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 Objections
Claim 20 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 8. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
The claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 7, line 1 reads “the third pivot” and should read –the third pivot axis--
Claim 9, line 6 reads “connected to mower chassis” and should read –connected to the mower chassis--
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-3, 7-11, 15, 17-18, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Georgoulias (US 10390488 B2).
Regarding claims 1 and 9, Georgoulias discloses a turf mower (triplex greens mower 100), said mower comprising:
a chassis supported by a plurality of ground engagement members (106, 108);
a cutting unit (102, 104); and
a lifting unit (200) operatively connecting the cutting unit to the chassis, the lifting unit comprising:
a lifting frame assembly (see fig. 5) connected to the mower chassis (205);
a first arm assembly (206) pivotably mounted to the lifting frame assembly about a first pivot axis (226);
a second arm assembly (204, 210) pivotably mounted to the first arm assembly about a second pivot axis (202);
a third arm assembly (236) having a first end pivotally connected to the lifting frame assembly and a second end pivotally connected to the second arm assembly; and
a yoke assembly (224) pivotally connected to the second arm assembly about a third pivot axis (208) and pivotally connected to the cutting unit,
wherein the lifting unit is structured and operable to move the cutting unit between a lowered position (fig. 5) and raised position (fig. 6), and wherein the second pivot axis (202) and third pivot axis (208) being non-parallel to the first pivot axis (226).
Regarding claims 2 and 10, Georgoulias discloses the mower of Claim 9, wherein the second arm assembly (204, 210) includes a first arm and a second arm (see fig. 4), wherein each of the first arm and the second arm include a first end pivotally connected to the first arm assembly (206) and a second end pivotally connected to the yoke assembly (224).
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Regarding claims 3 and 11, Georgoulias discloses the mower of Claim 10, wherein the first arm and the second arm remain parallel to one another in both the lowered position and the raised position (see fig. 4-6).
Regarding claims 7 and 15, Georgoulias discloses the mower of Claim 9, wherein the second pivot axis (202) and the third pivot axis (208) are approximately perpendicular to the first pivot axis when the cutting unit is in both the lowered and raised position (see fig. 5-6).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Georgoulias discloses the mower of Claim 9 wherein the first end of the third arm assembly (236) is secured to the lifting frame assembly at a location offset from where the first end of the second arm (204) is pivotally mounted to the first arm assembly in one of a longitudinally forward or rearward direction (see fig. 5).
Regarding claim 18, Georgoulias discloses a lifting unit (200) operatively connecting a cutting unit (102, 104) to the chassis of a turf mower (100), the lifting unit comprising:
a lifting frame assembly (see fig. 5) connected to mower chassis (205);
a first arm assembly (206) pivotably mounted to the lifting frame assembly about a first pivot axis (226);
a second arm assembly (204) pivotably mounted to the first arm assembly about a second pivot axis (202);
a third arm assembly (236, 210) having a first end pivotally connected to the lifting frame assembly and a second end pivotally connected to the second arm assembly (204); and
a yoke (224) assembly pivotally connected to the second arm assembly about a third pivot axis (208) and pivotally connected to the cutting unit,
wherein the lifting unit is structured and operable to move the cutting unit between a lowered position (fig. 5) and raised position (fig. 6), and wherein the second pivot axis and third pivot axis being non-parallel to the first pivot axis, and wherein the second pivot axis and the third pivot are approximately perpendicular to the first pivot axis when the cutting unit is in both the lowered and raised position (see fig. 5-6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 12-14, 16, 19 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 3248864 A discloses a gang mower having a cutting unit that is movable from a mowing position.
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/MADELINE I RUNCO/ Examiner, Art Unit 3671