Patent Application 18307408 - SYSTEMS METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR AGRICULTURAL - Rejection
Patent Application 18307408 - SYSTEMS METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR AGRICULTURAL
Title: SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR AGRICULTURAL LIQUID APPLICATION
Application Information
- Invention Title: SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR AGRICULTURAL LIQUID APPLICATION
- Application Number: 18307408
- Submission Date: 2025-05-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Effective Filing Date: 2023-04-26T00:00:00.000Z
- Filing Date: 2023-04-26T00:00:00.000Z
- National Class: 111
- National Sub-Class: 120000
- Examiner Employee Number: 79543
- Art Unit: 3671
- Tech Center: 3600
Rejection Summary
- 102 Rejections: 0
- 103 Rejections: 3
Cited Patents
The following patents were cited in the rejection:
Office Action Text
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 .
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, 3, 5, 8, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schaffert 6,763,773 in view of Natarjan et al. US 2017/0086362 A1.
Independent Claim 1: Schaffert discloses a liquid application apparatus for applying liquid to soil during a planting operation, comprising:
a ground-engaging component (118) mounted to a planter row unit (108), the planter row unit opening a planting trench (with opener 134), the planter row unit depositing seeds in the planting trench (via seed tube 128), the ground-engaging component disposed at least partially within said planting trench as the planter row unit traverses the field (as seen in Figs. 4-5);
a first liquid injection conduit (202a) mounted to said ground-engaging component and disposed to inject liquid into a first sidewall of said planting trench (see Fig. 7), as per claim 1.
However, Schaffert fails to disclose wherein said ground-engaging component is mounted in a housing via at least one of
a height adjustment arm that is pivotably mounted at a first end of the height adjustment arm in the housing to allow for height adjustment of said ground-engaging component, and wherein the ground-engaging component is pivotally mounted to a second end of the height adjustment arm in the housing, and
a spring that is pivotably mounted at a first end of the spring in the housing to allow for vertical deflection of said ground-engaging component, and wherein the ground-engaging component is pivotally mounted to a second end of the spring in the housing, as per claim 1.
Natarjan discloses a similar apparatus wherein said ground-engaging component (256, see Figs. 17-22) is mounted in a housing (260) via at least one of
a height adjustment arm that is pivotably mounted at a first end of the height adjustment arm in the housing to allow for height adjustment of said ground-engaging component, and wherein the ground-engaging component is pivotally mounted to a second end of the height adjustment arm in the housing, and
a spring (280) that is pivotably mounted at a first end of the spring in the housing (at 285) to allow for vertical deflection of said ground-engaging component, and wherein the ground-engaging component is pivotally mounted to a second end of the spring in the housing (at 275), as per claim 1.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the spring of Natarjan to the seed firmer of Schaffert in order to urge the firmer into contact with the ground to ensure effective seed-to-soil contact.
Dependent Claims 3, 5, 8, 11: Schaffert further discloses wherein said ground engaging component (118) includes a second liquid injection conduit (202b, Fig. 7) configured to inject liquid into a second sidewall of said planting trench while said ground engaging component advances in said forward direction of travel, as per claim 5;
wherein said ground-engaging component (118) is mounted to said planter row unit (108) such that said ground engaging component engages a bottom of said planting trench rearward of a location in which seeds are deposited into said planting trench by said planter row unit as said planter row unit advances in said forward direction of travel (Fig. 7 shows seed tube 128 in front of ground-engaging component 118), as per claim 8.
Natarjan, of the resultant combination above, further discloses wherein the ground engaging component (256) is mounted in the housing (260) via the spring (280), as per claim 3.
Claim 11 is rejected in-line with claim 1 as its subject matter is disclosed in the alternative and the combination discloses the spring: wherein the height adjustment arm has pins that selectively engage holes in the housing to adjust height, as per claim 11.
Claim(s) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schaffert in view of Natarjan et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Robillard 6,860,336.
Dependent claims 6-7: The apparatus is disclosed as applied above. However, the combination fails to disclose wherein said ground engaging component includes a first wing disposed to open a first side trench in said first sidewall as said ground engaging component advances in said forward direction of travel, and wherein said first liquid injection conduit is disposed to inject liquid into said first side trench, as per claim 6;
wherein said ground engaging component includes a first wing disposed to open a first side trench in said first sidewall as said ground engaging component advances in said forward direction of travel, and wherein said first liquid injection conduit is disposed to inject liquid into said first side trench; and wherein said ground engaging component includes a second wing disposed to open a second side trench in a second sidewall as said ground engaging component advances in said forward direction of travel, and wherein a second liquid injection conduit is disposed to inject liquid into said second side trench, as per claim 7.
Robillard discloses a fertilizer application apparatus wherein said ground engaging component (22) includes a first wing (34) disposed to open a first side trench (a left side trench) in said first sidewall (the left sidewall) as said ground engaging component advances in said forward direction of travel, and wherein said first liquid injection conduit (60) is disposed to inject liquid into said first side trench, as per claim 6.
wherein said ground engaging component (22) includes a first wing (34) disposed to open a first side trench (a left side trench) in said first sidewall (the left sidewall) as said ground engaging component advances in said forward direction of travel, and wherein said first liquid injection conduit (60) is disposed to inject liquid into said first side trench; and
wherein said ground engaging component includes a second wing (36) disposed to open a second side trench (a right side trench) in a second sidewall (the right sidewall) as said ground engaging component advances in said forward direction of travel, and wherein a second liquid injection conduit (62) is disposed to inject liquid into said second side trench, as per claim 7.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the wings of Robillard on the ground engaging component of Schaffert and Natarjan in order to properly fluff the trench sidewalls while placing fertilizer in an offset manner along the seed line of the trench.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schaffert in view of Natarjan et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Landphair et al. 8,365,679.
Dependent Claim 10: The apparatus is disclosed as applied above. However, the combination fails to disclose a camera disposed to capture images of said planting trench, said camera in communication with a monitoring device disposed to display said captured images to an operator, as per claim 10.
Landphair discloses a similar apparatus comprising a camera (42) disposed to capture images of said planting trench (col. 5, lns. 2-4), said camera in communication with a monitoring device (16B) disposed to display said captured images to an operator (col. 7, lns. 10-14), as per claim 10.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the camera of Landphair on the apparatus of Schaffert and Natarjan in order to provide an operator with seed placement feedback to indicate errors or plugs.
Response to Arguments
Please see the updated art rejection above in response to applicant’s claim amendments.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4 and 9 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
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Alicia M. Torres whose telephone number is 571-272-6997. The examiner’s fax number is 571-273-6997. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph M. Rocca, can be reached at (571) 272-8971.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the group receptionist whose telephone number is 571-272-3600. The fax number for this Group is 571-273-8300.
/Alicia Torres/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3671 May 20, 2025
