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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/22/2025 has been entered.
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.
Claim(s) 12-16 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by FI 87263 C, Zeidler.
In regards to claim 12, in Figures 1-4 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Zeidler discloses a clamping ring (5, 6) for a fitting for a pipe to be sealed from the outside, the clamping ring comprising: - a plurality of ring elements (28), and - a plurality of hinge elements (between adjacent 28s) for the pivotable connection of two ring elements in each case and - wherein the ring elements are designed to hold and/or fix a pipe to be inserted, - wherein the ring elements have a strip shape by means of the hinge elements and - wherein the ring elements have a flat shape or a laterally open ring shape, wherein the ring elements connected to each other by means of the hinge elements can be folded from a flat shape into a ring shape, and- wherein the ring elements have lateral surfaces (30) in the azimuthal direction, which are designed to taper inwards towards each other at least in sections in the radial direction.
In regards to claim 13, in Figures 1-4 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Zeidler discloses the ring elements have a partially cylindrical outer surface (after bending).
In regards to claim 14, in Figures 1-4 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Zeidler discloses the ring elements have a predetermined azimuthal length, so that by cutting the strip of hinge elements into strips with at least two different numbers of ring elements for at least two clamping rings for fittings with at least two different standard widths is possible.
In regards to claim 15, in Figures 1-4 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Zeidler discloses the ring elements have a seal seat at the end facing a seal (4) to be inserted.
In regards to claim 16, in Figures 1-4 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Zeidler discloses the ring elements are at least partially designed as retaining elements, and - the retaining elements have radially inwardly directed guiding elements for centring a pipe to be inserted.
In regards to claim 20, in Figures 1-4 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Zeidler discloses some of the ring elements are designed as retaining elements and some of the ring elements are designed as fixing elements.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) above have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-19 and 21 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 is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure because it illustrates the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON M DUNWOODY whose telephone number is (571)272-7080. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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/AARON M DUNWOODY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679