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 § 102
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) 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Burchett et al (US 2013/0297154). Burchett discloses:
With regard to claim 1 - A system for controlling the distance between a vehicle and a trailer, the vehicle and the trailer forming a vehicle combination, the system comprising:
a fifth wheel 230 mounted on the vehicle and configured to couple the trailer 240 to the vehicle 220;
a linear guide 225 for guiding the fifth wheel 230 such that the fifth wheel 230 performs a longitudinal motion along the vehicle; and
a controller 330 configured to control a fifth wheel position on the basis of at least one of a preferred front and/or rear axle load and data associated with an upcoming event, to thereby set the distance between the vehicle and the trailer (“[0093] According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the fifth wheel 230 may be repositioned along the truck tractor 220 as the truck tractor 220 and trailer 240 travel, whereby axle load is determined according to the position of the fifth wheel 230. According to still a further aspect of the present embodiment, the fifth wheel 230 may be repositioned along the truck tractor 220 as the truck tractor 220 and trailer 240 travel to prevent the overloading of the axles 224, 226, 228.”; “[0139] By way of another example, and not limitation, the one or more electronics 520 may monitor the position of the truck tractor 220 along on a expected travel route, including, for example, with the assistance of a gps system (not shown), and make adjustments to the position of the fifth wheel 230, kingpin 250, and axles 246 to achieve a specific length L of the gap 300 according to the position of the truck tractor 220 along the expected travel route. In doing so the one or more electronics 520 may also monitor the load on the axles 224, 226, 228, 246, 248 and position the fifth wheel 230, kingpin 250, and axles 246, 248 in a manner that achieves the desired specific length L of the gap, yet prevents overloading of the axles 224, 226, 228, 246, 248. By way of example, and not limitation when the truck tractor 220 is traveling on an interstate highway where sharp turns are generally not present the one or more electronics 520 may reduce the length L of the gap 300 to reduce drag and increase fuel economy. By way of example, and not limitation, when traveling on local roads where sharp turns may be encountered, the one or more electronics 520 may increase the length L of the gap 300.”).
With regard to claim 2 - wherein the controller 330 is configured to determine a preferred distance between the vehicle 220 and the trailer 240 on the basis of at least one of a preferred front and/or rear axle load and data associated with an upcoming event (see steps 530, 540).
With regard to claim 3 - wherein the controller 330 is configured to control the speed of the vehicle and/or the speed of the trailer to thereby set the distance between the vehicle and the trailer to the determined preferred distance, when the vehicle combination is in motion (“[0145] Those skilled in the art will appreciate variations from these examples that fall within the scope of the invention. By way of example, in some embodiments, additional conditions may be placed on deciding when to adjust the length L of the gap 300. For example, even though a predetermined vehicle speed may have been reached, an additional condition may specify that this speed be maintained for predetermined period of time before adjusting the length L of the gap 300. If the vehicle speed is increasing and exceeds a pre-specified speed value, the length L of the gap 300 between cab 222 and trailer 240 may be decreased based on a specified spacing value. If the vehicle speed is decreasing and falls below a pre-specified value, the length L of the gap 300 between cab 222 and trailer 240 may be increased based on a specified spacing value.”).
With regard to claim 4 - further comprising at least one sensor 455 configured to measure data related to at least one of preferred front and/or rear axle load and/or data 520associated with an upcoming event and send the measured sensor data to the controller 330 (see ¶[0128]).
With regard to claim 5 - wherein the controller is configured to receive data (sensor 455) related to the at least one of a preferred front and/or rear axle load and data 520 associated with an upcoming event from an external data source.
With regard to claim 6 - wherein the controller 330 is configured to receive a user input 420 and based on the user input determine the preferred distance between the vehicle and the trailer (“[0125] According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the length L of the gap 300, the load on the axles 224, 226, 228, 246, 248, the position of the fifth wheel 230, the position of the kingpin 250, and/or the position of the axles 246, 248 may be adjusted in response to user input (i.e. vehicle operator or driver). A control interface 420 may be provided in the cab 222 of the truck tractor 220. As shown in FIG. 17, the control interface 420 may generate control signals, represented schematically as 420a, 420b, 420c, that are used to control moving devices, including, but not limited to moving devices 231, 251, 261, and control locking devices, including, but not limited to locking devices 237, 257, 267, associated with the fifth wheel 230, the kingpin 250, and the axles 246, 248.”).
With regard to claim 7 - a fifth-wheel position sensor 450, 451, 452 configured to measure the actual position of the fifth-wheel, wherein the controller 330 is configured to control the fifth wheel position on the basis of the measured actual position of the fifth-wheel and wherein controlling the speed includes acceleration or retardation of the vehicle and/or the trailer (“[0126] According to another aspect of the present embodiment, the control interface 420 may generate control signals 420d, 420e, 420f that are used to control the brakes 223 on the truck tractor 220, the brakes 243 on the trailer 240 and/or the truck tractor powertrain 227 in order to generate relative speed differentials between the truck tractor 220 and trailer 240 for purposes of adjusting the length L of the gap 300, the load on the axles 224, 226, 228, 246, 248, the position of the fifth wheel 230, or the position of the kingpin 250. By way of example, and not limitation, locking devices, including, but not limited to locking devices 237 or 257 may be selectively disengaged such that relative speed differentials may cause repositioning of the fifth wheel 230 or the kingpin 250. By way of example, the fifth wheel 230 may be moved forward and the length L of the gap reduced by disengaging locking device 237 and applying brakes 223, whereby the trailer 240 travels at a speed that is greater than the speed of the truck tractor 220.”).
With regard to claim 8 - wherein the retardation of the vehicle is performed by controlling vehicle brakes 223 or by controlling a propulsion system of the vehicle to achieve a decreased speed of the vehicle and wherein retardation of the trailer is achieved by controlling trailer brakes 243 (“[0127] According to another aspect of the present embodiment, the control interface 420 may generate control signals 420d, 420c, 420f that are used to control the brakes 223 on the truck tractor 220, the brakes 243 on the trailer 240 and/or the truck tractor powertrain 227 in order to adjust the load on the axles 224, 226, 228, 246, 248 and the position of the axles 246, 248.”).
With regard to claim 9 - wherein a vehicle brake 223 is configured to inhibit motion of the vehicle and thereby cause the fifth wheel to move towards the vehicle, and wherein the trailer brake 243 is configured to inhibit motion of the trailer and thereby cause the fifth wheel to move further away from the vehicle (see¶[0127]).
With regard to claim 10 - wherein the fifth-wheel is configured to be continuously slidable along the linear guide 225.
With regard to claim 11 - wherein the fifth wheel is configured to move along the linear guide by inertia (see ¶[0127]).
With regard to claim 12 - wherein the linear guide comprises a rack and a pinion, or a linear ball slide (“[0095] According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the fifth wheel 230 may be associated with a moving device that repositions the fifth wheel 230 along the truck tractor 220. It is within the scope of the present embodiment to utilize any type of moving devices capable of repositioning the fifth wheel 230 as the truck tractor 220 and trailer 240 travel, including but not limited to pneumatically, hydraulically, mechanically, or electrically driven devices. By way of example, and not limitation, within the scope of the present embodiment, hydraulic actuators, pneumatic actuators, electro-mechanical actuators, rack and pinion actuators, and chain driven actuators may be utilized.”).
With regard to claim 13 - wherein the system is configured to connect to a predictive software functionality 520 and to use the predictive software functionality for setting a pre-selected distance between the vehicle and the trailer (see ¶[0139]).
With regard to claim 14 - A vehicle 210 comprising the system of claim 1.
With regard to claim 15 - A method for controlling the distance between a vehicle 220 and a trailer 240, the vehicle and the trailer forming a vehicle combination, the vehicle and the trailer being coupled by a fifth wheel 230 mounted on the vehicle, the fifth wheel being guided by a linear guide 225 and configured to perform a longitudinal motion along the vehicle, the method comprising:
controlling, by a controller 330, a fifth wheel position on the basis of at least one of a preferred front and/or rear axle load and data associated with an upcoming event, to thereby set the distance between the vehicle and the trailer (see the rejections above).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Chen et al (US 2011/0015830) discloses a system for controlling an air gap between a tractor and a trailer comprising a controller, sensors, and brakes.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY WILHELM whose telephone number is (571)272-6980. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-5:30.
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/TIMOTHY WILHELM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617 September 17, 2026
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