DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02 December 2025 has been entered.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 7-10 remain withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12 August 2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Minami (USP 6,851,728).
In regards to claim 1, Minami discloses a groove-free quick-insert pipe clamp, comprising:
a pipe clamp group (2, 5), wherein the pipe clamp group comprises at least two sub-pipe clamps (2, 5), the at least two sub-pipe clamps of the pipe clamp group are combined and fixed with each other and are sleeved between butted pipes (P),
an installation cavity (central bore) arranged inside the pipe clamp group, and
a positioning ring (7), wherein the positioning ring is movably installed in the installation cavity and realizes reduction of an inner diameter of the positioning ring by deformation (see before tightening and after tightening in fig. 1);
wherein a bevel group is arranged between a side wall of the installation cavity and the positioning ring; the bevel group comprises a first bevel (5c) arranged on the side wall of the installation cavity and a second bevel (7a) arranged on an end face of the positioning ring and attached to the first bevel, wherein the first bevel and the second bevel are matched with each other (shown in fig. 1); when a pipe in the butted pipes moves away from the pipe clamp group, the side wall of the installation cavity is driven to move relative to the positioning ring, and the side wall of the installation cavity squeezes the positioning ring in a predetermined angle and in a direction toward an axial center of the pipe through the bevel group (see before tightening and after tightening in fig. 1).
In regards to claim 2, Minami further discloses the positioning ring is a partial ring structure and is provided with a notch (7d), wherein the notch is configured to absorb the shrinkage of the positioning ring (fig. 1 shows this capability).
In regards to claim 3, Minami further discloses an extension portion (8) made of a deformable material (see column 8, lines 17-32) is arranged at the notch.
In regards to claim 4, Minami further discloses an inner side of the positioning ring attached to the butted pipes is provided with a texture structure (7b) for increasing a friction between the positioning ring and the butted pipes.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 6 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARY T DRAGICEVICH whose telephone number is (571)270-0505. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 - 4:30 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew D. Troutman can be reached at (571) 270-3654. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZACHARY T DRAGICEVICH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679 02/10/2026