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
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.
Claims 1-6, 8-16, 18, and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Marinovich et al. (2018/0319029), hereinafter Marinovich.
Regarding claim 1, Marinovich teaches a cutting tool with a blade assembly, comprising:
a blade body 312 having a blade cutting edge 314; and
a blade attachment attached to the blade body, at least a portion of the blade cutting edge extending beyond the blade attachment between a first attachment edge and a second attachment edge of the blade attachment,
wherein the first attachment edge includes a flat region, a curved region (curved edges of the edge 404 in the knife thickness and in the blade surface that formed a narrow U-shaped recess), and a recess region connecting the flat region and the curved region, and the recess region is located adjacent to an intersection point of the curved region of the first attachment edge and the blade cutting edge.
See Fig. 27 and its annotation.
Regarding claim 11, Marinovich teaches a method of manufacturing blade assembly for use within a cutting tool, the method comprising:
providing a blade body 312 having a blade cutting edge; and
forming a blade attachment attached to the blade body, at least a portion of the blade cutting edge extending beyond the blade attachment between a first attachment edge and a second attachment edge of the blade attachment;
wherein the first attachment edge includes a flat region, a curved region (curved edges of the edge 404 in the knife thickness and in the blade surface that formed a narrow U-shaped recess), and a recess region connecting the flat region and the curved region, and the recess region is located adjacent to an intersection point of the curved region of the first attachment edge and the blade cutting edge.
See Fig. 27 and its annotation.
Regarding claim 21, Marinovich teaches a cutting tool with a blade assembly, comprising:
a blade body 312 having a blade cutting edge 314; and
a blade attachment attached to the blade body, at least a portion of the blade cutting edge extending beyond the blade attachment between a first attachment edge and a second attachment edge of the blade attachment, wherein the first attachment edge includes a flat region, a curved region (curved edges of the edge 404 in the knife thickness and in the blade surface that formed a narrow U-shaped recess), and a recess region connecting the flat region and the curved region, and the recess region is located adjacent to an intersection point of the curved region of the first attachment edge and the blade cutting edge, and
wherein the recess region is concave and is disposed between the flat region and the curved region.
See Fig. 27 and its annotation.
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Regarding claims 2 and 12, a cutting channel 336 is best seen in Fig. 27.
Regarding claims 3 and 13, the plat region defining a cutting plane is best seen in Fig. 27.
Regarding claims 4 and 14, the recess region, the curved region, and the first attachment edge are connected along a common plane defined by the blade 312. See Fig. 27.
Regarding claims 5 and 15, the curve region extending along an extending direction of the cutting channel 336 is best seen in Fig. 27.
Regarding claim 6, a handle adaptor 248 connecting the blade assembly 330 to the handle 220 is best seen in Fig. 40.
Regarding claims 8 and 18, the cutting edge of the blade forming an angle with respect to the flat region is best seen in Fig. 27.
Regarding claim 9, the blade having a triangular shaped cross section at the cutting edge. See Fig. 38C.
Regarding claim 10, Marinovich teaches a steel blade.
Regarding claim 22, the curved edge (region) of the slot perpendicularly spaced apart (in a thickness direction) from the recessed region.
Regarding claim 23, the curved region spaced apart from the cutting channel is best seen in Fig. 27.
Regarding claim 24, the cutting channel is best seen in Fig. 27.
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 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marinovich et al. (2018/0319029), hereinafter Marinovich, in view of Jacobs et al. (2021/0283760), hereinafter Jacobs.
Marinovich teaches the invention substantially as claimed except for the blade assembly including a handle adaptor having a securing mechanism.
Jacobs teaches a blade assembly 601 including a handle adaptor 675 having a securing mechanism 680 for removably connecting with a handle 685. See Fig. 6.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to make the blade assembly in Marinovich including a handle adaptor having a securing mechanism as taught by Jacobs so that the blade assembly in Marinovich can be used with the handle in Jacob or the handle in Marinovich can be used with different blade assemblies.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/25/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
A new interpretation is given to Marinovich. The curved region is shifted to a new location at the straight section of the channel 336 to meet the claimed language. At the new location, it is between the flat region and the recessed region. It is curved in two dimensions which are the knife plane and the knife thickness. Therefore, it is a curved region and offset from the cutting channel.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHONG H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4510. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8-5.
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/PHONG H NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3724
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