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 § 102
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 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) 1-16 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(A)(1) as being anticipated by Drelich et al. (US – 2023/0130519 A1).
As per claim 1, Drelich discloses comprising:
an electropneumatic trailer control module (1, Fig: 1) for a pneumatic brake system (Title), the electropneumatic trailer control module (1) comprising:
a housing structure (14, Fig: 2);
a manual brake pressure port (8, 46.2, Fig: 2) that receives a driver's brake demand pressure component;
an electropneumatic brake pressure port (32, Fig: 2) that receives an electropneumatic brake pressure component from at least one independent pressure source (154, 156, Fig: 2);
a relay valve (52, Fig: 2) comprising a control port (52.3, Fig: 2), a supply port (52.1, Fig: 2), an outlet port (52.2, Fig: 2), and a relief port (52.4, Fig: 2),
wherein the control port (52.3) receives at least one of the driver’s brake demand pressure either directly or indirectly from the manual brake pressure port or the electropneumatic brake pressure from the electropneumatic brake pressure port (52.1) and enables a fluid connection between the supply port (52.1) and the outlet port (52.4, [0050], Fig: 2) in an activated state, wherein the relay valve (52) connects the outlet port (52.2) to the relief port (52.4) when the relay valve is in an inactivated state or when there is no control pressure at the control port ([0051], Fig: 2), and
a spring-supported electropneumatic input valve (64) with at least two ports and being capable of switching between an open position and a closed position, wherein the spring-supported electropneumatic input valve (46) is retained in the open position when there is no electronic activation of the spring-supported electropneumatic input valve (The third electropneumatic control valve 46 is biased in a supply position (shown in FIG. 2) when the third electropneumatic control valve 46 is de-energized, [0046], Fig: 2), and wherein the spring-supported electropneumatic input valve (46) is connected to the manual brake pressure port (8) and receives the driver’s brake demand pressure component (Redundancy pressure pBR provided to the redundancy connection 8 is then supplied to the pilot control working port 40 via the third electropneumatic control valve 46 , [0049], Fig: 2); and
a tractor protection module (54, tractor protection valve, [0051], Fig: 2) provided within the housing structure (14) of the electropneumatic trailer control module (1 Fig: 2).
As per claim 2, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module (1) is positioned in a fluid path established between a connecting line leading from the outlet port (52.2) of the relay valve (52) and a control pressure coupling head (6, 152, Fig: 2).
As per claim 3, Drelich discloses a select-high valve (142), wherein the select-high valve (142) receives the pressure from two independent pressure sources (138, 140) and provides an output pressure component which is one of the two independent pressure sources (138, 140) and which has a higher magnitude of pressure in comparison to the other.
As per claim 4, Drelich discloses wherein the output pressure component is connected to the supply port (38, Fig: 2) of the relay valve (52) and, at the same time, forms the electropneumatic brake pressure (Fig: 2).
As per claim 5, Drelich discloses wherein the electropneumatic trailer control module (1) further comprises an electropneumatic brake pressure inlet valve (42, Fig: 2) that is electronically controlled and spring-supported, and wherein the electropneumatic brake pressure inlet valve (42) includes two ports (42.1, 42.2, Fig: 2) and switches between open and closed positions, and assumes the closed position as a default position.
As per claim 6, Drelich discloses wherein the electropneumatic trailer control module (1) further comprises an exhaust solenoid valve (44, Fig: 2) that is electronically controlled and spring-supported, wherein the exhaust solenoid valve (44) includes two ports (44.1, 44.2, Fig: 2) and switches between open and closed positions and assumes the closed position as a default position, and wherein the exhaust solenoid valve connects the pressure component at the control port (52.3, Fig: 2) of the relay valve (52) to an exhaust or relief port (16, Fig: 2) when the exhaust solenoid valve (44) is in an open position or is electronically energized ([0048], Fig: 2).
As per claim 7, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module (54) is configured to connect the fluid path leading to the control pressure coupling head (6, 152, Fig: 2) with an exhaust path (16) when in a deactivated or closed state and to connect the outlet port (52.2) of the relay valve (52) to the control pressure coupling head (152) when in an activated or open state ([0053], Fig: 2).
As per claim 8, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module (1) is provided at the control port (52.3, another embodiment, Fig: 3) of the relay valve (52) or at an upstream location in relation to the control port (52.3) of the relay valve (52), and enables or prevents the control pressure reaching the control port of the relay valve (52, [0053], Fig: 3).
As per claim 9, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module (1) comprises a tractor protection control port (54.3, Fig: 2) that receives trailer brake pressure via a trailer brake pressure port (10, Fig: 2).
As per claim 10, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module (1) is a spring-supported pneumatically operated valve (Electropneumatic Trailer Control Module Title).
As per claim 11, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module (124; 324) includes
a control chamber (88, Fig: 4) that receives the control pressure from the tractor protection control port (54.3, [0057], Fig: 2, 4):
a piston (76, Fig: 4) that linearly reciprocates on receiving the control pressure (Fig: 4);
an intermediate supply chamber (Attached figure and Fig: 4) connected to the outlet port (52.2 to 54.1, Fig: 2, 4) of the relay valve (52); and
an outlet chamber (Attached figure and Fig: 4) connected to an outlet line (54.4, Fig: 2, 4), wherein the outlet line (54.4) leads to the control pressure coupling head (6, 152, Fig: 2), and
wherein, when the control chamber (88) receives the control pressure from the tractor protection control port (54.3), the piston (76) linearly reciprocate such that a fluid connection between the intermediate supply chamber and the outlet chamber is established so that the pressurized fluid reaches the control pressure coupling head (6, 152, [0053], Fig: 2, 4).
As per claim 12, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module (1) further comprises a spring (74, Fig: 4) that biases the piston (76) toward a closed position such that, without the control pressure at the control chamber (88), no fluid connection between the intermediate supply chamber and the outlet chamber ([0053], Attached figure and Fig: 3) is established.
As per claim 13, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module (1) further includes a sealing element (82.5, Fig: 4) associated with the piston (76) that sealingly separates the intermediate supply chamber from the outlet chamber when there is no control pressure received at the control chamber ([0053], [0056], [0057], Fig: 2, 4).
As per claim 14, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module (1) further comprises at least one tubular support member (Attached figure and Fig: 4) that aligns the piston (76) in a linear position or limits misalignment of the piston relative to the orientation of the tractor protection module (Attached figure and Fig: 4).
As per claim 15, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module (1) is a pneumatically operated valve with three ports (54.1, 54.2, 54.4, Fig: 2) and one control port (54.3, Fig: 2) and switchable into an open or closed position.
As per claim 16, Drelich discloses wherein the spring-supported electropneumatic input valve (46, Fig: 2) includes an input port (46.1, Fig: 2) and an output port (46.2, Fig: 2), wherein the output port is connected to the control port of the relay valve (via line 50, Fig: 2).
As per claim 19, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module (1) is configured to connect the fluid path leading to the control pressure coupling head (152, Fig: 2) with an exhaust path (48, Fig: 2) when in a deactivated or closed state and to connect the outlet port (52.2) of the relay valve (52) to the control pressure coupling head (152) when in an activated or open state ([0052]-[0053], Fig: 2).
As per claim 20, Drelich discloses wherein the tractor protection module is provided at the control port (52.3, another embodiment, Fig: 3) of the relay valve (52, Fig: 3) or at an upstream location in relation to the control port of the relay valve, and enables or prevents the control pressure reaching the control port (52.3, Fig: 3) of the relay valve (53, [0053], Fig: 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17 and 18 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.
Prior art fails to disclose wherein the tractor protection module is a pneumatically operated valve with two ports and one control port along with a bypass relief mechanism.
Claim 8 depends on claim 7.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
A: Brutt et al. (US – 2021/0300311 A1),
B: Brutt et l. (US – 2020/0223414 A1),
C: Van Thiel (US – 2020/0079341 A1),
D: Laskawy (US – 11,661,047 B2), and
E: Klostermann Thilo (DE – 102019130762 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAN M AUNG whose telephone number is (571)270-5792. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Siconolfi can be reached at 571-272-7124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAN M AUNG/Examiner, Art Unit 3616
/Robert A. Siconolfi/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3616