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 .
This Final Office action is in response to the Amendment filed on 4/22/2026.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the limitations in claim 18 of (i) an adiabatic module disposed in a space defined between the edges of the first vacuum adiabatic module and the second vacuum adiabatic module; and (ii) at least one coupling member to couple the adiabatic module with the coupling frame must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required: the limitations in claim 18 of (i) an adiabatic module disposed in a space defined between the edges of the first vacuum adiabatic module and the second vacuum adiabatic module; and (ii) at least one coupling member to couple the adiabatic module with the coupling frame.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2014/103773 to Ishibashi et la (hereinafter Ishibashi) in view of WO 2017/023075 to Jung et al (hereinafter Jung).
Ishibashi discloses (Claim 1). A vacuum adiabatic body comprising (such as shown in Figs. 1-2, 5, 9): a first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and a second vacuum adiabatic module 9, each of the first vacuum adiabatic module and the second vacuum adiabatic module including: an inner cover 15E,15A defining at least a portion of a wall for a first space; an outer cover 14E,14A defining at least a portion of a wall for a second space; a vacuum space 16E provided between the inner cover and the outer cover; wherein the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 includes a first edge, and the second vacuum adiabatic module 9 includes a second edge coupled to the first edge (such as shown in Fig. 9); wherein the inner cover 15E of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 is spaced apart from the outer cover 14E in a first direction (front-to-back direction); wherein the inner cover 15A of the second vacuum adiabatic module 9 is spaced apart from the outer cover 14A in a second direction (left-to-right direction), the second direction being different from the first direction, and wherein at least one of the first edge or the second edge includes a portion that extends in the second direction;
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(Claim 2). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1, wherein the first edge of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 includes a coupling edge provided in the outer cover 14E; (Claim 3). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1, wherein the first edge of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 includes a coupling edge that extends from the outer cover 14E, and wherein the coupling edge is provided in a direction that corresponds to a surface on which the outer cover 14E faces the vacuum space 16E; (Claim 4). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 3, wherein the outer cover 14E is larger than the inner cover 15E by the coupling edge; (Claim 5). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 3, wherein the coupling edge includes a first portion and a second portion extending in a direction away from the outer cover from the first portion, and wherein an end of the second portion of the coupling edge is spaced a predetermined distance from a portion of the second vacuum adiabatic module; (Claim 6). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1, further comprising an outer coupling frame 29 disposed in an inner space defined by the first edge of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and the second edge of the second vacuum adiabatic module 9; (Claim 7). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 6, wherein the outer coupling frame 29 includes a first portion and a second portion to connect edges of the outer covers 14E,14A of the first and second vacuum adiabatic modules; (Claim 8). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 6, wherein the outer coupling frame 29 includes a portion that is provided to overlap at least one of the edges of the outer covers 14E,14A of the first and second vacuum adiabatic modules; (Claim 9). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 1, wherein the first edge of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 includes an inner coupling frame 25 provided on the inner cover 15E; (Claim 10). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 9, wherein the inner coupling frame 25 includes a portion that is provided to overlap an edge portion of the inner cover 15E; (Claim 11). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 9, wherein the inner coupling frame 25 includes a portion coupled to the second edge of the second vacuum adiabatic module 9; (Claim 12). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 9, wherein the inner coupling frame 25 includes a first portion and a second portion to connect edges of the inner covers 15E,15A of the first and second vacuum adiabatic modules; (Claim 13). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 12, further comprising an adiabatic module 28 disposed in a space defined between the first edge of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and the second edge of the second vacuum adiabatic module 9, wherein an adiabatic degree (foamed styrene) of the adiabatic module is less than an adiabatic degree (vacuum) of the first vacuum adiabatic module or the second vacuum adiabatic module.; (Claim 15). A vacuum adiabatic body comprising (such as shown in Figs. 1-2, 5, 9): a first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and a second vacuum adiabatic module 9, each of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and the second vacuum adiabatic module 9 including: an inner cover 15E,15A defining at least a portion of a wall for a first space; an outer cover 14E,14A defining at least a portion of a wall for a second space; a vacuum space 16 provided between the inner cover and the outer cover, wherein a coupling frame 29,25 is provided on edges of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and the second vacuum adiabatic module 9, wherein the inner cover 15E of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 is spaced apart from the outer cover 14E in a second direction (front-to-back direction); wherein the inner cover 15A of the second vacuum adiabatic module 9 is spaced apart from the outer cover 14A in a first direction (left-to-right direction), the second direction being different from the first direction, and wherein at least one of the edges of the first vacuum adiabatic module or the second vacuum adiabatic module includes a portion that extends in the first direction;
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(Claim 16). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 15, wherein the coupling frame includes an inner coupling frame 25 to couple the inner covers 15E,15A of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and the second vacuum adiabatic module 9; (Claim 17). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 15, wherein the coupling frame includes an outer coupling frame 29 to couple the outer covers 14E,14A of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and the second vacuum adiabatic module 9; (Claim 18). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 15, further comprising: an adiabatic module 28 disposed in a space defined between the edges of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and the second vacuum adiabatic module 9; and at least one coupling member (shapes of 28 and 25) to couple the adiabatic module 28 with the coupling frame; (Claim 19). A vacuum adiabatic body comprising: a first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and a second vacuum adiabatic module 9, each of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and the second vacuum adiabatic module 9 including: an inner cover 15E,15A defining at least a portion of a wall for a first space; an outer cover 14E,14A defining at least a portion of a wall for a second space; a vacuum space 16 provided between the inner cover and the outer cover; and a coupling frame 29,25 provided on edges of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 and the second vacuum adiabatic module 9, wherein the inner cover 15E of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13 is spaced apart from the outer cover 14E in a first direction (front-to-back direction); wherein the inner cover 15A of the second vacuum adiabatic module 9 is spaced apart from the outer cover 14A in a second direction (left-to-right direction), the second direction being different from the first direction, and wherein the coupling frame includes a first portion that extends in the first direction and a second portion that extends in the second direction;
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(Claim 20). The vacuum adiabatic body according to claim 19, further comprising a third vacuum adiabatic module 10, wherein the second vacuum adiabatic module 9 and the third vacuum adiabatic module 10 are coupled to a first edge and a second edge of the first vacuum adiabatic module 13.
The differences being that Ishibashi fails to clearly disclose the limitations in (i) claim 1 of a support configured to maintain an interval of the vacuum space, wherein the support of the first vacuum adiabatic module includes a first bar that extends in the first direction of the vacuum space, and the support of the second vacuum adiabatic module includes a second bar that extends in the second direction of the vacuum space; (ii) claim 14; (iii) claim 15 of a support configured to maintain an interval of the vacuum space, wherein the support of the first vacuum adiabatic module includes a first support plate that is provided on at least one of the inner cover or the outer cover of the first vacuum adiabatic module and extends in the second direction of the vacuum space, wherein the support of the second vacuum adiabatic module includes a second support plate that is provided on at least one of the inner cover or the outer cover of the second vacuum adiabatic module and extends in the first direction of the vacuum space; (iv) claim 19 of a bar that extends in a direction to maintain an interval of the vacuum space, wherein the bar of the first vacuum adiabatic module is a first bar that extends in the first direction of the vacuum space, and the bar of the second vacuum adiabatic module is a second bar that extends in the second direction of the vacuum space.
However, Jung discloses a vacuum adiabatic body comprising (such as shown in Figs. 2 and 4(a)-(c)): a first vacuum adiabatic module (Fig. 4(c)) and a second vacuum adiabatic module (fig. 4(a)), each of the first vacuum adiabatic module and the second vacuum adiabatic module including an inner cover 10; an outer cover 20; a vacuum space 50 provided between the inner cover 10 and the outer cover 20; and a support 30 configured to maintain an interval of the vacuum space 50; wherein the support 30 of the first vacuum adiabatic module includes a first bar 31 that extends in a first direction (front-to-back) of the vacuum space 50, and a first support plate 35 that is provided on at least one of the inner cover 10 or the outer cover 20, extends in a second direction (left-to-right) of the vacuum space 50, and connected to the first bar 31, and the support of the second vacuum adiabatic module includes a second bar 31 that extends in the second direction of the vacuum space 50, and a second support plate 35 that is provided on at least one of the inner cover 10 or the outer cover 20, extends in the first direction of the vacuum space, and connected to the second bar 31, the second direction being different from the first direction.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, in view of Jung, to modify Ishibashi to include the limitations in (i) claim 1 of a support configured to maintain an interval of the vacuum space, wherein the support of the first vacuum adiabatic module includes a first bar that extends in the first direction of the vacuum space, and the support of the second vacuum adiabatic module includes a second bar that extends in the second direction of the vacuum space; (ii) claim 14 of wherein the support of the first vacuum adiabatic module comprises: a first support plate 35 provided on at least one of the inner cover 10 or the outer cover 20 of the first vacuum adiabatic module and connected to the first bar 31, and wherein the support of the second vacuum adiabatic module comprises a second support plate 35 provided on at least one of the inner cover or the outer cover of the second vacuum adiabatic module and connected to the second bar 31; (iii) claim 15 of a support configured to maintain an interval of the vacuum space, wherein the support of the first vacuum adiabatic module includes a first support plate that is provided on at least one of the inner cover or the outer cover of the first vacuum adiabatic module and extends in the second direction of the vacuum space, wherein the support of the second vacuum adiabatic module includes a second support plate that is provided on at least one of the inner cover or the outer cover of the second vacuum adiabatic module and extends in the first direction of the vacuum space; (iv) claim 19 of a bar that extends in a direction to maintain an interval of the vacuum space, wherein the bar of the first vacuum adiabatic module is a first bar that extends in the first direction of the vacuum space, and the bar of the second vacuum adiabatic module is a second bar that extends in the second direction of the vacuum space with a reasonable expectation of success in order to increase the overall versatility of the vacuum adiabatic body.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/22/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to applicant’s remarks on page 10 regarding the drawing objection to claim 18 by pointing to numerals 441,442,443,444 as the at least one coupling member, the examiner respectfully take the position that said elements 441-444 may be coupling members, but they cannot meet the limitations in claim 18 of a coupling member to couple the adiabatic module with the coupling frame, because claim 18 also recites “an adiabatic module disposed in a space defined between the edges of the first vacuum adiabatic module and the second vacuum adiabatic module”.
In response to applicant’s arguments on pages 14-15 regarding Jung, the examiner respectfully take the position that Jung is used for the teaching of and clearly discloses the support unit 30 maintains the third space between the first and second plates 10,20, wherein the support unit comprises a bar 31 and a plate 35. Therefore, Jung is not required to disclose the first and second edge includes a portion, a coupling frame provided on edges of the first and second modules, as alleged by the applicant.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HANH VAN TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-6868. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DANIEL TROY can be reached at (571)270-3742. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HVT
May 26, 2026
/HANH V TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637
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