DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claim 1 is 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. Applicant’s claim 1, line 10 recitation of “a second ridge portions” is not clear whether there are one or a plurality of ridges being claimed.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hanafusa et al. (8,037,734). Hanafusa discloses a method and apparatus for forming a thread (203a,203b,203c; Fig. 21) on a pipe end (202) of a pipe (201; Fig. 13) which is constructed to convey fluid. Hanafusa discloses that a first roller (212) with a first circumferential surface is located on an outer circumferential surface side of the pipe (201) and a second roller (211) with a second circumferential surface is located on an inner circumferential surface side of the pipe (201; Fig. 13). The first roller (212) and the second roller (211) are rotated on parallel rotating shafts (Fig. 12) to roll form the pipe. The first roller (212) and the second roller (211) have a spiral threadform (221; col. 18, lines 30-35) constructed on the first and second circumferential surfaces and as illustrated in Fig. 14, one first spiral ridge (221A) is a ridge consisting of less than one turn to function as a starter thread (col. 19, lines 37-43). Hanafusa discloses that the second circumferential surface of the second roller (211) includes ridge portions (221A,221B,221C; Figs. 14 and 15). Applicant’s claim 1, line 10 recitation is “a second ridge portions” and Hanafusa discloses a ridge (221B) portion that is spirally provided (col. 19, lines 23-25).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/EDWARD T TOLAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725