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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claims 16 and 17 recite the same limitations recited in claim 15 from which claims 16 and 17 depend from. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 9-11, 13, 15-17, 19 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kott US 2004/0112208.
Kott discloses in Figs. 4-5 (annotated below) a hydraulic jack capable of being used with a trailer, the hydraulic jack comprising: a hydraulic power unit (96) having an extend line (not labeled line connected to input port 84) and a retract line (line connected to retract port 100), the hydraulic power unit capable of producing a hydraulic pressure to provide hydraulic fluid flow through the extend line and the retract line; a working cylinder (92) defining a body, an extend port (98) and a retract port (100); an internal portion comprising a cylinder rod (93), the internal portion coupled to the working cylinder, and the internal portion further comprising a foot (tip of 93 for engaging a load, surface, etc.) coupled to the cylinder rod, the internal portion, cylinder rod, and foot operable to extend and retract relative to the working cylinder body capable of providing the adjustable height for stabilizing the trailer (see Figs. 4-5, adjustable height to move a load 94); a valve body (90) coupled to the working cylinder, the valve body comprising an extend coupler (connected to 84) and a retract coupler (connected to 64) configured for respective connection to the extend and retract lines of the hydraulic power unit, the valve body further comprising: a first port (88) coupled to the extend port (98) of the working cylinder and a first internal cavity (84) interconnecting the extend coupler and the first port; a second port (port is part of 96, see Figs. 4-5) coupled to the retract port (100) of the working cylinder and a second internal cavity (line connected to 100) interconnecting the retract coupler and the second port, and a third internal cavity (line connected to 64, see Fig. 5) interconnecting the second internal cavity (line connected to 100) and the first internal cavity (line connected to 84), a locking valve (10) installed in the first internal cavity of the valve body, the locking valve comprising a pilot port (64) coupled to the third internal cavity of the valve body and therethrough to the second internal cavity and the retract coupler of the valve body (see direction arrows of Fig. 5), the locking valve operable to allow substantially free hydraulic fluid flow through the first internal cavity in a first direction from the extend coupler to the first port (see Fig. 4 direction of flow arrows)), the locking valve further operable, under control of the pilot port (64): to allow substantially free hydraulic fluid flow in a second direction from the first port to the extend coupler when hydraulic pressure is present at the pilot port (see Fig. 5); and to substantially prevent hydraulic fluid flow in the second direction from the first port to the extend coupler when hydraulic pressure is not present at the pilot port (see Fig. 4).
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As for claim 9, Kott discloses a hydraulic jack comprising: a working cylinder (92) defining a body (92); a cylinder rod (93) engaged with the working cylinder to extend and retract relative to the body; and a locking valve (10) positioned in the working cylinder, the locking valve operable to allow substantially free hydraulic fluid flow in a first direction when hydraulic pressure is present at the locking valve, and to substantially prevent hydraulic fluid flow in a second direction when hydraulic pressure is not present at the locking valve (see Figs. 4-5, ¶0049-51).
As for claim 10, Kott discloses an extend port (98) positioned in the working cylinder.
As for claim 11, Kott discloses comprising a retract port (100) positioned in the working cylinder.
As for claim 13, Kott discloses a hydraulic power unit (96) having an extend line (line connected to 84) and a retract line (line connected to 100), the hydraulic power unit capable of producing a hydraulic pressure to provide hydraulic fluid flow through the extend line and the retract line (see Figs. 4-5, ¶0049-51).
As for claim 15, Kott discloses a hydraulic jack comprising: a working cylinder defining a body (92); an extend port (98) positioned in the working cylinder; a retract port (100) positioned in the working cylinder; a cylinder rod (93) engaged with the working cylinder to extend and retract relative to the body; and a locking valve (10) positioned in the working cylinder, the locking valve operable to allow substantially free hydraulic fluid flow out of the extend port when hydraulic pressure is present at the locking valve, and to substantially prevent hydraulic fluid flow out of the retract port when hydraulic pressure is not present at the locking valve (see Figs. 4-5, and ¶0049-51).
As for claim 16, Kott discloses an extend port (98) positioned in the working cylinder.
As for claim 17, Kott discloses a retract port (100) positioned in the working cylinder.
As for 19, Kott discloses a hydraulic power unit (96) having an extend line (line connected to 84) and a retract line (line connected to 100), the hydraulic power unit capable of producing a hydraulic pressure to provide hydraulic fluid flow through the extend line and the retract line (see Figs. 4-5, ¶0049-51).
As for claim 21, Kott discloses a hydraulic jack comprising: a working cylinder defining a body (92); an extend port (98) positioned in the working cylinder; a retract port (100) positioned in the working cylinder; a cylinder rod (93) engaged with the working cylinder to extend and retract relative to the body; and a locking valve (10) positioned in the working cylinder, the locking valve operable to allow hydraulic fluid to substantially flow free in a first direction out of the extend port when hydraulic pressure is present at the locking valve, and to substantially prevent the hydraulic fluid from flowing in a second direction out of the retract port when hydraulic pressure is not present at the locking valve, wherein the working cylinder (92) encapsulates hydraulic lines (98 and 100) between the hydraulic fluid and an exterior of the working cylinder and an exterior of the cylinder rod (93).
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) 2-8, 12, 14, 18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kott US 2004/0112208 in view of Youngju Seo KR 20-2013-0005041 (20130005041U).
As for claim 2, Kott discloses all the limitation as recited above and further discloses wherein the manifold (valve housing, 90, 104) can be connected to the bottom of the working cylinder (see Figs. 7-11). Furthermore, the use of metal housings for protecting hydraulic jacks is well known in the art as evidence by Youngju Seo who teaches a hydraulic jack (100, see Figs. 2 and 4 below having actuator 130) protected in a metal housing (110, 120). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the manifold of Kott to be coupled to the working cylinder and housing by welding as an alternative means of attaching the manifold to the working cylinder.
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As for claim 3, the modified Kott teaches a housing (Youngju Seo, 110, 120) wherein the working cylinder body is installed within the housing and further wherein the housing is configured to be attached (Youngju Seo, via 114) to the trailer (vehicle not shown) for stabilizing the trailer.
As for claim 4, the modified Kott teaches wherein the valve body is installed within the housing (Kott Figs. 7-11 shows valve body attached to cylinder and Youngju Seo, Fig. 2, shows actuator within housing).
As for claim 5, the modified Kott teaches wherein the valve body (Kott, 90) comprises a solid metal body with the internal cavities formed by drilling therein (Kott, Figs. 3-5, see MPEP 608.02 “IX. Drawing Symbols”, shown below).
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As for claim 6, the modified Kott teaches a mounting pin (Youngju Seo, top and bottom circle pins attached to the housing in Figs. 2a and 2b shown above) for attaching the working cylinder to the housing of the jack, and wherein the valve body includes a fourth cavity configured to receive the mounting pin to secure the valve body to the housing of the jack.
As for claim 7, the modified Kott teaches wherein the housing (110, 120) of the jack is coupled to the trailer by welding or bolting (114 is welded to housing 110 and uses bolts to attach to vehicle).
As for claims 8, 12 and 18, the modified Kott teaches an outer and inner mechanical tube (Youngju Seo, telescopic housing 110, 120) to substantially contain and shield the working cylinder (Yougju Seo, actuator 130) and facilitate attachment to the trailer (see Youngju Seo, Figs. 2a and 2b).
As for claims 14 and 20, the modified Kott teaches wherein the working cylinder (92) encapsulates the extend (98) and retract lines (100) between hydraulic fluid and an exterior of the working cylinder (92) and an exterior of the cylinder rod (93).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TYRONE V HALL JR whose telephone number is (571)270-5948. The examiner can normally be reached Mon.-Fri. 7:30am-3:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Carter can be reached at (571) 272-4475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TYRONE V HALL JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723