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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 December 12, 2025, has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4 and 7-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 5,353,623 to Bobenhausen.
Regarding claim 1, Bobenhausen teaches a method for crimping a metallic crimp ring (Abstract; Figs. 1-2), the method comprising:
providing a first crimp die 98 having a first curved contact surface and a second curved contact surface (Examiner Annotated Fig. 1 is below and shows the first and second curved surfaces of the die), the second curved contact surface spaced apart from the first curved contact surface (Examiner Annotated Fig. 1 shows the curved surfaces are spaced apart), and a trench extending from the first curved contact surface to the second curved contact surface (Examiner Annotated Fig. 1 shows the trench extends from the first curved contact surface to the second curved contact surface);
PNG
media_image1.png
548
593
media_image1.png
Greyscale
providing a second crimp die 92 cooperatively engageable with the first crimp die 98 having a first curved contact surface and a second curved contact surface, the second curved contact surface spaced apart from the first curved contact surface, and a trench extending from the first curved contact surface to the second curved contact surface (Examiner Annotated Fig. 1; Figs. 2 and 5; Col. 5, Lns. 37-42; the second crimp die 92 cooperates with the first crimp die 98 to form the channels 138 shown in Fig. 2, thus the second crimp die 92 includes complementary first and second curved surfaces and a trench in order to make the channels that extend around the entire circumference of the ferrel portion 12);
receiving a metallic crimp ring 12 between the first crimp die 98 and the second crimp die 92, the metallic crimp ring having a first end and second end (Figs. 1-2; Col. 5, Lns. 1-23); and
cooperatively engaging the first crimp die 98 with the second crimp die 92 (Figs. 1-2; Col. 5, Lns. 1-23), wherein the trench of the first crimp die 98 and the trench of the second crimp die 92 forms a singular annular bead in a center portion of the metallic crimp ring 12 (Fig. 2; Col. 5, Lns. 37-42; it is noted that the claim only requires the trench between the first and second curved surfaces to create a singular bead, i.e., other beads may be formed by other trenches, and the trenches on the first and second dies form a singular bead between the leftmost and central channels 138 on the ring 12 in Fig. 2), the singular annular bead extending from a first outer portion of the first end to a second outer portion of the second end of the metallic crimp ring 12 (Fig. 2; Col. 5, Lns. 37-42; the first and second outer portions are interpreted as the left end and the right end portions, i.e., the right half and left half of the ring, and the bead extends from a first outer portion at a first end, i.e., the leftmost channel 138 located on the left end, to a second outer portion, i.e., the middle channel 138 which extends to the right end of the right, as shown in Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 2, Bobenhausen teaches the method of claim 1 (Figs. 1-2), further comprising spacing the first curved contact surface and the second curved contact surface of the first crimp die 98 at a sufficient distance for contacting the first outer portion and the second outer portion of the metallic crimp ring (Figs. 1-2; the first and second curved surfaces on die 98 form the leftmost channel 138 and central channel 138, i.e., the first outer portion and the second outer portion).
Regarding claim 3, Bobenhausen teaches the method of claim 1 (Figs. 1-2), further comprising spacing the first curved contact surface and the second curved contact surface of the second crimp die 92 at a sufficient distance for contacting the first outer portion and the second outer portion of the metallic crimp ring 12 (Figs. 1-2; the first and second curved surfaces on die 98 form the leftmost channel 138 and central channel 138, i.e., the first outer portion and the second outer portion).
Regarding claim 4, Bobenhausen teaches the method of claim 2 (Figs. 1-2), wherein the curved contact surfaces of the first crimp die 98 and the second crimp die 92 crimp the outer portions of the metallic crimp ring 12 when the first crimp die 98 and the second crimp die 92 are converged (Figs. 1-2; Col. 5, Lns. 37-42; the curved surfaces of the dies 98, 92 crimp the ring 12 at the channels 138).
Regarding claim 7, Bobenhausen teaches the method of claim 1 (Figs. 1-2), further comprising actuating a press 84 to cooperatively engage the first crimp die 98 and the second crimp die 92 to crimp the metallic crimp ring 12 (Figs. 1-2; Col. 5, Lns. 1-23).
Regarding claim 8, Bobenhausen teaches the method of claim 1 (Figs. 1-2), wherein cooperative engagement of the first crimp die 98 and the second crimp die 92 crimp the metallic crimp ring 12 about a non-metallic flexible tube 14 and a fitting 18 to connect an end portion of the non-metallic flexible tube 14 to the fitting 18 (Fig. 2; Col. 3, Lns. 13-20 and Col. 5, Lns. 1-23).
Regarding claim 9, Bobenhausen teaches the method of claim 1 (Figs. 1-2), wherein the curved contact surfaces of the first crimp die 98 and the second crimp die 92 each form a semi-circle (Figs. 1 and 5 show that the curved contact surfaces form semi-circles).
Regarding claim 10, Bobenhausen teaches the method of claim 1 (Figs. 1-2), wherein at least one of the trench of the first crimp die or the trench of the second crimp die has a radially shaped surface (Figs. 1 and 5 show that the trench has a radially shaped surface).
Regarding claim 11, Bobenhausen teaches the method of claim 1 (Figs. 1-2), wherein the first outer portion and the second outer portion of the metallic crimp ring respectively define a first terminal end and a second terminal end of the metallic crimp ring 12 (Fig. 2; it is noted that the first and second terminal ends do not have to be the longitudinal ends, and therefore these ends are interpreted as the top and bottom ends of the ring 12, and Fig. 2 shows that the top and bottom of the ring 12 are defined by the first and second outer portions at those respective locations of the of the ring 12).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 5-6 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bobenhausen in view of US 2017/0012398 A1 to Dinh.
Regarding claim 5, Bobenhausen teaches the method of claim 1 (Figs. 1-2).
Bobenhausen fails to explicitly teach the first crimp die further includes a guide finger in between the first curved contact surface and the second curved contact surface, the method further comprising inserting the guide finger into the trench of the second crimp die when the second crimp die is engaged with the first crimp die.
Dinh teaches a method for crimping using dies (Abstract; Figs. 20-23) including providing a first crimp die 50 and a second crimp die 70 (Figs. 9 and 20-23) wherein the first crimp die 50 further includes a guide finger 56 in between the first curved contact surface and the second curved contact surface (Figs. 8 and 10-11 show that the guide finger 56 is between two curved contact surfaces, i.e., the curved contact surfaces on either side of the singular guide finger in Figs. 10-11), the method further comprising inserting the guide finger 56 into the trench 80 of the second crimp die 70 when the second crimp die 70 is engaged with the first crimp die 50 (Figs. 8-9, 12-13 and 20-23; the second crimp die 70 includes a trench that receives the guide finger 56, and it is noted that while claim 1 recites the trench “extending from the first curved contact surface to the second curved contact surface” the trench is not limited to only being between those surfaces and may extend outward past the surfaces, such as the trench in Applicant’s disclosure shown in Figs. 5B and 6-7).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first and second crimp dies of Bobenhausen to include guide fingers on the first crimping die and the trench stretching adjacent to the curved surfaces on the second crimping die as taught by Dinh so that the crimping dies are aligned properly which closing to crimp.
Regarding claim 6, Bobenhausen teaches the method of claim 1 (Figs. 1-2).
Bobenhausen fails to explicitly teach the first crimp die further includes slots adjacent to the first curved contact surface and the second curved contact surface of the first crimp die, and the second crimp die further includes guide fingers.
Dinh teaches a method for crimping using dies (Abtract; Figs. 20-23) including providing a first crimp die 50 and a second crimp die 70 (Figs. 9 and 20-23) wherein the first crimp die 50 further includes slots 60 adjacent to the first curved contact surface and the second curved contact surface of the first crimp die 50 (Figs. 8 and 10-11 show the first crimping die 50 includes multiple slots 60 adjacent to the curved surfaces, i.e., the surfaces on either side of the finger 56), and the second crimp die 70 further includes guide fingers 78 (Figs. 8 and 12-13 show the second crimping die 70 includes multiple guide fingers 78).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first and second crimp dies of Bobenhausen to include slots on the first crimping die and guide fingers on the second crimping die as taught by Dinh so that the crimping dies are aligned properly which closing to crimp.
Regarding claim 12, modified Bobenhausen teaches method of claim 6 (Figs. 1-2), further comprising inserting the guide fingers 78 of the second crimp die 70 into the slots 60 of the first crimp die 50 when the second crimp die 70 is cooperatively engaged with the first crimp die 50 (Dinh, Figs. 9 and 20-23; modified Bobenhausen includes the slots and guide fingers of Dinh, and Figs. 9 and 20-23 of Dinh shows the guide fingers of the second die engaging the slots of the first die when the dies are closed).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments and remarks with respect to the rejection of claims 1-12 under 35 USC 102 and 103 have been fully considered and are not persuasive.
In particular, Applicant argues that the claim amendments regarding the ring including first and second ends with the single annular bead extending from a first outer portion of the first end to a second outer portion of the second end of the metallic crimp ring is not taught by the prior art because Bobenhausen teaches the ring including multiple annular beads along the ring. Remarks, P. 6. This argument has been carefully considered and it is not persuasive. Claim 1, the only independent claim, recites “the metallic crimp ring having a first end and a second end” and “the singular annular bead extending from a first outer portion of the first end to a second outer portion of the second end of the metallic crimp ring.” These phrases are interpreted as the metallic crimp ring includes first and second ends, such as a left end and a right end that extend from the center of the ring to the outer edges, and a singular bead formed by the die extends from a first outer portion of the first end to a second outer portion of the second end. It is noted that the singular bead is interpreted as one of the beads formed by the crimp dies, i.e., there may be multiple beads, and the first and second outer portions are the outer surface of the ring on the first end and the second end. Bobenhausen teaches each of the individual beads formed by the crimp dies extend from the left or right end to the center of the ring where the other end begins, i.e., each bead extends from a first outer portion of the first end to a second outer portion of the second end.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW STEPHENS whose telephone number is (571)272-6722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 930-630.
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, Chris Templeton can be reached at (571)270-1477. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MATTHEW STEPHENS/Examiner, Art Unit 3725
/Christopher L Templeton/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3725