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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on October 30, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li (USPGPub 2022/0074156).
Regarding claim 1: Li discloses a snow blower (as seen in figure 1, generally 100) comprising:
a frame (as seen in figure 1, area of 46) defining a snow flow path;
a rotatable auger (as seen in figure 1, at 44) mounted to the frame;
one or more walking elements (as seen in figures 1 and 2, at 32) mounted to the frame apart from the rotatable auger to support the snow blower (as seen in figures 1 and 2);
a chute (as seen in figure 1, area of 47) extending from the frame above the rotatable auger; and
a heatsink (as seen in annotated figure 7 below) comprising a cold-side face disposed along the snow flow path in fluid communication therewith (page 4, paragraph [0040]) and a hot-side face disposed apart from the snow flow path.
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Regarding claims 2-5: Li discloses the snow blower of claim 1. Further, Li discloses wherein the heatsink is disposed above at least a portion of the rotatable auger (as seen in figure 2, as defined by shaft 41 which extends from the “cold side”), wherein the cold-side face is disposed downstream from the rotatable auger (as seen in figure 2) and wherein the cold-side face is disposed upstream and below from the chute (as seen in figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 6: Li discloses the snow blower of claim 1. Further, Li discloses wherein the frame comprises a top wall supporting the chute (as seen in figure 1) and an auger housing within which the rotatable auger is mounted, wherein the heatsink is mounted on the auger housing (as seen in figure 1, at 13, 46, 45).
Regarding claim 7: Li discloses the snow blower of claim 6. Further, Li discloses wherein the auger housing comprises a plurality of sidewalls below the top wall (as seen in figures 1 and 2), wherein the heatsink is mounted on one sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls (as seen in figure 2, via 15).
Regarding claims 8 and 9: Li discloses the snow blower of claim 1. Further Li discloses a heat-generating component (as seen in figure 2, motor 11) in conductive thermal communication with the heatsink at the hot-side face and wherein the heat-generating component is mounted within an electronics compartment outside of and in fluid isolation from the snow flow path (as seen in figure 2).
Regarding claim 10: Li discloses the snow blower of claim 9. Further Li discloses an internal board casing (as seen in figures 1 and 2, area of 13) enclosing the heat-generating component within a compartment defined by the auger housing (as seen in figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 11: Li discloses a snow blower (as seen in figure 1, generally 100) comprising:
a frame (as seen in figure 1, area of 46) defining a snow flow path;
a rotatable auger (as seen in figure 1, at 44) mounted to the frame;
one or more walking elements (as seen in figures 1 and 2, at 32) mounted to the frame apart from the rotatable auger to support the snow blower (as seen in figures 1 and 2);
a chute (as seen in figure 1, area of 47) extending from the frame above the rotatable auger;
a control board (as seen in figure 6, at 12) attached to the frame apart from the snow flow path;
and a heatsink comprising a cold-side face and a hot-side face, the cold-side face being disposed along the snow flow path in fluid communication therewith rearward from the rotatable auger (as seen in annotated figure 7 below), the hot-side face being disposed apart from the snow flow path in thermal communication (as seen in figure 6, via connectors between members 11 and 12) with the control board to draw heat therefrom.
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Regarding claims 12-15: Li discloses the snow blower of claim 11. Further, Li discloses wherein the heatsink is disposed above at least a portion of the rotatable auger (as seen in figure 2, as defined by shaft 41 which extends from the “cold side”), wherein the cold-side face is disposed downstream from the rotatable auger (as seen in figure 2) and wherein the cold-side face is disposed upstream and below from the chute (as seen in figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 16: Li discloses the snow blower of claim 11. Further, Li discloses wherein the frame comprises a top wall supporting the chute (as seen in figure 1) and an auger housing within which the rotatable auger is mounted, wherein the heatsink is mounted on the auger housing (as seen in figure 1, at 13, 46, 45).
Regarding claims 17 and 20: Li discloses the snow blower of claim 16. Further, Li discloses wherein the auger housing comprises a plurality of sidewalls below the top wall (as seen in figures 1 and 2), wherein the heatsink is mounted on one sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls on its exterior panel (as seen in figure 2, via 15).
Regarding claims 18 and 19: Li discloses the snow blower of claim 11. Further Li discloses wherein the control board is mounted within an electronics compartment/internal control board casing (as seen in figures 1 and 2, area of 13) outside of and in fluid isolation from the snow flow path and defined by the auger housing (as seen in figures 1 and 2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Luli et al. (USPGPub 2024/0110349) discloses a state of the art snow blower employing controllers mounted in various locations.
Qian et al. (USPGPub 2023/0193575) discloses snow blowers employing controllers in concert with heatsinks.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT ERIC PEZZUTO whose telephone number is (703)756-1320. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7am-3:30pm.
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/ROBERT E PEZZUTO/Examiner, Art Unit 3671
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