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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 11 September 2026 has been entered.
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-12 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2021/0071934 A1 (Lee) in view of CN 210119057 U (Wang) and US 11,280,540 B2 (Park).
With respect to claim 1: Lee discloses a refrigerator (refrigerator 1) comprising: a cabinet (main body 10) that defines a storage space (storage compartment 20); and a door (door 100) configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space, the door comprising: an upper frame portion (upper door cap 130) that protrudes toward a front of the refrigerator, a lower frame portion (lower door cap 136) that protrudes toward the front of the refrigerator, and a panel (door panel 110’ of Fig. 10 and [0107]-[0108]) that defines an outer appearance of the door (front outer appearance in Fig. 10), the panel being made from metal ([0107]).
Lee does not disclose the door panel 110’ meets “that is configured to be detachably coupled to the upper and lower frame portions” as claimed.
Lee does not disclose “(i) an upper bent portion that is bent rearward and defines an upper surface of the panel and (ii) a lower bent portion that is bent rearward and defines a lower surface of the panel, wherein the upper frame portion is (i) configured, based on the panel being coupled to the upper frame portion, to cover at least a portion of the upper surface of the panel and (ii) includes a coupling protrusion that extends downward, wherein the upper surface of the panel defines one or more upper panel openings configured to receive the coupling protrusion to thereby couple the upper bent portion to the upper frame portion, wherein the lower frame portion is (i) configured, based on the panel being coupled to the lower frame portion, to cover at least a portion of the lower surface of the panel in a state in which at least a portion of the lower frame portion is disposed at a lower side of the lower surface of the panel and (ii) defines a coupling hole configured to receive a fastening member, and wherein the lower surface of the panel defines one or more lower panel openings configured to receive the fastening member to thereby couple the lower bent portion to the lower frame portion” as claimed.
Lee’s door panel 110’ is shown only in Fig. 10, and is mentioned only in [00107]-[0108]. Lee Fig. 10 shows the panel 100’ includes a bent end portion 110a’ that is a “side bent portion” that is bent rearward and defines a side surface of the panel 100’. There is no further disclosure of the door panel 100’ in Lee’s specification.
The remainder of Lee’s specification is drawn to the glass door panel 100 embodiment. Lee’s door panel 100 is configured to be detachably coupled to the upper door cap 130 and the lower door cap 136.
Wang Figs. 3 and 8 show a sheet metal door panel 10 including an upper bent portion that is bent rearwards and defines an upper surface of the panel 10, with the upper surface defining a plurality of openings (fixing holes 12). The fixing holes 12 are engaged by buckles 11 protruding downward in a fixing groove 6 of door body 2 (Wang Fig. 5). The fixing groove 6 is formed by an upper frame portion that covers the upper surface of door panel 10 (Wang Fig. 5).
Lee Figs. 8-10, [0114], [0121], [0171] disclose a steel ([0171]) cover 140 having a cover rib 144 bent rearwardly and having holes therein (Fig. 8). The upper door cap 130 has a slit 135 that receives the cover rib 144, and second fastening members 172 pass through the upper door cap 130 to fix the cover rib 144 inside the slit 135. Lee is aware of screws ([0008], [0091], [0093], etc.).
Park Fig. 9 shows an upper cap 70, a first fixer 160, and an upper trim 120 used to fasten a panel 110 to the upper cap 70. The upper trim 120 has multiple holes 123 which each receives one first fixer 160 after it passes through one of the holes 73 in the upper cap 70 (Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Lee’s door panel 110’ to include upper and lower bent ends (like the end portion 110a’ of Lee Fig. 10, but formed at upper and lower edges of panel 110’), in order to couple to door panel 110’ to the door caps 130, 136 using said upper and lower bent ends and corresponding coupling means on the door caps 130, 136. Such upper and lower bent ends of panel 110’ meet the claimed “upper bent portion” and “lower bent portion”.
In order to predictably connect the upper end of door panel 110’ to the upper door cap 130, it is obvious to modify Lee’s cap 130 with Wang’s groove 6 and buckles 11, and to provide the upper bent end of panel 110’ with Wang’s fixing holes 12. This uses structure known in the art for performing that purpose. See Lee Fig. 10. The modification is analogous to putting Wang’s groove 6 and buckles 11 on part 121, and putting fixing holes 12 on part 110a’. The buckles 11 meet the claimed “coupling protrusion”, and the fixing holes 12 meet the claimed “one or more upper panel openings”.
In order to connect the lower end of panel 110’ to the lower door cap 136, it is obvious to provide the lower bent end of panel 110’ with holes similarly to the holes in Lee’s cover rib 144 and or/ Park’s holes 123. It is further obvious to provide Lee’s cap 136 with holes similarly to the holes for fastening members 172 in Lee’s cap 130 and/or Park’s holes 73. It is obvious to use screws to connect the holes formed in the lower bent end of panel 110’ and the cap 136. See Lee Fig. 10. The modification is analogous to putting aligned sets of holes in parts 121 and 110a’, and then passing screws through aligned pairs of holes. The holes in cap 136 meet the claimed “coupling hole”, the screws meet the claimed “fastening member”, and the holes in the lower bent end of panel 110’ meet the claimed “one or more lower panel openings”.
Similarly to Lee Fig. 10 showing part 121 covering at least a portion of the lateral side of panel 110’ (at part 110a’) in a state in which at least a portion of part 121 is disposed at a lateral side of the lateral side surface 110a’ of the panel 110’, the modified lower door cap 136 covers at least a portion of the lower surface of panel 110’ in a state in which at least a power of the modified lower door cap 136 is disposed at a lower side of the lower surface of the panel 110’.
With respect to claim 2: Lee Fig. 16 shows how the glass panel 110 is first connected with the lower door cap 136, and then rotated towards the upper door cap 130 during assembly of the glass panel 110 to the caps 130, 136.
With the coupling means applied to the door panel 110’ and door caps 130/136 as set forth in the rejection of claim 1, it is obvious to first join the buckles 11 and fixing holes 12 at the upper end of panel 110’ before rotating the lower end of the panel 110’ to join to the door cap 136 with the mounting screws, etc. This is analogous and comparable to what is indicated in Lee Fig. 16, but applied to the coupling means used for panel 110’ and the door caps 130/136.
This meets, as claimed, wherein the panel is configured to be coupled to the upper and lower frame portions by sequentially (i) inserting the coupling protrusion into the one or more upper panel openings (buckles 11 into fixing holes 12), (ii) rotating the panel toward the lower frame portion (analogously to Lee Fig. 16), and (iii) aligning the one or more lower panel openings with the coupling hole of the lower frame portion (holes in the lower end of panel 110’ and cap 136 and are aligned for reception of screws).
With respect to claim 3: Lee, as modified, makes obvious wherein the panel is configured to become coupled to the upper frame portion at a predetermined angle before being rotated toward the lower frame portion. This is similar to Lee Fig. 16, but with the fixing holes 12 in the upper bent end of panel 110’ connected to the buckles 11 of the upper door cap 130.
With respect to claim 4: Lee, as modified, makes obvious wherein the panel is configured to rotate toward the lower frame portion about the inserted coupling protrusion (panel 110’ rotating about buckles 11 when the bottom portion of panel 110’ is brought towards the lower door cap 136).
With respect to claim 5: Lee, as modified, makes obvious wherein the upper frame portion is configured, based on the panel being coupled to the upper frame portion, to contact the upper surface of the panel (similarly to Wang Fig. 5 and/or Lee Fig. 10).
With respect to claim 6: Lee, as modified, makes obvious wherein the lower frame portion is configured, based on the panel being coupled to the lower frame portion, to contact the lower surface of the panel (similarly to Lee Fig. 10 showing the chassis 121 contacting the side surface 110a’ of the panel 110’, the lower door cap 136 contacts the bottom surface of the bottom bent end of the modified panel 110’).
With respect to claim 7: Lee, as modified, makes obvious wherein the coupling protrusion of the upper frame portion is configured, based on the panel being coupled to the upper frame portion, to extend through the upper bent portion in a downward direction (Wang Fig. 5 shows buckle 11 protruding downward through the upper bent portion of panel 10 via the fixing hole 12).
With respect to claim 8: Lee, as modified, makes obvious wherein the coupling hole of the lower frame portion is configured, based on the panel being coupled to the lower frame portion, to receive the fastening member that extends through the lower bent portion in an upward direction (the added screws extend upward into the holes formed in the modified cap 136 and the lower bent end of panel 110’).
With respect to claim 9: Lee, as modified, makes obvious wherein the lower frame portion defines a cavity that is recessed in the rearward direction (analogous to accommodation groove 122 of Lee Fig. 10, but formed in lower door cap 136 for receipt of the lower bent end of panel 110’), the cavity being configured to receive at least a portion of the lower bent portion of the panel (similarly to groove 122 receiving end portion 110a’ in Lee Fig. 10).
With respect to claim 10: Lee, as modified, makes obvious wherein the panel includes a pair of side extension parts (end portions 110a’) that are bent rearward to extend in the rearward direction.
With respect to claim 11: Lee, as modified, makes obvious wherein the coupling protrusion of the upper frame portion includes a plurality of coupling protrusions (multiple buckles 11), and wherein the one or more upper panel openings include a plurality of upper panel openings that are configured to correspondingly receive the plurality of coupling protrusions (multiple fixing holes 12 corresponding to the multiple buckles 11).
With respect to claim 12: Lee, as modified, makes obvious wherein the coupling hole of the lower frame portion includes a plurality of coupling holes (multiple holes in cap 136), and wherein the one or more lower panel openings include a plurality of lower panel openings (multiple holes in the lower bent end of panel 110’) that are configured to correspondingly align with the plurality of coupling holes to thereby receive a plurality of fastening members (multiple screws).
With respect to claim 19: The same combination of prior art used to reject claims 1-12 above makes obvious a door (Lee’s door 100, as modified) for an appliance (refrigerator 1), comprising: an upper frame (the modified upper door cap 130) including an upper coupling protrusion (buckles 11) that extends in a downward direction; a lower frame (the modified lower door cap 136) including a lower coupling protrusion (screws) that extends in an upward direction; and a panel (the modified door panel 110’) that is configured to be detachably coupled to the upper and lower frames to thereby define a front surface of the door (as in Lee Fig. 10), the panel being made from metal (Lee [0107]) and including: (i) an upper extension part (upper bent end portion similar to end portion 110a’ of Lee Fig. 10, but applied at the upper end of panel 110’) that defines an upper surface of the panel and that extends rearward away from the front surface of the door, and (ii) a lower extension part (lower bent end portion similar to end portion 110a’ of Lee Fig. 10, but applied at the lower end of panel 110’) that defines a lower surface of the panel and that extends rearward away from the front surface of the door, wherein the upper frame is configured, based on the upper extension part being coupled to the upper frame, to cover at least a portion of the upper surface of the panel (similarly to Wang Fig. 5 and/or Lee Fig. 10), wherein the upper surface of the panel defines one or more upper panel openings (fixing holes 12) configured to receive the upper coupling protrusion to thereby couple the upper extension part to the upper frame (similarly to Wang’s configuration), wherein the lower frame is configured, based on the lower extension part being coupled to the lower frame, to cover at least a portion of the lower surface of the panel (similarly to Lee Fig. 10 showing the chassis 121 covering at least a portion of the side surface 110a’ of the panel 110’, the modified lower door cap 136 covers at least a portion of the bottom surface of the bottom bent end of the modified panel 110’), wherein the lower surface of the panel defines one or more lower panel openings (holes) configured to receive the lower coupling protrusion to thereby couple the lower extension part to the lower frame (said holes receive screws to mount panel 110’ to lower door cap 136), and wherein the lower frame defines a cavity that is recessed in a rearward direction (see the annotated image below - analogous to accommodation groove 122 of Lee Fig. 10, but formed in lower door cap 136 for receipt of the lower bent end of panel 110’), the cavity being configured to receive at least a portion of the lower extension part of the panel (similarly to groove 122 receiving end portion 110a’ in Lee Fig. 10) and at least a portion of the lower coupling protrusion (when a screw is added at the dashed line in the annotated image below).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-14 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 15-18 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11 September 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The arguments are drawn to grounds of rejection which are no longer relied upon in this Office action, thereby rendering moot said arguments. The new grounds of rejection made in this Office action are necessitated by the latest claim amendments.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW ROERSMA whose telephone number is (571)270-3185. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:00.
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/ANDREW ROERSMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637
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