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 § 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 1-14 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 1 recites the limitation "the manifold outlets" in ln. 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. There is no “a plurality of manifold outlets” to refer back to for this limitation in the claim. The Examiner suggests to revise this limitation in the claim to “the plurality of outlets” as previously recited in the claim to ensure consistency and clarity of the claim.
Claims 2-14 are rejected by virtue of dependency under claim 1.
The term “approximately” in claim 4, ln. 2 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “approximately” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The term is not quantifiable and the specification and the claim do not define what would be an approximately equal amount of material to each of the rigid tubes. For examination purposes, it will be interpreted that the housing is configured to direct an equal amount of material to each of the rigid tubes.
Claim 8 recites the limitation “each of the parallel rigid tubes of the at least one boom are of a different length” in ln. 1-2. There is a lack of clarity for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear whether the applicant is referring to the plurality of parallel rigid tubes previously recited in claim 1 or the applicant is introducing a new feature. For examination purposes, it will be interpreted that “each of the parallel rigid tubes of the at least one boom are of a different length” is a different feature than the plurality of parallel rigid tubes previously recited in claim 1.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the at least one boom" in ln. 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. There is no “at least one boom” to refer back to for this limitation in the claim.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wall (US Patent 4,790,484).
Regarding claim 1, Wall discloses a solid distribution system (entire structure, Fig. 3) of an agricultural spreader (entire structure, Fig. 1), comprising:
a blower (54, Figs. 1, 3);
a manifold (interpreting as a pipe fitting with several lateral outlets for connecting one pipe with others, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 40, tube array 40 comprises a plurality of tubes 44, where the inlet ends of air tubes 44 are connected to discharge of blower 54 to move air from the blower 54 to the tubes 44, Fig. 4, Col. 4, Ln. 26-37, Col. 5, Ln. 25-36) having an inlet (discharge end of the blower 54 connecting to air tubes 44, shown in Fig. 3) and a plurality of outlets (44, Figs. 3-4), the inlet (discharge end of the blower 54 connecting to air tubes 44 shown in Fig. 3) coupled to the blower (54, shown in Fig. 3), wherein
the manifold (40, Fig. 4) is configured to split air flow from the blower (54, Fig. 3) into flows through each of the plurality of outlets (44, tubes 44 provide separate and independent passages for air flow from the blower 54, shown in Figs. 3-4, Col. 4, Ln. 26-37, Col. 5, Ln. 25-36), and wherein each of the plurality of outlets (44, Figs. 3-4) is oriented to direct the air flow in a direction parallel to a direction of air flow into the inlet (discharge end of the blower 54 connecting to air tubes 44, air flowing into tubes 44 are flowing in a direction parallel to the discharge ends of the blower 54 connecting to air tubes 44 as indicated by the arrows, shown in Figs. 3-4);
a plurality of hoses (52, Fig. 3), each hose (52, Fig. 3) connected to one of the manifold outlets (interpreting as the plurality of outlets, 44, shown in Fig. 3, Col. 4, Ln. 50-59);
a plurality of parallel rigid tubes (38, Fig. 3), each rigid tube (38, Fig. 3) connected to one of the hoses (52, shown in Fig. 3, Col. 4, Ln. 45-50); and
a product hopper (12, Figs. 1, 3) configured to deliver solid particulate material to the rigid tubes (38, Fig. 3) without passing through the manifold (40, Fig. 4) or hoses (52, material from the box 12 is discharged onto conveyor 22 and divided by material dividers 30 to pass down into the tubes 38 before passing through flexible tubes 52, Fig. 4, Col. 3, Ln. 55-68, Col. 4, Ln. 50-59).
Regarding claim 2, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 1. Wall discloses the system (entire structure, Fig. 3) further comprising a distributor (22, Fig. 3) configured to deliver the solid particulate material from the product hopper (12, Figs. 1, 3) to each of the parallel rigid tubes (38, material from the box 12 is discharged onto conveyor 22 and divided by material dividers 30 to pass down into the tubes 38 before passing through flexible tubes 52, Fig. 3, Col. 3, Ln. 55-68, Col. 4, Ln. 50-59).
Regarding claim 3, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 2. Wall further discloses the distributor (22, Fig. 3) comprises a conveyor belt (Col. 3, Ln. 57-60).
With respect to claim 4, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 2. Wall further discloses the distributor (22, Figs. 3-4) comprises a housing (30, Figs. 3-4) configured to direct an approximately equal amount of material to each of the rigid tubes (38, material dividers 30 uniformly divide material discharged from the conveyor 22 into tubes 38, Fig. 3, Col. 3, Ln. 55-68, Col. 4, Ln. 50-59).
With respect to claim 5, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 2. Wall further discloses the distributor (22, Figs. 3-4) defines a plurality of exits (32, Fig. 4), wherein each exit (32, Fig. 4) is open to a respective parallel rigid tube (38, shown in Fig. 4).
In regards to claim 6, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 2. Wall further discloses the distributor (22, Figs. 3-4) is configured to pass the solid particulate material to the parallel rigid tubes (38, Figs. 3-4) without passing through the hoses (52, material from the box 12 is discharged onto conveyor 22 and divided by material dividers 30 to pass down into the tubes 38 before passing through flexible tubes 52, Fig. 3, Col. 3, Ln. 55-68, Col. 4, Ln. 50-59).
Regarding claim 7, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 1. Wall further discloses an outlet (48, Figs. 3-4) of each of the hoses (52, Fig. 3) is axially aligned with a respective parallel rigid tube (38, shown in Figs. 3-4, Col. 4, Ln. 38-59).
With respect to claim 8, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 1. Wall further discloses each of the parallel rigid tubes (vertical tubes of the boom sections 110 and 112, shown in Fig. 1) of the at least one boom (110, 112, Fig. 1) are of a different length (shown in Fig. 1).
With respect to claim 9, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 1. Wall further discloses the hoses (52, Fig. 3) connect to respective rigid tubes (38, shown in Fig. 3) at inboard ends (interpreting as ends located nearer the longitudinal axis or center, Dictionary.com) of the rigid tubes (38, shown in Fig. 3).
In regards to claim 10, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 1. Wall further discloses an outlet (48, Figs. 3-4) of each of the hoses (52, Fig. 3) is inset (interpreting as a place where something flows in, Merriam-Webster Dictionary) from an inboard end (interpreting as end located nearer the longitudinal axis or center, Dictionary.com) of a respective rigid tube (38, shown in Fig. 3).
In regards to claim 11, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 1. Wall further discloses an outlet (outlets of tubes 38, shown in Fig. 4) at an outboard end (interpreting as end located farther from the center) of each rigid tube (38, shown in Fig. 4).
With respect to claim 12, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 1. Wall further discloses the solid particulate material is configured to pass from the product hopper (12, Fig. 3) to the parallel rigid tubes (38, Figs. 3-4) without passing through the hoses (52, material from the box 12 is discharged onto conveyor 22 and divided by material dividers 30 to pass down into the tubes 38 before passing through flexible tubes 52, Fig. 3, Col. 3, Ln. 55-68, Col. 4, Ln. 50-59).
With respect to claim 13, Wall discloses the solid distribution system of claim 1, further comprising:
a second blower (56, Figs. 1, 3);
a second manifold (40, tube array 40 comprises a plurality of tubes 42, where the inlet ends of air tubes 42 are connected to discharge of blower 56 to move air from the blower 56 to the tubes 42, Fig. 4, Col. 4, Ln. 26-37, Col. 5, Ln. 25-36) having a second inlet (discharge end of blower 56 connecting to air tubes 42, shown in Fig. 3) and a second plurality of outlets (42, Figs. 3-4), the second inlet (discharge end of blower 56 connecting to air tubes 42, shown in Fig. 3) coupled to the second blower (56, shown in Fig. 3), wherein the second manifold (40, Fig. 4) is configured to split air flow from the second blower (56, Figs. 1, 3) into flows through each of the second plurality of outlets (42, tubes 42 provide separate and independent passages for air flow from the blower 56, Figs. 3-4, Col. 4, Ln. 26-37, Col. 5, Ln. 25-36), and wherein each of the second plurality of outlets (42, Figs. 3-4) is oriented to direct the air flow in a direction parallel to a direction of air flow into the second inlet (discharge end of the blower 56 connecting to air tubes 42, air flowing into tubes 42 are flowing in a direction parallel to the discharge end of the blower 56 connecting to air tubes 42 as indicated by the arrows, shown in Figs. 3-4); and
a second plurality of hoses (50, Fig. 3), each hose of the second plurality of hoses (50, Fig. 3) connected to one of the second plurality of outlets (42, shown in Fig. 3).
In regards to claim 14, Wall discloses a vehicle (10, Fig. 1) comprising the solid distribution system of claim 1 (entire spraying system, shown in Fig. 1).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Anna T Ho whose telephone number is (571)272-2587. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, First Friday of Pay Period off.
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, Arthur O Hall can be reached at (571) 270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ANNA THI HO/Examiner, Art Unit 3752
/ARTHUR O. HALL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3752