Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2025-10-15)

CLAIMS:
AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS

1\. (Currently Amended) A method of operating a washing machine for spinning or dry-spinning laundry, said method comprising the steps of:A providing a washing machine comprising:
a rotatable drum for receiving laundry, a drive motor for said drum,
a drive control for said drive motor, which drive control controls and supplies power to said drive motor,and
a washing machine control, said washing machine control being connected to said drive control to enable spinning of laundry at different speeds,

B\[\[A\]\]rotating said drum at a constant speed for spinning said laundry,
I\[\[B\]\]monitoring, over a period of time and via said drive control, a motor current of said drive motor and recording a variation over the period of time of said motor current as well as an envelope curve of said motor current,
D\[\[Cl\]once and upon conclusion of the period of time, derivingan envelope curve of said motor current or an average of said envelope curve of said motor current , the rotation speed of the drive motor at which the deriving occurs ranges from 400 to 1400 rpm,
E\[\[D\]\] as soon as said first derivative of said envelope curve of said motor current or said average of said envelope curve of said motor current after the time falls below a certain predetermined threshold value or becomes zero, defining a condition that said spun laundry in said drum no longer loses water , and increasing said rotational speed of said drum to a higher rotational speed, which is subsequentlykept constant according to said step B\[\[A\]\],ansd\_ F repeatingsaid aforementioned steps C\[\[B\]\] and D\[\[C\]\] until the condition according to said step E\[\[D\]\] is fulfilled.
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2\. (Original) Method according to claim 1, wherein on an inside of an outer wall of said drum elongated projections with a direction of extension parallel to an axis of rotation of said drum are arranged.

3\. (Original) Method according to claim 2, wherein said projections proj ect between 2cm and 4cm from said inside of said outer wall.

4\. (Currently Amended) Method according to claim 1, wherein said rotational speeds used for said steps C\[\[B\]\] and D\[\[C\]\] are each increased by at least 10% or by 20% to 30%.

5\. (Currently Amended) Method according to claim 1, wherein the speed is kept constant for a predetermined time in a manner of speed steps.

6\. (Original) Method according to claim 1, wherein said drive motor is operated with an alternating current.

7\. (Currently Amended) Method according to claim 1, wherein, as steps C and D are repeated until the condition according to said step E is fulfilled, said spinning of said laundry is performed at iteratively increasing speeds based upon the rotational speed of said drum being iteratively increased to a higher rotational speed.

8\. (Currently Amended) Method according to claim 1, wherein said drive motor is an inverter driven motor .

9\. (Original) Method according to claim 1, wherein said drive motor is connected to said drum in a fixed and slip-free manner.
10\. (Currently Amended) Method according to claim SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1430.083\[\[9\]\], wherein said drive motor is connected to said drum as a direct drive.

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11\. (Currently Amended) Method according to claim 1, wherein a time ranging from 1 sec to 60 sec is waited after said increase of said rotational speed in said step E\[\[D\]\] and said drum is rotated at said increased rotational speed before it is checked according to said step E\[\[D\]\], whether said first derivative after the time of said envelope curve of said motor current has fallen below said predetermined threshold value or has become zero.

12-15. (Cancelled)1314

16\. (Currently Amended) A washing machine comprising;a drum,
a drive motor for said drum,
a drive control for said drive motor, and
a washing machine control,
wherein said drive control and said washing machine control are configured to;
rotate said drum at a constant speed for spinninm said laundry,
monitor, over a period of time and via said drive control, a motor current of said drive motor and record a variation over the period of time of said motor current as well as an envelope curve of said motor current,
once and upon conclusion of the period of time, derive an envelope curve of said motor current or an average of said envelope curve of said motor current, the rotation speed of the drive motor at which the deriving occurs being between 400 rpm and 1400 rpm,
as soon as said first derivative of said envelope curve of said motor current or said average of said envelope curve of said motor current after the time falls below a certain predetermined threshold value or becomes zero, define a condition that said spun laundry in said drum no longer loses water, and increase said rotational speed of said drum to a higher rotational speed, which is subsequently kept constant for spinninm said laundry, and
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repeat said monitoring and derivation until the condition that said spun laundry in said drum no longer loses water is fulfilled .

17\. (New) The washing machine of Claim 16, wherein on an inside of an outer wall of said drum elongated projections with a direction of extension parallel to an axis of rotation of said drum are arranged.

18\. (New) The washing machine of Claim 16, wherein said projections project between 2cm and 4cm from said inside of said outer wall.

19\. (New) The washing machine of Claim 16, wherein said drive control is further configured to increase said rotational speeds by at least 10% or by 20% to 30%.

20\. (New) The washing machine of Claim 16, wherein said drive motor is operated with an alternating current.

21\. (New) The washing machine of Claim 16, wherein said drive motor is an inverter driven motor.

22\. (New) The washing machine of Claim 16, wherein said drive motor is an ACIM motor or a PMSM motor.

23\. (New) The washing machine of Claim 16, wherein said drive motor is connected to said drum in a fixed and slip-free manner.

24\. (New) The washing machine of Claim 16, wherein said drive motor is connected to said drum as a direct drive.SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.0830.033

OFFICE ACTION:
EXAMINER'S AMENDMENT & REASONS FOR ALLOWANCE
Examiner’s Amendment
An examiner’s amendment to the record appears below. Should the changes and/or additions be unacceptable to applicant, an amendment may be filed as provided by 37 CFR 1.312. To ensure consideration of such an amendment, it MUST be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee.
The application has been amended as follows:
1. 	(Currently Amended) A method of operating a washing machine for spinning or dry-spinning laundry, said method comprising the steps of:
A 	providing [[a]] said washing machine comprising:
a rotatable drum for receiving laundry,
a drive motor for said drum,
a drive control for said drive motor, which drive control controls and supplies power to said drive motor, and
a washing machine control, said washing machine control being connected to said drive control to enable spinning of laundry at different speeds,
B	rotating said drum at a constant speed for spinning said laundry,
C	monitoring, over a period of time and via said drive control, a motor current of said drive motor and recording a variation over the period of time of said motor current as well as an envelope curve of said motor current,
D	once and upon conclusion of the period of time, deriving an envelope curve of said motor current or an average of said envelope curve of said motor current, the rotation speed of the drive motor at which the deriving occurs ranges from 400 to 1400 rpm,
E	as soon as said first derivative of said envelope curve of said motor current or said average of said envelope curve of said motor current after the time falls below a certain predetermined threshold value or becomes zero, defining a condition that said spun laundry in said drum no longer loses water, and increasing said rotational speed of said drum to a higher rotational speed, which is subsequently kept constant according to said step B, and
F	repeating said aforementioned steps C and D until the condition according to said step E is fulfilled.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art of record fails to teach or reasonably suggest the method of operating and washing machine control of a washing machine of independent claims 1 and 16 comprising, inter alia, B: rotating said drum at a constant speed for spinning said laundry, C: monitoring, over a period of time and via said drive control, a motor current of said drive motor and recording a variation over the period of time of said motor current as well as an envelope curve of said motor current, D: once and upon conclusion of the period of time, deriving an envelope curve of said motor current or an average of said envelope curve of said motor current, the rotation speed of the drive motor at which the deriving occurs ranges from 400 to 1400 rpm, E: as soon as said first derivative of said envelope curve of said motor current or said average of said envelope curve of said motor current after the time falls below a certain predetermined threshold value or becomes zero, defining a condition that said spun laundry in said drum no longer loses water, and increasing said rotational speed of said drum to a higher rotational speed, which is subsequently kept constant according to said step B, and F: repeating said aforementioned steps C and D until the condition according to said step E is fulfilled.  Such novel and non-obvious spin-drying operation advantageously monitors an envelope curve of the motor current at higher spin speeds to keep laundry pieces pressed against the tub and balanced during iteratively increasing the rotational speed of the drum, which enables speed steps to be left out for faster reaching an end of the spinning process (see Applicant’s specification at ¶ [0007]-[0009])
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

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS
This Amendment is filed in response to the Non-Final Office Action dated June 02, 2025. In the Office Action, each of Claims 1-14 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. §112, as allegedly being indefinite; and Claims 1-2, 4-11, 13, and 15-16 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102 as allegedly being anticipated by Kim (PCT 2021/201509); and Claims 3 and 12 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as allegedly being obvious in light of Kim.
A. Indefiniteness Rejections
Applicant respectfully submits that the clarifying amendments made herein to various of Claims 1-14 fully address and overcome indefiniteness issues raised in Items #4-15 of the Office Action. Reference is made to [0032] and Figure 2 of Applicant's disclosure as evidentiary support for the clarifying amendments made. Otherwise, of note, previously dependent Claim 16 has been rewritten in independent form, as discussed further below. Applicant thus respectfully requests withdrawal of all these indefiniteness-based rejections.
B. Rejection of Independent Claim 1
Although Applicant does not concede the merits of the prior art-based rejection, independent Claim 1 has been amended to clarify that, during the iterative process that involves or enables spinning of laundry at multiple different speeds, the iteratively adjusted rotational speed of said drum is due to
"the rotation speed of the drive motor at which the deriving occurs ranges from 400 to 1400 rpm."
This emphasized feature may be understood with reference to [0032] and Figure 2 of Applicant's original disclosure, cited as non-limiting examples detailing the multiple speeds and iteratively increasing speed steps.
In the Office Action, Figure 7 and associated text of Kim detailing comparisons at steps 1140, 1170, along with increases at steps 1150, 1180, was cited relative to the iteratively increased rotational speed of the drum claimed. As evident from at least Figure 8, its supporting passages (see e.g., [0294]), and Claims 4, 11, and 18, the rotational speeds of Kim are low ranging, namely between 50 rpm and 60 rpm; at most 100 rpm (see also [0259]) or 150 rpm (see also [0200] or within a range of 75 and 150 rpm (see also [0203]). These values and/or ranges of rotational speed are intentionally low, at least in part, due to the focus of Kim to provide dehydration a reduced
rpm speeds to avoid stated problems of unbalance experienced at higher revolutions per minute (see also [0002] through [0006] and [00200] through [0203]).
In the claimed configuration, the rotational speed is much higher, ranging from 400 to 1400 rpm. As those of ordinary skill in the industry would have appreciated and understood, informed at least by common technical knowledge at that time, this range of rotational speeds is of a magnitude sufficient to exert centrifugal forces upon any laundry pieces inside the drum, so as to keep them constantly pressed against an inside surface of the drum. That is not the case, nor the desire in Kim, wherein a range of lower rotational speeds are not only described but also taught as important, at least in that they avoid or minimize unbalance issues such as tipping or vibration. Applicant thus respectfully submits that not only does Kim not contemplate (or explicitly describe, as required to support or maintain an anticipation rejection based therein) the claimed rpm range, but also Kim's teachings would have led those of ordinary skill in the industry in a diverging direction than that presently claimed. Stated otherwise, those of ordinary skill in the industry, informed by the cautions of Kim against unbalanced vibrations and the like, would not have been motivated therefrom to significantly increase (i.e., at least double or even quadruple or more) the rotational speeds present within the scope of its disclosure.
Considering these remarks and the accompanying claim amendments, withdrawal of the prior art rejection based upon Kim is respectfully requested.
C. Rejection of Dependent Claims
The patentability of the independent claim s has been argued as set forth above and thus Applicant will not take this opportunity to argue the merits of the rejection regarding each dependent claim. However, Applicant does not concede that the dependent claims are not independently patentable and reserves the right to argue the patentability of the dependent claims later if necessary.
D. New Claims 16-24
New Claims 16-24 introduce no new matter. Independent Claim 16 is merely rewritten in independent form to overcome the indefiniteness items raised thereagainst. The new dependent claims are merely duplications of existing dependent claims, when appropriate, but newly tied to
Claim 16. Entry and acceptance of these claims, with the basis for allowance thereof being the same as for independent Claim 1 (presented previously herein), is respectfully requested.
E. Conclusion