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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/19/2026 has been entered.
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) 1-3, 5-7, 9, 11-16, 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Richards US2004/0035009.
Regarding claim 1, Richards teaches a user interface (12 and 20) for a power tool 10, the user interface comprising:
a first actuator (see Figure A, annotated from Figure 13) moveable between a non-actuated position (not depressed) and an actuated position (depressed), the first actuator comprising a first user actuation member 19 and a latch 160 assembly 140, wherein movement of the user actuation member causes movement of the latch assembly 140 (when engaged as described in ¶83 “actuation of the trigger (19) and the resultant pivotal displacement simply causes the branch (154) of the lever (140) to freely move within the aperture (156) as when viewed in FIG. 12”), wherein the latch assembly 140 comprises a cam 154 (wherein the end of 154 engages in slot 169 156 with follower 158 to move with follower 158, thus is considered a cam) and a follower 158, the follower 158 in selective communication with the cam 154 (when 154 engages with lip 157 as described in ¶83 “The limited displacement of the trigger 19 defined by engagement with the stop member (120) corresponds to the elongate length of the slot 169 (156) before the branch (154) abuts a top edge (157) thereof”), wherein movement of the cam 154 causes contact with and movement of the follower 158 (by engagement of 154 with 157 when 19 is pulled upwards, to bias against spring 144); and
a second actuator (see Figure A) moveable between a non-actuated position (not depressed) and an actuated position (depressed), the second actuator comprising a second user actuation member 170 (connected to 171) and a receiver 172 172, wherein the receiver 172 is coupled to and pivotable (Figure 13 shows dashed lines, indicating relative pivoting) relative to the second user actuation member 170, wherein the receiver 172 defines a slot 169, wherein the follower 158 is receivable by the slot 169 of the receiver 172, and wherein the second user actuation member 170 is a button (171 is considered a large and irregular button, since it is able to be depressed relative to the handle 22);
wherein movement of the first actuator and the second actuator to the respective actuated positions causes receipt (via engagement of 160 and 169) of the latch assembly 140 by the receiver 172.
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Figure A: annotated Figure 13
Regarding claim 2, Richards teaches the latch assembly 140 comprises a latch 160 (wherein 160 engages 169 and prevents upward movement, thus is considered a latch), the latch receivable by the receiver 172.
Regarding claim 3, Richards teaches the latch is fixed (against relative lateral movement into and out of the page in Figure 13) relative to the first user actuation member 19.
Regarding claim 5, Richards teaches the cam 154 is fixed relative to the first user actuation member 19.
Regarding claim 6, Richards teaches the receipt of the latch assembly 140 by the receiver 172 occurs when movement of the first actuator occurs before movement of the second actuator and when movement of the second actuator occurs before movement of the first actuator (the latch assembly is engaged with receiver in both instances, where engagement is determined to be latch 160 sitting inside 169).
Regarding claim 7, Richards teaches the receiver 172 comprises an angled contact surface (wherein 169 is angled to form an upside-down V).
Regarding claim 9, Richards teaches the first user actuation member 19 is a bail (wherein 19 is part of bail-shaped handle 18, thus is considered a bail).
Regarding claim 11, Richards teaches the second actuator further comprises a switch 121 (wherein 121 is a pushbutton type of switch) and the first actuator further comprises a sensor 153 (wherein 153 detects contact with 140 as described in ¶77 “this electrical switch has a button actuator (153) which must be displaced inwardly by engagement of the trigger (19) (or part thereof) in order to complete an electrical connection between the power source and motor”).
Regarding claim 12, Richards teaches a controller 128 (wherein 128 permits electrical connection between a power source and motor ¶76 “conventional electrical switch (128) which switch provides an electrical connection between the power source (whether it be battery or mains electric) and the motor”, wherein the operator squeezing 19 to engage 153 and thus 128 provides a simple on-off control of power between the power source and the motor), and wherein the switch 121 and the sensor 153 are in communication with the controller.
Regarding claim 13, Richards teaches a user interface (12 and 20) for a power tool 10, the user interface comprising:
a first actuator (as recited above) moveable between a non-actuated position (not depressed) and an actuated position (depressed), the first actuator comprising a first user actuation member 19 and a cam 154, wherein movement of the user actuation member causes movement of the cam 154;
a follower 158 in selective communication with the cam 154, wherein movement of the cam 154 causes contact with and movement of the follower 158; and
a second actuator (see Figure A) moveable between a non-actuated position (not depressed) and an actuated position (depressed), the second actuator comprising a second user actuation member 170 and a receiver 172, wherein the receiver 172 is coupled to and pivotable (Figure 13 shows dashed lines) relative to the second user actuation member 170 (connected to 171), wherein the receiver 172 defines a slot 169, wherein the follower 158 is receivable by the slot 169 of the receiver 172, and wherein the second user actuation member 170 is a button (at end 171, as described above);
wherein movement of the first actuator and the second actuator to the respective actuated position (depressed)s causes receipt of the follower 158 by the receiver 172 (as recited above).
Regarding claim 14, Richards teaches the cam 154 is fixed (as recited above) relative to the first user actuation member 19.
Regarding claim 15, Richards teaches the receipt of the follower 158 by the receiver 172 occurs when movement of the first actuator occurs before movement of the second actuator and when movement of the second actuator occurs before movement of the first actuator (as recited above).
Regarding claim 16, Richards teaches the receiver 172 comprises an angled contact surface (wherein 169 is angled to form an upside-down V).
Regarding claim 18, Richards teaches the second actuator further comprises a switch 121 and the first actuator further comprises a sensor 153.
Regarding claim 19, Richards teaches a controller 128, and wherein the switch 121 and the sensor 153 are in communication with the controller (as recited above).
Regarding claim 20, Richards teaches a lawnmower (wherein 10 can be used to cut a lawn, therefore, is considered a lawnmower), comprising:
a body 12;
a handle 18 extending from the body;
a prime mover (motor described in ¶43 “pair of reciprocating blade members, which are driven by a motor and drive mechanism housed within the body of the tool”);
a cutting blade 24; and
a user interface (12 and 20), the user interface comprising:
a first actuator (as recited above) moveable between a non-actuated position (not depressed) and an actuated position (depressed), the first actuator comprising a first user actuation member 19 and a latch 160 assembly 140, wherein movement of the user actuation member causes movement of the latch assembly 140 wherein the latch assembly 140 comprises a cam 154 and a follower 158, the follower 158 in selective communication with the cam 154, and wherein movement of the cam 154 causes contact with and movement of the follower 158; and
a second actuator (see Figure A) moveable between a non-actuated position (not depressed) and an actuated position (depressed), the second actuator comprising a second user actuation member 170 and a receiver 172, wherein the receiver 172 is coupled to and pivotable (Figure 13 shows dashed lines) relative to the second user actuation member 170, wherein the receiver 172 defines a slot 169, wherein the follower 158 is receivable by the slot 169 of the receiver 172, and wherein the second user actuation member 170 (attached to 171) is a button (as recited above);
wherein movement of the first actuator and the second actuator to the respective actuated positions causes receipt (as recited above) of the latch assembly 140 by the receiver 172.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 5-7, 9, 11-16, and 18-20 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Long US5203147 teaches a push lawnmower with two part user interface operation.
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/CATHLEEN R HUTCHINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3672 6/16/2026
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