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 .
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/12/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claim 1, “more than one application” as broadest reasonable interpretation is “secondary function of the cross-members is to provide a surface for mounting other vehicle components such as pneumatic and electrical lines, pneumatic valves, air tanks, drive shaft supports, axle suspension equipment, engine components and towing devices” in paragraph [0002] and
“cross-members included in a chassis of an over-the-highway or off-highway truck or tractor” in paragraph [0001]). “More than one applicant” is not mentioned in the dependent claims 2-7.
Figures 1 and 3 of Fowler et al. does not show using a stiffening member 70 as shown in Figure 7.
Amended claim 5, now depends from claim 4 instead of claim 3.
Arguments to claims 3 and 6 are moot because the claims have allowable subject matter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fowler et al. US 2004/0100085 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Fowler et al. discloses a multi-purpose chassis comprising: a frame body (tractor frame 1 in paragraph [0004] as shown in Figure 1; and frame 11 in paragraph [0022] as shown in Figure 2) including a front portion (front end of the frame), a middle portion (middle area of the frame) and a rear portion (rear end of the frame) as shown in Figures 1 and 4; and a set of support frame bars (cross-members 4 in paragraph [0004] as shown in Figure 1; and cross-member 30 in paragraph [0023] as shown in FIG. 4); fastened
(in paragraphs [0024] and [0026] as shown in Figures 3 and 4) to the frame body (frame 11); wherein the support bars (cross-member 30 in paragraph [0023] as shown in Figure 4) fastened (in paragraphs [0024] and [0026] as shown in Figures 3 and 4) via a set of fasteners (“use threaded fasteners with brackets” in paragraphs [0024] and [0026]) and provide additional support to the vehicle chassis for enabling the vehicle chassis to be used for more than one application (“more than one application” (not mentioned in the depend claims) in the claim as broadest reasonable interpretation is “secondary function of the cross-members is to provide a surface for mounting other vehicle components such as pneumatic and electrical lines, pneumatic valves, air tanks, drive shaft supports, axle suspension equipment, engine components and towing devices” in paragraph [0002] and
“cross-members included in a chassis of an over-the-highway or off-highway truck or tractor” in paragraph [0001]).
Regarding claim 2, Fowler et al. discloses the multi-purpose chassis of Claim 1 further comprising: an apparatus (broadest reasonably interpretation of the claim is a cross-members in paragraph [0002]) for receiving a peripheral attachment (broadest reasonably interpretation of the claim is a “towing device in paragraph [0002]).
Regarding claim 4, Fowler et al. discloses the multi-purpose chassis of Claim 1 wherein the set of support rail bars are a set of cross-beams
(cross-members 4 in paragraph [0004] as shown in Figure 1; cross-member 30 in paragraph [0023] as shown in FIG. 4).
Regarding claim 5 (currently amended claim 5 now depends from claim 4 instead of claim 3), Fowler et al. discloses the multi-purpose vehicle chassis of Claim 4 wherein the set of cross-beams (cross-members 4 in paragraph [0004] as shown in Figure 1; cross-member 30 in paragraph [0023] as shown in FIG. 4) are located in the middle portion (middle area of the frame as shown in Figures 1 and 4) of the frame body (tractor frame 1 in paragraph [0004] as shown in Figure 1 and frame 11 in paragraph [0022] as shown in Figure 2).
Regarding claim 7, Fowler et al. discloses the multi-purpose chassis of Claim 1 wherein the body frame (cross-member 30 part of the body frame 11 includes first face sheets 31 and a second face sheet 32 can be constructed from any steel, aluminum in paragraph [0023] as shown in Figures 3 and 4) is made of aluminum.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 6 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 3, wherein the peripheral attachment comprises at least one of a front mower peripheral attachment, a snow plow peripheral attachment, a snow blower peripheral attachment, a winch attachment or a mower deck is not taught nor is fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Regarding claim 6, wherein each of the set of cross-beams are parallel to a length of the vehicle chassis is not taught nor is fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Prior Art
No Prior Art
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lori Lyjak whose telephone number is (571)272-6658. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 AM-4:30 PM (EST) Monday-Friday.
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/Lori Lyjak/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612