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 .
This is a non-final Office Action for serial number 18/938,544, Home Appliance, filed on November 6, 2024.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7, 11-14, 16, 18-21, 23-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 10,663,175 to Jang et al. (Jang).
Regarding claims 1, and 21, Jang ‘175 discloses a home appliance (Figs. 1-2), comprising: a main body (10) having an internal space (Fig. 1 – interior space of an oven); a supporter (120) that is in contact with a floor surface and supports the main body from below; a connector (110) that couples with the supporter to the main body, wherein the supporter includes a support shaft (124) coupled to the connector so as to be able to ascend and descend, a support (121) that is in contact with the floor surface and supports the support shaft from below, wherein the connector includes a boss (114) coupled to the support shaft and a coupling portion (112) that couples the boss to the main body, wherein the boss is coupled to the support shaft while supporting the support shaft such that the support shaft maintains a predetermined posture and wherein when a posture of the support shaft is the predetermined posture, the support is in contact with the floor surface at a location biased forward of the support shaft (see Fig. 7), and a lower surface of the support is disposed at an angle with respect to the floor surface (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 2, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein a fastening hole (114a) is defined inside of the boss, and wherein the support shaft is coupled with the fastening hole of the boss by being inserted into the boss in a vertical direction (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 3, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein the fastening hole extends through a lower end of the boss and extends in the vertical direction at an incline in a frontward and rearward direction (Fig. 3), and wherein the support shaft is inserted into the fastening hole in a direction parallel to an extending direction of the fastening hole to maintain the predetermined posture.
Regarding claim 4, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein the fastening hole is inclined downwardly rearwards (Col. 4, lns 65-67, col. 5, lns 1-5).
Regarding claim 5, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein a female screw (internal threaded) is formed in an inner circumferential surface of the fastening hole, and wherein the support shaft is screw-coupled with the boss so as to be able to ascend and descend in a direction parallel to an extending direction of the fastening hole (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 7, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein a vertical length of the fastening hole is at least half of a vertical length of the support shaft (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 11, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein the coupling portion includes a bottom surface coupling portion (112 - bottom) coupled to a bottom surface of the main body from below the main body, and wherein the bottom surface coupling portion protrudes rearwards from the boss (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 12, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein a top surface of the bottom surface coupling portion in contact with the bottom surface of the main body (Fig. 5), and a bottom surface of the boss are formed on a same plane ore are respectively formed on two planes that extend parallel to each other (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 13, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein the coupling portion further includes a front extension (112 that extends forward from the bottom surface coupling portion, and wherein the boss protrudes upwards from the front extension.
Regarding claim 14, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein the top surface of the bottom surface coupling portion and a stop surface of the front extension extend parallel to each other or form a same plane (112, 113).
Regarding claim 16, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein the boss protrudes upwards from the bottom surface coupling portion such that a vertical length of the boss is at least half of a vertical length of the support shaft.
Regarding claim 17, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein the coupling portion includes a front surface coupling portion (111) coupled to a front of the main body, and a front extension (113) that protrudes forward from the front surface coupling portion and wherein the boss protrudes upwards from the front extension and protrudes forwards from the front surface coupling portion (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 18, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein the connector further includes at least one support rib (115) that protrudes forwards from the front surface of the coupling portion (112) and upwards from the front extension (113) and is connected to the front surface coupling portion and front extension.
Regarding claim 19, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein when the posture of the support shaft is the predetermined posture, at least a portion of a front area of the support disposed at a front of the support shaft comes into contact with the floor surface, and a rear area of the support disposed at a rear of the support shaft is spaced upwardly apart from the floor surface (see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 20, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein when the posture of the support shaft is the predetermined posture, at least a portion of a front area of the support disposed at a front of the support shaft is disposed below the support shaft, and at least a portion of a rear area of the support disposed at a rear of the support shaft is disposed above of a lower end of the support shaft.
Regarding claim 23, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein the angle is in a range of 5 to 10 degrees (see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 24, Jang ‘175 discloses wherein a female screw is formed in an inner circumferential surface of the fastening hole, and wherein the support shaft is screw coupled with the boss so as to be able to ascend and descend in a direction parallel to an extending direction of the fastening hole.
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.
Claims 6, 8-10, 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang ‘175
Regarding claims 8-10, Jang ‘175 fails to disclose wherein the boss includes a front area and a rear area of the fastening hole with the thickness increases upwardly or downwardly. Accordingly, it would have been obvious matter of design choice to change the thickness of the boss with increases upwardly or downwardly, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357F2d 669 149 USPQ47 (CCPA 1966).
Regarding claim 6, and 22, Jang ‘175 fails to disclose wherein the fastening hole is inclined downwardly rearwards or incline upwardly forwards. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the fastening hole of Jang ‘175 to include inclined downwardly or incline upwardly forward, since such a modification would have involved a mere change and it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang ‘175 in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0147336 to Lee et al. (Lee).
Jang ‘175 fails to disclose wherein the connector further includes at least one reinforcing rib that protrudes radially from the boss and is connected to the front extension. Nevertheless, Lee ‘336 discloses wherein the connector (120) includes at least one reinforcing rib (between 121 and 125 – Fig. 5) that protrudes radially from the boss (125) and is connected to the front extension (121). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the connector of Jang ‘175 to include the reinforcing rib because one would have a motivation to enhance the strength of the boss as taught by Lee ‘336.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent No. 8,220,770 – appliance with height adjustable foot
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/TODD M EPPS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632 January 22, 2026