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 .
Claim Status
Claims 2-21 are pending. Claim 1 was canceled. Claims 2-21 are new.
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 2-21 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.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the other portion" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the other portion" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the other portion" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
By virtue of dependency, claims 3-10, 12-17, and 19-21 are also rejected.
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)(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.
Claims 2-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Son et al. (US 2013/0014536 A1), hereafter referred to as “Son.”
Regarding Claim 2: Son teaches an ice maker (100) comprising: a first tray (110) configured to define a portion (113) of an ice chamber (upper 113 of 113 and 125) for making ice (paragraph [0055]); a second tray (120) configured to define the other portion (125) of the ice chamber (paragraph [0049]); and a support (124) coupled to the first tray (110, when assembled), wherein an opening (rim of 113 to rim of 125a, through 124 and 126, see Figure 3) through which at least a part (rim of 113, tip of 113a) of the first tray (110) passes is defined in the support (124, paragraph [0057]).
Regarding Claim 3: Son teaches wherein the first tray (110) contacts the second tray (120) through the opening (rim of 113 to rim of 125a, through 124 and 126, see Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 4: Son teaches wherein the at least a part of the first tray (110 having 113) passing through the opening (rim of 113 to rim of 125a, through 124 and 126, see Figure 3) comprises a contact surface (rim of 113 to rim of 125a, through 124 and 126, see Figure 3) contacting the second tray (120).
Regarding Claim 5: Son teaches wherein the first tray (110) comprises: a tray body (body 110); and an extension part (126) extending from the tray body (see Figure 3), wherein the extension part (126) is seated on the support (124), and at least a part of the tray body (rim of 113) penetrates the opening (opening in 126, 124 for 113 to contact rim of 123).
Regarding Claim 6: Son teaches wherein the tray body (body 110) comprises a contacting surface (rim of 113) contacting the second tray (120 at 123, 125a).
Regarding Claim 7: Son teaches wherein the support (124) comprises a plate (paragraph [0055], see Figure 3) in which the opening (opening for 123 in 124, 126) is formed (see Figure 3), wherein the extension part (126) is seated on a first surface of the plate (see Figure 3), and wherein the tray body (body of 110) protrudes beyond a second surface (horizontal surface of 124 at tip of 113a) of the plate (124) through the opening (at 113a), the second surface being opposite to the first surface (see Figure 8, paragraph [0029]).
Regarding Claim 8: Son teaches wherein the support (124) further comprises a
circumferential wall (121 of 120) provided on an edge of the plate (124, see Figure 3), and wherein the circumferential wall (121 of 120) contacts at least a portion of a side surface of the extension part (126).
Regarding Claim 9: Son teaches wherein the circumferential wall (wall 112 of 110) protrudes from the first surface of the plate (124, see Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 10: Son teaches wherein the support (124) comprises a plate (124 is a plate, paragraph [0055]) contacting the first tray (110), and wherein the opening (holes for 123) is defined in the plate (see Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 11: Son teaches an ice maker (100) comprising: a first tray (110) configured to define a portion (113) of an ice chamber for making ice (paragraph [0055]); a second tray (120) configured to define the other portion (125) of the ice chamber (paragraph [0055]); and a support (124) coupled to the first tray (when assembled) and defining an opening (rim of 113 to rim of 125a, through 124 and 126, see Figure 3), wherein the first tray (110) and the second tray (120) contact each other through the opening (rim of 113 to rim of 125a, through 124 and 126, see Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 12: Son teaches wherein the first tray (110) comprises: a tray body (body of 110) configured to define a first chamber (113) that is the portion (upper portion 113) of the ice chamber (paragraph [0055]); and an extension part (126) extending from the tray body (when assembled, 126 is within 110, see Figure 3), wherein the extension part (126) is seated on the support (124), and the tray body (body of 110) comprises a contacting surface (rim of 113) contacting the second tray (with rim 125a of 120).
Regarding Claim 13: Son teaches wherein the contacting surface (rim of 113) is located at an edge region (see Figure 8) of the first chamber (113).
Regarding Claim 14: Son teaches wherein the support (124) comprises a plate (paragraph [0055], see Figure 3) in which the opening (space for 113) is formed (see Figure 8), wherein the extension part (126) is seated on a first surface of the plate (see Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 15: Son teaches wherein the support (124) further comprises a circumferential wall (wall 121 of 120) provided on an edge of the plate (see Figure 3), and wherein the circumferential wall (wall 121 of 120) contacts at least a portion of a side surface of the extension part (see Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 16: Son teaches wherein the circumferential wall (wall 112 of 110) protrudes from the first surface of the plate (see Figure 3, 124).
Regarding Claim 17: Son teaches wherein the support (124) comprises a plate (paragraph [0055], see Figure 3) contacting the first tray (wall 112 of 110), and wherein the opening (holes for 123 in 124) is defined in the plate (see Figure 3, 124).
Regarding Claim 18: Son teaches a refrigerator (1) comprising an ice maker (100), wherein the ice maker (100) comprises: first tray (110) configured to define a portion (113) of an ice chamber (113 and 125) for making ice (paragraph [0049]); a second tray (120) configured to define the other portion (125) of the ice chamber (113 and 125); and a support (124) coupled to the first tray (when assembled), wherein an opening (rim of 113 to rim of 125a, through 124 and 126, see Figure 3) through which at least a part (rim 113) of the first tray (110) passes is defined in the support (124).
Regarding Claim 19: Son teaches wherein the first tray (110) contacts the second tray (120) through the opening (opening in 126, 124 for 113 to contact rim of 125a).
Regarding Claim 20: Son teaches wherein the first tray (110) comprises: a tray body (body of 110); and an extension part (126) extending from the tray body (body of 110), wherein the extension part (126) is seated on the support (124), and at least a part of the tray body (body of 110) penetrates the opening (rim of 113).
Regarding Claim 21: Son teaches wherein the support (124) comprises a plate (paragraph [0055], see Figure 3) in which the opening (opening in 126, 124 for 113 to contact rim of 125a) is formed (see Figure 3), wherein the extension part (126) is seated on a first surface (see Figure 3) of the plate (paragraph [0055]), and wherein the tray body (at 113a) protrudes beyond a second surface (horizontal surface of 124 at tip of 113a) of the plate (124) through the opening (rim of 113 to rim of 125a, through 124 and 126, see Figure 3), the second surface (horizontal surface of 124 at tip of 113a) being opposite to the first surface (see Figure 8, paragraph [0029]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Brandt et al. (3,721,103).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIRSTIN U OSWALD whose telephone number is (571)270-3557. The examiner can normally be reached 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. M-F.
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/KIRSTIN U OSWALD/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/ERIC S RUPPERT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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