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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-17 and 30 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention/species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 7/13/2026.
Please note that applicant indicated claim 30 as reading on the elected species. However, claim 30 recites a “star structure” which the disclosure identifies as the configuration shown in non-elected figures 20 & 21 [0092,0156].
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the connection arms with polygonal (cross) sections (claim 22) and floating columns along the side of the polygonal shape (claim 27) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 23 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 1 recites “Method of claim 22.” This should be –Platform of claim 22--. Appropriate correction is required.
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 18, 19, 22, 23, 25 and 28 (and all claims that depend 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.
Regarding claims 18, 19 and 28, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claims 22 and 23 recite “wherein the connection arms/axial alignment means consist of...” The transitional phrase “consist of” excludes any element, step, or ingredient not specified in the claim- that is, the claim must define exact what is in the device, in entirety (see MPEP 2111.03). This is incompatible with the disclosure, which details that these components comprise many more elements. For the purposes of this action, this will be interpreted as “comprises.”
Claim 25 line 4 recites “at least two lower structural connection arms.” It is unclear if these are different than the “at least one lower structural connection arm” recited in parent claim 18.
Claim 28 line 2 recites “comprises three floating columns.” It is unclear if these three floating columns are different from the “at least one part of the plurality of floating columns” recited in parent claim 25, and/or the “plurality of floating columns” recited in parent claim 18.
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 18-26 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Loeken US 2022/0119081.
Regarding claim 18, Loeken discloses an offshore semi-submersible platform, comprising: a plurality of floating columns 6001, 6002, 6003, each of which is connected to at least one other of the floating columns by means of at least one lower structural connection arm 5006, 5007 which is placed connecting between the two columns near their bases, characterized in that each of the lower structural connection arms has a welding junction zone placed in an intermediate position between the respective two columns and in that in the junction zone there are axial alignment means 7000 between the two portions of the structural arm extending from two adjacent columns.
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Figure 1- Loeken Figure 15i
Regarding claim 19, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 18. Loeken also discloses that each of the floating columns 6001, 6002, 6003 is connected to said at least one other floating column by means of at least one further upper structural connection arm 5007, 5009 which is connected between the two columns at a greater height than that of the respective lower connection arm 5006, 5007, and wherein each of the upper structural connection arms has a welding junction zone placed in an intermediate position between the respective two columns, in the junction zone there being axial alignment means 7000 between the two portions of the structural arm extending from two adjacent columns.
Regarding claim 20, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 19. Loeken also discloses that the lower connection arms 5006, 5007 are connected to the respective upper connection arms 5007, 5009 by intermediate structures 5019.
Regarding claim 21, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 20. Loeken also discloses that the intermediate structures 5019 are positioned between the lower and upper arms 5006, 5007, 5009 spaced from the junction zones.
Regarding claim 22, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 18. Loeken also discloses that the connection arms 5006, 5007 comprise tubular bodies, having a polygonal section (see figure 5c).
Regarding claim 23, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 22. Loeken also discloses that the axial alignment means 7000 comprise pins 7001 coaxial to the tubular bodies.
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Figure 2- Loeken Figure 11b
Regarding claim 24, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 18. Loeken also discloses platform motion damping structures 104a, 106a associated with the floating columns and/or the connection arms [0108].
Regarding claim 25, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 18. Loeken also discloses a peripheral annular structure which in turn comprises at least one part of the plurality of floating columns 6001, 6002, 6003, wherein each of the columns forming part of the peripheral annular structure is connected to at least two other adjacent floating columns forming part of the annular structure by means of at least two lower structural connection arms 5006, 5007 which are placed connecting between the columns near their bases, preferably at least partially below the launching waterline (LWL) of the platform itself, wherein said lower connection arms give structural continuity to the peripheral annular structure.
Regarding claim 26, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 25. Loeken also discloses that the peripheral annular structure has a polygonal shape and has one of the floating columns 6001, 6002, 6003 in each of the vertices of said polygonal shape.
Regarding claim 28, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 26. Loeken also discloses that the annular structure is triangular in shape, preferably equilateral, and comprises three floating columns 6001, 6002, 6003, preferably identical to each other, each of which is placed at one of the vertices of the triangular annular structure.
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.
Claims 22, 23 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Loeken US 2022/0119081.
Regarding claim 22, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 18. In an alternate interpretation, Loeken does not explicitly teach that the connection arms 5006, 5007 comprise tubular bodies, having a circular or polygonal section. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to make the different portions of the connection arms tubular with a circular or polygonal cross section (or of whatever form or shape was desired or expedient) in order to provide sufficient strength while keeping the structure light. A change in form or shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art, absent any showing of unexpected results. In re Dailey et al., 149 USPQ 47.
Regarding claim 23, Loeken teaches the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 22. Loeken also teaches that the axial alignment means 7000 comprise pins 7001 coaxial to the tubular bodies.
Regarding claim 27, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 25. Loeken does not teach that the peripheral annular structure of polygonal shape comprises one or more floating columns arranged along the sides of the polygonal shape. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to add addition columns along the sides in order to increase the buoyancy and/or provide optimal weight distribution, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to locate these additional columns along the sides in order to maintain the same footprint, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Claim 29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Loeken US 2022/0119081 in view of Caruso US 2023/0331358.
Regarding claim 29, Loeken discloses the invention as claimed as detailed above with respect to claim 25. Loeken does not teach at least one internal floating column which is arranged in the internal space delimited by said annular structure and is structurally connected to one or more columns of the annular structure by means of one or more internal lower structural connection arms. Caruso teaches a floating platform comprising a plurality of floating columns 8, each of which is connected to at least one other of the floating columns by means of at least one lower structural connection arm 18 which is placed connecting between the two columns near their bases, further comprising at least one internal floating column 8 which is arranged in the internal space delimited by an annular structure and is structurally connected to one or more columns of the annular structure by means of one or more internal lower structural connection arms 19. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the platform of Loeken with a central column as taught by Caruso in order to have a centrally mounted turbine and/or improve balance and buoyancy.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Willm US 3,443,543 teaches a floating platform in which the columns are arranged in a star shape.
Jones US 4,067,285 teaches a floating structure with mating protrusions and recesses.
Viselli US 10,215,161 teaches a floating structure with a central column and no outer periphery.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Marc Burgess whose telephone number is (571)272-9385. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 08:30-15:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Marc Jimenez can be reached at 517 272-4530. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARC BURGESS/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3615
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