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 .
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.
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) 19-26, 33-34, 39-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kringstad (8,991,851).
Regarding claims 19 and 39, Kringstad discloses a connection system (10) and method for connecting an agricultural machine (16) to a towing vehicle (12), the connection system comprising:
A drawbar unit which comprises a support part (20) for support on the towing vehicle (12) and a drawbar boom (40), the drawbar boom (40) being connected at least indirectly to the support part (20) and being configured to swivel relative to the support part about a front drawbar axis (56)
At least one coupling element (60) which is arranged on the drawbar boom (40) and which is configured to at least indirectly couple to the agricultural machine (16)
Regarding claim 20, Kringstad discloses that the drawbar boom (40) is further configured to be swiveled about an at least partially horizonal mounting axis (42) relative to the support part (20) between a towing position (Figure 9c) and a mounting position (Figure 9b).
Regarding claim 21, Kringstad discloses that the drawbar boom (40) is actuatorically swiveled (via actuator 70) about the at least partially horizontal mounting axis (42) relative to the support part (20) between 3the towing position and the mounting position.
Regarding claim 22, Kringstad discloses that the drawbar unit further comprises a swivel part (30) which is connected to the support part (20), the swivel part (30) being configured to swivel about the front drawbar axis (56) and the drawbar boom (40) is connected to the swivel part (30) so that the drawbar boom (40) can swivel about the at least partially horizontal mounting axis (42).
Regarding claims 23 and 40, Kringstad discloses a drawbar element (18) which is configured to at least indirectly connect to a frame of the agricultural machine and to swivel about a rear drawbar axis (along element 60 – see 5,772,230 which is incorporated by reference which shows that the drawbar boom (21) is free to swivel about drawbar element (56)) wherein the at least one coupling element (60) comprises coupling elements which correspond to one another, the coupling elements (62,64,60) which correspond to one another are arranged on the drawbar boom (40) and on the drawbar element (18) to couple the drawbar boom (40) and the drawbar element (18) at least translationally in a locking position (via translation of actuator 62) when the coupling elements (62,64,60) are arranged in a coupling position (Figure 9c) relative to one another and at least one of the coupling elements (64) is configured to be adjustable into a release position (Figure 7) to release the drawbar boom from the drawbar element.
Regarding claim 24, the coupling elements (62,64,60,18) comprise:
At least one first stop coupling element (see coupling element 56 on drawbar element 22 in 5,772,230 incorporated by reference) which is rigidly connected to the drawbar element
At least one second stop coupling element (60) which is rigidly connected to the drawbar boom and which forms a positive fit with the at least one first coupling (18) element in in the coupling position
At least one actuating coupling element (62) which is configured to be adjustable between the locking position and the release position
Regarding claim 25, the at least one actuating coupling element (62) is adjustably connected to the drawbar boom (40) and in the locking position the first stop coupling element (18) is positively received between the actuating coupling element (62) and the second stop coupling element (60) (Figure 9c).
Regarding claim 26, the drawbar boom (40) an the drawbar element (18) are configured to be guided into the coupling position in the at least partially horizontal coupling direction (and the at least one first stop coupling element and the at least one second stop coupling element are configured to form the positive fit in the coupling position at least in the at least partially horizontal coupling direction (Figure 9c shows a horizontal coupling direction (horizontal arrow)).
Regarding claims 33-34, the drawbar boom (40) is configured to be retained in a central position relative to the front drawbar axis relative to the support part via an actuator (50).
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) 35-38 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kringstad (8,991,851) as applied to claims 19-23 above and further in view of Niewiadomski et al. (11,040,588).
Regarding claims 35-38, Kringstad discloses the invention as described above but fails to disclose a sensor/camera for monitoring the approach of the coupling portions in relation to each other and verifying that the connection is in a locked state. Like Kringstad, Niewiadomski also discloses a connection system between a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle. Unlike Kringstad, Niewiadomski discloses the use of a camera/sensor for monitoring the relative locations of coupling elements and determining when the lock is engaged to positively couple the parts together. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize a sensor/camera system to monitor the approach of coupling elements relative to each other and to verify that locking has been achieved in Kringstad as taught by Niewiadomski as the use of a known technique to improve similar devices in the same way (KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 USPQ2d 1385 (2007)).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 27-32 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Fromberg (4,711,461) also discloses a hitch connection mechanism with both a vertical and horizontal pivot axis.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jamie L McGowan whose telephone number is (571)272-5064. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 9:00-5:00 CST.
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/JAMIE L MCGOWAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3671
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