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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 9-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s Amendment filed on 03/04/2026 regarding claims 1-30 is fully considered. Of the above claims, claims 1-8 and 16-30 have been withdrawn; claims 1, 9, 16 and 23 have been amended. Amended claims do not show markings.
Claim Objections
Claims 9-10 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 9, the amendment does not show markings.
Regarding claim 10, the recitation of “fluid” in line 2 refers to a previously recited limitation.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 9-10 and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang (CN 87203033 U) in view of Wang (CN 2847283 Y).
Regarding claim 9, Tang teaches an electrode watering assembly to maintain operation of a permanent reference electrode for monitoring cathodic protection of a structure (control electrode 4 is watered in auxiliary electrode chamber 5; FIG. 1; detection of sodium ion in the water can be used to monitor cathodic protection), the electrode watering assembly comprising:
a cap comprising a cap body of a rigid material that defines a reservoir adjacent to a proximal electrode end of the permanent reference electrode when installed thereon (multifunctional cover 6 has an interior space connected to the sample water intake joint 12; FIG. 1), the cap body having {i} a distal cap end defining a distal opening configured to be disposed around the proximal electrode end (end of the multifunctional cover 6 that connects to the auxiliary electrode 3; FIG. 1), {ii} a proximal cap end defining a proximal opening (the sample water intake joint 12; FIG. 1), and {iii} an outer wall extending between the distal cap end and the proximal cap end and defining an overflow port therethrough, the overflow port configured to receive overflow fluid from the reservoir and direct the overflow fluid out of the reservoir (water overflow opening joint 13; FIG. 1), and
wherein the fluid directed into the proximal opening is directed into the reservoir for watering at least the proximal electrode end (water directed into the water intake joint 12 is directed into the interior space of the multifunctional cover 6 for watering at least the top end of the control electrode 4; FIG. 1), and
wherein the overflow port is positioned near the top of the reservoir (the water overflow opening joint 13 is near the top of the interior space of the multifunctional cover 6; FIG. 1).
Further regarding claim 9, Tang does not teach a conduit having a distal conduit end configured to be fluidly coupled to the proximal opening and a proximal conduit end configured to be positioned at a cathodic test station.
Further regarding claim 9, Wang teaches a conduit comprising a flexible material, the conduit having a distal conduit end configured to be fluidly coupled to a proximal opening and a proximal conduit end configured to be positioned at a cathodic test station (the catheter 18 has a drainage core identical to the drainage core 17 built in, and the water storage tank 19 is equipped with a catheter interface identical to that of the reference electrode; the catheter 18 is made of a small-diameter modified plastic hose; page 20 of 21; Figs 3-4) for the purpose of maintaining an electrode by remotely and continuously supplying the electrode with a fluid.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate a conduit comprising a flexible material, the conduit having a distal conduit end configured to be fluidly coupled to the proximal opening and a proximal conduit end configured to be positioned at a cathodic test station, as taught by Wang, into Tang for the purpose of maintaining an electrode by remotely and continuously supplying the electrode with a fluid.
Regarding claim 10, Tang teaches wherein the reservoir is configured to retain fluid against the proximal electrode end to moisten an electrolyte compound thereof (the control electrode 4 is made of metal used for alkalization or acidification; pages 11-12).
Regarding claim 14, Tang teaches wherein the outer wall of the cap comprises:
a distal tubular section comprising the distal opening and a first diameter (bottom section of the multifunctional cover 6 connecting to the auxiliary electrode 3; FIG. 1; the inner diameter being the first diameter);
a proximal tubular section comprising the proximal opening and a second diameter (top section of the multifunctional cover 6 with an inner diameter defining the interior space; FIG. 1); and
a shoulder section positioned between the distal tubular section and the proximal tubular section to transition between the first diameter and the second diameter (the step transition of the multifunctional cover 6; FIG. 1).
Regarding claim 15, Tang teaches wherein the overflow port is defined through the proximal tubular section or the shoulder section (the water overflow opening joint 13 is defined through the top section of the multifunctional cover 6; FIG. 1)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-13 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The primary reason for indicating allowable subject matter of claim(s) 11-12 is the inclusion of “an extension conduit having a first end configured to be coupled to the overflow port and a second end configured to be positioned above a body of the permanent reference electrode when installed in a horizontal configuration, such that the overflow fluid is directed toward the body to moisten an electrolyte compound therein”. These limitations, as they are claimed in the combination, have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, making claim(s) 11-12 allowable over the prior art.
The primary reason for indicating allowable subject matter of claim(s) 13 is the inclusion of “wherein the cap is configured to direct an electrical conductor electrically coupled to the permanent reference electrode through the distal opening and the proximal opening of the cap”. These limitations, as they are claimed in the combination, have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, making claim(s) 13 allowable over the prior art.
Conclusion
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 KENDRICK X LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-3798. The examiner can normally be reached MWFSa 10am-8pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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22 March 2026
/KENDRICK X LIU/Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/DOUGLAS X RODRIGUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853