DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
This action is in response to the application filed 13 September 2024 which is a 371 of PCT/KR2023/016172 filed 18 October 2023 and claims foreign priority to KR10-2023-0138620 filed 17 October 2023. 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 § 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.
Claims 1-5, 8, 16 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Guak (KR 20230079623, translation provided).
- Regarding Claim 1. Guak discloses a floating pier (illustrated by fig 6) comprising:
a first floating structure including a plurality of first brackets (Bb, illustrated by fig. 6 and 2b), a first deck plate seated on the upper part of the plurality of first brackets (Bb, illustrated by fig. 6), and a first buoyancy body (Pb) penetrating the lower part of the plurality of first brackets (Bb, illustrated by fig. 2b);
a second floating structure including a plurality of second brackets (Bb), a second deck plate seated on the upper part of the plurality of second brackets (Bb, illustrated by fig. 6), and a second buoyancy body (Pb) penetrating the lower part of the plurality of second brackets (Bb, illustrated by fig. 2b); and
a connecting structure (100b) connecting the first floating structure and the second floating structure (illustrated by fig. 5 and 6), wherein the connecting structure (100b) is configured to connect at least one of the first bracket (Bb) and the second bracket (Bb, illustrated by fig. 2) and the first buoyancy body (Pb) and the second buoyancy (Pb, illustrated by fig. 5 and 6) body to each other (illustrated by fig. 6, there are two configurations illustrated by Guak, a/b, however, all of the various connections are either a or b depending on the one chosen, fig. 6 illustrates the multiples of components to create a floating pier).
- Regarding Claim 2. Guak discloses the floating pier of claim 1, wherein the connecting structure (100b) is coupled to the first buoyancy body (Pb) and the second buoyancy body (Pb), respectively, and is configured to fix the first buoyancy body (Pb) and the second buoyancy body (Pb) to each other (illustrated by fig. 5 and 6).
- Regarding Claim 3. Guak discloses the floating pier of claim 2, wherein the connecting structure (100b) includes:
a first connecting body (140b) coupled to the first buoyancy body (Pb);
a second connecting body (140b) coupled to the second buoyancy body (Pb) and in contact with the first connecting body (140b); and
a fixing body (130b) fixed to each of the first connecting body (140b) and the second connecting body (140b), wherein the first connecting body and the second connecting body are arranged symmetrically to each other (illustrated by fig. 5b, fasteners connect the connecting bodies to one another).
- Regarding Claim 4. Guak discloses the floating pier of claim 3, wherein the first connecting body (140b) and the second connecting body (140b) include:
a connecting pipe (110b) including an insertion part fitted into the buoyancy body and a support part (120b) having a relatively larger outer diameter than the insertion part (illustrated by fig. 3b); and
a flange (130b) having an outer diameter relatively larger than the outer diameter of the support part (120b), an inner diameter equal to or larger than the outer diameter of the insertion part (illustrated by fig. 4b), and a coupling hole (131b) spaced apart along its circumference (illustrated by fig. 3b).
- Regarding Claim 5. Guak discloses the floating pier of claim 4, wherein the fixing body (130b) includes:
a connecting shaft (illustrated by fastener of fig. 5b) inserted into the coupling hole (131b) of the first connecting body (140b) and the coupling hole (131b) of the second connecting body (140b) and having a screw thread formed on its outer circumferential surface (illustrated by fig. 5b); and
a fastening nut having a screw thread formed on its inner circumferential surface and bolt- coupled to the connecting shaft (illustrated by fig. 5b, see also claim 3 of Guak).
- Regarding Claim 8. Guak discloses the floating pier of claim 1, wherein the connecting structure (100b) is coupled to the first bracket (Bb) and the second bracket (Bb), respectively, and is configured to fix the first bracket and the second bracket to each other (illustrated by fig. 6, when the pipes are connected, they couple the brackets and fix the brackets to each other to form the pier).
- Regarding Claim 16. Guak discloses the floating pier of claim 1, wherein the bracket (Bb) includes:
a support frame having at least two or more ribs (illustrated by fig. 2b); and
a receiving frame (170b) extending downward from the support frame and accommodating the buoyancy body (Pb, illustrated by fig. 2b), wherein the support frame has the at least two or more ribs forming a honeycomb lattice structure, and the honeycomb lattice structure is repeatedly arranged (illustrated by fig. 2b).
- Regarding Claim 19. Guak discloses a connecting apparatus (100b) for connecting a plurality of floating structures (Pb), comprising:
a first connecting link (140b) coupled to one of the plurality of floating structures (C);
a second connecting link (140b) coupled to another floating structure (C) adjacent to the one floating structure among the plurality of floating structures (illustrated by fig. 5b and 6);
a link connecting member (fastener illustrated in fig. 5b, see also claim 3 of Guak) connecting the first connecting link and the second connecting link (illustrated by fig. 5b).
- Regarding Claim 20. Guak discloses the connecting apparatus of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of floating structures includes:
a deck plate (illustrated by fig. 6);
a buoyancy body (Pb) providing buoyancy to the plurality of floating structures (C); and
a plurality of brackets (Bb) having a support frame supporting the deck plate and formed of a plurality of ribs and a receiving frame (170b) connected to the lower part of the support frame (Bb) and accommodating at least a part of the buoyancy body (Pb, illustrated by fig. 2b), and the first connecting link (140b) includes:
a first coupling frame (130b) coupled to two or more spaced ribs among the plurality of ribs forming the one floating structure (illustrated by fig. 6); and
a first connecting frame (120b) extending from one surface of the first coupling frame (130b, illustrated by fig. 5b).
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 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guak in view of Obviousness.
- Regarding Claim 6. Guak discloses the floating pier of claim 4, with the fixing body (130b). Guak does not disclose wherein the fixing body includes a turnbuckle.
However, the examiner contends that incorporating a turnbuckle into the fixing body of Guak is an obvious matter of design choice given that the apparatus of Guak functions in a known manner using nut/bolt fasteners, of which a turnbuckle is a known alternative. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention as claimed to incorporate a turnbuckle into the fixing body of Guak to provide an adjustable fastener system to the fixing body of Guak to allow for tolerance/slop correction in the formation of the floating pier.
- Regarding Claim 7. Guak discloses the floating pier of claim 4, wherein the connecting pipe (110b) further includes a ring coupled to one side of the support part (120b, illustrated by fig. 3b and 4b), capable of contacting the flange (130b), but does not disclose the ring formed of an elastic material.
Guak discloses the claimed invention except for ring material being elastic. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention as claimed to make the ring of an elastic material, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. See also Ballas Liquidating Co. v. Allied industries of Kansas, Inc. (DC Kans) 205 USPQ 331.
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guak in view of Lee (KR 102448003, translation provided).
- Regarding Claim 17. Guak discloses a floating pier comprising:
a floating structure (C) including a plurality of brackets (Bb, illustrated by fig. 6), a deck plate seated on the upper part of the plurality of brackets (Bb, illustrated by fig. 6), and a buoyancy body (Pb) penetrating the lower part of the plurality of brackets (illustrated by fig. 2b). Guak does not disclose a wave dissipation structure coupled to the plurality of brackets of the floating structure and having an area capable of covering the side of the floating structure.
However, Lee discloses a similar floating pier wherein a wave dissipation structure (20) is coupled to the sides of the various floating structures (10) and is capable of dissipating waves (“attenuate waves” [abstract]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention as claimed to incorporate a wave dissipation structure as disclosed by Lee with the floating pier of Guak to ensure that the system maintains integrity in rough seas and has a larger envelope of useful environments and to reduce safety accidents and damage as disclosed by Lee.
- Regarding Claim 18. Guak as modified discloses the floating pier of claim 17. Lee further discloses wherein the wave dissipation structure (20) includes a concavo-convex structure (24a, illustrated by fig. 4).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-15 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon but considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure can be found in PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TYE W ABELL whose telephone number is (303) 297-4408. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday 0700-1500 CST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Collins can be reached on 571-272-6886. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TYE WILLIAM ABELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3644 28 May 2026
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