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
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, lines 3 and 4 both recite “a combine harvester”, should read – the combine harvester – due to previous mention of the combine harvester in line 1.
Claim 1, line 8 recites “a chaff flow”, should read – the chaff flow – due to previous mention of the chaff flow in line 2.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-6, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bruns (US 5082186 A)
Regarding claim 1, Bruns discloses a chaff and straw spreading system (system of Fig. 1, see Col. 2, lines 66-68 and Col. 3, lines 1-2) for a combine harvester [10], comprising:
a chaff delivery system (system of delivering chaff from the grain cleaning system to the ground through chaff spreader [32A], see Col. 5, lines 3-11) for receiving a chaff flow [17] from a grain cleaning system (see Col. 2, lines 65-67 and see Col. 3, lines 3-8) of a combine harvester;
a straw chopper (not shown but present to chop the straw for spreading, see Col. 1, lines 20-24) for receiving a straw flow [16] from a threshing and separating system (see Col. 3, lines 3-8) of a combine harvester; and
a spreading unit ([11 or 12]; both units are identical) comprising an impeller [31A and 32A], the impeller having a first section [31A] for receiving a chopped straw flow ([16], see Col. 3, lines 3-8) from the straw chopper and a second section [32A] for receiving a chaff flow ([17], see Col. 3, lines 3-8) from the chaff delivery system, the first section and the second section having upper [43] and lower paddles [51] respectively on either side of each side of a shaped element ([33]; separates the two sections, see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 2, Bruns teaches wherein the chaff delivery system (system of delivering chaff from the grain cleaning system to the ground through chaff spreader [32A], see Col. 5, lines 3-11) comprises a chaff spreader ([32A], see Col. 5, lines 3-11).
Regarding claim 4, Bruns teaches comprising a partition ([62], separates the two sections by guiding chaff into the second section, see Col. 4, lines 53-57; located and extends between the two inlets) extending between an inlet (see below; extends across width of impeller) to the first section of the impeller [31A] and an inlet (see below; extends across width of impeller) to the second section of the impeller [32A].
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Regarding claim 5, Bruns teaches wherein the first [31A] and second sections [32A] are stacked in a direction parallel (stacked vertically; therefore, parallel to the vertical rotation axis) to a rotation axis (see below) of the impeller [31A and 32A].
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Regarding claim 6, Bruns teaches wherein the spreading unit ([11 or 12]; both units are identical) comprises first and second impellers (impellers [31A and 32A] that make up the individual sections within the impeller, see Fig. 2) in which the first [31A] and second sections [32A] are stacked in a direction parallel (stacked vertically; therefore, parallel to the vertical rotation axis) to a rotation axis (see above) of the respective impeller (impellers share the same vertical rotation axis).
Regarding claim 10, Bruns teaches a combine harvester [10] comprising:
a crop cutting head (not shown but inherently present to spread the chaff and straw, see Col. 2, lines 62-64);
a threshing and separating system (see Col. 3, lines 3-8);
a grain cleaning system (see Col. 2, lines 65-67 and see Col. 3, lines 3-8) for receiving the cut and threshed crop material; and
the chaff and straw spreading system of claim 1 (see claim 1 above) for receiving a chaff flow [17] from the grain cleaning system and for receiving a straw flow [16] from the threshing and separating system.
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) 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bruns (US 5082186 A) in view of Holmén (US 9545055 B2).
Regarding claim 3, Bruns discloses the system as applied above, but fails to disclose wherein the chaff spreader comprises first and second fan units.
Holmén discloses a similar chaff and straw spreading system (see Fig. 1) for a combine harvester [1] wherein the chaff spreader [8 and 10] comprises first and second fan units ([10], see Col. 6, lines 4-11).
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 first and second fan units of Holmén to the chaff spreader of Bruns in order for ensure the chaff is moved from the cleaning system to the spreader to be distributed (see Holmén Col. 6, lines 4-11).
Claim(s) 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bruns (US 5082186 A) in view of Anderson (US 2010287 A).
Regarding claim 7, Bruns discloses the system as applied above, but fails to disclose wherein the spreading unit comprises a radially inwardly facing guide wall at a location around the second section of the impeller.
Anderson discloses a similar spreading system (see Fig. 1) for a combine harvester (see Col. 1, lines 1-2) wherein the spreading unit [50] comprises a radially inwardly facing guide wall ([102], radially inwardly faces the impeller) at a location around the impeller [52].
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 guide wall of Anderson on the spreading unit of Bruns in order to prevent material from being thrown back into the thresher and to aid in dropping the material laterally (see Anderson Col. 4, lines 35-39). It can be seen then that, when the guide wall of Anderson is applied to the spreading unit of Bruns, the guide wall can be located around the first or the second section of the impeller of Bruns in order to keep the material within the impeller until it is dispersed.
Regarding claim 8, Bruns, of the above resultant combination, further discloses an inlet (see below; extends across width of impeller) of the second section [32A] of the impeller [31A and 32A], but fails to disclose wherein the guide wall is located adjacent at an inlet to the second section of the impeller.
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However, Anderson discloses wherein the guide wall [102] is located adjacent at an inlet (see below) to the impeller [52].
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It can be seen then that when Anderson’s guide wall is applied to the spreading unit of Bruns that the guide wall is located adjacent an inlet to the second section of the impeller as disclosed by Anderson (see above).
Regarding claim 9, Anderson, of the above resultant combination, further discloses wherein the guide wall [102] forms a radially outwardly extending pocket (pocket is formed through wall [102] and sector [101], creating an area that holds material, preventing backflow, see Col. 4, lines 35-39) which defines a flow guide (guides material back towards the impeller along wall [102], see Col. 4, lines 35-39), wherein a flow exit (see below) from the pocket has a direction with a radially inward component (flow points back towards the impeller; therefore, directed radially inward).
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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 4617942 A discloses a similar chaff and straw spreading system ([22 and 30] for a combine harvester [10].
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..
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/SUNNY D WEBB/Examiner, Art Unit 3671
/CHRISTOPHER J SEBESTA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3671
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