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
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 16 and 30-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent 4,798,393 to Miura et al., hereinafter Miura.
Regarding Claim 16, Miura teaches an agricultural machine comprising:
a frame (2, Figs. 1-2, Para. 2 – Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments (all references to paragraph numbers hereinafter are from this section unless otherwise noted);
a front axis (front “output shaft” 19 upon which “front wheels” 11 are mounted, Fig. 1) which is configured to be steerable (Paras. 2-3);
a rear axis (rear “output shaft” 14 upon which “rear wheels” 12 are mounted, Fig. 1) which is configured to be steerable (Paras. 2-3);
a trigger element (lever/sun gear/crankshaft/pinion/linkage mechanism depicted in detail in Figs. 3-4 including all numbered elements) which is configured to be deflected depending on a front axis deflection of the front axis (mechanism of Figs. 3-4 is linked to both “tie rods” 23 (which turn the “front wheels” 11) via “front arm” 42, Fig. 2, Para. 6); and
a transmission device comprising a trigger part (“crankpin” 55, Figs. 3-4) and a steering part (mechanism comprising “link” 51, “pin” 52, “arm” 47, “socket joints” 49, and “rear wheel tie rods” 28, Fig. 2, Paras. 7-8), the steering part being configured to steer the rear axis (via 28, Fig. 2, Paras. 4, 7),
wherein,
the trigger element (mechanism of Figs. 3-4) is further configured to act on the trigger part (55, through direct physical linkage, depicted in Figs. 3-4) and to at least partially deflect the trigger part in a deceleration steering mode of the agricultural machine (“working machine” 1, Fig. 1) when an absolute amount of the front axis deflection exceeds a threshold value (when center of 55 is positioned in an epicycloidal relationship with the pinion 56 as reference, i.e., at point P, the rear wheels are not steered at small steering wheel 31 input angles, but become steered (in an opposite direction to the front wheels) when lever 41 is moved past 38.5 degrees, Figs. 8-9, Paras. 27-31), and
the transmission device (mechanism of Figs. 3-4 and “crankpin” 55) is configured to deflect the rear axis (axle supporting rear wheels 12, Fig. 2) in an opposite direction to the front axis as a result of the at least partial deflection of the trigger part (configuration of 55 at point P in reference to 56 as described in the threshold limitation above, Figs. 8-9, Paras. 27-31) and by transmitting a force from the trigger part to the steering part (linkage formed by 55 and 51, Figs. 3-5).
Regarding Claim 30, Miura teaches a steering system for an agricultural machine, wherein the agricultural machine comprises:
a frame (2, Figs. 1-2, Para. 2);
a front axis (front “output shaft” 19 upon which “front wheels” 11 are mounted, Fig. 1) which is configured to be steerable (Paras. 2-3); and
a rear axis (rear “output shaft” 14 upon which “rear wheels” 12 are mounted, Fig. 1) which is configured to be steerable (Paras. 2-3);
the steering system comprising:
a trigger element (lever/sun gear/crankshaft/pinion/linkage mechanism depicted in detail in Figs. 3-4 including all numbered elements) which is configured to be deflected depending on a front axis deflection of the front axis (Paras. 2-3, via “steering wheel” 31); and
a transmission device (mechanism of Figs. 3-4 including “crankpin” 55) comprising a trigger part (55) and a steering part (mechanism comprising “link” 51, “pin” 52, “arm” 47, “socket joints” 49, and “rear wheel tie rods” 28, excluding 55, Fig. 2, Paras. 7-8), the steering part being configured to steer the rear axis (via 28, Fig. 2, Paras. 4, 7),
wherein,
the trigger element (mechanism of Figs. 3-4) is further configured to act on the trigger part (55) and to at least partially deflect the trigger part in a deceleration steering mode of the agricultural machine (“working machine” 1, Fig. 1) ) when an absolute amount of the front axis deflection exceeds a threshold value (when center of 55 is positioned in an epicycloidal relationship with the pinion 56 as reference, i.e., at point P, the rear wheels are not steered at small steering wheel 31 input angles, but become steered (in an opposite direction to the front wheels) when lever 41 is moved past 38.5 degrees, Figs. 8-9, Paras. 27-31), and
the transmission device (mechanism of Figs. 3-4 and “crankpin” 55) is configured to deflect the rear axis (axle supporting rear wheels 12, Fig. 2) in an opposite direction to the front axis as a result of the at least partial deflection of the trigger part (configuration of 55 at point P in reference to 56 as described in the threshold limitation above, Figs. 8-9, Paras. 27-31) and by transmitting a force from the trigger part to the steering part (linkage formed by 55 and 51, Figs. 3-5).
Regarding Claim 31, Miura teaches a method for steering an agricultural machine, wherein the agricultural machine comprises:
wherein the agricultural machine comprises:
a frame (2, Figs. 1-2, Para. 2);
a front axis (front “output shaft” 19 upon which “front wheels” 11 are mounted, Fig. 1) which is configured to be steerable (Paras. 2-3); and
a rear axis (rear “output shaft” 14 upon which “rear wheels” 12 are mounted, Fig. 1) which is configured to be steerable (Paras. 2-3);
the steering system comprising:
a trigger element (lever/sun gear/crankshaft/pinion/linkage mechanism depicted in detail in Figs. 3-4 including all numbered elements) which is configured to be deflected depending on a front axis deflection of the front axis (Paras. 2-3, via “steering wheel” 31); and
a transmission device (mechanism of Figs. 3-4 including “crankpin” 55) comprising a trigger part (55) and a steering part (mechanism comprising “link” 51, “pin” 52, “arm” 47, “socket joints” 49, and “rear wheel tie rods” 28, excluding 55, Fig. 2, Paras. 7-8), the steering part being configured to steer the rear axis (via 28, Fig. 2, Paras. 4, 7),
the method comprising:
the trigger element (mechanism of Figs. 3-4) acting on the trigger part (55) to at least partially deflect the trigger part in a deceleration steering mode of the agricultural machine (“working machine” 1, Fig. 1) when an absolute amount of the front axis deflection exceeds a threshold value (when center of 55 is positioned in an epicycloidal relationship with the pinion 56 as reference, i.e., at point P, the rear wheels are not steered at small steering wheel 31 input angles, but become steered (in an opposite direction to the front wheels) when lever 41 is moved past 38.5 degrees, Figs. 8-9, Paras. 27-31), and
the transmission device (mechanism of Figs. 3-4 and “crankpin” 55) deflecting the rear axis (axle supporting rear wheels 12, Fig. 2) in an opposite direction to the front axis as a result of the at least partial deflection of the trigger part (configuration of 55 at point P in reference to 56 as described in the threshold limitation above, Figs. 8-9, Paras. 27-31) and by transmitting a force from the trigger part to the steering part (linkage formed by 55 and 51, Figs. 3-5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-29 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:
Regarding Claim 17, the prior art of record does not teach an agricultural machine having a drawbar element configured to couple to a towing vehicle. Miura discloses a self-propelled agricultural vehicle that could not be modified by another prior art reference to receive a drawbar, as the steering mechanism of Figs. 3-4 relies on input from a steering element/wheel in the vehicle itself.
Regarding Claim 21, Miura does not teach that a power transmission from the trigger part (“crankpin” 55) to the steering part (mechanism comprising “link” 51, “pin” 52, “arm” 47, “socket joints” 49, and “rear wheel tie rods” 28, excluding 55, Fig. 2, Paras. 7-8) is interruptible, as the parts are permanently mechanically linked as a mechanism.
Regarding Claim 22, Miura does not teach the use of a hydraulic cylinder in its trigger mechanism. Another pertinent prior art reference not relied upon for rejection, U.S. Patent 6,684,974 to Ulschmid, described in further detail in the Conclusion section below, teaches the use of hydraulics in the same area of endeavor of four-wheel steering of agricultural machines, using a similar mechanism to Miura, but cannot be combined with Miura because the hydraulic elements are merely involved in steering the front tie rods rather than Ulschmid’s analogous trigger mechanism.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
U.S. Patent 6,684,974 to Ulschmid discloses a four-wheel steering system for a utility vehicle having a hydraulic steering cylinder (46, Fig. 2, Para. 6 – Description), attached to the front axle (18) via connection (19) and attached to front steering arm (34, connection of all elements depicted in Fig. 2), but does not teach the use of a cylinder in the analogous trigger mechanism linkage assembly (assembly of elements 64, 66, 67, 82).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mitchell James Price whose telephone number is (571)272-3729. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Thurs 8:00 - 5:00 Eastern, Fri 8:00 - 12:00 Eastern.
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/Mitchell James Price/Examiner, Art Unit 3611 /VALENTIN NEACSU, Ph.D./Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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