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 Objections
Claims 1, 3-4, 6-8, 12-13 and 16-19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 Ln 9, please amend to --displaces the hydraulic fluid--.
Claims 3-4, 6-8, 12-13 and 16-19 use the term “the hydraulic cylinder”. This term lacks antecedent basis. These should be amended to either ‘the hydraulic cylinder assembly’, ‘the cylinder chamber’, or some other amendment to provide proper antecedent basis.
Claim 13, please amend to --A downforce control system for an agricultural ground engaging unit, comprising:
a hydraulic cylinder assembly including a cylinder chamber elongated along a longitudinal axis, and a cylinder rod moveable along the longitudinal axis, wherein the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder chamber provides a downforce on the cylinder rod;
a first accumulator in fluid communication with the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder assembly, wherein the first accumulator has a first threshold pressure above which the hydraulic fluid can be received by the first accumulator;
a second accumulator in fluid communication with the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder assembly, wherein the second accumulator has a second threshold pressure above which the hydraulic fluid can be received by the second accumulator, wherein the second threshold pressure is greater than the first threshold pressure,
wherein the hydraulic cylinder assembly, the first accumulator, and the second accumulator are configured such that (i.) at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid from the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder assembly is received by the first accumulator when the pressure in the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder assembly is above the first threshold pressure and (ii.) at least a second portion of the hydraulic fluid from the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder assembly is received by the second accumulator when the pressure in the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder assembly is above the second threshold pressure,
wherein the first and second accumulators each extend along a respective longitudinal axis that are offset and parallel to each other and are each offset and parallel to the cylinder longitudinal axis; and
wherein the first accumulator comprises an accumulator with a first gas charge amount on a gas side of the first accumulator, wherein the second accumulator comprises an accumulator with a second gas charge amount on a gas side of the second accumulator--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
-(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 1-15 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1), 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by LAHARGOU; ANDRE et al. US 20080111022 A1, hereinafter Lahargou.
Regarding claim 1, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) a downforce control system for an agricultural ground engaging unit (interpreted as intended use in accordance with MPEP 2111.02), comprising:
a hydraulic cylinder assembly (1) including a cylinder chamber (5) elongated along a longitudinal axis (depicted centerline of (5)), and a cylinder rod (2) movable in the cylinder chamber along the longitudinal axis, wherein hydraulic fluid in the cylinder chamber provides a downforce on the cylinder rod to downwardly bias the agricultural ground engaging unit [0023]; and
a first accumulator (10) and second accumulator (20), the first and second accumulators each being fluidly coupled to the cylinder chamber to receive at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid as the cylinder rod moves in the cylinder chamber and displaces hydraulic fluid from the cylinder chamber [0022],
wherein each of the first and second accumulators is elongated along a respective longitudinal axis (depicted as elongated along respective centerlines thereof), the respective longitudinal axes of the accumulators being offset and parallel to each other, and being offset and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder chamber (as depicted, the axes of the accumulators are perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder; however, [0035] states that “For example, they could be secured to the side of the main cylinder, parallel thereto”).
Regarding claim 2, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the first accumulator (10) and the second accumulator (20) each have a hydraulic chamber (13, 23) that is elongated along the respective longitudinal axes of the accumulators [0017-0018].
Regarding claim 3, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the hydraulic cylinder chamber (5), the first accumulator (10), and the second accumulator (20) are contained within a unitary housing (as depicted, once assembled, the housing is unitary), wherein the housing further includes internal passages that fluidly connect the first and second accumulators with the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder [0020].
Regarding claim 4, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) further comprising a mount portion extending from the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the mount portion includes a first and second mount to releasably fluidly attach the first and second accumulator to the mount portion to fluidly connect to the hydraulic cylinder (as depicted, the top portion of (5) has mounting portions for (10, 20)).
Regarding claim 5, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the first and/or second accumulators (10/20) are at least one of bladder accumulators or piston accumulators (depicted as rigid/piston accumulators).
Regarding claim 6, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the hydraulic cylinder chamber (5) is a single acting hydraulic cylinder (depicted as only having applicable pressurized fluid on the top side of the piston thereby making it a single acting cylinder).
Regarding claim 7, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the cylinder rod (2) has a stop (3) to prevent further movement of the cylinder rod beyond a predetermined extension from the hydraulic cylinder.
Regarding claim 8, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) further comprising:
a supply valve (14, 24) fluidly coupled to the chamber (5) of the hydraulic cylinder chamber to selectively provide the hydraulic fluid [0024]; and
a return valve (5) fluidly coupled to the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder chamber, the first accumulator (10), and the second accumulator (20) to selectively remove at least a second portion of the hydraulic fluid [0026, 0028].
Regarding claim 9, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the longitudinal axis of the first accumulator, the longitudinal axis of the second accumulator, and the cylinder longitudinal axis are offset from each other and are all in a single plane (depicted as in a single plane).
Regarding claim 10, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the cylinder rod includes a rod communication port (54) configured for flow of the hydraulic fluid between a first side of the cylinder rod and a second side of the cylinder rod [0031-0032].
Regarding claim 11, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the cylinder rod further includes a rod retention member (3) that extends outwardly from a body of the cylinder rod (2).
Regarding claim 12, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the hydraulic cylinder further includes a surface on an interior of a cylinder body configured to engage the rod retention member to prevent travel of the cylinder rod out of the cylinder body beyond a threshold point (as depicted, (3) engages an interior surface thereby preventing further extension).
Regarding claim 13, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) a downforce control system for an agricultural ground engaging unit (interpreted as intended use in accordance with MPEP 2111.02), comprising:
a hydraulic cylinder assembly (1) including a cylinder chamber (5) elongated along a longitudinal axis (depicted centerline of (5)), and a cylinder rod (2) movable moveable along the longitudinal axis, wherein the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder chamber provides a downforce on the cylinder rod [0023];
a first accumulator (10) in fluid communication with the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder [0022], wherein the first accumulator has a first threshold pressure above which the hydraulic fluid can be received by the first accumulator (“20 bars”, [0021]);
a second accumulator (20) in fluid communication with the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder [0022], wherein the second accumulator has a second threshold pressure above which the hydraulic fluid can be received by the second accumulator (“80 bars”, [0021]), wherein the second threshold pressure is greater than the first threshold pressure (80 is greater than 20),
wherein the hydraulic cylinder, the first accumulator, and the second accumulator are configured such that
(i.) at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid from the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder is received by the first accumulator when the pressure in the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder is above the first threshold pressure [0022] and
(ii.) at least a second portion of the hydraulic fluid from the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder is received by the second accumulator when the pressure in the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder is above the second threshold pressure [0022],
wherein the first and second accumulators each extend along a respective longitudinal axis (depicted as elongated along respective centerlines thereof) that are offset and parallel to each other and are each offset and parallel to the cylinder longitudinal axis (as depicted, the axes of the accumulators are perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder; however, [0035] states that “For example, they could be secured to the side of the main cylinder, parallel thereto”); and
wherein the first accumulator comprises an accumulator with a first gas charge (12) amount on a gas side of the first accumulator, wherein the second accumulator comprises an accumulator with a second gas charge (22) amount on a gas side of the second accumulator [0017-0018, 0021].
Regarding claim 14, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the first charge amount is in a range of 861.845 kPa to 3447.38 kPa (20 bar = 2,000 kPa), wherein the second charge amount is in a range of 3447.38 kPa to 13,789.51 kPa (80 bar = 8,000 kPa) [0021].
Regarding claim 15, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) at least one of the first accumulator (10) or the second accumulator (20) comprises a piston accumulator or a bladder accumulator (depicted as rigid/piston accumulators).
Regarding claim 17, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the hydraulic cylinder chamber (5) is configured so that an external compressive force on the cylinder rod (2) compresses the hydraulic fluid in the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, increasing the pressure in the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, and at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid flows out of the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder and into the first accumulator (10, [0022]) .
Regarding claim 18, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the hydraulic cylinder is configured so that when an external compressive force on the cylinder rod compresses the hydraulic fluid in the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, the pressure in the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder is increased and at least a first portion of the hydraulic fluid flows out of the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder and into the first accumulator and at least a second portion of the hydraulic fluid flows out of the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder and into the second accumulator [0022].
Regarding claim 19, Lahargou discloses (Fig. 1) the hydraulic cylinder chamber (5), the first accumulator (10), and the second accumulator (20) are contained within a unitary housing (as depicted, once assembled, the housing is unitary), wherein the housing further includes internal passages that fluidly connect the first and second accumulators with the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder [0020].
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 of this title, 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 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lahargou in view of VOELKEL; Bret et al. US 20220134830 A1, hereinafter Voelkel. The references is/are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because the references is/are from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention (downforce control systems (suspensions)). MPEP2141.01(a) I.
Regarding claim 16, Lahargou discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 13 except fails to explicitly state that further comprising a sensor configured to detect the pressure in the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder.
Voelkel discloses (Fig. 2) a downforce control system for an agricultural ground engaging unit (interpreted as intended use in accordance with MPEP 2111.02), comprising:
a hydraulic cylinder assembly (202) including a cylinder chamber (206) elongated along a longitudinal axis (214), and a cylinder rod (208) movable moveable along the longitudinal axis, wherein the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder chamber provides a downforce on the cylinder rod [0095]; and
a sensor (93) configured to detect the pressure in the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder [0056] for the purpose of ensuring the proper vehicle height and proper air pressure [0114].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify Lahargou, by providing a sensor configured to detect the pressure in the chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, as taught by Voelkel, for the purpose of ensuring the proper vehicle height and proper air pressure.
Relevant Art
The following is a listing of relevant art:
US 20160106021 A1, US 20160198623 A1, US 4648466 A, US 9371879 B2 discloses an agricultural ground engaging unit comprising a hydraulic actuator assembly and one or more accumulator assemblies
US 20220252125 A1 discloses a hydraulic actuator assembly with an attached bladder style accumulator parallel to the actuator.
US 5593007 A discloses a hydraulic actuator assembly with two attached piston style accumulators parallel to the actuator.
US 4383595 A, US 4647025 A discloses a hydraulic actuator assembly with a bump stop.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW WIBLIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9836. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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/MATTHEW WIBLIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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