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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/02/2023 was filed on or after the mailing date of the application.
The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed on 05/14/2024.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet preferably within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, "The disclosure concerns," "The disclosure defined by this invention," "The disclosure describes," etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as "means" and "said," should be avoided.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because:
The recitation of “the discharge port,” “the front wall of the water supply part,” “the direction,” “the vector force of the discharge water” and “the second front guide wall” lacks antecedent basis. Please amend the abstract to recite -- a discharge port --, -- a front wall of a water supply part --, -- a direction --, -- a vector force of discharged water --, and -- a second front guide wall -- respectively, for clarity.
A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claims 3 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 3, the claim recites “… the second front guide wall is inclined in a direction toward the discharge port,” a direction is introduced in claim 1 which claim 3 depends from. Please amend the claim to recite - - inclined in the direction toward the discharge port - - for clarity. This is throughout the claims.
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.
(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) 1-8, 10-17 and 20 are/is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kang (KR20110072368A).
Regarding Claim 1, Kang teaches an ice maker [200] comprising:
an ice chamber [210] making an ice [0041 “ice”];
a water supply part [240] including a front wall [see Image I; annotated Fig. 10 of Kang] having a discharge port [246] formed therein [0072, “formed on the lower side”; see also fig. 19 showing (246) formed in the front wall], through which water is discharged into the ice chamber [0089, “water outlet (246) is supplied directly to the ice maker”]; and
a water supply tube [126] supplying water to the water supply part [0041, “240) that guides water supplied from the water supply pipe (126)”], wherein the front wall [Image I] includes a first front guide wall [Image I] and a second front guide wall [Image I] connected with one side and the other side of the discharge port [Image I clearly showing the first and second guide walls on either side of (246)], respectively, and
wherein the first front guide wall [Image I] having a length less than that of the second front guide wall [clearly shown in Image I] is inclined in a direction toward the discharge port [Fig. 7 showing the second front guide wall inclined toward (246)].
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(Image I; annotated figure 10 of Kang)
Regarding Claim 2, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 1 and wherein the second front guide wall [Image I] is formed to be horizontal with respect to the discharge port [image I showing the second front guide formed horizontal with respect to (246)].
Regarding Claim 3, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 1 and wherein the second front guide wall [Image I] is inclined in the direction toward the discharge port [Fig. 7 showing the second front guide wall inclined toward (246)], and wherein the first front guide wall [Image I] is inclined in the direction toward the discharge port [Fig. 7 showing the second front guide wall inclined toward (246)] so as to have an inclination angle greater than that of the second front guide wall [fig. 9. Showing the first front guide wall having an inclination angle greater than the second front guide wall].
Regarding Claim 4, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 1 and wherein the water supply part [240] includes a first side guide wall [Image I] and a second side guide wall [Image I] extending rearward from the first front guide wall and the second front guide wall, respectively [Image I, where Y is in a rearward and front side direction and X is left to right], and wherein at least a portion of the first side guide wall is inclined [see Image I, showing a portion of the first side guide wall being inclined] to become farther away from the discharge port as it extends toward a front side [Fig. 9 shows becoming farther away from the discharge port as it extends toward a front; see also image I showing a font side].
Regarding Claim 5, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 4 and wherein the at least a portion of the first side guide wall [Image I] includes a region formed as a curved surface [image I showing a region formed as a curved surface].
Regarding Claim 6, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 4 and wherein the first front guide wall and the first side guide wall [Image I] are connected with each other to have a curved surface [Image I showing the first front guide wall and the first side guide wall are connected with each other to have a curved surface].
Regarding Claim 7, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 4 and wherein the second side guide wall [Image I] is formed perpendicular to the discharge port [shown in image I].
Regarding Claim 8, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 4 and wherein the discharge port [246] is formed closer to the first side guide wall than to the second side guide wall [shown in Image I].
Regarding Claim 10, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 4 and wherein the water supply part [240] includes a first bottom surface [Image I] formed along the first front guide wall and the first side guide wall [shown in Image I], and wherein the first bottom surface [Image I] includes a first slope inclined toward the second side guide wall [Image I; see also Fig.9 where the first slope is inclined toward the second side guide wall].
Regarding Claim 11, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 4 and wherein the water supply part [240] includes a first bottom surface [Image I] formed along the first front guide wall and the first side guide wall [shown in image I], and wherein the first bottom surface [image I] includes a first slope inclined toward the front wall [shown in Image I].
Regarding Claim 12, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 4 and wherein the water supply part [240] includes a first bottom surface [Image I] formed along the first front guide wall and the first side guide wall [Image I], and wherein the first bottom surface is connected to the first front guide wall and the first side guide wall to form a curved surface [shown in Image I].
Regarding Claim 13, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 4 and wherein the water supply part [240] includes a second bottom surface [Image I] formed along the second front guide wall and the second side guide wall [Image I], and wherein the second bottom surface includes a second slope inclined toward the first side guide wall [Image I; see also Fig. 9].
Regarding Claim 14, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 4 and wherein the water supply part [240] includes a second bottom surface [Image I] formed along the second front guide wall and the second side guide wall [Image I], and wherein the second bottom surface includes a second slope inclined toward the front wall [Shown in Image I].
Regarding Claim 15, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 4 and wherein the water supply part [240] includes a second bottom surface [Image I] formed along the second front guide wall and the second side guide wall [Image I], and wherein the second bottom surface is connected to the second front guide wall and the second side guide wall to form a curved surface [shown in Image I].
Regarding Claim 16, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 1 and wherein a water discharge point on a bottom surface [Image I, showing a discharge point on a bottom surface] of the water supply part [240] to which the water supplied from the water supply tube [126] is discharged is disposed so as not to overlap with the discharge port in a front- rear direction [0073-0075 “(126) may be located in an area that does not overlap with the water discharge port (246)”].
Regarding Claim 17, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 1 and wherein the water supply part [240] further includes a rear wall [Image I] opposite the front wall [shown in Image I],
wherein in the rear wall [Image I] a tube passing [fig. 9, shows a recessed area for the water supply tube] opening is formed through which the water supply tube 126 passes [given paragraphs 0036-0037 and 0073-0075 someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would recognize (126) would pass through the rear wall], and
wherein the tube passing opening [shown in Fig. 9] is disposed so as not to overlap with the discharge port in a front- rear direction [0073-0075 “(126) may be located in an area that does not overlap with the water discharge port (246)”].
Regarding Claim 20, Kang teaches a refrigerator[1] comprising:
at least one storage chamber [120]; at least one door [11/130] opening and closing the storage chamber [0029, “opened and closed by the ice room
door (130)”; see also fig. 3]; and
an ice maker [200] mounted in the storage chamber [120] or the door [see figs 3-4 ], wherein the ice maker includes:
an ice chamber [210] making an ice [0041 “ice”];
a water supply part [240] including a front wall [see Image I; annotated Fig. 10 of Kang] having a discharge port [246] formed therein [0072, “formed on the lower side”; see also fig. 19 showing (246) formed in the front wall], through which water is discharged into the ice chamber [0089, “water outlet (246) is supplied directly to the ice maker”]; and
a water supply tube [126] supplying water to the water supply part [0041, “240) that guides water supplied from the water supply pipe (126)”], wherein the front wall [Image I] includes a first front guide wall [Image I] and a second front guide wall [Image I] connected with one side and the other side of the discharge port [Image I clearly showing the first and second guide walls on either side of (246)], respectively, and
wherein the first front guide wall [Image I] having a length less than that of the second front guide wall [clearly shown in Image I] is inclined in a direction toward the discharge port [Fig. 7 showing the second front guide wall inclined toward (246)].
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) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang as applied to claim 4 above and in view of Seo et al. (US20200158404A1).
Regarding Claim 9, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 4 and wherein the water supply part [240] includes a first bottom surface [Image I] formed along the first front guide wall and the first side guide wall [Image I].
Kang does not explicitly teach wherein the first bottom surface is flat.
However, Seo teaches wherein the first bottom surface is flat [fig. 2; showing 16 having a flat first bottom surface corresponding to Image I of Kang].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Kang to have wherein the first bottom surface is flat in view of the teachings of Seo where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures an ice maker where the first bottom surface is flat which provides an ice maker that accurately supplies water to an ice tray [Seo; 0025].
Claim(s) 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang as applied to claim 1 above and in view of Kim et al. (US20200158406A1).
Regarding Claim 18, Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 1 and the ice chamber [210], the water supply part [240] and the discharge port [246].
Kang does not explicitly teach the ice chamber includes an inlet guide through which the water flows in, wherein the water supply part includes a pair of water guide parts extending forward from opposite sides of the discharge port, and wherein the pair of water guide parts surround at least a portion of an outer periphery portion of the inlet guide.
However, Kim teaches the ice chamber [111 corresponding to 210 of Kang] includes an inlet guide [fig. 11; 157] through which the water flows in [0188, “flow into the intake opening”], wherein the water supply part [190 corresponding to 240 of Kang] includes a pair of water guide parts [fig. 11; showing 156, a pair of water guide parts] extending forward from opposite sides of the discharge port [197 corresponding to 246 of Kang], and wherein the pair of water guide parts [156] surround at least a portion of an outer periphery portion of the inlet guide [fig. 11 showing (156) surround at least a portion of an outer periphery portion of (157)].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Kang to have … in view of the teachings of the ice chamber includes an inlet guide through which the water flows in, wherein the water supply part includes a pair of water guide parts extending forward from opposite sides of the discharge port, and wherein the pair of water guide parts surround at least a portion of an outer periphery portion of the inlet guide where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures an ice maker where the ice chamber includes an inlet guide through which the water flows in, wherein the water supply part includes a pair of water guide parts extending forward from opposite sides of the discharge port, and wherein the pair of water guide parts surround at least a portion of an outer periphery portion of the inlet guide which allows for stable in flow [Kim; 0188].
Regarding Claim 19, modified Kang teaches the ice maker of claim 18 and Kim teaches wherein each of the water guide parts [156] includes: a guide body portion [Image II; annotated fig. 11 of Kim] protruding to a front side of the discharge port [Fig. 9; 197];
a lower extension portion [Image II] extending in a down direction of the guide body portion [image II showing extension in a down direction of the guide body portion]; and
a cover portion [Image II] protruding in an outward direction of the guide body portion [Image II showing protrusion outwardly of the guide body portion], and wherein the lower extension portion surrounds an inside of the inlet guide [Image II showing were the lower extension portion surrounds an inside of the inlet guide], and the cover portion surrounds an outside of the inlet guide [Shown in Image II].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure;
Son et al. (US20130081412A1) not utilized as prior art currently but teaches an ice maker with a water supply guide [17].
Kim et al. (US20200158404A1) not utilized as prior art currently but teaches an ice maker in the interior of a refrigerator with other pertinent components.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Adam D Moore whose telephone number is (703)756-1932. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday: 09:00AM-07:00PM (Eastern).
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/ADAM D MOORE/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/ELIZABETH J MARTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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