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 .
Drawings
The replacement drawings received on 03 October 2023 are acceptable.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities. Examiner suggests the changes below:
“one of more of” be changed to --one or more of-- (paragraph 0030; page 6);
“may embedded” be changed to --may include embedded-- (paragraph 0030; page 6);
“may couple mechanically couple” be rephrased (paragraph 0042; page 9).
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 13, 15, and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities: Examiner suggests “selectively-locatable accessory” be changed to --selectively-locatable electric accessory-- (claims 13, 20), and “selectively-locatable accessories” be changed to --selectively-locatable electric accessories-- (claims 13, 15), so as to maintain consistent phrasing of the component throughout the claims. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7, 8, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the first and second mechanical load supports" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the one or more implements" in lines 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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, 6-18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tarasinski et al. (US 8256544 B2) in view of Downing, Jr. (US 4113045 A). Tarasinski et al. discloses an apparatus comprising:
(claims 1, 16) a working machine (agricultural utility vehicle shown as tractor #10) including a transportation system (including wheels seen in figure 1) and one or more implements (attachment #26) to perform one or more work tasks (such as, agricultural working functions; Abstract; column 7, line 57-column 8, line 14), the working machine further including:
at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory (including electrical line #32 and plug #34 of attachment #26), which comprises at least part of the transportation system or at least part of a powered implement of the one or more implements, the at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory defining a first mechanical frame connection (including mechanical connection #28; figure 1; column 7, lines 57-column 8, line 14);
a frame assembly (frame of tractor #10) including a power point (including socket #36) at a location (rear part) on the frame assembly (figure 1; column 7, lines 57-column 8, line 14);
wherein each power point (#36) defines a second mechanical frame connection (including mechanical coupling interface #24) to mate with the first mechanical frame connection (#28), and wherein the at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory (#32, 34) is operable in the power point (figures 1-7; column 7, lines 57-column 10);
(claim 2) wherein the location (rear part) on the frame assembly (frame of tractor #10) corresponds to a front section of the working machine, a rear section of the working machine, or section between the front and rear sections (rear section of the working machine; figure 1);
(claims 3, 17) wherein the at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory (#32, 34) comprises a power take off (PTO) system or other rotational power transfer system of the working machine (#10; power take off and power transfer system; figures 1-7; column 7, lines 57-column 10);
(claims 4, 18) wherein the at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory (#32, 34) comprises a selective control valve (SCV) system or other linear, rotational, or fluid power transfer system of the working machine (#10; linear power transfer system; figures 1-7; column 7, lines 57-column 10);
(claim 9) wherein the working machine comprises a tractor (#10) and towed implement (#26; figure 1; column 7, lines 35-column 8, line 14), the tractor comprising the power point (#36), and the towed implement includes one or more additional power points (including sockets #46, 48; figures 1, 7; column 8, lines 15-31; column 10, lines 4-29);
(claim 10) a powered implement assist (including electrical distributor system #50) coupled to an additional power point (#46, 48) of the one or more additional power points (figures 1-7; column 8, line 15-column 10);
(claim 11) wherein the at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory (#32, 34) includes circuitry for communication and control of electrical and/or mechanical devices of the selectively-locatable electric accessory (figures 1-7; columns 7-10);
the working machine (#10) further comprising a hardware and software system to control operations of the transportation system (including wheels), the powered implement (#26), or the at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory (#32, 34; figures 1-7; columns 7-10);
(claim 12) wherein the power point (#36) further comprises a communication connection over which the hardware and software system communicates with the circuitry to control the operations (figures 1-7; columns 7-10);
(claim 20) wherein the at least one selectively-locatable accessory (#32, 34) is arranged to, when plugged into the power point (#36), consume electrical or mechanical power output from a resource of an electric system of the working machine (#10) to operate via the power point (figures 1-7; column 7, lines 57-column 10).
In regards to claims 1, 2, and 13-16, Tarasinski et al. does not disclose multiple power point connections. Downing, Jr. teaches an apparatus comprising a working machine (tractor #10) including at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory (including cable #74) and a frame assembly (frame of tractor #10) including two or more power points (power outlets/connectors #60 62, 64, 66) at two or more different locations on the frame assembly (figures 3a-4), wherein the at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory is operable in any of the two or more power points (figure 4), wherein at least one of the two or more different locations on the frame assembly corresponds to a front section of the working machine, a rear section of the working machine, or section between the front and rear sections (figures 3a-4; column 2, line 60-column 3), wherein the at least one selectively-locatable accessory comprises two or more selectively-locatable accessories (tractor #10 may operate several accessories, either simultaneously or one at a time; column 3, lines 23-33), and in which the two or more selectively-locatable accessories are coupled to a same resource (including prime mover #12, which is mechanically coupled via shaft #14 to alternator #16) of an electric system of the frame assembly via the power points (figures 1, 2; column 1, line 61-column 2, line 59), wherein the resource comprises a power source (including prime mover #12), and wherein the resource comprises at least one motor drive (including induction motors #22, 28, 35, 36, 42, 44), and wherein the two or more selectively-locatable accessories include two or more actuators, respectively (figures 1-4; column 1, line 61-column 3, line 33). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Tarasinski et al. to include multiple power point connections, as taught by Downing, Jr., so as to provide a farm tractor which can serve as a primary mobile unit for operating any number of modular accessories, thereby reducing cost and facilitating agriculture operations (Downing, Jr.: column 3, lines 23-33).
In regards to claims 6-8, Tarasinski et al. discloses a drivetrain (including engine #12 and output shaft #14) of the transportation system (including wheels; figure 1; column 7, lines 35-56), but does not disclose wherein the at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory comprises part of the drivetrain of the transportation system. Downing, Jr. teaches the apparatus comprising the working machine (tractor #10), as set forth above, wherein the at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory comprises part of a drivetrain of a transportation system (including cycloconverters #18, 32, 34 coupled to induction motors #22, 35, 36, 42, 44, which are coupled via shafts #24 to tractor wheels #26, 38, 40, 46, 48), wherein the transportation system further comprises a drivetrain (including prime mover #12, which is mechanically coupled via shaft #14 to alternator #16), wherein at least part of the drivetrain is coupled to the working machine via the first and second mechanical load supports, and wherein the at least part of the drivetrain comprises a modular power axle assembly or power spindle (including cycloconverters #18, 32, 34 coupled to induction motors #22, 35, 36, 42, 44, which are coupled via shafts #24 to tractor wheels #26, 38, 40, 46, 48; figures 1, 2; column 1, line 61-column 2, line 59). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Tarasinski et al. to include the at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory comprises part of the drivetrain of the transportation system, as taught by Downing, Jr., so as to provide an extremely efficient, less bulky, and less expensive transportation system in which electrical power flows to the motor having the greatest load (Downing, Jr.: column 2, lines 10-59).
Claim(s) 5 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tarasinski et al. (US 8256544 B2) in view of Downing, Jr. (US 4113045 A), further in view of Perin (US 4090725 A). Tarasinski et al., as modified by Downing, Jr., discloses wherein the at least one selectively-locatable electric accessory comprises a hitch (three-point equipment linkage, an adjustable drawbar and/or some other conventional coupling system; column 7, lines 57-60), but does not disclose a power actuated hitch. Perin teaches an apparatus comprising a working machine (tractor) and a power actuated hitch (including hitching frame #13 and associated components; figures 1-12; column 2, line 23-column 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Tarasinski et al., as modified by Downing, Jr., to include a power actuated hitch, as taught by Perin, so as to automatically couple implements to the vehicle without the need for manual intervention, and under the control of only one operator (Perin: column 1, lines 19-21; column 5, lines 1-4), thereby providing a safer and more efficient hitch connection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art discloses working machines with power takeoff systems, and electric power takeoff systems.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA FREEDMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-2442. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason Shanske can be reached at 571-270-5985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAURA FREEDMAN/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3614B