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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of species I in the reply filed on 2/16/26 is acknowledged. The requirement is withdrawn and all claims are examined.
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 1-9, 11, 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Knigge (US 5377482 A) in view of Martin (DE 102014014131 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Knigge discloses an agricultural implement comprising:
a chassis (54);
a rotor (20) mounted on the chassis that is rotatable about an upright axis and comprises one or more working tools (14);
a hydraulic lifting device (40) for lifting the chassis between a work position and a transport position, where the hydraulic lifting device is arranged underneath the rotor and connected to a hydraulic line (32, 34) that is run from top to bottom through the rotor.
Knigge does not disclose an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a height of the rotor for the work position, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises: a tubular actuating element surrounding the hydraulic line or forming sections thereof with at least one axial adjustment thread mutually supporting the rotor and the chassis; and an operating device arranged above the rotor for turning the tubular actuating element axially.
In the same field of endeavor, Martin discloses an adjustment mechanism (14) for adjusting a height of a rotor for a work position, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises:
a tubular actuating element (17) with at least one axial adjustment thread (fig. 3) mutually supporting the rotor and a chassis; and
an operating device (21) arranged above the rotor for turning the tubular actuating element axially.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided Knigge with an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a height of the rotor for the work position, as disclosed by Martin, to allow for continuous raking operations in varying crop conditions.
Regarding claim 2, Knigge, of the resultant combination, discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic line (32, 34) is formed for mutual axial support of the rotor and the chassis.
Regarding claim 3, Martin, of the resultant combination, discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 1, wherein the tubular actuating element includes a threaded bushing (18) surrounding the hydraulic line with an internal thread that interacts with an external thread (fig. 3) formed at the hydraulic line.
Regarding claim 4, Martin, of the resultant combination, discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 3, wherein the threaded bushing further comprises an external thread (20) in an opposite direction that interacts with an internal thread, and wherein the internal thread is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner at a rotor axis or a housing that is formed for mounting the rotor (see fig. 2-3).
Regarding claim 5, Martin, of the resultant combination, discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 3, wherein the threaded bushing is mounted on an outer side so as to be rotatable at a fixed height on a rotor axis or a housing that is formed for mounting the rotor (fig. 2-3, paragraphs 0039-40).
Regarding claim 6, Knigge, of the resultant combination, discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic line (32, 34) is arranged so as to not co-rotate with said tubular actuating element.
Regarding claim 7, the resultant combination discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 1, wherein the tubular actuating element (Marin: 17) is configured in the form of a hollow spindle as a component of the hydraulic line (Knigge: 32, 34), and wherein the hydraulic line comprises a first hydraulic rotary feedthrough at a first end and a second hydraulic rotary feedthrough at a second end (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 8, Martin, of the resultant combination, discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 1, wherein the operating device comprises a bevel gear or worm gear connected to the tubular actuating element (paragraph 0042).
Regarding claim 9, Martin, of the resultant combination, discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 1, wherein the operating device comprises an electric drive motor (22).
Regarding claim 11, Martin, of the resultant combination, discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism (14) is configured under a dead load of the rotor acting in the work position (fig. 2).
Regarding claim 13, Knigge, of the resultant combination, discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 1, wherein the chassis comprises a rocker (51) with one or more wheels (53) mounted thereon, and wherein the hydraulic lifting device comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder (40) for pivoting the rocker.
Regarding claim 14, Knigge, of the resultant combination, discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 1, wherein the agricultural implement is a trailed gyro rake (col. 1 lines 18-26).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Knigge (US 5377482 A) in view of Martin (DE 102014014131 A1), and further in view of Hauser (US 3546867 A).
Regarding claim 10, the resultant combination discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 1.
The combination does not disclose wherein the operating device comprises a hand wheel affixed coaxially to the tubular actuating element.
In the same field of endeavor Hauser discloses a hand crank (37) for adjusting the height of a rake.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the combination with a crank handle to adjust the height of the rake in the working position to eliminate the need for a remotely controlled actuating motor.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Knigge (US 5377482 A) in view of Martin (DE 102014014131 A1), and further in view of Frick (EP 3281513 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Knigge, of the resultant combination, discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 1, wherein the chassis comprises one or more rear wheels (53).
The combination does not disclose wherein the chassis comprises one or more front wheels, and wherein in the transport position the one or more front wheels are raised.
In the same field of endeavor, Frick discloses a rake having front and rear wheels (29), and wherein in the transport position the one or more front wheels are raised (see fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the combination with front wheels, as disclosed by Frick, as a way of better supporting the rake over the ground in the working position.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Knigge (US 5377482 A) in view of Martin (DE 102014014131 A1), and further in view of Speich (US 9615498 B2).
Regarding claim 15, the resultant combination discloses the agricultural implement according to claim 14.
The combination does not disclose wherein the trailed gyro rake comprises a front rotor and a rear rotor, and wherein the chassis and the adjustment mechanism are associated separately with the rear rotor.
In the same field of endeavor Speich discloses a trailed rake having a front rotor ()11 and a rear rotor (12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the resultant combination with both front and rear rotors, as disclosed by Speich, so that a larger amount of crop may be raked at one time.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 6272826 B1 discloses a trailed rake actuated by a hydraulic cylinder.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MADELINE RUNCO whose telephone number is (469)295-9123. The examiner can normally be reached 8-4:30 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Rocca can be reached at 5712728971. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MADELINE I RUNCO/ Examiner, Art Unit 3671
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