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 drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “14” has been used to designate both a lower race and a part of fixing bolt E in Fig. 5. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 30, 31, 32 (in annotated Figs. 5-6, 8-11). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 2, 4, 6, 10-11 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 2 sets forth wherein each bearing is found within a single piece made up of the transverse mounting axis, and a threaded section. However, claim 1, from which claim 2 depends on, previously set forth wherein the bearing comprises an upper bearing track, a lower bearing track and a rolling element housed within the upper and lower bearing tracks. It is unclear then which of the recited parts comprise, or make up, a bearing element.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "each joint point" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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) 1-2, 6-7, 10-14, 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kester 6,918,343.
Independent Claim 1: Kester discloses a joint system for an agricultural seeding machine comprising:
a mounting structure (17, 18) having a plurality of lateral arms (17 of each row unit or the vertically-extending arms of 17 as seen in Fig. 2) and a plurality of vertical bars (18 of each row unit), wherein each lateral arm of the plurality of lateral arms connects with a vertical bar of the plurality of vertical bars through a plurality of bearings (seen in Fig. 4);
wherein each bearing connecting each vertical bar with each lateral arm comprises an upper bearing track (the outer track/race of 31);
a lower bearing track (the inner track/race of 31) that connects with a transverse mounting axis (34); and
a rolling element (ball bearings, not shown, see col. 4, ln. 2) housed within the upper bearing track and the lower bearing track, as per claim 1.
Dependent Claims 2, 6-7, 10-14, 17-18: Kester further discloses wherein each bearing (Fig. 4) of the plurality of bearings is found within a single piece made up of the transverse mounting axis (34), at a first end and at a second end, a threaded section (seen in Fig. 4) for an adjustment nut (35), as per claim 2;
further comprising an adjustment nut (35), as per claim 6;
wherein the transverse mounting axis (34) fits snugly on the lower bearing track (the inner track/race of 31) of each bearing of the plurality of bearings (Fig. 4), as per claim 7;
Wherein the transverse mounting axis (34) includes an internal step (unnumbered square head seen in Fig. 4) for supports of vertical bars (17) at each joint point (at the aperture of 18), as per claim 10;
wherein an external ring (the outer ring of 31 as seen in Fig. 4) of the bearing provides a step (relative to the other exploded parts) for the support of lateral arms (17, at 32), as per claim 11;
further comprising an external ring (32), as per claim 12;
further comprising washers (36), as per claim 13;
wherein the rolling element (ball bearings, not shown, see col. 4, ln. 2) is selected from the group consisting of deep groove ball bearings (ball bearings), angular contact bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, needle roller bearings, and spherical rollers (ball bearings), as per claim 14;
comprising a plurality of rolling elements (ball bearings, not shown, see col. 4, ln. 2), as per claim 17;
wherein the external ring (32) comprises a step that acts as a bearing stop (a stop in the direction of the vertical plane of the bearing), as per claim 18.
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) 1-5, 7, 12, 14, 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sivinski 10,190,627 in view of Weng et al. CN 105443583 A.
Independent Claim 1: Sivinski discloses a joint system for an agricultural seeding machine comprising:
a mounting structure (18) having a plurality of lateral arms (24) and a plurality of vertical bars (20), wherein each lateral arm of the plurality of lateral arms connects with a vertical bar of the plurality of vertical bars through a plurality of bearings (shown in Fig. 6), as per claim 1.
However, Sivinski fails to disclose wherein each bearing comprises an upper bearing track;
a lower bearing track that connects with a transverse mounting axis; and
a rolling element housed within the upper bearing track and the lower bearing track, as per claim 1.
Weng discloses a similar bearing (Fig. 1) wherein each bearing comprises an upper bearing track (01);
a lower bearing track (02) that connects with a transverse mounting axis (also 02); and
a rolling element (04) housed within the upper bearing track and the lower bearing track, as per claim 1.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the bearing of Weng for that of Sivinski since both references disclose pivot bearings and with the added benefit of reducing trouble for a user and to prolong the service life of the bearing.
Dependent Claims 2-5, 7, 12, 14, 16-18: Weng, of the resultant combination above, further discloses wherein each bearing (Fig. 1) of the plurality of bearings is found within a single piece made up of the transverse mounting axis (02), at a first end (the left end as seen in Fig. 1) and at a second end (the right end as seen in Fig. 1), a threaded section (line 4 of the Abstract of the attached document) for an adjustment nut, as per claim 2;
a central housing (the head of 02) on the first end (the left end) of the transverse mounting axis (02) that receives a manually operated key (“hexagon spanner”, see “technical feature” 2 of page 2 of the attached document), as per claim 3;
a seat (unnumbered, seen in Fig. 1) for an annular seal gasket (58) on the external face of the first end (the left end as seen in Fig. 1) of the transverse mounting axis (02), as per claim 4;
wherein the lower track (02 at the balls 04) of the bearing (Fig. 1) is machined on the transverse mounting axis (02) forming a single structure (as seen in Fig. 1), as per claim 5;
wherein the transverse mounting axis (02) fits snugly on the lower bearing track (machined-in ridges for balls 04) of each bearing of the plurality of bearings (as seen in Fig. 1), as per claim 7;
further comprising an external ring (also 01), as per claim 12;
wherein the rolling element (04) is selected from the group consisting of deep groove ball bearings (see lines 1-2 of the Abstract in the attached document), angular contact bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, needle roller bearings, and spherical rollers (ball bearings, see Abstract in attached document), as per claim 14;
wherein the central housing (the head of 02) is hexagonal (a hexagonal square hole, described in “technical feature” 2 of page 2 of the attached document), as per claim 16;
comprising a plurality of rolling elements (04, as seen in Fig. 1), as per claim 17;
wherein the external ring (also 01) comprises a step that acts as a bearing stop (a stop in the direction of the vertical plane of the bearing), as per claim 18.
Response to Arguments
Please see the updated rejections above in light of applicant’s claim amendments.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Alicia M. Torres whose telephone number is 571-272-6997. The examiner’s fax number is 571-273-6997. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph M. Rocca, can be reached at (571) 272-8971.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the group receptionist whose telephone number is 571-272-3600. The fax number for this Group is 571-273-8300.
/Alicia Torres/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3671 March 21, 2026