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 .
Drawings
In light of the amendments to the specification filed July 20, 2026, the objections to the drawings set forth in the non-final office action mailed April 20, 2026 are withdrawn.
Claim Objections
In light of the amendments to the claims filed July 20, 2026, the objections to the claims set forth in the non-final office action mailed April 20, 2026 are withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 20 recites a utility connector coupled to the receiver to provide at least one of an electrical or fluid connection with a second utility connector on the second vehicle which renders the claim indefinite because claim 18, from which claim 20 depends previously recites a utility connector to provide an electrical connection and a fluid connection with a second utility connector. It is unclear if claim 20 is newly reciting an additional utility connector and second utility connector for providing one of an electrical or fluid connection or if the utility connector and second utility connector for providing an electrical and fluid connection recited in claim 18 is being referred to.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Crochet in view of Alguera.
In regard to claim 18: Crochet teaches a docking (Generally shown in Figure 5) assembly for a vehicle (10), the docking assembly comprising:
a mounting interface (32) to be coupled to the vehicle (coupled to drawbar 13); and a receiver (19) rotatably coupled to the mounting interface (via pivot 31), the receiver rotatably about a pitch axis (axis about 31 is the pitch axis) relative to the mounting interface, the receiver being pyramid-shaped (See shape of 19 in Figure 5), the receiver to receive a plug (56) on a second vehicle (23) to mechanically couple the vehicles (See Figure 1).
Crochet fails to teach a utility connector coupled to the receiver, the utility connector to provide an electrical connection and a fluid connection with a second utility connector on the second vehicle. However, Alguera teaches a utility connector (30) coupled to a receiver (18), the utility connector to provide an electrical connection and a fluid connection with a second utility connector (32) on a second towed vehicle (Paragraph 0169: “The actual transfer of energy and/or information via insertion connector components 30 and 32 that are connected when an insertion connection is established occurs via towing vehicle-side insertion connector configuration 34 and towed vehicle-side insertion connector configuration 36, both of which are depicted schematically in FIGS. 7 to 9. Insertion connector configurations 34 and 36 of the towing vehicle and towed vehicle contact one another when an insertion connection is established, and thus constitute a capability for transferring energy in electrical and/or pneumatic and/or hydraulic form, and/or information, between the towing vehicle and towed vehicle.” Underline added for clarity). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art with a reasonable expectation of success before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to additionally have first and second utility connectors as in Alguera on the receiver and second vehicle of Crochet to allow for electrical and fluid connection between the two vehicles thereby suiting the connection to a wider variety of needs and purposes for the user by allowing additional versatility in functions of the towed vehicle.
In regards to claim 20: The docking assembly of claim 18 is taught by Crochet in view of Alguera. The combination teaches a utility connector (30 of Alguera) coupled to the receiver (19 of Crochet, examiner notes the utility connector of Alguera is also coupled to a receiver 18 of Alguera), the utility connector to provide at least one of electrical connection or fluid connection (See Paragraph 0169 of Alguera quoted above) with a second utility connector (32 of Alguera) on the second vehicle (of Crochet, examiner notes the second connector 32 is also on a second towed vehicle of Alguera).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15 and 17 are allowed.
Claims 1-11 were previously indicated allowable for the reasons stated in the non-final office action mailed April 20, 20206.
Claim 12 was amended to incorporate the subject matter of claim 16 which was previously indicated allowable for the reasons stated in the non-final office action mailed April 20, 2026. Claims 13-15 and 17 depend from claim 12.
Claims 19 and 21 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. The subject matter of claim 19 was previously indicated allowable for the reasons stated in the non-final office action mailed April 20, 2026. Claim 21 also claims a spring coupled between the mounting interface and at least one wall of the receiver to bias the receiver to a central pitch position. The Crochet reference and the combination of Crochet and Alguera fail to teach this limitation in the claims. It is unclear why a spring would be added to the receiver wall of Crochet and may render the connector unusable. Additional art failed to teach this limitation in the claims.
Response to Arguments
On page 11, applicant states that newly amended claim 18 overcomes the current 102 rejection over Crochet, as indicated in the interview on July 17, 2026. However, as indicated in the July 17, 2026 interview, additional art references have been shown to teach the electrical and fluid connection, and a new 103 rejection, necessitated by the amendment, of claims 18 and 20 over Crochet in view of Alguera is provided above.
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 ABIGAIL R HYMEL whose telephone number is (571)272-0389. The examiner can normally be reached Generally M-F 7:30-4:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Valentin Neacsu can be reached at (571)272-6265. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/A.R.H./Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/JACOB D KNUTSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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