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.
Claims 1, 2, 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Steidinger et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0360857).
In reference to claim 1, Steidinger discloses a roller conditioner system 120 comprises a frame 122, one or more sets of conditioner rollers 124/126, each set comprising an upper conditioner roller 126 and a lower conditioner roller 124 separated by a roll gap RG (par. 0024) through which cut crop may pass when processed by the roller conditioner system 120,
each end of each upper conditioner roller 126 engaging with and being supported by a conditioner roller support 128 (Fig. 3), each conditioner roller support 128 providing a bearing (Fig. 3) for rotation of the upper conditioner roller 126, each conditioner roller support 128 being connected to a first end of a tension member 151, wherein to each end of each upper conditioner roller 126, the roller conditioner system 120 further comprising a controller 170 and to each end of each upper conditioner roller 126 a conditioner roller adjustment mechanism 150 actuated by the controller 170 to adjust the roll gap separating each of the upper and lower conditioner rollers 124/126, each conditioner roller adjustment mechanism 140/150 further comprising
a framework (Fig. 2, the structure attaching actuator 152 to the frame 122) secured to the frame 122 of the roller conditioner system 120 (Fig. 2, par. 0034, “Each roll-gap actuator 152 is mounted on the subframe 122”),
an actuator 152 secured to the framework of the conditioner roller adjustment mechanism 140/150, and
a displaceable locating element 153 connected at a first end to the actuator 152 and adapted for movement with respect to the framework, the displaceable locating element 153 supporting a first end of the tension member 151 (Fig. 3).
In reference to claim 2, Steidlinger discloses that the displaceable locating element 153 comprises a base plate (Fig. 2, the outer plate structure shown at numeral 153) and first and second upstanding first and second upstanding side walls 155 (Fig. 3) provided with parallel upper surfaces supporting the first end of the tension member 151, the parallel upper surfaces of the side walls 155 including a portion arranged inclined to the base plate such that movement of the displaceable locating element 153 with respect to the framework causes a second end of the tension member 151 to be displaced with respect to the framework (Figs. 4 and 5).
In reference to claim 7, Steidlinger discloses that each actuator 152 is a linear actuator (par. 0035, “hydraulic cylinders”).
In reference to claim 8, Steidlinger discloses that the base plate of the displaceable locating element 153 is provided with an elongate opening extending between the first and second triangular side walls (Fig. 2).
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Steidinger et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0360857) in view of Seymour (US Patent No. 4,910,947).
In reference to claim 3, Steidinger fails to disclose a layer of low friction material located between the framework of the conditioner roller conditioner system and a lower surface of the displaceable locating element.
Seymour discloses that antifriction materials can be used to reduce friction between parts of a roller conditioner system (col. 5, lines 53-56). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to locate a low friction material between the framework and the lower surface of the displaceable locating element with a reasonable expectation of success to reduce friction between any of the moving parts between the framework and the displaceable locating element.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6 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. Fay, II et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0389509) discloses a roller conditioner system comprising a tensioner 138 and actuator 144 (Fig. 3); Kraus (US Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0226871) discloses a roller conditioner system comprising a controller 24 that controls a roll gap 16 (Fig. 1); and Holtkotte (US Patent No. 6,584,755) discloses a roller conditioner comprising a tensioner 36 and actuator 38 for controlling a gap between rollers 28 (Fig. 2).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRAD HARCOURT whose telephone number is (571)272-7303. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Doug Hutton can be reached at (571)272-4137. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRAD HARCOURT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3674
9/11/26
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