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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/27/2026 has been entered.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1 and 4-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hedlund et al (US 11,110,994 hereinafter “Hedlund”) in view of Tharaldson et al (US 7,708,097).
In regards to claim 1:
Hedlund teaches a snowmobile (10) comprising: a frame (12) including a tunnel (52); a motor (44) supported by the frame (12) and configured to drive the snowmobile (10); a rear suspension assembly (24) operatively connected to the frame and disposed beneath the tunnel (52); an endless track (20) operatively connected to the motor (44) and driven thereby about the rear suspension assembly (24); a plurality of fairings (42) including left and right body panels, the left and right body panels respectively defining leftmost and rightmost points of the fairings (Shown below in annotated Figure 1 for the left side, the right side is a mirror image of the left side); left and right skis (18) operatively connected to the frame; left and right ski legs connected to the left and right skis and extending upwardly therefrom; a front left suspension assembly (22) operatively connecting the left ski leg to the frame via a plurality of left suspension connections between the front left suspension assembly (22) and the left ski leg, the front left suspension assembly comprising: a left upper A-arm connected between the left ski leg and the frame, the plurality of left suspension connections including an upper left suspension connection between the left ski leg and the left upper A-arm; and a left lower A-arm connected between the left ski leg and the frame, the plurality of left suspension connections including a lower left suspension connection between the left ski leg and the left lower A-arm (Shown below in annotated Figure 1 for the left side, this is mirrored on the right side); and a left shock absorber connected between the left lower A-arm and the frame (Shown below in annotated Figure1); a front right suspension assembly operatively connecting the right ski leg to the frame via a plurality of right suspension connections between the front right suspension assembly and the right ski leg, the front right suspension assembly comprising: a right upper A-arm connected between the right ski leg and the frame, the plurality of right suspension connections including an upper right suspension connection between the right ski leg and the right upper A-arm; and a right lower A-arm connected between the right ski leg and the frame, the plurality of right suspension connections including a lower right suspension connection between the right ski leg and the right lower A-arm (Shown below in annotated Figure 1, wherein the left side is mirrored on the right side); and a right shock absorber connected between the right lower A-arm and the frame, wherein, when the snowmobile is at rest and unloaded on a horizontal ground surface, at least one of (i) a vertically highest one of the plurality of left suspension connections, and (11) a vertically highest one of the plurality of right suspension connections, is disposed laterally inward of a lateral outer edge of a corresponding one of the left body panel and the right body panel (Shown below in annotated Figure 15.1), and when the snowmobile is at rest and unloaded on the horizontal ground surface, each of the left and right shock absorbers is disposed at an angle of less than 30 degrees from vertical (Shown below in annotated Figure 15.2, the angle of the shock absorber is superimposed onto a protractor showing an angle of 25 degrees from vertical which is less than 30 degrees).
Hedlund does not teach the lateral outer edge when measured at or above frame connection points of the left and right shock absorbers, the frame connection points being points where the left and right shock absorbers connect to the frame, the left and right suspension connections being disposed inward of the lateral outer edge.
Tharoldson teaches a shock absorber having a connecting point to a frame, and a left and right body panel that flare outwards.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the application for the body panels of Hedlund to extend outwardly laterally as taught by Tharoldson in order to provide additional space to house components such as an engine and transmission (120 and 121 respectively of Tharoldson). Wherein Hedlund teaches a sleeker design where the body panels are angled to form an upside down V type shape (Shown below in annotated Figure 15.1 of Hedlund formed with the lines representing the outer edge of the body panels), and Tharaldson teaches that the body panels to provide an increase in interior volume under the body panels, they can extend outwardly. The shock absorbers for both Hedlund and Tharoldson extend inwardly from their lower connection point to the vehicle frame (Figure 1 of Tharoldson and Figure 15.1 of Hedlund show shock absorber angled and connecting interior to the vehicle) and the point where Tharoldson’s shock absorber meets the frame, the body panels are flared outwardly.
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Annotated Figure 1 of Hedlund
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Annotated Figure 15.1 of Hedlund
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Annotated Figure 15.2 of Hedlund
In regards to claim 4:
Hedlund teaches the angle is approximately 20° from vertical (Figure 15.2 above shows the angle is approximately 20° from vertical, wherein the angle crosses 25° and wherein approximate is defined as “close in value or amount but not precise” as defined by www.merriam-webster.com).
In regards to claim 5:
Hedlund teaches a front suspension width is measured between the vertically highest one of the at least one left suspension connection and the vertically highest one of the at least one right suspension connection; a body width of the snowmobile is measured between the lateral outermost edge of the left body panel and the lateral outer edge of the right body panel; and when the snowmobile is at rest and unloaded on the horizontal ground surface, the front suspension width is less than the body width (Shown above in annotated Figure 15.1).
In regards to claim 6:
Hedlund teaches when the snowmobile is at rest and unloaded on the horizontal ground surface, a ratio of the front suspension width over a width of the endless track is less than 2.5 (Shown below in annotated Figure 15.3, the endless track width starts from a left side and two widths are shown to be wider than the front suspension width).
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Annotated Figure 15.3 of Hedlund
In regards to claim 7:
Hedlund teaches the snowmobile is at rest and unloaded on the horizontal ground surface, the ratio of the front suspension width over the width of the endless track is approximately 2, wherein approximately is defined to be “come close or be similar to something in quality, nature, or quantity.” as defined by www.google.com with the search term “approximate definition”, wherein as shown above in annotated Figure 15.2 the width is about 1.9 which is close to or similar in quantity to 2.
In regards to claim 8:
Hedlund teaches each of the front left and front right suspension assemblies is movable between a full droop position and a full bump position; and throughout a range of motion between the full droop position and the full bump position, the at least one of (i) the vertically highest one of the plurality of left suspension connections, and (ii) the vertically highest one of the plurality of right suspension connections, remains disposed laterally inward of the lateral outer edge of the corresponding one of the left body panel and the right body panel (Shown in annotated Figure 15.4 below, the farthest the suspension connection can go laterally is still disposed laterally inward of an outermost edge of a body panel).
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Annotated Figure 15.4 of Hedlund
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hedlund in view of Lecointre et al (US 2019/0299882 hereinafter “Lecointre”).
In regards to claim 2:
Hedlund does not specify the front left suspension assembly further comprises a left upper ball joint defining at least in part the upper left suspension connection between the left ski leg and the left upper A-arm; and the front right suspension assembly further comprises a right upper ball joint defining at least in part the upper right suspension connection between the right ski leg and the right upper A-arm.
Lecointre teaches a front suspension assembly having ball joints where the suspension is connected on a left and right side.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the application to specify the suspension system of Hedlund to have ball joints as taught by Lecointre in order to operatively connect the respective ski legs, supporting arms and a steering column (Paragraph [0050]). Ball joints are known in the art to allow vertical movement and steering movement and using them in vehicles are obvious to allow the ski legs to turn as well as with the suspension to have the skis make contact with the ground during operation.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 1-4 of Remarks, filed 8/27/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 4-8 under 35 USC 102(a)(1) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of newly found prior art. Applicant has argued that the frame connection point is where the left and right shock absorbers connect to the frame. Newly found prior art has been applied to show a frame that has a wider body frame where the left and right shock absorbers connect to the frame. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Juto et al (US 4,008,777) teaches a wide front body panel. Berg (US 7,673,711) teaches a snowmobile with rear body panels that extend laterally (Shown in Figure 2) that provide a wide flat surface to allow for carrying cargo. Having wide body panels, wherein the body panels are wide at a height relative to a shock absorber connecting point is known in the art, and body panels in general are known to be altered for but not limited to: modifying interior volume space behind the body panel, aerodynamics, light fixture positioning, cargo, and protection for a driver’s legs. It is also known in the art for saddle vehicles to have saddle cargo boxes that extend outwardly that may have a outer edge that exceeds the normal width of the saddle vehicle. These cargo boxes are typically situated at a height that encompasses the height that a shock absorber meets a frame.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES JAY KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-7610. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Logan Kraft can be reached at (571) 270-5065. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAMES J KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 3747 /HUNG Q NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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