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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Allochis (2017/0215342, cited by applicant, “X” reference).
It should be noted that the recitation "able/possible/allowing to” etc. is considered as merely an intended use. Applicants attention is drawn to MPEP 2111.02 which states that intended use statements must be evaluated to determine whether the intended use results in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art. Only if such structural difference exists, does the recitation serve to limit the claim. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.
Since it is the language itself of the claims which must particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention, without limitations imported from the specification, whether such language is couched in terms of means plus function or consists of a detailed recitation of the inventive matter. Limitations in the specification not included in the claim may not be relied upon to impart patentability to an otherwise unpatentable claim. In re Lundberg, 113 USPQ 530 (CCPA 1957).
1. An agricultural harvesting machine intended to be moved in a direction of advance, the machine comprising:
at least one processing unit equipped with at least one endless belt conveyor, the processing unit being able to take up a work position, in which the or each conveyor makes it possible to move a product, the belt being guided by at least two rollers, each one being guided in rotation about a respective longitudinal axis (draper conveyor 400, rollers 300, 310),
a tensioning system being associated with the or each belt and comprising an energy accumulator and a tensioning cylinder making it possible to vary the distance between the longitudinal axes (tensioning 800, belt 400i, accumulator 22 in figs 10 & 11 or reservoir 10 in fig 9, cylinder 820; figs 6-11, par. 48 and 24),
wherein a hydraulic regulating system (figs 9, 10) is associated with the or each belt, which prevents, at least in the work position of the processing unit concerned, oil from flowing from a first pipe (1st hydraulic line 30 from the pressure source 11) connecting the regulating system to a hydraulic control valve (valve 13 and/or 12; or 21 or 23, figs 10, 11) to a second pipe (2nd hydraulic line from the valve to the cylinder 820 in both figs 9 & 10, or 32 / 33 in figs 10, 11) connecting the regulating system to the tensioning cylinder,
when the pressure in the second pipe is greater than a maximum value, the regulating system allowing oil to flow from the first pipe to the second pipe (intended capability, par. 58, valve 13 allowing fluid flow from the pressure source)
when the pressure in the second pipe is less than the maximum value, and in that the accumulator is connected to the second pipe (either via valve 13 or relief valve 12 in fig 9, or as shown in figs 10 & 11, ref 21 or 23).
2. The agricultural machine according to claim 1, characterized in that wherein a hydraulic receiver connected to the first pipe is associated with the or each belt (best shown in fig 10, line 30).
3. The agricultural machine according to claim 2, wherein the hydraulic receiver consists of a hydraulic motor driving the belt (motor or lift cylinder 805).
4. The agricultural machine according to claim 2, wherein the hydraulic receiver comprises at least one lift cylinder making it possible to move the associated processing unit between its work position and its circulation position in which the conveyor is farther away from the ground than in the work position (already addressed in cl. 3, motor or lift cylinder 805; intended load/lift capability taught in par. 59).
5. The agricultural machine according to claim 1, wherein a non-return valve mounted so as to prevent oil from flowing from the respective second pipe to the respective first pipe is associated with the or each belt (consisted in the multiple positionable valve 13 in fig 9; or valve 21 in figs 10, 11).
6. The agricultural machine according to claim 1, wherein the regulating system comprises at least one pressure control valve (being part of the positionable valve 13 in fig 9; or valve 21 in figs 10, 11).
7. The agricultural machine according to claim 6, wherein the regulating system does not comprise a pressure limiting valve (excluding 1st embodiment, fig 9).
8. The agricultural machine according to claim 5, wherein a stop valve is mounted in parallel with the or each non-return valve (best shown in fig 11, valve 40).
9. The agricultural machine according to claim 8, wherein the stop valve and/or the non-return valve are mounted between the control valve and the first pipe (fig 11).
10. The agricultural machine according to claim 1, wherein the or each tensioning cylinder is of the single-acting type (figs 9, 10, 11).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See form 892.
BÜHLMEIER (EP 2842409, cited by applicant) teaches a pressure relief valve (49), hydraulic cylinder (22) in a belt tension regulating system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARPAD FABIAN-KOVACS whose telephone number is (571) 272-6990. The examiner can normally be reached Mo-Th.
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, Joseph Rocca can be reached on (571) 272-8971. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ARPAD FABIAN-KOVACS/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3671