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 § 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.
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 1-4, 5-13, 15-26, 28-31, 33, 35-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Publication 2016/0115636 to Kim in view of US Patent 5,560,120 to Swanson.
In Reference to Claim 1
Kim discloses a laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet (Fig. 1, 1); a tub (Fig. 1, 2) disposed inside the cabinet and configured to accommodate water therein; a drum (Fig. 1, 3) rotatably disposed inside the tub and configured to accommodate laundry therein; and an air circulator (Fig. 1, 53/51/57) disposed on the tub and configured to circulate air inside the tub, wherein the air circulator includes: a circulation flow channel including an inlet (Fig. 1, 27) located on the tub and allowing air to be introduced from the tub, and an outlet (Fig. 1, 29) located forward of the inlet and allowing air to be discharged into the tub; a heat exchanger (Fig. 2, 591) disposed on the circulation flow channel, located forward of the inlet, and configured to perform heat exchange between air and a refrigerant; and a filter (Fig. 1, 7) member located between the inlet of the circulation flow channel and the heat exchanger to filter foreign substances in air, wherein the filter member includes a filter space (As showed in Fig. 5, the space between filter element 7 and element 59) allowing air to be introduced thereinto, wherein at least one surface of the filter member forms a filter surface (Fig. 5, 7) allowing air in the filter space to pass therethrough toward the outside of the filter member and be filtered, wherein the filter member is located at a location forward of the inlet (Fig. 1, 27)
Kim does not teach the filter is insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet.
Swanson teaches a lint handling filter being insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet. (Fig. 1, shows the lint collection box is accessible via lip 19 on the top surface of the cabinet.
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate teachings from Swanson into the design of Kim. Doing so, would result in the top accessible filter design of Swanson being used in the system of Kim. Both inventions of Kim and Swanson are in the same field of endeavor, Swanson teaches a method of easier cleaning lint box (Col. 4 Ling 45-55) with a predictable result of success.
In Reference to Claims 2-4
Kim discloses the cabinet includes a to panel (Fig. 1, the cabinet 1 has a top panel)
Kim does not teach the top panel includes a filter inlet.
Swanson teaches the cabinet includes a top panel defining the top surface of the cabinet, wherein the top panel includes a filter inlet defined therein, wherein the filter member is inserted into the filter inlet. (As showed in Fig. 1, the lint accessible lid is on the top panel.
the filter member is inserted into the filter inlet and forms the top surface of the cabinet together with the top panel. (As showed in Fig. 4)
the filter member has the filter surfaces formed on at least two surfaces. (AS showed in Fig. 4, obvious that the lint box has at least two surfaces).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate teachings from Swanson into the design of Kim. Doing so, would result in the top accessible filter design of Swanson being used in the system of Kim. Both inventions of Kim and Swanson are in the same field of endeavor, Swanson teaches a method of easier cleaning lint box (Col. 4 Ling 45-55) with a predictable result of success.
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In Reference to Claim 6
Kim discloses the filter member is aligned with the heat exchanger along a width direction of the cabinet. (As showed in Fig. 5)
In Reference to Claim 7
Kim discloses the air circulator further includes an air fan (Fig. 1, 57) located between the air circulator and the cabinet and aligned with the heat exchanger along a width direction of the cabinet.
In Reference to Claim 8
Kim discloses the air fan (Fig. 1, 57) discharges air at a location forward of a drum inlet (Fig. 1, 29) defined in the drum (Fig. 1, 3).
In Reference to Claim 9
Kim discloses the circulation flow channel includes: a first flow channel (Fig. 1, 53) extending forward from the inlet (Fig. 1, 27); and a second flow channel (Fig. 1, 55) extending from the first flow channel along a width direction of the cabinet, wherein the filter member (Fig. 1, 7) is disposed at a connection portion of the first flow channel and the second flow channel.
In Reference to Claim 10
Kim discloses the air circulator includes a filter chamber (Fig. 5, the section where the filter 7 is positioned) where the filter member is mounted; and a heat exchange chamber (Fig. 5, 59) where the heat exchanger is mounted,
Kim does not teach a length of the filter chamber in a direction from the inlet toward the cabinet is set to be greater than a width of a front surface of the heat exchanger in the direction from the inlet toward the cabinet.
According to MPEP: the Federal Circuit held that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device.
In Reference to Claim 11
Kim discloses the air circulator includes an air treater (Fig. 5, the assembly including 59, 75, and 7) constituting a portion of the circulation flow channel and including the filter member (Fig. 5, 7) and the heat exchanger (Fig. 5, 59), wherein the air treater includes a mounting base (As showed in Fig. 5, the case of 59 having several mounting holes), wherein the filter member and the heat exchanger are mounted inside the mounting base together (As showed in Fig. 5).
In Reference to Claim 12
Kim discloses the mounting base includes: a filter chamber (Fig. 5, annotated by the examiner) where the filter member is mounted; and a heat exchange chamber (Fig. 5, annotated by the examiner) where the heat exchanger is mounted, wherein the filter chamber and the heat exchange chamber are connected to each other to share one surface (Fig. 5, annotated by the examiner) with each other.
In Reference to Claim 13
Kim discloses the filter member (Fig. 5, 7) is located in one side of the mounting base in a width direction of the cabinet, and the heat exchanger (Fig. 5, 59) is located in the other side of the mounting base in the width direction.
In Reference to Claim 15
Kim discloses a compressor (Fig. 2, 595) located on the tub (Fig. 1, 2), connected to the heat exchanger, and configured to compress the refrigerant, wherein the filter member (Fig. 1, 7) is located forward of the compressor.
In Reference to Claim 16
Kim discloses a refrigerant flow channel including the heat exchanger (Fig. 5, 59) and the compressor (Fig. 2, 595) and allowing the refrigerant to circulate therethrough is located entirely on the tub.
In Reference to Claim 17
Kim discloses the heat exchanger (Fig. 2, 591) is located forward of the compressor (Fig. 1, 595)
Kim does not teach aligned with the filter member along a width direction of the cabinet.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to reposition the filter with respect to the compressor, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70, (see MPEP §2144.04).
In Reference to Claim 18
Kim discloses the inlet of the circulation flow channel (Fig. 2 shows the fluid channel for between the compressor the heat exchanger) on one side of the compressor in a width direction of the cabinet (As showed in Fig. 5, the compressor is on one side of the heat exchanger).
In Reference to Claim 19
Kim discloses the circulation flow channel includes: a first flow channel (Fig. 2, annotated by the examiner) extending forward from the inlet; and a second flow channel (Fig. 2, annotated by the examiner)
Kim does not teach channels are extending from the first flow channel along a width direction of the cabinet, wherein the first flow channel is located on one side of the compressor in the width direction of the cabinet, wherein the second flow channel is located forward of the compressor.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to reposition the filter with respect to the compressor, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70, (see MPEP §2144.04).
In Reference to Claim 20
Kim discloses the air circulator includes a mounting base where the heat exchanger (Fig. 5, annotated by the examiner) and the compressor are mounted, wherein the mounting base includes: a heat exchange chamber where the heat exchanger is mounted; and a compressor chamber located rearward (As showed in Fig. 2, the compressor 595 is positioned rearward of the dryer behind the heater exchanger 591) of the heat exchange chamber and where the compressor is mounted, wherein the heat exchange chamber and the compressor chamber are integrally molded (The Office considers that the use of a one piece construction would be merely a matter of obvious engineering choice)
In Reference to Claim 21
Kim discloses the tub defines a width direction-center line (Fig. 3, A-A) passing through a center of the tub and parallel to a width direction of the cabinet,
Kim does not teach filter member is located forward of the width direction-center line.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to reposition the filter with respect to the compressor, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70, (see MPEP §2144.04).
In Reference to Claim 25 and 26
Kim discloses the tub defines a front and rear direction-center line (Fig. 2, A-A) parallel to a front and rear direction of the cabinet and passing through a center of the tub (As showed in Fig. 2),
Kim does not teach the front and rear direction-center line crosses the filter member or the inlet
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to reposition the filter and inlet with respect to center line, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70, (see MPEP §2144.04).
In Reference to Claim 28
Kim discloses a control module (Fig. 4, 853) located on the tub, located on one side of the circulation flow channel in a width direction of the cabinet, and configured to control the air circulator, wherein the control module is located on one side of the filter member in the width direction of the cabinet.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to reposition the filter and inlet with respect to center line, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70, (see MPEP §2144.04).
In Reference to Claim 29
Kim discloses a detergent supply (Fig. 4, 15) located on the tub and configured to supply detergent into the tub, wherein the detergent supply is located on one side of the air circulator in a width direction (As showed in Fig. 4, the detergent supply is positioned at the left hand side of the cabinet of the cabinet.
In Reference to Claim 30
Kim discloses the detergent supply.
The combination of Kim and Swanson does not teach relative position between the detergent supply and the filter.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to reposition the filter with respect to the detergent supply, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70, (see MPEP §2144.04).
In Reference to Claim 31
Kim discloses at least a portion of the inlet (Fig. 1, 27) is located under the detergent supply (Fig. 1, 15).
In Reference to Claim 33
Kim discloses a detergent supply (Fig. 1, 15).
Kim does not teach the detergent supply is under the tub.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to reposition the filter with respect to the detergent supply, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art.
In Reference to Claim 35
Kim discloses a laundry inlet (Fig. 1, 13) is defined in a front surface of the cabinet, wherein the tub includes a tub inlet (Fig. 1, 11) facing the laundry inlet, wherein a tub gasket (Fig. 1, 23) sealing a space between the laundry inlet and the tub inlet is disposed inside the cabinet, wherein the outlet (Fig. 1, 29) of the circulation flow channel is connected to the tub gasket.
In Reference to Claim 36
Kim discloses a laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet (Fig. 1, 1); a tub (Fig. 1, 2) disposed inside the cabinet and configured to accommodate water therein; a drum (Fig. 1, 3) rotatably disposed inside the tub and configured to accommodate laundry therein; and an air circulator (Fig. 1, 53/51 and 53) disposed on the tub and configured to circulate air inside the tub, wherein the air circulator includes: a circulation flow channel (Fig. 1, 53) located on the tub and discharging air introduced from the tub back into the tub; a compressor (Fig. 2, 595) located on the tub and configured to compress a refrigerant for exchanging heat (Fig. 2, 59) with air in the circulation flow channel; and a filter member (Fig. 1, 7) disposed in the circulation flow channel to filter foreign substances in air, wherein the filter member includes a filter space allowing air (Fig. 5, the space between element 59 and 7) to be introduced thereinto, wherein at least one surface of the filter member forms a filter surface allowing air in the filter space to pass therethrough toward the outside of the filter member and be filtered, wherein the filter member is located at a location forward of the compressor (Combined Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, the filter 7 which is an integral part of heat exchanger is at a location forward of the compressor 595)
Kim does not teach the filter is insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet.
Swanson teaches a lint handling filter being insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet. (Fig. 1, shows the lint collection box is accessible via lip 19 on the top surface of the cabinet.
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate teachings from Swanson into the design of Kim. Doing so, would result in the top accessible filter design of Swanson being used in the system of Kim. Both inventions of Kim and Swanson are in the same field of endeavor, Swanson teaches a method of easier cleaning lint box (Col. 4 Ling 45-55) with a predictable result of success.
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Claims 22-24 and 37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Swanson as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US Patent Publication 2013/0104606 to So.
In Reference to Claims 22-24
Kim discloses a single piece tub and a compressor positioned on the tub.
The combination of Kim and Swanson as applied to Claim 1 does not teach a two-piece tub structure.
So teaches the tub includes: a front divided tub (Fig. 2, annotated by the examiner) including a tub inlet open toward a front surface of the cabinet and a front portion of a circumferential surface of the tub; and a rear divided tub (Fig. 2, annotated by the examiner) including a rear surface of the tub facing a rear surface of the cabinet, and a rear portion of the circumferential surface of the tub,
a coupling line (Fig. 2, annotated by the examiner) of the front divided tub and the rear divided tub.
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It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate teachings from So into the combination of Kim and Swanson. Doing so, would result in a two-piece structure tub being used in the system of Kim. Both inventions of Kim and So are in the same field of endeavor, So teaches a method allow an easier assembly of the tub with a predictable result of success.
the inlet of the circulation flow channel is defined on the rear divided tub, wherein the filter member is disposed on the front divided tub.
The combination of Kim, Swanson and So as applied to Claim 22 and 23 does not teach the position of the filer with respect to the tub. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to reposition the filter and compressor with respect to the front or rear portion of the tub, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70, (see MPEP §2144.04).
In Reference to Claim 37
Kim discloses a laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet (Fig. 1, 1); a tub (Fig. 1, 2) disposed inside the cabinet and configured to accommodate water therein; a drum (Fig. 1, 3) rotatably disposed inside the tub and configured to accommodate laundry therein; and an air circulator (Fig. 1, 53, 51 and 55) disposed on the tub and configured to circulate air inside the tub, wherein the air circulator includes: a circulation flow channel (Fig. 1, 53) located on the tub and discharging air introduced from the tub back into the tub; and an air treater (Fig. 2, 59) connected to the circulation flow channel and configured to perform heat exchange between air and a refrigerant, wherein the air treater includes a filter (Fig. 1, 7) member configured to filter foreign substances in air, wherein the filter member includes a filter space (Fig. 5, annotated by the examiner) allowing air to be introduced thereinto, wherein at least one surface of the filter member forms a filter surface (Fig. 5, annotated by the examiner) allowing air in the filter space to pass therethrough toward the outside of the filter member and be filtered,
Kim does not teach the filter is insertable.
Swanson teaches a lint handling filter being insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet. (Fig. 1, shows the lint collection box is accessible via lip 19 on the top surface of the cabinet.
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate teachings from Swanson into the design of Kim. Doing so, would result in the top accessible filter design of Swanson being used in the system of Kim. Both inventions of Kim and Swanson are in the same field of endeavor, Swanson teaches a method of easier cleaning lint box (Col. 4 Ling 45-55) with a predictable result of success.
The combination of Kim and Swanson as applied to Claim 1 does not teach a two-piece tub structure.
So teaches the tub includes: a front divided tub (Fig. 2, annotated by the examiner) including a tub inlet open toward a front surface of the cabinet and a front portion of a circumferential surface of the tub; and a rear divided tub (Fig. 2, annotated by the examiner) including a rear surface of the tub facing a rear surface of the cabinet, and a rear portion of the circumferential surface of the tub
The combination of Kim, Swanson and So as applied to Claim 37 does not teach the position of the filer with respect to the tub.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to reposition the filter and compressor with respect to the front or rear portion of the tub, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70, (see MPEP §2144.04).
Claim 34 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over combination of Kim and Swanson as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US Patent Publication 2016/0115838 to Kim (Kim 838).
In Reference to Claim 34
The combination of Kim and Swanson as applied to Claim 1 does not teach the manipulation panel.
Kim 838 teaches a manipulation panel (As showed in Fig. 1) disposed on a front surface of the cabinet and manipulated by a user to generate a command signal of the user, wherein the manipulation panel is located forward of the filter member.
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate teachings from Kim 838 into the combination of Kim and Swanson as applied to Claim 1. Doing so, would result in a manipulation panel being positioned to the front panel of Kim. Both inventions of Kim and Kim 838 are in the same field of endeavor, Kim 838 teaches a method of controlling the operation of the laundry apparatus with a predictable result of success.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 14, 27 and 32 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEMING WAN whose telephone number is (571)272-1410. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur: 8 am to 6 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Hoang can be reached at 57122726460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DEMING . WAN
Examiner
Art Unit 3762
/DEMING WAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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