DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 10-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Bloemendaal (US 20150226482 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Bloemendaal discloses a mixed flow grain dryer comprising:
a plenum (Fig. 6; 32, 34);
a blower (Fig. 6, 14) operable to force outside air into the plenum;
a heater (Fig. 6; 12) operable to heat air flowing from the blower to the plenum (para. 22);
at least one column (“grain columns”) configured to receive heated air from the plenum such that the heated air dries grain flowing through the at least one column (para. 35), wherein the at least one column is configured to change a flow direction of the heated air (Fig. 2); and
a conveyor (70) configured to meter a discharge of grain from the at least one column (para. 46).
Regarding claim 2, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 1 wherein the at least one column is configured to change the flow direction of the heated air between a horizontal direction (Fig. 2; 45, 48) and a vertical direction (Fig. 2; 48).
Regarding claim 3, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 1 wherein each column of the at least one column includes a plurality of inlet ducts (Fig. 2; 17) and a plurality of outlet ducts (Fig. 2; 19), each inlet duct of the plurality of inlet ducts having a horizontal inlet (inlet at the top for grain to enter) and a vertical outlet (Fig. 2; outlets for air 49 to exit), each outlet duct of the plurality of outlet ducts having a vertical inlet (Fig. 2; openings between each panel 18) and a horizontal outlet (outlet at the bottom of the column for grain to exit and enter the conveyor).
Regarding claim 4, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 1 wherein the at least one column includes a pair of columns, and the plenum is disposed between the columns (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 5, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 4 further comprising (see US 6834442, which is incorporated by reference as mentioned in para. 46 of Bloemendaal, for citations used herein):
a shelf (Fig. 4; 36) disposed below the grain column; and
a trough (46) disposed below the shelf, the shelf including cutouts (138) to allow grain to fall from the shelf to the trough (col. 3, lines 19-21), wherein the conveyor (30) is configured to meter grain from a discharge opening of the at least one column to the cutouts in the shelf (see Summary of the Invention).
Regarding claim 6, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 5 wherein the conveyor includes (see US 6834442 for citations):
a paddle (118) configured to push grain through the trough;
a scooper assembly (120) having a scooper panel (124) configured to direct grain from the discharge opening to the cutouts; and
a blocker assembly (130) having a blocker panel configured to inhibit the flow of grain from the shelf to the trough.
Regarding claim 7, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 6 wherein the conveyor further includes (see US 6834442 for citations):
a first sprocket (Fig. 3; 104);
a second sprocket (106); and
a chain (100) engaged with the first and second sprockets and forming a loop, wherein the first and second sprockets are disposed at opposite ends of the loop, and the paddle, the scooper assembly, and the blocker assembly are coupled to the chain.
Regarding claim 8, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 1 wherein each column of the at least one column includes an inner wall, an outer wall (Fig. 3 shows a plurality of horizontal panels located above a set of horizontally-spaced diverters 18; these horizontal panels would be on both sides of the grain column and separate the vertically-spaced diverters; the panels facing the plenum could be considered the inner wall and the panels opposite the grain column could be considered the outer wall), a discharge opening at least partially defined by the inner wall (Fig. 3 shows openings between the vertically-spaced diverters 18), and a grain flow diverter wall (at least one of the angled panels 18 that extend from the inner wall towards the outer wall) configured to direct grain from the inner wall to the outer wall.
Regarding claim 10, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 8 wherein each outer wall includes a vertical portion (the horizontal panel cited in claim 8) and an angled portion (at least one of the angled panels 18 that extend from the outer wall) that is angled toward the inner wall, and the grain flow diverter wall is attached to the inner wall and extends downward and outward toward the angled portion of the outer wall.
Regarding claim 11, Bloemendaal discloses a mixed flow grain dryer comprising (see rejection of claim 1 for citations unless otherwise noted): a plenum; a blower operable to force outside air into the plenum; a heater operable to heat air flowing from the blower to the plenum; a pair of columns disposed on opposite sides of the plenum and configured to receive heated air from the plenum such that the heated air dries grain flowing through the columns; a discharge chute; and a single conveyor configured to carry grain from lower portions of the columns to the discharge chute (see abstract of US 6834442, which is incorporated by reference as mentioned in para. 46 of Bloemendaal, disclosing a discharge chute 48).
Regarding claim 12, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 11 further comprising: a shelf disposed below the plenum; and a trough disposed below the shelf, the shelf including cutouts to allow grain to fall from the shelf to the trough, wherein the conveyor is configured to meter grain from a discharge opening of each column to the cutouts in the shelf and to push grain through the trough to the discharge chute, which is disposed at an end of the trough (see rejection of claim 5).
Regarding claim 13, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 12 wherein the conveyor includes: a first sprocket; a second sprocket; and a chain engaged with the first and second sprockets and forming a loop, wherein the first and second sprockets are disposed at opposite ends of the loop (see rejection of claim 7).
Regarding claim 14, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 13 wherein the conveyor further includes: a paddle coupled to the chain and configured to push grain through the trough as the chain moves along the loop; a scooper assembly coupled to the chain and having a scooper panel configured to direct grain from the discharge opening to the cutouts as the chain moves along the loop; and a blocker assembly coupled to the chain and having a blocker panel configured to inhibit the flow of grain from the shelf to the trough as the chain moves along the loop (see rejection of claim 6).
Regarding claim 15, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 14 (see US 6834442 for citations) wherein the scooper panel (124) is positioned at an acute angle relative to a direction of chain movement (the small angle between scooper panel and the center line of the conveyor would be an acute angle; see Fig. 4), and the blocker panel (134) is positioned parallel to the chain movement direction.
Regarding claim 16, Bloemendaal discloses a mixed flow grain dryer comprising (see rejection of claim 1 for citations unless otherwise noted):
a plenum;
a blower operable to force outside air into the plenum;
a heater operable to heat air flowing from the blower to the plenum; a pair of columns disposed on opposite sides of the plenum and configured to receive heated air from the plenum such that the heated air dries grain flowing through the columns, wherein each column is configured to change a flow direction of the heated air between a crosswise direction (49) with respect to a flow direction of the grain and a counter direction with respect to the grain flow direction (the grain alternates left-right movement as it flows down the lower half of the grain column, and the air can counter the grain movement by also alternating a left-right movement as shown in Fig. 6);
a shelf disposed below the plenum (see rejection of claim 5);
a trough disposed below the shelf, the shelf including cutouts to allow grain to fall from the shelf to the trough (see rejection of claim 5); and
a conveyor configured to meter grain from a discharge opening of each column to the cutouts in the shelf (see rejection of claim 5), the conveyor including: a first sprocket; a second sprocket;
a chain engaged with the first and second sprockets and forming a loop extending along a length of the trough, wherein the first and second sprockets are disposed at opposite ends of the loop (see rejection of claim 7);
a plurality of paddles coupled to the chain and configured to push grain through the trough as the chain moves along the loop (see rejection of claim 6);
a plurality of scooper assemblies coupled to the chain, each scooper assembly having a scooper panel configured to direct grain from the discharge opening to the cutouts as the chain moves along the loop (see rejection of claim 6); and
a plurality of blocker assemblies coupled to the chain, each blocker assembly having a blocker panel configured to inhibit the flow of grain from the shelf to the trough as the chain moves along the loop (see rejection of claim 6).
Regarding claim 17, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 16 wherein each column of the pair of columns includes a plurality of inlet ducts (Fig. 2; 17) and a plurality of outlet ducts (Fig. 2; 19), each inlet duct of the plurality of inlet ducts having an inlet (top of the inlet duct for grain to enter) extending perpendicular to the grain flow direction and an outlet (outlet for air 49 to exit) extending parallel to the grain flow direction, each outlet duct of the plurality of outlet ducts having an inlet (openings between the vertically-spaced panels 18) extending parallel to the grain flow direction and an outlet (outlet at the bottom of the grain column for grain to exit the column) extending perpendicular to the grain flow direction.
Regarding claim 18, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 16 (see US 6834442, which is incorporated by reference in Bloemendaal, for citations) further comprising a plurality of carriers (114) attached to the chain (100), wherein the paddles (118) are attached to a first side of one of the carriers, the scooper panels (124) are attached to a second side of some of the carriers, and the blocker panels (130) are attached to the second side of others of the carriers.
Regarding claim 19, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 16 wherein each column includes an inner wall (see rejection of claim 8; see also US 6834442 in col. 2, lines 55-57 disclosing an inner housing 14), an outer wall (see rejection of claim 8), and a grain flow diverter wall configured to direct grain from the inner wall to the outer wall (see rejection of claim 8), a lower edge of the inner wall and the shelf defining the discharge opening (see US 6834442 in col. 2, lines 55-57).
Regarding claim 20, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 19 wherein lower portions of the inner and outer walls form a hopper that directs grain from the columns to the conveyor (see Fig. 2; see also Fig. 4 of US 6834442 showing a hopper defined by housings 12 and 14), with the lower portions of the outer walls angled inward toward the plenum (see Fig. 2), and the grain flow diverter walls are attached to the lower portions of the inner walls and extend downward and outward toward the lower portions of the outer walls (see Fig. 3).
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) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemendaal (US 20150226482 A1) in view of Rathbun (US 3710449 A).
Regarding claim 9, Bloemendaal discloses the mixed flow grain dryer of claim 8 except wherein the grain flow diverter wall is perforated. However, Rathbun teaches a grain dryer comprising perforated grain flow diverter walls (col. 4, lines 20-34).
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art at the time of effective filing of the application to modify Bloemendaal wherein the grain flow diverter walls are perforated to help dry the grain.
Conclusion
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/JASON LAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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