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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/21/24 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-4,7-10, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al, WIPO Publication WO 2016011193 A1 in view of Kubota, Kubota Utility Vehicle RTV-ZXG850 (hereinafter “Kubota”).
In Reference to Claim 1:
Wang discloses a work vehicle (Figure 6) , comprising: a body with something to be lifted and lowered (See, Figure 6); a fluid cylinder (110) configured to operate the lifting and lowering; a pump (P supply not shown) configured to supply working fluid into the fluid cylinder; and a control valve unit (200) including: a control valve configured to control supply and discharge of working fluid into and from the fluid cylinder; a supply and discharge flow passage disposed between the control valve and the fluid cylinder and configured to let, flow through the supply and discharge flow passage, working fluid to be supplied into the fluid cylinder and working fluid discharged from the fluid cylinder; and a relief valve (310 or 410) disposed on the supply and discharge flow passage and switchable between (i) a block position, in which the relief valve blocks the supply and discharge flow passage, and (ii) a relief position, in which the relief valve permits working fluid to flow from a side of the fluid cylinder toward the control valve. See, Figure 1.
Wang fails to disclose a carrier box provided for the body and configured to be lifted and lowered.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, work machines, Kubota discloses a carrier box which is provided on the body of the work machine and is lifted and lowered. See, Page 42-45 which discuss raising and lowering of the carrier Box. See, Page 1 which shows the work machine containing a carrier box.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify Wang such that the actuator of the work machine is lifting and lowering a carrier box instead of lifting and lowering an alternative work tool such as bucket because it is a simple substitution of one known work tool for another providing the same predictable results of raising and lowering a work tool.
In Reference to Claim 2:
Wang further discloses wherein the supply and discharge flow passage includes: a supply flow passage portion configured to let, flow through the supply flow passage portion, working fluid to be supplied into the fluid cylinder; and a discharge flow passage portion configured to let, flow through the discharge flow passage portion, working fluid discharged from the fluid cylinder, and the relief valve is disposed on the discharge flow passage portion. See, Figure 1.
In Reference to Claim 3:
Wang further discloses a check valve (320 and 420) disposed on the supply flow passage portion and configured to permit working fluid to flow from a side of the control valve toward the fluid cylinder and prevent working fluid from the fluid cylinder from flowing toward the control valve. See, Figure 1.
In Reference to Claim 4:
Wang further discloses a pump port through which working fluid from the pump flows into the control valve unit (200); a discharge port through which working fluid is discharged from the control valve unit; and a cylinder port through which working fluid flows out of the control valve unit toward the fluid cylinder and through which working fluid flows from the side of the fluid cylinder into the control valve unit. See, Figure 1. Also shown in an alternative embodiment Figure 2 and 3 with a valve group.
In Reference to Claim 7:
Wang discloses A work vehicle (See, Figure 6), comprising: a body; a fluid cylinder (110) configured to operate the carrier box, the fluid cylinder including: a first working fluid chamber (116); and a second working fluid chamber (118); a pump (not shown but P supply) configured to supply working fluid into the fluid cylinder; and a control valve unit including: a control valve (200) configured to control supply and discharge of working fluid into and from the fluid cylinder; a first supply and discharge flow passage between the control valve and the first working fluid chamber; a second supply and discharge flow passage between the control valve and the second working fluid chamber; a first relief valve (310) disposed on the first supply and discharge flow passage and switchable between (i) a block position, in which the first relief valve blocks the first supply and discharge flow passage, and (ii) a relief position, in which the first relief valve permits working fluid to flow from a side of the first working fluid chamber toward the control valve; and a second relief valve (410) disposed on the second supply and discharge flow passage and switchable between (i) a block position, in which the second relief valve blocks the second supply and discharge flow passage, and (ii) a relief position, in which the second relief valve permits working fluid to flow from a side of the second working fluid chamber toward the control valve, the control valve being switchable between a first position, in which the control valve permits working fluid from the pump to be supplied into the first supply and discharge flow passage and working fluid from the second supply and discharge flow passage to be discharged, a second position, in which the control valve permits working fluid from the pump to be supplied into the second supply and discharge flow passage and working fluid from the first supply and discharge flow passage to be discharged, and a third position, in which the control valve blocks the first and second supply and discharge flow passages. See, Figure 1 or for a slightly different embodiment Figure 2 and 3.
Wang fails to disclose a carrier box provided for the body and configured to be lifted and lowered.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, work machines, Kubota discloses a carrier box which is provided on the body of the work machine and is lifted and lowered. See, Page 42-45 which discuss raising and lowering of the carrier Box. See, Page 1 which shows the work machine containing a carrier box.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify Wang such that the actuator of the work machine is lifting and lowering a carrier box instead of lifting and lowering an alternative work tool such as bucket because it is a simple substitution of one known work tool for another providing the same predictable results of raising and lowering a work tool.
In Reference to Claim 8:
Wang further discloses wherein the first supply and discharge flow passage includes:a first supply flow passage portion configured to let, flow through the first supply flow passage portion, working fluid to be supplied into the first working fluid chamber; and a first discharge flow passage portion configured to let, flow through the first discharge flow passage portion, working fluid discharged from the first working fluid chamber, the first relief valve is disposed on the first discharge flow passage portion, the second supply and discharge flow passage includes: a second supply flow passage portion configured to let, flow through the second supply flow passage portion, working fluid to be supplied into the second working fluid chamber; and a second discharge flow passage portion configured to let, flow through the second discharge flow passage portion, working fluid discharged from the second working fluid chamber, and the second relief valve is disposed on the second discharge flow passage portion. See, Figure 1 or equivalent configuration in Figure 2 and 3 showing that the valve can be composed of 2.
In Reference to Claim 9:
Wang further discloses further comprising: a first check valve (320) disposed on the first supply flow passage portion and configured to permit working fluid to flow from a side of the control valve toward the first working fluid chamber and prevent working fluid from the side of the first working fluid chamber from flowing toward the control valve; and a second check valve (420) disposed on the second supply flow passage portion and configured to permit working fluid to flow from the side of the control valve toward the second working fluid chamber and prevent working fluid from the side of the second working fluid chamber from flowing toward the control valve.
In Refrence to Claim 10:
Wang further discloses wherein the control valve unit includes:a pump port through which working fluid from the pump flows into the control valve unit; a discharge port through which working fluid is discharged from thecontrol valve unit;a first cylinder port through which working fluid flows out of the control valve unit toward the first working fluid chamber and through which working fluid flows from the side of the first working fluid chamber into the control valve unit; and a second cylinder port through which working fluid flows out of the control valve unit toward the second working fluid chamber and through which working fluid flows from the side of the second working fluid chamber into the control valve unit. See, Figure 1.
Claims 5 and 6 and 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al, WIPO Publication WO 2016011193 A1 in view of Kubota, Kubota Utility Vehicle RTV-ZXG850 (hereinafter “Kubota”) as recited in claim 1 and 7 respectively, in further view of Marlott et al., U.S. Patent 3,795,255 (hereinafter “Marlott”).
In Reference to Claim 5 and 11:
Wang as modified discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and 7 respectively, but fails to disclose an adjuster disposed on an outer wall of the control valve unit and configured to adjust a relief pressure of the relief valve and an adjuster disposed on the outer wall of the control valve unit and configured to adjust a relief pressure of the second relief valve.
However, in the same field of endeavor, hydraulic circuits with relief valves, Marlott discloses an adjuster (30) disposed on the outer wall (10) of the valve and configured to adjust the pressure relief valve (20).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to further modify Wang to include the teachings of Marlott, specifically to modify the pressure relief valve of Wang to include an adjuster to alow for adjustment of the relief valve bias (as taught by Marlott) because such a modification would allow for the operator to adjust the spring bias of the relief valve over time which to maintain a consistent actuation would be required due to wear and debris of the hydraulic system over time.
In Reference to Claim 6 and 12:
Upon review of the specification for criticality or a specific technical feature and absence of such criticality listed for said claim language recited in claim 6 and 12. Examiner notes it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to further modify Wangs such that a transmission case at a back portion of the body, the control valve unit is fixed to a lateral portion of the transmission case in such a manner that the adjusters face backward relative to the body because such a modification is merely a design choice.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. WO2023/016840 and CN117028342 discloses the hydraulic circuit as claimed in claim 1 and would be obvious to modify with the carrier box as recited in the claim.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL S. COLLINS whose telephone number is (313)446-6535. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8:00-5:30.
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, Nathaniel Wiehe can be reached at (571) 272-4648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DANIEL S COLLINS/ Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/NATHANIEL E WIEHE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745