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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/10/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zugen et al. (US 2020/0384625).
In claim 14, Zugen discloses (Fig. 1-10) a system comprising: a motor unit (120) comprising a motor (140) including a motor shaft (150), and a fixing member (121); a first working unit (106) configured to be selectively fixed to the fixing member (121) and be driven by the motor shaft (150), wherein the motor shaft (150) extends in a left-right direction when the first working unit (106) is operated by a user; and a second working unit (108) configured to be selectively fixed to the fixing member (121) and driven by the motor shaft (150), wherein the motor shaft (150) extends in an up-down direction when the second working unit (108) is operated by the user.
In claim 15, Zugen discloses (Fig. 1-10) a system comprising: a motor unit (120) comprising a motor (140), an output member (123) configured to driven by the motor, and a fixing member (121); a first working unit (106) configured to be selectively fixed to the fixing member (121) of the motor unit (120) and be driven by the motor (140); and a second working unit (108) configured to be selectively fixed to the fixing member (121) of the motor unit (120) and be driven by the motor (140), wherein the output member comprises: a first output member (123 of 106) configured to be selectively fixed to the motor and drive the first working unit (106); and a second output member (123 of 108) configured to be selectively fixed to the motor (140) and drive the second working unit (108).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-13 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The cited prior art taken singularly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitation of the independent claim(s), in such a manner that a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103 would be proper. The prior art fails to teach a combination of all the features as presented in the independent claim(s) with the allowable feature being:
Claim 1: “the first working unit comprises a first manipulation member configured to be manipulated by a user to drive the motor, and the second working unit comprises a second manipulation member configured to be manipulated by the user to drive the motor.”.
Zugen et al. (US 2020/0384625) has been cited as prior art most closely related to the claimed invention.
In claim 1, Zugen (Fig. 1-10) teaches a system comprising: a motor unit (120) comprising a motor (140), an output member (302) configured to be driven by the motor (140), and a fixing member (121); a first working unit (106) configured to be selectively fixed to the fixing member (121) of the motor unit (120) and be driven by the output member (302); and a second working unit (108) configured to be selectively fixed to the fixing member (121) of the motor unit (120 and be driven by the output member (302), wherein the first working unit (106) differs from the second working unit (108), in a case where the fixing member (121) is fixed to the first working unit (106), the fixing member (121) of the motor unit (120) is oriented in a first direction relative to a reference plane when the first working unit (106) and the motor unit (120) are in a first working posture relative to the reference plane, in a case where the fixing member (121) is fixed to the second working unit (108), the fixing member (121) of the motor unit (120) is oriented in a second direction relative to the reference plane when the second working unit (108) and the motor unit (120) are in a second working posture relative to the reference plane, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction.
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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zeiler et al. (US 20201/0384746) teaches a battery assembly including a housing having a handle, rechargeable battery cells disposed within the housing, and a mating feature configured to selectively connect the battery assembly with a receptacle of at least one of a power equipment and a charging station.
Noel et al. (US 2024/0335934) teaches a power tool device that includes a housing, a battery pack interface configured to receive at least one battery pack.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RASHAD H JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1231. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30am-5pm.
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, Christopher Koehler can be reached at 571-272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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RASHAD H. JOHNSON
Examiner
Art Unit 2834
/RASHAD H JOHNSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834