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 § 103
2. 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.
3. Claim(s) 1 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Campello et al. (US 2012/0211975).
4. Regarding to claim 1, Campello et al. discloses a method for terminating (terminating via end fitting 200, as can be seen from Figure 1 in Campello et al.) a flexible pipe body (riser 150, as described in paragraph 0052 and can be seen from Figure 2 in Campello), the method comprising the steps of: during a pipe body terminating stage of operation (step of connecting end fitting 200 to riser 150, as can be seen from Figure 2 in Campello et al.) , providing a removable spacer ring member (anterior core 220’, as described in paragraph 0063 and 0077-0082 and can be seen from Figure 2 in Campello et al. Note that the spacer ring member 220’ is interpreted as being removable since removable connected to termination 210 via screws, as described in paragraph 0082 in Campello et al. Also, spacer ring member 220’ is removable connected to various elements by various screws, as described in paragraph 0077-0082 in Campello et al., therefore interpreted as “removable” ) between a core portion (posterior core 220’’, as described in paragraph 0063 and can be seen from Figure 2 in Campello et al.) of the end fitting (end fitting 200, as can be seen from Figure 2 in Campello et al.) and a termination portion (termination 210, as described in paragraph 0058 and can be seen from Figure 2 in Campello et al.) of the end fitting (200) thereby maintaining a whole anterior end surface (left end surface of 220”, as can be seen from Figure 2 in Campello et al.) of the core portion (220’’) in a spaced apart relationship from an opposed whole posterior end surface (right end surface of 210, as can be seen from Figure 2 in Campello et al.) of the termination portion (210) [as can be seen from Figure 2 in Campello et al.].
Campello et al. discloses a removable spacer ring member (220’), however, Campello et al. does not explicitly disclose the removable spacer ring member being removable during a stage of re-terminating a segment of flexible pipe body pre-terminated in an end fitting. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include a pre-terminating and re-terminating step, such as a first and second step of inserting the segment of flexible pipe body in the end fitting a first and second time, as a known technique used when fitting a part to ensure the proper fit, which would yield predictable results.
5. Regarding to claim 13, Campello et al. discloses the method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: energizing at least one inner seal ring member (sealing ring 230, as can be seen from Figure 2 in Campello) via the spacer ring member (220’) as the spacer ring member (220’) is secured between the termination portion (210) and core portion (220’’) of the end fitting (200) [as can be seen from Figure 2 in Campello].
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claim 18 is 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.
Response to Arguments
7. Applicant's arguments filed 11/26/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues the prior art of Campello does not disclose a removable spacer ring member. Applicant argues the person of ordinary skill in the art would understand the claimed “removable spacer ring member” to refer to a spacer ring member that is itself removable. That is to say, the claimed spacer ring member is itself able to be taken off or away from the position occupied, leaving a retained portion of the end fitting. This is not found to be persuasive. Campello discloses a spacer ring member that can be removed, therefore discloses the recited structure as claimed. As previously indicated and rejected above, removable spacer ring member (220’) is removable connected to termination 210 via screws, as described in paragraph 0082 in Campello et al.
Applicant argues Campello teaches away from and is incompatible with, the claimed feature of a removable spacer ring member being “removable during a state of re-termination a segment of flexible pipe body pre-terminated in an end fitting”. This is not found to be persuasive. Spacer ring member 220’ is removable connected to various elements by various screws, as described in paragraph 0076-0083 in Campello et al. in an initial step prior to filling resin in chamber (290). Applicant has failed to amend the claims to add sufficient structure to overcome the prior art of record.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/NIRVANA DEONAUTH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726
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