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 .
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.
Claim 17 is 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.
Claim 17 recites the limitation: “wherein the thrust anchor is sized to the thrust anchor.” It is unclear how the thrust anchor is sized to itself. For the purposes of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as “the thrust anchor is sized to the pipe.”
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) 1-2, 4, 6-10, 12 and 14-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Titus (US 4,338,044). Regarding Claim 1:In Figures 1-2, Titus discloses a pipeline (10, 12, 13) comprising: a pipe (10) including an anchor ring (spiral ring 12) extending from an exterior surface of the pipe (as seen in Figures 1-2); and a ballast weight (weight jacket 13) coupled around the pipe (as seen in Figure 1), the ballast weight (13) including an anchor keyway (keyway receiving 12 as seen in Figure 1, henceforth referred to as KW) designed as a channel into an interior surface of the ballast weight (as seen in Figure 1, the keyway forms a channel in the interior surface of the ballast weight 13), wherein the anchor ring extends into the anchor keyway (as seen in Figure 1, 12 extends into the keyway of the ballast jacket 13).Regarding Claim 2:In Figures 1-2, Titus discloses the pipeline (10, 12, 13), wherein the ballast weight (13) is a bullet ballast weight (the ballast weight 13 is shaped cylindrically like a bullet as seen in Figures 1-3). Regarding Claim 4:In Figures 1-2, Titus discloses the pipeline (10, 12, 13), wherein the anchor ring (12) has a rectangular cross section extending from the pipe in a plane perpendicular to a center axis of the pipe (as seen in Figure 1, the cross-section of 12 is rectangular in a plane perpendicular to a center axis of the pipe, i.e., the plan defined by the cross-section shown in Figure 1).Regarding Claim 6:In Figures 1-2, Titus discloses the pipeline (10, 12, 13), wherein the anchor ring (12) has a circular cross section in a plane perpendicular to a center axis of the pipe (as mentioned in in column 2, lines 11-22, the anchor ring 12 can be composed of cables or rods which are commonly known to have a circular cross section and would extend in the plan perpendicular to the center axis of the pipe as depicted in Figure 1).Regarding Claim 7:In Figures 1-2, Titus discloses the pipeline (10, 12, 13), wherein the anchor ring (12) extends around an entire circumference of the pipe (as evident from Figure 2).Regarding Claim 8:In Figures 1-2, Titus discloses the pipeline (10, 12, 13), wherein the anchor ring (12) is an anchor key that partially extends around a circumference of the pipe (as mentioned in column 2, lines 11-22, the anchor ring 12 can be composed of one or more bars, wherein each bar can be considered a separate anchor key extending partially around a circumference of the pipe).Regarding Claim 9:In Figures 1-2, Titus discloses a ballast weight assembly (12, 13) comprising: a thrust anchor (12) configured to couple to a pipe (coupled to pipe 10 via welding, see column 2, lines 11-22), the thrust anchor (12) including an anchor ring (spiral ring 12) protruding from an exterior surface of the pipe (as seen in Figures 1-2); and a ballast weight (13) coupled around the thrust anchor (as seen in Figure 2), the ballast weight (13) including an anchor keyway (keyway receiving 12 as seen in Figure 1, henceforth referred to as KW) designed as a channel into an interior surface of the ballast weight (as seen in Figure 1, the keyway forms a channel in the interior surface of the ballast weight 13), wherein the anchor ring (12) extends into the anchor keyway (as seen in Figure 1, 12 extends into the keyway of the ballast jacket 13).Regarding Claim 10:See rejection of claim 2 above. Regarding Claim 12:See rejection of claim 4 above.Regarding Claim 14:See rejection of claim 6 above.Regarding Claim 15:See rejection of claim 7 above.Regarding Claim 16:See rejection of claim 8 above.Regarding Claim 17:In Figures 1-2, Titus discloses the ballast weight assembly (12, 13), wherein the thrust anchor (12) is sized to the pipe (as seen in Figures 1-2, 12 wraps snugly around the pipe 10 and so is sized to the pipe).Regarding Claim 18:In Figures 1-2, Titus discloses a ballast weight (12, 13) configured to couple around a pipe (couples around pipe 10 as seen in Figure 1), the ballast weight (12, 13) including: an anchor keyway (keyway receiving 12 as seen in Figure 1, henceforth referred to as KW) designed as a channel into an interior surface of the ballast weight (as seen in Figure 1, the keyway forms a channel in the interior surface of the ballast weight 13), wherein the anchor keyway (KW) is configured to receive an anchor ring (12) extending from the pipe (as seen in Figures 1-2).Regarding Claim 19:See rejection of claim 2 above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 3, 11 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Titus (US 4,338,044) in view of Risi et al. (herein Risi) (US 2012/0183356).Regarding Claims 3, 11 and 20:Titus fails to disclose that the ballast weight (13) is a foundation ballast weight. However, in Figure 3, Risi discloses a similar ballast weight (24) for a pipe (20) comprising a planar surface (46) that allows it to rest on a seabed in a stable manner, thereby forming a foundation ballast weight. Hence, based on Risi’s teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have formed Titus’ ballast weight (13) with a flat bottom (i.e., include a planar surface at the bottom as taught by Risi) since doing so would convert Titus’ ballast weight into a foundation ballast weight that could have a stable bottom surface to be securely received on a seabed without rolling.
Claim(s) 5 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Titus (US 4,338,044).Regarding Claims 5 and 13:
Titus is silent regarding whether the anchor ring has a triangular cross section in a plane perpendicular to a center axis of the pipe.It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to change the shape of the anchor ring (12) such that it had a triangular cross section in a plane perpendicular to a center axis of the pipe., since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in form or shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art, absent any showing of unexpected results. In re Dailey et al., 149 USPQ 47. See MPEP 2144.04, IV. B.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20110280659 – Interlocking ballast weight. US 6357966 – Ballast for underwater pipeline.
US 4739800 – Modular ballast weights. See PTO-892 for more relevant prior art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOMINICK L PLAKKOOTTAM whose telephone number is (571)270-7571. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 12 pm -8 pm ET.
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/DOMINICK L PLAKKOOTTAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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