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 .
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the Applicant’s claims, filed on 12/12/2024.
Claims 1-4 are currently pending and have been examined.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Japan on 03/15/2024. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the JP2024-041171 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Deckard et al. (US8,800,706).
Claim 1. Deckard discloses: A work vehicle (100 vehicle, Fig. 1), comprising:
a driver seat (192 operator position on 176 seating, Fig. 4);
a passenger seat adjacent to the driver seat (174 area includes seating 176 for one or more passengers, Fig. 1);
an operation pedal which is forward and downward of the driver seat and which is configured to control a traveling speed of the work vehicle in response to the operation pedal being stepped on by a driver sitting on the driver seat (204 first foot pedal actuatable by the vehicle operator to control the acceleration and speed of 100, Fig. 5);
a footrest section which is forward and downward of the passenger seat and which is used for a passenger sitting on the passenger seat to put a foot on (360 floor panel and/or 398 front panel forward and downward of 176 seating; Fig. 9); and
a partition section which is between the operation pedal and the footrest section and which separates a region for the operation pedal from the footrest section (structure of 394 guard and surrounding floor panel features separates 204 from 360 and 398, Fig. 7, 9), the partition section having a rear portion comprising a rear inclined surface portion configured such that a further forward portion of the rear inclined surface portion is closer to the footrest section in a plan view (rear portion of the structure of 394 guard and surrounding floor panel features comprises a rear inclined surface (identified as 396) where the forward portion of the incline is closer to 398, Fig. 7).
Claim 2. Deckard discloses: The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: the rear inclined surface portion is in a shape increasing in width in a right-left direction toward a lower side in a back view (lower rear end of the structure of 394 guard and surrounding floor panel features increases in width at the rear as compared to the front end of the structure, Fig. 9).
For further clarification of the mapping, Fig. 9 is show below:
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Claim 3. Deckard discloses: The work vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: the partition section comprises a lateral surface portion facing the operation pedal which lateral surface portion comprises a lateral inclined surface portion configured such that a further downward portion of the lateral inclined surface portion is closer to the operation pedal in the back view (surfaces of the structure of 394 guard and surrounding floor panel features include a lateral surface (blue and green), comprising of a lateral inclined surface (green) facing 204, see clarification of mapping below of Fig. 9), and
the rear inclined surface portion is connected to the lateral inclined surface portion in such a manner as to be in a shape increasing in width in the right-left direction toward the lower side to be directed toward the operation pedal in the back view (surfaces are coupled to 396 and increases in width from front to back, Fig. 9).
For further clarification of the mapping, Fig. 9 is show below:
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Claim 4. Deckard discloses: The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: the partition section comprises an upper end portion at a position higher than the operation pedal (front upper end of structure of 394 guard is implicitly higher as it prevents the passenger foot from entering operation position and inadvertently depressing 204; Fig. 8-9; Col. 4, lines 26-33).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daniel Craig whose telephone number is (571)270-0747. The examiner can normally be reached M-Thurs 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tara Schimpf can be reached at (571)270-7741. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL T CRAIG/Examiner, Art Unit 3676
/TARA SCHIMPF/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3676
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