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 .
This is the First Office action on the Merits from the examiner in charge of this application.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2007/0188059 to Davis et al (hereinafter Davis).
Davis discloses a home appliance 2 comprising (such as shown in Figs. 1-4): a main body 4 having an open side; and a door 10 configured to open and close the open side of the main body 4, wherein the door 10 comprises (such as shown in Fig. 2): a door body 72 rotatably coupled to the main body 4; a panel body 65 positioned in a front of the door body 72; a first trim 143 disposed at a lower end of the panel body 65 and configured to be coupled to the door body 72 while being rotated with respect to the door body; a second trim 140 disposed at an upper end of the panel body 65 and configured to be coupled to the door body 72 when the first trim 143 is coupled to the door body 65; and third trims 141,142 disposed at respective left and right ends of the panel body, and configured to be fixed to the door body when the first trim 143 is coupled to the door body. Regarding “while being rotated with respect to the door body”, “when the first trim is coupled to the door body”, please note: (i) since the claim is an apparatus/article, it must distinguish from the prior art of record in term of structure, and (ii) while lining up trims 140-143 relative to mounting members 90-97 and base member 100, panel body 65 must have some type of pivotal movement.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by USP 8408665 to Lim.
Lim discloses a home appliance comprising (such as shown in Figs. 1-4): a main body 10 having an open side; and a door 100 configured to open and close the open side of the main body 10, wherein the door 100 comprises (such as shown in Figs. 3-4): a door body 120 rotatably coupled to the main body 10; a panel body 260 positioned in a front of the door body 120; a first trim 268 (bottom hook protrusions 268) disposed at a lower end of the panel body and configured to be coupled to the door body 120 while being rotated with respect to the door body; a second trim 268 (middle upper hook protrusion 268) disposed at an upper end of the panel body and configured to be coupled to the door body 120 when the first trim 268 is coupled to the door body 120; and third trims 268 (col. 5, lines 48-51: “spaced a predetermined distance along the circumference of the home bar frame 240 and provided in plurality, Fig. 3 shows protrusion recess 246 provided, at least, on the left, right and top of bar frame 240, and Fig. 4 shows hook protrusions 268 provided on the top, bottom and a side of home bar cover 260) disposed at respective left and right ends of the panel body, and configured to be fixed to the door body when the first trim 268 is coupled to the door body. Regarding “while being rotated with respect to the door body”, “when the first trim is coupled to the door body”, please note: (i) since the claim is an apparatus/article, it must distinguish from the prior art of record in term of structure, and (ii) while lining up trims 268 relative to mounting members 246, panel body 260 must have some type of pivotal movement.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by USP 11287174 to Lee et al (hereinafter Lee).
The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Lee discloses a home appliance comprising (such as shown in Figs. 1 & 22+): a main body 10 having an open side; and a door 101 configured to open and close the open side of the main body 10, wherein the door 101 includes (Figs. 22+): a door body 120 rotatably coupled to the main body, a panel body 210 positioned in a front of the door body 120, a first trim 217 disposed at a lower end of the panel body 210 and configured to be coupled to the door body 120 while being rotated with respect to the door body 120, a second trim 161 disposed at an upper end of the panel body and configured to be coupled to the door body when the first trim 217 is coupled to the door body, and third trims 219 disposed at respective left and right ends of the panel body, and configured to be fixed to the door body when the first trim is coupled to the door body 120.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, and all show structures similar to various elements of applicant’s disclosure.
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HVT
June 5, 2026
/HANH V TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637
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