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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: In line 7, the recitation “each guide” should be “each said guide”.
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities: In line 2, the recitation “each clip” should be “each said clip”.
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: In line 3, the recitation “each clip” should be “each said clip”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2008/0203875 A1 (Lim) in view of CN 108720379 A (Sun).
With respect to claim 1: Lim discloses a refrigerator appliance comprising: a cabinet (body 10) defining an internal cavity (storage chambers 20, 30); a storage bin (upper box 50) (i) disposed within the internal cavity (Fig. 2), (ii) having side walls (Fig. 1), (iii) having overhanging regions (regions defined by rim 51) extending laterally outward from the side walls along a top and a front of the storage bin (Figs. 1-5), and (iv) defining spaces between the side walls and the overhanging regions (Fig. 4: the space between the vertical side wall of box 50 and the bending portion 51b); guides (left and right sliding rail units 70) each having first (one or both of rails 70b, 70c) and second rails (rail 70a) slidably secured to each other, wherein the first rail of each guide is secured to the cabinet (Fig. 4 and [0037]: “a third rail 70c fixed to the sidewalls of the freezing chamber 30”); and guide covers (brackets 60) each (i) operable to conceal one of the guides (in the same or similar way as the Applicant’s invention; see at least Lim Fig. 4; in Figs. 3-4, the bracket 60 conceals at least a part of the sliding rail unit 70 when attached to rail 70a and before box 50 is attached; in Figs. 3-4, at least a portion of the inner lateral side of rail 70a is concealed when bracket 60 is attached to tail 70a), (ii) disposed within one of the spaces such that the guide covers are concealed by the overhanging regions (Fig. 4), and (iv) secured to one of the second rails (attached by screwing in Fig. 3, shown secured together in Fig. 4) such that the storage bin is (a) secured to each of the second rails via the guide covers (Figs. 1-4 and [0028]-[0045]) and (b) operably slidable into and out of the internal cavity via relative movement between the first and second rails (Figs. 1-4 and [0028]-[0045]).
Further regarding the claim limitation “overhanging regions extending laterally outward from the side walls along a top and a front of the storage bin”, the Applicant’s Figs. 3-4 show overhanging regions 46 extending laterally outward from side walls 40 along a top 52 and front 54 of the storage bin 30. The overhanging regions 46 do not extend laterally across the front 54 of bin 30; the trim component 44 extends laterally across the front 54 of bin 30. The overhanging regions 46 extend along a front 54 of bin 30 in that the regions 46 terminate at and define a width at the front 54 of bin 30.
Lim Figs. 1 and 3-5 clearly show the rim 51 extending laterally outward from the two lateral side walls of the upper box 50. The rim 51 extends rearwardly outward from the rear wall of box 50. The arrow in the annotated image below, from Lim Fig. 2, shows the rim 51 extends laterally (to the side) outward from the side wall of box 50 along the top and the front of the box 50, in the same way as the Applicant’s invention.
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Lim does not disclose the bracket 60 “(iii) secured to an internal side of one of the overhanging regions along the front of storage bin” as claimed.
Lim discloses the bracket 60 secured to the overhanging region along the side/rear of the upper box 50 using, inter alia, release-lock member 80 (Figs. 3-5 and [0038]-[0045]).
Sun’s supporting piece 3 connects the lower set 21 of a slide rail assembly 2 to the side portion of a drawer 1, thereby making the supporting piece 3 analogous and/or functionally equivalent to Lim’s bracket 60. Sun Figs. 4-6 show the front portion of the supporting piece 3 secured to the drawer 1 using (i) a jaw 43 that engages in a loophole 314 of the supporting piece 3, and (ii) a bump 45 on the supporting piece 3 engaging a groove 46 provided at the drawer 1.
The connecting means at the front of Sun’s drawer 1 is in addition to connecting means at the rear of Sun’s drawer 1. This shows it is known in the art to have connecting means at both front and rear portions of a drawer.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify (i) Lim’s bracket 60 to include Sun’s loophole 314 and/or bump 45, and (ii) Lim’s rim 51/upper box 50 to include Sun’s jaw 43 and/or groove 46, in order to connect the front region of box 50 to the bracket 60 (in addition to the release-lock members 80 at the rear region of box 50).
With respect to claim 2: Lim, as modified, meets wherein the guide covers include clips (the structure forming bump 45 in Sun Fig. 6), and wherein each clip engages the internal side of one of the overhanging regions (in the groove 46 of Sun added thereto) along the front of the storage bin to further secure the guide covers to the storage bin.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2008/0203875 A1 (Lim) in view of CN 108720379 A (Sun) as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of DE 10 2007 051 343 A1 (Grasy).
With respect to claim 3: See Sun Figs. 4-6. The groove 46 is formed on the back side of the drawer door 12 of the drawer 1.
See Lim Fig. 5. Modifying the front bending portion 51b of the box 50 to have Sun’s groove 46 therein does not meet “wherein the storage bin further comprises ledges protruding into the spaces along the internal sides the overhanging regions and along the front of the storage bin, and wherein each clip engages one of the ledges to further secure the guide covers to the storage bin” as claimed.
Grasy Figs. 1-5 show a bridge 20 engaged by a “clip” in the form of locking lever 27. The latching projection 28 of locking lever 27 engages the bridge 20, which is a “ledge”. Grasy’s locking lever 27 is used similarly to Lim’s release-lock members 80 and the front and rear connecting means of Sun – all are comprised in connection means between a drawer and drawer slide structure in a refrigerator.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the front of Lim’s upper box 50 to have Grasy’s bridge 20 formed inside the bending portion 51b of the rim 51, at the left and right sides of the front of box 50, in order to predictably engage the bump 45 added to the front of Lim’s left and right brackets 60. The bridges 20 are an obvious variant and/or functional equivalent of the grooves 46, as the structural means cooperating with the bump 45 for mounting the rim 51 and bracket 60 together.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2008/0203875 A1 (Lim) in view of CN 108720379 A (Sun) as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of KR 10-2010-0013084 A (Park).
With respect to claim 5: Lim, as modified, does not meet “wherein the guide covers include protrusions extending laterally inward therefrom, and wherein the protrusions engage the side walls of the storage bin to restrict lateral movement of the storage bin” as claimed.
Park Figs. 3-6 show a projection 315 that extends laterally inward from a fixing piece 317. These components are on the drawer side connection to a mounting bracket 210 of a drawer door 200. Page 7 of the translation of Park teaches that the projection 315 prevents the drawer door 200 from rotating about the rail 310, via contact between the projection 315 and the first bent portion 212 of the mounting bracket 210. Park Figs. 3 and 6 show the projection 315 also engages the side wall 110 of the shelf 100.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Lim’s invention to include Park’s mounting bracket 210, fixing piece 317, projection 315, etc. – in order to mount the not-numbered door of Lim’s upper box 50 to the drawer slide structure thereof, using the structures from Park shown to be suitable for that exact purpose.
In the modification, the projections 315 contact the sides of Lim’s upper box 50 in the same way as in Park’s invention. While the disclosed primary purpose of the projections 315 are to prevent rotation of the door relative to the rail, the projections 315 also meet “wherein the guide covers include protrusions extending laterally inward therefrom, and wherein the protrusions engage the side walls of the storage bin to restrict lateral movement of the storage bin” as claimed.
Such projections 315 are shown as laterally extending inwardly, and contacting the side walls of the storage bin. In that there is a projection 315 on both lateral side walls of the upper box 50, there is naturally some amount of restriction of lateral movement of the upper box 50 due to the projections 315 contacting the side walls thereof.
Claim(s) 8, 11, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2008/0203875 A1 (Lim) in view of KR 10-2010-0013084 A (Park).
With respect to claim 8: Lim discloses a refrigerator appliance comprising: a cabinet (body 10) defining an internal cavity (storage chambers 20, 30); a storage bin (upper box 50) disposed within the internal cavity; a guide (sliding rail unit 70) movably securing the storage bin to the cabinet such that the storage bin is movable into and out of the internal cavity via the guide; and a cover (bracket 60) (i) operable to conceal the guide (in the same or similar way as the Applicant’s invention; see at least Lim Fig. 4; in Figs. 3-4, the bracket 60 conceals at least a part of the sliding rail unit 70 when attached to rail 70a and before box 50 is attached; in Figs. 3-4, at least a portion of the inner lateral side of rail 70a is concealed when bracket 60 is attached to tail 70a), (ii) secured the storage bin (Figs. 1-4 and [0028]-[0045]), and (iii) secured to the guide such that the storage bin is secured to the guide via the cover (Figs. 1-4 and [0028]-[0045]).
Lim does not disclose the bracket 60 meets “(iv) having a protrusion extending laterally inward therefrom, wherein the protrusion engages the storage bin to restrict lateral movement of the storage bin” as claimed.
Park Figs. 3-6 show a projection 315 that extends laterally inward from a fixing piece 317. These components are on the drawer side connection to a mounting bracket 210 of a drawer door 200. Page 7 of the translation of Park teaches that the projection 315 prevents the drawer door 200 from rotating about the rail 310, via contact between the projection 315 and the first bent portion 212 of the mounting bracket 210. Park Figs. 3 and 6 show the projection 315 also engages the side wall 110 of the shelf 100.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Lim’s invention to include Park’s mounting bracket 210, fixing piece 317, projection 315, etc. – in order to mount the not-numbered door of Lim’s upper box 50 to the drawer slide structure thereof, using the structures from Park shown to be suitable for that exact purpose.
In the modification, the projections 315 contact the sides of Lim’s upper box 50 in the same way as in Park’s invention. While the disclosed primary purpose of the projections 315 are to prevent rotation of the door relative to the rail, the projections 315 also meet “(iv) having a protrusion extending laterally inward therefrom, wherein the protrusion engages the storage bin to restrict lateral movement of the storage bin” as claimed.
Such projections 315 are shown as laterally extending inwardly, and contacting the side walls of the storage bin. In that there is a projection 315 on both lateral side walls of the upper box 50, there is naturally some amount of restriction of lateral movement of the upper box 50 due to the projections 315 contacting the side walls thereof.
With respect to claim 11: Lim, as modified, meets wherein storage bin (i) has a lateral side (the left or right side of Lim’s upper box 50), (ii) an overhanging region (formed by Lim’s rim 51) extending laterally outward from the lateral side along a top and a front of the storage bin (Lim Figs. 1-4; also see the rejection of claim 1 for detailed analysis of such a limitation), and (iii) defines a space between the lateral side and the overhanging region (at least Lim Fig. 4), and wherein the cover is disposed within the space such that the cover is concealed by the overhanging region (at least Lim Figs. 1 and 4).
With respect to claim 16: By making the same combinations and modifications as in the rejections of claims 8 and 11 above, Lim in view of Park meets a refrigerator appliance comprising: a cabinet (body 10) defining an internal cavity (storage chambers 20, 30); a storage bin (upper box 50) (i) disposed within the internal cavity (Lim Fig. 2), (ii) having an overhanging region (formed by rim 51) extending laterally outward from a lateral side of the storage bin along a top and a front of the storage bin (Lim Figs. 1-4; also see the rejection of claim 1 for detailed analysis of such a limitation), and (iii) defining a space between the lateral side and the overhanging region (at least Lim Fig. 4); a guide rail (sliding rail unit 70) movably securing the storage bin to the cabinet such that the storage bin is movable into the internal cavity via the guide rail (Figs. 1-4 and [0028]-[0045]); and an adapter plate (bracket 60, as modified) (i) disposed within the space such that the adapter plate is concealed by the overhanging region (at least Lim Figs. 1 and 4), (ii) secured to an internal side of the overhanging region (Figs. 1-4 and [0028]-[0045]), and (iii) secured to the guide rail such that storage bin is secured to guide rail via the adapter plate (Figs. 1-4 and [0028]-[0045]), wherein the adapter plate has a protrusion (projection 315) (a) extending laterally inward therefrom (in the same way as in Park’s figures) and (b) engaging the storage bin (as in Park Fig. 6) to restrict lateral movement of the storage bin.
Claim(s) 12-13 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2008/0203875 A1 (Lim) in view of KR 10-2010-0013084 A (Park) as applied to claims 11 and 16 above, and further in view of CN 108720379 A (Sun).
With respect to claim 12: Lim, as modified, does not meet “wherein the cover is secured to an internal side of the overhanging region along the front of storage bin” as claimed.
Lim discloses the bracket 60 secured to the overhanging region along the side/rear of the upper box 50 using, inter alia, release-lock member 80 (Figs. 3-5 and [0038]-[0045]).
Sun’s supporting piece 3 connects the lower set 21 of a slide rail assembly 2 to the side portion of a drawer 1, thereby making the supporting piece 3 analogous and/or functionally equivalent to Lim’s bracket 60. Sun Figs. 4-6 show the front portion of the supporting piece 3 secured to the drawer 1 using (i) a jaw 43 that engages in a loophole 314 of the supporting piece 3, and (ii) a bump 45 on the supporting piece 3 engaging a groove 46 provided at the drawer 1.
The connecting means at the front of Sun’s drawer 1 is in addition to connecting means at the rear of Sun’s drawer 1. This shows it is known in the art to have connecting means at both front and rear portions of a drawer.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify (i) Lim’s bracket 60 to include Sun’s loophole 314 and/or bump 45, and (ii) Lim’s rim 51/upper box 50 to include Sun’s jaw 43 and/or groove 46, in order to connect the front region of box 50 to the bracket 60 (in addition to the release-lock members 80 at the rear region of box 50).
With respect to claim 13: Lim, as modified, meets wherein the cover includes a clip (the structure forming bump 45 in Sun Fig. 6), and wherein the clip engages the internal side of the overhanging region along the front of the storage bin (in the groove 46 of Sun added thereto) to further secure the cover to the storage bin.
With respect to claim 19: By making the same combinations and modifications as in the rejections of claims 12-13 above, Lim in view of Park and Sun meets wherein the adapter plate includes a clip (the structure forming bump 45 in Sun Fig. 6), and wherein the clip engages the internal side of the overhanging region along the front of the storage bin (in the groove 46 of Sun added thereto) to further secure the adapter plate to the storage bin.
Claim(s) 14 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2008/0203875 A1 (Lim) in view of KR 10-2010-0013084 A (Park) and CN 108720379 A (Sun) as applied to claims 13 and 19 above, and further in view of DE 10 2007 051 343 A1 (Grasy).
With respect to claims 14 and 20: See Sun Figs. 4-6. The groove 46 is formed on the back side of the drawer door 12 of the drawer 1.
See Lim Fig. 5. Modifying the front bending portion 51b of the box 50 to have Sun’s groove 46 therein does not meet “wherein the storage bin further comprises a ledge protruding into the space along the internal side of the overhanging region and along the front of the storage bin, and wherein the clip engages the ledge to further secure the cover to the storage bin” as claimed.
Grasy Figs. 1-5 show a bridge 20 engaged by a “clip” in the form of locking lever 27. The latching projection 28 of locking lever 27 engages the bridge 20, which is a “ledge”. Grasy’s locking lever 27 is used similarly to Lim’s release-lock members 80 and the front and rear connecting means of Sun – all are comprised in connection means between a drawer and drawer slide structure in a refrigerator.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the front of Lim’s upper box 50 to have Grasy’s bridge 20 formed inside the bending portion 51b of the rim 51, at the left and right sides of the front of box 50, in order to predictably engage the bump 45 added to the front of Lim’s left and right brackets 60. The bridges 20 are an obvious variant and/or functional equivalent of the grooves 46, as the structural means cooperating with the bump 45 for mounting the rim 51 and bracket 60 together.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 6-7, 9-10, 15, and 17-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/ANDREW ROERSMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637