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 .
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.
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 1-3, 7-9 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloodworth (US Patent No. 6,986,238) in view of Womack (US Patent No. 11,565,749).
In reference to claim 1, Bloodworth discloses an attachment assembly 10 for attaching a tool 12 to a mower 14 comprising:
a plate 34 fixed to the tool 12, the plate 34 has a plate pin 32 attached to the plate 34 and extending from the plate 34 (Fig. 2); and
a bracket 30 having a bracket body 44 attached to a frame of the mower 14, the plate pin 32 is releasably connected (Fig. 3, via pins 49) to the bracket body 44 in an open attached position (Fig. 3), the plate 34 is pivotable with respect to the bracket 30 about a vertical axis 70 (Fig. 3) and about a horizontal axis 74 (Fig. 3) extending perpendicular to the vertical axis 70 in the open attached position.
Bloodworth discloses that the tool is a trimmer rather than a blower.
Womack discloses that a tool attachable to a mower can be interchangeably a trimmer or blower (col. 3, lines 53-55). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to attach a blower to a mower with a reasonable expectation of success so that blowing capability can be provided.
In reference to claim 2, Bloodworth discloses that the bracket 30 has a plate securing device 42 and a plate pin passageway (Fig. 3, the space between plates 44 occupied by pin 32).
In reference to claim 3, Bloodworth discloses that the plate pin 32 is releasably connected to the bracket body 44 by the plate pin passageway (Fig. 3).
In reference to claim 7, Bloodworth discloses that the bracket body 44 is L shaped (Fig. 3, multiple L shapes are visible).
In reference to claim 8, Bloodworth discloses that the plate pin 32 has a pivot assembly 60 (Fig. 3) having a pivot assembly passageway and a pivot assembly pin (Fig. 3, pivot assembly 60 includes an upper portion constituting a pin that extends into a passageway).
In reference to claim 9, Bloodworth discloses that the plate pin 32 is attached to the plate 34 by the pivot assembly pin 60 (Fig. 3).
In reference to claim 20, Bloodworth discloses a mower 14 comprising,
a frame (Fig. 1); and
an attachment assembly 10 for attaching a tool 12 to the mower 14 comprising:
a plate 34 fixed to the tool 12, the plate 34 has a plate pin 32 attached to the plate 34 and extending from the plate 34 (Fig. 3); and
a bracket 30 having a bracket body 44 attached to the frame of the mower 14 (Fig. 3), the plate pin 32 is releasably connected to the bracket body 44 in an open attached position (Fig. 3), the plate 34 is pivotable with respect to the bracket 30 about a vertical axis 70 and about a horizontal axis 74 extending perpendicular to the vertical axis 70 in the open attached position (Fig. 3).
Bloodworth discloses that the tool is a trimmer rather than a blower.
Womack discloses that a tool attachable to a mower can be interchangeably a trimmer or blower (col. 3, lines 53-55). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to attach a blower to a mower with a reasonable expectation of success so that blowing capability can be provided.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6 and 10-13 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.
Claims 14-19 are allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Guarniere (US Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0007579) discloses a mower mounted attachment means (Fig. 3); and Bischof (US Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0046916) discloses a tool attached to a mower by a bracket 111 and post 112 (Fig. 2).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRAD HARCOURT whose telephone number is (571)272-7303. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Doug Hutton can be reached at (571)272-4137. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRAD HARCOURT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3674
1/16/26