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 6 and 8 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(claim 6, line 1) “The calibration device of claim 1” should be changed to “The calibration device of claim 5” to provide proper antecedent basis for the limitation “the turn counter”.
(claim 8, line 1) “The calibration device of claim 1” should be changed to “The calibration device of claim 7” to provide proper antecedent basis for the limitation “the speed indicator”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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.
Claims 15, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gehrke (EP 1836887).
As concerns claim 15, Gehrke shows a method of calibrating a seed drill (1) having a calibration shaft (Fig. 1: shaft associated with sowing wheels 18), the method comprising steps of: drivably connecting (via transmission 6) an output shaft (11) of a calibration device (12) to the calibration shaft (Fig. 1); drivably connecting (via interaction between crank 10 & counter shaft 13) a chuck (distal end of crank 10) of a handheld drill (10) to an input shaft (13) of the calibration device (Fig. 1); and activating (rotating in a direction of rotation 16) the handheld drill to turn the calibration shaft via the calibration device (Fig. 1).
As concerns claim 18, Gehrke shows a step of activating the handheld drill so the output shaft (11) rotates a predetermined number of turns (via gear 14 & gear 14’) as indicated by a turn counter (mind of operator).
As concerns claim 19, Gehrke shows a step of resetting the turn counter (restarting counting in the mind of operator) before activating the handheld drill.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-14 and 20 are allowed over the prior art of record.
Claims 16 and 17 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record does not appear to anticipate and/or render obvious:
a) a calibration device for calibrating, via a handheld drill, a seed drill having a calibration shaft, wherein the calibration device comprises: a housing; an input shaft extending from the housing; a transmission at least partially within the housing, the transmission being drivably connected to the input shaft; and an output shaft extending from the housing, the output shaft being drivably connected to the transmission so that rotation of the input shaft results in rotation of the output shaft, the output shaft being configured to drivably engage the calibration shaft, the input shaft being configured to be actuated via the handheld drill.
b) a method of calibrating a seed drill having a calibration shaft, the method comprising steps of: drivably connecting an output shaft of a calibration device to the calibration shaft; drivably connecting a chuck of a handheld drill to an input shaft of the calibration device; and activating the handheld drill to turn the calibration shaft via the calibration device, and a step of changing a speed of the handheld drill so the output shaft turns within a predetermined rotational speed range as indicated by a display of the calibration device.
c) a method of calibrating a seed drill having a calibration shaft, the method comprising steps of: drivably connecting an output shaft of a calibration device to the calibration shaft; drivably connecting a chuck of a handheld drill to an input shaft of the calibration device; and activating the handheld drill to turn the calibration shaft via the calibration device, and a step of changing a configuration of a transmission of the calibration device and hence a reduction ratio of the transmission, so the output shaft turns within a predetermined rotational speed range as indicated by a display of the calibration device.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Beaujot et al. (US 2009/0271136) shows a method and apparatus for calibrating seeders.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW R BUCK whose telephone number is (571)270-3653. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6:30-5.
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/MATTHEW R BUCK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3672
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