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 .
The amendment filed December 9, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1-18 and 20 are currently pending in the application.
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN115199927 in view of Conley et al., U.S. Patent Publication 2017/0114957.
As per claim 1, CN 115199927 discloses a lubrication system for lubricating a plurality of picker units (3) with lubrication points (31-33) (fig. 2) connected to an agricultural machine (Disclosure of Invention) (fig. 1) comprising:
a supply of lubricant (1) [grease tank];
a pump (2) fluidly coupled to the supply (1), the pump (2) configured to supply the lubricant to a supply line (fig. E-1));
a primary distributor (4) fluidly coupled to the pump (2) via the supply line, the primary distributor (4) comprising a plurality of outlets (fig. E-1) configured to be fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of picker units (3) (fig. 1);
a plurality of secondary distributors (5) each fluidly coupled to one of the plurality of outlets (fig. E-1) of the primary distributor (4), each of the plurality of second distributors (5) fluidly coupled to one of the plurality of picker units (3) (figs. 1, 2);
wherein, the primary distributor (4) is configured to distribute an equal amount of lubricant in a given cycle to each of the plurality of secondary distributors (5) (page 5, 7th para).
CN 115199927 does not disclose the plurality of secondary distributors each are configured to meter and distribute different predefined amounts of lubricant to a plurality of locations of a corresponding picker unit of the plurality of picker units.
However, Conley et al. in their Lubrication System With Lubricant Condition Monitoring invention teach the use of distributors (figs. 2-4), each containing valves (18) that permit predetermined quantities of lubricant to flow to have a sufficient volume to effectively lubricate each particular machine component. The actual amount of each quantity of lubricant may vary between the different machine components serviced by the system. That is, larger machine components may require a greater quantity of lubricant than is necessary to lubricate a smaller machine component (para [0017]).
Therefore, 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 invention of CN 115199927 with secondary distributors to distribute different predefined amounts of lubricant to a plurality of locations, as taught Conley et al., for the purpose of ensuring enough lubricant to all locations but not overlubricating other locations .
The recitation that each of the plurality of picker units includes a cam track assembly, an idler gear assembly, a drum and drive gear assembly, and a drum assembly has been little given patentable weight because it has been held that a preamble is denied the effect of limitation where the claim is drawn to a structure and the portion of the claim following the preamble is a self-contained description of the structure not depending for completeness upon the introductory clause. Kropa v. Roble, 88 USPQ 478 (CCPA 1951). In the instant application, one of ordinary skill in the cotton harvesting art would know the major components of picker units in obvious need of lubrication.
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As per claim 2, CN 115199927 and Conley et al. as set forth above, CN ‘927 as modified, discloses each secondary distributor (Conley, fig. 2) is configured to supply a first amount of lubricant to the cam track assembly, a second amount of lubricant to the idler gear assembly, and a third amount of lubricant to the drum assembly (CN ‘927, page 4, paragraphs 3-6).
Lubrication points 31-33 corresponding to the known major components of picker units in obvious need of lubrication mentioned in claim 1 above.
As per claim 3, CN 115199927 and Conley et al. as set forth above, CN ‘927 as modified, discloses the secondary distributor (Conley, fig. 2) supplies lubricant to the cam track assembly, the idler gear assembly, and the drum assembly in the same sequential order per a given cycle (CN ‘927, page 4, paragraphs 3-6).
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN115199927 in view of Conley et al., U.S. Patent Publication 2017/0114957, further in view of Reichen et al., U.S. Patent 4,769,978.
As per claim 4, CN 115199927 and Conley et al. as set forth above, CN ‘927 as modified, discloses a lubrication point with an opening being fluidly coupled to an outlet port (fig. 2) at the corresponding secondary distributor (Conley, fig. 2). CN 115199927 does not disclose the cam track assembly of each of the plurality of picker units comprises a cam track formed between an inner wall and an outer wall, the cam track defining a path about which a plurality of rollers move; wherein, an opening is formed in the cam track at a location offset from a centerline of the cam track and adjacent to the outer wall.
However, Reichen et al. in their Lubrication Distribution System for Cotton Harvester Row Units invention teach the use of a lubrication method of a cotton harvester that includes lubricating a cam track (64) (figs. 2, 3) formed between inner and outer walls (fig. 2) including an opening in the cam track (near connection with conduit 136, fig. 2) at a location offset from a centerline of the cam track and adjacent the outer wall (fig. 3) as part of their agricultural machine picker units. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to lubricate a cam track assembly in an opening formed in the cam track, as taught by Reichen et al., for the purpose of optimal machine performance from a cam track regulating picker paths and having lubricant flow paths for efficient and adequate machine lubrication.
As per claim 5, CN 115199927, Conley et al. and Reichen et al. as set forth above, CN ‘927 as modified, discloses a fluid line (fig. E-2) fluidly coupled between the outlet port (fig. E-2) at the corresponding secondary distributor (5) and the cam track assembly (64, Reichen), the fluid line comprising a fitting (fig. 2, near 64, Reichen) coupled to the opening (near connection with conduit 136, fig. 2) formed in the cam track (64); wherein, lubricant is supplied by the corresponding secondary distributor (5) to the cam track assembly (64) via the fluid line.
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-10, 14-18 and 20 are allowed.
Claims 11-13 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, page 11, filed December 9, 2025, with respect to the rejection of independent claim 1 and dependent claims 2-5 and 11-13 under 35 U.S.C. 103, CN115199927 in view of Reichen et al., U.S. Patent 4,769,978 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of CN115199927 in view of Reichen et al., U.S. Patent 4,769,978, further in view of Conley et al., U.S. Patent Publication 2017/0114957.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/M.K.B/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/ROBERT W HODGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654