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 .
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 20-22, 24-26, 28 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by FR 2894874 A1 to Salomon SA (Salomon).
With regard to claim 20, Salomon discloses an assembly for moulding a composite pipe of fibre reinforcement material and a thermosetting resin (Salomon, title, abstract), comprising:
a mandrel having a tubular resilient sleeve (42, figs. 4-5) and a rigid internal support structure (48/50, fig. 4) for the sleeve, which sleeve is reversibly expandable in diameter between a non-expanded state wherein the sleeve is internally supported by the rigid internal support structure and an expanded state by application of an internal fluid pressure to the sleeve (as shown progressively through figs. 4, 5 and 6);
a supply means (52, figs. 4 and 6) for a pressurizing fluid that is in connection with the mandrel to internally pressurize the sleeve to cause the diametrical expansion into the expanded state thereof (as shown in fig. 6 and described in claim 12);
a mould (44/44, fig. 4) having a bore open at opposed ends (shown in fig. 4), and configured for accommodation of the mandrel therein in a condition wherein fibre reinforcement material has been wrapped around the tubular resilient sleeve of the mandrel in the non-expanded state thereof (as shown in fig. 4), such that the fibre reinforcement material is located in an annulus between the tubular resilient sleeve of the mandrel and the mould (shown in fig. 5);
seal members that are configured to provide a seal at each end of the bore between the mould and the mandrel when accommodated in the bore of the mould, so as to close the annulus in order to provide a closed annulus that is closed at ends thereof (as shown in figs. 5-6, the mould parts are placed together around the mandrel and the tubular member the mould forms seal members that allow the fabric of the tubular member to be saturated with resin. The translation provides the following “ RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) type B in which the dry fibers are introduced into a firm mold, a resin being injected under pressure into the mold to impregnate the fibers while taking the configuration of the mold, this under conditions of temperature (s), pressure (s) and a time cycle suitable for the materials specifically used and the geometry of the piece.” This type of resin impregnating technique requires a seal around the tubular member),
wherein the assembly has a resin injection opening (56, fig. 5) configured for introduction of a thermosetting resin from a thermosetting resin supply means into the closed annulus, the resin permeating the fibre reinforcement material and filling the annulus (claim 12).
With regard to claim 21, Salomon discloses the assembly of claim 20 as set forth above, and further discloses wherein the rigid internal support structure for the tubular resilient sleeve comprises a rigid tube (48, fig. 4) arranged inside of the sleeve such that the sleeve in the non-expanded state thereof fits onto the rigid tube (shown in fig. 4), wherein the rigid tube is provided with perforations to allow said internal pressurizing of the sleeve by introducing the pressurizing fluid into the rigid tube (shown in figs. 4-6, the central bore 54 of the rigid tube includes multiple radial passages that expose the inside of the expandable sleeve to the pressurized fluid source 52).
With regard to claim 22, Salomon discloses the assembly of claim 20 as set forth above, and further discloses wherein temperature control means are provided to control the temperature of the pressurizing fluid (“ RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) type B in which the dry fibers are introduced into a firm mold, a resin being injected under pressure into the mold to impregnate the fibers while taking the configuration of the mold, this under conditions of temperature (s), pressure (s) and a time cycle suitable for the materials specifically used and the geometry of the piece.”).
With regard to claim 24, Salomon discloses the assembly of claim 20 as set forth above, and further discloses wherein the mould is provided with temperature control means to control the temperature of the bore of the mould (“ RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) type B in which the dry fibers are introduced into a firm mold, a resin being injected under pressure into the mold to impregnate the fibers while taking the configuration of the mold, this under conditions of temperature (s), pressure (s) and a time cycle suitable for the materials specifically used and the geometry of the piece.” – describing a step of controlling the temperature as part of the formation process).
With regard to claim 25, Salomon discloses the assembly of claim 20 as set forth above, and further discloses wherein the tubular resilient sleeve is secured to the rigid internal support structure only at ends of the sleeve (as shown in fig. 6 in the expanded state where the ends of the resilient sleeve are secured to the rigid support structure where they are sandwiched between the mandrel and mould).
With regard to claim 26, Salomon discloses the assembly of claim 20 as set forth above, and further discloses wherein the tubular resilient sleeve is a plastic pipe (the expandable sleeve of Salomon is an inflatable bladder that has an elongated orientation that expands and contracts. The ability to expand and contract without rupture is a form of plasticity).
With regard to claims 28 and 30, Salomon discloses the assembly of claims 20 and 26 as set forth above, further comprising an evacuating opening for evacuating the closed annulus by means of a vacuum pump connected to the evacuating opening (from the specification of Salomon “A resin is then injected into the mold through an injection circuit 56, with or without assistance from a vacuum source. “. In the embodiment where the resin injection process is assisted by a vacuum source, the vacuum source is necessarily connected to an evacuating opening).
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.
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) 31-32, 35, 41, 23, 29, 33, 34, 36, 37 and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FR 2894874 A1 to Salomon SA (Salomon).
With regard to claim 31, Salomon discloses a method for moulding a composite pipe of fibre reinforcement material and a thermosetting resin (Salomon, title, abstract), the method comprising:
wrapping, in one or more layers, fibre reinforcement material about a tubular resilient sleeve (42, figs. 4-5) of a mandrel (48/50, fig. 4) in a non-expanded state of the sleeve, the mandrel further comprising a rigid internal support structure for the sleeve (48/50, fig. 4), which sleeve is reversibly expandable in diameter between the non-expanded state wherein the sleeve is internally supported by the rigid internal support structure and an expanded state by application of an internal fluid pressure to the sleeve (shown in figs. 4-6);
accommodating the mandrel with the fibre reinforcement material wrapped about the sleeve of the mandrel in a bore of a mould (44/44, fig. 4), such that the fibre reinforcement material is located in an annulus between the tubular resilient sleeve of the mandrel and the mould (shown in fig. 5);
arranging seal members to provide one or more seals between the mould and the mandrel accommodated in the bore of the mould, so as to close the annulus in order to provide a closed annulus that is closed at ends thereof (as shown in figs. 5-6, the mould parts are placed together around the mandrel and the tubular member the mould forms seal members that allow the fabric of the tubular member to be saturated with resin. The translation provides the following “ RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) type B in which the dry fibers are introduced into a firm mold, a resin being injected under pressure into the mold to impregnate the fibers while taking the configuration of the mold, this under conditions of temperature (s), pressure (s) and a time cycle suitable for the materials specifically used and the geometry of the piece.” This type of resin impregnating technique requires a seal around the tubular member), introducing a thermosetting resin that shrinks upon curing into the closed annulus via a resin injection opening, the resin permeating the fibre reinforcement material and filling the annulus (claim 12);
supplying by a supply means, a pressurizing fluid to the mandrel to internally pressurize the sleeve to cause the diametrical expansion into the expanded state thereof whilst curing of the thermosetting resin takes place (as shown in fig. 6 and described in claim 12); and
once curing is complete, terminating the internal pressurizing of the sleeve so that the sleeve reverses to the non-expanded state (not disclosed).
Salomon does not explicitly disclose the final step of depressurizing the internal sleeve to reverse it to the non-expanded state, however it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to remove the internal sleeve by depressurizing to the non-expanded state in order to provide the lightest rigid tube possible for use as a bicycle wheel hub. High end bicycles utilize components that are distinguished by the light weight of the individual components.
With regard to claim 32, Salomon discloses the method according to claim 31 as set forth above, and further discloses wherein the rigid internal support structure for the tubular resilient sleeve comprises a rigid tube (50, fig. 4), that is arranged inside of the sleeve such that the sleeve in the non-expanded state thereof fits onto the rigid tube (as shown in fig. 4), wherein the tube is provided with perforations (54, fig. 4-6, the hollow passageways including the radial passages extended from the lateral passageway) allowing said internal pressurizing of the sleeve by introducing the pressurizing fluid (as depicted in fig. 6).
With regard to claim 35, Salomon discloses the method of claim 31 as set forth above, and further discloses wherein the tubular resilient sleeve is a plastic pipe (the expandable sleeve of Salomon is an inflatable bladder that has an elongated orientation that expands and contracts. The ability to expand and contract without rupture is a form of plasticity).
With regard to claim 41, Salomon discloses a composite pipe of fibre reinforcement material and a thermosetting resin obtained by the method according to claim 31 (claim 12).
With regard to claims 23, 29, 33, 34, 36, 37 and 38, Salomon discloses the assembly of claims 22, 24, 31 and 34 as set forth above, but fails to disclose temperature control means for heating the inside and outside surfaces of the rigid pipe.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the assembly of Salomon with an automatic temperature control system in order to heat the assembly to a desired temperature to ensure proper curing of the resin and to control manufacturing parameters in order to institute a quality control system of the produced rigid tubular members.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 27, 36-37 and 40 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: The prior art of record fails to teach or suggest a method of using an assembly with a sealing ring as part of a seal member as set forth in dependent claims 27 and 36 (and 37 that depends from 36). The prior art of record fails to teach or suggest a method including the step of adding and removing a metal foil to the tubular member as set forth in dependent claim 40.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USPN 2001/0008659 discloses a method of creating a composite tube using an inflatable bladder inside a heated mold. USPNs 2010/0051182, 2024/00336021 and 2025/0018664 discloses methods of making tubular member having some of the same elements as that claimed. USPNs 2995781, 3377657, 3458611, 3962394, 3999912, 4126659 and 4144632 disclose related methods of making tubular member.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID R DEAL whose telephone number is (469)295-9216. The examiner can normally be reached M-F generally 8-4 pm CST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached at: Craig M Schneider (571) 272-3607 and Ken Rinehart (571) 272-4881. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID R DEAL/ Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3753
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