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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is the first Office action on the merits. Claims *** are currently pending.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim of priority from Provisional Application No. 63/392,156.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement of July 24, 2023 was received and reviewed.
Drawings
The drawings are accepted.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 12, and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, lines 3-4, the recitation “wherein said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform connected to . . .” is awkwardly worded. The following correction is recommended “wherein said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform are connected to . . .”.
Claim 12, lines 3-4, the recitation “wherein said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform connected to . . .” is awkwardly worded. The following correction is recommended “wherein said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform are connected to . . .”.
Claim 19, line 5, the recitation “wherein said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform connected to . . .” is awkwardly worded. The following correction is recommended “wherein said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform are connected to . . .”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 2, and 13 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.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "each said wheel portion" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear if the first and second wheel platforms are being referred to or a different structure of the invention. Clarification is required.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "each said wheel portion" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear if the first and second wheel platforms are being referred to or a different structure of the invention. Clarification is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-12, and 14-20 are allowed.
Claims 2 and 13 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Reasons for Indicating Allowable Subject Matter
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art fails to disclose or render obvious the combination of features recited in each of independent claims 1 and 12. Particularly, the prior art fails to disclose or render obvious “a first wheel platform and a second wheel platform, wherein said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform connected to opposing sides of said center chassis frame; . . . further wherein said first pair of barrel locks selectively locks said first wheel platform at a first distance relative to said center chassis frame and said second pair of barrel locks selectively locks said second wheel platform at a second distance relative to said center chassis frame for securing said vehicle tow dolly in an unfolded position at a selected wheelbase corresponding to a towed vehicle”.
The prior art fails to disclose or render obvious the combination of features recited in independent claim 19. Particularly, the prior art fails to disclose or render obvious “providing a vehicle tow dolly having a center chassis frame, an X-brace attachment, a tongue portion, a plurality of locking pins, a first wheel platform and a second wheel platform, wherein said first wheel platform and said second wheel platform connected to opposing sides of said center chassis frame, and further wherein each wheel platform having a pair of casters and a wheel proximal thereto for movement of said vehicle tow dolly over a road surface; removing said X-brace attachment from said center chassis frame; . . . releasing a first pair of locking pins mounted to a first side of said center chassis frame and articulating said first wheel platform to a generally vertical orientation; releasing a second pair of locking pins mounted to a second side of said center chassis frame and articulating said second wheel platform to a generally vertical orientation; and hingedly articulating said center chassis frame from a generally horizontal unfolded orientation to a generally vertical folded orientation.”
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20240083331 A1, Tow Dolly Cross Rail Assembly For Towing Vehicle E.g. Car, Has Two Outer Female Bars Telescopically Sliding Along Free Ends Of Center Male Bar For Selectively Increasing And Decreasing Length Of Cross Rail, Where Arched Configuration Of Center Male Bar Slopes Female Bars Relative To Horizontal Plane;
US 20170274945 A1, TOWING SYSTEMS, see Fig. 2 showing square tubing, joints and fasteners holding the trailer together.
US 20160368409 A1, Folding Dolly For Towing A Vehicle
US 20130038038 A1, A collapsible hitched trailer comprised of a bed member having a center bed section, and two pivotable bed sections pivotally attached to opposite sides of the center bed section.
US 20110254249 A1, Collapsible Trailer.
US 7770913 B2, Collapsible Trailer And Method For Use Of Same.
US 7083182 B2, Two-wheeled Recovery Trailers.
US 6428035 B1, Portable Trailer For Motor Cycle, Has Front, Center, Axle And Wheel Frames, Whose Length Is Set Smaller Than The Length Of Portable Container Into Which Frames Are Stored When Disassembled.
US 5342162 A, Tow Dolly.
US 5326128 A, Variable-width Torsion Spring Axle.
US 5016897 A, Vehicle Towing Trailer Has Pair Of Angle Irons Attached To Parallel Members Of H-shaped Frame.
US 3979133 A, Foldable Trailer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB S. SCOTT whose telephone number is (571)270-3415. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm.
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/JACOB S. SCOTT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3655