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United States Patent (19)Smith et ala(11) Patent Number:(45) ,Date <strong>of</strong> Patent:5,063,811Nov. 12, 1991(54) ACCEERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY(75) Inventors: Ronald A. Smith, Mil<strong>for</strong>d; Joseph M.Pace, Livonia, both <strong>of</strong> Mich.(73) Assignee: Ford Motor Company, Dearborn,Mich.(21)(22)(51)(52)(58)Appl. No.: 550,257Filed: Jut 9, 1990Int. CI.s ........................ G05G 1/14; F02D 41/10U.s. CI. ................................... 74/513; 200/61.89;338/153Field <strong>of</strong> Search ............... 74/513,482; 200/61.89,200/86.5; 338/153(56) References CitedU.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS3,388,611 6/1968 Clary et al. .......................... 74/5133.630,326 1211971 Kawaguchi ....._................. 19213 S3,641,837 211972 Dean Jr. .............................. 74/5133,695,379 10/1972 Veileux ...................... 200/61.89 X3,857,304 1211974 Berndt .................................. 74/8774,087,776 5/1978 Donato ............................ 74/513 X4,297;550 10/1981 Leighton ......................... 200/61.894,335,689 6/1982 Abe et aI. .......................... 123/3394,703.823 11/1987 Yogo et aL. ......................... 180/1974,718,380 1/1988 Katayose et aI. .................. 123/3994;727,838 3/1988 Oshiage et al. .................... 123/3614.802,381 211989 Hs<strong>in</strong>-Hs<strong>in</strong> ............................ 74/5134.831.985 5/1989 Mabee et al. ...................... 123/3994,875.385 10/1989 Siir<strong>in</strong> ................................. 74/513 X4,883,037 11/1989 Mabee et ala ....................... 123/3994.944,269 7/1990 1moehl .............................. 74/513 X4.958,607 10/1990 Lundberg .......................:. 74/513 X4,976.166 12/1990 Davi et ala ..................... 338/153 XPrimary Exam<strong>in</strong>er-Allan D. HernnannAssistant Exam<strong>in</strong>er-Julie KrolikowskiAttorney, Agent. or F<strong>in</strong>n-Jerome R. Drouilard; RogerL. May(57) ABSTClAn electronic accelerator pedal asembly <strong>for</strong> vehicles<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>ga base bracket a,pted to bè secured to thefloor pan and hav<strong>in</strong>g an upper hous<strong>in</strong>g fixedly support<strong>in</strong>gthe associated electronic componentry <strong>in</strong>dicat<strong>in</strong>gacclerator pedal position. <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the output w<strong>in</strong>ngfree' from the hostie environment zone beneath theaccelerator pedal. The accelerator pedal is h<strong>in</strong>gedlyconnected to the basic bracket member at a lower endand rotatably and slidably coupled to a spnng biasedfollower member at its upper end by a jo<strong>in</strong>tly radiat<strong>in</strong>gcoupl<strong>in</strong>g, and the follower member tranmits pedaltrvel to the electronic componentry and <strong>in</strong>cludes astop member <strong>for</strong> retan<strong>in</strong>g the accelerator pedal <strong>in</strong> idleposition.11 Clai,S Drawig Sheets4272
- Page 3 and 4: TABLE OF AUTHORITIESPaee(s)Altoona
- Page 5 and 6: United Carbon Co. v. Binney & Smith
- Page 7 and 8: invalidity under 35 U.S.C: § 103 (
- Page 10 and 11: -- In an Offce Action dated Novembe
- Page 12 and 13: just in case there could be an argu
- Page 14 and 15: -- Conventional, off-the-shelf peda
- Page 16 and 17: Here there is no dispute as to any
- Page 18 and 19: n. "OBVIOUSNESS" MUST BE DETERMIND
- Page 20 and 21: Teleflex's argument is erroneous at
- Page 22 and 23: Exs. 8-10; KSR Main Br. at 23-27).
- Page 24 and 25: elements with no change in their re
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- Page 28: ,e ePlaintiffTeleflex Incorporated
- Page 31 and 32: .. ,). ../ IN THE UNTED STATES PATE
- Page 33 and 34: REMAClais 20-23 remai in ths applic
- Page 35 and 36: Offce Action Summaryo Responsive to
- Page 37 and 38: Serial Number: 09/643,422Page 3Ar.U
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- Page 41 and 42: 'u.s. Patent . Oct. 24, 1995 Sheet
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- Page 47 and 48: "/ )1ADJUSTABLE CONTROL PEDALAPPART
- Page 49 and 50: 5adjuster member utizig the guide b
- Page 51 and 52: 5,460,0619porton inboard of the slo
- Page 53: PATENT NO. :DATEDJNVENTOA(S) : ,UNI
- Page 57 and 58: . u.s. Patent Nov. 12, 1991 Sheet 2
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- Page 61 and 62: 1ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLYTECHNICA
- Page 63 and 64: 565,063,811FIG. 1 to the wide-open-
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- Page 69 and 70: , .Applicant: EngelgauSN: 09/643,42
- Page 71 and 72: -,.J.."(". ,to . ) , PTO/SS/26 (10-
- Page 73 and 74: 5The subject inventionADJUSTABLE PE
- Page 75 and 76: S 3 'as set fort in clai l wherein
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- Page 79 and 80: --,.ApplicationOfficë Action Summa
- Page 81 and 82: Serial Number: 09/236,975Page 3Ar U
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- Page 91 and 92: Form PTO-1449 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AT
- Page 93 and 94: L-Sheet -i of -i ==.5FORM l'O.1449
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- Page 97: DECLARATION OF JAMES w: DABNEY and