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 § 112
1. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3, 7, 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. With respect to claims 3, 10, and 11, “the facing surfaces” lacks antecedent basis. With respect to claim 7, “the surface opposite to the cabinet” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
2. 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.
3. Claims 1-7, 9, 10, 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2011/0048060 A1 (KIM).
With respect to claim 1, KIM shows a refrigerator (FIg.1) comprising :a cabinet (10, FIg.1) having a storage compartment (11); a door (20) configured to open and close the storage compartment; and a sensing part (110, 111, 233, FIg.9, Fig.6) provided in the door (20) and configured to detect an opening request of the door (sections 0125-0126), wherein the sensing part is configured to detect that the door is pressed by a set pressing distance (sections 0125-0126).
With respect to claim 2, further comprising a door opening part (40, FIg.2) configured to open the door by being spaced apart from the cabinet when an opening request of the door is detected by the sensing part (110, 111, 233, section 0126).
With respect to claim 3, wherein the door opening part comprises a push member (56, FIg.2) disposed on one of the facing surfaces between the cabinet and the door and protruding toward the other facing surface, and an operation part (60, FIg.2) operating the push member.
With respect to claim 4, wherein a mounting groove (28, Fig.6, paragraph 0096-0097) is formed in the door (20), and the sensing part (110, 111, 233) is mounted in the mounting groove (FIg.9).
With respect to claim 5, wherein the sensing part comprises a pressing member (pushing surface 113/111, FIg.9) configured to move in a direction opposite to the cabinet when the door is pressed, and a sensing member (110) configured to detect the movement of the pressing member.
With respect to claim 6, wherein the sensing member (110) comprises a switch (“micro switch”, section 0125) disposed on the moving path of the pressing member (113/111).
With respect to claim 7, wherein the pressing member (111) comprises a pressing end (at 111, FIg.9) that is pressed while being in contact with the surface (113) opposite to the cabinet, and a contact end (other end of 111) that extends from the pressing end and selectively contacts or presses the sensing member (110).
With respect to claim 9, wherein the contact end is installed such that the distance protruding from the pressing end is adjusted in the moving direction of the pressing member (111, FIg.9, via recovery spring).
With respect to claim 10, further comprising a restoring member (“recovery spring”, section 0127) provided between the facing surfaces of the pressing member (111) and the sensing member (110) to provide a restoring force to move the pressing member (section 0127).
With respect to claim 13, wherein the sensing part includes a casing (101, FIg.9, FIg.6) in which the sensing member (110, FIg.9) is accommodated and at least a portion of the pressing member (111) protrudes.
With respect to claim 14, wherein the sensing part (at 100, Fig.1) is provided on at least one circumferential portion of the door (20, Fig.1).
With respect to claim 15, wherein the sensing part (at 100, FIg.1) is provided on at least one corner portion of the door (20, FIg.1).
4. Claims 1-8, 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2013/0113357 A1 (Park).
With respect to claim 1, Park shows a refrigerator (10, FIg.1) comprising: a cabinet (11) having a storage compartment; a door (13, FIg.1) configured to open and close the storage compartment; and a sensing part (21, 30 in FIg.3/ 21, 30 and 110 in Fig.5/ 110, 140, 100, Fig.8-FIg.11) provided in the door (13) and configured to detect an opening request of the door, wherein the sensing part is configured to detect that the door is pressed by a set pressure in the direction of the cabinet or to detect that the door is pressed by a set pressing distance (section 0037, section 0048).
With respect to claim 2, further comprising a door opening part (rod at the end of 31, FIg.5/40, Fig.8) configured to open the door by being spaced apart from the cabinet when an opening request of the door is detected by the sensing part.
With respect to claim 3, wherein the door opening part comprises a push member (rod at the end of 31/ rod at 40, FIg.8) disposed on one of the facing surfaces between the cabinet and the door and protruding toward the other facing surface, and an operation part (21, FIg.4/140, Fig.8) operating the push member.
With respect to claim 4, wherein a mounting groove (groove in door that accommodates 30, FIg.3, FIg.4 and 22/ groove that accommodates 40 at 22, FIg.8) is formed in the door, and the sensing part is mounted in the mounting groove.
With respect to claim 5, wherein the sensing part comprises a pressing member (rod on 31, FIg.3/21, FIg.5/rod of 40, FIg.8) configured to move in a direction opposite to the cabinet when the door is pressed, and a sensing member (U-shaped portion of 31/110 and 130, FIg.5/140, Fig.8) configured to detect the movement of the pressing member.
With respect to claim 6, wherein the sensing member (110) comprises at least one of a sensor (110) or a switch disposed on the moving path of the pressing member (21).
With respect to claim 7, wherein the pressing member (rod on 31) comprises a pressing end that is pressed while being in contact with the surface opposite to the cabinet (Fig.4), and a contact end that extends from the pressing end and selectively contacts or presses the sensing member (FIg.4).
With respect to claim 8, wherein the pressing end (end of rod of 31, FIg.4/end of rod 40, FIg.8) is formed to be in surface contact with the cabinet (11).
With respect to claim 10, further comprising a restoring member (32) provided between the facing surfaces of the pressing member and the sensing member to provide a restoring force to move the pressing member (Fig.4).
With respect to claim 11, wherein the door (13) is provided with a gasket member (16, FIg.3) for preventing cold air leakage while being in close contact with the facing surface of the cabinet.
With respect to claim 12, wherein the pressing member (rod of 31) is disposed to have a shorter protrusion distance toward the cabinet than the gasket member (FIg.3).
With respect to claim 13, wherein the sensing part includes a casing (groove at 30, FIg.3/groove at 140) in which the sensing member (140) is accommodated and at least a portion of the pressing member (rod of 31/rod of 40) protrudes.
5. Claims 1-11, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2005/0062293 A1 (Shen).
With respect to claim 1, Shen shows a refrigerator (7, Fig.3) comprising: a cabinet (72) having a storage compartment (Fig.3); a door (71) configured to open and close the storage compartment; and a sensing part (1, Fig.3) provided in the door (71, Fig.3, FIg.3A) and configured to detect an opening request of the door (FIg.7, Fig.8, section 0053), wherein the sensing part (“switch device”) is configured to detect that the door is pressed by a set pressure in the direction of the cabinet or to detect that the door is pressed by a set pressing distance (Fig.7-Fig.9, section 0053).
With respect to claim 2, further comprising a door opening part (14, FIg.8) configured to open the door by being spaced apart from the cabinet (FIg.10) when an opening request of the door is detected by the sensing part (1).
With respect to claim 3, wherein the door opening part comprises a push member (14) disposed on one of the facing surfaces between the cabinet (72) and the door (71) and protruding toward the other facing surface, and an operation part (3) operating the push member.
With respect to claim 4, wherein a mounting groove is formed in the door, and the sensing part (1) is mounted in the mounting groove (Fig.3A).
With respect to claim 5, wherein the sensing part comprises a pressing member (11) configured to move in a direction opposite to the cabinet when the door is pressed, and a sensing member (14) configured to detect the movement of the pressing member.
With respect to claim 6, wherein the sensing member (14) comprises a switch disposed on the moving path of the pressing member (“switch device” paragraphs 0024-0035).
With respect to claim 7, wherein the pressing member (11) comprises a pressing end (at 12, FIg.8) that is pressed while being in contact with the surface opposite to the cabinet, and a contact end (at 136, FIg.8) that extends from the pressing end and selectively contacts or presses the sensing member (14, FIg.8).
With respect to claim 8, wherein the pressing end (12) is formed to be in surface contact with the cabinet (at 22, Fig.8).
With respect to claim 9, wherein the contact end (at 136) is installed such that the distance protruding from the pressing end is adjusted in the moving direction of the pressing member (Fig.7-FIg.9)
With respect to claim 10, further comprising a restoring member (3) provided between the facing surfaces of the pressing member (11) and the sensing member (14) to provide a restoring force to move the pressing member.
With respect to claim 11, wherein the door is provided with a gasket member (73, FIg.3) for preventing cold air leakage while being in close contact with the facing surface of the cabinet (section 0057).
With respect to claim 13, wherein the sensing part includes a casing (12) in which the sensing member (14) is accommodated and at least a portion of the pressing member (11) protrudes.
With respect to claim 14, wherein the sensing part (1) is provided on at least one circumferential portion of the door (Fig.3A).
Conclusion
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/HIWOT E TEFERA/Examiner, Art Unit 3637