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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “11” has been used to designate both “hull” and “tugboat”; reference character “200” has been used to designate both “coupler” and “actuator”; reference character “203” has been used to designate both “supply” and “spindle”. 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. 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 as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "229" and "234" have both been used to designate “encoder”; reference characters "14" and "202" have both been used to designate “guide”; reference characters "213" and "203" have both been used to designate “spindle”; reference characters "213" and "203" have both been used to designate “supply”. 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. 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
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: missing a period at the end. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 5-9, 11, 14, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bangslund (WO 2019/097066).
As per claim 1, Bangslund teaches a coupler for coupling a marine vessel line and a tugboat line, the coupler comprising:
-a coupling zone for receiving the marine vessel line and the tugboat line (Bangslund: para. 59; para. 84; Coupling zone in which a portion of the line of the tugboat is insertable. Line engager which defines a coupling zone engages the lines.);
-a guide configured to receive a connector (Bangslund: para. 87) and guide the connector around the coupling zone to wrap the connector around the lines (Bangslund: para. 16; para. 88; The coupling mechanism is configured to wrap the connector around the lines.); and
-a securing member configured to secure the connector to the lines such that the lines are
coupled (Bangslund: para. 88; Twist together the free ends of the connector after wrapping the connector around the lines.), wherein the securing member is upstream of the guide and is configured to bend the connector prior to the connector being received by the guide (Bangslund: para. 89).
As per claim 5, the coupler of claim 1 is as described. Bangslund teaches wherein the coupler is configured to wrap the connector around the lines a plurality of times (Bangslund: para. 88; wrap the connector around the lines to encircle the bundle of lines more than once.).
As per claim 6, the coupler of claim 1 is as described. Bangslund teaches wherein the connector comprises a length of wire (Bangslund: para. 18; para. 87; Connector is a length of wire.).
As per claim 7, the coupler of claim 1 is as described. Bangslund teaches wherein the securing member is actuable to twist together free ends of the connector to secure the connector to the lines (Bangslund: para. 88; Twist together the free ends of the connector after wrapping the connector around the lines.).
As per claim 8, the coupler of claim 1 is as described. Bangslund teaches wherein the coupler comprises a feed mechanism configured to feed the connector from a supply toward the securing member, and wherein the securing member comprises a cutting element configured to cut the connector from the supply (Bangslund: para. 87; Cut the connector from the supply.).
As per claim 9, the coupler of claim 8 is as described. Bangslund teaches wherein the cutting element comprises a lip that extends around a periphery of the securing member (Bangslund: para. 87).
As per claim 11, the coupler of claim 8 is as described. Bangslund teaches wherein the securing member is actuable to both twist together free ends of the connector to secure the connector to the lines and cut the connector from the supply (Bangslund: para. 87-88).
As per claim 14, the coupler of claim 8 is as described. Bangslund teaches wherein the securing member comprises a bending surface and the securing member is alignable with the feed mechanism such that the connector is directed toward the bending surface to bend the connector (Bangslund: para. 89).
Claims 16-18 recite substantially similar limitations as those already addressed in claim 1, and, as such, are rejected for similar reasons as given above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 10, 12-13, and 15 with the independent claim are allowable over prior art. The claims are rejected based on being dependent from a rejected claim. The limitation specifically regarding having a channel in a housing defined by a first and section sections and the housing restricting movement of the lines in first and second axis which are orthogonal to each other are not found in the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bangslund – KR 20200106493A – Teaches a line handling system for a tugboat.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHEETAL R. PAULSON whose telephone number is (571)270-1368. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Marc Jimenez can be reached at (571) 272-4530. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHEETAL R PAULSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615
