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 § 102
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.
Claims 1-2, 7-8, 14-15, 41-44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park (US 8359821 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses a walk-behind grass mowing apparatus [10], comprising:
a plurality of front wheels [22] and a plurality of rear wheels [22’];
a frame [20] extending between and providing structural support for the plurality of the front wheels [22] and the plurality of rear wheels [22’] (Fig. 1 discloses the frame [20] extends between and provides support for the plurality of front wheels and the plurality of rear wheels);
a mow deck [30] secured to the frame [20] (via sleeves [302]);
a mower handle [5] secured to the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus that facilitates operation of the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus a blade apparatus [3] secured to the mow deck [30] and secured to a plurality of blades [34],
the blade apparatus [3] configured to drive motion of the plurality of blades [34] within an interior of the mow deck [30] in response to a force applied to the blade apparatus [3];
an electric motor [32] coupled to the blade apparatus [34] and configured to supply the force to the blade apparatus [34];
a discharge chute opening [36] on a side of the mow deck [30] defining an opening within the mow deck [30];
and a bagging assembly [6, 64] connected to the grass mowing apparatus, the bagging assembly [6, 64] comprising:
a chute portion [64] positioned within the discharge chute opening [36] for guiding material from an interior of the mow deck [30] into the bagging assembly [6, 64], and a bag portion [6] coupled to the chute portion [64] for receiving the material guided by the chute portion [64].
Regarding claim 2, Park discloses the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bag portion [6] further comprises a forward bag portion (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 16 below) and a rear bag portion (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 16 below), the forward bag portion (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 16 below) rests upon the mow deck [30] at least in part forward of the plurality of rear wheels [22’] and the rear bag portion (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 16 below) is positioned in part behind the plurality of rear wheels [22’], and further wherein material guided by the chute portion [64] and received within the forward bag portion (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 16 below) also rests upon the mow deck [30] within the forward bag portion (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 16 below).
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Regarding claim 7, Park discloses the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discharge chute opening [36] is formed in a top surface of the mow deck [30] and intersects, at a rear portion of the discharge chute opening [36],
a secant line defined (Merriam-Webster defines secant as a straight line cutting a curve at two or more points, in this case, the curve being the upper curve of the mower deck [30].) with respect to a perimeter of the top surface of the mow deck [30] at a first rearward point (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 12 below), and intersects, at a forward portion of the discharge chute opening [36], the secant line at a second forward point (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 12 below),
wherein the secant line crosses a wheel axis of one of the plurality of front wheels or of one of the plurality of rear wheels [22’] (The secant line is seen crossing the wheel axis of the plurality of front wheels [22] in Park’s annotated Fig. 12 below).
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Regarding claim 8, Park discloses the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chute portion [64] as positioned within the discharge chute opening [36] is confined to a perimeter of the mow deck [30] (Fig. 9 discloses that the discharge chute opening [36] is within the perimeter of the mow deck [30]).
Regarding claim 14, Park discloses the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chute portion [64] includes a curved lower surface (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 12 below) and a flat or substantially flat top surface (Merriam -Webster defines flat as “having a relatively smooth or even surface”. The top surface seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 12 below discloses a substantially flat top surface.) as positioned within the discharge chute opening [36] and in a direction substantially transverse to the flow of material guided from the interior of the mow deck [30] into the bagging assembly [6, 64].
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Regarding claim 15, Park discloses the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a displaceable and replaceable cover [362] over the discharge chute opening [36] configured to cover and close the discharge chute opening [36] in response to the chute portion [64] being removed from the discharge chute opening [36] (Fig. 10 discloses how the replaceable cover [362] closes the discharge chute opening [36] wen the chute portion [64] is removed.).
Regarding claim 41, Park discloses a walk-behind grass mowing apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of front wheels [22] and a plurality of rear wheels [22’];
a frame [20] extending between and providing structural support for the plurality of the front wheels [22] and the plurality of rear wheels [22’] (Fig. 1 discloses the frame [20] extends between and provides support for the plurality of front wheels and the plurality of rear wheels);
a mow deck [30] secured to the frame [20] (via sleeves [302]);
a lift mechanism [4] coupled to the frame [20] and facilitating height adjustment relative to ground of the frame [20] and mow deck [30];
a blade apparatus [3] secured to the mow deck [30] and secured to a plurality of blades [34], the blade apparatus [3] configured to drive motion of the plurality of blades [34] within an interior of the mow deck [30] in response to a force applied to the blade apparatus [3];
an electric motor [32] coupled to the blade apparatus [3] and configured to supply the force to the blade apparatus [3];
a discharge chute opening [36] on a side or rear of the mow deck [30] defining an opening within the mow deck [36];
and a bagging assembly [6, 64] connected to the grass mowing apparatus, the bagging assembly comprising:
a chute portion [64] positioned within the discharge chute opening [36] for guiding material from an interior of the mow deck [30] into the bagging assembly [6, 64], and a bag portion [6] coupled to the chute portion [64] for receiving the material guided by the chute portion [64].
Regarding claim 42, Park discloses the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 41, further comprising a mow handle [5] secured to the frame [20] or mow deck facilitating operation of the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus (The frass mowing apparatus is seen to be a walk-behind mower comprising a mow handle for operation.).
Regarding claim 43, Park discloses the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 41, wherein the chute portion [64] has an interface to the discharge chute opening [36] that is confined to a perimeter of the mow deck [30] (Fig. 9 discloses that the discharge chute opening [36] is within the perimeter of the mow deck [30]).
Regarding claim 44, Park discloses the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 41, wherein the chute portion includes a curved lower surface (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 12 above) and a flat or substantially flat top surface (Merriam -Webster defines flat as “having a relatively smooth or even surface”. The top surface seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 12 above discloses a substantially flat top surface.) as positioned within the discharge chute opening [36] and in a direction substantially transverse to flow of material guided from the interior of the mow deck [30] into the bagging assembly [6, 64].
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.
Claims 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park (US 8359821 B2) in view of Schaedler (US 10806076) (Embodiment seen in Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 5, Park discloses the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blades comprises:
a flat cutting blade (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 11 below) that secures to the blade apparatus (Output shaft of the engine [32]) near a center portion of the mow deck [30] and extends along a length of the flat cutting blade (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 11 below) toward a perimeter of the mow deck [30]; and
wherein a width of the flat cutting blade (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 11 below) includes a cutting edge (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 11 below) and a non-cutting edge (as seen in Park’s annotated Fig. 11 below).
However, Park does not disclose a flat cutting blade wherein the width has a relatively small physical twist about the length of the flat cutting blade less than about ten degrees rotation;
and a lift cutting blade that secures to the blade apparatus near the center portion of the mow deck and extends along a length of the lift cutting blade toward the perimeter of the mow deck, wherein a width of the lift cutting blade has a relatively large physical twist about the length of the lift cutting blade greater than about fifteen degrees rotation.
Schaedler’s embodiment seen in Fig. 6 discloses a walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blades comprises:
a flat cutting blade [56] that secures to the blade apparatus [48] near a center portion of the mow deck [30] and extends along a length of the flat cutting blade [56] toward a perimeter of the mow deck [30];
and a lift cutting blade [54] that secures to the blade apparatus [48] near the center portion of the mow deck [30] and extends along a length of the lift cutting blade [54] toward the perimeter of the mow deck [30].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Schaedler’s teaching of having two differently shaped blades for two different purposes attached to opposite sides of a blade apparatus toward the center portion of a mow deck to Park’s plurality of blades in order to provide additional functions to the mower.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have a physical twist about the length of the flat cutting blade be less than about ten degrees rotation and have the physical twist about the length of the cutting blade be greater than about fifteen degrees rotation in order to optimize the cutting of the vegetation and the clearing of the vegetation from the mow deck since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art.
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Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park (US 8359821 B2) in view of Schaedler (US 10806076) (Embodiment seen in Fig. 6) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Schaedler (US 10806076) (Embodiment seen in Fig. 7A).
Regarding claim 6, Park discloses the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 1.
However, Park does not disclose wherein the plurality of blades further comprises a cleaning blade secured at one end to the blade apparatus near a center portion of the mow deck and extends along a length of the cleaning blade toward a perimeter of the mow deck,
wherein the cleaning blade includes an interior extending portion that extends from the blade apparatus toward an interior top surface of the mow deck.
Schaeder’s embodiment seen in Fig. 7A discloses a walk behind grass mower comprising a plurality of blades wherein the plurality of blades includes a cleaning blade [128] secured at one end to the blade apparatus [126] near a center portion of the mow deck [30] and extends along a length of the cleaning blade [128] toward a perimeter of the mow deck [30],
wherein the cleaning blade [128] includes an interior extending portion that extends from the blade apparatus [126] toward an interior top surface of the mow deck [30] (as seen in Fig. 7A).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Schaeder’s cleaning blade as seen in Fig. 7A to Park’s plurality of blades in order to clean the debris from the mow deck.
Claims 10 and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park (US 8359821 B2) in view of Birch (US 2011/0197559).
Regarding claim 10, Park discloses the walk-behind grass mowing apparatus of claim 1.
However, Park does not disclose wherein the bag portion further comprises a dump opening that defines a hole in the bag portion and comprises a lid that covers the dump opening of the bag portion when the bag portion is connected to the grass mowing apparatus as part of the bagging assembly, and further wherein the lid is movable to uncover the dump opening to facilitate removing contents of the bag portion via the dump opening.
Birch discloses a bagging assembly [90] for a grass mowing apparatus wherein the bag portion [91] further comprises a dump opening (as seen in Birch’s annotated Fig. 3 below) that defines a hole in the bag portion [91] and comprises a lid [70] that covers the dump opening (as seen in Birch’s annotated Fig. 3 below) of the bag portion [91] when the bag portion [91] is connected to the grass mowing apparatus (via the mounting portion [92]) as part of the bagging assembly [90], and further wherein the lid [70] is movable to uncover the dump opening (as seen in Birch’s annotated Fig. 3 below) to facilitate removing contents of the bag portion [91] via the dump opening (as seen in Birch’s annotated Fig. 3 below).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Birch’s moveable lid for a bag to Park’s bag in order to remove the contents of the bag without removing the entire bag portion from the grass mowing apparatus.
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Regarding claim 38, Park discloses a grass mowing apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of front wheels [22] and a plurality of rear wheels [22’];
a mow deck [30];
a blade apparatus [3] secured to the mow deck [30] and secured to a plurality of blades [34], the blade apparatus [3] configured to drive motion of the plurality of blades [34] within an interior of the mow deck [30] in response to a force applied to the blade apparatus [3];
an electric motor [32] coupled to the blade apparatus [3] and configured to supply the force to the blade apparatus [3];
a discharge chute opening [36] on a side of the mow deck [30] defining an opening within the mow deck [30];
and a bagging assembly [6, 64] connected to the grass mowing apparatus, the bagging assembly [6, 64] comprising:
a chute portion [64] positioned within the discharge chute opening [36] for guiding material from an interior of the mow deck [30] into the bagging assembly [6, 64], and a bag portion [6] coupled to the chute portion [64] for receiving the material guided by the chute portion [64].
However, Park does not disclose wherein the bag portion further comprises a lid that covers a dump opening in the bag portion, and wherein the lid defines a surface that is positioned in a non co-planar relationship to a top surface of the bag portion.
Birch discloses a bagging assembly [90] for a grass mowing apparatus wherein the bag portion [91] further comprises a dump opening (as seen in Birch’s annotated Fig. 3 below) that defines a hole in the bag portion [91] and comprises a lid [70] that covers the dump opening (as seen in Birch’s annotated Fig. 3 below) on the underside of the bag portion [91] (which is non co-planar to the top surface of the bag) when the bag portion [91] is connected to the grass mowing apparatus (via the mounting portion [92]) as part of the bagging assembly [90], and further wherein the lid [70] is movable to uncover the dump opening (as seen in Birch’s annotated Fig. 3 below) to facilitate removing contents of the bag portion [91] via the dump opening (as seen in Birch’s annotated Fig. 3 below).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Birch’s moveable lid to an underside of a bag to an underside of Park’s bag in order to remove the contents of the bag without removing the entire bag portion from the grass mowing apparatus.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park (US 8359821 B2) in view of Birch (US 2011/0197559) as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Trevor (EP 1419686).
Regarding claim 11, Park and Birch disclose the grass mowing apparatus of claim 10.
However, Park and Birch do not disclose wherein the lid includes a transparent portion facilitating visible inspection of an interior of the bag portion.
Trevor discloses a grass mowing apparatus comprising a bagging assembly [15] with a lid [7] wherein the lid [7] includes a transparent portion [7a] facilitating visible inspection of an interior of the bagging assembly [15] (Column 4 section 0021 lines 20-22).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Trevor’s transparency of the lid of the bagging assembly to Park and Birch’s lid in order to know when the bag needs emptying (20-22).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 36-37 and 40 are allowed.
Claims 3, 16, and 39 are 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant Arguments/Remarks, filed on 1/13/2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1 and 8 under Sugio (EP 3578033) in view of Koike (US 9173346) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of Park (US 8359821 B2).
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant Arguments/Remarks, filed on 1/13/2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 5 under Sugio (EP 3578033) in view of Koike (US 9173346) in further view of Meyer (US 5035108) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of Park (US 8359821 B2).
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant Arguments/Remarks, filed on 1/13/2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 6 under Sugio (EP 3578033) in view of Koike (US 9173346) in further view of Martz (US 5501068) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of Park (US 8359821 B2) in view of Martz (US 5501068).
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant Arguments/Remarks, filed on 1/13/2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 10 under Sugio (EP 3578033) in view of Koike (US 9173346) in further view of Birch (US 2011/0197559) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of Park (US 8359821 B2) in view of Birch (US 2011/0197559).
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant Arguments/Remarks, filed on 1/13/2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 11 under Sugio (EP 3578033) in view of Koike (US 9173346) and Birch (US 2011/0197559) in further view of Trevor (EP 1419686) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of Park (US 8359821 B2) in view of Birch (US 2011/0197559) as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Trevor (EP 1419686).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Smith (US 3568421) discloses a lawn mower with a bag attached. Cross (US 5365727) discloses a grass-bagging apparatus. Vineis (US 8051635) discloses a lawn mower with a bag attachment with handles.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ASHLEY A KAERCHER whose telephone number is (571)270-0128. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th (7-11 AM).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Rocca can be reached at 571-272-8971. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ASHLEY A KAERCHER/ Examiner, Art Unit 3671 3/24/2026
/JOSEPH M ROCCA/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3671
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