Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2024-11-20)

CLAIMS:
Amendments to the Claims

Listing of Claims:

1\. (Currently Amended) A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
a cabinet defining {\_ii)an external appearance, {ii)\_a space therein, and {iii)\_an opening at a front surface;
a housing including (i)\_a housing body inserted to the space of the cabinet through the opening, \[\[and\]\] {ii)\_a housing panel \[\[fixed\]\]coupled to a front surface of the housing body, and (iii) a housing cover that is provided on an upper opening ofthe housing body and that defines an upper surface ofthe housing body;
a tub that is located inside the housing body;
a drum that is located inside the tub; a first support member provided at the housing body;\[\[, and\]\] a second support member protruding from a circumferential surface of the tub at below the first support member;\[\[,\]\] and a connector having a bar connecting the first support member and the second support memberj\[\[;\]\] wherein the first support member comprises:a first bracket arranged at an inner corner of \[\[one\]\] a first side of the housSVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1530.27 bodyj\[\[;\]\] and a second bracket arranged at an inner corner of a second side of the housSVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1530.27 bodyj\[\[;\]\] wherein the first support member and the second support member are located on a vertical axis at a position where the bar is coupled between the first and second members,\[\[;\]\] wherein the first bracket is detachably coupled to the housing body, \[\[and\]\] wherein the first bracket is configured to, based on the tub being inserted into the housing body, detach fromthe housing body, and
wherein the tub and the housing body are configured to be coupled by attaching the detached first bracket to the housing body after the tub \[\[being\]\]is inserted into the housing body.

2\. (Original) The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second bracket is configured to be not separable from the housing body.

3\. (Currently Amended) The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first bracket is arranged at an inner corner of the front surface of the housing body,\[\[;\]\] and wherein the second bracket is arranged at an inner corner of a rear surface of the housing body.

4\. (Currently Amended) The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a body separable coupling piece extending from an inner corner of the housing body and disposed below the first bracket and supporting the first bracket,\[\[;\]\] wherein the first bracket is configured to couple to the body separable coupling piece, after the connector is received at the second bracket.

5\. (Original) The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first bracket includes a pair of first brackets that are provided at a front surface of the housing body, and the second bracket includes a pair of second brackets that are arranged on a rear surface of the housing body.

6\. (Original) The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first bracket includes a pair of first brackets that are provided at a left side surface of the housing body, and the second bracket includes a pair of second brackets that are arranged on a right side surface of the housing body.

7\. (Currently Amended) The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first bracket is configured to detach from the body separable coupling piece while the tub is inserted into the housing body and then couple to the body separable coupling piece after the tub is coupled to the housing body.

8\. (New) The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing cover defines a first through-hole and a second through-hole,
wherein the tub is configured to (i) receive laundry via the first through-hole and (ii) receive water via the second through-hole, and
wherein the tub includes a tub cover that defines (i) an introduction aperture that provides fluid communication between an outside of the tub and an inside of the tub and (ii) a supply aperture through which the water enters the tub,
wherein the tub includes a door that is configured to open and close the introduction aperture, and
wherein the introduction aperture is disposed below the first through hole and the supply aperture is disposed below the second through hole.

9\. (New) The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:
a water supply pipe that is disposed between the housing cover and the tub cover and that connects the supply aperture to the second through hole.

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 .
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an Examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance, the prior art fails to disclose or make obvious the limitations of claim 1, claiming a laundry treatment apparatus comprising: a cabinet defining an external appearance, a spaced therein, and an opening at a front surface; a housing including a housing body, a housing panel, and a housing cover; a tub; a drum; a first support member provided at the housing body; a second support member below the first support member; a connector having a bar connecting the first and second support members; wherein the first support member comprises: a first bracket arranged at an inner corner of a first side of the housing and a second bracket arranged at an inner corner of a second side of the housing body; wherein the first support member and the second support members are located on a vertical axis at a position wherein the bar is coupled between the first and second members; wherein the first bracket is detachably coupled to the housing body; wherein the first bracket is configured to, based on the tub being inserted into the housing body, detach from the housing body, and wherein the tub and the housing body are configured to be coupled by attaching the detached first bracket to the housing body after the tub is inserted into the housing body.
The closest prior art of record is that of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20110265524 to Kim et al. (Kim).  Kim teaches a laundry treatment apparatus comprising: a housing; a tub that is located inside the housing and that is configured to receive water; a drum that is located inside the tub and that is configured to receive laundry; tub support unit that is configured to connect the tub and the housing and that includes: a first support member that is coupled to the housing, that is configured to support a load of the tub, and that includes a first bracket that is coupled to the housing, a second support member that is located on the tub below the first support member, and a connector that is configured to connect the first support member and the second support member.  Kim does not teach wherein the connector having a bar connecting the first and second support members; wherein the first bracket is detachably coupled to the housing body; wherein the first bracket is configured to, based on the tub being inserted into the housing body, detach from the housing body; and wherein the tub and the housing body are configured to be coupled by attaching the detached first bracket to the housing body after the tub is inserted into the housing body.
The advantage of the current invention over that of the prior art to Kim is that by having the first bracket detachably coupled to the housing along with configuration thereof and the connector including the bar along with configuration thereof, not only is ease of production and manufacturing thereof greatly increased, as well as, service of wearable or deteriorated components made more efficiently, effectively, and economically should said service be necessary through the life of the components thereof, but also vibration may be reduced as the load of the device is more evenly spread over the components thereof thereby increasing a service life of the components therewith.
Since claim 1 is allowed, claims 2-9 which depend thereon are also allowed.
Conclusion

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS
In response to the Office Action of August 5, 2024, Applicant asks that the application be allowed in view of the amendments above and the following remarks. Claims 1-9 are pending, with claim 1 being independent. Claims 1, 3, 4, and 7 have been amended. Claims 8 and 9 have been added. No new subject matter has been added.
Double Patenting
Claims 1-7 were rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting over claims 1- 10 of U.S. Patent No. 11,898,297. Applicant traverses these rejections but, in an effort to advance prosecution, submits a terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 C.F.R. § 1.321(c) with this reply.
Applicant respectfully requests reconsideration and withdrawal of these double patenting rejections, and submits that these claims are in condition for allowance.
New Claims
Claims 8 and 9 depend from independent claim 1. Thus, new dependent claims 8 and 9 are allowable for at least the reason of that dependency.
Conclusion