DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Korea on November 18, 2022. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the Korean application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS’s) submitted on March 29, 2025 & February 27, 2026, were in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-6, 8-10 & 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Harikrishnasamy et al., [US 2022/0228795]. Harikrishnasamy teaches of a refrigerator (10), comprising: an inner case (14/18) forming a storage compartment (50); an outer case (16) coupled to an outer side of the inner case to form an exterior (shown); and an inherent insulation between the inner case and the outer case (defining the insulating cavity (20)), and configured to have an insulation thickness corresponding to a distance between the inner case and the outer case (note fig. 2 for instance), wherein the inner case comprises: a first inner case portion (112) spaced apart from the outer case by a distance corresponding to a first insulation thickness (fig. 5), a second inner case portion (110) spaced apart from the outer case by a distance corresponding to a second insulation thickness different from the first insulation thickness (fig. 5), a boundary portion (such as (114) for example) between the second inner case portion and the first inner case portion, and connected to a corner portion of the second inner case portion (shown), a plurality of first beads (122’s) along the boundary portion on the corner portion of the second inner case portion, and a second bead (such as (120) or (126) for instance) along a direction (outward direction or spaced parallel direction) corresponding to the plurality of first beads and on a portion of the first inner case portion that is adjacent to the plurality of first beads (shown). As to Claim 2, each of the plurality of first beads is on a portion of the corner portion of the second inner case portion that is adjacent to the boundary portion (shown). As to Claim 3, each of the plurality of first beads extends to a portion of the first inner case portion that is adjacent to the boundary portion (shown). As to Claim 4, each of the plurality of first beads extends from the portion of the corner portion of the second inner case portion that is adjacent to the boundary portion to a portion that is adjacent to the boundary portion of the first inner case portion (shown). As to Claim 5, the plurality of first beads are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a direction of stress (they are formed perpendicular to the insulating cavity) capable of being generated by the insulation, the plurality of first beads being configured to disperse the stress – as readily apparent (disclosed as reducing the strain on the inner case during the vacuum sealing process). As to Claim 6, each of the plurality of first beads protrudes outwardly from the inner case. As to Claim 8, the second bead is in an arc shape (the bead has an arc shape along (132) for instance). As to Claim 9, the second bead is spaced apart from an end of the plurality of first beads and corresponding to a portion of the plurality of first beads (fig. 5). As to Claim 10, the second bead protrudes outwardly from the inner case. As to Claim 12, the second inner case portion protrudes inwardly from the inner case by the distance corresponding to the second insulation thickness, the second insulation thickness being greater than the first insulation thickness (depends upon viewed orientation, i.e., looking interior to exterior direction or vice versa). As to Claim 13, the first inner case portion and the second inner case portion are on a side wall (depends upon viewed orientation, i.e., the case has four vertical side walls for instance) of the inner case, and the second inner case portion protrudes further inwardly from the inner case than the first inner case portion.
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.
Claims 7 & 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harikrishnasamy et al. Harikrishnasamy teaches applicant’s basic inventive claimed refrigerator as outlined above, but does not show the plurality of first beads protruding inwardly from the inner case [Claim 7] or show the second bead protruding inwardly from the inner case [Claim 11]. However, the position is taken that it would have been an obvious matter of personal preference to vary the shape of an element (between either an inverted or noninverted orientation) depending upon the needs and/or preferences of the user, with a reasonable expectation of success, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the configuration of a component without altering the functionality of the component. A change of this degree is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure – see the attached Form PTO-892 showing various refrigerators with reinforcing means.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES O HANSEN whose telephone number is (571)272-6866. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8 am - 4:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel 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.
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JOH
September 5, 2026
/James O Hansen/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637
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