DETAILED ACTION
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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fujimoto et al. JP 2020104702 A (page/line numbering used for foreign references below corresponds to the machine-translation preceding the original patent, as attached to the present Office Action – note page numbers of the translation are marked as TP-1, TP-2, etc.).
Regarding independent claim 1, Fujimoto et al. discloses [a working vehicle 1 comprising:
a console 14 within a cabin 11;] (Annotated Fig. 3 below; Page 3, lines 2-8) and
[electrical equipment 13b, 13c accommodated inside the console.] (Annotated Fig. 3 below; Page 3, lines 2-8)
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Annotated Fig. 3 of Fujimoto et al.
Regarding claim 2, Fujimoto et al. further disclose [wherein the electrical equipment is in an internal space defined by the console and a fender covered by the console.] (Fig. 3; Page 3, lines 2-8)
Regarding claim 3, Fujimoto et al. further discloses [wherein the console 14 is on a left side within the cabin.] (Fig. 3)
Regarding claim 4, Fujimoto et al. further discloses [a gear shift operation 115 section on one side in a left-right direction within the cabin to operate a transmission of a vehicle body;] (Fig. 3 and 5; Page 4, lines 18-24) [wherein the console is on a side opposite to the gear shift operation section in the left-right direction.] (Fig. 3; As show in Fig. 3, Fujimoto et al. illustrates wherein the console 14 is on a side opposite to the gear shift operation section 115 in the left-right direction.)
Regarding claim 5, Fujimoto et al. further discloses [a hydraulic operation section 240, 250 on one side in a left-right direction within the cabin to perform a hydraulic control operation for a working device provided in a vehicle body;] (Fig. 3 and 9; Page 11, lines 1-11) [wherein the console 14 is on a side opposite to the hydraulic operation section in the left-right direction.] (Fig. 3; As show in Fig. 3, Fujimoto et al. illustrates wherein the console 14 is on a side opposite to the hydraulic operation section in the left-right direction.)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujimoto et al. in view of Takabatake et al. DE 102021121666 A1 (page/line numbering used for foreign references below corresponds to the machine-translation preceding the original patent, as attached to the present Office Action – note page numbers of the translation are marked as TP-1, TP-2, etc.).
Regarding claim 6, Fujimoto does not disclose wherein the electrical equipment includes autonomous driving equipment to control autonomous driving of the working vehicle.
Takabatake et al. teaches [wherein the electrical equipment includes autonomous driving equipment to control autonomous driving of the working vehicle;] (Page 8, lines 17-39) [wherein the autonomous driving equipment includes equipment capable of recognizing a recognition target based on acquisition information of an information acquisition section capable of acquiring information around a vehicle body.] (Page 9, lines 10-20)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to additionally use the autonomous driving equipment of Takabatake et al. with the working vehicle of Fujimoto et al. with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for the working vehicle tot autonomously control its travel based on information acquired from around the vehicle, thus improving the functionality and automation of the working vehicle.
Regarding claim 7, Fujimoto et al., as modified, discloses all of the claimed limitations including the recognition target capability recites in claim 6 above.
Claims 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujimoto et al. in view of Kawagoe et al. JP 2010203626 A (page/line numbering used for foreign references below corresponds to the machine-translation preceding the original patent, as attached to the present Office Action – note page numbers of the translation are marked as TP-1, TP-2, etc.).
Regarding claim 8, Fujimoto et al. does not disclose wherein the console includes an accommodation portion recessed downward on an upper surface of the console and capable of accommodating an article; and in the accommodation portion, a hole is provided at a position not overlapping with the electrical equipment in a plan view and through which water is dischargeable.
Kawagoe et al. teaches [wherein the console includes an accommodation portion 18a-18c recessed downward on an upper surface 11d of the console 11 and capable of accommodating an article;] (Fig. 2; Page 3, lines 5-10; As shown in Fig. 2, Kawagoe et al. illustrates wherein the console 11 includes an accommodation portion 18a-18c recessed downward on an upper surface 11d of the console 11 and capable of accommodating an article.) and [in the accommodation portion, a hole 13a is provided at a position not overlapping with the electrical equipment in a plan view and through which water is dischargeable;] (Fig. 2; Page 3, lines 39-43) [wherein the console includes a flow path through which water can flow toward a side of the hole;] (Fig. 2; Page 5, lines 1-4) and [the flow path includes an inclined portion 12, 13 in which a bottom portion of the accommodation portion is inclined to allow water within the accommodation portion to flow toward the side of the hole;] (Fig. 2; Page 5, lines 1-4) [wherein the console includes a flow path through which water can flow toward a side of the hole;] (Fig. 2; Page 5, lines 1-4) [the accommodation portion includes a first accommodation portion 18b in which the hole is located 13a,] (Fig. 2; Page 5, lines 26-33) and [a second accommodation portion 18a located on an upstream side of the flow path with respect to the first accommodation portion;] (Fig. 2; Page 5, lines 16-21) and [the flow path includes a cutout portion 18c in which a side wall of the second accommodation portion is cut out to allow water within the second accommodation portion to flow toward the side of the hole.] (Fig. 2; Page 6, lines 4-10)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to additionally use the accommodation portions and flow path arrangement of Kawagoe et al. with the working vehicle of Fujimoto et al. with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for convenient storage of articles while directing water away from the electrical equipment and out of the console, thus reducing the likelihood of water accumulating near the electrical equipment.
Regarding claim 9, Fujimoto et al., as modified, discloses all of the claimed limitations above, including the flow path recited in claim 8 above.
Regarding claim 10, Fujimoto et al., as modified, discloses all of the claimed limitations above, including the flow path and accommodation portions recited in claim 8 above.
Claims 11 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujimoto et al. in view of Kawagoe et al. and further in view of Pradhan et al. DE 102022004332 A1 (page/line numbering used for foreign references below corresponds to the machine-translation preceding the original patent, as attached to the present Office Action – note page numbers of the translation are marked as TP-1, TP-2, etc.).
Regarding claims 11 and 13-14, Fujimoto et al., as modified, does not disclose a pressing portion including a stretchable material and capable of pressing the article accommodated in the accommodation portion from above.
Pradhan et al. teaches [a pressing portion 304 including a stretchable material and capable of pressing the article accommodated in the accommodation portion from above.] (Fig. 3-4; Page 5, lines 15-23)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to additionally use the pressing portion of Pradhan et al. with the working vehicle of Fujimoto et al., as modified, with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for securely retaining an article with the accommodation portion while reducing movement of the article during operation of the working vehicle, thus improving the stability and convenience of storing articles in the console.
Claims 12 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujimoto et al. in view of Kawagoe et al. and further in view of Yanai JP 7467010 B2 (page/line numbering used for foreign references below corresponds to the machine-translation preceding the original patent, as attached to the present Office Action – note page numbers of the translation are marked as TP-1, TP-2, etc.).
Regarding claims 12 and 15-16, Fujimoto et al., as modified, does not disclose wherein the console includes an electricity outlet in a vicinity of the accommodation portion and capable of extracting electricity from a power source.
Yanai teaches [wherein the console includes an electricity outlet 52 in a vicinity of the accommodation portion and capable of extracting electricity from a power source.] (Fig. 2; Page 3, lines 36-41; Page 4, lines 15-28; Yanai discloses am electricity outlet 52 inside the vehicle cabin and supplied with electrical power from an onboard power storage device 3 through an inverter 51. The inverter converts DC power from the onboard power storage device 3 into AC power, which is applied to the outlet 52 for supplying power to an external electrical device 9. Thus, the reference teaches an electricity outlet capable of obtaining electricity from a vehicle power source.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to additionally use the electricity outlet arrangement of Yanai with the working vehicle of Fujimoto et al., as modified, with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for convenient access to electrical power for operating or charging an electrical device stored in or near the accommodation portion, thus improving the functionality and convenience of the console.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Miyazaki et al. US 20200307375 A1 – comprises an operation mechanism of a work vehicle capable of suppressing transmission of vibration from a vehicle body to a cabin. The operation mechanism of a work vehicle includes: a first link portion which is supported by the vehicle body (a center frame, a transmission, and the like); a second link portion which is supported by a cabin placed on the vehicle body; and a third link portion which has flexibility and connects the first link portion and the second link portion so as to be interlockable.
Higashiguchi US 20170217473 A1 – comprises a work vehicle in which an operator can easily view each of switches in spite of the work vehicle in which a plurality of switches such as a DPF regeneration switch, a working switch and a one-touch automatic switch are concentrically provided on a front surface of a control seat. In a work vehicle having a cabin which is inward provided with a control seat installed in a travel machine body, a DPF regeneration switch, a working switch, and a one-touch automatic switch are provided. The DPF regeneration switch is provided on an upper surface of a steering column in a base portion of a control steering wheel, and the DPF regeneration switch is arranged in a field of vision of an operator under a straight moving work posture.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mohamed Medani whose telephone number is (703)756-1917. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 11:00 am - 7:30 pm.
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/Mohamed M Medani/Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/JACOB D KNUTSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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