Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
This is in response to the application filed on April 8, 2024. Claims 1-11 are pending. Claims 3-4 and 9 are withdrawn from consideration. Claims 1-2, 5-8, and 10-11 are rejected as set forth below. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The listing of references in the specification is not a proper information disclosure statement.
37 CFR 1.98(b) requires a list of all patents, publications, or other information submitted for consideration by the Office, and MPEP § 609.04(a) states, "the list may not be incorporated into the
specification but must be submitted in a separate paper." Therefore, unless the references have been
cited by the examiner on form PTO-892, they have not been considered.
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 1-2 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Crain (US 3724222) and further in view of Stewart (US RE33438 E).
PNG
media_image1.png
680
793
media_image1.png
Greyscale
In regard to Claim 1, Crain discloses permanent formwork (mooring structure 1) (Fig 1) for forming a three-dimensional (3D) concrete truss, the permanent formwork comprising nodal connecting elements (corners of the diaphragm) (Fig 4-5) [col 2, lines 20-26]; and hollow pipes (hollow tubes or pipes 4) (Fig 1-5); wherein the nodal connecting elements (corners of the diaphragm) (Fig 4, 5) [col 2, lines 20-26] are configured as hollow volumetric bodies having a set of pipe sockets oriented at angles to each other (Fig 4, 5) [col 2, lines 20-26], the set of pipe sockets comprising a first subset of pipe sockets (leg portion 12) (Fig 4-5) [col 2, lines 20-26]. A second subset of pipe sockets (vertically extending sleeves 5), and the second subset of pipe sockets having the hollow pipes installed therein such that the hollow pipes and the nodal connecting elements together define a continuous cavity for the 3D concrete truss (Fig 4-5) [col 1, lines 50-55]; and wherein the set of pipe sockets of the nodal connecting elements further comprises at least one pipe socket configured to be connected to a concrete pump to fill the continuous cavity with concrete [col 1 lines 65-67 & col 2 lines 1-12]. Crain does not teach wherein the nodal connecting elements have modular pipe sockets that are designed to secure pipes or be fitted with plugs. Additionally, Crain does not teach plugs for the nodal connecting elements. Stewart discloses formwork comprising nodal connecting elements and pipes (Fig 14), wherein the nodal connecting elements (nodal element 32) have a set of pipe sockets (see annotated figure 1 above), the set of pipe sockets comprising a first subset of pipe sockets (see annotated figure 1 above) and a second subset of pipe sockets (see annotated figure 1 above), the first subset of pipe sockets being plugged (dust cover 34), and the second subset of pipe sockets having the pipes (strut 30) installed therein (Fig 15). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the nodal connecting elements of Crain to have modular pipe sockets as described by Stewart in order to be able to create a variety of configurations of the framework. Additionally, it would have been obvious when modifying the connectors of Crain to include the plugs of Stewart to allow the pipe sockets as described by Crain to be plugged in order to keep the concrete within the structure regardless of the framework's configuration.
In regard to Claim 2, Crain and Stewart disclose the permanent formwork according to claim 1. Crain discloses wherein the set of pipe sockets further comprises a third subset of pipe sockets (holes where “hollow tubes or pipes 4” connect to the “corners of the diaphragm”), and wherein the permanent formwork further comprises external rods (hollow tubes or pipes 4) made of a metal or composite material [col 1, lines 48-49], the external rods (hollow tubes or pipes 4) being installed in the third subset of pipe sockets (holes where “hollow tubes or pipes 4” connect to the “corners of the diaphragm”) of the nodal connecting elements at an angle to the second subset of pipe sockets (Fig 3-5).
In regard to Claim 5, Crain and Stewart disclose the permanent formwork according to claim 1. Crain discloses wherein the nodal connecting elements (corners of the diaphragm) are made of one of polyethylene, PVC, polypropylene, metal (steel or other suitable metal), and fiberglass [col 1, lines 44-51].
In regard to Claim 6, Crain and Stewart disclose the permanent formwork according to claim 1. Crain discloses wherein the pipe sockets (leg portion 12, vertically extending sleeves 5, and holes where “hollow tubes or pipes 4” connect to the “corners of the diaphragm) are cylindrical and the pipes (hollow tubes or pipes 4) are hollow (Fig 4-5) [col 1, lines 44-55], therefore Crain teaches wherein the pipes comprise one of water pipes, gas pipes, and sewer pipes as any pipe can potentially act as a water, gas, or sewer pipe.
In regard to Claim 7, Crain and Stewart disclose the permanent formwork according to claim 1. Crain discloses wherein the pipes (hollow tubes or pipes 4) are made of one of polyethylene, PVC, polypropylene, metal (steel or other suitable metal), and fiberglass [col 1, lines 44-51].
In regard to Claim 8, Crain and Stewart disclose the permanent formwork according to claim 1. Crain discloses wherein the pipes are fixed in the second subset of pipe sockets (vertically extending sleeves 5) of the nodal connecting elements by using one of welding (welding or unitary casting), tube-locking, gluing, bell connection, and fixing by screws, anchors, or rivets [col 1, lines 44-51].
In regard to Claim 10, Crain and Stewart disclose the permanent formwork according to claim 1. Crain discloses wherein the second subset of pipe sockets (vertically extending sleeves 5) of the nodal connecting elements comprises pipe sockets arranged coaxially so as to provide through placement of the hollow pipes (Fig 1) [col 1, lines 51-55].
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Crain and Stewart as applied above, and further in view of Trull (US 7063481 B2).
In regard to Claim 11, Crain and Stewart disclose the permanent formwork according to claim 2, but do not disclose wherein the third subset of pipe sockets comprises pipe sockets arranged coaxially. Trull discloses wherein the third subset of pipe sockets of the nodal connecting elements comprises pipe sockets (through-apertures 26, 32, 34, and 36) arranged coaxially so as to provide through placement of the external rods (Fig 1) [col 5, lines 34-36]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to manufacture the nodal connecting elements as described by Crain and Stewart to comprise additional coaxially arranged pipe sockets that provide through holes for the rods taught by Trull. This modification enables a greater range of configurations for the framework.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to Claims 1-2, 5-8, and 10-11 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Audrey Fisher whose telephone number is (571)272-2849. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 7:30-4:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Mattei can be reached at 571-270-3238. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Audrey Fisher/Examiner, Art Unit 3635
/BRIAN D MATTEI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3635