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 Objections
Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities: In line 5, change “received” for -receive-. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stone et al. US 2022/0356893 A1 (hereinafter ‘Stone’).
In regard to claim 1, Stone teaches a coupler comprising:
a first fitting (Part B) mountable on a first externally threaded reinforcing bar (14) configured to be positioned in concrete, the first fitting including:
a first body (38) having a first internal thread (44) configured to threadedly receive the first externally threaded reinforcing bar (fig. 9), and
a second internal thread (36) having a pitch finer than a pitch of the first internal thread (see fig. 13); and
a plug (34) threadable into the second internal thread to a position to abut an end of the threaded reinforcing bar (see fig. 14, note that the reinforcing bar is not being positively claimed, further, the plug of Stone is threadable to a position to abut the bar in the same manner that applicant’s does -see applicant’s fig. 2).
In regard to claim 2, Stone teaches the claimed invention wherein the plug is configured to be tightened in the second internal thread to apply a preload against the end of the treaded reinforcing bar. Note that the plug is threaded and engages with the second threads, therefore is fully capable of being tightening and apply a preload on the bar (see MPEP 2114).
In regard to claim 3, Stone teaches the claimed invention wherein the plug is frangible (see part 52 or plug 34) and is capable of ensuring a correct preload amount.
In regard to claim 4, Stone teaches the claimed invention wherein the plug includes an engagement formation (54) usable to rotate the plug relative to the first firring, and wherein the engagement formation is frangibly connected to a reminder of the plug (see fig. 21 and [0066]).
In regard to claim 5, Stone teaches the claimed invention wherein the plug has an external thread corresponding to the second internal thread of the first fitting (see fig. 13).
In regard to claim 6, Stone teaches the claimed invention wherein the plug includes a stop (54 -see figs. 3-4) to ensure a correct depth of insertion to the first fitting to enable insertion of the threaded reinforcing bar prior to tightening the plug to apply the preload (note that this is a functional limitation that can be performed by the stop 54).
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.
Claims 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stone as applied to claim 1 and in view of Lee et al. US 2020/0157819 A1 (hereinafter ‘Lee’).
In regard to claim 7, It is noted that the claimed subject matter of claim 7 amounts to a second fitting, mountable to a second bar, that is substantially identical to the first fitting.
Stone teaches a second fitting (part A) mountable to a second bar having a second body (30) with a first internal thread configured to receive the bar (see fig. 35).
The second fitting of Stone does not have a second internal thread or a second plug as claimed (i.e. is not the same as the first one).
Lee teaches a coupler comprising first and second fittings (130s) including plugs (120), mountable to first and second bars (10s) respectively, wherein said first and second fittings are identical (see fig. 1-2).
It would have been obvious, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the instant application, to provide two part B fittings in the coupler of Stone (that is, a second fitting including: a second internal thread (36) having a pitch finer than a pitch of the first internal thread (see fig. 13); and a plug (34) threadable into the second internal thread to a position to abut an end of the threaded reinforcing bar), as taught by Lee, because doing so simplifies and expedites the construction.
In regard to claims 8 and 9, the combination of Stone/Lee teaches the second fitting is configured to be in threaded connection with the first fitting. Note that parts A and B in Stone are in a threaded connection (via male thread 34 / female thread 36), thus, the two identical parts of the combination would maintain the threaded connection.
In regard to claim 10, the combination of Stone/Lee teaches the first and second fittings include first and second female threads (36 -note that the fittings of the combination are identical, hence they both have female threads 36).
Lee teaches a threaded stub (110) having first and second ends connectable to first and second threads (via 113/133 -see [0049]).
It would have been obvious, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the instant application to provide a stub, as taught by Lee, having male threads that can be connected with the female threads 36, so as to provide for a very simple and quick construction (see Lee [0016]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
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/PAOLA AGUDELO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3633