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 .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 19 June 2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 line 25 recites: “a protuberance”. This should be corrected to read - - more than one protuberance - -.
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable over Pennerath (FR 2911647 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Pennerath discloses a bayonet fitting (see Fig. 1) comprising a head section (7), a base section (13), and a clamping section (7, 13, and gap between 7 and 13);
wherein the head section and the base section and the clamping section are a single contiguous piece (see Fig. 1);
wherein the head section comprises a cylindrical core (A in annotated Figure 15 below) that protrudes along the longitudinal axis of the bayonet fitting (see annotated Figure 15 below);
wherein the cylindrical core comprises more than one flange (B and C in annotated Figure 7 below) protruding radially from the circumferential surface of the cylindrical core in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bayonet fitting (see Figs. 5-7);
wherein each of the more than one flange comprises the clamping section (see Figs. 5-7) and an apex (D in annotated Figure 5 below);
wherein the base section comprises an inner facing side (shown by 21 in Fig. 4) from which the cylindrical core protrudes (see Fig. 4), and an outer facing side (shown by 23 in Fig. 4) that faces the opposite direction to the cylindrical core along the longitudinal axis of the bayonet fitting (see Fig. 4);
wherein the surface profile of the inner facing side is convex (see Figs. 3-4);
wherein the surface profile of the outer facing side is flat (see Figs. 3-4);
wherein the inner facing side further comprises more than one protuberance (14,18 in Figs. 3-4) emerging off the inner facing side in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bayonet fitting (see Figs. 3-4);
wherein the apex points towards the inner facing side of the base section (see NOTE below); and
wherein the clamping section comprises the apex (see Fig. 4), the inner facing side of the base section and a protuberance (14,18 in Figs. 3-4).
NOTE: See in annotated Figure 4 below that the apex extends in a direction that points towards the inner facing side of the base section.
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Figure 1. Annotated Figure 15.
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Figure 2. Annotated Figure 7.
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Figure 3. Annotated Figure 5.
Regarding claim 2, Pennerath discloses wherein the bayonet fitting (see Fig. 1) further comprises a tail section (2 and 4-5) that protrudes from the outer facing side (shown by 23 in Fig. 4) of the base section (13) in a direction opposite to the head section along the longitudinal axis of the bayonet fitting (see Fig. 4), and the head section (7), the base section (13) and the tail section (2 and 4-5) are a contiguous single piece (see Figs. 3-4).
Regarding claim 3, Pennerath discloses wherein the tail section (2 and 4-5) is selected from an arch (see Fig. 4) or a stud bolt.
Regarding claim 4, Pennerath discloses a bayonet assembly comprising the bayonet fitting (see Fig. 1) according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above) and an attachment support (see Fig. 13);
Wherein the attachment support comprises a domed (34,35 in Fig. 13) bayonet recess (recess within 34,35 in Fig. 13), a bayonet cut-out (28, 30 in Fig. 13), and more than one dimple (33);
wherein the number of more than one dimple of the bayonet assembly is the same as the number of more than one protuberance (14,18 in Figs. 3-4) of the bayonet assembly (see Figs. 3-4 and 13);
wherein in a first orientation (see Fig. 10 for example) the bayonet fitting and the attachment support are detachable from each other (see Fig. 10 for example), and in a second orientation (see Fig. 11 for example) the bayonet fitting and the attachment support are lockable to each other (see Fig. 11 for example); and
wherein in the second orientation, each of the more than one dimple reversibly accommodates (see NOTE below) each of the more than one protuberance (see Fig. 13).
NOTE: The dimples 33 keep the protuberances from rotating further and therefore accommodate the protuberances. Further, this accommodation is reversible.
Regarding claim 5, Pennerath discloses wherein the bayonet assembly further comprises an internal (27 in Fig. 13) comprising an oblong hole (see Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 6, Pennerath discloses wherein the bayonet assembly further comprises a split-key (6) or a nut attachable to the tail section (2 and 4-5).
Regarding claim 7, Pennerath discloses the bayonet fitting (see Fig. 1) for the reversible attachment and detachment of internals within reactor vessels, distillation columns and mass transfer units.
NOTE: The claim recites the phrase “for the” and therefore only requires the prior art to be capable accomplishing the stated language. Therefore the prior art bayonet fitting is capable of attachment and detachment of internals within reactor vessels, distillation columns and mass transfer units.
Regarding claim 8, Pennerath discloses the bayonet fitting (see Fig. 1) for the reversible attachment and detachment of internals within reactor vessels, distillation columns and mass transfer units.
NOTE: The claim recites the phrase “for the” and therefore only requires the prior art to be capable accomplishing the stated language. Therefore the prior art bayonet fitting is capable of attachment and detachment of internals within reactor vessels, distillation columns and mass transfer units.
Conclusion
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/ZAH/Examiner, Art Unit 3678
/AMBER R ANDERSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3678