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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 are currently pending in this application.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by KUHN (5,769,747).
Regarding Claim 1, KUHN teaches A belt tensioning assembly for applying tension to a drive belt (20), the belt tensioning assembly comprising: a drive belt (20) configured to transfer torque from an engine; a pulley assembly (28) to guide the drive belt; a pulley adjustment arm (32) configured to move at least one pulley (28) from the pulley assembly to adjust the tension level of the drive belt; a tension keeping assembly (40)(42)(44) to set and maintain a desired level of tension in the drive belt by moving the at least one pulley (28); and an interface assembly (34)(36) to operably couple the tension keeping assembly to the pulley adjustment arm (32), wherein the tension keeping assembly (34)(36) comprises a setting portion (34) at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt (20) is set and a retaining portion (50)(52) at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt (20) is maintained.
Regarding Claim 11, KUHN teaches A riding lawn care vehicle comprising: a frame to which wheels of the riding lawn care vehicle are attachable; an engine operably coupled to the frame, wherein the engine provides power to the wheels and to at least one cutting blade (12) of the riding lawn care vehicle; a cutting deck (14) operably coupled to the frame and comprising the at least one cutting blade and a drive belt (22), wherein the drive belt transfers torque from the engine to the at least one cutting blade; and a belt tensioning assembly (10) for applying tension to the drive belt to ensure the drive belt transfers torque from the engine to the at least one cutting blade (12), wherein the belt tensioning assembly (10) comprises a tension keeping assembly (50)(52)(34) to set and maintain a desired level of tension in the drive belt (22), and wherein the tension keeping assembly comprises a setting portion (34) at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt is set and a retaining portion (50)(52) at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt (22) is maintained.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-10, 12-20 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.
The prior art does not teach or suggest wherein the tension keeping assembly further comprises: a tension adjustment arm configured to rotate to a desired tension level; a mounting bracket operably coupled to a cutting deck; and a fastening member operably coupling the tension adjustment arm to the mounting bracket with the other elements in Claim 2.
The prior art does not teach or suggest wherein the tension keeping assembly further comprises:a tension adjustment arm configured to rotate to a desired tension level; a mounting bracket operably coupled to the cutting deck; and a fastening member operably coupling the tension adjustment arm to the mounting bracket with the other elements in Claim 12.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/8/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that KUHN does not teach a setting portion at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt is set and a retaining portion at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt is maintained (Remarks pg. 2 para. 5). The setting portion (34) position relative to part (46) sets the desired level of tension while the retaining portion (50)(52) retains the relative position of 34 to part 46.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HENRY Y LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-7018. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5:30 ET.
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HENRY Y. LIU
Examiner
Art Unit 3654
/HENRY Y LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654