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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the post or mounting location 2414, as recited in paragraph [00150], line 2 of the specification must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 12, 18, and 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hendrickson et al. (US 20150319929 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Hendrickson discloses a crop harvesting header (106) for use with an agricultural vehicle (100), comprising:
a header frame (12);
a first frame (16, one side) coupled to the header frame (12) at a first location;
a second frame (16 the other side) coupled to the header frame (12) at a second location, the second location being spaced from the first location (Hendrickson fig. 2 shows that elements 16 are spaced apart from one another);
a first sensing unit (54 to include arm 60 and other interconnecting elements) coupled to the first frame (16);
a second sensing unit (54 on the other side to include arm 60 and other interconnecting elements) coupled to the second frame (16);
an adjustment body (48) coupled to the first frame or the header frame (12); and
a first contact member and a second contact member (bolts 44) movably coupled (via along slot 46) to the adjustment body (48), the first contact member and the second contact member selectively engageable (Hendrickson ¶ [0032], lines 4-5) with the first frame (16);
wherein, a movement of the first contact member or second contact member (bolts 44) is configured to move the first sensing unit relative to the second sensing unit (Movement of the bolts 44 along slots 46 adjusts pressure on spring 32 and therefore affects movement of frame members 16. Movement of frame members 16 moves the sensor elements 60 in relationship to one another).
Regarding claim 15, Hendrickson discloses a movement of the first contact member and the second contact member (bolts 44) in a first direction causes translation of the first sensing unit (arm element 60) in a first direction; a movement of the first contact member and the second contact member in a second direction causes translation of the first sensing unit in a second direction, the first direction being opposite the second direction (Movement of bolts along the slots 46 are in opposite directions from one another placing more or less pressure on frame 16. This would result in adjustment in opposite directions of the sensing arm elements 60 with applied pressure).
Regarding claim 18, Hendrickson discloses the crop harvesting header of claim 12, further comprising:
a second adjustment body (48 on the opposite side) coupled to the second frame (16) or the header frame (12); and
a third contact member and a fourth contact member (bolts 44) movably coupled to the second adjustment body (48b), the third contact member and the fourth contact member selectively engageable (Hendrickson ¶ [0032], lines 4-5) with the second frame (16);
wherein, a movement of the third contact member or fourth contact member (bolts 44 on the opposite side) is configured to move the second sensing unit relative to the first sensing unit (The invention is understood to be mirrored on both sides. Movement of the bolts 44 along slots 46 adjusts pressure on spring 32 and therefore affects movement of frame members 16. Movement of frame members 16 moves the sensor elements 60 in relationship to one another).
Regarding claim 19, Hendrickson discloses a crop harvesting header (106) for use with an agricultural vehicle (100), comprising:
a header frame (12);
a first frame (16) coupled to the header frame (12);
an adjustment body (48) coupled to the header frame (12);
a first contact member and a second contact member (bolts 44) movably coupled to the adjustment body (48a via slots 46), the first contact member and the second contact member selectively engageable (Hendrickson ¶ [0032], lines 4-5) with the first frame (16);
wherein, a movement of the first contact member or the second contact member (bolts 44 ) is configured to move the first frame (16) relative to the header frame (Movement of the bolts 44 along slots 46 adjusts pressure on spring 32 and therefore affects movement of frame members 16 in relationship to the frame 12).
Regarding claim 20, Hendrickson discloses the crop harvesting header of claim 19, further comprising a first sensing unit (54) coupled to the first frame (16).
Regarding claim 21, Hendrickson discloses the crop harvesting header of claim 19, wherein:
a movement of the first contact member and the second contact member (bolts 44) in a first direction causes translation (via 38) of the first frame (16) in a first direction (left);
a movement of the first contact member and the second contact member (bolts 44) in a second direction (right) causes translation (via 38) of the first frame (16) in a second direction (right), the first direction (left) being opposite the second direction (right).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1-11 allowed.
Claims 13-14, 16-17, and 20-21 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening 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 JOSE ANTONIO MARTINEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-5896. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5.
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, 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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JOSE ANTONIO. MARTINEZ
Examiner
Art Unit 3671
/ADAM J BEHRENS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3671