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 .
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 (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 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 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pechstein (DE 2020017102272).
As concerns claim 20, Pechstein shows a harrowing mechanism (100) for harrowing a soil of an indoor or outdoor animal or sport arena, comprising: a breaking element (130, 132) configured to break up and/or soften the soil, a drive mechanism (139) configured to move the breaking element between a plurality of positions comprising at least: a first soil engaging position (a first lowered position) wherein the breaking element is configured to be at a first breaking depth in the soil, and a second soil engaging position (a second lowered position) wherein the breaking element is configured to be at a second breaking depth in the soil, wherein the first breaking depth differs from the second breaking depth, a control unit (116) configured to control the drive mechanism for moving the breaking element between said plurality of positions, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a desired breaking depth for the breaking element and select a position of the breaking element among the plurality of positions based on said desired breaking depth (The invention has as its object to provide an automated device for processing the bottom of a riding area. The riding terrain preparation device according to the invention is designed to prepare a riding area and comprises an energy store, a traction motor, a position determination device, a control device and a soil tillage device. The traction motor is adapted to drive the riding terrain conditioning apparatus to move on the riding area. The traction motor is powered by the energy storage with energy. The traction motor may drive at least one wheel of the riding terrain conditioning apparatus. The riding terrain conditioning device may include at least three wheels, wherein two wheels are each driven by a traction motor. A non-driven wheel of the riding terrain conditioning device may be pivotable to steer the riding terrain preparation device. The position determination device is designed to determine the actual position of the riding terrain preparation device relative to a reference position. The control device is designed to control the traction motor as a function of the actual position. The tilling device is driven by an actuator and is designed to machine the floor of the riding area. The reference position may be any position on the riding area or on the riding area. The reference position may be, for example, the boundary of the riding area. For example, the reference position may be a position on the gang or fence of the riding area, for example in a riding hall or an outdoor riding area. The riding terrain preparation device comprises a tilling device with at least one tool which projects into the bottom of the riding area and is adapted to machine the floor of the riding area. As a result, the quality of the treatment of the soil can be increased. Due to the control device, the traction motor and the energy storage device, the riding terrain preparation device is capable of autonomously processing the riding area. The at least one tool may have a plurality of prongs, for example a row of prongs, which projects into the ground. The at least one tool can be driven by an actuator. This can improve the working of the soil. The tilling device may have at least one rotor on which a tool is arranged, which engages in the bottom of the riding area. Due to the forward movement of the riding terrain preparation device and the simultaneous rotating processing of the soil is a thorough and reproducible preparation of the soil. The rotor can rotate in the horizontal plane. In one embodiment, the rotor may have a plurality of horizontally extending arms, on each of which at least one tool is arranged, which extends into the bottom of the riding area. Due to the large number of tools rotating about a vertical axis, the soil is treated even more thoroughly. The tool may have a harrow, a tine and / or a double tine. The soil tillage implement may include two counter rotating rotors that rotate in the horizontal plane and overlap their working areas. Each rotor may have a plurality of arms. In a partial area, for example in the middle of the riding area preparation device, the area overlapped by the arms of each of the rotors overlaps. The arms of the two rotors mesh with each other without touching. As a result, the treatment of the soil can be improved again. Generally, that is, ever more arms are provided on the rotor, the more thorough the preparation of the soil. The riding terrain preparation device may include a lifting device configured to raise or lower the ground handling device relative to the wheels of the riding terrain conditioning device. The lifting device has no hydraulic components but only an electric drive. The electric drive can be coupled to a spindle. This avoids leakage of oil and contamination of the floor of the riding area. The position-determining device may have a measuring device which measures the distance from the actual position of the riding terrain preparation device for limiting the riding area. The position determination device may include a plurality of measuring devices on different sides of the riding terrain preparation device to determine the distance to the boundary of the riding area from a plurality of sides of the riding terrain preparation device. In one embodiment, the measuring device may comprise optical means to determine the distance to the boundary of the riding area. Preferably, the optical means are a so-called laser scanner. This makes it easy and reliable to determine the position of the riding terrain preparation device on the riding area. The control device can be designed to determine the actual distance of the riding terrain preparation device from the boundary of the riding area by means of the position determination device and to control the at least one traction motor so that the riding terrain preparation device during the preparation of the bottom of the riding area in tracks and / or parallel moved to the limit of the riding area. As a result, deterministic paths can be used, so that the riding area is prepared in as short a time as possible. In one embodiment, the riding terrain preparation device may include at least one actively steerable wheel. In another embodiment, the riding terrain preparation device may include a plurality of driven wheels and no steerable wheel may be provided. In this embodiment, at least one non-driven wheel may be provided which is pivotable. The control device can drive the at least two traction motors, each driving a wheel in the sense of an electronic differential to allow cornering.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 5-9, 12-19, 21 and 22 are allowed over the prior art of record.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record does not appear to anticipate and/or render obvious:
a) a harrowing robot for harrowing a soil of an indoor or outdoor animal or sport arena, comprising: a. a harrowing mechanism, comprising: i. a breaking element configured to break up and/or soften the soil, ii. a drive mechanism configured to move the breaking element between a plurality of positions comprising at least: 1. a first soil engaging position wherein the breaking element is configured to be at a first breaking depth in the soil, and 2. a second soil engaging position wherein the breaking element is configured to be at a second breaking depth in the soil, wherein the first breaking depth differs from the second breaking depth, iii. a control unit configured to control the drive mechanism for moving the breaking element between said plurality of positions, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a desired breaking depth for the breaking element and select a position of the breaking element among the plurality of positions based on said desired breaking depth, wherein the control unit is configured to determine the desired breaking depth based on at least one operating parameter, wherein said operating parameter relates to a traction of the breaking element.
b) a method for harrowing a soil of an indoor or outdoor animal or sport arena, comprising: harrowing the soil using a harrowing mechanism that comprises: a breaking element configured to break up and/or soften the soil, a drive mechanism configured to move the breaking element between a plurality of positions comprising at least: a first soil engaging position wherein the breaking element is configured to be at a first breaking depth in the soil, and a second soil engaging position wherein the breaking element is configured to be at a second breaking depth in the soil, wherein the first breaking depth differs from the second breaking depth, and a control unit configured to control the drive mechanism for moving the breaking element between said plurality of positions, wherein the method further comprises: determining a desired breaking depth for the breaking element; and selecting a position of the breaking element among the plurality of positions based on said desired breaking depth, wherein the harrowing robot further comprises further sensing means for sensing a soil roughness and/or density of the soil into which the breaking element engages based on which the control unit controls the position of the breaking element among the plurality of positions and, wherein the control unit is configured to control the position of the breaking element among the plurality of positions based on the sensed soil roughness and/or density.
The prior art of record shows a harrowing mechanism for harrowing a soil of an indoor or outdoor animal or sport arena, comprising: a breaking element configured to break up and/or soften the soil, a drive mechanism configured to move the breaking element between a plurality of positions comprising at least: a first soil engaging position wherein the breaking element is configured to be at a first breaking depth in the soil, and a second soil engaging position wherein the breaking element is configured to be at a second breaking depth in the soil, wherein the first breaking depth differs from the second breaking depth, a control unit configured to control the drive mechanism for moving the breaking element between said plurality of positions, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a desired breaking depth for the breaking element and select a position of the breaking element among the plurality of positions based on said desired breaking depth. However, based on applicant’s arguments, the prior art of record does not show wherein the control unit is configured to determine the desired breaking depth based on at least one operating parameter, wherein said operating parameter relates to a traction of the breaking element.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments, filed 05/14/2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 20 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to applicant’s argument that Pechstein fails to teach or suggest a first soil engaging position wherein the breaking element is configured to be at a first breaking depth in the soil, and a second soil engaging position wherein the breaking element is configured to be at a second breaking depth in the soil, wherein the first breaking depth differs from the second breaking depth, and wherein the control unit is configured to determine a desired breaking depth for the breaking element and select a position of the breaking element among the plurality of positions based on said desired breaking depth, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Pechstein discloses wherein the riding terrain preparation device may include a lifting device configured to raise or lower the ground handling device relative to the wheels of the riding terrain conditioning device, wherein preferably, the lifting device has no hydraulic components but only an electric drive, and wherein the electric drive can be coupled to a spindle. Thus, the lifting device is suitable to move the ground handling device between a plurality of soil engaging positions relative to the wheels of the riding terrain conditioning device. Pechstein further discloses wherein the riding terrain preparation device can drive autonomously, wherein the riding terrain preparation device includes a tilling device having at least one tool which projects into the bottom of the riding area, and wherein the tool includes a harrow, a tine and/or a double tine. Thus, the riding terrain preparation device is suitable to autonomously control the movement of the tool to a desired position based on various inputs provided to the control device. Furthermore, it has been held that a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.
Applicant’s arguments, filed 05/14/2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 1, 5-9, 12-19, 21 and 22 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW R BUCK whose telephone number is (571)270-3653. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6:30-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole Coy can be reached at (571)272-5405. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW R BUCK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3672
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