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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 4, 8, 11, 12, 15 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ma et al. (US 2023/0235528).
As concerns claim 1, Ma shows a circle assembly (Fig. 1) for an implement of a motor grader, the circle assembly comprising: a base plate (1 & 12-16) defining a first slot (152) and a second slot (162) disposed adjacent to the first slot (Fig. 3); a circle (4) fixedly coupled with the base plate (Fig. 1); a first mounting bracket (151) fixedly coupled to the base plate (15) and the circle (4), wherein the first mounting bracket defines a third slot (153); a first plate member (right portion of boss 41 in Fig. 5) fixedly coupled with the base plate (15) and the first mounting bracket (151); a second mounting bracket (161) disposed adjacent to the first mounting bracket (Fig. 3), the second mounting bracket being fixedly coupled to the base plate (16) and the circle (4), wherein the second mounting bracket defines a fourth slot (163); and a second plate member (left portion of boss 41 in Fig. 5) fixedly coupled with the base plate (16) and the second mounting bracket (161).
As concerns claim 4, Ma shows a first side bracket (2) fixedly coupled to the base plate at a first end of the base plate (Fig. 1) and a second side bracket (3) fixedly coupled to the base plate at a second end of the base plate (Fig. 1), wherein the first end and the second end are diametrically opposite of each other (Fig. 1), and wherein the first plate member is fixedly coupled to the first side bracket and the second plate member is fixedly coupled to the second side bracket (Fig. 1).
As concerns claim 8, Ma shows an implement assembly (Fig. 10-13) for a motor grader, the implement assembly comprising: a circle assembly (Fig. 1) including: a base plate (1 & 12-16) defining a first slot (152) and a second slot (162) disposed adjacent to the first slot (Fig. 3); a circle (4) fixedly coupled with the base plate (Fig. 1); a first mounting bracket (151) fixedly coupled to the base plate (15) and the circle (4), wherein the first mounting bracket defines a third slot (153); a first plate member (right portion of boss 41 in Fig. 5) fixedly coupled with the base plate (15) and the first mounting bracket (151); a second mounting bracket (161) disposed adjacent to the first mounting bracket (Fig. 3), the second mounting bracket being fixedly coupled to the base plate (16) and the circle (4), wherein the second mounting bracket defines a fourth slot (163); and a second plate member (left portion of boss 41 in Fig. 5) fixedly coupled with the base plate (16) and the second mounting bracket (161); a blade (6) removably coupled with the circle assembly (Fig. 10-13); and a blade pitch cylinder (7) coupled, at a first end, with the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket and coupled, at a second end, with the blade (Fig. 10-12).
As concerns claim 11, Ma shows wherein the circle assembly further includes a first side bracket (2) fixedly coupled to the base plate at a first end of the base plate (Fig. 1) and a second side bracket (3) fixedly coupled to the base plate at a second end of the base plate (Fig. 1), wherein the first end and the second end are diametrically opposite of each other (Fig. 1), and wherein the first plate member is fixedly coupled to the first side bracket and the second plate member is fixedly coupled to the second side bracket (Fig. 1).
As concerns claim 12, Ma shows wherein the circle assembly further includes a first side bracket (2) fixedly coupled to the base plate at a first end of the base plate (Fig. 1) and a second side bracket (3) fixedly coupled to the base plate at a second end of the base plate (Fig. 1), and wherein the blade is removably coupled with the circle assembly via the first side bracket, the second side bracket, and the blade pitch cylinder (Fig. 10-13).
As concerns claim 15, Ma shows a motor grader (paragraph 0002 & 0003) comprising: a frame (not shown; standard component of a grader); and a drawbar (not shown; standard component of a grader) coupled to the frame; an implement assembly (Fig. 10-13) coupled with the drawbar (not shown; standard set-up of a grader), the implement assembly including: a circle assembly (Fig. 1) including: a base plate (1 & 12-16) defining a first slot (152) and a second slot (162) disposed adjacent to the first slot (Fig. 3); a circle (4) fixedly coupled with the base plate (Fig. 1); a first mounting bracket (151) fixedly coupled to the base plate (15) and the circle (4), wherein the first mounting bracket defines a third slot (153); a first plate member (right portion of boss 41 in Fig. 5) fixedly coupled with the base plate (15) and the first mounting bracket (151); a second mounting bracket (161) disposed adjacent to the first mounting bracket (Fig. 3), the second mounting bracket being fixedly coupled to the base plate (16) and the circle (4), wherein the second mounting bracket defines a fourth slot (163); and a second plate member (left portion of boss 41 in Fig. 5) fixedly coupled with the base plate (16) and the second mounting bracket (161); and a blade (6) removably coupled with the circle assembly (Fig. 10-13).
As concerns claim 18, Ma shows wherein the circle assembly further includes a first side bracket (2) fixedly coupled to the base plate at a first end of the base plate (Fig. 1) and a second side bracket (3) fixedly coupled to the base plate at a second end of the base plate (Fig. 1), wherein the first end and the second end are diametrically opposite of each other (Fig. 1), and wherein the first plate member is fixedly coupled to the first side bracket and the second plate member is fixedly coupled to the second side bracket (Fig. 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3, 5-7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19 and 20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record does not appear to anticipate and/or render obvious:
a) a circle assembly for an implement of a motor grader, the circle assembly comprising: a base plate defining a first slot and a second slot disposed adjacent to the first slot; a circle fixedly coupled with the base plate; a first mounting bracket fixedly coupled to the base plate and the circle, wherein the first mounting bracket defines a third slot; a first plate member fixedly coupled with the base plate and the first mounting bracket; a second mounting bracket disposed adjacent to the first mounting bracket, the second mounting bracket being fixedly coupled to the base plate and the circle, wherein the second mounting bracket defines a fourth slot; and a second plate member fixedly coupled with the base plate and the second mounting bracket, wherein the first slot of the base plate and the third slot of the first mounting bracket interlock the base plate and the first mounting bracket with each other, and wherein the second slot of the base plate and the fourth slot of the second mounting bracket interlock the base plate and the second mounting bracket with each other.
b) a circle assembly for an implement of a motor grader, the circle assembly comprising: a base plate defining a first slot and a second slot disposed adjacent to the first slot; a circle fixedly coupled with the base plate; a first mounting bracket fixedly coupled to the base plate and the circle, wherein the first mounting bracket defines a third slot; a first plate member fixedly coupled with the base plate and the first mounting bracket; a second mounting bracket disposed adjacent to the first mounting bracket, the second mounting bracket being fixedly coupled to the base plate and the circle, wherein the second mounting bracket defines a fourth slot; a second plate member fixedly coupled with the base plate and the second mounting bracket, and a central plate extending between the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket, wherein the central plate is fixedly coupled to each of the circle, the first plate member, and the second plate member.
c) a circle assembly for an implement of a motor grader, the circle assembly comprising: a base plate defining a first slot and a second slot disposed adjacent to the first slot; a circle fixedly coupled with the base plate; a first mounting bracket fixedly coupled to the base plate and the circle, wherein the first mounting bracket defines a third slot; a first plate member fixedly coupled with the base plate and the first mounting bracket; a second mounting bracket disposed adjacent to the first mounting bracket, the second mounting bracket being fixedly coupled to the base plate and the circle, wherein the second mounting bracket defines a fourth slot; a second plate member fixedly coupled with the base plate and the second mounting bracket, a first side bracket fixedly coupled to the base plate at a first end of the base plate and a second side bracket fixedly coupled to the base plate at a second end of the base plate, wherein the first end and the second end are diametrically opposite of each other, wherein the first plate member is fixedly coupled to the first side bracket and the second plate member is fixedly coupled to the second side bracket, wherein the first plate member defines a first cut-out proximal to the first side bracket, and wherein the second plate member defines a second cut-out proximal to the second side bracket.
d) a circle assembly for an implement of a motor grader, the circle assembly comprising: a base plate defining a first slot and a second slot disposed adjacent to the first slot; a circle fixedly coupled with the base plate; a first mounting bracket fixedly coupled to the base plate and the circle, wherein the first mounting bracket defines a third slot; a first plate member fixedly coupled with the base plate and the first mounting bracket; a second mounting bracket disposed adjacent to the first mounting bracket, the second mounting bracket being fixedly coupled to the base plate and the circle, wherein the second mounting bracket defines a fourth slot; and a second plate member fixedly coupled with the base plate and the second mounting bracket, wherein the base plate includes a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein the first slot extends from the first side edge towards the circle and the second slot extends from the second side edge towards the circle, and wherein each of the first side edge and the second side edge includes a bevel profile.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Reang (US 2021/0355653) shows a circle assembly for a motor grader.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW R BUCK whose telephone number is (571)270-3653. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6:30-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole Coy can be reached at (571)272-5405. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW R BUCK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679