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 .
Drawings
Figure 1 and 2 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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) 1-4,6,9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Burbank 20220369555 .
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Examiner Annotated Fig. 4
Referring to claim 1, Burbank discloses a combine harvester comprising a grain tank (4), said grain tank including: a receptacle (5) having sidewalls and an upper edge formed of straight edge portions, a cover (6) comprising panels (8-11) which are pivotably coupled respectively to said edge portions (see paragraph 0028), the cover further comprising collapsible connections (12) between each pair of adjacent panels so that: (i) the panels act as lids that are configured to close or open the receptacle (see paragraph 0028), and (ii) when the panels (8-11) are fully deployed to thereby open the receptacle, the cover forms a funnel-shaped extension of the receptacle, wherein one of the panels comprises an aperture (16) and a pivotable door (20) that is configured such that when the cover forms said funnel-shaped extension, the door is pivotable about a substantially horizontal hinge axis (see fig. 6) between a first position where the door is coplanar with said one of the panels and secured thereto and thereby closing-off said aperture, and a second position (see paragraph 0035), wherein in said second position: (i) the aperture is open, (ii) the door is supported by a support structure (19) of the combine harvester, and (iii) the door forms a walking plank that provides access to the receptacle of the grain tank through the open aperture (see paragraph 0035).
Referring to claim 2, Burbank discloses the upper edge of the receptacle (5) is rectangular in shape, comprising two lateral edge portions (edges below panels 10 and 11) and two transverse edge portions (edges below panels 8 and 9), a first transverse edge portion of the two transverse edge portions being closer to a front side of the combine harvester and a second transverse edge portion of the two transverse edge portions being closer to a back side of the combine harvester, and wherein said one of the panels ( at 8), which comprises the aperture (16) and the pivotable door (20), is pivotably coupled to the second transverse edge portion.
Referring to claim 3, Burbank discloses an operator’s cabin (see cabin in figure 1) at a front side of the harvester, and wherein the grain tank (4) is located behind the operator’s cabin.
Referring to claim 4, Burbank discloses wherein said one of the panels, which comprises the aperture and the pivotable door, is further provided with one or more hand supports (see Examiner Annotated Figure 4, at handle) on one or both sides of the aperture.
Referring to claim 8, Burbank discloses said one of the panels (8), which comprises the aperture (16) and the pivotable door (20), is further provided with one or more hand supports on one or both sides of the aperture (see Examiner annotated fig. 4) .
Referring to claim 6, Burbank discloses the door (20) is a rectangular door that is longer in a direction extending between the horizontal hinge axis and an upper edge of the panel than in a direction perpendicular thereto (see fig. 6).
Referring to claim 9, Burbank discloses the support structure (19) is a structure positioned adjacent the grain tank and having an upper support surface and wherein an end portion of the door rests on said support surface when the door is in said second position (see paragraph 0035).
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) 1,9,11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Farley et al. 20170006764 in view of Burbank 20220369555 .
Referring to claim 1, Farley discloses a combine harvester comprising a grain tank (28), said grain tank including: a receptacle (28) having sidewalls and an upper edge formed of straight edge portions, a cover (92) comprising panels which are pivotably coupled respectively to said edge portions (see paragraph 0046), the cover further comprising collapsible connections between each pair of adjacent panels so that: (i) the panels act as lids that are configured to close or open the receptacle (see paragraph 0046), and (ii) when the panels (panels of cover 92) are fully deployed to thereby open the receptacle, the cover forms a funnel-shaped extension of the receptacle, a pivotable door (102) that is configured such that when the cover forms said funnel-shaped extension, the door is pivotable about a substantially horizontal hinge axis (see fig. 6) between a first position where the door is coplanar with said one of the panels and secured thereto and a second position (see figure 4), wherein in said second position: (ii) the door is supported by a support structure (see paragraph 0046 over cooler box) of the combine harvester, and (iii) the door forms a walking plank that provides access to the receptacle of the grain tank through the open aperture (see paragraph 0046 can be used as walkway). Farley discloses the door 102 can be used a walkway to perform maintenance on grain tank (see paragraph 0046) . Farley does not disclose one of the panels comprises an aperture . Burbank teaches a grain tank with a panel that has an aperture (see figure 2 at 16). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the harvester disclosed by Farley to have an aperture in panel next to door in view of the teachings of Burbank with a reasonable expectation of success in order to have easy access to the grain tank.
Referring to claim 9, Farley discloses the support structure (cooling box , see paragraph 0046) is a structure positioned adjacent the grain tank and having an upper support surface and wherein an end portion of the door rests on said support surface when the door is in said second position (see figure 6).
Referring to claim 11, Farley discloses wherein the support structure is a housing of a cooling fan compartment of the harvester (see paragraph 0046).
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Burbank 20220369555 in view of Ritter et al. 20240032474 .
Referring to claim 5, Burbank does not disclose one or more sensors configured to detect whether or not the door is closed and secured, and (ii) a control unit coupled to said one or more sensors and configured to communicate a condition of the door to an operator of the combine harvester, the condition being either closed and secured or not closed and secured. Ritter teaches one or more one or more sensors (see fig. 4a, door position sensor 230 and camera 120) configured to detect whether or not the door is closed and secured, and (ii) a control unit (190) coupled to said one or more sensors and configured to communicate a condition of the door to an operator of the combine harvester, the condition being either closed and secured or not closed and secured. Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the harvester disclosed by Burbank in view of the teachings of Ritter one or more sensors configured to detect whether or not the door is closed and secured, and (ii) a control unit coupled to said one or more sensors and configured to communicate a condition of the door to an operator of the combine harvester, the condition being either closed and secured or not closed and secured with a reasonable expectation of success in order to know the status of the door.
Claim(s) 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Burbank 20220369555 in view of Rowland-Hill 3213601 .
Referring to claim 7, Burbank does not disclose when the door is in the first position, said door is secured to said one of the panels, which comprises the aperture and the pivotable door, by one or more locks. Rowland-Hill teaches a pivotable door that has a lock (see col. 2, lines 5-10). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the harvester disclosed by Burbank to have a look for the pivotable door in view of the teachings of Rowland-Hill with a reasonable expectation of success in order to ensure the door stays in the first position until ready to be opened.
Referring to claim 8, Rowland-Hills teaches the said one or more locks include one or more manually releasable overcenter locks (see fig. 2, at 37).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Burbank 20220369555 in view of Anderson 2402007.
Referring to claim 10, Burbank does not disclose the door comprises shock absorbing elements on an underside of the door, the shock absorbing elements being configured to be in contact with said support surface when the door is in the second position. Anderson teaches door having a shock absorber to prevent door from damage (see col. 5, lines 20-23). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify harvester disclosed by Burbank to have a shock absorbing elements on the underside of the door in view of the teachings of Anderson with a reasonable expectation of success in order to prevent damage to the door.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Farley et al. 20170006764 in view of Burbank 20220369555, as applied to claim 9, and further in view of Anderson 2402007.
Referring to claim 10, Farley does not disclose the door comprises shock absorbing elements on an underside of the door, the shock absorbing elements being configured to be in contact with said support surface when the door is in the second position. Anderson teaches door having a shock absorber to prevent door from damage (see col. 5, lines 20-23). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify harvester disclosed by Farley, as modified by Burbank, to have a shock absorbing elements on the underside of the door in view of the teachings of Anderson with a reasonable expectation of success in order to prevent damage to the door.
Claim(s) 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Burbank 20220369555 in view of Matsuo et al. 20190183051.
Referring to claims 12-13, Burbank discloses the support structure (19) forms part of said one of the panels. Burbank does not disclose when the door is in the second position, said door is suspended from said panel by a pair of pliable links. Matsuo teaches it is known to use a chain to support a door (see Figure 4). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify harvester disclosed by Burbank to the door is in the second position, said door is suspended from said panel by a pair of chains, in view of the teachings of Matsuo with a reasonable expectation of success as chain are a known method to support a door.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GIOVANNA WRIGHT whose telephone number is (571)272-7027. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am- 5 pm.
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/Giovanna Wright/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3672
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