion (34, FIg.14) protruding forward and extending along a circumferential surface of the door cover (20, Fig.3, FIg.15), wherein an edge (201, Fig.14 exploded figure) of a front surface of the door cover (20) is configured to be positioned forward of a front end of the frame circumferential portion (34, Fig.14 exploded figure).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
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.
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/HIWOT E TEFERA/Examiner, Art Unit 3637
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