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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-14 in the reply filed on 5/19/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 15-16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 5/19/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Becke et al. (EP 2756243) (hereinafter Becke).
Regarding claim 1, Becke discloses a refrigeration appliance, comprising: a first wall (13); a mounting portion (20); a display unit (16, 18) mounted on said mounting portion, said display unit having a display portion (18) configured to display information and/or an operation portion (16) configured to receive an operation by a user; said mounting portion having a first receiving portion (20) recessed along a first direction from said first wall touchable by the user (Fig. 3) and a second receiving portion (at 39, see Fig. 3) in communication with said first receiving portion (Fig. 3), recessed along a second direction intersecting with the first direction (Fig. 3), and disposed behind said first wall (Fig. 3); and said display unit further having a first part (37) disposed in said first receiving portion and a second part (39) disposed in said second receiving portion and disposed behind said first wall, said display portion and/or said operation portion being disposed in said first part (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 2, Becke discloses a refrigeration appliance wherein: said second part has at least one electronic device or a part of said at least one electronic device; and/or said display unit has a processor configured to control an electrical component disposed outside of said mounting portion; and/or said display portion has visible outer surfaces (37), said visible out surfaces of said display portion and said first wall are flush with each other (Fig. 3); and/or said first part contains a plurality of light-emitting elements so as to illuminate said display portion and/or said operation portion.
Claim(s) 5-9 & 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kwon (US patent application publication 2018/0003428).
Regarding claim 5, Kwon discloses a refrigeration appliance, comprising: a door (20) having a front door panel (21); a dispenser (30) having a dispensing cavity (301) disposed in said door; a mounting portion (Fig. 3) having a first receiving portion (31) disposed along a side of said dispensing cavity and a second receiving portion (311) in communication with said first receiving portion on a side of said first receiving portion away from said dispensing cavity, said first receiving portion being open towards a front of said door, and said second receiving portion being disposed behind said front door panel and covered by said front door panel (Fig. 3); and a display unit (40) having a first part disposed in said first receiving portion (Fig. 3) and exposed to said front of said door and a second part (425) disposed in said second receiving portion and disposed behind said front door panel.
Regarding claim 6, Kwon discloses a refrigeration appliance wherein said display unit includes: a display panel having a display portion (411) and/or an operation portion (412) and is disposed only in said first part of said first part and said second part; and/or a printed circuit board at least partially disposed in said second receiving portion; and/or a support having one part disposed in said first receiving portion and another part disposed in said second receiving portion.
Regarding claim 7, Kwon discloses a refrigeration appliance wherein: said display unit has a touch film, said touch film has a sensing portion (46) disposed in said first part and a connection portion extending from said first part to said second part to be connected to said printed circuit board disposed behind said support; and/or said printed circuit board has a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed in said first part; and/or said display unit contains a connection terminal configured for connecting to a connector disposed in said door, and said connection terminal is disposed in said second part; and/or said support has a display frame disposed in said first receiving portion and a hidden frame disposed in said second receiving portion, a thickness of said display frame is greater than a thickness of said hidden frame, and a step is formed on front surfaces of said display frame and said hidden frame; and/or along a direction perpendicular to said display panel, a projection area of said support is larger than a projection area of said display panel; and/or a thickness of said first part is greater than a thickness of said second part; and/or said first part has a front surface which is substantially flush with a front surface of said door, and a spacing exists between said second part and said front surface of said door.
Regarding claim 8, Kwon discloses a refrigeration appliance wherein: said first part is adapted for insertion into said first receiving portion along a direction parallel to a front surface of said display unit (Figs. 3-4); and/or said second part is adapted for insertion into said second receiving portion along the direction parallel to said front surface of said display unit.
Regarding claim 9, Kwon discloses a refrigeration appliance further comprising: a first guide mechanism (311) configured to guide said display unit for insertion into said second receiving portion is disposed between said first part and an inner wall of said first receiving portion (Figs. 3 & 4); and/or a second guide mechanism configured to guide said display unit for insertion into said second receiving portion is disposed between said second part and an inner wall of said second receiving portion.
Regarding claim 11, Kwon discloses a refrigeration appliance further comprising: a first limiting structure (walls of 30, see Fig. 3) configured to limit movement of said first part along at least one direction is disposed between said first part and an inner wall of said first receiving portion; and/or a second limiting structure (walls of 30, see Fig. 3) configured to limit movement of said second part along at least one direction is disposed between said second part and an inner wall of said second receiving portion.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 3 & 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Becke in view of Kwon.
Regarding claim 3, Becke discloses the refrigeration appliance as claimed. Becke does not disclose a refrigeration appliance wherein said processor is at least partially disposed in said second receiving portion. Kwon teaches a refrigeration appliance wherein a processor (43, 44) is at least partially disposed in a second receiving portion. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Becke to include a processor is at least partially disposed in said second receiving portion in view of Kwon’s teaching, because this arrangement would have provided a means for controlling the electronics of the appliance.
Regarding claim 3, Becke discloses the refrigeration appliance as claimed. Becke does not disclose a refrigeration appliance wherein said display unit has a printed circuit board; wherein said printed circuit board is at least partially disposed in said second receiving portion; and/or wherein a projection area of said printed circuit board along a direction perpendicular to said printed circuit board is larger than a projection area of said first part along the direction perpendicular to said printed circuit board; and/or wherein said printed circuit board has a first section disposed in said first receiving portion and a second section disposed in said second receiving portion; and/or wherein said display unit has a support for supporting said printed circuit board, and said support has one part disposed in said first receiving portion and another part disposed in said second receiving portion; and/or wherein said display unit has a step disposed between said first part and said second part, said first wall has an end surface exposed to said first receiving portion, and said step and said end surface are disposed face-to-face; and/or wherein said display unit has a support for supporting said printed circuit board and a display panel disposed on one side of said support; wherein said display panel covers said first receiving portion, and a part of said support protruding from said display panel in a direction from said first receiving portion to said second receiving portion is disposed in said second receiving portion; and/or wherein said display unit has a touch film disposed behind said display panel, said touch film is disposed between said display panel and said support so as to sense a touch operation applied by the user to said operation portion, said printed circuit board is disposed behind said support, said touch film has a connection portion, and said connection portion extends from said first part to said second part and is connected to said printed circuit board across said support; and/or wherein said second part of the display unit is adapted to be inserted into said second receiving portion along a depth direction of said second receiving portion; and/or wherein said second part of said display unit is adapted to be inserted into said second receiving portion along a direction parallel to said first wall; and/or further comprising a first guide mechanism configured to guide said display unit during insertion into said second receiving portion, said first guide mechanism is disposed between said first part and an inner wall of said first receiving portion; and/or further comprising a second guide mechanism configured to guide said display unit during insertion into said second receiving portion and is disposed between said second part and an inner wall of said second receiving portion; and/or further comprising a first limiting structure configured to limit movement of said first part along at least one direction and is disposed between said first part and said inner wall of said first receiving portion; and/or further comprising a second limiting structure configured to limit movement of said second part along at least one direction and is disposed between said second part and said inner wall of said second receiving portion; and/or wherein the refrigeration appliance has a dispensing cavity configured to receive an external container, and said display unit is disposed along a side of said dispensing cavity.
Kwon teaches a refrigeration appliance wherein a display unit has a printed circuit board (43, 44). As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Becke to include a processor is at least partially disposed in said second receiving portion in view of Kwon’s teaching, because this arrangement would have provided a means for controlling the electronics of the appliance.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwon.
Regarding claim 14, Kwon discloses the refrigeration appliance as claimed. Kwon does not disclose a refrigeration appliance wherein a ratio of said projection area of said support to said projection area of said display panel ranges from 1.1 to 2. It would have been obvious matter of design choice to modify Kwon wherein a ratio of said projection area of said support to said projection area of said display panel ranges from 1.1 to 2, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component and would have yielded a predictable result. A change is size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237, (CCPA 1955).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10, 12 & 13 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure because it gives a general state of the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL J ROHRHOFF whose telephone number is (571)270-7624. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-4:00.
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, Dan Troy can be reached at 571-270-3742. 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.
/DANIEL J ROHRHOFF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637
Prosecution Insights