DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after Aug 16, 2022, 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(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.
Claims are 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.
Claim1, line 6 recites: “a portion of said lever extending into said fixed ball pocket” and additional line 7 states “said portion of said lever extending into said fixed ball pocket is adjacent said hemispherical inside surface” and further “said lever extending partially across said opening. This language appears to be claiming that the same portion of the lever is first adjacent the hemispherical surface and then adjacent the cylindrical surface. However, based on the applicant’s specification, in Figure 7 the top portion of the lever extends into the envelope in the release position and adjacent the hemispherical surface, and in figure 6, the bottom portion is adjacent the cylindrical surface. As such the claim language is unclear because it doesn’t correspond to the disclosure and inaccurately describes the invention.
Any claim not specifically addressed under 112(b) is rejected as being dependent on a claim rejected under 112(b).
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 6-9 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Olson (US Pub. 20160303932).
Regarding claim 1, Olson discloses: a coupler (1, fig. 1-5) for retaining a hitch ball (5 “ball hitch”, [‘Title’]) affixed to a towing vehicle (7, [0001, line 1-4]), said hitch ball having a spherical portion (11, fig. 2 and [0027]) connected to a stem portion (15), said coupler (1) comprising:
a housing having a fixed ball pocket (15) for receiving said spherical portion (11) of said hitch ball (5)l, said fixed ball pocket (15) having an opening (fig. 4) and a hemispherical inside surface (surface of 15 inside in fig. 2);
a lever (swivel member 13, [0027]) pivotable with respect to said housing between a captured position and a release position [ para. 0027, line 10-13 and fig 2], a portion of said lever (engaging portion 13A, [0027, line 17-19]) extending into (fig. 2) said fixed ball pocket (15);
when said lever (13) is in said release position [ para. 0027, line 10-13 and fig 2], said portion (13A) of said lever (13) extending into said fixed ball pocket (15, fig. 2) is adjacent (fig. 4 shows extension into said fixed ball pocket is ‘adjacent’) said hemispherical inside surface (surface inside 15 as shown in fig. 2), when said lever (13) is in said captured position (fig. 4, [0014]), said lever extending partially (fig. 4 shows extending partially) across said opening (opening at fig. 4); and
a locking pin (23, fig. 4) is slidable along a locking axis (center axis of hole 25) between a locked (fig. 4) and unlocked position (fig. 2) when said lever (13) is in said captured position, said locked position defined as said locking pin holding said lever in said captured position, said unlocked position defined as said locking pin being clear of said lever [para. 0039 discloses that pin 23 is used to secure lever 13 in the closed position. Consequently, it should be understood that, in the unlocked position, the pin is clear of the lever], said locking pin is biased towards said locked position [para. 0037 discloses that the latch member is biased toward the neutral position of figs. 1 and 2, and any vibration during use that causes the lug portion 13A to move down slightly will allow the latch member to move slightly forward, and the increasing radius will keep the lug portion 13B in the slightly lower position; note that: Since the lever is locked with the locking pin, the pin also moves through a state of being biased toward the locked position; additionally, it is slidable through the locking aperture to reach the locked position when the lever is in the captured position.]
Regarding claim 2, Olson further discloses that said locking pin (23) is moved to said unlocked position (fig. 2 is for unlocked position), said lever (13) is moveable away (via ‘LPA’ fig. 2) from said captured position, when said lever is moved to said release position (fig. 2), said locking pin (23) is moved from said unlocked position into biased contact with said lever (13) so that when said lever (13) moves to said captured position (fig. 4), said locking pin (23) moves to said locked position (fig. 4) [para. 0037 discloses that the latch member is biased toward the neutral position of figs. 1 and 2 and any vibration during use that causes the lug portion 13A to move down slightly will allow the latch member to move slightly forward, and the increasing radius will keep the lug portion 13B in the slightly lower position; note that: Since the lever is locked with the locking pin, the pin also moves through a state of being biased toward the locked position; additionally, it is slidable through the locking aperture to reach the locked position when the lever is in the captured position.; also see para. 0039.]
Regarding claim 6, Olson further discloses that said lever (13) moves from said captured position (fig. 4 position) toward said release position (fig. 2 position), said lever (13) contacts said locking pin (23) to move (through hole 25) said locking pin (23) from said unlocked position [para. 0039 teaches that a safety pin 23 may be provided to secure the swivel member 13 in the closed position of fig. 4 by inserting same into corresponding holes 25 in the swivel member 13 and socket member 9; Consequently, it should be understood that, in the unlocked position, the pin is clear of the lever and urging the locking pin along its axis away from the unlocked position; thus, said lever (13) contacts said locking pin (23) to move (through hole 25) said locking pin (23) from said unlocked position.]
Regarding claim 7, Olson further discloses that said hitch ball (5, fig. 1) moves said lever to said release position (fig. 2) when said hitch ball (5) is removed from said fixed ball pocket (pocket of socket 111; [ It should be understood that it is an interaction that is inherently achieved by the geometry as shown in fig. 1 and 8 of the coupler that once the lever constricts the pocket opening in the captured position, removal of the hitch ball necessarily cams the lever outward to the release position.])
Regarding claim 8, Olson discloses: a coupler (1, fig. 1-5) for retaining a hitch ball (5 “ball hitch”, [‘Title’]) affixed to a towing vehicle (7, [0001, line 1-4]), said hitch ball having a spherical portion (11, fig. 2 and [0027]) connected to a stem portion (15), said coupler (1) comprising:
a housing having a fixed ball pocket (15) for receiving said spherical portion (11) of said hitch ball (5)l, said fixed ball pocket (15) having an opening (fig. 2 and 4);
a lever (swivel member 13, [0027]) pivotable with respect to said housing between a captured position and a release position [ para. 0027, line 10-13 and fig 2], a portion of said lever (engaging portion 13A, [0027, line 17-19]) extending into (fig. 2) said fixed ball pocket (15) in said release position (fig. 2);
when said lever (13) is in said captured position (fig. 4), said opening is smaller than said fixed ball pocket [ shown in annotated fig. 4 of Olson below, in captured position, the opening is smaller in size than the fixed ball pocket]; and
a locking pin (23, fig. 4) is slidable (via hole 25) along a locking axis (center axis of hole 25) between a locked (fig. 4) and unlocked position (fig. 2) when said lever (13) is in said captured position, said locked position defined as said locking pin holding said lever in said captured position, said unlocked position (fig. 2) defined by said lever (13) unconstrained by said locking pin (23) [para. 0039 discloses that pin 23 is used to secure lever 13 in the closed position. Consequently, it should be understood that, in the unlocked position, the pin is clear of the lever; thus, unconstrained by said locking pin; additionally, it is slidable through the locking aperture to reach the locked position when the lever is in the captured position and ultimately, pin remains clear of the lever in unlocked position.]
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Annotated fig. 4 of Olson
Regarding claim 9, Olson further discloses that said locking pin (23) is moved to said unlocked position (fig. 2 position), said lever (13) is moveable away from said captured position ( fig. 2 shows lever is away when unlocked position), when said lever (13) is moved to said release position [ It should be understood that displacement of the lever from the captured position permits corresponding movement of the locking pin away from the locked position, thereby establishing an unlocked or released condition in which the hitch ball may be removed from the coupler.]
Regarding claim 13, Olson further discloses that said lever (13) moves from said captured position (fig. 4) toward said release position (fig. 2), said lever (13) contacts said locking pin (23) to move said locking pin from said unlocked position [ It should be understood that displacement of the lever from the captured position permits corresponding movement of the locking pin away from the locked position, thereby establishing an unlocked or released condition in which the hitch ball may be removed from the coupler.]
Regarding claim 14, Olson further discloses that said hitch ball (5, fig. 1) moves said lever to said release position (fig. 2) when said hitch ball (5) is removed from said fixed ball pocket (pocket of socket 111; [it should be understood that it is an interaction that is inherently achieved by the geometry as shown in fig. 1 and 8 of the coupler that once the lever constricts the pocket opening in the captured position, removal of the hitch ball necessarily cams the lever outward to the release position.])
Regarding claim 15, Olson further discloses that said lever is in said captured position (figs. 4 and 5), said lever (13) partially extends across said opening to constrict said opening to a distance smaller than said spherical portion (11) [ shown in annotated fig. 4 of Olson above in captured position, the opening is smaller in size than the fixed ball pocket.]
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.
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 3-5, 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olson in view of Hall (US Pat. 7926832 B1).
Regarding claim 3, Olson further discloses that said locking pin (23) is rotatable (at hole 25, fig. 4) about said locking axis (axis at hole 25), but fails to teach that said locking pin has a groove with a terminal end and a knee adjacent thereto, said coupler having a guidepost located in said groove; however,
Hall in another trailer coupler and safety chain system similar to Olson teaches that said locking pin (76 of Hall) has a groove (94; fig. 4A and [col 7, line 60-65 teaches: “pin 76 may further include groove or grooves 94”] with a terminal end (groove containing on terminal end of pin 74 in fig. 4) and a knee ( A, see annotated fig. 4 of Hall below) adjacent (shown in fig. 4, knee is positioned adjacent to groove 94) thereto, said coupler having a guide post (indenture 96, fig. 2 and col 8 of Hall) located in said groove [ col. 8 line 1-5 teaches: “ Pin 76 may also further include indenture 96 (groove) for adding further structural integrity when pin 76 is in the locked configuration 88”].
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Annotated fig. 4 of Hall
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Olson to integrate the teaching of Hall and provide a groove with a terminal end of the pin and a knee adjacent thereto, and a guidepost located in said groove in order to advantageously secure the guide flat of the locking pin from rotating [fig 5 and col 8 of Hall].
Regarding claim 4, Olson further teaches that said lever (13) is moveable (via LPA, fig. 2) to a reset position located between said captured position and said release position [ as described in paragraph [0042] of the specification, the reset position is located between the captured and released positions. The cited reference by Olson as depicted in fig. 3, including fig. 2 teaches this distinct intermediate reset position that defines the armed state of the locking pin 23], said reset position defined by said lever (13) contacting said locking pin (23) to move said locking pin away (fig. 3) from said unlocked position (fig. 2) to an armed position (fig. 3, but fails to teach that said armed position defined by said guide post located in said groove where said knee is located between said terminal end and said guide post; however,
Hall teaches that said armed position defined by said guide post (indenture 96, fig. 2 and col 8 of Hall) located in said groove (92) where said knee (annotated fig. 4 of Hall above) is located between said terminal end (tip end) and said guide post (96) [ see fig. 2 where 96 lies on the surface that includes groove 92 and the knee is located in between the terminal end and the said guide post.]
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the locking pin with a groove having a terminal end and a knee to guide interaction with a corresponding post or detent, as such groove geometries are routinely used in latch and pin mechanisms to define intermediate and stop positions during sliding or rotational movement as taught by Hall into the invention of Olson with a reasonable expectation of success in order to advantageously incorporate those structural features would have been a predictable modification to improve controlled pin travel and retention under bias so that it can be secured by pin and once the coupler is secured, the release mechanism will be utilized [ col 3 of Hall].
Regarding claim 5, Olson discloses the coupler, but fails to teach that a guide collar having guide posts, said guide posts located in grooves on said locking pin, said grooves having a knee, a spring located between said guide collar and a shoulder on said locking pin, said spring biasing said locking pin towards said locked position; however,
Hall teaches a guide collar (86“retention positioning piece” [col 7, line 30-35]) having guide posts (indenture 96, fig. 2 and col 8 of Hall), said guide posts (96) located in grooves (94) on said locking pin (76 of Hall), said grooves (94) having a knee (A, annotated fig. 4 of Hall above), a spring (50) located between said guide collar (86) and a shoulder [ see fig. 4 of Hall where spring is located between guide collar and a shoulder and step 96] on said locking pin (76), said spring (50) biasing (via latching plate 48) said locking pin (76) towards said locked position [ col 7, line 5-10 teaches that Coupler system 10 further includes an automatic locking means 46 which generally includes a retractable latching plate 48 in communication with a spring assembly 50. Plate 48 is spring biased such that plate 48 generally cooperates with socket 36 to couple or trap ball hitch 24 in socket 36; thus, said spring biasing said locking pin towards said locked position; also see fig. 3 of Hall.]
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Olson to integrate the teaching of Hall and provide said guide posts located in grooves on said locking pin, having a knee, a spring located between said guide collar and a shoulder on said locking pin, said spring biasing said locking pin towards said locked position in order to advantageously integrate a release lever to the ball hitch locking mechanism so that it can be secured by pin and once the coupler is secured, the release mechanism will be utilized [ col 3 of Hall].
Regarding claim 10, Olson teaches the locking pin, but doesn’t appear to explicitly teaches that said locking pin has a groove with a terminal end and a knee adjacent thereto, said coupler having a guide post located in said groove; however,
Hall teaches that said locking pin (76 of Hall) has a groove (94; fig. 4A and [col 7, line 60-65 teaches: “pin 76 may further include groove or grooves 94”] with a terminal end (groove containing on terminal end of pin 74 in fig. 4) and a knee (A, see annotated fig. 4 of Hall above) adjacent thereto (shown in fig. 4, knee is positioned adjacent to groove 94), said coupler having a guide post (indenture 96, fig. 2 and col 8 of Hall) located in said groove [ col. 8 line 1-5 teaches: “ Pin 76 may also further include indenture 96 (groove) for adding further structural integrity when pin 76 is in the locked configuration 88”].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Olson to integrate the teaching of Hall and provide a groove with a terminal end of the pin and a knee adjacent thereto, and a guidepost located in said groove in order to advantageously secure the guide flat of the locking pin from rotating [fig 5 and col 8 of Hall].
Regarding claim 11, Olson as modified above further teaches that said lever (13) is moveable (via LPA, fig. 2) to a reset position located between said captured position and said release position [ as described in paragraph [0042] of the specification, the reset position is located between the captured and released positions. The cited reference by Olson as depicted in fig. 3, including fig. 2 teaches this distinct intermediate reset position that defines the armed state of the locking pin 23], said reset position defined by said lever (13) contacting said locking pin (23) to move said locking pin away (fig. 3) from said unlocked position (fig. 2) to an armed position, said armed position defined by said locking pin in biased (via latched member 19, [0037]) contact with said lever [ It should be understood that biasing arrangement maintains the locking pin in continuous engagement with the lever during transitional movement through the reset and armed positions as depicted in fig. 3, thereby providing a self-latching and fail-safe coupling action.]
Regarding claim 12, Olson doesn’t appear to teach that a guide collar having guide posts, said guide posts located in grooves on said locking pin, said grooves having a knee, a spring located between said guide collar and a shoulder on said locking pin, said spring biasing said locking pin towards said locked position; however,
Hall teaches that a guide collar (86“retention positioning piece” [col 7, line 30-35]) having guide posts (indenture 96, fig. 2 and col 8 of Hall), said guide posts (96) located in grooves (92 on said locking pin (76), said grooves having a knee (A, annotated fig. 4 of Hall above), a spring (50) located between said guide collar (86) and a shoulder [ see fig. 4 of Hall where spring is located between guide collar and a shoulder and step 96] on said locking pin (76), said spring (50) biasing (via latching plate 48) said locking pin (76) towards said locked position (fig. 3 of Hall and [ col 7, line 5-10 teaches that Coupler system 10 further includes an automatic locking means 46 which generally includes a retractable latching plate 48 in communication with a spring assembly 50. Plate 48 is spring biased such that plate 48 generally cooperates with socket 36 to couple or trap ball hitch 24 in socket 36; thus, said spring biasing said locking pin towards said locked position; also see fig. 3 of Hall.])
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Olson to integrate the teaching of Hall and provide said guide posts located in grooves on said locking pin, having a knee, a spring located between said guide collar and a shoulder on said locking pin, said spring biasing said locking pin towards said locked position in order to advantageously integrate a release lever to the ball hitch locking mechanism so that it can be secured by pin and once the coupler is secured, the release mechanism will be utilized [ col 3 of Hall].
Claims 16-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olson in view of Works et al. (US pub. US20120098236; here in after “Works”).
Regarding claim 16, Olson discloses: a coupler (1, fig. 1-5) for retaining a hitch ball (5 “ball hitch”, [‘Title’]) having a spherical portion (11, fig. 2 and [0027]) affixed to a stem portion (15), said coupler (1) comprising:
a housing having a fixed ball pocket (15) for receiving said spherical portion (11, fig. 2) of said hitch ball (5)l, said fixed ball pocket (15) having an opening (fig. 2);
a lever (swivel member 13, [0027]) pivotable with respect to said housing between a captured position and a release position [ para. 0027, line 10-13 and fig 2], a portion of said lever (engaging portion 13A, [0027, line 17-19]) extending into (fig. 2) said fixed ball pocket (15) in said release position (fig. 2 in release position);
when said lever (13) is in said captured position (fig. 4), a distance across said opening (see annotated fig. 4 below) is smaller than said fixed ball pocket [ shown in annotated fig. 4 of Olson above, in captured position, a distance across said opening is smaller in size than the fixed ball pocket]; and
a locking pin (23, fig. 4) is slidable (via hole 25) along a locking axis (center axis of hole 25) between a locked (fig. 4) and unlocked position (fig. 2) when said lever (13) is in said captured position, said locked position defined as said locking pin holding said lever (13) in said captured position (fig. 4), said unlocked position (fig. 2) defined by said lever (13) being rotatable away from said captured position (fig. 2 shows lever is rotatably away in said unlocked position).
Olson differs from the inventions as claimed because the prior art of record fails to teach bias scheme in the locking direction, pushing the pin into engagement with the lever when allowed is equivalent to the configuration of “said locking pin (23) is biased towards said locked position”; however,
Works in another self-latching and locking trailer coupler similar to Olson teaches that said locking pin (latch pin 31) is biased (against the spring 45) towards said locked position [ para. 0058 teaches that moving the handle 47 outwardly (said lever being rotatable away) pulls on the draw bar 39 and moves the latch pin 31 upwardly and outwardly against the bias of the spring 45 to its open position; thus, said unlocked position defined by said lever being rotatable away from said captured position, said locking pin is biased towards said locked position.]
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Olson to integrate the teaching of Works and incorporate the spring-bias technique of works to urge the locking pin toward engagement. Such a modification would provide predictable results, namely assisting in the movement of the pin into the locked position during lever operation. The combination of those references would have yielded a locking pin biased towards the locked position as recited in the claims, in the manner that would have been obvious to implement for the purpose of achieving reliable locking. In doing so a lock assembly is mounted in the housing and is selectively engageable to lock the latch member in the closed position [‘abstract ‘of Works].
Regarding claim 17, Olson as modified above further teaches that when said locking pin (23) is moved to said unlocked position (fig. 2), said lever (13) is moveable away (fig. 2) from said captured position (from capture position of fig. 4).
Olson differs from the inventions as claimed because the prior art of record fails to teach when said lever is moved to said release position (fig. 9), said locking pin is moved from said unlocked position into biased contact with said lever so that when said lever moves to said captured position, said locking pin moves to said locked position.
Works teaches that said lever (47) is moved to said release position, said locking pin (31) is moved from said unlocked position into biased contact (via plunger 61, [0060]) with said lever (47) so that when said lever moves to said captured position, said locking pin moves to said locked position [ para. 0115 teaches that the user then releases the handle 361 to allow the biasing force of spring 362 to urge or cause the operating shaft 348 to move to the latched position, behind the latch member 33 which has pivoted to the closed position; thus, when said lever moves to said captured position, said locking pin moves to said locked position.]
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a locking pin biased towards the locks position and configure the lever as claimed and as taught by Works into the invention of Olson with the reasonable expectation of success in order to represents the predictable use of known mechanical biasing principles to ensure positive engagement of a latch mechanism, and would have yielded no unexpected results.
Regarding claim 18, Olson as modified above further teaches that said lever (13) is moveable (via LPA, fig. 2) to a reset position located between said captured position and said release position [ as described in paragraph [0042] of the specification, the reset position is located between the captured and released positions. The cited reference by Olson as depicted in fig. 3, including fig. 2 teaches this distinct intermediate reset position that defines the armed state of the locking pin 23], said reset position defined by said lever (13) contacting said locking pin (23) to move said locking pin away (fig. 3) from said unlocked position (fig. 2) to an armed position (fig. 3), said armed position defined by said locking pin (23) in biased (via latched member 19, [0037]) contact with said lever (13) [ It should be understood that biasing arrangement maintains the locking pin in continuous engagement with the lever during transitional movement through the reset and armed positions as depicted in fig. 3, thereby providing a self-latching and fail-safe coupling action.]
Regarding claim 20, Olson as modified above further teaches that when said lever (13) moves from said captured position (from position of fig. 4) toward said release position (position of fig. 12), said lever (13) contacts said locking pin to move said locking pin from said unlocked position [para. 0039 discloses that pin 23 is used to secure lever 13 in the closed position. Consequently, it should be understood that, in the unlocked position, the pin is clear of the lever, equivalent to release position] and said hitch ball (5, fig. 1) moves said lever to said release position (fig. 2) when said hitch ball (5) is removed from said fixed ball pocket (pocket of socket 111; [ It should be understood that it is an interaction that is inherently achieved by the geometry as shown in fig. 1 and 8 of the coupler that once the lever constricts the pocket opening in the captured position, removal of the hitch ball necessarily cams the lever outward to the release position.]).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olson in view of Works and further in view of Hall.
Regarding claim 19, Olson in view of Works includes all the limitations of claim 16, including locking pin, but fails to teach that a guide collar having guide posts, said guide posts located in grooves on said locking pin, said grooves having a knee, a spring located between said guide collar and a shoulder on said locking pin, said spring biasing said locking pin towards said locked position; however,
Hall teaches that a guide collar (86“retention positioning piece” [col 7, line 30-35]) having guide posts (indenture 96, fig. 2 and col 8 of Hall), said guide posts (96) located in grooves (94) on said locking pin (76 of Hall), said grooves (94) having a knee (A, annotated fig. 4 of Hall above), a spring (50) located between said guide collar (86) and a shoulder [ see fig. 4 of Hall where spring is located between guide collar and a shoulder and step 96] on said locking pin (76), said spring (50) biasing (via latching plate 48) said locking pin (76) towards said locked position [ col 7, line 5-10 teaches that Coupler system 10 further includes an automatic locking means 46 which generally includes a retractable latching plate 48 in communication with a spring assembly 50. Plate 48 is spring biased such that plate 48 generally cooperates with socket 36 to couple or trap ball hitch 24 in socket 36; thus, said spring biasing said locking pin towards said locked position; also see fig. 3 of Hall.]
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Olson to integrate the teaching of Hall and provide said guide posts located in grooves on said locking pin, having a knee, a spring located between said guide collar and a shoulder on said locking pin, said spring biasing said locking pin towards said locked position in order to advantageously integrate a release lever to the ball hitch locking mechanism so that it can be secured by pin and once the coupler is secured, the release mechanism will be utilized [ col 3 of Hall].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 8444169 B1 to Steven discloses: a trailer hitch coupler to couple a trailer to a trailer hitch includes a socket adapted for receiving a trailer hitch ball; a clamp associated with the socket and operable for engaging the trailer hitch ball.
US 20080129013 A1 to Weddendorf discloses: trailer couplers having a housing in which a latching slide member is constrained so as to only be movable in a reciprocating longitudinal motion relative to a hitch ball receiving cavity.
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/NABIN KUMAR SHARMA/Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/VALENTIN NEACSU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3611