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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Windguard Assembly for Baler.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-3, 8, 10, 14 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 17 recites “the plurality of rake tine”, should read – the plurality of rake tines –.
Claim 2 is missing the period at the end of line 4.
Claim 2, line 4 recites “central tines”, should read – internal tines – due to no mention of a central tine only a central portion.
Claim 3, line 2 recites “central tines”, should read – internal tines – due to no mention of a central tine only a central portion.
Claim 8, line 12 recites “where the crops is prepared”, should read – where the crops are prepared –.
Claim 10, line 3 recites “central tines”, should read – internal tines – due to no mention of a central tine only a central portion.
Claim 14, lines 22 and 23 both recite “central tines”, should read – internal tines – due to no mention of a central tine only a central portion.
Claim 20, line 4 recites “includes the entrance rollers. The plane”, should read – includes the entrance rollers, the plane –.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 8 and 20 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 8 recites the limitation "the rotor" in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the entrance portion of the loop" in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 is rejected due to dependency on claim 8.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7, 9-12, and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lammerant et al. (US 11547053 B2) in view of Egging et al. (US 20090100814 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Lammerant et al. teaches a feeding unit [100] for a baler [10], the feeding unit being configured for picking up crops from the ground and for feeding it into the baler (through pickup [30]), the feeding unit including:
an inlet (see below; facing ground to pick up crop material) faced to the ground and an outlet (see below; placed inside baler in order to move crops into compression chamber) placed inside the baler,
a pick-up unit [30] configured to rotate in a direction opposite (rotates opposite direction of travel of the baler in order to pick material up from ground and feed it into the baler) to the direction of travel of the baler for sweeping the crops upwardly;
a windguard assembly [200] placed above the pick-up unit (see Fig. 1) for ensuring proper feeding of the crops into the baler;
wherein said windguard assembly comprises:
a frame [202];
a pair of windguard arms [211A-B and 212A-B] pivotably fixed to the frame (through pivot [214], see Col. 4, lines 23-26),
a windguard pipe [203] fixed between the windguard arms, windguard pipe extending along a longitudinal axis (see below) between a first end (see below) and a second end (see below),
a plurality of rake tines [204] fixed to the pipe, spaced from each other, and projecting towards the baler (see Figs.1-2), the rake tines being distributed on the windguard pipe between the first and the second end thereof (see Fig. 2), each tine of the plurality of tines having a free tip (see below) and an end fixed to the pipe (see below), wherein the plurality of rake tine includes a first rake tine (see below) with a first inclination with respect to the ground (extends straight with respect to ground, see Fig. 2) and a second rake tine (see below) with a second inclination with respect to the ground (tip is angled towards the ground, see Fig. 2).
PNG
media_image1.png
356
717
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
380
594
media_image2.png
Greyscale
But Lammerant et al. fails to explicitly disclose the second inclination being greater than the first inclination so that the tip of the second tine is located at a higher altitude from the ground with respect to the tip of the first tines.
Egging et al. discloses a similar feeding unit (see Fig. 9) for a baler [900] comprising of a windguard assembly [26] with a plurality of rake tines (see Fig. 8), the rake tines being distributed on the windguard pipe (see below), wherein the plurality of rake tine includes a second rake tine (see below) with a second inclination (rake tine is angled upwards with tip raised from the ground, see Fig. 7b) with respect to the ground so that the tip of the second tine is located at a high altitude (see Fig. 7b and 9) from the ground.
PNG
media_image3.png
519
848
media_image3.png
Greyscale
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to substitute the second tine of Lammerant et al. with the second tine of Egging et al. since both are tines on a windguard assembly, helping to guide plant material into the pickup unit; therefore, yielding the same predictable result. It can be seen then that when the second tine of Egging et al. is applied as the second tine of Lammerant et al. that the second inclination is greater than the first inclination as disclosed by Egging et al. (see above) so that the tip of the second tine is located at a higher altitude from the ground with respect to the tip of the first tine.
Regarding claims 2 and 10, Lammerant et al., of the above resultant combination, further discloses wherein the plurality of tines [204] includes lateral tines (see below) placed at the first end (see above) and the second end (see above), and internal tines (see below) positioned in a central portion (see below) of the pipe [203] where the lateral tines have the first inclination (see above; first tine is a lateral tine), and the central tines have the second inclination (see above; second tine is an internal tine).
PNG
media_image4.png
568
736
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Regarding claims 3 and 11, Lammerant et al., of the above resultant combination, further discloses wherein the plurality of tines [204] includes intermediate rake tines (see below) between the lateral tines (see below) and the central tines (see below), the intermediate tines having a third inclination (shorter than internal tines with tip angled downwards, see Fig. 2).
PNG
media_image5.png
568
736
media_image5.png
Greyscale
But Lammerant et al. fails to explicitly disclose the third inclination is greater than the first inclination and smaller than the second inclination.
Egging et al. discloses a similar feeding unit (see Fig. 9) with a rake tine (see below) having an inclination (rake tine is shorter but still angled upwards in relation to ground, see Fig. 8) smaller than the second inclination (rake tine is angled upwards with tip raised from the ground, see Fig. 7b).
PNG
media_image6.png
519
848
media_image6.png
Greyscale
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to substitute the intermediate tine of Lammerant et al. with the rake tine of Egging et al. since both are tines on a windguard assembly, helping to guide plant material into the pickup unit; therefore, yielding the same predictable result. It can be seen then that when the rake tine of Egging et al. is applied as the intermediate tine of Lammerant et al. that the third inclination is greater that the first inclination of Lammerant et al. and smaller than the second inclination as disclosed by Egging et al. (third inclination is greater than the first inclination of Lammerant et al. while being smaller than the second inclination taught by Egging et al., see Egging et al. Figs. 7b and 8).
Regarding claims 4, 12 and 16, Lammerant et al., of the above resultant combination, further discloses wherein the windguard assembly [200] includes a rotating windguard cylinder [201] fixed between the windguard arms [211A-B and 212A-B], the rotating windguard cylinder being placed below the windguard pipe ([203], see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 7, Lammerant et al. discloses a baler [10] for forming bales of crops, the baler comprising a feeding unit [100], wherein the feeding unit includes:
- an inlet (see below) faced to the ground and an outlet (see below) placed inside the baler,
- a pick-up unit [30] configured to rotate in a direction (rotates opposite direction of travel of the baler in order to pick material up from ground and feed it into the baler) opposite to the direction of travel of the baler for sweeping the crops upwardly;
- a windguard assembly [200] placed above the pick-up unit (see Fig. 1) for ensuring proper feeding of the crops into the baler;
wherein said windguard assembly comprises:
a frame [202];
a pair of windguard arms [211A-B and 212A-B] pivotably fixed to the frame (through pivot [214], see Col. 4, lines 23-26),
a windguard pipe [203] fixed between the windguard arms, windguard pipe extending along a longitudinal axis (see below) between a first end (see below) and a second end (see below),
a plurality of rake tines [204] fixed to the pipe, spaced from each other, and projecting towards the baler (see Figs.1-2), the rake tines being distributed on the windguard pipe between the first and the second end thereof (see Fig. 2), each tine of the plurality of tines having a free tip (see below) and an end fixed to the pipe (see below), wherein the plurality of rake tine includes a first rake tine (see below) with a first inclination with respect to the ground (extends straight with respect to ground, see Fig. 2) and a second rake tine (see below) with a second inclination with respect to the ground (tip is angled towards the ground, see Fig. 2).
PNG
media_image1.png
356
717
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
380
594
media_image2.png
Greyscale
But Lammerant et al. fails to explicitly disclose the second inclination being greater than the first inclination so that the tip of the second tine is located at a higher altitude from the ground with respect to the tip of the first tines.
Egging et al. discloses a similar feeding unit (see Fig. 9) for a baler [900] comprising of a windguard assembly [26] with a plurality of rake tines (see Fig. 8), the rake tines being distributed on the windguard pipe (see below), wherein the plurality of rake tine includes a second rake tine (see below) with a second inclination (rake tine is angled upwards with tip raised from the ground, see Fig. 7b) with respect to the ground so that the tip of the second tine is located at a high altitude (see Fig. 7b and 9) from the ground.
PNG
media_image3.png
519
848
media_image3.png
Greyscale
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to substitute the second tine of Lammerant et al. with the second tine of Egging et al. since both are tines on a windguard assembly, helping to guide plant material into the pickup unit; therefore, yielding the same predictable result. It can be seen then that when the second tine of Egging et al. is applied as the second tine of Lammerant et al. that the second inclination is greater than the first inclination as disclosed by Egging et al. (see above) so that the tip of the second tine is located at a higher altitude from the ground with respect to the tip of the first tine.
Regarding claim 9, Lammerant et al. discloses a method (method of using feeding unit [100]) for feeding crops picked-up from the ground to a baler [10], comprising the following steps:
- rotating a pick-up unit [30] of a feeding unit [100] in a direction opposite (rotates opposite direction of travel of the baler in order to pick material up from ground and feed it into the baler) to the direction of travel of the baler for sweeping the crops upwardly;
- placing a windguard assembly [200] above the pick-up unit (see Fig. 1) for ensuring proper feeding of the crops into the baler;
- pivotably fixing (through pivot [214], see Col. 4, lines 23-26) a pair of windguard arms [211A-B and 212A-B] to a frame [202] of the windguard assembly;
- fixing a windguard pipe [203] between the windguard arms, wherein the pipe extends along a longitudinal axis (see below) between a first end (see below) and a second end (see below);
- fixing a plurality of rake tines [204] to the pipe in a way that the tines are spaced from each other, and projecting towards the baler (see Figs. 2 and 5);
- distributing the tines on the pipe between the first and the second end thereof such that a first rake tine (see below) of the plurality of rake tine has a first inclination (extends straight with respect to ground, see Fig. 2) with respect to the ground and a second rake tine (see below) of the plurality of rake tines has a second inclination (rake tine is angled upwards with tip raised from the ground, see Fig. 7b)with respect to the ground.
PNG
media_image7.png
560
716
media_image7.png
Greyscale
But Lammerant et al. fails to explicitly disclose the second inclination being greater than the first inclination so that the tip of the second tine is located at a higher altitude from the ground with respect to the tip of the first tines.
Egging et al. discloses a similar feeding unit (see Fig. 9) for a baler [900] comprising of a windguard assembly [26] with a plurality of rake tines (see Fig. 8), the rake tines being distributed on the windguard pipe (see below), wherein the plurality of rake tine includes a second rake tine (see below) with a second inclination (rake tine is angled upwards with tip raised from the ground, see Fig. 7b) with respect to the ground so that the tip of the second tine is located at a high altitude (see Fig. 7b and 9) from the ground.
PNG
media_image3.png
519
848
media_image3.png
Greyscale
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to substitute the second tine of Lammerant et al. with the second tine of Egging et al. since both are tines on a windguard assembly, helping to guide plant material into the pickup unit; therefore, yielding the same predictable result. It can be seen then that when the second tine of Egging et al. is applied as the second tine of Lammerant et al. that the second inclination is greater than the first inclination as disclosed by Egging et al. (see above) so that the tip of the second tine is located at a higher altitude from the ground with respect to the tip of the first tine.
Regarding claim 14, Lammerant et al. discloses a feeding unit [100] of a baler [10], for picking up crops from the ground and for feeding it into the baler, including:
- an inlet (see below) faced to the ground and an outlet (see below) placed inside the baler,
- a pick-up unit [30] configured to rotate in a direction (rotates opposite direction of travel of the baler in order to pick material up from ground and feed it into the baler) opposite to the direction of travel of the baler for sweeping the crops upwardly;
- a windguard assembly [200] placed above the pick-up unit (see Fig. 1) for ensuring proper feeding of the crops into the baler;
wherein said windguard assembly comprises:
a frame [202];
a pair of windguard arms [211A-B and 212A-B] pivotably fixed to the frame (through pivot [214], see Col. 4, lines 23-26),
a windguard pipe [203] fixed between the windguard arms, windguard pipe extending along a longitudinal axis (see below) between a first end (see below) and a second end (see below),
a plurality of rake tines [204] fixed to the pipe, spaced from each other, and projecting towards the baler (see Figs.1-2), the rake tines being distributed on the windguard pipe between the first and the second end thereof (see Fig. 2), each tine of the plurality of tines having a free tip (see below) and an end fixed to the pipe (see below), wherein the plurality of rake tine includes a first rake tine (see below) with a first inclination with respect to the ground (extends straight with respect to ground, see Fig. 2) and a second rake tine (see below) with a second inclination with respect to the ground (tip is angled towards the ground, see Fig. 2),
lateral tines (see below) placed at the first end (see above) and the second end (see above), internal tines (see below) positioned in a central portion (see below) of the pipe [203] where the lateral tines have the first inclination (see above; first tine is a lateral tine), and the central tines have the second inclination (see above; second tine is an internal tine),
intermediate rake tines (see below) between the lateral tines (see below) and the central tines (see below), the intermediate tines having a third inclination (shorter than internal tines with tip angled downwards, see Fig. 2), different from the first inclination and from the second inclination (different from the other inclinations due to being angled but shorter than the second inclination, see Fig. 2).
PNG
media_image1.png
356
717
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
380
594
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image4.png
568
736
media_image4.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image5.png
568
736
media_image5.png
Greyscale
But Lammerant et al. fails to explicitly disclose the second inclination being greater than the first inclination so that the tip of the second tine is located at a higher altitude from the ground with respect to the tip of the first tines.
Egging et al. discloses a similar feeding unit (see Fig. 9) for a baler [900] comprising of a windguard assembly [26] with a plurality of rake tines (see Fig. 8), the rake tines being distributed on the windguard pipe (see below), wherein the plurality of rake tine includes a second rake tine (see below) with a second inclination (rake tine is angled upwards with tip raised from the ground, see Fig. 7b) with respect to the ground so that the tip of the second tine is located at a high altitude (see Fig. 7b and 9) from the ground.
PNG
media_image3.png
519
848
media_image3.png
Greyscale
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to substitute the second tine of Lammerant et al. with the second tine of Egging et al. since both are tines on a windguard assembly, helping to guide plant material into the pickup unit; therefore, yielding the same predictable result. It can be seen then that when the second tine of Egging et al. is applied as the second tine of Lammerant et al. that the second inclination is greater than the first inclination as disclosed by Egging et al. (see above) so that the tip of the second tine is located at a higher altitude from the ground with respect to the tip of the first tine.
Regarding claim 15, Lammerant et al. fails to explicitly disclose wherein the third inclination is greater than the first inclination and smaller than the second inclination.
Egging et al. discloses a similar feeding unit (see Fig. 9) with a rake tine (see below) having an inclination (rake tine is shorter but still angled upwards in relation to ground, see Fig. 8) smaller than the second inclination (rake tine is angled upwards with tip raised from the ground, see Fig. 7b).
PNG
media_image6.png
519
848
media_image6.png
Greyscale
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to substitute the intermediate tine of Lammerant et al. with the rake tine of Egging et al. since both are tines on a windguard assembly, helping to guide plant material into the pickup unit; therefore, yielding the same predictable result. It can be seen then that when the rake tine of Egging et al. is applied as the intermediate tine of Lammerant et al. that the third inclination is greater that the first inclination of Lammerant et al. and smaller than the second inclination as disclosed by Egging et al. (third inclination is greater than the first inclination of Lammerant et al. while being smaller than the second inclination taught by Egging et al., see Egging et al. Figs. 7b and 8).
Claim(s) 5-6, 13, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lammerant et al. (US 11547053 B2) and Egging et al. (US 20090100814 A1) as applied to claims 1-4, 7, 9-12, and 14-16 above, and further in view of McClure et al. (US 9681603 B2).
Regarding claim 5, the above combination discloses the feeding unit as applied above, but fails to explicitly disclose wherein the feeding unit includes a rotor having a plurality of feeding blades, each having a plurality of fins, wherein the rotor is placed downstream of the pick-up unit in a way that the rotor and the pick-up unit are aligned.
McClure et al. discloses a similar feeding unit [50] for a baler wherein the feeding unit includes a rotor [75] having a plurality of feeding blades (see blades in Fig. 1C), each having a plurality of fins (feeding blades are made up of fins, see Fig. 1C), wherein the rotor is placed downstream of the pick-up unit [55] in a way that the rotor and the pick-up unit are aligned (see Fig. 1C).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the rotor of McClure et al. in the feeding unit of Lammerant et al. and Egging et al in order to further convey the crop material from the pick-up unit to the compression chamber of the baler to form a bale (see McClure et al. Col. 8, lines 60-67 and Col. 9, lines 1-3).
Regarding claim 6, McClure et al., of the above resultant combination, further discloses wherein both the rotor [75] and the pick-up unit [50] rotate in a direction which is opposite to the rotation direction of wheels of the baler when the baler advances along said direction of travel (rotates opposite the direction of travel in order to pick up and convey the crop material from the ground upwards towards the compression chamber of the baler, see Col. 8, lines 60-67 and Col. 9, lines 1-3).
Regarding claim 13, the above combination discloses the feeding unit as applied above, but fails to explicitly disclose comprising the steps of: - placing a rotor having a plurality of feeding blades, each having a plurality of fins, downstream of the pick-up unit in a way that the rotor and the pick-up unit are aligned, - rotating both the rotor and the pick-up unit in a direction which is opposite to the rotation direction of wheels of the baler when the baler advances along said direction of travel.
McClure et al. discloses a similar feeding unit [50] for a baler comprising the steps of:
- placing a rotor [75] having a plurality of feeding blades (see blades in Fig. 1C), each having a plurality of fins (feeding blades are made up of fins, see Fig. 1C), wherein the rotor is placed downstream of the pick-up unit [55] in a way that the rotor and the pick-up unit are aligned (see Fig. 1C),
- rotating both the rotor and the pick-up unit in a direction which is opposite to the rotation direction of wheels of the baler when the baler advances along said direction of travel (rotates opposite the direction of travel in order to pick up and convey the crop material from the ground upwards towards the compression chamber of the baler, see Col. 8, lines 60-67 and Col. 9, lines 1-3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the rotor of McClure et al. in the feeding unit of Lammerant et al. and Egging et al in order to further convey the crop material from the pick-up unit to the compression chamber of the baler to form a bale (see McClure et al. Col. 8, lines 60-67 and Col. 9, lines 1-3).
Regarding claim 17, the above combination discloses the feeding unit as applied above, but fails to explicitly disclose wherein the feeding unit includes a rotor having a plurality of feeding blades, each having a plurality of fins.
McClure et al. discloses a similar feeding unit [50] for a baler wherein the feeding unit includes a rotor [75] having a plurality of feeding blades (see blades in Fig. 1C), each having a plurality of fins (feeding blades are made up of fins, see Fig. 1C).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the rotor of McClure et al. in the feeding unit of Lammerant et al. and Egging et al in order to further convey the crop material from the pick-up unit to the compression chamber of the baler to form a bale (see McClure et al. Col. 8, lines 60-67 and Col. 9, lines 1-3).
Regarding claim 18, McClure et al., of the above resultant combination, further discloses wherein the rotor [75] is placed downstream of the pick-up unit [55] in a way that the rotor and the pick-up unit are aligned (see Fig. 1C).
Regarding claim 19, McClure et al., of the above resultant combination, further discloses wherein both the rotor [75] and the pick-up unit [55] rotate in a direction which is opposite to the rotation direction of wheels of the baler, when the baler advances along said direction of travel (rotates opposite the direction of travel in order to pick up and convey the crop material from the ground upwards towards the compression chamber of the baler, see Col. 8, lines 60-67 and Col. 9, lines 1-3).
Claim(s) 8 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Lammerant et al. (US 11547053 B2) and Egging et al. (US 20090100814 A1) as applied to claims 1-4, 7, 9-12, and 14-16 above, and further in view of Anstey et al. (US 4633659 A) and McClure et al. (US 9681603 B2).
Regarding claim 8, Lammerant et al., of the above resultant combination, further discloses a frame (see frame of baler in Fig. 1) providing an internal volume (provides internal volume to form a bale);
- a compression chamber ([20], see Col. 3, lines 16-20) for compressing the crops to form the bale, the crops being fed to the compression chamber from the outlet of the feeding unit [100] in a feeding direction (opposite of traveling direction of the baler);
- a plurality of guide rollers (not explicitly shown but present in order to move belts [16] to create the bale, see Col. 3, lines 12-20) placed inside the internal volume;
-a plurality of belts [16] placed side by side in the internal volume and wound around the guide rollers so to define an endless loop (defines an endless loop to create the bale, see Col. 3, lines 12-20), the loop being flexible for delimiting the compression chamber (see Fig. 1, flexible to form the bale, see Col. 3, lines 12-20), wherein the guide rollers are rotatable for driving the belts around the loop (not explicitly shown but present in order to move belts [16]),
wherein the plurality of rake tines [204] of the feeding unit is configured to cooperate with the pick-up unit [30], and the entrance portion of the loop (entrance portion of the loop is in connection with the outlet of the feeding unit; therefore cooperating with the pick-up to receive crop material) to form a pre-chamber (forms a chamber within the feeding unit that receives and passes the crop material to the compression chamber) prior to the compression chamber, where the crops is prepared to be transferred to the compression chamber to form the bale (transferred through the outlet).
But Lammerant et al. fails to explicitly disclose a pair of entrance rollers, and wherein the plurality of rake tines of the feeding unit are configured to cooperate with the rotor to form the pre-chamber.
Anstey et al. discloses a similar baler [1] comprising of a plurality of guide rollers [7-17] placed inside the internal volume (see Fig. 1) and including a pair of entrance rollers [7 and 8].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the entrance rollers of Anstey et al. on the baler of Lammerant et al. and Egging et al. in order to drive the belt inside the compression chamber for forming a bale (see Anstey et al. Col. 2, lines 57-67 and Col. 3, lines 6-14).
But Anstey et al. fails to explicitly disclose a rotor wherein the plurality of rake tines of the feeding unit are configured to cooperate with the rotor to form the pre-chamber.
McClure et al. discloses a similar feeding unit [50] for a baler wherein the feeding unit includes a rotor [75] forming a pre-chamber (see chamber of Fig. 1C) with rake tines [20] of the feeding unit.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the rotor of McClure et al. in the feeding unit of Lammerant et al., Egging et al., and Anstey et al. in order to further convey the crop material from the pick-up unit to the compression chamber of the baler to form a bale (see McClure et al. Col. 8, lines 60-67 and Col. 9, lines 1-3); therefore, when the rotor of McClure et al. is applied to the feeding unit of Lammerant et al., Egging et al., and Anstey et al., it can be seen then that the rake tines of Lammerant et al. cooperate with the pick-up unit, the rotor, and the entrance portion of the loop to form a pre-chamber.
Regarding claim 20, Anstey et al., of the above resultant combination, further discloses wherein the entrance rollers [7 and 8] are two consecutive rollers (see Fig. 1), so that there are no other guide rollers between the pair of entrance rollers, and the entrance portion (see below; first part of the belt to receive crop material) of the belt [6] is stretched between the entrance rollers (stretched between the rollers to drive the belt for forming a bale, see Col. 2, lines 57-67 and Col. 3, lines 6-14), wherein the entrance portion of the belt lays in a plane (see Fig. 1) which includes the entrance rollers. The plane in which the entrance portion and the entrance rollers lay, is transversal to the feeding direction (see below).
PNG
media_image8.png
479
593
media_image8.png
Greyscale
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see attached PTO-892 for the full list of references.
Reference US 12396402 B2 discloses a similar feeding unit [108] for a baler [101] comprising of a windguard assembly [128] with a plurality of rake tines [260].
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNNY WEBB whose telephone number is (571)272-3830. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 to 5:30 E.T..
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 at 571-272-8971. 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.
/SUNNY D WEBB/Examiner, Art Unit 3671
/CHRISTOPHER J SEBESTA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3671
Prosecution Insights