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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/17/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the Non-Final Office Action on 04/22/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Status
This Office Action is in response to the remarks and amendments filed on 07/22/2026. The previous objections to drawings and specification have been withdrawn. Furthermore, the previous 35 USC 112 rejections have also been withdrawn. Claims 1-5, 7-14, and 16-22 remain pending for consideration.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 1-5, 7-14, and 16-22 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.
Claims 1, 10, and 21 recite the limitations “…a portion of the second tray…” and “…a portion of the second tray…” which render the claims indefinite because the claims as written leave the structure ambiguous in nature as it become difficult to tell if the claims are referencing a previously claimed element or disclosing an element in addition to the previously claimed element.
Regarding claims 5 and 14, the claims recite “a portion of the first portion of the cell of the first tray and at least a portion of the second portion of the cell of the second tray” which renders the claim indefinite. As recited, the claim is confusing because it is not entirely clear what “a portion of the first portion of the cell of the first tray” and “a portion of the second portion of the cell of the second tray” are referring to. More clarity is requested.
Claims 2-4, 7-13, 16-20, and 22 are also rejected due to dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 7-14, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Son et al. (US 20130081412 A1, herein after referred to as Son).
Regarding claim 1, Son teaches an ice maker (ice maker 10 Fig. 3) comprising: a first tray (upper cells 113 Fig. 3) configured to define a first portion (corresponds to the upper portion of the cell illustrated in Fig. 8) of a cell (Fig. 8); a second tray (tray body 14 Fig. 3) configured to define a second portion of the cell (corresponds to the lower portion of the cell illustrated in Fig. 8), the first portion and the second portion of the cell being configured to form a space (Fig. 8) in which a liquid (disclosed “water” in paragraph [0060]) introduced into the space is phase changed to ice (disclosed “ice pieces” in paragraph [0060]); and a second tray supporter (lower frame 15 Fig. 3) on which at least a portion of the second tray is seated (guide wall 142 and extension end 143 Fig. 8), wherein the second tray supporter includes a first portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) surrounding a portion of the second tray (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), and a second portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending from the first portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), wherein the second portion includes a first wall (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending in a first direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) from the first portion, and a second wall (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending in a second direction different from the first direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), wherein the first wall and the second wall are integrally provided as one component (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), without being manufactured in separate configurations (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), and wherein the second wall is spaced apart from the second tray (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son).
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Regarding claim 10, Son teaches an ice maker (ice maker 10 Fig. 3) comprising: a first tray (upper cells 113 Fig. 3) configured to define a first portion (corresponds to the upper portion of the cell illustrated in Fig. 8) of a cell (Fig. 8); a second tray (tray body 14 Fig. 3) configured to define a second portion of the cell (corresponds to the lower portion of the cell illustrated in Fig. 8), the first portion and the second portion of the cell being configured to form a space (Fig. 8) in which a liquid (disclosed “water” in paragraph [0060]) introduced into the space is phase changed to ice (disclosed “ice pieces” in paragraph [0060]); and a second tray supporter (lower frame 15 Fig. 3) on which at least a portion of the second tray is seated (guide wall 142 and extension end 143 Fig. 8), wherein the second tray supporter includes a first portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) surrounding a portion of the second tray (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), and a second portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending from the first portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), wherein the second portion includes a first wall (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending in a first direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) from the first portion, and a second wall (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending in a second direction different from the first direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), wherein the second tray includes a first surface (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) and a second surface (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), the first surface and the second surface defining a thickness of the second tray (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), wherein the second tray supporter is disposed at the first surface of the second tray (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), without being disposed at the second surface of the second tray (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), and wherein the second wall is spaced apart from the first surface of the second tray (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son).
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Regarding claims 2 and 11, Son teaches wherein a length of the second wall (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) in the second direction is greater than a length of the first wall (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) in the first direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son).
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Regarding claims 3 and 12, Son teaches wherein a portion of the second wall (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) has a greater length in the second direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) than that of a portion of the first wall in the first direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son).
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Regarding claims 4 and 13, Son teaches wherein the first direction includes a horizontal direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), and the second direction includes a vertical direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son).
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Regarding claims 5 and 14, Son teaches wherein the second direction includes an arrangement direction (corresponds to the vertical direction Fig. 8) of at least a portion of the first portion of the cell of the first tray (Fig. 8) and at least a portion of the second portion of the cell of the second tray (Fig. 8).
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Son teaches further comprising a second tray cover (upper frame 13 Fig. 3), wherein the second tray cover and the second tray supporter are coupled to each other (Fig. 8) after being manufactured in separate configurations (Fig. 3).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Son teaches further comprising a second tray cover (upper frame 13 Fig. 3), wherein the second tray cover includes a portion (protrusion parts 132 Fig. 8) being disposed at one side of the second tray (inner side of tray body 14 Fig. 8), and the second tray supporter includes a portion (tray body seating part 151 Fig. 8) being disposed at another side of the second tray (outer side of tray body 14 Fig. 8).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Son teaches further comprising a second tray cover (upper frame 13 Fig. 3), wherein the second tray cover includes a portion (protrusion parts 132 Fig. 8) being disposed on one surface of the second tray (inner surface of tray body 14 Fig. 8), and the second tray supporter includes a portion (tray body seating part 151 Fig. 8) being disposed on another surface of the second tray (outer surface of tray body 14 Fig. 8).
Regarding claims 19 and 20, Son teaches a refrigerator (paragraph [0014]) comprising: a storage chamber (disclosed “freezer compartment” in paragraph [0014]).
Regarding claim 21, Son teaches an ice maker (ice maker 10 Fig. 3) comprising: a first tray (upper cells 113 Fig. 3) configured to define a first portion (corresponds to the upper portion of the cell illustrated in Fig. 8) of a cell (Fig. 8); a second tray (tray body 14 Fig. 3) configured to define a second portion of the cell (corresponds to the lower portion of the cell illustrated in Fig. 8), the first portion and the second portion of the cell being configured to form a space (Fig. 8) in which a liquid (disclosed “water” in paragraph [0060]) introduced into the space is phase changed to ice (disclosed “ice pieces” in paragraph [0060]); and a second tray supporter (lower frame 15 Fig. 3) on which at least a portion of the second tray is seated (guide wall 142 and extension end 143 Fig. 8), wherein the second tray supporter includes a first portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) surrounding a portion of the second tray (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), and a second portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending from the first portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), wherein the second portion includes a first wall (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending in a first direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) from the first portion, and a second wall (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending in a second direction different from the first direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), and wherein the first portion includes a portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending in a third direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) different from the first direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son).
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Regarding claim, 22 Son teaches wherein the second wall is spaced apart from the second tray (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son).
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Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 11-14, filed on 07/22/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 under 35 U.S.C. 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of a different interpretation of the previously applied reference.
Regarding claim 1, Son teaches a second tray supporter (lower frame 15 Fig. 3) on which at least a portion of the second tray is seated (guide wall 142 and extension end 143 Fig. 8), wherein the second tray supporter includes a first portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) surrounding a portion of the second tray (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), and a second portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending from the first portion (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), wherein the second portion includes a first wall (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending in a first direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) from the first portion, and a second wall (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son) extending in a second direction different from the first direction (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), wherein the first wall and the second wall are integrally provided as one component (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), without being manufactured in separate configurations (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son), and wherein the second wall is spaced apart from the second tray (see below annotated Fig. 8 of Son).
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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 SAMBA NMN GAYE whose telephone number is (571)272-8809. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 4:30AM to 2:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jerry -Daryl Fletcher can be reached at 571-270-5054. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAMBA NMN GAYE/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JERRY-DARYL FLETCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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