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 .
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) 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (CN 111713252).
The Zhang et al. reference discloses a utility vehicle (see Figure 1 and 2) that is relatively compact comprising a chassis with a prime mover 12 and ground engaging members 14; a lift assembly 33 including a frame (see Figure 2), a linkage assembly (proximate reference numeral 331 in Figure 2) and a first actuator 332 arranged such that the frame is movable between a lowered position (see Figure 1) and a raised position (see Figure 2); and a hopper 32 pivotably movable between a dump position and a storage position via a second actuator 3334, as claimed.
In regard to claims 19 and 20, clearly see pivot axis (unnumbered) and front edge of the hopper (unnumbered) in Figure 2.
Conclusion
Claims 1-17 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the prior art of record, with the applied Zhang et al. reference being the closest prior art device, alone or in combination, teach Applicant’s invention of a compact utility vehicle with a chassis, lift assembly and hopper inclusive of details regarding a scissors linkage assembly supported by the chassis via a track and a fixed first pivot joint or a spring-biased roller and track arrangement, as claimed. To modify the closest prior art device to have such limitations would involve teachings gleaned only from the instant application for patent.
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/STEVEN O DOUGLAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612
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