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 .
Claims 31-48 are pending in the current application.
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 (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 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 31-37, 39, 40 and 42-46 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matthews et al., US 10246162 (herein after Matthews 162). Matthews 162 discloses a marine vessel hull comprising an aft transom section (see Fig. 2) , a keel oriented along a hull centerline, the keel extending from an intersection point with the aft transom section to an upward curving bow (see Fig. 2), a hull running surface disposed on each side of the keel extending from a running surface intersection with the aft transom section to the upward curving bow, two longitudinal steps #120, #220 (see Fig. 3 ) disposed at respectively different points along the keel and the hull running surface, each of the two longitudinal steps running across a width Ws of the hull, and two transverse steps (See Fig. 9) disposed lengthwise on opposing sides of the keel, wherein the two longitudinal steps divide the sponson running surface into an aft sponson running surface section, a mid-hull sponson running surface section, and a forward hull sponson running surface section, wherein the mid-hull sponson running surface section being lower than the aft sponson running surface section at a first keel intersection between the aft sponson running surface section and the mid-hull sponson running surface section due to a first longitudinal step of the two longitudinal steps, and wherein the forward sponson running surface section being lower than the mid-hull sponson running surface section at a second keel intersection between the forward sponson running surface section and the mid-hull sponson running surface section due to a second longitudinal step of the two longitudinal steps (see Fig. 2).
Matthews 162 does not explicitly disclose a catamaran boat hull comprising a pair of hull sponsons comprising a first sponson and a second sponson, wherein the first sponson and the second sponson are disposed in parallel relative to a catamaran boat hull centerline; an underside tunnel surface that couples the first sponson to the second sponson, the underside tunnel surface forming a channel region along the catamaran boat hull centerline and between the first sponson and the second sponson through which water runs when the catamaran boat hull moves through the water or wherein the first transverse step of the two transverse steps being disposed between the keel and an inner chine of the first sponson or the second sponson, and wherein a second transverse step of the two transverse steps being disposed between the keel and an outer chine of the first sponson or the second sponson.
Matthew 162 does disclose the hull form could be used on a multihull vessel (See Column 6, lines 37-53). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Matthews 162 by using identical parallel hulls in a catamaran design incorporating an underside tunnel through which water runs when the catamaran boat hull moves through the water. Doing so would be a typical design of a catamaran vessel incorporating the hull form disclosed by Matthews 162.
Regarding claims 32: Matthews 162 discloses the first longitudinal step introduces air to the aft sponson running surface section and the second longitudinal step introduces air to the mid-hull sponson running surface section and where the transverse step each provide a lengthwise guide for at least a portion of the air introduced to each of the sponson running surface sections (See Figure 8 showing air dispersion on the underside of the hull).
Regarding claims 33-36 and 42-45: Matthews 162 discloses the longitudinal step profile has a curved outer edge portion being further away from the aft transom section and wherein the step edge profile includes an inward step edge offset where each of the steps meet a side of the respective hull. (See Fig. 1-4, and Fig. 8) where each of the curved longitudinal step portion and inward step edge offset provide enhanced airflow into a channel extending along the length of the longitudinal steps (See Column 4, lines 11-29).
Regarding claim 37 and 46: While Matthews 162 is not explicit in the longitudinal step profile varying along a height of each longitudinal step or length of each longitudinal step. Such variation is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5 where the longitudinal step height varies.
Claims 38 and 41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matthews 162 in view Melvin et al., US 10518843 (disclosed by applicant). Matthews 162 discloses the invention set forth above, but does not explicitly disclose a an underside wave splitter disposed on the underside tunnel surface along the catamaran boat hull centerline, the underside wave splitter comprising at least a set of downward protruding side surfaces and a protruding aft surface, and a set of spray rails disposed along the underside tunnel surface and aft of the wave splitter wherein the spray rails extend from the protruding aft surface of the underside wave splitter and away from the catamaran boat hull centerline. Melvin discloses a wave splitter 116 and spray rails 222a, 222b as claimed. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Matthews 162 by adding a wave splitter and spray rails in a catamaran design to soften the impact of waves against the upper wall of the tunnel and to provide a smoother ride.
Claims 47 and 48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matthews 162 in view of Matthews et al., US 10858069 (herein after Matthews 069). Matthews 162 discloses the invention set forth above, but does not explicitly disclose a transition surface between an angled sponson running surface and the outermost sponson running surface edge is represented by a smooth, arc-shaped curve. Figure 10 of Matthews 069 shows a smooth arc-shaped curve forming a transition surface between the angled sponson running surface and the outermost sponson running surface edge. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matthews 162 with smooth transition surfaces between the angled sponson running surface and the outermost sponson running surface edge as shown in Matthews 069. Doing so uses common hull curvatures to create smooth lines and transitions between adjacent sections of the hull.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY D WIEST whose telephone number is (571)270-5974. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:00 - 3:00.
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/ANTHONY D WIEST/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615