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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 6 and all subsequent dependent claims are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 6 recites the limitation " the electric component compartment of the left half ". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
(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 1-4,6-9, and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KUMAKURA US 20240001581.
Regarding claim 1, Kumakura discloses: A portable machining apparatus ([0045] “An electrically-powered trimmer 10”), comprising:
a housing (Fig. 4, housing 22) extending in a vertical direction, the housing including, on an upper surface, a battery mount (Fig. 4, battery mounting part 28a) to which a battery (Fig. 4, battery 58) is detachably attached in a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction;
an electric motor (Fig. 4, motor 34) installed in the housing, the electric motor including a motor shaft (Fig. 4, output shaft 34a) extending in the vertical direction;
a tip tool (Fig. 4, tool “T”) protruding downward from the housing, the tip tool being rotatable by the electric motor;
a controller (Fig. 4, controller 100) installed in the housing above the electric motor along the vertical direction, the controller being configured to control an operation of the electric motor ([0108] “The controller 100 is accommodated inside the upper case part 28 of the housing 22 and fixed to the upper case part 28. The controller 100 includes the control part 101 and an inverter 110. The connector 32, the motor 34, the microswitch 44, the encoder 48, and the tact switch 54 are electrically connected to the controller 100. The following configuration is achieved: according to an operation on the trigger 42 and the lock button 50, the control part 101 controls actuation of the motor 34. The following configuration is achieved: according to the rotation position of the speed setting dial 46, the control part 101 controls the rotational speed of the motor 34.”);
and a first electric component (Fig. 4, microswitch 44 or speed setting dial 46 or tact
switch 54) and a second electric component (Fig. 4, microswitch 44 or speed setting
dial 46 or tact switch 54) installed in an electric component compartment (Fig. 4,
upper case part 28) that is positioned between the controller and the electric motor along the vertical direction, the first electric component and the second electric component being aligned along a second direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the first direction (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 2, Kumakura further discloses: an internal support (Fig. 4, inner cylinder part 26) for positioning the first electric component.
Regarding claim 3, Kumakura further discloses: the first electric component includes a gearshift unit operable to change a rotational speed of the electric motor (Fig. 4, microswitch 44 or speed setting dial 46 or tact switch 54).
Regarding claim 4, Kumakura further discloses: the first electric component (Fig. 4, microswitch 44 or speed setting dial 46 or tact switch 54) includes a body (Fig. 4, trigger 42), and an operation part (Fig. 4, microswitch 44) movable relative to the body, and the body is located below the operation part.
Regarding claim 6, Kumakura discloses: A portable machining apparatus ([0045] “An electrically-powered trimmer 10”), comprising:
a housing (Fig. 4, housing 22) extending in a vertical direction, the housing including a right half and a left half (Fig. 4, [0052], “The first inner case 24A and the second inner case 24B are fastened and fixed with their respective openings butt against each other.”), the housing including, on an upper surface, a battery mount (Fig. 4, battery mounting part 28a) to which a battery (Fig. 4, battery 58) is detachably attached in a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and to a lateral direction along which the right half and the left half are aligned;
an electric motor (Fig. 4, motor 34) installed in the housing, the electric motor including a motor shaft (Fig. 4, output shaft 34a) extending in the vertical direction;
a tip tool (Fig. 4, tool “T”) protruding downward from the housing, the tip tool being rotatable by the electric motor;
a controller (Fig. 4, controller 100) installed in the housing above the electric motor along the vertical direction, the controller being configured to control an operation of the electric motor ([0108] “The controller 100 is accommodated inside the upper case part 28 of the housing 22 and fixed to the upper case part 28. The controller 100 includes the control part 101 and an inverter 110. The connector 32, the motor 34, the microswitch 44, the encoder 48, and the tact switch 54 are electrically connected to the controller 100. The following configuration is achieved: according to an operation on the trigger 42 and the lock button 50, the control part 101 controls actuation of the motor 34. The following configuration is achieved: according to the rotation position of the speed setting dial 46, the control part 101 controls the rotational speed of the motor 34.”);
a first electric component (Fig. 4, microswitch 44 or speed setting dial 46 or tact
switch 54) installed in an electric component compartment (Fig. 4,
upper case part 28) of the right half at a position between the controller and the electric motor along the vertical direction; and a second electric component (Fig. 4, microswitch 44 or speed setting
dial 46 or tact switch 54) installed in the electric component compartment of the left half at a position between the controller and the electric motor along the vertical direction.
Regarding claim 7, Kumakura further discloses: an internal support (Fig. 4, inner cylinder part 26) for positioning the first electric component.
Regarding claim 8, Kumakura further discloses: the first electric component includes a gearshift unit operable to change a rotational speed of the electric motor (Fig. 4, microswitch 44 or speed setting dial 46 or tact switch 54).
Regarding claim 9, Kumakura further discloses: the first electric component (Fig. 4, microswitch 44 or speed setting dial 46 or tact switch 54) includes a body (Fig. 4, trigger 42), and an operation part (Fig. 4, microswitch 44) movable relative to the body, and the body is located below the operation part.
Regarding claim 11, Kumakura further discloses: the housing is physically dividable into the right half and the left half Fig. 4, [0052], “The first inner case 24A and the second inner case 24B are fastened and fixed with their respective openings butt against each other.”).
Regarding claim 12, Kumakura further discloses: the right half and the left half are affixed together using at least a screw Fig. 4, [0052], “The first inner case 24A and the second inner case 24B are fastened and fixed with their respective openings butt against each other.”).
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.
Claims 5 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamukura.
Regarding claims 5 and 10, Kumakura discloses the device of claims 1 and 6.
Kamukura does not explicitly disclose: a capacitor disposed on a lower surface of the controller.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before filing to utilize a capacitor on the controller, since it is known in the art that circuit boards and control boards utilize capacitors, as they are a common part of modern control circuitry. It should be noted that when viewed in the drawings, the circuit board does appear to have unlabeled capacitors upon them.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Mondich, US 20220396000 utilizes a similar design including location of electronic devices and a split housing.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL JEREMY LEEDS whose telephone number is (571)272-2095. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs, 0730-1730.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anna Kinsaul can be reached at 571-270-1926. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL JEREMY LEEDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731
