Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
2. In the response filed on 12/15/2025, applicant indicated the election of Claims 1 and 3-8, however only filed Claim 1 in their amended claim set. For the purposes of compact prosecution, examiner will be examining Claim 1 from the Claim set on 12/15/2025 and Claims 3-8 from the claim set filed on 6/15/2024. Applicant is reminded to file a complete listing of all claims ever presented with markups (See MPEP 714). Applicant must have a complete response with claim 1 presented as amended or further amended and include claims 3-8, not just claim 1 or just claims 3-8.
Employ Services of Attorney or Agent
3. It appears the inventor(s) filed the current application pro se (i.e., without the benefit of representation by a registered patent practitioner). While inventors named as applicants in a patent application may prosecute the application pro se, lack of familiarity with patent examination practice and procedure may result in missed opportunities in obtaining optimal protection for the invention disclosed. The inventor(s) may wish to secure the services of a registered patent practitioner to prosecute the application, because the value of a patent is largely dependent upon skilled preparation and prosecution. The Office cannot aid in selecting a patent practitioner.
A listing of registered patent practitioners is available at www.uspto.gov/FindPatentAttorney . Applicants may also obtain a list of registered patent practitioners located in their area by writing to Mail Stop OED, Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Specification
4. The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because there are lack of antecedent basis. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Suggestions of corrections are as follows:
“the method” should be changed to “a method”.
“the operation” should be changed to “an operation”.
“the drive motors” should be changed to “drive motors”.
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.
5. Claim 1 is rejected to for having lack of antecedent basis as numerous parts of the claim have “the” without any mention of these parts previously. The following are rejection and changes that must be made, and the applicant is advised to amend any further issues that are similar.:
“the wheel release mechanisms” should be changed to “a wheel release mechanisms”.
“the plurality of …” should be changed to “a plurality of…”.
“the brake operating unit” should be changed to “a brake operating unit”.
“the brake air actuator” should be changed to “a brake air actuator”.
“the breakaway switch” should be changed to “a breakaway switch”.
“the electrical system” should be changed to “an electrical system”.
“the driving/towing selector switch” should be changed to “a driving/towing selector switch”.
“the neutral permissive switch” should be changed to “a neutral permissive switch”.
“the result of” should be changed to “a result of”.
“the 12VDC battery” should be changed to “a 12VDC battery”.
“the electrical control power to de-energize the coil of the solenoid switch” should be changed to “an electrical control power to de-energize a coil of a solenoid switch”.
“the transformer” should be changed to “a transformer”.
“the towed vehicle” should be changed to “a towed vehicle”.
It is suggested that the applicant should redraft claims so that there are no lack of antecedent basis as shown above so that there is clear indication of what is being referred to. For instance, “the towed vehicle” is not clear as to what vehicle it is being referred to as there is no mention of a towed vehicle previously in claim 1. Therefore, “a towed vehicle” is suggested. In essence, the first time a concept is introduced, it may not be introduced using a definite article, “the”, but instead should be introduced with an indefinite article “a” as appropriate, and subsequent references to the same concept, must refer to the concept using the definite article, not an indefinite article.
6. Similarly, for claims 3- 8, they are rejected due to parts of the claims that lack antecedent basis and must be edited as shown below.:
For claim 3:
“the towing failure command signal” should be changed to “a towing failure command signal”.
“the electrical signal” should be changed to “an electrical signal”, or indicate which specific electric signal as it can refer to “a responsive breakaway switch electric signal” or “towing failure command signal”.
“the towing vehicle” should be changed to “a towing vehicle”.
“the necessary hydraulic fluid” should be changed to “a necessary hydraulic fluid”.
“the plurality of…” should be changed to “a plurality of…”
For claim 4:
“the circuit” should be changed to “a circuit” as it can be confused with “a fused circuit” of claim 1.
For claim 5:
“the normal towing command signal” should be changed to “a normal towing command signal”.
For claims 6 and 7:
“the opening or closing of the contacts” should be changed to “an opening or closing of contacts”.
For claim 7, if claim 6 is rewritten to clarify the antecedent issue mentioned above, then, there would be no need for claim 7 to change as all parts are introduced in previous claims that claim 7 is dependent on.
For claim 8:
“the tow indicating display light” should be changed to “a tow indicating display light”.
Conclusion
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
a. Robinson et al. (US 20030168908A1), teaches breakaway switch that is connected to switch input through socket connector. It also teaches power module with a battery connection through a circuit breaker, and an actuator connection through pin and socket.
b. Overhulser (US 5911483A), teaches emergency braking where towing vehicle brake activates a solenoid in conjunction with a compressor and air tank to release air pressure to an air cylinder.
c. Milacic et al. (WO 2022217355A1), teaches output hub actuatable into toothed engagement with a side gear through axially extending teeth. Also teaches electromagnetic actuator unit operable for shifting disconnect mechanism.
d. Raftari et al. (US 20030136597A1), teaches activating disconnect actuators when neutral tow is requested by an operator.
e. Druant et al. (US 20220389978A1), teaches a circuit that includes a power source such as a 12 volt battery that supply power to driveline disconnect clutch actuator with power applied and not applied to coil. Also teaches AC to DC converter.
f. Blomqvist et al. (“Design of a Disconnect Clutch and Actuator for a 48V P4 Electric Drive Transmission”, https://lup.lub.lu.se/luur/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=9021692&fileOId=9021748), teaches 12V voltage supply and a dog clutch with dog teeth where dog clutch is pushed out of connection when an actuator is powered down in page 64.
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HYANG AHN whose telephone number is (571)272-4162. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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, Ramya Burges can be reached at 571-272-6011. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/H.A./Examiner, Art Unit 3661
/MATTHIAS S WEISFELD/Examiner, Art Unit 3661