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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I in the reply filed on July 17, 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 12-20, 22-24, 26, 28-36, 39, 41, and 43 are pending, with claims 28-36, 39, 41, and 43 withdrawn.
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.
Claims 12-20, 22-24, and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 12 recites “a sway range for the pressure receptacle is provided by rotation of the rotation interface of the coupler relative to the ground support and relative motion of the second end of the pressure receptacle relative to a portion of a deck of a maritime vessel” in lines 11-13. It is unclear whether the “portion of a deck of a maritime vessel” is a positively recited limitation or merely an intended use, as the claim is directed to “a pressure receptacle support system.”
Claim 15 recites “a first end” at line 2. It is unclear whether this is referring to the first end of the pressure receptacle recited in claim 12 (lines 2-3), the first end of the coupler recited in claim 12 (line 8), or something else.
Claim 19 recites “the first boss” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For purposes of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as “a first boss.”
Claim 20 recites “the spherical opening” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For purposes of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as “a spherical opening.”
Claims 12-20, 22-24, and 26 are also rejected through their dependence on a rejected parent claim (details above).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 12-15, 18, 19, and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by WO 2020/243611 to Petersen et al. (hereinafter, “Petersen”).
Regarding claim 12, Petersen discloses a pressure receptacle support system (see e.g., Figs. 3-3B), comprising: a pressure receptacle (tank 52, Fig. 3B) comprising a central portion (annotated Fig. 3B below) disposed along a longitudinal axis (annotated Fig. 3B), a first end (first end 52A, Fig. 3B) and a second end (second end 52B, Fig. 3B) opposite the first end (first end 52A), the first and second ends (first and second ends 52A, 52B) being disposed along the longitudinal axis (annotated Fig. 3B); a first end support assembly (annotated Fig. 3B) fastened to the first end (first end 52A), the first end support assembly (annotated Fig. 3B) comprising: a ground support (block component 192, Fig. 3B); and a coupler (boss 54, Fig. 3B) having a receptacle interface (annotated Fig. 3B) at a first end (see Fig. 3B) and a rotation interface (annotated Fig. 3B) at or extending from a second end (see Fig. 3B) opposite the first end (see Fig. 3B), the receptacle interface (annotated Fig. 3B) being fastened to the first end (first end 52A) of the pressure receptacle (tank 52); wherein a sway range (tank 52 is capable of movement via the rotation interface, see Figs. 4-7A; paras. [0035], [0052], [0061]) for the pressure receptacle (tank 52) is provided by rotation of the rotation interface (annotated Fig. 3B) of the coupler (boss 54) relative to the ground support (block component 192) and relative motion of the second end (second end 52B) of the pressure receptacle (tank 52) relative to a portion of a deck of a maritime vessel (tank is capable of having motion relative to a deck of a maritime vessel).
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Petersen Annotated Figure 3B
Regarding claim 13, Petersen further discloses the rotation interface (annotated Fig. 3B) comprises a spherical opening (concave channel within periphery 196, Fig. 3B; paras. [0037], [0046]) disposed within the coupler (see Fig. 3B).
Regarding claim 14, Petersen further discloses the ground support (block component 192) further comprises a ball end (convex outer surface of member 199, see Figs. 3B-7A; para. [0046]), an elongate body (body of element 56, see Fig. 3B) and a free end opposite the ball end (end closest to receptacle interface, see Fig. 3B), the elongate body (body of element 56) insertable into a recess coupled with a bottom portion of a maritime vessel (elongate body is capable of being inserted into a recess of a maritime vessel).
Regarding claim 15, Petersen further discloses the pressure receptacle (tank 52) further comprises a first neck portion comprising a first boss (first boss 54, Fig. 3B) at a first end and wherein the receptacle interface (annotated Fig. 3B) is coupled with the first neck portion (see Fig. 3B).
Regarding claim 18, Petersen further discloses the receptacle interface (annotated Fig. 3B) is configured to resist relative rotation (see Fig. 3B) between the pressure receptacle (tank 52) and the coupler (boss 54) of the first end support assembly (annotated Fig. 3B).
Regarding claim 19, Petersen further discloses the receptacle interface (annotated Fig. 3B) comprises a recess (recess formed beneath clamp 608, Fig. 10) having a portion of the first boss disposed therein (see Fig. 10), at least a portion of the recess (surface 625, Fig. 10) shaped to resist rotation of the pressure receptacle relative to the recess (see Fig. 10).
Regarding claim 24, Petersen further discloses the elongate body (body of element 56) of the ground support (block component 192) is configured to adjustably mate with the recess of the maritime vessel (elongate body is capable of being adjustably mated with the recess of the maritime vessel) by adjusting an elevation of the ball end (convex outer surface of member 199) relative to one or both of a surface from which the recess extends and the portion of the deck of the maritime vessel (elongate body is capable of being adjustably mated with the recess of the maritime vessel).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16, 17, 20, 22, 23, and 26 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 16, Petersen further discloses the pressure receptacle further comprises a second neck portion comprising a second boss at the second end, and the pressure receptacle support system further comprising a second end support assembly coupled with the second neck portion (see Fig. 3B). However, Petersen does not disclose the second end support assembly comprising a maritime vessel deck coupler configured to be secured to a portion of a deck of a maritime vessel, a rotational member coupled with an outer surface of the second boss, and a rotational connection disposed between the rotational member and the maritime vessel deck coupler as claimed. It would not have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Petersen to have such an arrangement in combination with the other claim limitations.
Regarding claim 20, Petersen does not disclose the recess has a first portion disposed opposite a spherical opening and a second portion disposed between the first portion and the spherical opening, or a plug of the pressure receptacle having an end portion disposed in the second portion of the recess and the second portion comprises a non-round inner periphery engaged with a non-round outer periphery of the end portion of the plug. It would not have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Petersen to have such an arrangement in combination with the other claim limitations.
Claims 17, 22, 23, and 26 would be allowable based on their dependency from claim 16.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
U.S. Pub. 2017/0370527 to Moutray et al. discloses a pressure vessel support system comprising a coupler having a receptacle interface and permitting relative motion (see Figs. 1-7).
U.S. Pub. 2004/0056164 to Eihusen et al. discloses a pressure vessel support system comprising a coupler having a receptacle interface and permitting relative motion (see Figs. 1-11).
U.S. Pat. 5,515,997 to Kirk et al. discloses a pressure vessel support system comprising a coupler having a first end support assembly and a second end support assembly (see Figs. 1-6).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA E. PARKER whose telephone number is (571)272-6014. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm EST.
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/LAURA E. PARKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3733
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