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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in China on 10/26/2022 and 10/26/2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the applications as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Regarding claim 1, the phrase “connecting body at least one end” in line 9 is a grammatical error.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-2 and 4-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Jiang (US 2019/0218778).
In re. claim 1, Jiang teaches a connector for steel structures, comprising a vertically-oriented connecting body (100) for connecting to columns (400) (fig. 8) and a horizontally-oriented connecting body (100) for connecting to beams (fig. 8), wherein one end of the horizontally-oriented connecting body (10) is connected to the vertically-oriented connecting body (via connectors (500)) (fig. 8); the vertically-oriented connecting body comprises a front sidewall, a left sidewall, a rear sidewall, and a right sidewall which are sequentially arranged (fig. 1); a plurality of installation through-holes (130) for column connections are provided on each sidewall of the vertically-oriented connecting body at least one end (fig. 1); the vertically-oriented connecting body has an inward concave portion (110) extending along the length direction of the vertically-oriented connecting body on each sidewall where the installation through-holes are located (fig. 1).
In re. claim 2, Jiang teaches the connector for steel structures according to claim 1, wherein the inward concave portion (3) is distributed along the length direction of the vertically-oriented connecting body (100) and is located at the center of each sidewall (fig. 1).
In re. claim 4, Jiang teaches the connector for steel structures according to claim 1, wherein the horizontally-oriented connecting body is selected from the group consisting of steel pipe connectors, I-beam connectors, or C-section steel connectors (as the type of structure connected to the body fails to further define the body).
In re. claim 5, Jiang teaches the connector for steel structures according to claim 1, wherein the installation through-holes are located at one end of the vertically-oriented connecting body, and at least two sidewalls of the other end of the vertically-oriented connecting body are each connected to one of the horizontal connecting bodies (fig. 8).
In re. claim 6, Jiang teaches the connector for steel structures according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the horizontal connecting bodies are each connected to two sidewalls in the middle region of the vertically-oriented connecting body, and the vertically-oriented connecting body has installation through-holes at both ends (fig. 8).
In re. claim 7, Jiang teaches the connector for steel structures according to claim 1, wherein the front sidewall, left sidewall, rear sidewall, and right sidewall are sequentially connected (fig. 1).
In re. claim 8, Jiang teaches the connector for steel structures according to claim 1, wherein sidewalls of the same width for the front sidewall, left sidewall, rear sidewall, and right sidewall are interconnected by right-angled wall plates that are inwardly bent (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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Eiroa et al. (WO 2015/132421), hereinafter Eiroa.
In re. claim 3, Jiang teaches the connector for steel structures according to claim 1, wherein the horizontally-oriented connecting body is provided in a range of 1 to 4 (4 bodies in figure 8), with each horizontally-oriented connecting body being connected to one sidewall of the vertically-oriented connecting body (fig. 8).
Jang fails to disclose the bodies are welded.
Eiroa teaches a connecting body that is welded (para [0049]).
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Jang to incorporate the teachings of Eiroa to have the horizontally-oriented connecting bodies welded, for the purpose of providing a predetermined node orientation, reducing installation time. Further, it has been held that forming in one piece an article which has formerly been formed in two pieces and put together involves only routine skill in the art. MPEP 2144.04 V. (B)
Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang.
In re. claims 9-10, Jiang teaches the connector for steel structures according to claim 1, wherein the right sidewall positioned opposite the left sidewall is interconnected to the front sidewall and rear sidewall through right-angled wall plates (4) that are inwardly bent (fig. 1).
Jiang fails to disclose the front sidewall, rear sidewall, and right sidewall have the same width and are all smaller than the width of the left sidewall, nor does Jiang disclose the width of the front sidewall and the right sidewall, both of which have the same width, is smaller than the width of the left sidewall and the rear sidewall.
However, Jiang discusses a variety of different horizontal connections (500, 600, 800) for connecting to the sidewalls.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Jiang to have the recited sidewall widths, for the predictable result of providing different connection surfaces for respective horizontal connections. Further, a change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
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/C.D.H./
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3647
/Christopher D Hutchens/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3647