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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/26/26 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 8-12 and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 recites “a first slip and a second slip for bitingly engaging an outer surface of the pipe...wherein the first slip and the second slip are separate components and configured for consecutive longitudinal arrangement”, which is unique to the embodiment of Figures 9-14. Claim 1 also recites “the first slip comprising a first tapered portion and the second slip comprising a second tapered portion”, “the first tapered portion and the second tapered portion are parallel, offset longitudinally, and separated by a cylindrical surface”, and “a sleeve having cam surfaces for engaging the first and second tapered portions”, which recitations are unique to the embodiment of Figures 1-8. Accordingly, the claim improperly combines limitations of two mutually exclusive embodiments, thereby introducing new matter into the disclosure.
Claim 17 recites “a first slip and a second slip for bitingly engaging an outer surface of the pipe...wherein the first slip and the second slip are separate components and configured for consecutive longitudinal arrangement”, which is unique to the embodiment of Figures 9-14. Claim 1 also recites “the first slip comprising a first tapered portion and the second slip comprising a second tapered portion”, “the first tapered portion and the second tapered portion are parallel, offset longitudinally, and separated by a cylindrical surface”, and “a sleeve having cam surfaces for engaging the first and second tapered portions”, which recitations are unique to the embodiment of Figures 1-8. Accordingly, the claim improperly combines limitations of two mutually exclusive embodiments, thereby introducing new matter into the disclosure.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 21 is allowed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to James M Hewitt II whose telephone number is (571)272-7084. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 730am-930pm (MST), mid-day flex.
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James M. Hewitt II
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3679
/JAMES M HEWITT II/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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