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
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.
Claim(s) 1 & 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang et al. (CN 107901942 A, herein after referred to as Jiang) in view of Ly (CN 106427850 A).
Regarding claim 1 Jiang teaches a train (FIG. 1: depicted) having a protection device with self-adaptive crashworthiness, comprising a train composed of multiple vehicles (FIG. 1: depicted including 4 & 8), a head vehicle is located at a head end of the train (FIG. 1: 4 and surrounding structure), and a head vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanism is mounted at a front end of the head vehicle (FIG. 1-3: 2), each two adjacent vehicles are connected to each other by a middle vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanism (FIG. 1 & 4: 7). However, Jiang does not teach an image acquisition mechanism and a radar detector are mounted at the head vehicle, wherein the image acquisition mechanism and the radar detector are configured for monitoring whether there is an obstacle ahead the train, for measuring distance and collision speed between the train and the obstacle, and for transmitting measured data to a processing center of the train, the processing center optimizes and adjusts impact force at the head vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanism and the middle vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanisms based on a collision situation.
Ly does teach an image acquisition mechanism and a radar detector (FIG. 5: 210; paragraph 88) are mounted at the head vehicle (paragraph 91), wherein the image acquisition mechanism and the radar detector are configured for monitoring whether there is an obstacle ahead the train (paragraph 88), for measuring distance and collision speed between the train and the obstacle (paragraphs 84 & 88), and for transmitting measured data to a processing center of the train (FIG. 5: 220; paragraph 85), the processing center optimizes and adjusts impact force at the energy absorbing coupler mechanism based on a collision situation (paragraphs 85-88). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have alternatively used the magnetorheological dampers and associated sensor & control systems of Ly with the vehicle of Jiang in order to combine the advantages of passive and active control (Ly, paragraph 54). The processing center optimizes and adjusts impact force at the head vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanism and the middle vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanisms as a result of the combination.
Regarding claim 8 Jiang as modified above does not explicitly teach that the radar detector is mounted on a front tip of the head vehicle. However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have, as part of the combination, mounted the radar detector at the tip of the head vehicle in order to provide it an unobstructed view.
Regarding claim 9 Jiang as modified above teaches that the image acquisition mechanism is a vision camera (Ly, paragraph 88).
Regarding claim 10 Jiang as modified above teaches that the radar detector is a millimeter wave radar (Ly, paragraph 88).
Claim(s) 2, 3 & 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang et al. (CN 107901942 A, herein after referred to as Jiang) in view of Ly (CN 106427850 A) and further in view of Zhang et al. (CN 211975748 U, herein after referred to as Zhang) and further in view of JP H0743004 B2 (herein after referred to as ‘004).
Regarding claim 2 Jiang as modified above teaches that the head vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanism and the middle vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanisms each comprise an energy absorbing mechanism (dampers absorb energy), but does not explicitly teach that the energy absorbing mechanism includes an energy absorbing shell, a collision rod, a first stopper, a second stopper, and an electromagnet, one end of the collision rod is extended into the energy absorbing shell and is fixed to the first stopper, and one end of the energy absorbing shell away from the collision rod is configured to be fixed to the vehicle, the second stopper is located in the energy absorbing shell, and the first stopper and the second stopper are arranged along a axial direction of the energy absorbing shell, outer walls of the first stopper and the second stopper are both in close contact with an inner wall of the energy absorbing shell, a magnetic fluid is filled between the first stopper and the second stopper, and the electromagnet is located in the magnetic fluid, and configured for adjusting viscosity of the magnetic fluid; in the head vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanism, one end of the collision rod away from the first stopper is a free end, and in the middle vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanism, one end of the collision rod away from the first stopper is configured for being fixed to another vehicle.
However, Zhang does teach an energy absorbing mechanism includes an energy absorbing shell (FIG. 1: 1), a collision rod (FIG. 1: 2), a first stopper, a second stopper (FIG. 1: 11 & 21), and an electromagnet (FIG. 1: 3), one end of the collision rod is extended into the energy absorbing shell and is fixed to the first stopper (FIG. 1: depicted with 2 & 21 connected), and one end of the energy absorbing shell away from the collision rod is configured to be fixed to the vehicle (FIG. 1: depicted with suitable configuration), the second stopper is located in the energy absorbing shell (FIG. 1: depicted), and the first stopper and the second stopper are arranged along a axial direction of the energy absorbing shell (FIG. 1: depicted), outer walls of the first stopper and the second stopper are both in close contact with an inner wall of the energy absorbing shell (FIG. 1 & 2: depicted), a magnetic fluid is filled between the first stopper and the second stopper (FIG. 1 & 2: 101; paragraph 39), and configured for adjusting viscosity of the magnetic fluid (FIG. 1: depicted in such a configuration; paragraph 45). Zhang does not teach that the electromagnet is located in the magnetic fluid. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have alternatively used the energy absorbing mechanism of Zhang with the train protection device of Jiang as modified above in order to provide details on the assembly of the energy absorbing mechanism which were absent from Jiang as modified above. As a result of the combination in the head vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanism, one end of the collision rod away from the first stopper is a free end, and in the middle vehicle energy absorbing coupler mechanism, one end of the collision rod away from the first stopper is configured for being fixed to another vehicle.
‘004 does teach locating electromagnets (FIG. 2: 5 & 6) in a magnetic fluid (space inside of 4; page 4, paragraph 9). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have alternatively located the electromagnets inside of the magnetic fluid in order for the absorption rate of vibration to be improved (‘004, page 4, paragraph 9).
Regarding claim 3 Jiang as modified above teaches that the energy absorbing shell comprises a middle cylinder and two end covers (Zhang, FIG. 1: depicted with 10 being one end and 1 being both the middle cylinder and another portion of 1 being the other end), and that both ends of the middle cylinder are opened and respectively closed by one of the end covers (Zhang, FIG. 1: depicted), and the end covers are detachably connected to the middle cylinder (both ends could be detached with a saw if desired).
Alternatively, should it be reasoned that the middle cylinder is not detachable from the integrally formed end cover (Zhang, FIG. 1: 1), Zhang does teach the other end being opened and closed by one of the end covers (FIG. 1: 10) and the end cover being detachable connected to the middle cylinder (Zhang, paragraph 38). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have alternatively modified Jiang as modified above to use a second end cover in the style of Zhang 10 in order to allow for greater ease of access to the cylinder for repair.
Regarding claim 5 Jiang as modified above teaches that two annular walls are fixed on the inner wall of the energy absorbing shell, an annular groove is formed between the two annular walls, and the electromagnet is mounted in the annular groove (result of the combination with ‘004; see ‘004 FIG. 2 and the mounting of 5 within a recess in 4).
Regarding claim 6 Jiang teaches that a spring is further disposed in the energy absorbing shell, one end of the spring is fixed to one end of the second stopper away from the first stopper, and another end of the spring is fixed to an inner end face of one side of the energy absorbing shell away from the collision rod (the broadest reasonable interpretation of a spring includes a gas spring; result of the above combination, Zhang FIG. 1: 102 & paragraph 39; ends of the spring are the boundaries that the gas of the gas spring can expand to fill).
Regarding claim 7 Jiang does not explicitly teach that the image acquisition mechanism is mounted at a windshield of the head vehicle. However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have, as part of the combination, mounted the image acquisition mechanism at the windshield of the train to provide a good view and protect it from the elements.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang et al. (CN 107901942 A, herein after referred to as Jiang) in view of Ly (CN 106427850 A) and further in view of Zhang et al. (CN 211975748 U, herein after referred to as Zhang), JP H0743004 B2 (herein after referred to as ‘004), and Wang et al. (CN 107472285 A, herein after referred to as Wang).
Regarding claim 4 Jiang as modified above does not teach that limiting grooves are provided on the outer wall of the first stopper, and the first stopper is limited by shear bolts passing through a side wall of the energy absorbing shell and extending into the limiting grooves, when the train collides, the collision rod is able to drive the first stopper to move in a direction close to the second stopper to cut off the shear bolts, thereby realizing absorption of impact energy.
However, Wang does teach the use of shear bolts (paragraph 44) and limiting grooves (the recesses through which the shear bolts are anchored) to limit the movement of an energy absorbing mechanism and when the train collides the shear bolts will be cut off thereby realizing the absorption of impact energy (paragraph 44). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have alternatively included the shear bolts of Wang with the stopper of Jiang as modified above as claimed in order to absorb more energy in an impact.
Conclusion
Prior art made of record and not replied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. The references noted on the attached PTO 892 teach trains of interest.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAXWELL L MESHAKA whose telephone number is (571)272-5693. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:30-4:00.
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/MAXWELL L MESHAKA/Examiner, Art Unit 3614
/PAUL N DICKSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614