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 § 103
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 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.
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over patent application number EP 2 082 916 A1 to Carlson, in view of Japanese patent document number JP-H1167019-A to Yasuda et al. (hereinafter referred to as Yasuda).
Regarding claim 22, Carlson discloses a riding lawn mower (mower 10), comprising:
a seat (seat 32) for a user to ride on;
a power output assembly (turf maintenance implement system 13) comprising a mowing element (a plurality of reel cutters 17) configured to output power so as to implement a mowing function and a power output motor (power delivery system 15) configured to drive the mowing element to output the power (Paragraph [0022]);
a walking assembly comprising wheels (ground traction system 14 and front wheels 16) driving the riding lawn mower to walk on a ground, walking motors (actuator 46, Paragraph [0029]) configured to drive the wheels (front wheels 16), and walking controllers controlling the walking motors (power delivery system 15, Paragraph [0023]), wherein the wheels comprise two driving wheels (front wheels 16); and
a control assembly (controller 36, Paragraph [0028]) comprising a central controller (feedback system 34, Paragraph [0028]);
wherein the riding lawn mower further comprises an operation assembly steering wheel assembly 24) comprising an electronic steering wheel (steering wheel 26) and a position sensor (position sensor 31), the position sensor (position sensor 31) is configured to detect a rotation operation action of the user on the electronic steering wheel, and the central controller is communicatively connected to the position sensor, acquires a rotation operation instruction, and controls the two driving wheels to actively travel at different speeds for steering through the walking controllers (Paragraph [0027]).
However, Carlson does not disclose:
the position sensor comprises a fixed member and a rotation member rotating with respect to the fixed member, the fixed member has a first surface, and the rotation member comprises a second surface opposite to the first surface.
Yasuda discloses a steering wheel component wherein a position sensor (position sensor 16) comprises a fixed member (stator section 24, Fig. 5) and a rotation member (rotor section 18, Fig. 5) rotating with respect to the fixed member, the fixed member has a first surface, and the rotation member comprises a second surface opposite to the first surface (Paragraph [0004]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to include the position sensor of Yasuda with the lawn mower of Carlson as an accurate method of measuring the relative rotation of the steering wheel and controlling the steering.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 – 17 and 21 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding independent claim 5, the prior art does not disclose a riding lawn mower, as claimed, further wherein:
the riding lawn mower further comprises an operation assembly comprising an electronic steering wheel and a position sensor, the position sensor comprises a fixed member, a rotation member rotating with respect to the fixed member, and a signal wire coupled between the fixed member and the rotation member, the fixed member has a first surface and the rotation member comprises a second surface opposite to the first surface. Claims 6 – 17 depend from claim 5, and therefore, are also allowed. Claim 21 includes similar allowable limitations to that of claim 5, and therefore, is allowable for the same reasons.
Response to Arguments
Applicant should submit an argument under the heading “Remarks” pointing out disagreements with the examiner’s contentions. Applicant must also discuss the references applied against the claims, explaining how the claims avoid the references or distinguish from them.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Felicia L Brittman-Alabi whose telephone number is (313)446-6512. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Valentin Neacsu can be reached at (571)272-6265. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Felicia L. Brittman-Alabi/ Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/VALENTIN NEACSU/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3611