DETAILED ACTION
The present application and its arguments have been reviewed and currently claims 1-11 and 13-17 are rejected.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/16/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicants arguments on page 11 that Watanabe does not disclose “the pressing screw causes a material displacement of a material of the sealing insert”, the examiner respectfully disagrees as the claim only requires the sealing insert to move which can be shown in fig. 2 and fig. 4. For example, a material displacement of a material of an insert is simply a change in the objects position and not a change in its shape (ex., moving a box across a room causes the material of the box to be displaced from one part of the room to the other).
In response to applicant's argument on page 11 that the Watanabe fails to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., a material deformation of the sealing insert itself) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
In response to applicants arguments on page 12 that no sealing would occur by the insert material itself, the examiner respectfully disagrees as it can be shown in figure 4 that the sealing insert deforms the corrugated pipe in the fully assembled position and thus produces a seal.
Manner of Making Amendments
With respect to the manner of making amendments, applicant is reminded of the use of proper status identifiers for the claims. In this instance, claim 9 has a status identifier of “Currently Amended” which should have been “Withdrawn – Currently Amended” as the claim was withdrawn from consideration via the Non-Final Rejection dated 09/16/2025. See 37 CFR 1.121 (c).
Election/Restrictions
Claim 9 has been amended to be directed to elected Species I. Therefore, claim 9 is hereby rejoined and has been examined on the merits herein.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 12/16/2025. These drawings are accepted.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-8, 11, and 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe (U.S. Patent No. 7,055,868) in view of Schulten et al. (EP-2492566).
In regards to claim 1, Watanabe discloses:
A corrugated-pipe screw fastening system (see figs. 1-3) comprising:
a pressing screw (78);
a screw fastening body (40); and
a sealing insert (50, fig. 2) comprising:
an internal wall delimiting a cutout (see near 64) for receiving a corrugated pipe (22) including corrugation troughs (see fig. 2);
first end face (see near 64) and second end face (see near 104);
a first external wall portion (64) having a first outer diameter; and
a second external wall portion (104) having a second outer diameter;
wherein:
an internal wall (see near 62, where the internal wall comprises ribs and a flat surface) delimiting the cutout comprises at least one circumferential rib (62) that extends in a circumferential direction of the longitudinal axis about at least a portion of a circumference of the internal wall,
the internal wall comprises a first internal wall portion (see near 62 and 104 in fig. 2) and a second internal wall portion (see near 64 in fig. 2, where their inner cylindrical surface between the rib and first end face is the second internal wall portion);
the first external wall portion is adjacent to the first end face (see where 64 is adjacent to the end face) and extends along a longitudinal axis of the sealing insert up to the second external wall portion (ex., see near 104 where the second wall portion has smaller diameter than first);
the second external wall portion is adjacent to the second end face and extends along the longitudinal axis up to the first external wall portion;
the first outer diameter is larger than the second outer diameter (see fig. 2);
the first and second external wall portions are each configured to be cylindrical,
an extent of the at least one rib in a longitudinal direction of the sealing insert is less than or equal to an extent of the corrugation troughs in a longitudinal direction of the corrugated pipe (ex., see fig. 4 or annotated fig. 3 above),
wherein the corrugated-pipe screw fastening system is configured such that when the pressing screw is screwed onto the screw fastening body, the pressing screw causes a material displacement of a material of the sealing insert to cause the material of the sealing insert to rest at least partially sealingly against the corrugated pipe (ex., see fig. 4, where the insert is directly resting on the corrugated pipe),
but does not disclose:
an anti-rotation structure is arranged on an outer shell of the sealing insert;
the anti-rotation structure is associated with the second external wall portion, and
In regards to the anti-rotation device, Schulten discloses a similar device (see fig. 1) comprising an anti-rotation structure (11) which prevents a sealing body (3) to rotate when screwing a pressure screw (1; see lines 253-257 of the translated document previously provided herein).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to modify the second external wall portion of Watanabe with the provision of the anti-rotation structure of Schulten to provide the benefit of preventing the sealing body to rotate when screwing the pressure screw, as taught by Schulten (see lines 253-257 of the translated document provided herein).
In regards to claim 2, Watanabe further discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one circumferential rib comprises at least two circumferential ribs (see fig. 2).
In regards to claim 3, Watanabe further discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to claim 2, wherein the at least two circumferential ribs are uniformly spaced apart from one another (see fig. 2).
In regards to claim 4, Watanabe further discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one circumferential rib is trapezoidal, rectangular, triangular, arc segment-shaped or at least partially oval in cross-section (see fig. 2).
In regards to claim 5, Watanabe further discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to claim 1, wherein:
the first internal wall portion comprises the at least one circumferential rib (ex., see near 62 in fig. 2),
the second internal wall portion does not comprise a rib (ex., see the internal wall near 64).
In regards to claim 6, Watanabe further discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to claim 5, wherein the first internal wall portion is associated with the second end face (see fig. 2).
In regards to claim 7, Watanabe further discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to Claim 1, wherein at least one circumferential rib is flush with the second end face (see fig. 2).
In regards to claim 8, Watanabe further discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to Claim 1, wherein at least one slit passes through from the first end face to the second end face (7:27-29).
In regards to claim 11, Watanabe further discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to Claim 1, wherein the anti-rotation structure comprises a plurality of latching elements arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sealing insert.
In regards to claim 13, Watanabe in view of Schulten further discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to claim 1, wherein the screw fastening body comprises an anti-rotation structure corresponding to the anti-rotation structure of the sealing insert (see rejection of claim 1 above).
In regards to claim 14, Watanabe in view of Schulten further discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to claim 1, wherein the screw fastening body comprises a stop surface (94) for the pressing screw.
In regards to claim 15, Watanabe discloses:
A method for fitting a corrugated-pipe (22, fig. 2) having a plurality of corrugation troughs to a connection geometry, the method comprising the steps of:
threading a pressing screw (78) onto the corrugated pipe;
inserting the corrugated pipe into the cutout (see near 64) of a sealing insert (see fig. 2) comprising:
an internal wall (see near 62, where the internal wall comprises ribs and a flat surface) delimiting a cutout (see near 64) for receiving a corrugated pipe (22) including corrugation troughs (see fig. 2);
first end face (see near 64) and second end face (see near 104);
a first external wall portion (64) having a first outer diameter; and
a second external wall portion (104) having a second outer diameter;
wherein:
the internal wall delimiting the cutout comprises at least one circumferential rib (62) that extends in a circumferential direction of the longitudinal axis about at least a portion of a circumference of the internal wall,
the internal wall comprises a first internal wall portion (see near 62 and 104 in fig. 2) and a second internal wall portion (see near 64 in fig. 2, where their inner cylindrical surface between the rib and first end face is the second internal wall portion);
the first external wall portion is adjacent to the first end face (see where 64 is adjacent to the end face) and extends along a longitudinal axis of the sealing insert up to the second external wall portion (ex., see near 104 where the second wall portion has smaller diameter than first);
the second external wall portion is adjacent to the second end face and extends along the longitudinal axis up to the first external wall portion;
the first outer diameter is larger than the second outer diameter (see fig. 2);
the first and second external wall portions are each configured to be cylindrical,
an extent of the at least one rib in a longitudinal direction of the sealing insert is less than or equal to an extent of the corrugation troughs in a longitudinal direction of the corrugated pipe (ex., see fig. 4 or annotated fig. 3 above),
wherein at least one circumferential rib is in engagement with a corresponding corrugation trough of the corrugated pipe (see fig. 3);
inserting a screw fastening body (40) into the connection geometry;
inserting the sealing insert with the corrugated pipe into the screw fastening body (see fig. 3),
wherein the sealing insert protrudes with the first external wall portion from the screw fastening body (see fig. 3); and
screwing the pressing screw onto the screw fastening body in such a manner that a material displacement of a material of the sealing insert is created by the pressing screw (ex., compare figs. 3 and 4 where material displacement do occur such that the insert moves axially into the body),
wherein the material rests at least partially sealingly against the corrugated pipe (see fig. 4),
but does not disclose:
an anti-rotation structure is arranged on an outer shell of the sealing insert;
the anti-rotation structure is associated with the second external wall portion, and
In regards to the anti-rotation device, Schulten discloses a similar device (see fig. 1) comprising an anti-rotation structure (11) which prevents a sealing body (3) to rotate when screwing a pressure screw (1; see lines 253-257 of the translated document previously provided herein).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to modify the second external wall portion of Watanabe with the provision of the anti-rotation structure of Schulten to provide the benefit of preventing the sealing body to rotate when screwing the pressure screw, as taught by Schulten (see lines 253-257 of the translated document provided herein).
In regards to claim 16, Watanabe further discloses:
The method according to Claim 15, wherein the pressing screw is screwed on up to a stop surface (94, fig. 4) of the screw fastening body.
In regards to claim 17, Watanabe further discloses:
The method according to Claim 15, wherein the corrugated pipe is inserted into the sealing insert in such a manner that it protrudes beyond the corrugated-pipe screw fastening system on a side of the pressing screw and on a side of the screw fastening body in a fitted state.
Claim(s) 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe in view of Schulten et al. as applied in claim 1 above and in further view of Kaneda (JP-2000074279).
In regards to claim 9, Watanabe in view of Schulten discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to claim 1,
but does not disclose:
a material thickness of the sealing insert decreases only in the second internal wall portion towards the first end face (ex., the second internal wall portion is formed conically).
In regards to the conical chamfer, Kaneda discloses a similar device (4, fig. 2) comprising a conical section (4a, fig. 2) to provide the benefit of correcting the insertion position of the bellows tube (see lines 115-118 of the translated document previously provided herein).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to modify the second internal wall portion of Watanabe in view of Schulten to be formed conically such that a material thickness of the sealing insert decreases in the second internal wall portion towards the first end face to provide the benefit of correcting the insertion position of the bellows tube, as taught by Kaneda (see lines 115-118).
In regards to claim 10, Watanabe in view of Schulten discloses:
The corrugated-pipe screw fastening system according to claim 1, wherein:
the internal wall comprises a first internal wall portion (see near 62 and 104 in fig. 2) and a second internal wall portion (see near 64 in fig. 2, where their inner cylindrical surface between the rib and first end face is the second internal wall portion),
the first internal wall portion comprises the at least one circumferential rib (see near 62),
the second internal wall portion does not comprise a rib,
but does not disclose:
a material thickness of the sealing insert decreases only in the second internal wall portion towards the first end face (ex., the second internal wall portion is formed conically).
In regards to the conical chamfer, Kaneda discloses a similar device (4, fig. 2) comprising a conical section (4a, fig. 2) to provide the benefit of correcting the insertion position of the bellows tube (see lines 115-118 of the translated document provided herein).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to modify the second internal wall portion of Watanabe in view of Schulten to be formed conically such that a material thickness of the sealing insert decreases in the second internal wall portion towards the first end face to provide the benefit of correcting the insertion position of the bellows tube, as taught by Kaneda (see lines 115-118).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Elder (U.S. PGPub No. 2005/0023832) explicitly discloses that similar sealing inserts are known to be resilient or malleable (see paragraph 0035).
Mau (U.S. Patent No. 6,173,995) discloses that sealing inserts are known to be made of thermoplastics, thermosets, metals, and fluorocarbon polymers (4:59-67).
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER TYLER RUFRANO whose telephone number is (571)272-6223. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:30AM to 4:30PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Troutman can be reached at (571) 270-3654. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/A.T.R./Examiner, Art Unit 3679
/Matthew Troutman/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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