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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 3 and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1 and 3 recite “arc rib tubes (11)”, whereas the same element is otherwise identified throughout the claims as “arch rib tubes (11).” Appropriate correction is required for consistency.
Claim 9 recites in step S2 “the steel structure box body (1)”, whereas element (1) is previously introduced and consistently identified as “the steel structure box unit (1).” Appropriate correction is required to provide consistent terminology.
Claim 9 further recites “arc rib tubes (11)” in step S5, whereas the element is otherwise identified as “arch rib tubes (11).” Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-10 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.
Regarding claim 1, the limitation “a vertical diaphragm unit (4) arranged on the transverse diaphragm unit (3) and used for filling the fixing steel tubes (2) with concrete by sleeving the arch rib tubes (11)” renders the scope of the claim unclear. In particular, it is unclear how the vertical diaphragm unit is “used for filling” the fixing steel tubes with concrete “by sleeving” the arch rib tubes. “Sleeving” the arch rib tubes appears to define a structural relationship between the vertical diaphragm unit and the arch rib tubes, whereas filling the fixing steel tubes with concrete defines a separate concrete-placement function. Accordingly, it is unclear what structural or functional relationship between the vertical diaphragm unit, arch rib tubes, and fixing steel tubes is required by the claim. Claims 2–8 are likewise indefinite by virtue of their dependency from claim 1.
Regarding claim 5, the claim recites “a lower cross plate (301) arranged on the two lower vertical plates (102)” and “an upper cross plate (302) arranged on the two upper vertical plates (104).” However, claim 2, from which claim 5 ultimately depends, introduces “lower vertical plates (102)” and “upper vertical plates (104)” without specifying that there are two lower vertical plates or two upper vertical plates. Thus, the recitations of “the two lower vertical plates (102)” and “the two upper vertical plates (104)” lack proper antecedent basis with respect to the recited quantity, rendering unclear the structural arrangement required by the claim. Claims 6–8 are likewise indefinite by virtue of their dependency from claim 5.
Regarding claim 6, the claim recites “lower vertical plates (401) arranged on the bottom plate (101) and the lower cross plate (301).” However, claim 2 previously recites a different structural element using the same terminology, namely “lower vertical plates (102).” Thus, the claims use the term “lower vertical plates” to identify two different structural components having different reference numerals (102 and 401). In view of the use of identical terminology for separate structural components within the same claimed structure, it is unclear which structural elements are intended by the recited “lower vertical plates” and how the lower vertical plates (401) of claim 6 are distinguished from the lower vertical plates (102) of claim 2. Claims 7 and 8 are likewise indefinite by virtue of their dependency from claim 6.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (CN114250690) in view of Huang (CN202577132) and Qiu (CN 204475148).
Regarding claim 1, Xu teaches a steel-concrete combined skewback structure, comprising arch rib tubes (arch rib steel pipes 11), concrete sections (12) in a main chord pipe (the arch rib steel pipes 11 being filled with concrete; ¶ [0010]), and concrete blocks (13) in a skewback (concrete being poured into the core steel arch center; ¶¶ [0005], [0044]), and further comprising a steel structure box unit (1) internally provided with the concrete blocks (13) in the skewback and used for allowing the arc rib tubes (11) to be inserted therein (the core steel arch center comprising a top plate 1, bottom plate 2, webs 3, side vertical plates 4, bearing plates 5 and diaphragm plates 9, the core steel arch center being filled with concrete, and arch rib steel pipes 11 being fixedly arranged at the bearing plates 5), and a transverse diaphragm unit (3) arranged in the steel structure box unit (1) (a plurality of diaphragm plates 9 being arranged between the webs 3 within the core steel arch center). Xu fails to teach fixing steel tubes inserted into the steel structure box unit and used for connecting a bearing platform, a transverse diaphragm unit arranged in the steel structure box unit and used for sleeving the fixing steel tubes, and a vertical diaphragm unit arranged on the transverse diaphragm unit and used for filling the fixing steel tubes with concrete by sleeving the arch rib tubes. Huang teaches an anchor box structure fixedly arranged between a V-shaped concrete-filled steel tube bridge pier and a bearing platform, the anchor box structure comprising a transverse diaphragm (2), an upper anchor box body (3) located above and fixedly connected to the transverse diaphragm (2), and a lower anchor box body (4) located below and fixedly connected to the transverse diaphragm (2). Huang further teaches a vertical/longitudinal diaphragm (35) arranged within the upper anchor box body (3), wherein the V-shaped concrete-filled steel tubes pass through inclined upper cover plates (33) and meet the vertical/longitudinal diaphragm (35) within the upper anchor box body. Huang further teaches that the transverse diaphragm (2) includes a plurality of through holes (21), and that the plates of the lower anchor box body include through holes through which reinforcement associated with the bearing platform passes to improve the bearing capacity and reliability of the anchoring connection. 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 steel-concrete combined skewback structure of Xu to include the anchor box and diaphragm arrangement taught by Huang, including a vertical diaphragm unit (4) arranged on the transverse diaphragm unit (3) and used for filling the fixing steel tubes (2) with concrete by sleeving the arch rib tubes (11), in order to provide a reliable anchoring connection between a concrete-filled steel tube bridge structure and a bearing platform while improving construction precision and facilitating installation, as taught by Huang. Xu also fails to teach fixing steel tubes (2) inserted into the steel structure box unit (1) and used for connecting a bearing platform (a), wherein the fixing steel tubes (2) are filled with concrete. Qiu teaches fixing steel tubes used for connecting an upper bridge structure to a bearing platform, wherein a steel tube (4) extends across the interface between a bridge structure and a reinforced concrete foundation (6), the lower portion of the steel tube being embedded within the foundation and the upper portion extending into the bridge structure. Qiu further teaches that the foundation (6) may comprise a bearing platform arranged on a pile foundation, that a portion of the steel tube (4) is pre-embedded below the upper surface of the foundation before the foundation concrete is poured, and that the steel tube (4) is thereafter filled with high-strength concrete (5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the steel-concrete combined skewback structure of Xu by providing fixing steel tubes (2) inserted into the steel structure box unit (1) and used for connecting a bearing platform (a), as taught by Qiu, and to fill the fixing steel tubes with concrete, in order to provide a direct structural connection and load-transfer path between the steel-concrete bridge structure and the bearing platform and to increase the compressive and shear load-bearing capacity of the connection. In making such a modification, it would have been obvious to arrange the fixing steel tubes to pass through, and thus be sleeved by, the transverse diaphragm unit (3) because Huang teaches a transverse diaphragm within the anchor box having through holes and further teaches permitting structural reinforcement extending from the bearing platform to pass through openings in the anchor box to improve the bearing capacity and reliability of the anchoring connection. Routing the fixing steel tubes of Qiu through corresponding openings in the transverse diaphragm of Huang would have been a predictable use of known structural elements according to their established functions, in order to accommodate the fixing steel tubes within the diaphragm-reinforced steel structure box while maintaining a continuous structural connection between the steel structure box unit and the bearing platform and permitting the diaphragm to laterally support and position the fixing steel tubes.
Regarding claim 2, Xu as modified by Huang and Qiu teaches the invention as described above. Xu further teaches wherein the steel structure box unit (1) comprises a bottom plate (101) (bottom plate 2), lower vertical plates (102), lower inclined plates (103) (inclined bearing plates 5 arranged at a lower portion of the core steel skewback), upper vertical plates (104), upper inclined plates (105) (side vertical plates 4 and inclined bearing plates 5 arranged at an upper portion of the core steel skewback), a top plate (106) (top plate 1), and two sealed webs (107) arranged on the bottom plate (101) (webs 3 arranged between and connected with the bottom plate 2 and top plate 1). Xu further teaches wherein the lower vertical plates, the lower inclined plates, the upper vertical plates, the upper inclined plates, and the top plate are sequentially arranged on the bottom plate (101) from bottom to top, wherein the peripheral plates of the core steel skewback are sequentially arranged from the bottom plate toward the top plate to form the enclosed, pagoda-shaped steel skewback structure, including lower plate portions, inclined bearing plate portions 5, side vertical plate portions 4, upper inclined bearing plate portions 5, and top plate 1.
Regarding claim 3, Xu as modified by Huang and Qiu invention as described above. Huang further teaches providing through holes (21) in plates of a steel anchor box, wherein the through holes permit structural members associated with the bearing platform to pass through the plates and facilitate concrete pouring and compaction. Huang teaches that each plate body of the lower anchor box body is provided with through holes (21), which facilitate compact concrete pouring and permit reinforcement from the bearing platform to pass through the holes to form perforated plate connectors, thereby improving the bearing capacity of the anchor box and ensuring reliable anchorage. Huang teaches that the V-shaped concrete-filled steel tubes (1) pass through inclined upper cover plates (33) and extend into the upper anchor box body (3), thereby teaching openings formed in inclined plates for allowing concrete-filled steel tubes to be inserted therethrough. Huang additionally teaches providing a plurality of through holes (21) in the transverse diaphragm (2) to facilitate pouring and compacting concrete within the concrete-filled steel tube structure and bearing platform. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the steel-concrete combined skewback structure of Xu to provide fixing holes (108) formed in the bottom plate (101) and used for allowing the fixing steel tubes (2) to be inserted therein and mounting holes (109) formed in the lower inclined plates (103) and used for allowing the arc rib tubes (11) to be inserted therein as taught by Huang to permit structural members extending from the bearing platform to pass through the plates and expressly teaches concrete-filled steel tubes passing through inclined plates into the steel anchor box. Such a modification would predictably accommodate the fixing steel tubes and arch rib tubes within the respective plates of the steel structure box while maintaining the structural connections between the steel structure box, bearing platform, and arch rib tubes. It would have further been obvious to provide the mounting holes (109) for adding concrete into the fixing steel tubes (2) and to provide communicating holes (110) formed in the upper inclined plates (105) and used for pouring the concrete blocks (13) in the skewback, because Huang expressly teaches providing through holes in plates of its concrete-filled steel anchor box to facilitate concrete pouring and compaction. Providing such concrete-passage holes in the inclined plates of the modified steel structure box of Xu would have been a predictable application of Huang’s concrete-passage openings to the plates bounding the concrete-filled steel structure, in order to provide communication through the plates during concrete placement and thereby facilitate pouring and compact filling of the fixing steel tubes and the concrete blocks within the skewback.
Regarding claim 5, Xu as modified by Huang and Qiu teaches the invention as described above. Xu further teaches wherein the transverse diaphragm unit (3) comprises a lower cross plate (301) arranged on the two lower vertical plates (102), an upper cross plate (302) arranged on the two upper vertical plates (104) (a plurality of transverse diaphragm plates 9 being arranged between the webs 3 of the core steel arch center, including vertically spaced transverse diaphragm plates arranged between and connected to the webs 3). Xu as modified by Huang and Qiu further teaches reinforcing holes (303) formed in the lower cross plate (301) and used for allowing the fixing steel tubes (2) to be inserted therein. Huang teaches a transverse diaphragm (2) having a plurality of through holes (21), and Qiu teaches steel tubes extending between an upper bridge structure and a bearing platform. It would have been obvious to route the fixing steel tubes through corresponding openings in the transverse diaphragm in order to accommodate the fixing steel tubes within the diaphragm-reinforced steel structure box while maintaining a continuous structural connection between the steel structure box and the bearing platform. Huang further teaches concrete falling holes (304) formed in the lower cross plate (301) and the upper cross plate (302) (through holes 21 being provided in the transverse diaphragm to facilitate pouring and compacting concrete). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the concrete-falling through holes taught by Huang in the vertically spaced transverse diaphragm plates of Xu in order to facilitate the passage, pouring, and compaction of concrete through the diaphragm-reinforced steel structure.
Regarding claim 6, Xu as modified by Huang and Qiu teaches the invention as described above. Xu further teaches wherein the vertical diaphragm unit (4) comprises lower vertical plates (401) arranged on the bottom plate (101) and the lower cross plate (301), middle vertical plates (402) arranged on the lower cross plate (301) and the upper cross plate (302), and upper vertical plates (403) arranged on the upper cross plate (302) and the top plate (106) (vertical webs 3 extending within the core steel arch center between the bottom plate 2 and top plate 1 and intersecting/being connected with vertically spaced transverse diaphragm plates 9, thereby defining vertical web portions extending between the bottom plate and lower transverse diaphragm, between the lower and upper transverse diaphragms, and between the upper transverse diaphragm and top plate). Huang further teaches a vertical/longitudinal diaphragm (35) within a steel anchor box in combination with a transverse diaphragm (2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the vertical diaphragm arrangement of Xu in the respective spaces defined below, between, and above the vertically spaced transverse diaphragms in order to reinforce the steel box structure, maintain the structural stability of the box plates, and provide effective transfer of forces through the diaphragm-reinforced steel structure to the bearing platform.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (CN114250690) in view of Huang (CN202577132) and Qiu (CN 204475148) and in further view of Kong (CN115125821).
Regarding claim 4, Xu as modified by Huang and Qiu teaches the invention as described above, but fails to expressly teach wherein the steel structure box unit (1) further comprises a pouring hole (111) formed in the top plate (106). Kong teaches a steel-concrete composite box structure comprising a top plate defining concrete-filled box chambers, wherein each top plate is provided with a pouring hole for introducing concrete into the respective box chamber. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the steel-concrete combined skewback structure of Xu to provide a pouring hole (111) formed in the top plate (106), as taught by Kong, in order to provide access through the top plate for introducing concrete into the enclosed steel structure box unit and thereby facilitate filling the steel structure box unit with concrete.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 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 and if rewritten to overcome and 112 rejections or claim objections as outlined above.
The prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combination, a construction method of a steel-concrete combined skewback structure comprising positioning a steel structure box unit, wherein the fixing steel tubes (2) are sleeved with the steel structure box unit (1) till the steel structure box body (1) is pressed on an upper surface of the bearing platform (a), and thereafter pouring concrete, wherein the concrete is added into the arch rib tubes (11), so that the fixing steel tubes (2), the steel structure box unit (1) and the arch rib tubes (11) are sequentially filled with the concrete, in combination with the remaining limitations of claim 9.
While the prior art teaches various techniques for pre-embedding steel members in concrete bearing platforms, positioning steel structures relative to supporting members, mounting concrete-filled steel tube arch ribs, and pouring, vibrating, compacting, and curing concrete, the prior art does not teach or fairly suggest the claimed construction sequence in which the steel structure box unit is positioned by sleeving the box unit over fixing steel tubes associated with the bearing platform, followed by introducing concrete through the arch rib tubes such that the fixing steel tubes, steel structure box unit, and arch rib tubes are sequentially filled with concrete.
Accordingly, the particular combination and sequence of construction steps recited in claim 9, when considered as a whole, is not taught or fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is listed on the attached PTO-892. Wang teaches a steel and concrete arch bridge.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABIGAIL ANNE RISIC whose telephone number is (571)270-7819. The examiner can normally be reached 8-5, M-Th.
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/ABIGAIL A RISIC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3671 August 20, 2026
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