DETAILED ACTION
This Non-Final Office Action is in response to the claims filed on 9/16/2024.
Claims 1-15 are currently pending.
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 § 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 5, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eberling et al. (US 2017/0174197) in further view of Ashby et al. (US 4,878,513) and Jacobs et al. (US 4,733,919).
As to claim 1 Eberling discloses a pneumatic brake arrangement for a combination vehicle including a tractor (figure 1 #12) and at least one trailer (figure 1 #14), the pneumatic brake arrangement comprising:
park brakes of the tractor (figure 1 #22);
park brakes of the trailer (figure 1 #30);
an air production module mounted on the tractor (figure 1 #34); and
a first pneumatic control line (figure 1 #50) for pneumatically controlling the park brakes of the trailer from the tractor (paragraph 0013), the first pneumatic control line being divided at least into an upstream first pneumatic control line portion (figure 1 #50 sub 1), mounted on the tractor (figure 1 #12), and a downstream first pneumatic control line portion(figure 1 #50sub 2), mounted on the trailer (figure 1 #14) , and the first control line including a first coupling head (figure 1 #54) mounted on the tractor (figure 1 #12), at a downstream end of the upstream first pneumatic control line portion (figure 1 #50 sub 1), and a second coupling head (figure 1 #54) mounted on the trailer (figure 1 #14), at an upstream end of the downstream first pneumatic control line portion (figure 1 #50 sub 2);
wherein
the arrangement is configured to, in a given configuration, actuate all park brakes at the same time, on the basis of a braking order received from the tractor cabin (paragraph 0013);
However Eberling is silent to the first coupling head is a vented coupling head, which allows air present in the upstream pneumatic control line portion to be exhausted when the first and second coupling heads are not connected.
Ashby discloses the first coupling head (shown in figure 1 with the gladhand connector 4) is mounted on the tractor (See column 5 lines 45-50 showing that the line figure 1 #2 is on the tractor side). The first coupling head is a vented coupling head (see figures 4-6 showing the venting), which allows air present in the upstream pneumatic control line portion to be exhausted when the first and second coupling heads are not connected. (See figure 4 and 5 showing when there is no pressure from the trailer side that the diagram is in a open position venting the air within the upstream system). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to use the valve of Ashby with the air braking system of Eberling as the valve of Ashby is described in the title as a “Quick Vent Valve for Air Brake Line”.
As to claim 2 Eberling in further view of Jacobs discloses the pneumatic brake arrangement of claim 1, However Eberling is silent to the second coupling head is a vented coupling head, which allows air present in the downstream line pneumatic control portion to be exhausted when the first and second coupling heads are not connected.
Jacobs discloses a second coupling head (figure 1) that is mounted on the trailer (see abstract). The second coupling head is a vented coupling head, which allows air present in the downstream line pneumatic control portion to be exhausted when the first and second coupling heads are not connected.
See abstract below
An integrated pressure exhaust valve and pneumatic coupling is used on a truck trailer for bringing air brake pressure from a tractor to the truck trailer. A gladhand coupling moiety is used for quick connection with an identical coupling moiety on the air pressure hose from the tractor. A check valve mechanism is incorporated in the body of the trailer coupling moiety for permitting air flow to the brakes when pressure from the tractor is greater than pressure in the trailer brake lines, and for permitting air flow from the brake lines to the atmosphere when pressure from the tractor is decreased. The integrated pressure exhaust valve and pneumatic coupling moiety can be mounted on the front of the trailer where it is found that pressure exhaust valve placement is most effective.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to use the gladhand coupling of Jacobs on the system of Eberling for its intended purpose of connecting a tractor trailer brake line per the abstract above.
As to claim 5 Eberling discloses the pneumatic brake arrangement of claim 1, further comprising:
a first valve arrangement (62), mounted on the tractor (12) and configured for controlling pneumatic brake actuators (22) of the tractor; and
a second valve arrangement (60), mounted on the tractor (12) and configured for controlling pneumatic brake actuators (30) of the trailer through the first pneumatic control line.
As to claim 13 Eberling discloses a vehicle comprising a tractor (12), at least one trailer (14), and the pneumatic brake arrangement of claim 1.
As to claim 14 Eberling discloses a method for parking and de-parking a combination vehicle including a tractor (12) and at least one trailer (14), the method comprising at least the following:
actuating all park brakes of the vehicle (using the control valve 66, by pulling the white and black knobs), upon parking of the vehicle, by moving a first control device located in a cabin (on the dashboard, paragraph 0013) of the tractor in a first direction;
releasing the park brakes of the tractor, upon de-parking of the vehicle, by moving the first control device in a second direction (Pushing the white knob of control valve 66), different from the first direction; and
releasing the park brakes of any trailer coupled to the tractor by actuating a second control device (the black knob on valve 66) located in the cabin of the tractor.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 4, 6-12 and 15 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Eberling et al. (US 2017/0174197) in further view of Ashby et al. (US 4,878,513) and Jacobs et al. (US 4,733,919) teaches claims 1,2,5 and 13 above also including the following from claims 3 and 15,
service brakes of the tractor (figure1 #20);
service brakes of the trailer (figure 1 #28);
a second pneumatic control line (figure 1 #52) for pneumatically controlling the service brakes (paragraph 0016) of the trailer (figure 1 #14) from the tractor (figure 1 #12), the second pneumatic control line being divided at least into an upstream second pneumatic control line portion (figure 1 #52 sub1), mounted on the tractor (figure 1 #12), and a downstream second pneumatic control line portion (figure 1 #52 sub2), mounted on the trailer (figure 1 #14), and the pneumatic control line including a third coupling head (figure 1 #56) mounted on the tractor (figure 1 #22), at a downstream end of the upstream second pneumatic control line portion (figure 1 #52 sub 1), and a fourth coupling head (figure 1 #56) mounted on the trailer (figure 1 #14), at an upstream end of the downstream second pneumatic control line portion (figure 1 #52 sub2);.
However the prior art of record fails to show or adequately teach
an air supply line for supplying a pneumatic system of the trailer with power air, the air supply line being divided at least into an upstream air supply line portion, mounted on the tractor, and a downstream air supply line portion, mounted on the trailer, and the control line including a fifth coupling head mounted on the tractor, at a downstream end of the upstream air supply line portion, and a sixth coupling head mounted on the trailer, at an upstream end of the downstream air supply line portion;
wherein the third and/or fifth coupling heads are non-vented coupling heads and include a check valve preventing air to escape from the upstream second pneumatic control portion and/or from the upstream air supply line portion, when the third and fourth coupling heads and/or the fifth and sixth coupling heads are not connected.
Nor is it taught
the first valve arrangement includes a first bi-stable relay valve and first pilot solenoid valves for controlling the first bi-stable relay valve; and
the second valve arrangement includes a second bi-stable relay valve and second pilot solenoid valves for controlling the second bi-stable relay valve.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHERMAN D MANLEY whose telephone number is (571)270-5539. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 7-5:30 est.
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SHERMAN D. MANLEY
Examiner
Art Unit 3747
/SHERMAN D MANLEY/Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LOGAN M KRAFT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747