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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/14/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 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 1-4, and 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (CN101134475B), henceforth referred to as Li, in view of Cho (KR-20160063810-A), henceforth referred to as Cho, in further view of Kurokawa (WO-2017069239-A1), henceforth referred to as Kurokawa.
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses an agricultural tractor comprising: an engine configured to generate power (Paragraph [0023]: "The power source 12 may burn fuel to produce a mechanical power output, and may include an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine, a gasoline engine, a gas fuel engine, or any other type of engine familiar to those skilled in the art"), a fuel tank configured to store fuel required for the engine to generate the power (Paragraph [0023]: "The power source 12 may draw fluid from the supply tank 22 and use the fluid for fuel"), and provided with a first injection hole for injecting the fuel to be stored (Paragraph [0032]: "The supply tank 22 may include a first opening 47 that allows injection of fluid into the first closed container 42"), a first opening/closing cover configured to selectively open and close the first injection hole (Figure 3: opening 47 comprises an opening/closing cover), a first rear wheel configured to be rotated by the power of the engine; a second rear wheel spaced apart from the first rear wheel in a left-right direction, and configured to be rotated by the power of the engine (Paragraph [0024]: "The traction device 14 may include one or more tracks on each side of the machine 10. Alternatively, the traction device 14 may include wheels, belts, or other traction devices known in the art"), a first fender configured to surround a portion above the first rear wheel and a second fender configured to surround a portion above the second rear wheel (Figures 1 and 2: left and right wing panels 16b and 16c covering traction device 14), a transmission configured to shift the power of the engine and transmit the shifted power to the first and second rear wheels (Paragraph [0024]: "The traction device 14 may be drivingly connected to the power source 12 through a transmission unit"), a cabin provided above the transmission and configured to form a boarding room in which a driver boards (Figure 1: operator station 20 comprises a space for a vehicle operator and is disposed above power source 12 and traction device 14, and is thus disposed above the transmission unit that connects the power source and traction device), a cleaning fluid tank configured to store cleaning fluid (Paragraph [0032]: "The second closed container 44 may include a certain amount of lubricant such as hydraulic oil for starting the working tool 18 or motor oil used by the power source 12, a certain amount of coolant such as water, glycol or a water / glycol mixture, or any other fluid known in the art that is different from the fluid contained in the first closed container 42"), and provided with a second injection hole for injecting the cleaning fluid to be stored (Paragraph [0032]: "The supply tank 22 may include a first opening 47 that allows injection of fluid into the first closed container 42 and a second opening 48 that allows injection of fluid into the second closed container 44").
However, Li does not teach a window brush or second opening/closing cover. Cho discloses a window brush configured to wipe a window in the cabin (Figure 1: wiper 15 configured to wipe windshield 13), cleaning fluid that can be sprayed onto a window surface to be wiped by the window brush (Paragraph [0013]: "When the washer liquid is injected, the wiper 15 is operated to clean the windshield 13"), and a second opening/closing cover configured to selectively open and close the second injection hole (Figure 2: plug 135). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the vehicle of Li with the window brush of Cho in order to be able to clean the windshield (Paragraph [0026]: “When the washer liquid is injected, the wiper 15 is operated to clean the windshield 13”).
Neither Li nor Cho disclose the fenders having exposure holes. Kurokawa discloses wherein the first fender has a first exposure hole capable of exposing the first opening/closing cover at a location corresponding to the first injection hole (Paragraph [0053]: "A lid 171 for accessing the fuel filler port 442 and a lid 172 for accessing the water supply port 342 are provided in the right fender 17 so as to be opened and closed (see FIG. 9)"). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the vehicle of Li and Cho with the fender openings of Kurokawa in order to access the fill ports of the tanks (Paragraphs [0053-0054]).
Regarding claim 2, Kurokawa further discloses the second fender has a second exposure hole capable of exposing the second opening/closing cover at a location corresponding to the second injection hole (Paragraphs [0053-0054]: "A lid 171 for accessing the fuel filler port 442 and a lid 172 for accessing the water supply port 342 are provided in the right fender 17 so as to be opened and closed (see FIG. 9). The fuel supply port 442 may be disposed in the left fuel tank 43. In this case, the fuel supply port 442 and the water supply port 342 are distributed to the left and right sides of the fuselage, and it is possible to suppress mistake of inserting the fuel and the urea water").
Regarding claim 3, Kurokawa further discloses the first and second exposure holes are formed at corresponding locations on left and right sides (Paragraphs [0053-0054]: "A lid 171 for accessing the fuel filler port 442 and a lid 172 for accessing the water supply port 342 are provided in the right fender 17 so as to be opened and closed (see FIG. 9).
Regarding claim 4, Li as modified discloses the fuel tank is positioned in an area behind the cabin The fuel supply port 442 may be disposed in the left fuel tank 43. In this case, the fuel supply port 442 and the water supply port 342 are distributed to the left and right sides of the fuselage, and it is possible to suppress mistake of inserting the fuel and the urea water"), and one side of the fuel tank hangs over the first fender and a remaining side of the fuel tank hangs over the second fender when viewed forward from a rear (Figures 1 and 2: tank 22 hangs over both wing panels 16b and 16c), and the cleaning fluid tank is arranged adjacent to the remaining side of the fuel tank (Paragraph [0032]: "The supply tank 22 may be designed to contain two different fluids. Specifically, the supply box 22 may include a first closed container 42 and a second closed container 44 joined together along the boundary 46").
Regarding claim 6, Li as modified discloses the fuel tank and the cleaning fluid tank are provided in an integrated form, and are separated from each other by a partition wall (Paragraph [0032]: "The supply tank 22 may be designed to contain two different fluids. Specifically, the supply box 22 may include a first closed container 42 and a second closed container 44 joined together along the boundary 46").
Regarding claim 7, Li as modified discloses the fuel tank is positioned in an area behind the cabin (Figures 1 and 2: tank 22 positioned behind operator station 20), and one side of the fuel tank hangs over the first fender and a remaining side of the fuel tank hangs over the second fender when viewed forward from a rear (Figures 1 and 2: tank 22 hangs over both wing panels 16b and 16c).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li, Cho and Kurokawa as applied to claim 4 above, in view of Miyazaki (WO2015199182A1), henceforth referred to as Miyazaki.
Regarding claim 5, Li, Cho, and Kurokawa do not teach turn signals. Miyazaki discloses turn signals (Figures 1 and 11: rear turn signal 344). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the vehicle of Li, Cho, and Kurokawa with the turn signals of Miyazaki in order to indicate the vehicle operator’s intentions (Paragraph [0046]: “The rear composite lamp 344 indicates the intention of decelerating, stopping, backing up, turning left and right, etc. of the tractor 1 with respect to the car or person behind the tractor 1”).
Claims 8-9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Cho.
Regarding claim 8, Li discloses an agricultural tractor comprising: an engine configured to generate power (Paragraph [0023]: "The power source 12 may burn fuel to produce a mechanical power output, and may include an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine, a gasoline engine, a gas fuel engine, or any other type of engine familiar to those skilled in the art"), a fuel tank configured to store fuel required for the engine to generate the power (Paragraph [0023]: "The power source 12 may draw fluid from the supply tank 22 and use the fluid for fuel"), and provided with a first injection hole for injecting the fuel to be stored (Paragraph [0032]: "The supply tank 22 may include a first opening 47 that allows injection of fluid into the first closed container 42"), a first opening/closing cover configured to selectively open and close the first injection hole (Figure 3: opening 47 comprises an opening/closing cover), a first rear wheel configured to be rotated by the power of the engine, a second rear wheel spaced apart from the first rear wheel in a left-right direction (Paragraph [0024]: "The traction device 14 may include one or more tracks on each side of the machine 10. Alternatively, the traction device 14 may include wheels, belts, or other traction devices known in the art"), and configured to be rotated by the power of the engine (Paragraph [0024]: "The traction device 14 may be drivingly connected to the power source 12 through a transmission unit"), a transmission configured to shift the power of the engine and transmit the shifted power to the first and second rear wheels (Paragraph [0024]: "The traction device 14 may be drivingly connected to the power source 12 through a transmission unit"), a cabin provided above the transmission and configured to form a boarding room in which a driver boards (Figure 1: operator station 20 comprises a space for a vehicle operator), a cleaning fluid tank configured to store cleaning fluid (Paragraph [0032]: "The second closed container 44 may include a certain amount of lubricant such as hydraulic oil for starting the working tool 18 or motor oil used by the power source 12, a certain amount of coolant such as water, glycol or a water / glycol mixture, or any other fluid known in the art that is different from the fluid contained in the first closed container 42"), and provided with a second injection hole for injecting the cleaning fluid to be stored (Paragraph [0032]: "The supply tank 22 may include a first opening 47 that allows injection of fluid into the first closed container 42 and a second opening 48 that allows injection of fluid into the second closed container 44").
However, Li does not teach a window brush or second opening/closing cover. Cho discloses a window brush configured to wipe a window in the cabin (Figure 1: wiper 15 configured to wipe windshield 13), cleaning fluid that can be sprayed onto a window surface to be wiped by the window brush (Paragraph [0013]: "When the washer liquid is injected, the wiper 15 is operated to clean the windshield 13"), and a second opening/closing cover configured to selectively open and close the second injection hole (Figure 2: plug 135). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the vehicle of Li with the window brush of Cho in order to be able to clean the windshield (Paragraph [0026]: “When the washer liquid is injected, the wiper 15 is operated to clean the windshield 13”).
Li as modified discloses the first and second opening/closing covers are arranged at corresponding locations on left and right sides (Figure 3: first and second injection holes with corresponding covers are located on left and right sides of the vehicle).
Regarding claim 9, Li as modified discloses the fuel tank is arranged in an area behind the cabin (Figures 1 and 2: tank 22 positioned behind operator station 20), and the cleaning fluid tank is arranged adjacent to a remaining side of the fuel tank (Paragraph [0032]: "The supply tank 22 may be designed to contain two different fluids. Specifically, the supply box 22 may include a first closed container 42 and a second closed container 44 joined together along the boundary 46").
Regarding claim 11, Li as modified discloses the fuel tank and the cleaning fluid tank are provided in an integrated form and are separated from each other by a partition wall (Paragraph [0032]: "The supply tank 22 may be designed to contain two different fluids. Specifically, the supply box 22 may include a first closed container 42 and a second closed container 44 joined together along the boundary 46").
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li and Cho as applied to claim 9 above, in view of Miyazaki (WO2015199182A1), henceforth referred to as Miyazaki.
Regarding claim 10, Li and Cho do not teach turn signals. Miyazaki discloses turn signals (Figures 1 and 11: rear turn signal 344). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the vehicle of Li and Cho with the turn signals of Miyazaki in order to indicate the vehicle operator’s intentions (Paragraph [0046]: “The rear composite lamp 344 indicates the intention of decelerating, stopping, backing up, turning left and right, etc. of the tractor 1 with respect to the car or person behind the tractor 1”).
Cited Prior Art not Relied Upon
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure includes Sharkar (US-20170190247-A1), which discloses a tractor with fender holes to accommodate fluid fill ports.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW J O'NEILL whose telephone number is (571)272-4752. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri: 7AM-4PM.
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/MATTHEW JAMES O'NEILL/Examiner, Art Unit 3614
/JASON D SHANSKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614