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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 6-10, 16-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 7/14/2025
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, Claims 1-5, 11-15 in the reply filed on 7/14/2025 is acknowledged.
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 1-5 and 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Seager et al. (WO2020/225529), herein referred to as Seager.
In regards to claim 1, Seager discloses a food product slicing apparatus for slicing food product into slices comprising:
a main frame (22);
a load assembly (loading bed 12) mounted on the main frame and configured to receive food product and to move the food product through an opening (A) in the main frame;
a feed assembly (26) mounted in the main frame downstream of the load assembly (12), the feed assembly (26) being configured to move food product through the main frame (22); and
a slicing assembly (30) in the main frame downstream of the feed assembly (26) and configured to slice the food product into slices.
In regards to claims 2 and 12, Seager discloses wherein the load assembly (12) is hingedly attached to the main frame (22) at a hinge (18), wherein the load assembly (12) is proximate to the opening (A) and to the feed assembly in a first position (fig. 2), and the load assembly is rotated around the hinge (18) in a second position (fig. 1).
In regards to claims 3 and 13, Seager discloses wherein the load assembly (12) comprises a support (14) coupled to the main frame (22) by the hinge (18), and a conveyor (driven conveyor 20) mounted on the support (14), wherein the conveyor aligns with the opening in the first position (fig. 2).
In regards to claims 4 and 14, Seager discloses wherein an angular position of the support (14) can be varied relative to the main frame (22) to vary the angular position of the conveyor (20; see figs. 1 and 2).
In regards to claims 5 and 15, Seager discloses wherein further comprising a lock (drive cylinder /piston 15/16) configured to secure the load assembly in the first position (fig. 2)..
In regards to claim 11, Seager discloses wherein the opening (A) is in a rear of the main frame (22).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA M LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-8339. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8a.m.- 5p.m..
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/LAURA M LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724