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 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 6-13 and 14 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 6 recites the limitation "the other side" in line 8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 8 defines “one side of the holder” and “another side of the holder”, but not “the other side of the holder”. It is not clear if this is supposed to be the same side as “another side of the holder” but for examination purposes it will be interpreted in this manner.
Claim 14 recites the limitation “formed on one side adjacent to the guide rib”. As claim 14 ultimately depends from claim 6, is the “one side” in claim 14 the same as the “one side” from claim 6? If they are the same, the claim should be amended to recite “formed on the one side”. If they are not meant to be the same, the claim should be amended with different language to differentiate the two.
Claims 7-13 are rejected based on their dependency upon rejected claim 6.
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) 1-7 and 10-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schöne (U.S. 2011/0025177).
Regarding claim 1, Schöne teaches a clothes dryer comprising: a cabinet (32) including an inlet (as seen in fig 2); and a door (130) to be rotatably arranged on the cabinet (32) to open or close the inlet (see fig 2); wherein the door (130) comprises: a holder (400B) to be rotatably arranged on the cabinet (32), a front cover (300), a cover supporter (338) to be coupled to the holder (400B) so that while the cover supporter (338) is coupled to the holder (400B), the cover supporter (338) is arranged between the front cover (300) and the holder (400B) to support the front cover (300), a first rim cover (200) configured to be coupled to the front cover (300) so that while the first rim cover (200) is coupled to the front cover (300), the first rim cover (200) covers a rim of the front cover (300), and a second rim cover (800B) configured to be coupled to a rim of the holder (400B) so that while the second rim cover (800B) is coupled to the holder (400B), the second rim cover (800B) is connected to the first rim cover (200), wherein the first rim cover (200) is separable from the second rim cover (800B) by separating the cover supporter (338) from the holder (400B).
Regarding claim 2, Schöne teaches the clothes dryer of claim 1. Schöne further teaches wherein the first rim cover (200) is coupled to the cover supporter (338), and while the first rim cover (200) coupled to the front cover (300) and the cover supporter (338), the first rim cover (200) is separated from the second rim cover (800B) by separating the cover supporter (338) from the second rim cover (800B).
Regarding claim 3, Schöne teaches the clothes dryer of claim 1. Schöne further teaches wherein the cover supporter (338) comprises an insertion protrusion (as seen in fig 6B) protruding toward the first rim cover (200) to be coupled to the first rim cover (200), and the first rim cover (200) comprises an insertion hole (area around 236) formed to allow the insertion protrusion (as seen in fig 6B) to be inserted.
Regarding claim 4, Schöne teaches the clothes dryer of claim 1. Schöne further teaches wherein the front cover (300) comprises a coupling hole (332), and the first rim cover (200) comprises a coupling protrusion (238, see fig 5B) formed to be inserted into the coupling hole (332) of the front cover (300).
Regarding claim 5, Schöne teaches the clothes dryer of claim 1. Schöne further teaches further comprising a door hinge (as seen in fig 4A) configured to rotate the door (130) relative to the cabinet (32), the door hinge (as seen in fig 4A) including a holder coupling portion (500) coupled to the holder (400B), and the holder (400B) comprises a seat portion (427B) formed to allow the holder coupling portion (500) to be seated, and a support portion (such as 438B) configured to support the holder coupling portion (500, via connection to 800B) and protruding from a rim of the seat portion (see fig 8D).
Regarding claim 6, Schöne teaches the clothes dryer of claim 5. Schöne further teaches wherein the seat portion (427B) and the support portion (438B) are a first seat portion and a first support portion, respectively, the first seat portion (427B) and the first support portion (438B) are formed on one side of the holder (400B, see fig 8D), and the holder (400B) further includes a second seat portion (also called 427B on opposite side of 400B from first instance of 427B, see fig 8D) corresponding to the first seat portion and formed on another side of the holder (as seen in fig 8D, there are two instances of 427B on opposite sides of 400B), and a second support portion (436B) corresponding to the first support portion and formed on the other side of the holder (as seen in fig 8D).
Regarding claim 7, Schöne teaches the clothes dryer of claim 6. Schöne further teaches wherein the holder coupling portion (500) is seated on one of the first seat portion and the second seat portion (428B, indirectly from the connection to 800B).
Regarding claim 10, Schöne teaches the clothes dryer of claim 6. Schöne further teaches wherein the second rim cover (800B) comprises a guide rib formed to be caught on one of the first support portion and the second support portion (800B includes fastener points such as 838B with guiding ribs to fasten to 438B).
Regarding claim 11, Schöne teaches the clothes dryer of claim 10. Schöne further teaches wherein the guide rib (on 838B) protrudes toward the seat portion (427B, see fig 10A).
Regarding claim 12, Schöne teaches the clothes dryer of claim 11. Schöne further teaches wherein the second rim cover (800B) is coupled to the holder (400B) as the door hinge rotates relative to the holder (as seen in in figs 2, 4A, and 4B, and described in [0113]).
Regarding claim 13, Schöne teaches the clothes dryer of claim 4. Schöne further teaches wherein the first rim cover (200) comprises a first guide portion (locating feature on 338) configured to guide a position of the front cover (300) to allow the coupling protrusion (238) to be inserted into the coupling hole (332), and the front cover (300) comprises a second guide portion (locating feature on 338 is present on both sides, see fig 6B) formed at a position corresponding to the first guide portion (see fig 6B).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schöne (U.S. 2011/0025177).
Regarding claim 15, Schöne teaches the clothes dryer of claim 10. Schöne further teaches comprising a rear cover (830B) positioned further rearwardly than the holder (400B). Schöne discloses the claimed invention except for the rear cover is formed of iron (Fe). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make the rear cover from iron, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. See MPEP 2144.07.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 9, and 14 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 8, 9, and 14 contain subject matter not anticipated or obvious over the prior art. Claim 8 recites the limitation “wherein the door hinge seated on the first seat portion is seatable on the second seat portion by separating the second rim cover from the cover supporter.” The prior art does not teach or suggest that separating the second rim cover from the cover supporter would enable the door hinge seated on the first seat potion to seat on the second seat portion. Claim 9 recites the limitation “wherein the door hinge seated on the second seat portion is supported by the second support potion by separating the second rim cover from the cover supporter”. The prior art does not teach or suggest separating second the rim cover from the cover supporter would support the second support portion and the door hinge seated on the second seat portion. Claim 14 recites the limitation “wherein the second rim cover further comprises a handle portion formed on one side adjacent to the guide rib”. While the prior art of Schöne teaches a handle portion, the handle is formed as part of the front cover and is not located near the second rim cover, and therefore could not be said to be formed on one side adjacent to the guide rib.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 9,487,901, US 2007/0051012 (teach appliances with similar features to the claimed invention).
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/SUSAN M. HESCHEL/Examiner, Art Unit 3637
/Muhammad Ijaz/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631
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