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 § 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Jahnig (US 20130019792 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Jahnig discloses a floating structure, comprising: a floating body including one or more buoyant bodies disposed around a structure; a plurality of first support wires disposed between the structure and the floating body and configured to transmit a self-weight of the structure to the floating body; and a plurality of second support wires connected to the structure above one end and configured to prevent the structure from falling over, each of the first support wires having: the one end connected to the floating body; and another end connected to the structure below the one end, wherein the one or more buoyant bodies include at least a first buoyant body and a second buoyant body, the floating body has a linking member linking and securing the first buoyant body and the second buoyant body, each of the plurality of second support wires has a proximal end and a distal end, each proximal end is connected to the linking member above the one end, and each distal end is connected to the structure above the one end. (See markup Fig. 2 below. Proximal end best seen in Fig. 3.)
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Fig 2 of Jahnig Marked Up
Regarding Claim 4, Jahnig discloses a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of second support wires has a proximal end and a distal end, each proximal end is connected to the buoyant body above the one end, and each distal end is connected to the structure above the one end. (See markup Fig. 1.)
Regarding Claim 7, Jahnig discloses a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein a height position of the distal end is higher than a height position of the proximal end. (See markup Fig. 1.)
Regarding Claim 8, Jahnig discloses a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of second support wires are tensioned. (paragraph 21)
Regarding Claim 10, Jahnig discloses a floating structure according to claim 1, further comprising: an annular member surrounding the structure and attached to the floating body so that the annular member is in non-contact with the structure. (Interrior members of linking members, best seen Fig 3.)
Regarding Claim 11, Jahnig discloses a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein the structure is a column of an offshore structure. (See Fig. 2.)
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 6 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jahnig in view of Saito (JP 2013141857 A, provided by Applicant ).
Regarding Claim 6, Jahnig discloses a floating structure according to claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein a height position of the distal end is substantially the same as a height position of the proximal end.
Saito discloses where additional second support wires are horizontal (See Fig. 5) It would have been obvious at the time of filing for a person of ordinary skill in the marine art to add additional second support wires to Jahnig such that wherein a height position of the distal end is substantially the same as a height position of the proximal end which can be accomplished with a reasonable expectation of success. The motivation to modify Jahnig is to provide additional lateral bracing.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 12 allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Loth (WO 2025188350 A1) discloses a tensioned floating body with a later filing date. Morishi (US 12085057 B2) disclose cable supported floating bodies.
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/ANDREW POLAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615 21 March 2026
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