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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/12/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
This action is in response to amendments and remarks filed on 05/12/2026. Claims 1, 3-4, and 6-11 are pending. Claims 2, 5, and 12 are cancelled. Claims 1, 3-4, and 6-11 have been amended. The 35 U.S.C. 112(a) new matter rejection to the claims have been withdrawn in light of the instant amendments.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments appear to be directed solely to the amended subject matter which have been considered and addressed as detailed below under Claim Rejections.
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, 3, 4, 6, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jelinek (US 20220403625 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jelinek teaches a hydraulic interface kit configured to connect to an agricultural towing vehicle (par. 46, “The apparatus of the invention also includes an add-on or retrofit kit for an existing attachment which couples to a vehicle mounting the attachment”), the agricultural towing vehicle including an electrical control unit (Fig. 5B, attachment controller 500 which communicates with vehicle controller 600) including a control port and a sensor port (par. 130, “the controller 500 is mounted in the attachment as part of the attachment and communicates with a vehicle controller 600”; par. 35, “A controller is included where the controller is adapted to receive the sensed at least one input from the at least one sensor and correlate the at least one input to the work being done at the attachment and to maintain the at least one input in an optimum range and thereby optimize the work output of the attachment upon a work surface”), the hydraulic interface kit configured to provide hydraulic control between the agricultural towing vehicle and an attachment, the hydraulic interface kit configured to supply the attachment with hydraulic power from the agricultural towing vehicle (par. 46, “The apparatus of the invention also includes an add-on or retrofit kit for an existing attachment which couples to a vehicle mounting the attachment with speed management or speed creep controls, the kit having an attachment frame; a hydraulic manifold coupled to a hydraulic system of the vehicle and having an at least one hydraulic drive motor”), the hydraulic interface kit comprising:
a hydraulic work port configured to pass a hydraulic medium delivered by a pump having a pump controller (Fig. 5A, hydraulic pumps 83, 87) mounted in the agricultural towing vehicle into the hydraulic interface (par. 35, “one hydraulic manifold coupled to the at least one hydraulic system with an at least one attachment hydraulic line powering an at least one attachment hydraulic motor powering the working element of the attachment”);
a displacement sensor operatively connected to the pump controller and configured to connect with the sensor port (par. 168, “additional sensors or alternative sensors detecting the rotational speed of the attachment motor can be utilized to determine work done by the tool. Rotational speeds of such motors are directly related to flow rates and motor displacement and this information could also be used as input into the controller”);
a pressure port hydraulically connected to the hydraulic work port, for delivering hydraulic power from the hydraulic interface to the attachment (par. 35, “one hydraulic manifold coupled to the at least one hydraulic system with an at least one attachment hydraulic line powering an at least one attachment hydraulic motor powering the working element of the attachment”);
a hydraulic feedback port configured to receive a hydraulic feedback pressure from the attachment (Fig. 5B and par. 96, sensor 460 connected to controller 500);
a signal port configured to connect with the control port and deliver a feedback signal corresponding to the hydraulic feedback pressure (Fig. 5B, attachment controller 500 communicates to vehicle controller 600);
and a pressure sensor connected between the hydraulic feedback port and the signal port, the pressure sensor being configured to convert the hydraulic feedback pressure into the feedback signal (Fig. 5B and par. 96, “sensors 460 are provided to monitor the work done by the attachment through sensed parameters, including but not limited to pressure”).
Regarding claim 3, Jelinek teaches the hydraulic interface kit of claim 1. Jelinek further teaches the electrical control unit has a control output which is connected to the pump controller of the pump (Fig. 5A, controller 500), and a pump output of the pump is hydraulically connected to the hydraulic work port (Fig. 5A, hydraulic line 90 connecting the pump to the manifold).
Regarding claim 4, Jelinek teaches the hydraulic interface kit of claim 1. Jelinek further teaches the electrical control unit has a sensor input to which a signal output of the pressure sensor is connected, wherein an input of the pressure sensor is hydraulically connected to the hydraulic work port (par. 35, “A controller is included where the controller is adapted to receive the sensed at least one input from the at least one sensor and correlate the at least one input to the work being done at the attachment and to maintain the at least one input in an optimum range and thereby optimize the work output of the attachment upon a work surface”).
Regarding claim 6, Jelinek teaches the hydraulic interface kit of claim 1. Jelinek further teaches an adjusting device for adjusting hydraulic flow is hydraulically interposed between the hydraulic work port and the pressure port (par. 35, “one hydraulic manifold coupled to the at least one hydraulic system with an at least one attachment hydraulic line powering an at least one attachment hydraulic motor powering the working element of the attachment”; Fig. 4B and par. 117, “A pressure relief valve 682 is shown connected to pressurized line, in the exemplary case hydraulic supply line 90, but this can also be another hydraulic line such as 165 or the control valve 120 as shown in FIG. 4B”).
Regarding claim 7, Jelinek teaches the hydraulic interface kit of claim 6, wherein the adjusting device has a hydraulic control valve, which can be switched between a plurality of switch positions (par. 35, “one hydraulic manifold coupled to the at least one hydraulic system with an at least one attachment hydraulic line powering an at least one attachment hydraulic motor powering the working element of the attachment”).
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) 8-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jelinek in view of Chmielewski (US 5704200 A).
Regarding claim 8, Jelinek teaches the hydraulic interface kit of claim 7. Jelinek fails to explicitly teach the hydraulic control valve includes a proportional valve. However, proportional valves are well-known and common in the art, and would have been a trivial change.
Chmielewski teaches the hydraulic control valve includes a proportional valve (column 8 line 19, “Valve assembly 100 includes a proportional raise control valve 118 (shown in FIG. 2A) and a proportional lower control valve 120 (also shown in FIG. 2A), both fluidly coupled to cylinder 206 to apply pressure corrections when the measured pressure 214 in cylinder 206 deviates from the setpoint value").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Jelinek to incorporate the teachings of Chmielewski to make the valve a proportional valve. As stated above, proportional valves are well-known and common in the art, and would have been a trivial change yielding predictable results.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Jelinek in view of Chmielewski teaches the hydraulic interface kit of claim 7. Jelinek further teaches the adjusting device has a pressure compensator (Fig. 4B, pressure relief valve 682).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Jelinek in view of Chmielewski teaches the hydraulic interface kit of claim 7. Jelinek further teaches the adjusting device has a pressure compensator (Fig. 4B, pressure relief valve 682) and a control valve (Fig. 4B, manifold 120).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Jelinek in view of Chmielewski teaches the hydraulic interface kit of claim 9. Jelinek further teaches a delivery output of the pressure compensator is hydraulically connected to a delivery input of the hydraulic control valve, and a delivery output of the hydraulic control valve is connected to a control input of the pressure compensator (par. 117, “A pressure relief valve 682 is shown connected to pressurized line, in the exemplary case hydraulic supply line 90, but this can also be another hydraulic line such as 165 or the control valve 120 as shown in FIG. 4B. The pressure relief valve 682 then dumps excess pressure into drain line 683. If the system pressure exceeds the crack pressure as noted below, the pressure relief valve 682 opens and allows fluid to flow out the drain line 683 and reduce pressure”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINATO LEE HORNER whose telephone number is (571)272-5425. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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, Christian Chace can be reached at (571) 272-4190. 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.
/M.L.H./Examiner, Art Unit 3665 /CHRISTIAN CHACE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3665
Prosecution Insights