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 .
DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
This is the first Office action on the merits for Application No. 18/449,745, filed 08/15/2023. Claims 1-22 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs’) received on 09/29/2023, 05/27/2025 and 01/02/2026 have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites "a power-assisted mower” in preamble which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether this recitation is a structural limitation or mere statement of purpose or use for a mower. In other words, the inventive device in the preamble calls for a mower without reciting the critical feature of the device to include at least a blade, which is the main function used for cutting. If applicant intends to present the apparatus as a structural limitation, the cutting feature is suggested to be recited in the body of the claim because the lawn mower is a cuterly device which generally includes at least a blade. See MPEP 2111.02 (II), under the effect of preamble, which states that “If the body of a claim fully and intrinsically sets forth all of the limitations of the claimed invention, and the preamble merely states, for example, the purpose or intended use of the invention, rather than any distinct definition of any of the claimed invention’s limitations, then the preamble is not considered a limitation and is of no significance to claim construction”. Accordingly, the limitation has been treated as an intended use limitation. Independent claims 2-14 are rejected for the same rationale.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "a self-weight of the mower, and the self-weight is an average value of weights of the mower at different times” in lines 2-3. The claimed invention appears to be a battery-operated power-assisted mower which does not appear to change the weight over time whether it’s on a slope or flat road condition. It is unclear whether an additional feature is being claimed. For the purposes of examination, the average value of the weights of the mower at different times has been treated as the same weight.
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 1-8, 10 and 12-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhao et al. (CN 109983907 A, from IDS filed 01/02/2026, machine translation attached).
Regarding claim 1, Zhao discloses a power-assisted mower (100), comprising:
a body (paragraph [0005]; figures 1,3,6; i.e., body of lawn mower 100, not labeled, hereinafter referred to as “body100”) comprising a traveling assembly (i.e., wheels of mower 100, not labeled) and a drive motor (40) for driving the traveling assembly;
a handle device (figures 1 and 3, not labeled) connected to the body and comprising an operating member (figures 1,3,6; par. [0093]), wherein the operating member comprises a grip (par. [0093], i.e., grip of lawn mower 100, not labeled, hereinafter “grip100”) for a user to hold;
a motor parameter detection device (paragraphs [0005], [0100 - 00105], i.e., detection module 10 includes speed rotational sensor 150, capacitance sensor 11, voltage sensor 16 and etc.) configured to detect at least one of a rotor position and a working current of the drive motor (40; i.e., the voltage change over time and the voltage waveform of the motor 40 during operation or the rotor speed of motor 40 can be adjusted in a timely manner during the mowing process);
an angle detection device (14) configured to detect an angle of inclination of a workplane of the power-assisted mower relative to a horizontal plane; and
a controller (30) configured to estimate a push-pull force (paragraphs [0007] and [0093]) applied to the handle device (figures 1 and 3, not labeled) according to the rotor position and/or the working current and the angle of inclination (par. [0094]). Also see paragraphs [0095 – 0096] and [0100 – 0105], i.e., motor parameters include load and voltage as output power or output speed of rotor of motor 40.
Regarding claim 2, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 1, wherein the controller (30) is configured to determine a rotational speed of the motor according to rotor position (paragraphs [0096], [0102] and [0104], i.e., the voltage change over time and the voltage waveform of the motor 40 during operation or the rotor speed of motor 40 (the combination of voltage and voltage waveform of the load parameters is interpreted as the rotor position parameter) can be adjusted in a timely manner during the mowing process…the processing module 20 can generate a load control signal based on the voltage detection signal generated by the voltage sensor 16 and the speed detection signal generated by the wheel speed sensor 15 – the load control signal then used to indicate the increase or decrease of load parameters such as a load control signal that can increase or decrease the motor speed).
Regarding claim 3, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 2, wherein the controller (30) is configured to establish a thrust observation model (paragraphs [0077] – [0081] and [0093], i.e., a calculation of the pushing force by the processing module 20 of the lawnmower detected by thrust sensor 13 during its movement to generate a thrust detection signal) according to a current force balance relationship of the mower (100) and use the rotational speed (i.e., detected by speed sensor 15) and the working current (i.e., detected by processing module includes voltage sensor 16 and capacitance sensor 11) as input parameters of the thrust observation model to determine the push-pull force (i.e., the processing module 20 can determine the feed parameters include the magnitude of the pushing force). See claims 3 and 12-14; paragraphs [0027], [0030], [0033], [0077], [0085] and [0094] – [0098].
Regarding claim 4, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 3, wherein the force balance relationship comprises at least the push-pull force (i.e., detected by thrust sensor 13), a driving force of the drive motor (40), resistance of the mower (100) in a current working environment, and a resultant force applied to the mower. See claims 2 and 6; paragraphs [0077], [0080] and [0094], i.e., magnitude of pushing force, working state of mower 100 and density and height of the grass.
Regarding claim 5, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to establish a relationship model between the working current, the rotational speed, and the resultant force (par. [0094], i.e., the calculations between load parameters include rotational speed of motor 40, magnitude of pushing force, angle detection signal and walking state of the machine to provide a load control signal or load parameters of motor 40) according to the thrust observation model,
determine the resultant force (par. [0094], i.e., the magnitude of the pushing force) according to the working current and the rotational speed (i.e., detected by speed sensor 15), and determine the push-pull force (paragraphs [0093] – [0096]), i.e., load signal of push/pull force) according to a difference between the resultant force (i.e., magnitude of pushing force) and the resistance (i.e., pushing resistance). See paragraphs [0077] and [0080].
Regarding claim 6, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 4, wherein the resistance comprises at least frictional resistance (paragraphs [0030] and [0094] – [0096], i.e., frictional resistance of the pushing resistance force).
Regarding claim 7, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 6, wherein a coefficient of friction of the frictional resistance is configured not to change with movement of the mower (paragraphs [0030] and [0097], i.e., the pushing module 20 calculates the pushing resistance to generate a corresponding load control signal, e.g., to compensate the corresponding pushing force thereby sliding/skidding can be avoided or prevented, as a result the coefficient between the mower and the ground is maintained or does not change, such that control module 30 can adjust the corresponding load parameters of the motor according to the received load control signal during uphill/downhill condition).
Regarding claim 8, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 6, wherein the frictional resistance comprises rolling friction and/or sliding friction (paragraphs [0030] and [0097], i.e., the pushing module 20 calculates the pushing resistance to generate a corresponding load control signal, e.g., to compensate the corresponding pushing force thereby sliding/skidding can be avoided or prevented, as a result the coefficient between the mower and the ground is maintained or does not change, such that control module 30 can adjust the corresponding load parameters of the motor according to the received load control signal during uphill/downhill condition).
Regarding claim 10, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 1, wherein the mower does not comprise a pressure sensor capable of detecting the push-pull force (par [0097], i.e., detecting module 10 is a displacement sensor not a pressure sensor).
Regarding claim 12, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 1, wherein the controller (30) is further configured to control a power-assisting state of the drive motor (40) according to the push-pull force (par [0094, i.e., control module 30 adjusts the corresponding load parameters of motor 40 according to the received load control signal).
Regarding claim 13, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 1, wherein the angle detection device (14) comprises an attitude sensor (paragraphs [0093] and [0095], i.e., angle sensor 14).
Regarding claim 14, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 13, wherein the attitude sensor comprises at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer (par [0099], i.e., the detection module 10 can be an acceleration sensor).
Regarding claim 15, Zhao discloses a power-assisted garden tool (100), comprising:
a body (body100) comprising
a traveling assembly (i.e., wheels of mower 100, not labeled) and a functional assembly (i.e., functional assembly of mower 100 includes a blade);
a handle device (figures 1 and 3, not labeled) connected to the body and used for a user to operate the traveling assembly (i.e., wheels of mower 100, not labeled) and/or the functional assembly to work;
a drive motor (40) configured to drive the traveling assembly (i.e., wheels of mower 100, not labeled); and
a controller (30) disposed on the body or the handle device (figures 1 and 3, not labeled) and configured to control the drive motor (40) to output a driving force;
wherein the traveling assembly (i.e., wheels of mower 100, not labeled) comprises at least drive wheels; and
the controller (30) is configured to: acquire motion information of the drive wheels and identify, based on the motion information (paragraphs [0100 – 0105]), an operating intention of the user operating the handle device (figures 1 and 3, not labeled); and
control the drive motor (40) to work according to the motion information and the operating intention to provide power for the garden tool (paragraphs [0100 – 0105] and [0094 – 0096], i.e., a mower).
Regarding claim 16, Zhao discloses a power-assisted working machine, comprising:
a body (body100) comprising a traveling assembly (i.e., wheels of mower 100, not labeled) and a drive motor (40) for driving the traveling assembly (i.e., wheels of mower 100, not labeled);
a handle device (figures 1 and 3, not labeled) connected to the body and comprising an operating member, wherein the operating member comprises a grip (grip100) for a user to hold;
a motor parameter detection device (paragraphs [005], [0100 - 00105], i.e., includes speed sensor 150 and detection module 10, etc.) configured to detect a working parameter of the drive motor;
an accelerometer (par [0099], i.e., detection module 10 can be an acceleration sensor) configured to detect acceleration of the working machine in at least one direction in a current working environment (i.e., under slope condition); and
a controller (30) configured to determine an angle of inclination of the working machine relative to a horizontal plane according to the acceleration and estimate a push-pull force applied to the handle device (figures 1 and 3, not labeled) according to the working parameter and the angle of inclination (paragraphs [0094 – 0096] and [0100 – 0105]).
Regarding claim 17, Zhao discloses the power-assisted working machine of claim 16, wherein the working parameter comprises at least one of a rotor position and a working current of the motor (paragraph [0096]). Also see paragraphs [0095] and [0100 – 0105], i.e., motor parameters include load and voltage as output power or output speed of rotor of motor 40.
Regarding claim 18, Zhao discloses the power-assisted working machine of claim 16, wherein the controller (30) is configured to determine a rotational speed of the motor (40) according to a rotor position (paragraphs [0094] - [0096] and [0100] – [0105], i.e., motor parameters include load and voltage as output power or output speed of rotor of motor 40).
Regarding claim 19, Zhao discloses the power-assisted working machine of claim 16, wherein the working parameter comprises a rotational speed and a working current of the motor (paragraphs [0077], [0091] and [0096]; Figure 6). Also see paragraphs [0095] and [0100] – [0105], i.e., motor parameters include load and voltage as output power or output speed of rotor of motor 40.
Regarding claim 20, Zhao discloses the power-assisted working machine of claim 16, wherein the controller (30) is configured to establish a thrust observation model (paragraphs [0077] – [0081] and [0093], i.e., a calculation of the pushing force by the processing module 20 of the lawnmower detected by thrust sensor 13 during its movement to generate a thrust detection signal) according to a current force balance relationship of the power-assisted working machine and use a rotational speed (i.e., detected by speed sensor 15) and a working current (i.e., detected by processing module includes voltage sensor 16 and capacitance sensor 11) as input parameters of the thrust observation model to determine the push-pull force (i.e., the processing module 20 can determine the feed parameters include the magnitude of the pushing force). See claims 3 and 12-14; paragraphs [0027], [0030], [0033], [0085], [0094] – [0098].
Regarding claim 21, Zhao discloses a power-assisted working machine (see figs. 1-11 and the machine translation attached), comprising:
a body (body100) comprising a traveling wheel set (figures 1, 3, 6 and par. [0005], i.e., wheels of mower 100, not labeled) and a drive motor (40) for driving the traveling wheel set;
a handle device (figures 1 and 3, not labeled) connected to the body and comprising a grip (grip100) for a user to hold;
at least one wheel speed detection device (15) configured to detect a wheel speed of the traveling wheel set (wheel100);
an angle detection device (14) configured to detect an angle of inclination of a workplane of the power-assisted working machine relative to a horizontal plane; and
a controller (30) configured to estimate, according to the wheel speed and the angle of inclination, a push-pull force applied to the handle device (figures 1 and 3, not labeled) and adaptively adjust a power-assisting state of the drive motor according to the push-pull force (paragraphs [0094] - [0096] and [0100] – 0105]).
Regarding claim 22, Zhao discloses a garden tool system (see figs. 1-11 and the machine translation attached), comprising:
a garden tool (100), wherein the garden tool comprises:
a body (body100) comprising at least a traveling assembly (i.e., wheels of mower 100, not labeled);
a handle device (figures 1 and 3, not labeled) connected to the body and used for a user to operate the traveling assembly (i.e., wheels of mower 100, not labeled) to work;
a drive motor (40) configured to drive the traveling assembly (i.e., wheels of mower 100, not labeled); and a controller (30) configured to control a state in which the drive motor (40) provides power assistance;
wherein the tool system further comprises:
a first detection device (13) configured to detect a relative state between the garden tool (100) and an operator (paragraphs [0098] – [0099] and [0105]); and
a second detection device (15) configured to detect a traveling state of the garden tool;
wherein the controller (30) is configured to: control the state in which the drive motor provides the power assistance according to the relative state and the traveling state (paragraphs [0094] - [0096] and [0100] – 0105]).
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.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao as applied to the claims above and further in view of Savaresi et al. (US 2020/0156482 A1, from IDS filed 09/29/2023) and/or Kaneko et al. (US 2021/0022293 A1, from IDS filed 01/02/2026).
Regarding claim 9, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 1, but does not specifically teach wherein a force balance relationship further comprises a self-weight of the mower with an average value of weights of the mower at different times. It is well recognized to a skilled person in the art to have the mass or weight of the mower included in determining a force balance relationship during a slope condition for a smoother ride.
Savaresi/Kaneko discloses a power assisted machine further includes a self-weight of the mower, and the self-weight is an average value of weights of the mower at different times (Savaresi, paragraphs [0034] – 0044]; Kaneko, paragraphs [0043] – [0045]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for Zhao, with a reasonable expectation of success, to have an average weight value of the mower at different times as taught by Savaresi/Kaneko in order to provide an accuracy compensated force required by the mower device during a slope condition.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao as applied to the claims above and further in view of Kojina et al. (US 2015/0066277 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Zhao discloses the power-assisted mower of claim 1 includes a speed sensor but does not specifically teach wherein the motor parameter detection device or a speed sensor comprises a Hall sensor.
Kojina discloses a power assisted machine includes wherein the motor parameter detection device (60) comprises a Hall sensor (par. [0067]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for Zhao, with a reasonable expectation of success, to have the motor parameter detection device or the speed sensor and/or the detection device as a Hall sensor as taught by Kojina in order to provide the position or movement/speed of the motor member without physical contact with the components. Hall sensors are well known in the art for accuracy and reliable, and substituting the Hall sensor for another type of sensor would not change the way the overall apparatus functions. Thus, the simple substitution of one known element for another producing a predictable result of improvement in operation which renders the claim obvious.
Conclusion
The following prior arts made of record with various aspects of pulling/pushing force for power-assisted tools or working machines and are applicable to the applicant's disclosure.
Raja (US 2021/0155278 A1) discloses a walking aid vehicle, see Figures 1-10;
Ferrell et al. (US 11690319 B2) discloses a speed control assembly for a lawn mower, see Figures 1-7;
Lee et al. (EP 3889003 A1) discloses a smart stroller and method of controlling the same, see Figures 1-18;
Fritz (DE 102013/224885 A1) discloses a stroller with drive support, see Figures 1-2 and the machine translation attached;
Su et al. (CN 108547247 A) discloses an intelligent garden road snow remover with semi-automatic communication remote control working for long time operation, see Figures 1-9 and the machine translation attached;
Gussen et al. (US 2018/0194383 A1) discloses a motorized shopping trolley, see Figures 1-4;
Katayama (US 2015/0066278 A1) discloses a manually propelled vehicle, see Figures 1-17; and
Hane (US 2016/0221595 A1) discloses a pushcart, see Figures 1-13.
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/TINH T DANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655 February 26, 2026