CTNF 18/688,975 CTNF 91305 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Maxfield (U.S. Patent No. 5,209,003) . Regarding Claim 1, Maxfield discloses an auger device of a snowplow, comprising: An auger housing (Maxfield: 28, 29, 30); An auger shaft (Maxfield: 42) supported by the auger housing (Maxfield: 28, 29, 30) so as to be rotatable around an axial line extending in a prescribed direction; An auger claw (Maxfield: 59, 60, 61, 62) fixed to the auger shaft (Maxfield: 42); and A pair of side disks (Maxfield: Assembly comprising 43, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58) arranged on both outsides of the auger claw (Maxfield: 59, 60, 61, 62) in the prescribed direction and fixed to the auger shaft (Maxfield: 42), wherein each of the pair of side disks (Maxfield: Assembly comprising 43, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58) includes: An annular outer circumferential edge portion (Maxfield: 54); An annular outer flat plate portion (Maxfield: 43) arranged closer to an inside in the prescribed direction than the outer circumferential edge portion (Maxfield: 54) and having a smaller outer diameter than the outer circumferential edge portion (Maxfield: 54); An annular inner flat plate portion (Maxfield: Figure 3: plate portion connecting 52 and 53) arranged closer to the inside in the prescribed direction than the outer flat plate portion (Maxfield: 43) and having a smaller outer diameter than the outer flat plate portion (Maxfield: 43); An annular outer connecting portion (Maxfield: 47, 50, 51) connecting the outer circumferential edge portion (Maxfield: 54) and the outer flat plate portion (Maxfield: 43); and An annular inner connecting portion (Maxfield: 52, 53) connecting the outer flat plate portion (Maxfield: 43) and the inner flat plate portion (Maxfield: Figure 3: plate portion connecting 52 and 53 and further connected to 47 and 51, which is connected to 43). Regarding Claim 2, Maxfield discloses the auger device of the snowplow according to claim 1, wherein the outer connecting portion (Maxfield: 47, 50, 51) and the inner connecting portion (Maxfield: portions of 52, 53 connected to 47 and 51) are inclined inward in a radial direction toward the inside in the prescribed direction. Regarding Claim 3, Maxfield discloses the auger device of the snowplow according to claim 1, wherein an interval in the prescribed direction between the outer circumferential edge portion (Maxfield: 54) and the outer flat plate portion (Maxfield: 43) is narrower than an interval in the prescribed direction between the outer flat plate portion (Maxfield: 43) and the inner flat plate portion (Maxfield: Figure 3: plate portion connecting 52 and 53) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 4-8 are 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. 13-03 AIA The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The use of language directed toward the form and placement of the annular outer circumferential edge portion, outer flat plate portion, inner flat plate portion, outer connecting portion, and inner connecting portion, when combined with the other limitations of claim 4, is sufficient to distinguish the applicant’s invention from prior art and obvious variations thereof. The use of language directed toward the form and placement of the first and second side plates relative to the form and placement of the pair of side disks, comprising all of the limitations of claim 7, is sufficient to distinguish the applicant’s invention from prior art . Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.” Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 10767326 (Auger for a snow thrower), US 9464393 (Two stage snow thrower auger housing), US 9309638 (Snowthrower impeller assembly with rigid cutting implement), US 20140068976 (SNOW DIRECTING AND DISCHARGING ASSEMBLY), US 20060096136 (Convertible yard tool) US 5398431 (Single stage snowthrower impeller) , . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOUGLAS S WOOD whose telephone number is (571)270-5954. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole A Coy can be reached at (571) - 272 - 5405. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. DOUGLAS S. WOOD Examiner Art Unit 3672 /DOUGLAS S WOOD/Examiner, Art Unit 3672 /Nicole Coy/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3672 Application/Control Number: 18/688,975 Page 2 Art Unit: 3672 Application/Control Number: 18/688,975 Page 3 Art Unit: 3672 Application/Control Number: 18/688,975 Page 4 Art Unit: 3672 Application/Control Number: 18/688,975 Page 5 Art Unit: 3672 Application/Control Number: 18/688,975 Page 6 Art Unit: 3672
