code: def _copy(self):
          
          args, kwargs = self._to_constructor_args(self)
          value = self.__class__(*args, **kwargs)
          value.ion_event = None
          value.ion_type = self.ion_type
          value.ion_annotations = self.ion_annotations
          return value
docs: Copies this instance. Its IonEvent (if any) is not preserved.
  
          Keeping this protected until/unless we decide there's use for it publicly.