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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of group I in the reply filed on 12/30/25 is acknowledged.
Claim 8 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.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 12/30/25.
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) 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Pierce (US 2023/0107417A1).
As to claim 1, Pierce teaches (see Figs 5A and 5B) a repair device (see para [0057] for a tool configured to clean and brush-coat conduit) comprising: a casing (tool 538) having a box shape being open extending in a first direction (upward F direction; and where sealant applicator 556 is mounted on the opening, see Fig 5A for the broken lines on the opening between sealant applicator 556 and biasing element 562), and extending in a second direction (see Fig 5B for one of the arrows “->” on the side of the tool 538 extending along the horizontal direction connected to the tool 538) intersecting the first direction (upward F); a brush device (560) housed in the casing (538) from the first direction (upward F); and a jack unit (actuator 566 bearing elements 544) positioned between a bottom surface of the casing (538) and the brush device (560) and configured to adjust a position (see Fig 5A for the upward and downward arrows) of the brush device in the first direction (upward F) relative to the bottom surface of the casing (538), wherein the brush device (560) includes a base (556), a guide (562 biasing element) positioned at a fixed position relative to the base and protruding from an opening in the casing in the first direction (upward F direction), multiple brushes (560) attached to the base (556), protruding from the opening (extending, see para [0034] and Fig 5A) in the casing in the first direction (upward F) beyond the guide (562), and configured to apply sealant to a surface (534) to be treated facing the first direction (upward direction F), and an actuator (566) configured to adjust positions of the multiple brushes in a third direction (see Fig 5B for one of the arrows “<-“ on the side of the tool 538 extending along the horizontal direction connected to the tool 538, arrow) intersecting the first direction (upward direction F) and the second direction (see Fig 5B for one of the arrows “->”) by moving the base (556) in the third direction (see Fig 5B for one of the arrows “<-“).
As to claim 2, Pierce teaches (see Fig 5B and para [0029]) the guide is a roller (548D) rotatable about an axis extending in the third direction.
Regarding claim 3, Pierce teaches (see Fig 5B) sub-rollers provided in pairs on both sides of the casing in the second direction, each pair of sub-rollers (548D) being spaced apart from each other in the third direction, the sub-rollers protruding from the casing in the third direction and being rotatable (see para [0029] for rotational bearings) about axes extending in the second direction.
As to claim 4, in Pierce the base (556) includes two divided bodies divided in the third direction, the multiple brushes are evenly provided across the two divided bodies(see the right and left sides of the applicator 556 four brushes on each side), and the actuator (566) is positioned between the two divided bodies and moves the two divided bodies closer to or farther away from each other in the third direction (see Fig 5B for one of the arrows “<-“) by interlocking the two divided bodies while maintaining equal distances of the two divided bodies from a reference center line extending in the second direction (see para [0034])
Regarding claim 5, in Pierce the jack unit (actuator 566) is a bag configured to adjust a position of the base (556) in the first direction by expanding or contracting using internal air pressure (inflation and deflation of the air bladder valve coupled with compressed air, see para [0034]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pierce (US 2023/0107417A1) in view of Chappen (US 2,500,660).
As to claim 6, Pierce teaches a pipe (see Fig 5A) coupled to the repair device (tool 538) from the second direction; and a movement mechanism (translational-bearing elements of the tool 538 with translational-bearing elements support movement of the tool 538, see para [0028]). However, Pierce lacks teaching a repair system having a movement mechanism gripping an end portion of the pipe on a side far from the repair device in the second direction and move the pipe in the second direction. However, Chappen teaches (see Figs 5-6) a repair system (a surface treatment means) having a movement mechanism (clutch 87) gripping a pipe (tubing 46) in moving the pipe coupled with the housing 45 for surface treatment apparatus. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a movement mechanism gripping an end portion of the pipe on a side far from the repair device as claimed in Pierce to move the housing (tool) of the repair device outwardly or inwardly to conform with the contour of the surface being treated as taught by Chappen (see column 7, lines 39-55).
Regarding claim 7, Pierce lacks teaching the repair device including a coupling member including a shaft, thread portions and flange portions. However, Chappen teaches (see Fig 1 and 8) the repair device (surface treatment means) further including a coupling pipe (50) extending in the second direction (direction perpendicular to the housing 45), the repair system further comprising a coupling member (52) configured to couple the pipe (tubing 46) and the coupling pipe (50), and the coupling member includes a central shaft (52) portion extending in the second direction, with one end portion in the second direction inserted into one of the pipe (46, see Fig 6) and the coupling pipe (see Fig 6), and another end portion in the second direction inserted into another of the pipe and the coupling pipe (see Fig 6 for different sections of member 46), male thread portions (keyed gear 53) provided at both end portions of the central shaft (52) portion in the second direction and capable of being screwed into inside surfaces of the pipe and the coupling pipe (since the use of reversible threaded screws 62,108 is for back and forth movement), and a flange (58) portion protruding radially outward from an outside surface of the central shaft portion (52) at a central portion in the second direction (see, Fig 6 perpendicular direction). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a coupling member including a shaft, thread portions and flange portions as claimed in Pierce in order to automatically move the repair vertically and transversely of the surface to be treated as taught by Chappen (see column 1, lines 10-15).
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Thomas et al (US 2,540,602) teaching (see Fig 3) a repairing device with pads 36 or brushes 47. Tajiri (US 20200207037) teaches (see Fig 3) a molding device with jigs and resin supply unit and distribution media 111.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YEWEBDAR T TADESSE whose telephone number is (571)272-1238. The examiner can normally be reached 7.00-3:30 PM.
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YEWEBDAR T. TADESSE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1717
/YEWEBDAR T TADESSE/
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