DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, “one or more displacement actuator assemblies” (claim 1 lines 37-38), “one or more displacement actuator assemblies” (claim 1 line 40), “one or more shoes” (claim 3 line 3), “one or more shoes” (claim 4 line 3), “one or more pile guiding rollers” (claim 10 line 5), “a ring base” (claim 11 line 2), “a ring base” (claim 12 line 2), “a central slew axis” (claim 12 lines 6-7), “one or more ring slew actuators” (claim 12 lines 7-8), “a control unit” (claim 13 line 2), “”one or more hoisting winches” (claim 14 line 4), “one or more associated hoisting wires” (claim 14 line 4), “an upper sheave assembly” (claim 16 line 7), “a load coupling device” (claim 16 line 9), “a lower sheave assembly” (claim 16 lines 9-10), “a luffing winch” (claim 17 line 9), “an associated luffing wire” (claim 17 lines 9-10), “an active motion compensating actuation system” (claim 18 line 2), “an active sea state induced motion compensations mode” (claim 18 lines 4-5), “one or more first tracks” (claim 19 line 2), “one or more second tracks” (claim 19 line 3), “one or more first compensating actuators” (claim 19 line 5), “an active motion compensating actuation system” (claim 20 line 3), “an active sea state induced motion compensation mode” (claim 20 lines 6-7), “one or more first tracks” (claim 21 line 2), “one or more second tracks” (claim 21 line 3), and “one or more first compensating actuator assemblies” (claim 21 line 5) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 1, 3, 5-6, 9-11, and 13-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roodenburg (WO 2019/172752 A1, see US Publication 2021/0047009 A1 for an English Translation) in view Clymans (US Publication 2015/0219067 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Roodenburg discloses an adjustable pile holding system, vessel and pile installation method comprising:
A vessel (VE, see figure 1) for offshore installation of a pile (PI, see figure 1) for supporting a wind turbine, the vessel comprising a hull (HU, see figure 1), a lifting device (CR, see figure 1), and a pile gripper (PH and EX, see figure 2), and having an X-Y plane (see figure 1),
wherein the lifting device (see below) comprises:
a base (considered the part of crane CR connected to the hull HU, see figure 1) via which the lifting device is supported by the hull (see figure 1);
an elongate, upright superstructure (considered the boom of the crane CR, see figure 1);
a lifting assembly (considered cables of the crane CR, see figure 1) configured to move in a direction the Z-direction along the upright superstructure between a lower position (the position of the pile PI is in the horizontal position) in which an pile engagement device is at or near the base of the lifting device and an upper position (the position of the pile PI is in the vertical position) wherein the pile engagement device is remote from the base wherein and the pile extends in an upright orientation alongside the upright superstructure, for inboard upending of the pile and outboard lowering of the pile,
wherein the pile gripper comprises:
a gripper-base (EX, see figure 2) via base via which the pile gripper is supported by the hull (see figures 1 and 2); and
a gripper device (PH, see figure 2) which is configured to engage the upright oriented pile at a lower end thereof, so as to restrict movement thereof relative to the gripper base in the X-Y plane (as the gripper device surrounds the pile, as shown in figure 2, the gripper restricts movement of the pile), perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pile in upright orientation, and to guide a vertical movement of the pile through the gripper device, in the direction of to the longitudinal axis of the pile,
wherein the lifting device further comprises one or more displacement actuator assemblies (as the crane CR lifts piles PI, the shown cables of figure 1 are connected inherently to one or more hoists, i.e. actuator assembles) operative between the vessel and pile engagement device, and wherein the gripper base of the pile gripper further comprises one or more displacement actuator assemblies (10, 20, and/or 30, see figure 4) operative between the gripper base and the gripper device (see figure 4) for actuating the movement of the pile engagement device and of the gripper device from the inboard retaining position to the outboard installation position.
Roodenburg does not explicitly disclose 1) a pile engagement device movably arranged on the upright superstructure for movement in a Z-direction along the upright superstructure and configured to engage a top end of a pile, 2) the lifting assembly connected to the pile engagement device configured to engage a top end of a pile, 3) wherein the pile engagement device configured to restrict movement of the engaged top end of a pile relative to the upright superstructure in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the engaged pile, and 4) wherein the pile engagement device and the gripper device are, whilst both and supporting the pile, configured to be simultaneously movable relative to the hull in the
X-Y plane from an inboard retaining position in which the pile engagement device is in the upper
position and the pile is above the hull, to an outboard installation position in which the pile is outside a contour of the vessel.
Regarding #1 and #2, Clymans discloses a device and method for assembling a structure (see figures 1-6) comprising a pile engagement device (7, 8, and 10, see figure 1B, and paragraph 0054) movably arranged on the upright superstructure (i.e. boom 6) for movement in a Z-direction along the upright superstructure (see figure 1A) and configured to engage a top end of a pile (as the attachment means such a hoisting tackle 8 is arranged and to which a component, for example mast 2 or pile, for lifting can be attached, see paragraph 0054) and the lifting assembly connected to the pile engagement device (as the hoisting tackle comprises wheels 80a and 80b that rest on the guide drive 10 with little weight on the wheels, see paragraph 0056) configured to engage a top end of a pile.
Clymans teaches a guide device (10, see figure 2A) for hoisting tackle with which the movement of hoisting tackle can be limited in at least one direction (61, see figure 2A).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the vessel of Roodenburg by adding the pile engagement device of Clymans and connecting the pile engagement device to the lifting assembly of Roodenburg, to provide a guide device that limits movement of a hoisting tackle in at least one direction as taught by Clymans.
Regarding #3 and #4, with the modification above, the pile engagement device configured to restrict movement of the engaged top end of a pile relative to the upright superstructure in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the engaged pile and the pile engagement device and the gripper device are, whilst both and supporting the pile, configured to be simultaneously movable relative to the hull in the X-Y plane from an inboard retaining position in which the pile engagement device is in the upper position and the pile is above the hull, to an outboard installation position in which the pile is outside a contour of the vessel.
Regarding claim 3, Roodenburg shows wherein the gripper base comprises one or more gripper guides (11, R1, R2, and 12), mounted to a deck of the hull (see figure 4) and defining a track (see figure 4) for the gripper device, the gripper device comprising one or more shoes (considered the parts of BC and/or YO connected to the tracks) for engaging the track (see figure 4), wherein the movement of the gripper device from the inboard retaining position to the outboard installation position of the pile involves moving the gripper device along the track (see direction FD in figure 4).
Regarding claim 5, Roodenburg shows wherein, considered in the X-Y plane of the vessel, the base of the lifting device and the gripper base are spaced from one another (see figure 1), and the movement of the pile from the inboard retaining position to the outboard installation position has a movement trajectory which passes in between the base of the lifting device and the gripper base (as the movement trajectory is within the longitudinal direction of the lifting device and gripper base, see figure 1).
Regarding claim 6, Roodenburg shows wherein the movement of the pile from the inboard retaining position to the outboard installation position involves a relative movement (considered movement of PH away from the vessel, see figures 1 and 4) of the pile engagement device with respect to the base of the lifting device which is opposite to the relative movement (considered the movement of PH toward the vessel, see figures 1 and 4) of the gripper device with respect to the gripper base.
Regarding claim 9, Roodenburg shows wherein the vessel comprises an upend deck (DE, see figure 1), along which, for the purpose of upending by operation of the lifting assembly of the lifting device for lifting the top end of the pile, a bottom end of the pile is movable along a trajectory extending in the longitudinal direction (X) of the vessel from a position longitudinally distal from the base of the lifting device (such as when the pile is at the other end of the vessel, see figure 1), to adjacent the base of the lifting device (such as when the pile is closes to the base of the lifting device), in which the pile is upended to an upright orientation thereof alongside the upright superstructure in the inboard retaining position (see figure 1).
Regarding claim 10, Roodenburg shows wherein the gripper device comprises a ring (FS, Y1, Y2, PED, and GR, see figure 3) comprising multiple pile engaging tools (FS, Y1, Y2, PED, and GR) distributed about the circumference of the ring (see figure 2), each pile engaging tool being adapted to engage an exterior of the pile extending through the ring in the upright orientation thereof (see figure 2), each pile engaging tool comprising one or more pile guiding rollers (GR, see figure 5).
Regarding claim 11, Roodenburg shows wherein the ring of the gripper device comprises a ring base (FS, see figure 3) and movable jaws (Y1 and Y2, see figure 3), forming respective segments of the ring and being movable between a closed position (see figure 2), in which the ring forms a closed annulus (see figure 2), and an opened position (see figure 3), which enables the opened position enabling the pile to pass laterally into and out of the ring through an opening in the annulus between the jaws (see figure 3).
Regarding claim 13, Roodenburg shows a control unit (considered the motion control system, see paragraph 0188-0191) which is operatively connected to the displacement actuator assemblies of the lifting device and to the displacement actuator assemblies of the gripper (as the motion control system moves the pile, see paragraph 0188-0191), and is the control unit being programmed for simultaneously operating the actuator assemblies of the lifting device and the pile gripper for simultaneously moving the pile engagement device and the gripper device relative to the vessel, and therewith, moving the engaged and supported pile, from the inboard retaining position to the outboard installation position (see paragraph 0188-0191).
Regarding claim 14, Roodenburg shows the lifting device is a crane (CR, see figure 1), the base of the lifting device is a crane base (see figure 1), the upright superstructure is an upright crane superstructure (see figure 1), and the lifting assembly is a hoisting assembly comprising one or more hoisting winches (as the pile is lifted by the crane, the shown cables in figure 1 are inherently connected to at least one hoisting winch) and one or more associated hoisting wires (see figure 1).
Regarding claim 15, Roodenburg does not explicitly disclose wherein the upright superstructure of the lifting device is provided with a trolley guide comprising one or more guide rails extending along the upright superstructure in the longitudinal direction thereof, and the pile engaging device is arranged on the superstructure via a trolley movable along the trolley guide, wherein the lifting assembly is connected to the pile engagement device by a connection thereof to the trolley.
Clymans discloses a device and method for assembling a structure (see figures 1-6) comprising an upright superstructure (boom 6, see figure 1B) of the lifting device is provided with a trolley guide (109 and/or 109’, see figure 2A and paragraph 0058) comprising one or more guide rails (109 and/or 109’, see figure 2A) extending along the upright superstructure in the longitudinal direction thereof (see figure 2B), and the pile engaging device is arranged on the superstructure via a trolley (101a, 101b, 103a, 103b, 104a, and 104b, see figure 2B) movable along the trolley guide, wherein the lifting assembly is connected to the pile engagement device by a connection thereof to the trolley (see figure 2B).
Clymans teaches each set of wheels of a guide device (10) is particularly provided with a wheel which runs on flange (109') of the T-profile (109) provided on the boom (6) for the purpose of absorbing pressure forces and two running wheels running on the other side against flange (109') of T-profile (109) for the purpose of absorbing tensile forces (see paragraph 0058).
Clymans teaches a guide device (10, see figure 2A) for hoisting tackle with which the movement of hoisting tackle can be limited in at least one direction (61, see figure 2A).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the vessel of Roodenburg by adding a trolley guide to the boom of Roodenburg for a trolley of a guide device, to provide a trolley guide for a trolley as taught by Clymans, and/or to provide a guide device that limits movement of a hoisting tackle in at least one direction as taught by Clymans.
Regarding claim 16, Roodenburg shows wherein the hoisting assembly comprises an upper sheave assembly (considered the sheaves near the top end of the boom, see figure 1) at the upright superstructure, and the hoisting assembly is connected to the pile engagement device via a load coupling device comprising a lower sheave assembly (considered the sheaves at the bottom of the cables shown in figure 1), the hoist wire being arranged in multiple falls (see figure 1) through the upper and lower sheave assemblies to enable the crane to lift the load using the hoisting winch.
Roodenburg does not explicitly disclose wherein the upright superstructure of the lifting device is provided with a trolley guide comprising one or more guide rails extending along the upright superstructure in the longitudinal direction thereof, and the pile engaging device is arranged on the superstructure via a trolley movable along the trolley guide, wherein the lifting assembly is connected to the pile engagement device by a connection thereof to the trolley.
Clymans discloses a device and method for assembling a structure (see figures 1-6) comprising an upright superstructure (boom 6, see figure 1B) of the lifting device is provided with a trolley guide (109 and/or 109’, see figure 2A and paragraph 0058) comprising one or more guide rails (109 and/or 109’, see figure 2A) extending along the upright superstructure in the longitudinal direction thereof (see figure 2B), and the pile engaging device is arranged on the superstructure via a trolley (101a, 101b, 103a, 103b, 104a, and 104b, see figure 2B) movable along the trolley guide, wherein the lifting assembly is connected to the pile engagement device by a connection thereof to the trolley (see figure 2B).
Clymans teaches each set of wheels of a guide device (10) is particularly provided with a wheel which runs on flange (109') of the T-profile (109) provided on the boom (6) for the purpose of absorbing pressure forces and two running wheels running on the other side against flange (109') of T-profile (109) for the purpose of absorbing tensile forces (see paragraph 0058).
Clymans teaches a guide device (10, see figure 2A) for hoisting tackle with which the movement of hoisting tackle can be limited in at least one direction (61, see figure 2A).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the vessel of Roodenburg by adding a trolley guide to the boom of Roodenburg for a trolley of a guide device, to provide a trolley guide for a trolley as taught by Clymans, and/or to provide a guide device that limits movement of a hoisting tackle in at least one direction as taught by Clymans.
Regarding claim 17, Roodenburg shows wherein the upright crane superstructure comprises: a crane housing (considered the vertical tower of the crane CR, see figure 1); and a boom (see figure 1), wherein the boom extends between a boom base end (see figure 1) and a boom top end (see figure 1), wherein the boom is, at the boom base end, pivotable supported by the crane housing (see figure 1) around a horizontal boom pivot axis, the boom having lowered positions (as the boom is pivotable to a lower position) for lifting a load at a horizontal distance from the crane base, and a raised upend position (as the boom is pivotable to a raised position) to form the upright superstructure, for upending the pile alongside the crane base, and wherein the crane further comprising: comprises a luffing winch (as the crane is pivotable and there are luffing wires between the vertical crane tower and boom, as shown in figure 1, there is inherently a luffing winch) and an associated luffing wire (see figure 1), wherein the luffing winch is mounted on the crane housing (see figure 1) and the luffing wire (see figure 1) extends between the luffing winch and the boom (see figure 1), to enable pivoting of the boom between the lowered and the raised upend position around the horizontal boom pivot axis (see figure 1).
Regarding claim 18, Roodenburg shows wherein the pile gripper comprises an active motion compensating actuation system (considered the control system to compensate for movement of the vessel as discussed in paragraph 0046, tracks of 11, R1, R2, and 12 as shown in figure 4, and 10, 20, & 30 as shown in figure 4) for moving the gripper device relative to the vessel in an X-Y plane of the vessel, wherein the active motion compensating actuation system comprises an active sea state induced motion compensation mode (considered the mode to compensate for movement of the vessel, see paragraph 0046) in which the actuation system is operated to compensate for sea state induced motion of the vessel in the X-Y plane, including maintaining the outboard installation position independent of the sea state induced vessel motion (see paragraph 0046).
Regarding claim 19, Roodenburg shows wherein the active motion compensation actuation system of the gripper comprises one or more first tracks (one of 11, R1, R2, or 12), and one or more second tracks (the other of 11, R1, R2, or 12), extending non-parallel to one another in the X-Y plane of the vessel (see figure 4), which the second tracks being movable over the first tracks (see figure 4), the actuation system further comprising one or more first compensating actuators (one of 10, 20, or 30, as shown in figure 4) operative between the first tracks and the second tracks (see figure 4), for moving the second tracks over the first tracks, and one or more second compensating actuators (the other of 10, 20, or 30, as shown in figure 4) operative between the second tracks and the gripper device, for moving the gripper device over the second tracks (see figure 4).
Regarding claims 20-21, Neither Roodenburg nor Clymans discloses wherein the pile engagement device is arranged on an active motion compensating actuation system of the trolley, wherein the active motion compensating actuation system is configured for moving the pile engagement device relative to the trolley guide in an X-Y plane of the vessel, wherein the actuation system comprises an active sea state induced motion compensation mode in which the actuation system is operated to compensate for wave-induced motion of the vessel in the X-Y plane, including maintaining the outboard installation position independent of the sea state induced vessel motion.
Roodenburg teaches wherein the pile gripper comprises an active motion compensating actuation system (considered the control system to compensate for movement of the vessel as discussed in paragraph 0046, tracks of 11, R1, R2, and 12 as shown in figure 4, and compensating actuator assemblies 10, 20, & 30 as shown in figure 4) wherein the active motion compensating actuation system is configured for moving the pile gripper relative to an X-Y plane of the vessel, wherein the actuation system comprises an active sea state induced motion compensation mode (considered the mode to compensate for movement of the vessel, see paragraph 0046) in which the actuation system is operated to compensate for wave-induced motion of the vessel in the X-Y plane, including maintaining the outboard installation position independent of the sea state induced vessel motion.
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the vessel of Roodenburg as modified above by Clymans by adding an active motion compensating actuation system to the pile engagement device, to compensate for movement of the vessel as taught by Roodenburg.
With the modification above, the active motion compensating actuation system comprises one or more first tracks, one or more second tracks, and one or more compensating actuator assemblies, regarding claim 21.
Regarding claim 22, Roodenburg shows wherein the control unit is operatively connected to, and programmed to simultaneously operate, the active motion compensating actuation systems of the lifting device and the pile gripper, for synchronously and correspondingly moving in the X-Y plane of the vessel the pile engagement device and the gripper device relative to the vessel, so as to compensate for sea state induced motions of the vessel in the X-Y plane, including maintaining the outboard installation position independent of the sea state induced vessel motion (see paragraph 0188-0191).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4, 7-8 and 12 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Roodenburg (WO 2019/172752 A1, see US Publication 2021/0047009 A1 for an English Translation) and Clymans (US Publication 2015/0219067 A1) are considered the closest prior art references to the claimed invention of dependent claims 2, 4, 7-8, and 12.
Claim 2 claims:
“wherein the lifting device comprises a slew bearing between the base and the upright superstructure of the lifting device, wherein the slew bearing enables the superstructure to slew relative to the base about a slew axis extending in the Z-direction, and wherein, considered in the X-Y plane of the vessel, the movement of the pile from the inboard retaining position to the outboard installation position involves a rotation of both the pile engagement device and the gripper device, and thus of the pile when engaged thereby, around the slew axis of the lifting device.”
Important Note: Underlining is provided to point out the important area(s) of the bolded limitation(s) above.
Neither Roodenburg nor Clymans discloses nor would be obvious to the limitation(s) of “wherein, considered in the X-Y plane of the vessel, the movement of the pile from the inboard retaining position to the outboard installation position involves a rotation of both the pile engagement device and the gripper device, and thus of the pile when engaged thereby, around the slew axis of the lifting device”, in conjunction with the remaining limitations of dependent claim 2 and the limitations of independent claim 1.
Claim 4 depends on claim 2.
Claim 7 claims:
“wherein the vessel comprises a recess in the longitudinal direction (X) of the vessel at a stern of the vessel, the recess being flanked laterally by two deck portions, wherein the trajectory of the movement from the inboard retaining position to the outboard installation position runs laterally in between the two deck portions, and wherein the outboard installation position is, considered in the X-Y plane of the vessel, inside the recess.”
Important Note: Underlining is provided to point out the important area(s) of the bolded limitation(s) above.
Neither Roodenburg nor Clymans discloses nor would be obvious to the limitation(s) of “wherein the trajectory of the movement from the inboard retaining position to the outboard installation position runs laterally in between the two deck portions, and wherein the outboard installation position is, considered in the X-Y plane of the vessel, inside the recess”, in conjunction with the remaining limitations of dependent claim 7 and the limitations of independent claim 1.
Claim 8 claims:
“wherein the vessel comprises a recess in the longitudinal direction (X) of the vessel at a stern of the vessel, the recess being flanked laterally by two deck portions, wherein the trajectory of the movement from the inboard retaining position to the outboard installation position runs laterally in between the two deck portions, and wherein the outboard installation position is, considered in the X-Y plane of the vessel, inside the recess, and
wherein the base of the lifting device is located at one lateral side of the recess, and the gripper base is located at the other lateral side of the recess.”
Important Note: Underlining is provided to point out the important area(s) of the bolded limitation(s) above.
Neither Roodenburg nor Clymans discloses nor would be obvious to the limitation(s) of 1) “wherein the trajectory of the movement from the inboard retaining position to the outboard installation position runs laterally in between the two deck portions, and wherein the outboard installation position is, considered in the X-Y plane of the vessel, inside the recess” and 2) “wherein the base of the lifting device is located at one lateral side of the recess, and the gripper base is located at the other lateral side of the recess”, in conjunction with the remaining limitations of dependent claim 8, the limitations of dependent claim 5 and the limitations of independent claim 1.
Claim 12 claims:
“wherein the ring of the gripper device comprises a ring base and movable jaws forming respective segments of the ring and being movable between a closed position, in which the ring forms a closed annulus, and an opened position, the opened position enabling the pile to pass laterally into and out of the ring through an opening in the annulus between the jaws, and
wherein the ring of the gripper device is slewable relative to the gripper base around a central slew axis of the ring in the closed position thereof, by means of one or more ring slew actuators, such that the opening between the jaws in the opened position of the ring is movable from an angular position with respect to the central slew axis in which the opening faces the upend deck of the hull of the vessel in the inboard retaining position of the pile, and an angular position with respect to the central slew axis in which the opening faces the water, including in the outboard installation position of the pile.”
Important Note: Underlining is provided to point out the important area(s) of the bolded limitation(s) above.
Neither Roodenburg nor Clymans discloses nor would be obvious to the limitation(s) of “wherein the ring of the gripper device is slewable relative to the gripper base around a central slew axis of the ring in the closed position thereof, by means of one or more ring slew actuators, such that the opening between the jaws in the opened position of the ring is movable from an angular position with respect to the central slew axis in which the opening faces the upend deck of the hull of the vessel in the inboard retaining position of the pile”, in conjunction with the remaining limitations of dependent claim 12, the limitations of dependent claim 9 and the limitations of independent claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Roodenburg (WO 2019/231329 A1) shows another example of a load engager (15, see figure 1) configured to engage a top end of a pile (5, see figure 1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUAN J CAMPOS, JR whose telephone number is (571)270-5229. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert W. Hodge can be reached on phone number (571) 272-2097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JJC/
/ROBERT W HODGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654