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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, -10, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Boyd et al. (US 11255069 B2, hereafter Boyd).
Regarding Claim 1, Boyd discloses a front loader comprising:
a stand provided, on a boom, rockably about a first rocking shaft (Figures 1, 3 and 4: front loader 10, stand 21, first rocking shaft 18), the stand being movable between a support position (Figure 4) where the stand is capable of supporting the front loader and a storage position (Figure 3) where the stand is stored at a position closer to the boom than the support position; and
a biasing member capable of biasing the stand in a direction approaching the boom (Figure 9 and 10: the inner wire 35 is a biasing member capable of biasing the stand in the direction approaching the boom against the spring, Figures 3 and 4: spring 32, Column 11 Lines 22-29: the inner wire provides a force in the direction of the boom against the spring).
Regarding Claim 2, Boyd discloses the limitations of claim 1 in addition to disclosing a regulation member provided, on the boom, rockably about a second rocking shaft parallel to the first rocking shaft (Figures 3 and 4: regulation member 22, second rocking shaft 22c), the regulation member being capable of regulating rocking of the stand in the direction approaching the boom by abutting on the stand (Figure 4: the lower portion of the regulation member 22f abuts on the link operating mechanism part 23 of the stand, Column 9 Lines 28-40).
Regarding Claim 3, Boyd discloses the limitations of claim 2 in addition to disclosing the regulation member includes a distal end portion formed in an arc shape as viewed in an axial direction of the second rocking shaft (Figure 4: the lower portion of the regulation member 22f is arc shaped), and
the stand includes a recess capable of abutting on the distal end portion of the regulation member and formed in an arc shape along the distal end portion of the regulation member as viewed in an axial direction of the first rocking shaft (Figure 4: the link operating mechanism part 23 of the stand has a recess that is in an arc shape and is capable of abutting on the distal end portion of the regulation member, Column 9 Lines 28-40).
Regarding Claim 7, Boyd discloses the limitations of claim 1 in addition to disclosing the biasing member does not bias the stand until the stand rocks from the storage position toward the support position by a predetermined angle (Figure 9 and 10: the inner wire 35 is a biasing member, Column 11 Lines 22-29: because it is a wire the biasing force does not occur until there is tension in the wire or when the stand reaches a specific angle, Column 11 Lines 3-21: wire coupling plate can be adjusted which adjusts the wire to bias at specific angles).
Regarding Claim 8, Boyd discloses the limitations of claim 1 in addition to disclosing a working vehicle comprising the front loader as claimed in claim 1 (Figure 1: front loader 10).
Regarding Claim 9, Boyd discloses the limitations of claim 2 in addition to disclosing a working vehicle comprising the front loader as claimed in claim 2 (Figure 1: front loader 10).
Regarding Claim 10, Boyd discloses the limitations of claim 3 in addition to disclosing a working vehicle comprising the front loader as claimed in claim 3 (Figure 1: front loader 10).
Regarding Claim 14, Boyd discloses the limitations of claim 7 in addition to disclosing a working vehicle comprising the front loader as claimed in claim 7 (Figure 1: front loader 10).
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.
Claim(s) 4 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boyd et al. (US 11255069 B2, hereafter Boyd) in view of Martinez et al. (US 20160348334 A1, hereafter Martinez).
Regarding Claim 4, Boyd discloses the limitations of claim 3 but does not disclose stand includes a plurality of the recesses.
Martinez discloses a parking stand for a loader assembly that uses a regulation member and a plurality of recesses on a locking plate on a stand (Figure 4: struts 420 and 415 are the regulation member, plate 410, recesses 440) and for the purpose of increasing the positioning precision of the stand (Paragraph 32).
It would It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
date to modify the invention of Boyd by including the use of multiple recesses disclosed by Martinez on the link operating mechanism of Boyd for the purpose of increasing the positioning precision of the stand.
Regarding Claim 11, Boyd in view of Martinez disclose the limitations of claim 4. The combination as applied in claim 4 disclose a working vehicle comprising the front loader as claimed in claim 4 (Boyd Figure 1: front loader 10).
Claim(s) 5, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boyd et al. (US 11255069 B2, hereafter Boyd) in view of Nakayama (JP 2004/308161 A).
Regarding Claim 5, Boyd discloses the limitations of claim 3. Boyd additionally discloses the boom includes an attachment portion capable of attaching the second rocking shaft (Figures 3, 4, and 6: support portions 15a). Boyd does not disclose the boom includes an attachment portion capable of attaching the second rocking shaft to a plurality of attachment positions.
Nakayama discloses a front loader and stand with an attachment portion that has two pin holes that a rocking shaft can be inserted into (Figures 2: guide member 10 is an attachment portion, pin holes 10x and 10y, stand body 11, Paragraph 31: the end connection portion 11a of the stand body is rotatably connected to an intermediate portion of the guide member, Paragraph 33: the pin holes 10x and 10y are intermediate insertion pin holes). There are multiple pin holes for the purpose of allowing fine adjustment of the stand body when the legs are open and when they are closed (Paragraph 47).
It would It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
date to modify the invention of Boyd by including multiple pin holes that are capable of attaching the second rocking shaft as disclosed by Nakayama to the attachment portion of Boyd for the purpose of allowing fine adjustment of the stand body when the legs are open and when they are closed.
Regarding Claim 12, Boyd in view of Nakayama disclose the limitations of claim 5. The combination as applied in claim 5 discloses a working vehicle comprising the front loader as claimed in claim 5 (Boyd Figure 1: front loader 10).
Claim(s) 6 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boyd et al. (US 11255069 B2, hereafter Boyd) in view of Martinez et al. (US 20160348334 A1, hereafter Martinez) and Nakayama (JP 2004/308161 A).
Regarding Claim 6, Boyd discloses the limitations of claim 2. Boyd additionally discloses the stand includes a recess capable of abutting on a distal end portion of the regulation member (Figure 4: the link operating mechanism part 23 of the stand has a recess that is in an arc shape and is capable of abutting on the distal end portion of the regulation member, Column 9 Lines 28-40), and
the boom includes an attachment portion capable of attaching the second rocking shaft (Figures 3, 4, and 6: support portions 15a).
Boyd does not disclose the stand includes a plurality of recesses capable of abutting on a distal end portion of the regulation member, and
the boom includes an attachment portion capable of attaching the second rocking shaft to a plurality of attachment positions.
Martinez discloses a parking stand for a loader assembly that uses a regulation member and a plurality of recesses on a locking plate on a stand (Figure 4: struts 420 and 415 are the regulation member, plate 410, recesses 440) and for the purpose of increasing the positioning precision of the stand (Paragraph 32).
Nakayama discloses a front loader and stand with an attachment portion that has two pin holes that a rocking shaft can be inserted into (Figures 2: guide member 10 is an attachment portion, pin holes 10x and 10y, stand body 11, Paragraph 31: the end connection portion 11a of the stand body is rotatably connected to an intermediate portion of the guide member, Paragraph 33: the pin holes 10x and 10y are intermediate insertion pin holes). There are multiple pin holes for the purpose of allowing fine adjustment of the stand body when the legs are open and when they are closed (Paragraph 47).
It would It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
date to modify the invention of Boyd by including the use of multiple recesses disclosed by Martinez on the link operating mechanism of Boyd for the purpose of increasing the positioning precision of the stand and by including multiple pin holes that are capable of attaching the second rocking shaft as disclosed by Nakayama to the attachment portion of Boyd for the purpose of allowing fine adjustment of the stand body when the legs are open and when they are closed.
Regarding Claim 13. Boyd in view of Martinez and Nakayama disclose the limitations of claim 6. The combination as applied in claim 6 discloses a working vehicle comprising the front loader as claimed in claim 6 (Boyd Figure 1: front loader 10).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Okamoto et al. (JP 2000/170196 A) discloses a stand structure for a front loader that has multiple pin insertion holes to adjust the stand, Hirooka (US 5536134 A) discloses a stand for a front loader that couple to multiple parts of the loader.
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/J.K.T./Examiner, Art Unit 3653
/MICHAEL MCCULLOUGH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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