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 .
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 5/06/2026 has been entered. Claims 14 and 27-44 remain pending in the application. Claims 1-13 and 15-26 were cancelled.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species O in the reply filed on 5/06/2026 is acknowledged.
Priority
Examiner acknowledges claims to priority under 35 U.S.C. 120 or 121 for U.S. application 18761735 to U.S. provisional application serial No. 63575027 filed on 04/05/2024 and U.S. provisional application serial No. 63512962 filed on 07/11/2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/22/2025 and 12/17/2024 were filed after the filing date of the application on 7/02/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
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 14, 28-33 and 35-43 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Strunk (US 2827932).
Regarding claim 14, Strunk teaches a device incorporating a cutting chain comprising:
a saw bar (29); and
a plurality of links (81 and 80, see Figure 2A) arranged in a chain along a chain path around the saw bar, the plurality of links comprising left cutting links (fourth 81 in Figure 2A) and right cutting links (first 81 in Figure 2A);
wherein each left cutting link comprises one or more cutting teeth positioned along a left lateral side of the left cutting link with no cutting teeth positioned along a right lateral side of the first left cutting link (fourth 82, see Figure 2A), and each right cutting link comprises one or more cutting teeth positioned along a right lateral side of the right cutting link with no cutting teeth positioned along a left lateral side of the right cutting link (first 82, see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 28, Strunk teaches the plurality of links further comprises spacer links that do not have any cutting teeth (80s, see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 29, Strunk teaches the chain comprises singles of cutting links alternating with singles of spacer links (80, see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 30, Strunk teaches multiples of cutting links alternating with multiples of spacer links (80s, see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 31, Strunk teaches the chain comprises multiples of cutting links alternating with singles of spacer links (80, see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 32, Strunk teaches the chain comprises singles of cutting links alternating with multiples of spacer links (80s, see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 33, Strunk teaches the links of the plurality of links are arranged in the chain in the following repeating pattern: single left cutting link, two spacer links, single right cutting link, two spacer links (81, 80, 80 and 81, see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 35, Strunk teaches the chain comprises singles of left cutting links alternating with singles of right cutting links (see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 36, Strunk teaches the chain comprises multiples of left cutting links alternating with multiples of right cutting links (see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 37, Strunk teaches a device incorporating a cutting chain comprising:
a saw bar (29); and
a plurality of links (81 and 80) arranged in a chain along a chain path around the saw bar;
wherein the plurality of links comprises a plurality of cutting links (81), each cutting link having one or more cutting teeth; and wherein the plurality of links further comprises at least one spacer link (80), wherein the at least one spacer link does not have any cutting teeth (see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 39, Strunk teaches the chain comprises singles of cutting links alternating with singles of spacer links (80s, see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 40, Strunk teaches the chain comprises multiples of cutting links alternating with multiples of spacer links (80s, see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 41, Strunk teaches the chain comprises multiples of cutting links alternating with singles of spacer links (80s, see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 42, Strunk teaches the chain comprises singles of cutting links alternating with multiples of spacer links (80s, see Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 43, Strunk teaches the links of the plurality of links are arranged in the chain in the following repeating pattern: single cutting link, two spacer links, single cutting link, two spacer links (81, 80, 80 and 81, see Figure 2A).
Claims 14 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wolf (US 2589914).
Regarding claim 14, Wolf teaches a device incorporating a cutting chain comprising:
a saw bar (9); and
a plurality of links (17, see Figures 4-5) arranged in a chain along a chain path around the saw bar, the plurality of links comprising left cutting links (30 in Figure 1) and right cutting links (31 in Figure 1);
wherein each left cutting link comprises one or more cutting teeth positioned along a left lateral side of the left cutting link with no cutting teeth positioned along a right lateral side of the first left cutting link (see Figure 1), and each right cutting link comprises one or more cutting teeth positioned along a right lateral side of the right cutting link with no cutting teeth positioned along a left lateral side of the right cutting link (see Figure 1).
Regarding claim 27, Wolf teaches each of the left cutting links and the right cutting links comprises a groove adapted to fit the link over a rail of the saw bar (grove between 24).
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 34 and 44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Strunk (US 2827932) in view of Donley (US 2826226).
Regarding claim 34, Strunk teaches all elements of the current invention as set forth in claim 28.
Strunk fails to teach the spacer links have depth limiters.
Donley teaches the spacer links (26) have depth limiters (49).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to modify the device of Wolf to add the depth limiters, as taught by Donley, In order to cut the ideal kerf wanted by the end user.
Regarding claim 44, Strunk teaches all elements of the current invention as set forth in claim 37.
Strunk fails to teach the at least one spacer link has a depth limiter.
Donley teaches the spacer links (26) have depth limiters (49).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to modify the device of Wolf to add the depth limiters, as taught by Donley, In order to cut the ideal kerf wanted by the end user.
Claims 37-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wolf (US 2589914) in view of Strunk (US 2827932).
Regarding claim 37, Wolf teaches a device incorporating a cutting chain comprising:
a saw bar (9); and
a plurality of links (17) arranged in a chain along a chain path around the saw bar;
wherein the plurality of links comprises a plurality of cutting links (81), each cutting link having one or more cutting teeth (see Figure 2A).
Wolf fails to teach wherein the plurality of links further comprises at least one spacer link, wherein the at least one spacer link does not have any cutting teeth.
Strunk teaches a device incorporating a cutting chain comprising: a saw bar (29); and a plurality of links (81 and 80) arranged in a chain along a chain path around the saw bar; wherein the plurality of links comprises a plurality of cutting links (81), each cutting link having one or more cutting teeth; and wherein the plurality of links further comprises at least one spacer link (80), wherein the at least one spacer link does not have any cutting teeth (see Figure 2A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to modify the device of Wolf to change some of the cutting teeth into spacer teeth, as taught by Strunk, In order to cut the ideal kerf wanted by the end user.
Regarding claim 38, modified Wolf further teaches each of the cutting links and the at least one spacer link comprises a groove adapted to fit the link over a rail of the saw bar (as modified by change some of teeth link into spacer link, while still using the same groove link of Wolf).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LIANG DONG whose telephone number is (571)270-0479. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8 AM-6 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ashley Boyer can be reached at 571-272-4502. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LIANG DONG/Examiner, Art Unit 3724 5/29/2026
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