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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s 9-16-2025 Amendment was received. Applicant amended the title of the application which obviated the prior objection. Claim 16 was amended. Claims 16-21 are pending and examined in this action.
Claim Objections
Claim 21 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the first drive face” and “the second drive face” should be “a first drive face” and “a second drive face.” Appropriate correction is required.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 3,379,080 to Massa.
In re Claim 16, Massa teaches a blade assembly for a strand cutter (see Figs.1-4, #10), comprising:
a rotating shear blade assembly that comprises a drive gear engagement (see Figs. 1-4, the assembly of #124/70/72/74);
a rotatable blade mount (see Figs. 1-4, structure of #72 that receives #78);
a shear blade (see Figs. 1-4, #78);
wherein the rotating shear blade assembly comprises the gear drive engagement (see Figs. 1-4, gears on #124 that receive corresponding gear structures of #122) and the blade mount (the blade is mounted in #74 of the assembly of #124/70/72/74);
where in the drive gear engagement comprises a plurality of gear teeth arranged in a circular pattern around a central axis (see Figs. 1-4, #124 has gear teeth for receiving the gears of #122 and the gears are in a circular pattern around a central axis);
wherein the drive gear engagement is configured to engage a drive assembly so as to allow transmission of torque from the drive assembly to the rotatable blade mount (see Col. 5, ll. 6-45 and Figs. 1-4, #30/122), and further wherein the rotatable blade mount comprises a blade receptacle that is configured to receive the shear blade (see Figs. 1-4, #78 in #70/74).
In re Claim 17, Massa teaches wherein the shear blade includes a first drive face and a second drive face (see Fig. 2, blade #36 has a “left-side” face and a “right-side” face).
In re Claim 18, Massa teaches wherein the first drive face and second drive face are planar and parallel (see Fig. 2 the two faces of blade #36 are parallel).
In re Claim 19, Massa teaches wherein the rotatable blade mount further includes a strand slot portion and wherein the shear blade cooperates with the strand slot portion to define a cutting strand slot (see Fig. 2, the strand slot portion is the aperture in which the workpiece is located, wherein the shear blade cooperates with the strand slot portion to define a cutting strand slot a the blade location).
Claim(s) 16-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 464,976 to Lindfors.
In re Claim 16, Lindfors teaches a blade assembly for a strand cutter (see Figs.1-2), comprising:
a rotating shear blade assembly that comprises a drive gear engagement (see annotated Fig. 2, below, as well as the gear drive structure illustrated in Figs. 1-2;
a rotatable blade mount (see annotated Fig. 2, below,);
a shear blade (see annotated Fig. 2, below,);
wherein the rotating shear blade assembly comprises the gear drive engagement (see annotated Fig. 2, below);
where in the drive gear engagement comprises a plurality of gear teeth arranged in a circular pattern around a central axis (see Figs. 1-2, worm gear teeth around “B”);
wherein the drive gear engagement is configured to engage a drive assembly so as to allow transmission of torque from the drive assembly to the rotatable blade mount (see Pg. 1, ll. 52-60), and further wherein the rotatable blade mount comprises a blade receptacle that is configured to receive the shear blade (see Figs. 1-2, showing a blade aperture that receives the shear blade).
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In re Claim 17, Lindfors teaches wherein the shear blade includes a first drive face and a second drive face (see annotated Fig. 2, above).
In re Claim 18, Lindfors teaches wherein the first drive face and second drive face are planar and parallel (see annotated Fig. 2, above).
In re Claim 19, Lindfors teaches wherein the rotatable blade mount further includes a strand slot portion (a strand slot was interpreted as the aperture in which the workpiece was inserted) and wherein the shear blade cooperates with the strand slot portion to define a cutting strand slot (the rotating blade of Lindfors cooperates with the strand slot to define the cutting slot, in Lindfors).
In re Claim 20, Lindfors teaches further comprising: a fixed blade, wherein the fixed blade includes a fixed strand slot (see annotated Fig. 2, above).
In re Claim 21, Lindfors teaches wherein the rotatable blade mount comprises: an inner shaft having an outer circumference (see annotated Fig. 2, above), of a fixed blade including a fixed strand slot (see annotated Fig. 2, above, showing a fixed blade with an aperture), and the first drive face and the second drive face extends between a bottom of the fixed strand slot and the outer circumference of the inner shaft (see arrow in annotated Fig. 2, above).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 16-21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
In re Claim 16-19, as illustrated above, US 3,379,080 to Massa continues to read on these claims.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 JONATHAN RILEY whose telephone number is (571)270-7786. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/JONATHAN G RILEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724
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