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
1. 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.
2. Claims 1-2, 4-6, 10 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin (9,339,877 B2). Regarding claim 1, Lin discloses a chop saw power tool for cutting metal, the chop saw power tool comprising a saw base 1 and a cutting head assembly (12-13), the saw base comprising: a support structure 4; a workpiece support table 2 comprising a workpiece support surface arranged to receive a workpiece to be cut in a cutting operation; and slide rails 5 connected to the workpiece support table 2, the workpiece support table 2 being rotatable in a plane of the workpiece support surface through a predetermined angular range relative to the support structure to select an angle of cut of the workpiece, the cutting head assembly (12-13) comprising: a circular cutting blade 15 arranged on the cutting head assembly and having an axis of rotation such that the circular cutting blade rotates within a cutting plane arranged in a fixed orientation perpendicular to the plane of the workpiece support surface, wherein the cutting head assembly (12-13) is pivotable (Figs. 1-2) relative to the saw base 1 in a direction parallel to the cutting plane between a position where the cutting blade is remote from the workpiece and a position where the cutting blade is in contact with the workpiece, wherein the cutting head assembly (12-13) is slidably mounted (via block 6 and guide rods 11; Fig. 2) on the slide rails 5 and is linearly moveable (along slide rails 5; Fig. 2) relative to the workpiece support table 2 to adjust a cut position of the cutting blade on a workpiece; and wherein the chop saw power tool further comprises an interlocking (defined by the pin on the block 6 and a plurality of holes in the sliding rail 5 for interlocking positioning the saw head assembly in one or more positions along the slide rails 5; see col. 5, lines 25-34) configured to secure the cutting head assembly (12-13) in one or more fixed positions on the slide rails 5, relative to the workpiece support table 2 prior to a cutting operation. See Figs. 1-11 in Lin.
Regarding claim 2, Lin teaches everything noted above including that the cutting head (12-13) is linearly movable along an axis parallel to the plane of the workpiece support surface.
Regarding claim 4, Lin teaches everything noted above including that the interlock comprises a first interlocking element (as the pin on the block 6) fixed relative to one of the cutting head assembly (12-123) and the workpiece support table and a second interlocking element (as the holes in the slide rail 5) fixed relative to the other of the cutting head assembly and the workpiece support table 2.
Regarding claim 5, Lin teaches everything noted above including a plurality of second interlocking elements (as a plurality of holes) are provided, each second interlocking element corresponding to a discrete fixed position.
Regarding claim 6, Lin teaches everything noted above including that the first interlocking element comprises a rod (as the pin) and the second interlocking element comprises an aperture (as the holes) dimensioned and arranged to receive the rod.
Regarding claim 10, Lin teaches everything noted above including that the rod further comprises inherently a graspable handle (to manipulate the pin) arranged to move in a direction perpendicular to the direction of linear movement of the cutting head assembly order facilitate engagement with the aperture.
Regarding claim 22, Lin teaches everything noted above including that the slide rails 5 are fixedly connected to the workpiece support table 2.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the
basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
4. Claims 1-2, 4-10 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shigekharu et al. (RU 2308359 C2), hereinafter Shigekharu, in view of Lin (9,339,877 B2). Regarding claim 1, Shigekharu teaches a chop saw power tool 1 for cutting metal, the chop saw power tool comprising a saw base 10 and a cutting head assembly 50, the saw base comprising: a support structure 11; a workpiece support table 12 comprising a workpiece support surface arranged to receive a workpiece to be cut in a cutting operation; and slide rails 31 connected to the workpiece support table 11, the workpiece support table 12 being rotatable in a plane of the workpiece support surface through a predetermined angular range relative to the support structure to select an angle of cut of the workpiece, the cutting head assembly 50 comprising: a circular cutting blade 51 arranged on the cutting head assembly and having an axis of rotation such that the circular cutting blade rotates within a cutting plane arranged in a fixed orientation perpendicular to the plane of the workpiece support surface, wherein the cutting head assembly is pivotable (Figs. 1-5) relative to the saw base 10 in a direction parallel to the cutting plane between a position where the cutting blade is remote from the workpiece and a position where the cutting blade is in contact with the workpiece, wherein the cutting head assembly 50 is slidably mounted on the slide rails and is linearly moveable (along a slide rod 31; Fig. 12) relative to the workpiece support table to adjust a cut position of the cutting blade on a workpiece; and wherein the chop saw power tool 1 further comprises an locking mechanism (41, 49; Figs. 15-16) configured to secure the cutting head assembly 50 in one or more fixed positions on the slide rails 31 (Figs. 15-16), relative to the workpiece support table 12 prior to a cutting operation. See Figs. 1-16 in Shigekharu.
It could be argued that Shigekharu does not explicitly teach that the locking mechanism (bolt mechanism 41/49) is an interlock configured to secure the cutting head assembly in one or more fixed positions. Shigekharu does, however, discloses an interlock 80 (a pin and holes; Fig. 12) for securing the holder 22 on the slide rails 31 in one or more fixed positions. Shigekharu is silent about applying a similar interlock mechanism to the cutting head assembly itself. However, Lin teaches that a cutting head 13 of a chop saw power tool can be locked in one or more positions along the slide rails 5 using an interlock mechanism comprising a pin and a plurality of holes on the slide rail (col. 5, lines 29-34) , instead of a bolt mechanism. Lin further discloses that this interlock mechanism can be used for both locking mechanisms 7 and 9. See Figs. 1-11 in Lin. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to replace Shigekharu’s bolt-based locking mechanism with Shigekharu’s interlock mechanism (80), as taught by Lin, to allow the cutting head assembly to be firmly secured in a plurality of desired positions along the slide rails.
Regarding claim 2, Shigekharu teaches everything noted above including that the cutting head 50 is linearly movable along an axis parallel to the plane of the workpiece support surface.
Regarding claim 4, Shigekharu, as modified by Lin, teaches everything noted above including that the interlock (80) comprises a first interlocking element (defined as the pin connected to the support 41 of the head saw assembly 50) fixed relative to one of the cutting head assembly 50 and the workpiece support table and a second interlocking element (defined as the plurality of holes in the slide rail 31) fixed relative to the other of the cutting head assembly and the workpiece support table 12. See Figs. 3 and 12 in Shigekharu.
Regarding claim 5, Shigekharu, as modified by Lin, teaches everything noted above including a plurality of second interlocking elements (81 in Fig. 12 of Shigekahru) are provided, each second interlocking element corresponding to a discrete fixed position.
Regarding claim 6, Shigekharu, as modified by Lin, teaches everything noted above including that the first interlocking element comprises a rod 82 (Fig. 12 in Shigekharu) and the second interlocking element comprises an aperture 81(Fig. 12 in Shihekharu) dimensioned and arranged to receive the rod.
Regarding claim 7, Shigekharu teaches everything noted above including that the rod 82 comprises a tapered distal end (82a; Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 8, Shigekharu, as modified by Lin, teaches everything noted above including that the rod is resiliently biased (by spring 83) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of linear movement of the cutting head assembly in order to facilitate engagement with the aperture.
Regarding claim 9, Shigekharu, as modified by Lin, teaches everything noted above including that the rod comprises a coil spring 83 arranged to surround the rod 82.
Regarding claim 10, Shigekharu, as modified by Lin, teaches everything noted above including that the rod 82 further comprises a graspable handle (defined by the manipulating end portion shown in Fig. 12, but not numbered) arranged to move in a direction perpendicular to the direction of linear movement of the cutting head assembly 50 order facilitate engagement with the aperture.
Regarding claim 22, Shigekharu teaches everything noted above including that the slide rails 31 are fixedly (by the bolt 45 which secured the slide rails to the support 22 of the support table 11; Fig. 17) connected to the workpiece support table 11.
5. Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Shigekharu. Regarding claims 7-9, Lin does not explicitly teach that the rod comprises a tapered distal end; the rod is resiliently biased in a direction perpendicular to the direction of linear movement of the cutting head assembly in order to facilitate engagement with the aperture; and the rod comprises a coil spring arranged to surround the rod. However, Shigekharu teaches that the rod 82 comprises a tapered distal end (82a; Fig. 12); the rod is resiliently biased (by spring 83) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of linear movement of the cutting head assembly in order to facilitate engagement with the aperture; and the rod comprises a coil spring 83 arranged to surround the rod 82. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide Lin’s rod with tapered portion and spring, as taught by Shiherkharu, in order to facilitate manipulation of the rod and movement of the rod into and out of the apertures.
Response to Arguments
6. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant’s disclosure.
Agen et al. (8,418,590 B2), Shibata (6,997,091 B1), and Ushiwata et al. (2006/0042442 A1) teach a chop saw power tool.
8. 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 extension fee 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.
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/GHASSEM ALIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724 January 8, 2026