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 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.
Claims 1-7 and 10-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0110542, hereafter referred to as ‘Kim’. Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches an air conditioner outdoor unit (figures 3-7 and para. # 3) comprising: a cabinet 21, including: an air outlet 23 provided at a top of the cabinet (fig. 3); and an air inlet 22 (fig. 3); a fan 28 provided at the air outlet (fig. 3); a compressor assembly 25, provided inside the cabinet 21 (fig. 3) and located below the fan 28 (fig. 3); and a heat exchanger assembly 24, provided inside the cabinet and located below the fan (fig. 3), at least part of the heat exchanger assembly 24 being arranged between the compressor assembly 25 and the air inlet 22 (see fig. 3). Although it isn’t specifically disclosed in the specification of Kim, Kim shows in figure 3 that the equation L >S/5 is met. Figure 3 of Kim shows a minimum distance L between the compressor assembly 25 and a lower portion of fan 28 in the height direction of the cabinet and a maximum size S of the heat exchanger assembly in the height direction of the cabinet not only satisfies the equation L>S/5 but also satisfies the equation L>S/2.
However, Kim fails to explicitly teach in Kim’s specification that a minimum distance L between the compressor assembly and the fan in a height direction of the cabinet and a maximum size S of the heat exchanger assembly in the height direction of the cabinet satisfy L>S/5.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to modify the AC unit of Kim so that the a minimum distance L between the compressor assembly and the fan in a height direction of the cabinet and a maximum size S of the heat exchanger assembly in the height direction of the cabinet satisfy L>S/5 in order to provide adequate air flow through the heat dissipation device of Kim.
Regarding claim 2, Kim teaches the air conditioner outdoor unit according to claim 1. Kim further teaches wherein the compressor assembly 25 is installed on a bottom wall of the cabinet 21 (fig. 3), and in the height direction of the cabinet 21, a maximum distance H between the bottom wall of the cabinet 21 (se fig. 3) and a top of the compressor assembly 25 satisfies H+L>S (see figure 3 which shows that the distance H + L is clearly greater than the maximum size of the heat exchanger 24 in the height direction).
Regarding claim 3, Kim teaches the air conditioner outdoor unit according to claim 2. Kim further teaches wherein the fan 28 is arranged inside the cabinet 21 (fig. 3), an air outflow side of the fan 28 faces the air outlet 23 (fig. 3), and an air inflow side of the fan 28 faces the compressor assembly 25 (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, Kim teaches the air conditioner outdoor unit according to claim 3. Kim further teaches wherein the minimum distance between the compressor assembly 25 and the fan 28 in the height direction of the cabinet 21 is a minimum distance in the height direction of the cabinet between a plane where a lower end of a fan blade of the fan is located and the top of the compressor assembly 25 (see fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5, Kim teaches the air conditioner outdoor unit according to claim 3. Kim further teaches wherein the air inlet 22 is arranged at an inner side wall of the cabinet 21 and is opposite to the heat exchanger assembly 24 (see fig. 3), an airflow circulation path is formed between the air inlet and the air outlet, and at least part of the compressor assembly is located at the airflow circulation path (see para. #’s 32-35 and fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Kim teaches the air conditioner outdoor unit according to claim 1. Kim further teaches wherein the heat exchanger assembly 24 extends in a circumferential direction of the cabinet 21 and forms an accommodation space (fig. 3), and the compressor assembly 25 is arranged in the accommodation space.
Regarding claim 7, Kim teaches the air conditioner outdoor unit according to claim 6. Kim further teaches wherein the compressor assembly 25 includes a compressor and a tank connected to the compressor (see compressor connected to tank in fig. 3), and both the compressor and the tank are arranged opposite to the fan (see fig. 3).
Regarding claim 10, Kim teaches an air conditioner (figures 3-7) comprising an air conditioner outdoor unit (fig. 3) including a cabinet 21, including: an air outlet 23 provided at a top of the cabinet (fig. 3); and an air inlet 22 (fig. 3); a fan 28 provided at the air outlet (fig. 3); a compressor assembly 25, provided inside the cabinet 21 (fig. 3) and located below the fan 28 (fig. 3); and a heat exchanger assembly 24, provided inside the cabinet and located below the fan (fig. 3), at least part of the heat exchanger assembly 24 being arranged between the compressor assembly 25 and the air inlet 22 (see fig. 3). Although it isn’t specifically disclosed in the specification of Kim, Kim shows in figure 3 that the equation L >S/5 is met. Figure 3 of Kim shows a minimum distance L between the compressor assembly 25 and a lower portion of fan 28 in the height direction of the cabinet and a maximum size S of the heat exchanger assembly in the height direction of the cabinet not only satisfies the equation L>S/5 but also satisfies the equation L>S/2.
However, Kim fails to explicitly teach in Kim’s specification that a minimum distance L between the compressor assembly and the fan in a height direction of the cabinet and a maximum size S of the heat exchanger assembly in the height direction of the cabinet satisfy L>S/5.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to modify the AC unit of Kim so that the a minimum distance L between the compressor assembly and the fan in a height direction of the cabinet and a maximum size S of the heat exchanger assembly in the height direction of the cabinet satisfy L>S/5 in order to provide adequate air flow through the heat dissipation device of Kim.
Regarding claim 11, Kim teaches the air conditioner according to claim 10. Kim further teaches wherein the compressor assembly 25 is installed on a bottom wall of the cabinet 21 (fig. 3), and in the height direction of the cabinet 21, a maximum distance H between the bottom wall of the cabinet 21 (se fig. 3) and a top of the compressor assembly 25 satisfies H+L>S (see figure 3 which shows that the distance H + L is clearly greater than the maximum size of the heat exchanger 24 in the height direction).
Regarding claim 12, Kim teaches the air conditioner according to claim 11. Kim further teaches wherein the fan 28 is arranged inside the cabinet 21 (fig. 3), an air outflow side of the fan 28 faces the air outlet 23 (fig. 3), and an air inflow side of the fan 28 faces the compressor assembly 25 (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 13, Kim teaches the air conditioner according to claim 12. Kim further teaches wherein the minimum distance between the compressor assembly 25 and the fan 28 in the height direction of the cabinet 21 is a minimum distance in the height direction of the cabinet between a plane where a lower end of a fan blade of the fan is located and the top of the compressor assembly 25 (see fig. 3).
Regarding claim 14, Kim teaches the air conditioner outdoor unit according to claim 12. Kim further teaches wherein the air inlet 22 is arranged at an inner side wall of the cabinet 21 and is opposite to the heat exchanger assembly 24 (see fig. 3), an airflow circulation path is formed between the air inlet and the air outlet, and at least part of the compressor assembly is located at the airflow circulation path (see para. #’s 32-35 and fig. 3).
Regarding claim 15, Kim teaches the air conditioner according to claim 10. Kim further teaches wherein the heat exchanger assembly 24 extends in a circumferential direction of the cabinet 21 and forms an accommodation space (fig. 3), and the compressor assembly 25 is arranged in the accommodation space.
Regarding claim 16, Kim teaches the air conditioner according to claim 15. Kim further teaches wherein the compressor assembly 25 includes a compressor and a tank connected to the compressor (see compressor connected to tank in fig. 3), and both the compressor and the tank are arranged opposite to the fan (see fig. 3).
Claims 8-9 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of KR-100765197. Regarding claim 8, Kim teaches an air conditioner outdoor unit according to claim 7. However, Kim fails to explicitly teach an electric control box, connected to the heat exchanger assembly and enclosing the accommodation space with the heat exchanger assembly.
KR100765197 teaches an AC unit comprising an electric control box 60 connected to the heat exchanger assembly 20 and enclosing the accommodation space with the heat exchanger assembly (figures 1-4).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to modify the AC unit of Kim so that an electric control box is connected to the heat exchanger assembly and enclosing the accommodation space with the heat exchanger assembly as taught by KR100765197 in order to efficiently control the AC unit of Kim.
Regarding claim 9, Kim teaches the air conditioner outdoor unit according to claim 8. Kim further teaches an air guide cover 30, arranged inside the cabinet 21 (fig. 3) and formed with an air guide channel (figures 4 and 6); wherein a fan blade of the fan 28 is rotatably arranged inside the air guide channel (fig. 3).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of KR 100765197. Regarding claim 17, Kim teaches an air conditioner according to claim 16. However, Kim fails to explicitly teach an electric control box, connected to the heat exchanger assembly and enclosing the accommodation space with the heat exchanger assembly.
KR100765197 teaches an AC unit comprising an electric control box 60 connected to the heat exchanger assembly 20 and enclosing the accommodation space with the heat exchanger assembly (figures 1-4).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to modify the AC unit of Kim so that an electric control box is connected to the heat exchanger assembly and enclosing the accommodation space with the heat exchanger assembly as taught by KR-100765197 in order to efficiently control the AC unit of Kim.
Regarding claim 18, Kim teaches the air conditioner according to claim 17. Kim further teaches an air guide cover 30, arranged inside the cabinet 21 (fig. 3) and formed with an air guide channel (figures 4 and 6); wherein a fan blade of the fan 28 is rotatably arranged inside the air guide channel (fig. 3).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Wendt and Jang disclose AC units which are similar to applicant’s invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS M SEMBER whose telephone number is (571)272-2381. The examiner can normally be reached flexing generally from 7 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. M-F.
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/THOMAS M SEMBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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