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.
Claims 1-2, 4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bojko (SU 1516043 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Bojko discloses an agricultural attachment comprising:
a cutter bar [10];
a hydraulic motor [3] configured to oscillatingly drive the cutter bar [H] via an eccentric gear [9];
a hydraulic circuit (As seen in Fig. 2) loaded with a hydrostatic liquid by a hydraulic pump [1], wherein the hydraulic motor [3] is configured to connect via a feed line and a return line to the hydraulic circuit (The feed line is seen entering the hydraulic motor [3]. The return line is seen at the output port of the hydraulic motor [3]);
a switchover valve [24] integrated in the hydraulic circuit and configured to switch pressure-dependently (Page 4 line 154- page 5 line 159 disclose the switchover valve [24] is actuated based on the set pressure of throttle [23]), wherein the switchover valve [5] comprises a first switch position and a second switch position and is configured to be adjusted back and forth between the first switch position and the second switch position (Page 3 lines 84-89 discloses the switchover valve [24] controls the angle of the output shaft in one direction or another. The one rotational direction would be considered the first switch position and the other rotational direction would be considered the second switch position.);
wherein the hydraulic motor [3] is driven in the first switch position in a first rotational direction and is driven in the second switch position in a second rotational direction, wherein the second rotational direction is opposite to the first rotational direction (A second rotational direction will naturally be opposite to a first rotational direction.).
Regarding claim 2, Bojko discloses the agricultural attachment according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure limiting valve [6] arranged in the feed line of the hydraulic circuit upstream of the switchover valve [24] in a flow direction of the hydraulic liquid, wherein the pressure limiting valve [6] comprises a relief opening (The output port of the pressure limiting valve [6]), wherein the relief opening is pressure-connected to an actuation device (as would be necessary to actuate the switchover valve [24]) configured to switch the switchover valve [24] (Page 4 line 154-page 5 166 discloses the pressure limiting valve seen upstream of the switchover valve [24] opens or closes depending accumulator’s [8] to relieve hydraulic fluid pressure and closes to actuate the switchover valve [24].).
Regarding claim 4, Bojko discloses the agricultural attachment according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor [20, 21] arranged in the feed line of the hydraulic circuit upstream of the switchover valve [24] in a flow direction of the hydraulic liquid (It is seen in Bojko’s figure that the pressure sensor [20, 21] is upstream of the switchover valve), wherein the pressure sensor is connected to an actuation device [7] configured to switch the switchover valve [24] and configured to transmit a control signal to the actuation device [7] when a preselected threshold value is surpassed (Page 4 line 154- page 5 line 166 disclose when the threshold on the throttle [23] is reached, a hydraulic cylinder closes spool/actuation device [7], and actuates the switchover valve [24]).
Regarding claim 6, Bojko discloses the agricultural attachment according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic motor [3] is configured to be switched on and off by a hydraulic multi-way valve (The switchover valve [24] which allows fluid to flow to the hydraulic motor necessary to switch it on is a 4 way valve).
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 3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bojko (SU 1516043 A1) in view of Staedtler (EP 0478940 B1).
Regarding claim 3, Bojko discloses the agricultural attachment according to claim 2,
wherein the agricultural attachment further comprises an interface (Where the header carrying the cutter bar [10] attaches to the agricultural vehicle.).
However, Bojko does not disclose wherein the hydraulic motor, the switchover valve, the pressure limiting valve, and a first part of the hydraulic circuit are arranged at the agricultural attachment,
wherein the interface is configured to connect the first part of the hydraulic circuit to a second part of the hydraulic circuit located in a combine harvester to which the agricultural attachment is attachable.
Staedtler discloses an agricultural machine comprising
an agricultural attachment [6] comprising different components of a first hydraulic circuit including a hydraulic motor [22] for powering the agricultural attachment [6];
attached to an agricultural vehicle [7] comprising a second part of the hydraulic circuit (Fig. 5 shows hydraulic lines [28] entering the agricultural vehicle [7], the second part of the hydraulic circuit existing on the agricultural vehicle [7]) via an interface (Where the agricultural attachment [6] attaches to the agricultural vehicle [7]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Staedtler’s teaching of having the hydraulic motor and hydraulic components supporting the agricultural attachment on the agricultural attachment itself onto the agricultural attachment to Bojko’s agricultural attachment in order to improve efficiency.
Regarding claim 5, Bojko discloses the agricultural attachment according to claim 4,
wherein the agricultural attachment further comprises an interface (Where the header carrying the cutter bar [10] attaches to the agricultural vehicle.).
However, Bojko does not disclose wherein the hydraulic motor, the switchover valve, the pressure sensor, and a first part of the hydraulic circuit are arranged at the agricultural attachment, wherein the interface is configured to connect the first part of the hydraulic circuit to a second part of the hydraulic circuit located in a combine harvester to which the agricultural attachment is attachable.
Staedtler discloses an agricultural machine comprising
an agricultural attachment [6] comprising different components of a first hydraulic circuit including a hydraulic motor [22] for powering the agricultural attachment [6];
attached to an agricultural vehicle [7] comprising a second part of the hydraulic circuit (Fig. 5 shows hydraulic lines [28] entering the agricultural vehicle [7], the second part of the hydraulic circuit existing on the agricultural vehicle [7]) via an interface (Where the agricultural attachment [6] attaches to the agricultural vehicle [7]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Staedtler’s teaching of having the hydraulic motor and hydraulic components supporting the agricultural attachment on the agricultural attachment itself onto the agricultural attachment to Bojko’s agricultural attachment in order to improve efficiency.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Deevy (US 2019/0090422 A1) discloses an actively synchronized dual reciprocating knife cutter bar. Adams (EP 0086332 A1) discloses a fluid-pressure circuit, especially for a cutter bar. Sudhues (US 2023/0092116 A1) discloses an agricultural attachment with a hydraulic motor and switchover valve.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ASHLEY A KAERCHER whose telephone number is (571)270-0128. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th (7-11 AM).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Rocca can be reached at 571-272-8971. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ASHLEY A KAERCHER/ Examiner, Art Unit 3671 2/25/2025
/JOSEPH M ROCCA/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3671