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 .
This is the first office action for application number 18/838,885, Apparatus, System, and Methods for Coupling Tools to Drill Rigs, filed on August 15, 2024.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because in Fig. 7, reference character "12" is used to designate a mounting platform, and a direction arrow. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the at least one wheel and an encoder, as cited in claim 21, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 14, 29, and 30 are objected to because of the following informalities: in line 1 of claim 2 and in line 1 of claim 14, --first-- should be inserted before "receptacle"; and in claim 29, line 1 and in claim 30, line 4, "an apparatus" should be changed to --the apparatus--. 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 15, 16, and 22-27 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.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the alignment device" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0317548 to Sun et al., hereinafter, Sun. Sun discloses an apparatus (100) comprising: a mounting platform (400) having a first longitudinal axis (Y1), the mounting platform comprising: a base (500) defining a first coupling feature (@510); a latch (600) that is movably coupled to the base about and between a secured position and a release position, wherein the latch defines a first retention feature (620); a unit (102) that is attachable to the mounting platform, the unit having a second longitudinal axis, the unit comprising: a second coupling feature (vertical extending portion of element 152 that extends into element 620, in Figs. 13 and paragraph [0158]) that extends along the second longitudinal axis, wherein the second coupling feature is configured for engagement with the first coupling feature by movement of the second coupling feature relative to the first coupling feature along the first longitudinal axis, wherein engagement between the first and second coupling features is configured to inhibit movement of the second coupling feature relative to the first coupling feature along an axis that is perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis; and a second retention feature (148, Figs. 13 & 15) that is configured to cooperate with the first retention feature to inhibit movement of the second retention relative to the first retention feature along the axis that is perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis; wherein the first coupling feature is a receptacle, wherein the second coupling feature is a first protrusion that is receivable into the first receptacle; wherein the first retention feature comprises a second receptacle; and wherein the second retention feature comprises a second protrusion that is receivable into the second receptacle.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 14, 17-21, and 28-30 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.
Claims 15, 16, and 22-27 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Patent No. 11,591,862 to Hernandez is directed to an external trap apparatus and method for safely controlling drilling tool string components during operations including a collar clamp for affixing a drilling tool lubricator. U.S. Patent No. 11,105,161 to Chau et al. is directed to a coupling adapter insertable in at least one joint of a drill string as the drill string is extended from a drill rig. U.S. Patent No. 7,350,587 to Springett et al. is directed to a guide for facilitating the movement of tubulars in well operations. U.S. Patent No. 6,311,789 to Saxman is directed to a bit breaker formed of a U-shaped base and a latching gate for use in drilling of oil and gas wells
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANITA M KING whose telephone number is (571)272-6817. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30am-4:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell Mckinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ANITA M KING/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632 January 7, 2026