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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 7/7/25 has been entered.
Claim Status
Claims 1, 3-6, 8-14 and 17-20 are pending. Examiner acknowledges Applicant’s amendments to claims 1, 3-6, 8-14 and 17-20 and canceled claims 2, 7, 15 and 16.
With regard to previously indicated allowable subject matter, Applicant’s amendments to the claims, especially claims 1 and 17, have changed the previous indications of allowable subject matter.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10-13 and 17-19 have been considered but are moot because of the new ground of rejection set forth below in response to the amendments to the claims.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Line 12 – add --of-- between “pushing” and “the first”.
Correction is required.
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: Line 2 – replace “the” before “outer” with --an--.
The outer fastening structure has not been previously recited in claim 1 from which claim 3 depends.
Correction is required.
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: Line 4 – replace “the” before “fastening” with --a--.
The fastening structure has not been previously recited in claim 1 from which claim 6 depends.
Correction is required.
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities: Line 1 – replace “claim 9” with --claim 8--.
Correction is required.
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities: Line 11 – add --of-- between “pushing” and “the first”.
Correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 6, 8, 13, 17 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dickirson U.S. Patent No. 4,697,832.
With regard to claim 1, and as shown in Figure 1, Dickirson discloses a plug connection, comprising:
an inner pipe (at 12);
an outer pipe (at 14) that is plugged with one end thereof onto one end of the inner pipe;
a spring element (at 18) arranged on an outside of the inner pipe (at 12) in a region of said one end;
the outer pipe (at 14) has a first widened portion (as shown below) at said one end of the outer pipe, such that the outer pipe (at 14) is spaced apart from the inner pipe (at 12) in a region of the first widened portion and is adapted to pass over and then engage with the spring element (at 18) during pushing the first widened portion onto the inner pipe (at 12);
the outer pipe (at 14) has an engagement structure (see below) in the region of the first widened portion, and the spring element (at 18) engages with the engagement structure once the engagement structure axially passes over the spring element; and
the spring element (at 18) is bent over axially in a connected state of the inner pipe and the outer pipe (as shown in Fig 1).
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With regard to claim 3, Dickirson discloses wherein an outer fastening structure comprises at least one holding bead (at 30).
With regard to claim 6, Dickirson discloses wherein the spring element (at 18) is elastically bent during pushing the first widened portion onto the inner pipe (at 12, wherein the spring element 18 is bent and then enters the engagement structure of the outer pipe 14), and the spring element (at 18) elastically latches into the fastening structure (at 30).
With regard to claim 8, Dickirson discloses further comprising a sealing element (at 16) arranged between the inner pipe (at 12) and the outer pipe (at 14).
With regard to claim 13, Dickirson discloses wherein the engagement structure (as shown above) comprises an aperture in the outer pipe (as shown above).
With regard to claim 17, and as shown in Figure 1, Dickirson discloses a plug connection, comprising:
an inner pipe (at 12);
an outer pipe (at 14) that is plugged with one end thereof onto one end of the inner pipe (at 12);
a spring element (at 18) arranged on an outside of the inner pipe (at 12) in a region of said one end, with the spring element (at 18) being fastened to an outer fastening structure (at 30) of the inner pipe (at 12);
the outer pipe (at 14) has a first widened portion (as shown above) at said one end of the outer pipe, such that the outer pipe (at 14) is spaced apart from the inner pipe (at 12) in a region of the first widened portion and is adapted to pass over and then engage with the spring element (at 18) during pushing the first widened portion onto the inner pipe (at 12);
the outer pipe (at 14) has an engagement structure (as shown above) in the region of the first widened portion, and the spring element (at 18) engages with the engagement structure once the engagement structure axially passes over the spring element; and
the outer pipe (at 14) is pushable with said one end thereof onto said one end of the inner pipe (at 12) in an axial direction, with the spring element (at 18) being bent over in the axial direction and, when a connected state of the outer pipe (at 14) and the inner pipe (at 12) is achieved, forming an elastically joinable snap-action connection with a positively locking connection in conjunction with the engagement structure (as shown in Fig 1).
With regard to claim 18, Dickirson discloses wherein the inner pipe (at 12) terminally has an insertion bevel (at 46) at said one end thereof.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10-12 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hollnagel U.S. Patent No. 5,803,512.
With regard to claim 1, as shown in Figure 1, Hollnagel discloses a plug connection, comprising:
an inner pipe (at 34, 60);
an outer pipe (at 12) that is plugged with one end thereof onto one end of the inner pipe (at 34, 60);
a spring element (at 44) arranged on an outside of the inner pipe (at 34, 60) in a region of said one end;
the outer pipe (at 14) has a first widened portion (as shown below) at said one end of the outer pipe, such that the outer pipe (at 14) is spaced apart from the inner pipe (at 34, 60) in a region of the first widened portion and is adapted to pass over and then engage with the spring element (at 44) during pushing the first widened portion onto the inner pipe (at 34, 60);
the outer pipe (at 14) has an engagement structure (at 16) in the region of the first widened portion, and the spring element (at 44) engages with the engagement structure (at 16) once the engagement structure (at 16) axially passes over the spring element (at 44); and
the spring element (at 44) is bent over axially in a connected state of the inner pipe and the outer pipe (as shown in Fig 1).
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With regard to claim 3, as shown in Figure 1, Hollnagel discloses wherein an outer fastening structure (between 38 and 60) comprises at least one holding bead (at 38).
With regard to claim 5, as shown in Figure 1, Hollnagel discloses wherein the at least one holding bead (at 38) is configured toward an outside in the radial direction (toward an outside radially based on the longitudinal axis thru the connection).
With regard to claim 6, as shown in Figure 1, Hollnagel discloses wherein the spring element (at 44) is elastically bent during pushing the first widened portion onto the inner pipe (at 34), and the spring element (at 44) elastically latches into the fastening structure (between 38 and 60).
With regard to claim 8, as shown in Figure 1, Hollnagel discloses further comprising a sealing element (at 42) arranged between the inner pipe (at 34) and the outer pipe (at 12).
With regard to claim 10, as shown in Figure 1, Hollnagel discloses wherein an internal diameter of the outer pipe (at 12) in a region of a second widened portion (as shown above) corresponds substantially to an external diameter of the inner pipe (at 34).
With regard to claim 11, as shown in Figure 1, Hollnagel discloses wherein the sealing element (at 42) is arranged in a holding structure (as shown above) which is configured on the inner pipe at (34).
With regard to claim 12, as shown in Figure 1, Hollnagel discloses wherein, in the region of said one end of the inner pipe, the inner pipe (at 34) has an outer fastening structure (between 38 and 60) for fastening the spring element (at 44), the outer fastening structure (between 38 and 60) comprises at least one holding bead (at 38), and the holding structure is formed in part by the outer fastening structure (between 38 and 60).
With regard to claim 17, as shown in Figure 1, Hollnagel discloses a plug connection, comprising:
an inner pipe (at 34, 60);
an outer pipe (at 12) that is plugged with one end thereof onto one end of the inner pipe (at 34, 60);
a spring element (at 44) arranged on an outside of the inner pipe (at 34, 60) in a region of said one end, with the spring element (at 44) being fastened to an outer fastening structure (between 38and 60) of the inner pipe (at 34, 60);
the outer pipe (at 14) has a first widened portion (as shown above) at said one end of the outer pipe, such that the outer pipe (at 14) is spaced apart from the inner pipe (at 34, 60) in a region of the first widened portion and is adapted to pass over and then engage with the spring element (at 44) during pushing the first widened portion onto the inner pipe (at 34, 60);
the outer pipe (at 14) has an engagement structure (at 16) in the region of the first widened portion, and the spring element (at 44) engages with the engagement structure (at 16) once the engagement structure (at 16) axially passes over the spring element (at 44); and
the outer pipe (at 14) is pushable with said one end thereof onto said one end of the inner pipe (at 34, 60) in an axial direction, with the spring element (at 44) being bent over in the axial direction and, when a connected state of the outer pipe (at 14) and the inner pipe (at 34, 60) is achieved, forming an elastically joinable snap-action connection with a positively locking connection in conjunction with the engagement structure (as shown in Fig 1).
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) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dickirson.
With regard to claim 19, Dickirson discloses the claimed invention but does not expressly disclose that the inner pipe and the outer pipe are formed from a metallic material.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the inner pipe and the outer pipe be formed from a metallic material with a reasonable expectation of success based on the required environment because it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hollnagel.
With regard to claim 19, Hollnagel discloses the claimed invention but does not expressly disclose that the inner pipe and the outer pipe are formed from a metallic material.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the inner pipe and the outer pipe be formed from a metallic material with a reasonable expectation of success based on the required environment because it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Conclusion
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/F.K./Examiner, Art Unit 3679
/Matthew Troutman/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3679