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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-11 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 3/31/2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of the election of Invention I in the reply filed on 3/31/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there would be no substantial search and/or examination burden if the restriction requirement was withdrawn. This is not found persuasive because the inventions require a different field of search (e.g., searching different classes/subclasses or electronic resources, or employing different search strategies or search queries).
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fumihiko Aiyama (US 5493784 A – hereinafter Aiyama).
Regarding claim 12, Aiyama teaches a trimmer tool, comprising: a shaft (Fig. 1, Shaft 5); a tool head (Fig. 1, tool head including Blade 3); a linkage (Fig. 7, linkage shown) configured to connect the tool head to the shaft; and a guard assembly (Fig. 2, guard assembly shown) comprising: a mount body (Fig. 2, Bracket 8) forming a slot (Fig. 2, Holes 15a and 15b) extending along a radial direction extending from the tool head, the mount body comprising an attachment member (Fig. 2, Parts 17a and 17b), the mount body comprising a channel configured to receive the shaft and the linkage (Fig. 2, Channel formed by Halves 10a and 10b); a guard body (Fig. 2, guard body comprising Cover 7, Plates 30, and Nuts 32) forming a perimeter configured to partially surround the tool head, the guard body forming a first opening (Fig. 2, holes through Nut 32) configured to align with the slot at the mount body, the guard body forming a second opening (Fig. 2, opening at the entrance of space defined by Surface 24 and Walls 22) from which a track (Fig. 2, space defined by Surface 24 and Walls 22) extends along the radial direction, wherein the attachment member is extendable into the second opening and into the track (Fig. 3, 17a and 17b are shown to be extended into the second opening and into the track), the attachment member of the mount body configured to slide within the track at the guard body (Fig. 3 and Fig. 4; Col. 4 lines 20-27); and a handle assembly (Fig. 2, Bolts 31) extendable through the slot at the mount body and the first opening at the guard body to selectively affix the mount body to the guard body (Col. 4, lines 20-27).
Regarding claim 13, Aiyama further teaches the trimmer tool of claim 12, comprising: a base (Fig. 2, Plate 29) coupled to the guard body, the base comprising a stop wall (Fig. 2, inside walls of the holes in Plate 29) positioned to limit movement of the attachment member of the mount body along the track at the guard body (Fig. 2, since 31 extends through 26a and 26b as well as 15a and 15b, the bolts 31 are held by the inside walls of the holes through 29 to prevent movement between 8 and 7 when 7 is fully extended, thereby limiting the movement along the track that 17a and 17b can make).
Regarding claim 14, Aiyama further teaches the trimmer tool of claim 13, wherein the stop wall is positioned along the radial direction between the second opening and the track (Fig. 2, the inside walls of holes 29 are always located over the track and past the second opening when bolts 31 are inserted through 26a and 26b in proper assembly of the guard shown. This puts them between the second opening and at least part of the track in the radial direction).
Regarding claim 15, Aiyama further teaches the trimmer tool of claim 13, wherein the stop wall is positioned along the radial direction to limit movement of the attachment member of the mount body from the track into the second opening at the guard body (Fig. 2, it can be seen that as long as 31 is properly tightened, the inside walls of holes 29 assist in preventing 17a/17b from leaving the track and passing into the second opening even if 7 were fully extended).
Regarding claim 16, Aiyama further teaches the trimmer tool of claim 12, the handle assembly configured to compress the guard body and the mount body onto one another to affix the guard body and the mount body together (Fig. 4, Col. 3 lines 47-50).
Regarding claim 17, Aiyama further teaches the trimmer tool of claim 12, the handle assembly comprising a knob (Fig. 2, head of Bolts 31) attached to a threaded body (Fig. 2, shaft of Bolts 31), wherein the threaded body is releasably couplable to the guard body at the first opening and extending through the slot at the mount body (Col. 4, lines 20-27).
Regarding claim 18, Aiyama further teaches the trimmer tool of claim 17, wherein the first opening at the guard body is a threaded interface configured to receive the threaded body (Fig. 2, Bolt 32).
Regarding claim 19, Aiyama further teaches the trimmer tool of claim 12, wherein the attachment member comprises a detent forming a hook configured to inhibit removing the attachment member through the track at the guard body (Fig. 2, 17a and 17b hook into 27 to prevent the removal of the attachment member through the track).
Regarding claim 20, Aiyama already teaches the trimmer tool of claim 12, wherein the guard body (Fig. 2, guard body comprising Cover 7, Plates 30, and Nuts 32) comprises a first guard body portion (Fig. 2, Cover 7) releasably coupled to a second guard body portion (Fig. 2, Plate 30).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELLA LORRAINE KEENA whose telephone number is (571)272-1806. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am - 5:00 pm ET.
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/ELLA L KEENA/Examiner, Art Unit 3724 /BOYER D ASHLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3724
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