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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. SE 2150500-3, filed on 22 April 2021.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1 – 4, 9, 12, 21, and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Suzuki (JP 2015-215226). Citations pertaining to Suzuki refer to the attached English translation.
Regarding Claim 1, Suzuki discloses a sensor device capable of collecting data on concrete during its setting and hardening process, in which the sensor device is inserted, the sensor device comprising:
an elongate sensor body (101, 102), extending along a longitudinal direction (Figure 8), and having a head end (101) and a tip end (opposite 101 in 102), at opposite axial ends of the sensor body (Figure 8);
at least two first sensor elements (110), which are spaced apart along the longitudinal direction (Figure 8), both of which being configured for sensing at least one first parameter relating to the material at a respective position along the longitudinal direction [0045], and
a locking surface (surface of 102), which faces towards the head end of the sensor body, for engagement with the concrete (Figure 8).
Regarding Claim 2, Suzuki discloses wherein at least part of the sensor body tapers toward the tip end (from head to tip, the diameter decreases) (Figure 8).
Regarding Claim 3, Suzuki discloses the locking surface is formed on an exterior thread which extends substantially helically along at least a portion of the sensor body (Figure 8).
Regarding Claim 4, Suzuki discloses the exterior thread extends along an axial length of the sensor body corresponding at least to an axial length between the sensor elements (Figure 8).
Regarding Claim 9, Suzuki discloses the head end presents a gripping structure designed for transferring a torque about an axis which is parallel with the longitudinal direction (Figure 8).
Regarding Claim 12, Suzuki discloses the head end comprises a sacrificial material portion (outermost layer of 101) (Figure 8) capable of being removed once the sensor device has been inserted into the material (e.g. inherently via sanding or grinding).
Regarding Claim 21, Suzuki discloses a controller (111), a communication device (113) and a power source (114) [0028], wherein the controller is operatively connected to the sensor elements to receive sensor signals, and to the communication device to communicate data representing said sensor signals (Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 23, Suzuki discloses the first parameter is selected from a group consisting of humidity, temperature, chloride concentration and vibration [0013, 0014].
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) 5, 6, 13, and 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (JP 2015-215226).
Regarding Claims 5 and 6, Suzuki fails to expressly disclose the thread presents an inward flank, facing radially outwardly and towards the tip end and an outward flank, facing radially outwardly and towards the head end, wherein the inward flank and the outward flank present different angles relative to the longitudinal direction or the inward flank presents smaller angle than outward flank.
Suzuki does teach there are external threads (Figure 8) and one of ordinary skill in the art would have known numerous thread profiles exist e.g. metric, knuckle, buttress, acme etc. all designed with specific forces in mind.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the applicant’s invention to modify Suzuki’s thread, include having an inward flank, facing radially outwardly and towards the tip end and an outward flank, facing radially outwardly and towards the head end, wherein the inward flank and the outward flank present different angles relative to the longitudinal direction or the inward flank presents smaller angle than outward flank for the benefit of modifying the thread according to the material in which the sensor is installed to ensure secure fitment.
Regarding Claim 13, Suzuki fails to expressly disclose the sacrificial material portion comprises at least two material portions, which are visually different from each other and juxtaposed in the longitudinal direction, such that removing one of the material portions exposes the other one of the material portions.
Examiner takes Official Notice it is common knowledge in the art to plate bolts e.g. zinc plated steel.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the applicant’s invention to modify Suzuki so that the bolt is zinc plated steel therefor comprising two material portions (zinc and steel), which are visually different from each other and juxtaposed in the longitudinal direction (gold vs metal/silver color), such that removing one of the material portions exposes the other one of the material portions (removing zinc plating exposes the steel) for the benefit of preventing rust on the bolt.
Regarding Claim 26, Suzuki fails to expressly disclose at least three sensor elements, which are distributed along the longitudinal direction.
Suzuki does teach multiple sensor types [0013, 0014] as well a mounting a at least two sensors (Figure 8).
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Suzuki to utilize additional sensors, including at least three, distributed along the longitudinal direction for the benefit of measuring different parameters of the concrete at different locations.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14, 15, 17, and 30 – 34 are 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER MERCADO whose telephone number is (571)270-7094. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 9am - 4pm EST.
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ALEXANDER A. MERCADO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2855
/ALEXANDER A MERCADO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855