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(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 18-32 and 34 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.
Applicant adds the qualifier “in particular” along with specific example, such as “electrically operated motor vehicle” to claim 1. The use of a narrow limitation or preference that falls within a broader limitation in the same claim renders the claim indefinite.
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) 18-20, 26-27, 32-34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Arienti et al. (US – 2017/0137009 A1, herein after Arienti ‘009).
As per claim 18, Arienti ‘009 discloses Automatically Controlled Braking System For Vehicle And Method Of Actuating And Controlling A Braking System For Vehicle comprising:
a braking system, in particular for electrically operated motor vehicles, wherein at least one electric traction motor is connected to at least one axle of the vehicle and used both as a traction motor and as an electromagnetic braking device with energy recovery (Title, Presentation of the invention, [0006] – [0008], Fig: 1-4), the braking system comprising:
A) a direct braking circuit (24, 16, Fig: 1-3) with a master brake pump (operating the braking system in a conventional manner, namely through direct control of the user, by means of the manual actuator 20, without, therefore, actuation by the actuated brake pump 48, [0066], therefore, its inherently disclose “master cylinder’ or brake pump , Fig: 1-3) actuatable by means of a driver actuating member (20, Fig: 1-3) and a direct hydraulic line (Attached figure and Fig: 1-3), which puts the master brake pump into communication with at least one hydraulic brake (12, [0047], Fig: 1-4) of the braking system,
B) an indirect brake circuit (8, 16, Fig: 1-3) with an electrically actuatable controlled brake pump (48, Fig: 1-3) and an indirect hydraulic line (64, Fig: 1-3), which puts the controlled brake pump into communication with the hydraulic brake (12, Fig: 1-3) of the brake system,
C) a hydraulic compliance chamber (68, Fig: 1-3), which internally delimits a compliance volume expandable against an elastic bias of an elastic reaction member (72, [0069] – [0071], Fig: 1-3),
D) at least one switching device (60, 80, 32, Fig: 1-3) actuatable to switch the braking system between a direct braking configuration and an indirect braking configuration ([0057], [0068], Fig: 1-3), wherein:
- in the direct braking (Fig: 2) configuration, the switching device puts the master brake pump into fluid communication with the hydraulic brake (8, Fig: 2) and interrupts the fluid communication between the controlled brake pump (48, Fig: 2) and the hydraulic brake,
- in the indirect braking configuration (Fig: 1, 3), the switching device puts the controlled brake pump into fluid communication with the hydraulic brake (8, Fig: 2) and interrupts the fluid communication between the master brake pump (from 20, Fig: 1, 3) and the hydraulic brake and puts the master brake pump into communication with the hydraulic compliance chamber (68, Fig: 1, 3),
E) at least one electronic controller (The braking system 4 also comprises at least one control unit of the system 52 that supervises the operation of the system, [0063], Fig: 1-4) connected with the controlled brake pump and with the switching device, wherein the switching device comprises a hydraulic selector valve (60, Fig: 1-3) having:
- a first opening (opening for connection to 24, Fig: 1-3) in communication with the master brake pump, a second opening (opening for connection to 64, Fig: 1-3) in communication with the controlled brake pump, a third opening (opening for connection with 16, Fig: 1-3) in communication with the hydraulic brake and a fourth opening (opening to connect hydraulic line to 68, Fig: 1-3) in communication with the hydraulic compliance chamber (68, Fig: 1-3),
- a shutter device (valve 60 has four aperture, Fig: 1-3) forming selective communication passages and being sliding relative to the first and the second apertures and relative to the third and the fourth apertures, along a switching stroke between (Fig: 1-3):
- a first switching position (60, Fig: 2) corresponding to the direct braking configuration, wherein the master cylinder is in communication with the hydraulic brake and the driven cylinder is in communication with the compliance chamber (Fig: 2),
- a second switching position (Fig: 1, 3) corresponding to the indirect braking configuration, wherein the controlled brake pump is in connection with the hydraulic brake (12) and the master cylinder is in connection with the compliance chamber (68, Fig: 1, 3)
- a switching actuation system (80, Fig: 1-3), electrically triggerable, to make the shutter device slide from the first switching position into the second switching position, characterized in that the switching device comprises at least either (Fig: 1-3):
i) a switching preservation system, which stops the shutter device in the second switching position by means of a non-electromagnetic stopping force, chosen from the group consisting of fluid-mechanical forces, elastic forces, mechanical forces, permanent magnetic forces,
OR
ii) an amplification system (32, 80, Fig: 1-3) comprising:
- an accumulator of non-electrical potential energy (Attached figure and Fig: 3), and
- a switchable connector (80) for disconnecting and connecting the potential energy accumulator from/to the shutter device of the hydraulic selector valve, wherein an actuator (solenoid 60, 80, 88, Fig: 1-3) of the switching actuation system applies an actuating force to the switchable connector to connect the potential energy accumulator to the shutter device, and said actuating force is less than a switching force applied by the potential energy accumulator onto the shutter device to move or maintain the shutter device in the second switching position ([0051] – [0057], [0064], [0067] – [0070], Fig: 1-3 show 60 with two different witching position, Fig: 1-3) .
As per claim 19, Arienti ‘009 discloses wherein:
- the switching preservation system also forms the amplification system (80, Fig: 2),
- in case of complete absence of power supply to the braking system, the hydraulic selector valve automatically moves mechanically to the first switching position, corresponding to the direct braking configuration (second operation condition, [0075] – [0083], Fig: 2).
As per claim 20, Arienti ‘009 discloses wherein the shutter device (84, Fig: 1-3) is linearly slidable along a linear switching stroke and permanently elastically biased towards the first switching position, and the switching actuation system includes a linear actuator and is configured to apply a linear translatory thrust on the shutter device towards the respective first and/or second switching positions (60, 84, Fig: 1-3).
As per claim 26, Arienti ‘009 discloses individually manufacturable and installable in said braking system, said BBW module comprising:
- said direct hydraulic line (24, Fig: 1-3) with a master hydraulic port for the connection to the master brake pump and a brake hydraulic port for the connection to the hydraulic brake (12, Fig: 1-3),
- said controlled brake pump (48, Fig: 1-3) with an electric drive (40, Fig: 1-3) and with a hydraulic reservoir port for the connection to the hydraulic reservoir (28, Fig: 1-3),
- said indirect hydraulic line (64, Fig: 1-3),
- said hydraulic compliance chamber (68, Fig: 1-3),
- said switching device (60, 80, 32, Fig: 1-3),
- said electronic controller (The braking system 4 also comprises at least one control unit of the system 52 that supervises the operation of the system, [0063], Fig: 1-3),
- at least one signal connection interface for a connection to an electronic control unit of the vehicle (The manual actuator 20 is in turn equipped with its own hydraulic circuit comprising an output branch 24 and a brake fluid tank 28 to supply brake fluid to the circuit following the consumption of the friction material of the brake pads. The hydraulic circuit of the manual actuator 20 interacts with the first hydraulic circuit 16, as better described below, [0051], Fig: 4),
- an electrical power supply connector (braking system has electronic controller so that inherently disclose electrical power supply connector).
As per claim 27, Arienti ‘009 discloses wherein the BBW module further includes the master brake pump (inherently disclose in 20) and the master pressure sensor (Attached figure and Fig: 3), and a master signal connector for a signal connection of the master pressure sensor to a control unit of the vehicle (Fig: 3).
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As per claim 32, Arienti ‘009 discloses individually manufacturable and installable in said braking system, said switching module comprising said switching device (84, 72, Fig: 1-3).
As per claim 33, Arienti ‘009 discloses Automatically Controlled Braking System For Vehicle And Method Of Actuating And Controlling A Braking System For Vehicle comprising:
a hydraulic selector valve (80, Fig: 1-3) switchable to a first switching position and a second switching position (first and second operating condition, [0084], Fig: 1-3), a switching actuation device, electrically triggerable (80 is solenoid valve so require electric to operate), for switching the hydraulic selector valve from the first switching position to the second switching position ([0084], Fig: 1-3), characterized in that the switching device comprises at least either:
i) a switching preservation system, which stops the hydraulic selector valve in the second switching position by means of a non-electromagnetic stopping force, chosen from the group consisting of fluid-mechanical forces, elastic forces, mechanical forces, permanent magnetic forces,
OR
ii) an amplification system (32, 80, Fig: 1-3) comprising:
- a non-electrical accumulator of potential energy (Attached figure and Fig: 3), and
- a switchable connector (80, Fig: 1-3) to disconnect and connect the potential energy accumulator with the hydraulic selector valve,
wherein an actuator (solenoid, Fig: 1-3) applies an actuating force to the switchable connector to connect the potential energy accumulator to the hydraulic selector valve, wherein said actuating force is less than a switching force applied by the potential energy accumulator onto the hydraulic selector valve to switch it and maintain it in the second switching position ([0051] – [0057], [0064], [0067] – [0070], Fig: 1-3 show 60 with two different witching position, Fig: 1-3).
As per claim 34, Arienti ‘009 discloses
- a first wired connection between the electronic control unit of the vehicle and the electronic controller for transmitting first control signals of the electronic controller, which are received and processed by a processor and software of the electronic controller ([0051] – [0052], Fig: 4),
- a second wired connection between the vehicle electronic control unit and the braking system for signals of enabling/disabling of the electrical power supply and/or signals of enabling of the switching actuation device, wherein the second wired connection is separate from the first wired connection and bypasses said electronic controller processor and software ([0051] – [0052], Fig: 4).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arienti et al. (US – 2017/0137009 A1, herein after Arienti ‘009) as applied to claims 18, 26 above, and further in view of another invention of Arienti et al. (US – 2020/0122706 A1, Arienti ‘706).
As per claim 28, Arienti ‘009 discloses all the structural elements of the claimed invention but fails to explicitly disclose wherein the master brake pump comprises a multiple output piston cylinder assembly having a first hydraulic line connectable to the master hydraulic port of the BBW module and having a second hydraulic line directly connected to one or more further hydraulic brakes of the vehicle.
Another invention of Arienti ‘706 discloses Integrated Master-Cylinder For Brake-By-Wire Braking System comprising:
the master brake pump (8, Fig: 5-7) comprises a multiple output piston cylinder assembly (Fig: 5-7) having a first hydraulic line connectable to the master hydraulic port of the BBW module (10, Fig: 5-8) and having a second hydraulic line directly connected to one or more further hydraulic brakes of the vehicle (28, 32, Fig: 5-7).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the Automatically Controlled Braking System For Vehicle of the Arienti ‘009 to make the master brake pump comprises a multiple output piston cylinder assembly having a first hydraulic line connectable to the master hydraulic port of the BBW module and having a second hydraulic line directly connected to one or more further hydraulic brakes of the vehicle as taught by another invention of Arienti ‘706 in order to provide systems capable of automatically “mixing” regenerative braking and dissipative braking.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-25 and 29-31 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 and teaching reference fail to disclose wherein said accumulator of non- electrical potential energy comprises either:
- a compressed gas accumulator, an elastic spring, a permanent magnet, and the corresponding switchable connector comprises either: - a pneumatic selector or ON/OFF valve, a mechanical coupling/decoupling mechanism, a magnetic coupling mechanism, or a displacement mechanism of a permanent magnet (Claim 21), - a pneumatic actuator connected to the shutter device of the hydraulic selector valve,
- a compressed gas accumulator,
- a pneumatic valve connected between the compressed gas accumulator and the pneumatic actuator, wherein the pneumatic valve is controlled by the electronic controller and electrically actuatable, and movable between:
- a closed position, wherein the compressed gas accumulator is decoupled from the pneumatic actuator and the pneumatic actuator is connected to a vent opening, and
- an open position, wherein the compressed gas accumulator is connected in communication with the pneumatic actuator,
wherein:
with the pneumatic valve in the open position, the compressed gas accumulator applies a gas pressure onto the pneumatic actuator, which moves the shutter device from the first switching position into the second switching position and continues to push and hold the shutter device in the second switching position by virtue of the fluidic pressure of the compressed gas,
when the pneumatic valve returns to the closed position, a return spring pushes the shutter device of the hydraulic selector valve to the first switching position, thereby releasing the residual gas pressure through the venting port and connecting the brake master cylinder to the hydraulic brake and connecting the controlled brake pump to the compliance chamber (Claim 22), wherein the master brake pump comprises a multiple output piston cylinder assembly with a first hydraulic line connectable to the master hydraulic port of the first BBW module and with a second hydraulic line connectable to the master hydraulic port of the second BBW module, and the brake hydraulic ports of the first and second BBW modules are connectable to different and independently controllable hydraulic brakes or hydraulic brake assemblies (Claim 29), wherein the master brake pump comprises a single hydraulic outlet bifurcated into a first hydraulic line connectable to the master hydraulic port of the first BBW module and a second hydraulic line connectable to the master hydraulic port of the second BBW module, and the brake hydraulic ports of the first and second BBW modules are independently connectable to two different and independently controllable hydraulic brakes or hydraulic brake assemblies (Claim 30) and wherein the master brake pump comprises a piston cylinder assembly with two separate hydraulic outlets, each of which is bifurcated into a first hydraulic line and a second hydraulic line, and the four hydraulic lines are connectable to the master hydraulic ports of the four BBW modules, and the hydraulic brake ports of the four BBW modules are independently connectable to four hydraulic brakes or four different and independently controllable hydraulic brake groups (Claim 31).
Claims 23-25 depend on claim 22.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
A: Alford et l. (US – 2021/0031741 A1),
B: Ishino et al. (US – 2016/0129893 A1), and
C: Arienti et al. (US – 10, 625,725 B2).
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