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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s submission filed on September 26, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1 and 3 were amended. Claims 4-6 were canceled. Claims 7 and 8 were newly introduced. Claims 1-3 and 7-8 are pending. Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome each and every 1objection and 12b rejection previously set forth in the Final Office Action mailed on July 16, 2025. Claims 1-3 and 7-8 are examined in this action.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 7 is objected to because of “wherein the fourth inclined surface is inclined backward from the third inclined to cover” in line 15. This should be corrected to “wherein the fourth inclined surface is inclined backward from the third inclined surface to cover.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR 101585520 B1 by Gang in view of CN 113439527 A by Ni and CN 215394545 U by Du.
Regarding claim 1, Gang teaches a joint blade for mowing comprising: a rotating plate (Gang, Fig. 1, lower case 120) configured to be connected to a rotating power shaft (Gang, Fig. 2, rotating shaft 10) to rotate; a cover plate (Gang, Fig. 1, upper case 110) coupled to a top of the rotating plate to overlap and having an insertion hole (Gang, Fig. 1, upper coupling hole 112) formed at a center thereof and configured to receive the rotating the power shaft; and a plurality of rotary blades (Gang, Fig. 1, cutting means 200) coupled to the cover plate (Gang, Fig. 1, upper case 110) along an edge of the cover plate at regular intervals to be rotatable and each including a pivot end coupled to the cover plate (Gang, Fig. 7, upper case 110 & cutting means 200), wherein the cover plate includes: a plurality of plate springs (Fig. 1, second shock-absorbing members 150; see Gang English Machine Translated document, para. 108, lines 793-794, “The primary shock-preventing member (151) and the secondary shock-preventing member (152) can be composed of a plate spring or the like…”) each provided on one side of the cover plate adjacent to each rotary blade; and a plurality of buffers integrally formed with each plate spring (Gang, Fig. 1, elastic mediums 300, second shock-absorbing members 150; see also examiner note below), wherein each plate spring (Fig. 5, second shock-absorbing members 150) is positioned between a corresponding rotary blade (Fig. 5, cutting means 200) of the plurality of rotary blades and a circular wall (see Examiner annotated Gang Figure 5, hereinafter “EAGF5”; circular wall) surrounding the insertion hole and includes a first end portion (EAGF5, first end portion), and a second end portion (EAGF5, second end portion), wherein each buffer is directly interposed between the circular wall and the corresponding plate spring (EAGF5, circular wall, lower elastic medium insertion grooves 124, & second shock-absorbing members 150); and wherein while the rotating plate rotates, when the plurality of rotary blades, which are spread in an outward direction of the cover plate by a centrifugal force, collide against a foreign substance of the ground and are folded inwardly, the plurality of buffers alleviates impact generated when the plurality of rotary blades collide against the plurality of plate springs. Gang does not explicitly disclose the plate springs are spaced apart from the pivot end, a rubber material, each plate spring contacting opposing cutting edges, or that the buffer is in direct contact with both the circular wall and the plate spring.
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Note: Examiner wants to note that as defined by Merriam-Webster.com, integral means “essential to completeness” or “formed as a unit with another part.” Under the broadest reasonable interpretation, Gang does teach the buffers are integrally formed with each plate spring as they are assembled together to form a complete unit with the cover plate.
Ni, however, does teach a plurality of blades (Ni, Fig. 2, mowing line 2; see also Ni English Machine Translated Document, Description, para. 39, “When the grass trimmer is working, the grass trimmer 2 rotates with the fixed seat 1. During operation, the grass trimmer will vibrate. The limit post 44 is used to limit the position of the grass trimmer 2”) each including a pivot end (see Examiner annotated Ni Figure 4, hereinafter “EANF4”; pivot end) coupled to the cover plate (Ni, Fig. 1, fixed seat 1) and spaced apart from a corresponding plate spring of the plurality of plate springs (Ni, Fig. 2, mowing line 2 & locking component 3); a first end portion (EANF4, first end portion) configured to contact a first cutting edge (EANF4, first edge) of the corresponding rotary blade, and a second end portion (EAFN4, second end portion) configured to contact a second cutting edge (EANF4, second edge) disposed on an opposite side of the corresponding rotary blade relative to the first cutting edge.
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify the joint blade of Gang to have the configuration of blades and plate springs of Ni as combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results (in this case, the plate spring of Gang having the orientation and configuration of Ni). Furthermore, Ni does not explicitly disclose rubber or direct contact with the circular wall.
However, Du, which is pertinent to the issue of reducing impact and forces on a cutting device with a rotating shaft, does teach a plurality of buffers (Du, Fig. 3, arc rubber plates 1002) made of a rubber material; and each buffer is in direct contact with both the circular wall (Du, Fig. 3, rotating shaft 2) and the corresponding plate spring (Du, Fig. 3, protective springs 1003).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the buffers of Gang to be made of a rubber material in contact with both the spring and the circular wall as taught by Du in order to create a buffer effect to reduce impact (see Du English Machine Translated Document, Description, para. 17, “When the abrasive impacts the protective ring, the protective spring on the impacted side will contract and the other side will be stretched. The extension spring can make the contraction and stretching of the protective spring more stable and can play a good buffering role…”; Du, Description, para. 28, “Furthermore, the protective structure 10 is provided with a protective ring 1001, an arc-shaped rubber plate 1002, a protective spring 1003 and a telescopic spring 1004 in sequence inside. The arc-shaped rubber plate 1002 is fixedly connected to both sides and both ends of the rotating shaft 2, and a telescopic spring 1004 is evenly fixedly connected to one end of the arc-shaped rubber plate 1002”).
Regarding claim 2, Gang teaches that each buffer unit (Fig. 12, elastic media 300) is formed to be thicker than the cover plate (Fig. 9, upper plate 110) to closely support the rotating plate and the cover plate at both sides, thereby minimizing vibration during rotation of the cover plate.
While Gang does not explicitly disclose any parameters regarding the thicknesses of the buffer unit or the cover plate, it does disclose that the buffer unit closely supports both plates (Gang English Machine Translated document, para. 78, lines 579-580, “the upper case (110) and the lower case (120) are additionally connected to each other by a plurality of elastic media (300)”). Since the buffer unit has to support both plates and keep them fixed to one another, the buffer unit is capable of minimizing vibrations, as it prevents the plates from moving around excessively. Gang also discloses variation in the shape of the cover plate (Gang English Machine Translated document, para. 65, lines 499-501, “the shape of the upper cover (117) is an example, and various modifications are possible as long as it is not a shape that increases resistance when rotating.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to vary the thickness of the cover plate in order to have a more well-rounded cutter (Gang English Machine Translated document, para. 9, lines 67-70, “to provide a cutting means of a sawmill that is lightweight, yet durable, has excellent workability… and increases the work speed.”).
Regarding claim 7, the Gang/Ni/Du combination is as detailed in the rejection of claim 1 above. Furthermore, Ni discloses each plate spring comprises: a first inclined surface (see Examiner annotated Ni Figure 7, hereinafter “EANF7”; 1st inclined surface) formed at a first end (EANF7, first end) thereof, the first inclined surface being inclined backward to cover a first end (EANF4, buffer 1st end) of a corresponding buffer (Ni, Fig. 4, fixing head 22) of the plurality of buffers; a first bottom surface (EANF7, 1st bottom surface) extending from the first inclined surface and formed in a direction perpendicular to a deployment direction of the corresponding rotary blade (EANF7, blade direction); a second inclined surface (EANF7, 2nd inclined surface) extending from the first bottom surface and inclined backward in an inward direction of the cover plate (EANF7, inward direction); a second bottom surface (EANF7, 2nd bottom surface) extending from the second inclined surface and formed in a direction parallel to the first bottom surface (EANF7, 1st bottom surface), wherein the second bottom surface is disposed to correspond to the pivot end of the corresponding rotary blade (EANF4, pivot end); a third inclined surface (EANF7, 3rd inclined surface) extending from the second bottom surface and inclined forward in a direction toward the corresponding rotary blade (EANF7, blade direction); and a fourth inclined surface (EANF7, 4th inclined surface) formed at a second end (EANF7, second end) thereof opposite to the first end (EANF7, first end), wherein the fourth inclined surface (EANF7, 4th inclined surface) is inclined backward from the third inclined surface (EANF7, 3rd inclined surface) to cover a second end (EANF4, buffer 2nd end) of the corresponding buffer, which is opposite to the first end (EANF4, buffer 1st end) of the corresponding buffer.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify the plate spring of Gang to have configuration of the plate spring of Ni as combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results (in this case, the plate spring of Gang having the configuration of Ni).
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Regarding claim 8, the Gang/Ni/Du combination is as detailed in the rejection of claim 8 above. Furthermore, Gang discloses a buffer groove (Gang, Fig. 5, lower elastic medium insertion groove 124) disposed between the first buffer part (see Examiner annotated Gang Figure 8, hereinafter “EAGF8”; 1st buffer part) and the cover plate (Gang, Fig. 8, upper case 110); and a second buffer part (EAGF8, 2nd buffer part) provided on one side of the corresponding plate spring (EAGF5, second end portion) and fixed to the cover plate (Gang, Fig. 8, upper case 110). Gang does not explicitly disclose contact between the buffer and the plate spring or the circular wall.
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However, Du, which is pertinent to the issue of reducing impact and forces on a cutting device with a rotating shaft, does teach a first buffer part (see Examiner annotated Du Figure 3, hereinafter “EADF3”; 1st buffer part) provided on a rear surface (EADF3, spring rear surface) of the corresponding plate spring, the first buffer part (EADF3, 1st buffer part) having one surface configured to correspond to an outer circumferential surface (EADF3, spring circumference) of the corresponding plate spring and an opposite surface (EADF3, opposite surface) in direct contact with the circular wall (EADf3, circular wall).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the buffers of Gang be in contact with both the spring and the circular wall as taught by Du in order to create a buffer effect to reduce impact (see Du English Machine Translated Document, Description, para. 17, “When the abrasive impacts the protective ring, the protective spring on the impacted side will contract and the other side will be stretched. The extension spring can make the contraction and stretching of the protective spring more stable and can play a good buffering role…”; Du, Description, para. 28, “Furthermore, the protective structure 10 is provided with a protective ring 1001, an arc-shaped rubber plate 1002, a protective spring 1003 and a telescopic spring 1004 in sequence inside. The arc-shaped rubber plate 1002 is fixedly connected to both sides and both ends of the rotating shaft 2, and a telescopic spring 1004 is evenly fixedly connected to one end of the arc-shaped rubber plate 1002”).
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Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR 101585520 B1 by Gang in view of CN 113439527 A by Ni and CN 215394545 U by Du as discussed in the rejection of claim 1 above, and further in view of KR 101317832 B1 by Kim and US 8640588 B2 by Strader.
Regarding claim 3, the Gang/Ni/Du combination does not explicitly teach a plurality of wing units.
Kim, however, does disclose that the cover plate (see Examiner annotated Kim Figure 2, hereinafter known as “EAKF2”, cover plate) includes a plurality of wings that extend radially (see Examiner annotated Kim Figure 6, hereinafter “EAKF6”; radial direction) from a (EAKF2, wing unit) side of the cover plate and are helically arranged (EAKF6, helically arranged arrows) with respect to a circumferential direction (EAKF6, circumferential direction) of the cover plate to induce a flow of air, thereby generating a floating force when the cover plate is rotated (see Kim English machine translated document attached, pg. 4, “the rotating body 100 rotating at a high speed has a plurality of air layer forming… the rotating body 100 is spaced apart from the ground while lifting a certain distance from the ground to lift the weight of the work surface and the stone and the cutting blade of the ground (150) ) To prevent from hitting.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to add the wing units as taught by Kim in order to create a lifting force that helps improve the cutting capabilities of the mower (see Kim English machine translated document attached, pg. 4, “the rotating body 100 rotating at a high speed has a plurality of air layer forming… the rotating body 100 is spaced apart from the ground while lifting a certain distance from the ground to lift the weight of the work surface and the stone and the cutting blade of the ground (150) ) To prevent from hitting.”).
Furthermore, Gang/Kim do not explicitly disclose the wings being spaced apart.
However, Strader does teach wherein each wing (see Examiner annotated Strader Figure 3, hereinafter “EASF3”; wings) is positioned between adjacent rotary blades (Strader, Fig. 3, cutting blades 20), spaced apart from each rotary blade, and extends radially outward from an outer circumferential surface (see Examiner annotated Strader Figure 2, hereinafter “EASF2”, outer circumference) of the cover plate (Strader, Fig. 2, cover 14).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the wings of Gang/Kim to be configured as taught by Strader as combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield a predictable result (in this case, Gang/Kim’s wings having Strader’s geometry and orientation).
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Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on September 16, 2022, with respect to the rejection of claim 1 beginning on page 6 have been considered. Applicant argues that with the newly introduced claim limitation “… a plurality of rotary blade… spaced apart from a corresponding plate spring…,” “a plurality of buffers each… integrally formed with each plate spring,” and “wherein each plate spring is positioned between a corresponding rotary blade… and is in direct contact with both the circular wall and the corresponding plate spring,” the combination of prior art presented in the Final Office Action mailed on July 16, 2025 does not teach all the claim limitations. However, as necessitated by the claim amendments, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of KR 101585520 B1 by Gang, CN 113439527 A by Ni, and CN 215394545 U by Du. Therefore, claim 1 is rejected as detailed in the rejection of claim 1 above, and all its dependent claims are subsequently rejected as detailed above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEBORAH LIN whose telephone number is (703)756-5936. The examiner can normally be reached M-T: 7:30am-5:00pm, every other Friday 7:30am-5:00pm.
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/DEBORAH LIN/Examiner, Art Unit 3724
/GHASSEM ALIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724
01/15/2026