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 1-3, 7, 8, 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hong et al. (U.S. 2023/0349618). Hong et al. teaches an ice tank assembly, shown in figure 1, comprising an upper housing (at lead line 200 in figure 6) configured to have an upper housing space formed therein (figure 6), a lower housing (at lead line 600 in figure 2) configured to be coupled with the upper housing (figure 6) and to have a lower housing space formed therein (figure 6), wherein the lower housing space communicates with the upper housing space (see arrow R2; figure 6), and an inner housing (at lead line 600 in figure 6) configured to be received in the lower housing space (figure 6) and to buffer an impact caused by ice falling from the upper housing space, wherein the lower housing includes a lower housing body surrounding the lower housing space (figure 6), and wherein the inner housing includes an inner housing body configured to surround entire inner surfaces of the lower housing body, as shown in fig. 6.
Regarding claim 2, the lower housing body includes first and second lower housing walls configured to surround the lower housing space on each side in a first direction (see lead line 400 in figure 1; figures 1 and 2), a third lower housing wall configured to surround the lower housing space on one side in a second direction (see lead line 600 in figure 1; figures 1 and 2), and a fourth lower housing wall configured to surround the lower housing space on one side in a height direction (figure 6), and wherein the inner housing body includes first to fourth inner housing walls configured to surround the first to fourth lower housing walls on an inner side and to be continuous with each other (figure 6).
Regarding claim 3, the lower housing includes coupling protrusions (coupling of lower housing which secures with inner housing on left side of figure 6; three couplings shown on bottom of figure 10) configured to protrude outward in a first direction and a second direction on an end of the lower housing body in a height direction (upper end), and wherein the inner housing includes a housing coupler (three shown at bottom of figure 10) configured to be positioned on one side of the inner housing body (left side, as shown in figure 6) in the height direction and to be coupled with each of the coupling protrusions.
Regarding claim 7, the inner housing includes an inner housing rib (rib shown above 610 in figure 9) configured to protrude on an outer surface of the inner housing body and to form a space between the outer surface of the inner housing body and the inner surface of the lower housing body (figure 9).
Regarding claim 8, the inner housing rib includes a first rib (horizontally extending rim above 610 in figure 9) configured to extend along a first direction of an outer circumference of the inner housing body, and a second rib (vertically extending rib which extends from outer end of first rib) configured to intersect the first rib at a predetermined angle and to extend along a second direction of the outer circumference of the inner housing body.
Regarding claim 11, the upper housing 200 includes a plurality of upper housing walls (figure 6) configured to surround the upper housing space on each side in a fifth direction and a sixth direction, and a pressing end (lower portion of 200) configured to constitute an end of the plurality of upper housing walls in a height direction and to cover the inner housing body on an inner side , and wherein the one end of the inner housing body in the height direction is covered by the pressing end (200 covers the inner housing, since it is located above it; figure 6) and is disposed to face the inner housing space surrounded by the inner housing body with the pressing end interposed therebetween .
Regarding claim 12, the lower housing includes an inner housing receiving space (in which 600 is received; figure 6) configured to be recessed on an end of the lower housing body in a seventh direction (figure 6), and wherein the inner housing at 600 includes a lower housing coupler configured to protrude from an end of the inner housing body in the seventh direction toward the lower housing and to be received the inner housing receiving space (shown in figure 9).
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.
Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al. (U.S. 2023/0349618) in view of KR 20130001691U.
Regarding claim 13, Hong et al. discloses the claimed invention except for the screw coupling. KR 20130001691U teaches that it is known to provide an ice tank assembly (see “conventional screws”). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the ice tank assembly of Hong et al. with the housings being secured by screws, as taught by KR 20130001691U, in order to use well known and conventional means of removably securing elements together.
Regarding claim 14, the screw coupler, as modified above, includes a lower housing coupling protrusion configured to protrude radially from an end of its extension direction and to be supported by an outer surface of the lower housing body; and a screw through hole configured to penetrate the inside thereof, wherein the screw penetrates the screw through hole (see coupling holes shown between upper and lower housings in figure 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 9 and 10 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 9, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Hong does not teach that the inner housing is configured to be received in the lower housing space and to buffer an impact caused by ice falling from the upper housing space. Claim 1 recites “an inner housing body configured to surround entire inner surfaces of the lower housing body” (lines 11-12 of claim 1). It is the examiner’s position that Hong meets this limitation of claim 1. As shown in figure 6, the compartment shown at lead line 600 has a double wall, the inner wall is the inner housing body which surrounds inner surfaced of the lower housing body. See also the top edge of the inn wall which engages the wall 610, as shown in figure 9. To the degree set forth in claim 1, this inner body buffers an impact caused by ice falling because it covers the inner surface of the lower housing and prevents ice from hitting the inner surface of the lower housing. Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
The presence of the guide member 540 does not prevent the inner housing from buffering impact of ice falling from the upper housing space. Ice falling from the upper housing space can be guided/directed by 540 into the space at lead line 600, and the inner housing prevents the ice from impacting the lower housing body directly thereby buffering the impact.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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
/ORLANDO E AVILES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3736
