Office Action 1: Non-Final Rejection (2025-05-22)
Rejection types: 102 - Lack of Novelty, 112 - Written Description/Enablement

CLAIMS:
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1\. A washing machine, comprising:
a housing;
a control panel on a front surface of the housing and including an opening and a fixing protrusion; and
a detergent supply device configured to be drawn into and out of the washing machine through the opening, the detergent supply device including:a body to accommodate a detergent therein, and
a handle rotatably connected to the main body and including a locking protrusion, wherein the detergent supply device and the handle are configured so that the detergent supply device has a locked state in which the detergent supply device is drawn into the washing machine, the locking protrusion is disposed at a position closer to the body than the fixing protrusion is to the body, and forward
movement of the detergent supply device through the opening due to vibrations generated during operation of the washing machine is restricted by the locking protrusion coming into contact with the fixing protrusion, and,when the detergent supply device is in the locked state, the handle is rotatable to move the locking protrusion and thereby release the detergent supply device
from the locked state so that the detergent supply device is in an open state in which forward movement of the detergent supply device through the opening is not restricted by contact between the locking protrusion and the fixing protrusion.

2\. The washing machine of claim 1 ,wherein the handle includes a front surface, a
back surface opposite the front surface and a grip portion on one side of the back surface,
and wherein rotation of the handle moves the grip portion between being concealed within 32 the control panel in the locked state and being exposed to an outside of the control panel in the open state.

3\. The washing machine of claim 2, wherein the grip portion is recessed from the one
side to an opposing side.

4\. The washing machine of claim 2, wherein the front surface of the handle is aligned with the front surface of the control panel when the detergent supply device is in the locked state.

5\. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein while no external force is applied to the handle, the detergent supply device is maintained in the locked state.

6\. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the handle is rotatable such that, in
response to applying an external force to the handle, the locking protrusion is moved and changes the detergent supply device from the locked state to the open state, or from the open state to the locked state.

7\. The washing machine of claim 1, further comprising:
a detergent supply device guide extending into the opening from a periphery of the opening; and
a pair of fixing protrusions protruding laterally from an inner surface of the detergent supply device guide so that the fixing protrusions of the pair of fixing protrusions face each other.

8\. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the fixing protrusion includes a first vertical surface facing the locking protrusion of the handle when the detergent supply device is in the locked state, and a first inclined surface connected to the first vertical surface and having a slope ascending toward a front side of the fixing protrusion.

9\. The washing machine of claim 1, further comprising:
a pair of locking protrusions, wherein the pair of locking protrusions are configured to protrude in opposite directions to each other from both sides of the handle.

10\. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the locking protrusion includes a second vertical surface facing the fixing protrusion of the control panel when the detergent supply device is in the locked state, and a second inclined surface connected to the second vertical surface and having a slope descending toward a rear side of the locking protrusion.

11\. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the detergent supply device has a hinged structure which rotatably connects the handle to the body.

12\. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the detergent supply device has a plurality of link bars connecting the body and the handle such that the handle is rotatable
about two different axes provided in the body.

13\. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the detergent supply device has a slide structure to guide rotation of the handle through two pairs of holes providing different paths provided in the body.

14\. The washing machine of claim 11, wherein the detergent supply device includes an elastic member arranged to surround a rotation axis of the handle.

15\. The washing machine of claim 11, wherein the detergent supply device includes
an elastic member connecting the body with at least one of an upper portion of the handle and a lower portion of the handle.

16\. A washing machine, comprising:
a housing;
a control panel on a front surface of the housing and having an opening; and
a detergent supply device configured to be drawn into and out of the washing machine through the opening,
the detergent supply device including:a body to accommodate a detergent therein, and
a handle having a front surface alignable with a front side of the housing, a back surface opposite the front surface and a grip portion on one side of the back surface that is concealed from an outside of the control panel when the handle is aligned with the front side of the housing,
wherein the handle is rotatable to no longer be aligned with the front side of the
housing and to move the grip portion to no longer be concealed from the outside when the front surface of the handle is not aligned with the front side of the housing.

17\. The washing machine of claim 16, wherein the handle includes a first end including the grip portion, and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the handle is
configured to rotate such that the second end approaches the body and the first end moves away from the body.5 10 15 20 25

OFFICE ACTION:
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 1-15 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.
Re Claim 1, “the main body” in line 8 lacks sufficient antecedent basis. It is unclear what the metes and bounds of this claim is and what part of it is. Claims 2-15 are rejected as they depend from Claim 1 without curing the deficiency.
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)(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) 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HONG (KR200000013788, cited by Applicants).
Re Claim 16, HONG teaches a washing machine comprising: a housing (See Fig. 1); a control panel 10 on a front surface (top front) and having an opening 20; and a detergent supply device including a body 22 to accommodate a detergent therein; and a handle 22c having a front surface alignable with a front side of the housing, a back surface and a grip portion 22a is concealed from an outside of the control panel when the handle is aligned with the front side of the housing, wherein the handle is rotatable to be no longer aligned with the front side of the housing and to move the grip portion to no longer be concealed (See Fig. 4).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 17 is 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.
Conclusion

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS1.  PENDING CLAIMS No claims are canceled.New claims 18-20 are added.In view of the above, claims 1-20 are pending and under consideration.The Office Action mailed May 22, 2025, hereinafter "Office Action", indicates that claim 17 contains allowable subject matter. Applicant thanks the Examiner for the indication of allowable subject matter.II. INTERVIEW SUMMARYThe undersigned thanks Examiner Jason Ko for the courtesy of a telephone interview on July 16, 2025. In the interview, amendments along the line set forth above were discussed.Based on the discussion, it is the undersigned's understanding that the Examiner indicated such amendment would overcome the outstanding claim rejections.Ill.  CLAIM REJECTIONS UNDER § 112 Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b), as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which applicant regards as the invention.The Applicant has amended the claims subject to the rejection and respectfully submits that all claims as amended are in compliance with 35 U.S.C. § 112(b). Therefore, withdrawal of these rejections is respectfully requested.IV.  PRIOR ART REJECTIONClaim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hong (KR200000013788).Claim 16, as amended herein, recites in part 7 Serial No.: 18/385,739 a handle having a front surface alignable with the front surface of the housing, a back surface opposite the front surface, and a grip portion on one side of the back surface that is concealed from an outside of the control panel when the handle is aligned with the front surface of the housing.Support for the amendment can be found in at least, for example, FIGS. 3-4, 7A-7B, 9A- 9B, 10, and 15 of the originally filed application.The present claims recite "a grip portion on one side of the back surface that is concealed from an outside of the control panel when the handle is aligned with the front surface of the housing". In this case, the handle may share substantially the same plane with the control panel and the housing without a step therebetween which may give the user a sense of unity and improve the aesthetic of the washing machine.It is readily apparent that Hong does not disclose or suggest at least the aforementioned features of claim 16.For example, FIGS. 3-4 of Hong show their handle 22c as protruding from a front surface of their detergent case 22 so that the inner side of their handle 22c is exposed to an outside of their upper panel 10. Accordingly, the present claims implement technical effects such as aesthetic appeal due to a sense of unity that are not disclosed or suggested by Hong.Hong's shaft insertion hole 20a, about which their detergent case 22 is rotated, is provided on the front side of the upper panel 10, so it cannot be said that the detergent case 22 and the upper panel 10 are substantially aligned (e.g., on the same plane) as there is a step between the two surfaces in response to the rotation of the detergent case 22 (i.e., as shown in FIG. 4, the front side of element 22 is not aligned with the front side of element 10 of FIG. 2).Moreover, the front surface of Hong's handle 22c protrudes from the front surface of their detergent case 22 and from the front surface of their upper panel 10. Accordingly, Hong does not disclose or suggest the aforementioned features of claim 16.For at least these reasons, present claim 16 is allowable over Hong.Therefore, it is respectfully submitted that independent claim 16 is allowable over the cited references. Moreover, it is respectfully submitted that the dependent claims are allowable over the cited references for at least the reason that they depend from an independent claim that is allowable over the cited references.In view of the above, it is respectfully submitted that the rejection is overcome.8 Serial No.: 18/385,739 NEW CLAIMSSupport for new claim 18 can be found in at least, for example, paragraphs [0073] and [098], and FIGS. 4, 7A-7B, 9A-9B, 10, and 15 of the originally filed application. No new matter is added.Claim 18 recites the feature of a handle having a front surface alignable with a front surface of the housing, a back surface opposite the front surface, and a grip portion inside the opening and on one side of the back surface so as to be concealed from an outside of the control panel when the handle is aligned with the front surface of the housing Nowhere does Hong disclose or suggest at least the aforementioned feature of claim 18.For at least this reason claim 18 is allowable over Hong.Support for claims 19-20 can be found in at least, for example, paragraphs [079] and FIGS. 4-5, 7A-7B, 8A-8C, 9A-9B, 10, and 12-15 of the originally filed application. No new matter is added.Claims 19-20 inherit the patentable recitations of their respective base claims, and therefore, patentably distinguish over the relied upon references for the reasons discussed above in addition to the additional features recited therein. For at least the foregoing reasons claims 19-20 are allowable.9 Serial No.: 18/385,739 V.  CONCLUSIONThere being no further outstanding objections or rejections, it is submitted that the application is in condition for allowance.Finally, if there are any formal matters remaining after this response, the Examiner is requested to telephone the undersigned to attend to these matters.If there are any additional fees associated with this filing, please charge the same to Deposit Account No. 19-3935.Respectfully submitted, STAAS & HALSEY LLPDate: August 11, 2025

NEXT OFFICE 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 .
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The prior art does not appear to teach the claimed washing machine having a control patent on a front surface of a housing; and a detergent supply device including a body to accommodate a detergent therein, and a handle rotatably connected to the main body and including a locking protrusion and configured as claimed.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion

CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref KR200000013788: [content unavailable]