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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on May 5, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-12 and 13 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.
Where applicant acts as his or her own lexicographer to specifically define a term of a claim contrary to its ordinary meaning, the written description must clearly redefine the claim term and set forth the uncommon definition so as to put one reasonably skilled in the art on notice that the applicant intended to so redefine that claim term. Process Control Corp. v. HydReclaim Corp., 190 F.3d 1350, 1357, 52 USPQ2d 1029, 1033 (Fed. Cir. 1999). The term “planar reaction surface” in claims 2 and 13 are used by the claim to mean “The inner surfaces 34 of the channel 30 abut the crossarm in reaction to asymmetric loading on the crossarm,” while the accepted meaning is “A planar reaction surface refers to a perfectly flat, two-dimensional interface where a chemical reaction occurs. In scientific contexts, this concept is used to simplify the study of complex surface chemistry phenomena by isolating specific parameters in a controlled environment.” The term is indefinite because the specification does not clearly redefine the term. The examiner will interpret the term to mean “planar surface”.
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) 1-7 and 10-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin (US 6,862,861).
In regards to claim 1, Lin teaches a tangent base (10) for a crossarm (crossarm, abstract), the tangent base (10) comprising: a base body (see the body in figure 4) comprising: a rear-mounting surface (12) for mounting to a utility pole (utility pole, abstract); a front face (13) opposite the rear-mounting surface (12); and a plurality of projections (22, 30) extending forward from the front face (13), the plurality of projections (22, 30) forming a channel sized for receiving the crossarm (a base portion for attaching the bracket to a utility pole, a pair of spaced apart flanges for supporting a crossarm; abstract).
In regards to claim 2, Lin teaches the tangent base of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of each of the projections (22, 30) defining the channel (see channel between flanges (22 and 30, in figure 4) is a generally planar (flat) surface to abut the crossarm (and a pair of arcuate mounting seats providing contact surfaces with outer edges of the crossarm to minimize deformation of the crossarm; abstract).
In regards to claim 3, Lin teaches the tangent base of claim 1, wherein each of the projections (22, 30) extends forward a projection depth dimension being at least half a crossarm depth (the phrase “the channel allows the midsection of the crossarm to be supported in a natural deflection along the curvature of the arms 18 and 19” in column 3, lines 10-15 indicate that at least half of the crossarm depth is supported by the channel that the projections form).
In regards to claim 4, Lin teaches the tangent base of claim 3, wherein the plurality of projections (22, 30) comprise at least one pair of tabs spaced apart in a height direction by at least a height dimension of the crossarm (see the figure below).
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In regards to claim 5, Lin teaches the tangent base of claim 3, wherein the tabs have a distal end with a radius curvature (column 3, lines 25-30).
In regards to claim 6, Lin teaches the tangent base of claim 4, wherein the at least one pair of tabs comprises two pair of tabs (22, 30), the pair of tabs spaced apart in a width direction (see the image below).
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In regards to claim 7, Lin teaches the tangent base of claim 6, wherein the two pair of tabs (see the figure 2 above) are spaced apart in the width direction by at least twice the depth dimension of the projection (see the figure 2 above).
In regards to claim 10, Lin teaches the tangent base of claim 6, wherein the base body (10) is generally symmetric about a central vertical axis (center access of the body (10)) extending in a height direction (see figure 1).
In regards to claim 11, Lin teaches the tangent base of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of mounting holes (see the figure below) extending through from the front face to the rear-mounting surface for mounting the base body to the utility pole, wherein the mounting holes are spaced apart from the channel in the height direction (see the figure below).
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In regards to claim 12, Lin teaches the tangent base of claim 1, wherein the base body is cast of an aluminum alloy (column 2, line 54).
In regards to claim 13, Lin teaches a utility hardware attachment assembly (figure 4) for a utility pole (utility pole, abstract), comprising: a crossarm (crossarm, abstract); a tangent base (10) comprising: a rear-mounting surface (12) for mounting to the utility pole (mounting hardware for the utility industry, field of invention); a front face (13) opposite the rear-mounting surface (12); and a plurality of tabs (22, 30) extending forward from the front face (13), the plurality of tabs (22, 30) forming a channel sized for receiving the crossarm (a base portion for attaching the bracket to a utility pole, a pair of spaced apart flanges for supporting a crossarm; abstract), wherein an inner surface of each of the tabs (22, 30) is a generally planar surface (flat surface), wherein the crossarm is secured to the base body within the channel (a base portion for attaching the bracket to a utility pole, a pair of spaced apart flanges for supporting a crossarm; abstract), wherein the crossarm abuts at least two of the tabs when experiencing an asymmetric load (see the two tabs in figure 2 below).
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In regards to claim 14, Lin teaches a utility hardware attachment assembly for utility poles (figure 4), comprising: a crossarm (crossarm, abstract); a tangent base (10) comprising: a rear-mounting surface (12) for mounting to the utility pole (mounting hardware for the utility industry, field of invention); a front face (13) opposite the rear-mounting surface (12); and a plurality of projections (22, 30) extending forward from the front face (13), the plurality of projections forming a channel sized for receiving the crossarm, wherein the crossarm is secured to the base body within the channel (a base portion for attaching the bracket to a utility pole, a pair of spaced apart flanges for supporting a crossarm; abstract).
In regards to claim 15, Lin teaches the utility hardware attachment assembly of claim 14, wherein the crossarm is formed of fiberglass (Light weight crossarms such as those made of reinforced fiberglass, column 1, lines 14).
In regards to claim 16, Lin teaches the utility hardware attachment assembly of claim 14, wherein the crossarm extends from both lateral sides of the base body (10, see figure 1 thee is an opening to the channel on both ends of the base body 10).
In regards to claim 17, Lin teaches the utility hardware attachment assembly of claim 14, wherein the crossarm extends from one side of the base body (this is capable by only putting the crossarm on one end of the body (figure 10).
In regards to claim 18, Lin teaches the utility hardware attachment assembly of claim 14, wherein each of the projections (22, 30) extends forward a projection depth dimension being at least half a crossarm depth (the phrase “the channel allows the midsection of the crossarm to be supported in a natural deflection along the curvature of the arms 18 and 19” in column 3, lines 10-15 indicate that at least half of the crossarm depth is supported by the channel that the projections form).
In regards to claim 19, Lin teaches the utility hardware attachment assembly of claim 14, wherein the plurality of projections (22, 30) comprise at least one pair of tabs spaced apart in a height direction by at least a height dimension of the crossarm (see the figure below).
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In regards to claim 20, Lin teaches the utility hardware attachment assembly of claim 14, wherein the tabs have a distal end with a radius curvature (see figure 4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Holmes et al. (US 2024/0426158) teaches brackets for a crossarm; Olson (US 6,626,406) teaches a utility pole and crossarm; Dziedzic (US 5,228,260) teaches crossarm mounted to a utility pole.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRYSTAL ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571)272-9258. The examiner can normally be reached on 9-5 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached on (571)-272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KRYSTAL ROBINSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2848