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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dong et al. (WO 2018227826A1). Dong et al. teaches a dishwasher (see :Background Technique” section) comprising a tub 3 forming a washing chamber, door 4 configured to open or close the tub, and a sealing member 1 configured to seal a gap between the tub and the door (figure 2), the sealing member including a fixed body 5 coupleable to the tub 3 and a sealing body 7-9 extending from the fixed body toward the door 4 (figure 2), wherein the sealing body 7-9 comprises a contact portion at B configured to be in contact with the door 4 (figure 2), a support portion at 7 to connect the fixed body 5 and the contact portion 8, 9, and a bend portion at 18 to be bent toward the fixed body while the door 4 is pressing the contact portion, the bend portion including a bending end 15 connected to the support portion at 7.
Regarding claim 2, the fixed body at 5 comprises a seat portion 19 (and can include 15) arranged to face the bend portion, and the bend portion is configured to be in contact with the seat portion, as 18 is bent.
Regarding claim 3, the bend portion further comprises a support protrusion (located above lead line 18 in figure 1) extending toward the seat portion 19.
Regarding claim 4, the door 4 presses against the contact portion B along a direction, the support protrusion (located above lead line 18 in figure 1, including 14 and 13) includes an end along the direction, and the seat portion 19 includes a seating surface having a shape corresponding to the end of the support protrusion at 13 to thereby allow the seating surface and the end of the support protrusion to be in contact with each other.
Regarding claim 5, the seating surface 19 and 15 is arranged to be inclined toward the direction where the seating surface approaches the center of the tub.
Regarding claim 6, the end of the support protrusion includes a plane (at 14 or at 13).
Regarding claim 7, the support protrusion comprises a first support protrusion (below lead line 18), and a second support protrusion (above lead line 18) between the bending end and the first support protrusion.
Regarding claim 8, the bend portion further comprises an extension 13 extending between the support protrusion 19 and the bending end, and a thickness e of the extension 13 increases as the extension approaches the bending end 8.
Regarding claim 9, a thickness a of the bending end at 20 is set to be greater than a thickness of the support protrusion 19.
Regarding claim 10, a thickness a of the bending end is set to be greater than a spacing distance b between the bending end 8 and the seat portion 19 when 18 is fully bent.
Regarding claim 11, a thickness of the support portion at 11 decreases from the bending end toward the contact portion B.
Regarding claim 12, the tub comprises a coupling groove 2 formed by a first coupling wall adjacent to the washing chamber and a second coupling wall facing the first coupling wall to allow the fixed body to be coupled, and the bend portion is arranged such that the bending end faces the second coupling wall figure 2.
Regarding claim 13, the seat portion 19 comprises a seating protrusion (below lead line 18; figure 1) extending toward the bend portion.
Regarding claim 14, the sealing body comprises a through hole, shown in figure 1, and the through hole has a closed loop shape.
Regarding claim 15, the through hole is spaced apart from the seat portion (figure 1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art is cited for the seal structure.
THIS ACTION IS NON-FINAL.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NIKI MARINA ELOSHWAY whose telephone number is (571)272-4538. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 7: 00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Orlando E. Avilés can be reached at 571-270-5531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NIKI M ELOSHWAY/Examiner, Art Unit 3736