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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because line 1 includes the phrase “The present invention” which should be deleted. Additionally, the phrase “[Figure 2]” at the end of the abstract should be deleted. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
The claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 7, lines 1-2 reads “said at least a first cutting chamber and a second cutting chamber” and should read –said first cutting chamber and said second cutting chamber—
Claim 11, line 15 reads “said at least one first blade and a second blade” and should read –said first blade and said second blade—
Claim 11, line 16 reads “said at least one first blade and a second blade” and should read –said first blade and said second blade--
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 11-14 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "two cutting chambers housing blades rotating in opposite direction" in the final two lines of the claim. However, it is not clear if this is the same component as “a first cutting chamber and a second cutting chamber” set forth in claim 6 line 4 and “a first blade and a second blade” set forth in claim 6 line 7. Specifically, it is unclear if these components are one and the same, or two different cutting chamber/blades altogether.
Claims 12-14 are rejected as they depend upon claim 11.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "said common plane" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 1-3, 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mullet (US 4226074 A).
Regarding claim 1, Mullet discloses a cutting plate (deck body 2) configured to be associated with a mobile device (a mower), said cutting plate comprising:
a body (fig. 1) defining a cutting cavity (fig. 3, the cutting cavity is defined by blade orbits 44 and top wall 4), said cutting cavity being, in use, open towards the ground and comprising at least a first cutting chamber and a second cutting chamber, said first cutting chamber and said second cutting chamber being in communication with each other (see fig. 3, three cutting chambers are shown, one cutting chamber for each blade 22),
at least a first blade (22) and a second blade (22), said first blade and said second blade being rotatably housed, respectively, in said first cutting chamber and in said second cutting chamber, and
at least one deflector and/or separator element (74/76) fixed to said body or integrated in said body, said at least one deflector and/or separator element being at least partially installed in said cutting cavity so as to be interposed between said first cutting chamber and said second cutting chamber (see fig. 3, 74/76 are positioned between adjacent cutting chambers housing blades 22),
wherein said at least one deflector and/or separator element is configured to prevent, in whole or in part, a first air flow generated, in use, in said first cutting chamber from accessing said second cutting chamber and to prevent, in whole or in part, a second air flow generated, in use, in said second cutting chamber from accessing said first cutting chamber (col. 5 lines 48-57),
wherein said cutting cavity is partially defined by at least one side wall (6B) and by a top wall (4), continuously connected to said at least one side wall,
wherein said at least one side wall at least partially defines a perimeter of said cutting cavity,
wherein, outside said perimeter, said body comprises an edge surface (6A), and
wherein said at least one deflector and/or separator element comprises a dividing portion, positioned at said cutting cavity, and a protection portion, positioned at said edge surface (see fig. 3, 74/76 are positioned at 6a in dashed lines).
Regarding claim 2, Mullet discloses the cutting plate according to claim 1, said mobile device being suitable for executing maintenance operations on a land, wherein said first air flow is generated by means of a rotation of said first blade (22) and said second air flow is generated by means of a rotation of said second blade (22) and wherein said side wall is parallel to a vertical axis and said top wall is perpendicular to said vertical axis (see fig. 1-2).
Regarding claim 3, Mullet discloses the cutting plate according to claim 1, wherein said edge surface comprises at least a first portion (68) and a second portion (6A), said second portion being positioned at a front region of said body, and wherein said protection portion is positioned at said second portion (see fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Mullet discloses a cutting plate (2) configured to be associated with a mobile device, said cutting plate comprising:
a body (fig. 1) defining a cutting cavity (fig. 3, the cutting cavity is defined by blade orbits 44 and top wall 4), said cutting cavity being, in use, open towards the ground and comprising at least a first cutting chamber and a second cutting chamber, said first cutting chamber and said second cutting chamber being in communication with each other (see fig. 3, three cutting chambers are shown, one cutting chamber for each blade 22), and
at least a first blade (22) and a second blade (22), said first blade and said second blade being rotatably housed, respectively, in said first cutting chamber and in said second cutting chamber,
said cutting plate further comprising at least one deflector and/or separator element (74, 76) fixed to said body or integrated in said body, said at least one deflector and/or separator element being at least partially installed in said cutting cavity so as to be interposed between said first cutting chamber and said second cutting chamber (see fig. 3, 74/76 are positioned between adjacent cutting chambers housing blades 22),
wherein said at least one deflector and/or separator element is configured to prevent, in whole or in part, a first air flow generated, in use, in said first cutting chamber by means of a rotation of said first blade from accessing said second cutting chamber and to prevent, in whole or in part, a second air flow generated, in use, in said second cutting chamber by means of a rotation of said second blade from accessing said first cutting chamber (col. 5 lines 48-57).
Regarding claim 7, Mullet discloses the cutting plate according to claim 6, wherein said at least a first cutting chamber and a second cutting chamber extend into said cutting cavity seamlessly, said cutting cavity being defined, in whole or in part, by said first cutting chamber and by said second cutting chamber (see fig. 3);
wherein said at least one deflector and/or separator element (74/76) is configured to interrupt the continuity between said first cutting chamber and said second cutting chamber (see fig. 3);
wherein said at least one deflector and/or separator element is configured to interrupt, at least partially, a fluid communication between said first cutting chamber and said second cutting chamber (see fig. 3);
wherein said at least one deflector and/or separator element is configured to separate, at least partially, the flows of residues of a soil treatment generated by said at least one first blade and a second blade (see fig. 3);
wherein said at least one deflector and/or separator element is configured to carry out at least one function between (col. 5 lines 48-57):
conveying said first air flow and said second air flow towards an unloading channel defined by said body and in communication with said first cutting chamber and with said second cutting chamber;
improving an unloading of said residues through said unloading channel;
improving a cutting efficiency of said first blade and of said second blade;
minimizing the risk of expulsion of solid bodies at high speed from said cutting cavity due to the rotation of said first blade and said second blade; and
wherein said deflector and/or separator element is made of metal material or metal alloy or plastic material.
Regarding claim 8, Mullet discloses the cutting plate according to claim 6, wherein said deflector and/or separator element (74/76) has a thickness comprised between 0.5 mm and 10 mm (see fig. 3); and
wherein said deflector and/or separator element is connected to said cutting plate by means of screws or bolts or hinges or joints (78).
Claims 15-17, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Du (US 20220354050 A1).
Regarding claim 15, Du teaches a cutting plate (fig. 1) configured to be associated with a mobile device, said mobile device being preferably suitable for executing maintenance operations, said cutting plate comprising:
a body defining a cutting cavity (see fig. 1-2, the space occupied by 3), said cutting cavity being, in use, open towards the ground and comprising at least one cutting chamber, said cutting cavity being at least partially delimited externally by an edge surface of said body, said edge surface comprising at least a first portion (417) and a second portion (the portion carrying elements 41), said second portion being positioned at a front region of said body, said first portion and said second portion of said edge surface lying, in use, on planes respectively arranged at a first height and at a second height with respect to the ground, where said second height is greater than said first height so as to define, below said second portion of said edge surface, an inlet chamber in communication with said cutting cavity, and
at least one blade rotatably housed in said cutting chamber,
wherein said cutting plate further comprises a plurality of protection elements (41), the protection elements of said plurality of protection elements being fixed to said body or integrated in said body, the protection elements of said plurality of protection elements being distinct from each other, the protection elements of said plurality of protection elements extending from said second portion of said edge surface so as to have respective apexes arranged, in use, at a distance with respect to the ground which is less than said second height (see fig. 1-2), and
wherein the protection elements of said plurality of protection elements (41) are configured to intercept, in use, any solid bodies expelled at high speed from said at least one cutting chamber.
Regarding claim 16, Du discloses the cutting plate according to claim 15, wherein the protection elements (41) of said plurality of protection elements define therebetween a plurality of channels to allow a passage of grass through said inlet chamber;
wherein said plurality of protection elements comprises a number of protection elements comprised between 3 and 50; and
wherein the protection elements of said plurality of protection elements are substantially equidistant, i.e., considering a first protection element, a second protection element and a third protection element consecutive to each other, the distance placed separating between the first protection element and the second protection element is substantially equal to the distance placed separating between the second protection element and the third protection element (see fig. 1-2).
Regarding claim 17, Du discloses the cutting plate according to claim 15, wherein the protection elements of said plurality of protection elements are aligned with each other;
wherein said common plane forms with a transverse axis of said cutting plate an angle comprised between 10° and 60°; and
wherein the difference between said first height and said second height, measured along a vertical axis, is comprised between 25 mm and 28 mm (see fig. 1-2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5, 9-14, 18-20 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 8186139 B1 discloses a baffle that extends to the front edge of a mower deck.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MADELINE RUNCO whose telephone number is (469)295-9123. The examiner can normally be reached 8-4:30 M-F.
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, Joseph Rocca can be reached at 5712728971. 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.
/MADELINE I RUNCO/ Examiner, Art Unit 3671
Prosecution Insights