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 § 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 5,7,9,10,13 and 15 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.
In claim 5 there is no antecedent basis for the terms “the locking pile”, “the aligned apertures” and “the connecting organ”. It appears that claim 5 should depend from claim 4.
In claim 7 there is no antecedent basis for the term “the connecting organ”. It appears that claims 6 should depend from claim 4.
In claim 8 there is no antecedent basis for the term “the star pattern of the reinforcement beams”.
In claim 10 there is no antecedent basis for the term “the horizontal beams”. It appears claim 10 should depend from claim 8.
In claim 13 it is unclear if the “upstanding side supports” are meant to reference the “upstanding supports” of claim 1, or a separate element. For the purposes of examination it was assumed the upstanding side supports was meant to reference the upstanding supports of claim 1, as this is what was meant to be claimed per the examiner’s best understanding of the claimed invention.
In claim 15 there is no antecedent basis for the terms “the locking pile”, “the aligned apertures” and “the connecting organ”. It appears that claim 15 should reference the cable carousel according to claim 4.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-4,6,8,11,12,14,16 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: EP3260751 to van Doorn was considered the closest prior art reference. The prior art teaches a cable carousel with a support grid and upstanding supports disposed on the support grid that confine a region in which a heavy-duty electric cable or umbilical can be received and supported by the support grid, wherein the upstanding supports are placeable on the support grid at preselected positions defining both an inner barrier and an outer barrier so as to tailor the cable carousel to a dimension between the inner and outer barriers which is necessary and sufficient to store a predetermined length of the cable(fig 2 of van Doorn), however the prior art does not teach wherein the cable carousel comprises shores connecting the inner barrier to the support grid, and the shores are connectable to the inner barrier at one of a series of preselected positions above the support grid as recited in claim 1.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US11866286, US20220227600, US11345565, US10689224, US7665685, US20010035473, US3965713.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRADLEY H DUCKWORTH whose telephone number is (571)272-2304. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 5712724979. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRADLEY DUCKWORTH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632
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