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 .
Acknowledgment is made of the amendment filed 12/5/25. Accordingly the application has been amended.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 14-16,18-20,22 and all claims depending therefrom are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 14-16,19-20,22 recite “a spring”, it is unclear if this is the same as or in addition to the “a spring” previously recited in claim 12, from which these claims depend, causing confusion regarding the scope of the claimed invention.
Claim 18 recites “an insert” it is unclear if this is the same as or in addition to the “an insert” previously recited in claim 12, from which this claim depends, causing confusion regarding the scope of the claimed invention.
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) 1-9,11-20,22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taguchi (6065263) in view of Kang (20190345717).
Claim 1. Taguchi discloses a reinforcing bar coupler assembly for coupling a plurality of reinforcing bars together, the reinforcing bar coupler assembly comprising:
a first component (70) comprising an internal receiving area;
a clamp ring (72) for situating in said internal receiving area, said clamp ring comprising an insert receiving area and defining a clamp ring passageway in communication with said insert receiving area and a clamp ring passageway axis;
an insert (73) comprising an insert reinforcing bar receiving area (near 73a) defined by an insert interior wall that is adapted and sized to receive a first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars in said insert receiving area (as noted in the figures and disclosure), said insert having an insert axis that becomes generally aligned with or generally coaxial with said clamp ring passageway axis so that after said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars is received in said insert reinforcing bar receiving area (as seen in the figures at least at figure 17);
a second component (the other opposite 73) for mounting onto said first component said second component being adapted to urge a spring (75) into engagement with said insert to drive said insert into said insert receiving area when said second component is mounted onto said first component (as seen in figure 17);
said second component being adapted to be mounted to a threaded first end of a second one of said plurality of reinforcing bars so that after said reinforcing bar coupler assembly is mounted on said second one of said plurality of reinforcing bars and said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars is secured or clamped to said second one of said plurality of reinforcing bars, said first one and said second one of plurality of reinforcing bars become coupled and secured together;
wherein said insert and said clamp ring are dimensioned and adapted to permit said clamp ring to move within said first component after said insert is received in said clamp ring to accommodate and allow for variability in placing of said portion of said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars into said reinforcing bar coupler assembly (where the clamp ring is capable of rotational movement within the first component).
Taguchi discloses a clamp ring and insert as noted above but does not disclose said clamp ring comprising a clamp ring tapered or frusto-conical inner surface or that said insert comprising an insert tapered outer surface that engages and cooperates with said clamp ring tapered or frusto-conical inner surface to cause said insert interior wall to apply a compressive force against a portion of said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars in response to said insert being urged into said clamp ring; and said engaging and clamping against said portion of said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars in response thereto against said portion of said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars.
Kang discloses a reinforcing bar coupler assembly having a first and second components and a clamp ring (400) for situating in the internal receiving area of the first component (100) and the clamp ring having a tapered or frusto-conical inner surface (figure 10) and an insert having a tapered outer surface that engages and cooperates with said clamp ring tapered or frusto-conical inner surface to cause said insert interior wall to apply a compressive force against a portion of said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars in response to said insert being urged into said clamp ring (as seen in the figures and disclosure).
According, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to pursue known design options and modify or substitute the clamp ring and insert of Taguchi to have the design of Kang, as noted above, whereby said engaging and clamping against said portion of said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars is in response thereto, to achieve the predictable result of a one touch type coupler that is easy to assemble and install and results with a securely connected structure.
Claim 2. The reinforcing bar coupler assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said insert is a split ring assembly (Kang-as seen in figure 7 and noted in the disclosure) that cooperates to secure or clamp against a portion of said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars in response to said insert being urged axially in said clamp ring.
Claim 3. The reinforcing bar coupler assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said reinforcing bar coupler assembly comprising a spring (Taguchi- 75) that engages and said spring urges said insert until it engages and clamps against said portion of said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars (as noted in the disclosure).
Claim 4. The reinforcing bar coupler assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said spring is situated between said second component and said insert so that when second component is mounted to said first component, said second component engages said spring and urges said insert tapered outer surface to engage and force said insert to clamp onto said portion of said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars, thereby securing said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars to said second one of said plurality of reinforcing bars (as noted in Taguchi and seen at figure 17).
Claim 5. The reinforcing bar coupler assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said insert is received in said clamp ring and said spring applying an axial force to said insert when said second component is mounted onto said first component (as seen in figure 17 and noted in the disclosure of Taguchi).
Claim 6. The reinforcing bar coupler assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said second component comprises a threaded aperture (at 73a) adapted to receive a threaded end of said second one of said plurality of reinforcing bars (as seen in figure 17).
Claim 7. The reinforcing bar coupler assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said insert comprising a first insert portion and a second insert portion (Kang- figure 7 and as noted in the disclosure), said first and second insert portions cooperating to define said insert, each of said first and second insert portions comprising a generally curved inner wall or surface for engaging and applying a clamping force against said portion of said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars, each of said first and second insert portion also having a tapered wall portion that cooperate to define said insert tapered outer surface (Kang- figure 7 and as noted in the disclosure).
Claim 8. The reinforcing bar coupler assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein first and second inserts further comprise a shoulder adapted to receive and support a spring (as noted in the figures of Kang and at least at figure 17 of Taguchi), thereby enabling said insert to be received in said clamp ring so that said spring may apply an axial driving force to said first and second inserts when said second component is mounted onto said first component (Taguchi figure 17).
Claim 9. The reinforcing bar coupler assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said generally curved inner wall or surface comprises teeth or projections (as noted in Kang figure 7 and Taguchi figure 17) for engaging said first one of said plurality of reinforcing bars.
Claim 11. The reinforcing bar coupler assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein a first precast panel (DB1) is precast with a plurality of protruding ends of reinforcing bars that are threadably mounted to said first reinforcing bar coupler assembly (as seen figure 17 and noted in the disclosure);
a second precast panel (DB2) also having a plurality of protruding ends of reinforcing bars extending therefrom; said second precast panel adapted to be aligned with said first reinforcing bar coupler assembly of said first precast panel so that when said second precast panel is mounted in said first precast panel, said plurality of protruding ends of reinforcing bars become received in said first reinforcing bar coupler assembly of said first precast panel to which it is aligned (as seen in at least figure 17 and noted in the disclosure).
Claims 12-20,22. The claims recite the steps of “providing”, “situating”, and “mounting” the reinforcement bar coupler in precast panels as taught by Taguchi in view of Kang a noted in claims 1-11 above. Where Taguchi in view of Kang as noted above have a provided first and second precast panel, first component, second component with female threaded aperture, insert and clearly the clamp ring, insert and spring are situated as claimed and a second component is mounted on a second reinforcing bar, as seen in at least figure 7, therefore the methods steps are encompassed by the assembled system.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/5/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to Sorkin are moot as the Office Action does not rely on Sorkin for teaching the claimed invention.
Applicants arguments regarding Taguchi on page 18 are not persuasive as they are referencing an embodiment (as depicted in figure 5) of Taguchi that is not relied upon in the Office Action rejection. The Office Action clearly relies on the embodiment of figure 17. Applicant’s arguments are not drawn to the embodiment of Taguchi referenced in the rejection, thus the arguments are not relevant to the current and previous rejection. Thus applicants arguments regarding the use of tightening members 51,52 and nut 53 are not persuasive to overcome the rejection.
Applicant argues at page 19 that parts 70 and 73 are not coupled together. The second component 73 is clearly coupled to 70 as seen in figure 17. Thus applicants argument is not persuasive.
Applicants argument that Taguchi does not teach the tapered or frusto-conical inner surface is not persuasive as Taguchi is not relied upon for teaching this feature. The office action rejection is a combination of Taguchi and Kang, where Kang is relied upon for teaching the claimed feature.
Applicants arguments at page 20 appear to be drawn to bodily incorporation of Kang into Taguchi. The rejection suggest modify the clamp ring and insert of Taguchi to have the design as taught by Kang. The Office Action does not suggest bodily incorporation of the device of Kang with Taguchi. It is noted the test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference; nor is it that the claimed invention must be expressly suggested in any one or all of the references. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981). One of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing Kang would understand to modify the clamp ring and insert of Taguchi to have the claimed shape.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA LAUX whose telephone number is (571)272-8228. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-3:30.
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JESSICA L. LAUX
Examiner
Art Unit 3635
/JESSICA L LAUX/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3635