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 without traverse of Species V, Figure 16, Claims 1-20 in the reply filed on January 20, 2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 6, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication 2020/0346556 issued to Rocholl et al. in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0225374 issued to Collett et al.
Regarding Claims 1 and 10, Rocholl et al. teaches in Figures 1-9 and respective portions of the specification of a refuse vehicle (10) with:
a chassis (12);
an energy storage device (20) supported by the chassis and configured to provide electrical power to a prime mover (18), wherein activation of the prime mover (18) is configured to selectively drive the refuse vehicle;
a body (14) for storing refuse (refuse compartment 30) therein supported by the chassis (12).
Rocholl et al. discloses in paragraph [0022] that the electric motor (18) or a secondary electric motor is coupled to and configured to drive a hydraulic system that powers hydraulic actuators but does not show the details for the for the hydraulic system, specifically if a first hydraulic pump configured to convert the electrical power into hydraulic power; a second hydraulic pump configured to convert the electrical power into hydraulic power; and a motor coupled to at least one of the body or the chassis and configured to drive the first hydraulic pump and drive the second hydraulic pump.
Collett et al. teaches of a power module that is adapted for a refuse vehicle (see at least paragraph [0065]) includes a first hydraulic pump (left hydraulic pump 20 shown in Figure 1 and 2) configured to convert the electrical power into hydraulic power (the hydraulic pump (20) is driven by the electrical motor 14); a second hydraulic pump (right hydraulic pump 20 shown in Figure 1 and 2A) configured to convert the electrical power into hydraulic power (the hydraulic pump 20 is driven by the electrical motor 14); and a motor (14; disclosed to be an electric motor in paragraph [0064]) coupled to at least one of the body or the chassis and configured to drive (via transmission 16 and PTO 18) the first hydraulic pump (20) and drive the second hydraulic pump (20).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to use the details for providing a first hydraulic pump configured to convert the electrical power into hydraulic power; a second hydraulic pump configured to convert the electrical power into hydraulic power; and a motor coupled to at least one of the body or the chassis and configured to drive the first hydraulic pump and drive the second hydraulic pump, as taught by Collett et al., for the hydraulic system disclosed by taught by Rocholl et al. One would be motivated to use the details taught by Collett et al. to produce the hydraulic system disclosed by shown by Rocholl et al.
Regarding Claim 17, the method of controlling the refuse vehicle would be inherently performed by the modified vehicle of Rocholl et al. as modified by Collett et al. above in Claim 1 which disclose all the claimed limitations.
Regarding Claim 4, 13 and 19, Rocholl et al. teaches in paragraph [0022] a secondary electric motor is coupled to and configured to drive various hydraulic systems and in paragraph [0025] the lift assembly includes a hydraulic actuator and paragraph [0024] that a compactor system is provided. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to use the first hydraulic pump taught by Collett et al. for the modified invention to drive the hydraulic lift system disclosed by Rocholl et al. and to use the second hydraulic pump taught by Collett et al. for the modified invention to drive the compactor. One would be motivated to use the first and second hydraulic pumps to drive the various hydraulic systems disclosed by Rocholl et al.
Regarding Claims 6 and 15, Rocholl et al. disclose the battery cells are detachably coupled to the body (see at least paragraph [0007]); the detachable coupling selectively disconnects the energy storage device (battery) from the motor.
Regarding Claim 7, Rocholl et al. disclose the energy storage device is a first energy storage device, and the refuse vehicle further includes a second energy storage device configured to provide the electrical power to at least one of the first hydraulic pump or the second hydraulic pump—Rocholl et al. disclose the energy store device (20) includes one or more batteries (see paragraph [0023]). It would have been within the level of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide to use a second energy storage device to provide power to the electric motor that drives the first or second hydraulic pump. One would be motivated to use a second battery to power the hydraulic pumps to provide a power source dedicated to the hydraulic subsystems.
Claim(s) 2-3, 5, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rocholl et al. in view of Collett et al. as disclosed above, and in further view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2019/0256079 issued to Lacroix et al.
Regarding Claim 2, 11 and 18, Rocholl et al. as modified does not show a third hydraulic pump configured to convert the electrical power received from the energy storage device into hydraulic power, wherein the motor is further configured to drive the third hydraulic pump.
Lacroix et al. teach that it is known to provide a plurality of hydraulic systems (20, 40, 50) with three hydraulic pumps (26, 44, 58).
It would have been within the level of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide at least three hydraulic pumps, as taught by Lacroix et al, driven by the motor for the modified refuse vehicle taught by Rocholl et al. as modified by Collett. One would be motivated to provide three or more hydraulic pumps to provide a pump for at least three hydraulic systems.
Regarding Claims 3 and 12, Rocholl et al. as modified does not show a first inverter configured to convert direct current electrical power received from the energy storage device into alternating current to drive the motor.
Inverters are old and well-known for converting stored DC power to alternating current for a motor. Lacroix teaches of an DC/AC inverter (54).
It would have been obvious to provide an inverter, as taught by Lacroix, for the modified invention of Rocholl et al. One would be motivated to provide the inverter to convert stored DC power to alternating current for a motor.
Regarding Claim 5, 14 and 20, Rocholl et al teaches of a tailgate (34) and top door (38). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to power the tailgate or top door with the third hydraulic pump, as taught by Lacroix et al for the modified invention. One would be motivated to use the third hydraulic pump to use hydraulic power to open the tailgate or top door.
Regarding Claim 9, Rocholl et al. as modified by Collett et al. does not show the first hydraulic pump and the second hydraulic pump are configured to operate independent hydraulic circuits.
Lacroix et al. teaches of three hydraulic circuits (20, 40, 50) that operate independently.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide an independent circuit, as taught by Lacroix, for the various subassemblies (tailgate 34, top door 38, lift assembly 40, compactor etc). One would be motivated to provide an independent hydraulic circuit to allow the hydraulic pump to provide a hydraulic pressure appropriate for teach hydraulic subassembly.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0225374 issued to Collett et al.
Regarding Claim 10, Collett et al. teaches in Figures 1-16 and respective portions of the specification of a hydraulic system (see Figures 1 and 2A), comprising:
a first hydraulic pump (left hydraulic pump 20 shown in Figure 1 and 2) configured to convert the electrical power into hydraulic power (the hydraulic pump (20) is driven by the electrical motor 14); a second hydraulic pump (right hydraulic pump 20 shown in Figure 1 and 2A) configured to convert the electrical power into hydraulic power (the hydraulic pump 20 is driven by the electrical motor 14); and a motor (14; disclosed to be an electric motor in paragraph [0064]) coupled to at least one of the body or the chassis and configured to drive (via transmission 16 and PTO 18) the first hydraulic pump (20) and drive the second hydraulic pump (20).
Collett et al. discloses the claimed invention including teach that the prime mover (14) can be an electric motor (paragraph [0064]) but does not show an energy storage device to provide power to the motor.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill to provide an energy storage device, such as a battery for the hydraulic system taught by Collett et al. One would be motivated to provide a battery to provide the essential structure to provide power to allow the motor to operate.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 16 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 primary reason for the indication of allowable subject matter in this case is the inclusion of: is the inclusion of a valve movable between a first position and a second position, where when the valve is positioned in the first position, the first hydraulic pump is fluidly independent of the second hydraulic pump, and wherein when the valve is positioned in the second position, the first hydraulic pump is fluidly coupled with the second hydraulic pump, in combination with the other elements recited, not found in the prior art of record.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN L SWENSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5572. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday (9-5).
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BRIAN SWENSON
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3618
/BRIAN L SWENSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613