CTNF 18/974,713 CTNF 89115 DETAILED ACTION 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 06-52 AIA The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 5/13/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the application on 12/19/2024 . The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Drawings 06-36 AIA 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 “a groove is formed in the ejector body”, “the rib is formed…in a second direction intersecting the first direction”, “the ejecting pin extends in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction”, “a guide formed to correspond to a width of the guide slot and inserted into the guide slot” 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 06-31 AIA The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 2-7, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Oh et al (KR 20160143626) . Regarding claim 2, Oh teaches an ice maker (100) comprising: a tray (150) forming an ice chamber (152); and an ejector (120) configured to separate ice from the ice chamber, wherein the ejector comprises an ejector body (122) and an ejecting pin (124) extending from the ejector body, and wherein a groove (annotated fig. below) is formed in the ejector body. PNG media_image1.png 608 592 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding claim 3, Oh teaches the ejector body extends in a first direction (fig. 1), and wherein the groove is formed along the first direction (annotated fig. above illustrates the groove extends along the shaft). Regarding claim 4, Oh teaches a rib (annotated fig. below) is formed in the groove of the ejector body. PNG media_image2.png 608 592 media_image2.png Greyscale Regarding claim 5, Oh teaches the ejector body extends in a first direction, and wherein the rib is formed in the first direction (annotated fig. above illustrates the rib is formed along the shaft). Regarding claim 6, Oh teaches the ejecting pin extends in a third direction (fig. 5) intersecting the first direction and the second direction (fig. 5). Regarding claim 7, Oh teaches a connector (annotated fig. below) to which the ejector is connected, and wherein the ejector body comprises a separation prevention protrusion (annotated fig. below) configured to prevent separation from the connector. PNG media_image3.png 608 592 media_image3.png Greyscale Regarding claim 20, Oh teaches a refrigerator (1) comprising an ice maker of claim 2 . 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 14-17, 19, 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al (US 20140182325) . Regarding claim 14, Lee teaches an ice maker (10) comprising: a tray (11, 12) forming an ice chamber (113, 141); an ejector (19) configured to separate ice from the ice chamber; and a connector (22) connected to the ejector, wherein the ejector comprises a separation-prevention protrusion (194) configured to prevent separation from the connector. Regarding claim 17, Lee teaches the tray comprises: a first tray (11) forming a first chamber (113); and a second tray (12) forming a second chamber (141), wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are combined to form the ice chamber(fig. 8), wherein the second tray moves relative to the first tray (fig. 9), wherein the ejector separates ice from the first chamber (fig. 9), and wherein the connector connects the second tray and the ejector (figs. 1 and 9). Regarding claim 19, Lee teaches a unit guide defining a guide slot (annotated fig. below) extending in a moving direction of the ejector, wherein the ejector further comprises a guide (annotated fig. below)formed to correspond to a width of the guide slot and inserted into the guide slot (fig. 1). PNG media_image4.png 492 656 media_image4.png Greyscale Regarding claim 21, Lee teaches a refrigerator (refrigerator, paragraph 0003)comprising an ice maker of claim 13 . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 8-13, 15-17 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. Reasons for Allowance The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Regarding claim 8, the subject matter which is considered to distinguish from the closest prior art of record, Lee et al (US 20140182325). The prior art of record teaches a separation-prevention protrusion in contrast to the claimed features of the separation-prevention protrusion protrudes in a direction intersecting a direction in which the ejector body extends as recited in claim 8, a separation prevention hole through which the separation prevention protrusion penetrates is formed at the connector, wherein the separation prevention protrusion comprises a first central portion and a protrusion portion protruding in a radial direction of the first central portion, and wherein the separation prevention hole comprises a second central portion and a groove portion formed so as to be recessed in a radial direction of the second central portion as recited in claim 9, the ejector body further comprises a guide disposed adjacent to the separation-prevention protrusion as recited in claim 10, the tray comprises: a first tray forming a first chamber; and a second tray forming a second chamber, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are combined to form the ice chamber, wherein the second tray moves relative to the first tray, wherein the ejector separates ice from the first chamber, and wherein the connector connects the second tray and the ejector as recited in claim 12, a unit guide defining a guide slot configured to guide movement of the ejector body, wherein the ejector body comprises a guide having a width corresponding to a width of the guide slot and inserted into the guide slot as recited in claim 13, the separation prevention protrusion comprises: a first central portion; and a protruding portion protruding radially outward from the central portion as recited in claim 15, the connector defines a separation prevention hole through which the separation prevention protrusion penetrates, wherein the separation prevention hole comprises: a second central portion; and a groove portion formed so as to be recessed in a radial direction of the second central portion as recited in claim 16, the ejector comprises: an ejector body ; and an ejecting pin extending from the ejector body, wherein the separation prevention protrusion is provided at an end of the ejector body, and wherein the separation prevention protrusion protrudes in a direction intersecting a direction in which the ejector body extends as recited in claim 17. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIZABETH J MARTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-3840. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-3:00 CT pm M-F. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. 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. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ELIZABETH J MARTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763 Application/Control Number: 18/974,713 Page 2 Art Unit: 3763 Application/Control Number: 18/974,713 Page 3 Art Unit: 3763 Application/Control Number: 18/974,713 Page 4 Art Unit: 3763 Application/Control Number: 18/974,713 Page 5 Art Unit: 3763 Application/Control Number: 18/974,713 Page 6 Art Unit: 3763 Application/Control Number: 18/974,713 Page 7 Art Unit: 3763 Application/Control Number: 18/974,713 Page 8 Art Unit: 3763
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