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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on 06/04/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
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 14-26 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.
The term “partially” in claim 14 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “partially” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The term "partially" renders the claim indefinite as it is unclear the degree and corresponding structure for which the slot is "closed between the inner face and outer face". Claims 15-26 are rejected by virtue of their dependence upon claim 14.
Claims 18 and 21, line 2 iterate “an outer opening and an inner opening” of the lining. The duplicate recitation defining an outer and inner opening of the lining renders the claim indefinite as it is unclear if these recitations are referring to the same element or an entirely different element than previously stated in claim 15, lines 2-3.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the perpendicular bisector" in line 2 and “the two non-parallel sides” in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-26 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art of record does not disclose or reasonably suggest the pipeline for the transport of fluids having the combination of features set forth in independent claim 1
US 20210156496 to Chalmers et. al., US 20180320452 to Adkins, and US 20180306200 to Boulden et. al. may be seen as close prior art in certain aspects but fail to expressly teach the polymer annular lining in a steel tube for fluid transport having elongated slots extending in length parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lining. They teach non-metallic/polymer lining comprising holes being inserted into a steel pipe for fluid transport but fails to suggest or teach the structure of slots of the present invention as set forth in claim 14.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA DENNIS LEARY whose telephone number is (571)272-1685. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm.
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/JOSHUA D LEARY/Examiner, Art Unit 3753
/CRAIG M SCHNEIDER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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