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 .
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.
Claim(s) 16-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hawkins et al. (U.S. Patent No. 4,362,252).
As for Claim 16, Hawkins discloses a system for locking and unlocking a substantially circular elongate element on a support, comprising:
a substantially tubular sleeve (22) comprising a sheath or a structure (body of 22), the sleeve or structure having an inner volume (inner volume of 22) and first and second ends (ends of 22), the sleeve or structure comprising a first orifice at the first end and a second orifice at the second end (orifices of 22 which cores 24 enters and exits), the first and second orifices allowing an elongate element (24) to be fed into and out of sleeve or structure;
a first securing element (26 and 20) comprising a first opening for passage of the elongate element (see Figs. 1-2) and for attachment to the support, the first securing element being attached to the sleeve or structure spaced from the first end (see Figs. 1-2 disclosing 22 being attached to 26 and 20 by elongate element 24),
a second securing element (the other 26 and 20) attached to the sleeve or structure at the second end (see Figs. 1-2 disclosing 22 being attached to 26 and 20 by elongate element 24);
a spacer (35) for increasing the distance between first securing element and second securing
element, which exerts a tensile force on the sleeve or structure that constricts the sleeve or
structure on the elongate element and the second securing element comprises at least two
bodies (8) which are movable in relation to each other; and
a drive (14) for providing a first movement of one of the bodies in relation to the other of the bodies that causes tightening of the sleeve on the elongate element at the second end.
Re: Claim 17. (New) A system for locking and unlocking an elongate element as claimed in claim 16, wherein the second securing element comprises an outer part including a male body (20) and a
female body (26) that are coaxial on an axis, and a displacement device (38) which displaces the male body and the female body along the axis, in a direction toward the other male or female body and wherein the male body comprises an inclined outer surface and an inner surface which allows passage of the elongate element (surfaces of 20 which allows passage of 24), the female body comprising a conical inner surface (inner surface of 26) forming an angle relative to the axis which is substantially equal to an angle formed by an inclined outer surface of the male body relative to the axis and the male body (see Figs. 1-2) which comprises at least three parts (26 comprises a front, rear, and central part) so that an axial displacement exerted by the displacement device causes radial displacement of the at least three independent parts which tightens the sleeve on the elongate element relative to the second end.
Re: Claim 18. (New) A system for locking and unlocking as claimed in claim 17, wherein the inner surface of male body comprises at least one convex curved portion (inner surface have convex curved portions defined by 98).
Re: Claim 19. (New) A system for locking and unlocking as claimed in claim 17, wherein the
displacement device comprises a screw thread fitted (distal end of 38 threaded onto 20 and abuts against shoulder 52) into an external thread or an internal thread
of an outer part of the system.
Re: Claim 20. (New) A system for locking and unlocking as claimed in claim 17, wherein the
displacement device displaces a female body in a direction toward a male body by radially moving the male body (see Figs. 1-2 disclosing the device 38 displacing 36).
Re: Claim 21. (New) A system for locking and unlocking as claimed in claim 16, wherein second
securing element comprises annular parts (20 and 26 discloses annular parts) connected by curved strips which extend in a direction of the sleeve or structure and means for displacing which increases or reduces a distance between the annular parts.
Re: Claim 22. (New) A system for locking and unlocking as claimed in claim 16, wherein the spacer comprises at least one of a spring (spring 35) and a cylinder.
Re: Claim 23. (New) A system for locking and unlocking as claimed in claim 16, wherein second
securing element comprises a return (aperture of 36) for providing displacement, of one of the bodies relative to the other of the bodies with the second movement for loosening the sleeve on the elongate element (see Figs. 1-2).
Re: Claim 24. (New) A locking and unlocking system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the system comprises means for guiding the displacement of second securing element which includes a dovetail (end of 36 being a dovetail) and the second securing element engages the first securing element (see Figs. 1-2)and comprises an extension (extension end of 38) and which is shaped to be complementary to the dovetail.
Re: Claim 25. (New) A system for locking and unlocking as claimed in claim 16, wherein sleeve is attached to the second securing element (see Figs. 1-2).
Re: Claim 26. (New) A system for locking and unlocking as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sleeve (22) is woven, braided or nonwoven (see Figs. 1-2) and comprises at least one of metal fibers (see metal cable 22), ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene and aramid fibers.
Re: Claim 27. (New) A system for locking and unlocking as claimed in claim 16, wherein the
structure comprises at least one helically wound armor layer (layer of 22).
Re: Claim 28. (New) A system for locking and unlocking as claimed in claim 16, wherein the second securing element comprises a stop (ends of 20 and 26) which limits relative movement between the at least two bodies.
Re: Claim 29. (New) A method of locking and unlocking an elongate element with a locking and
unlocking system as claimed in claim 16, comprising steps of:
a) inserting the elongate element into the system from one of the first or second orifices
towards the other of the first and second orifices to provide a locked position upon exerting
tension on the elongate element (see Figs. 1-2 disclosing the locked and unlocked positions of 2); and
b) once the elongate element is in the locked position: moving the second securing element away from the first securing element to exert tension on sleeve which locks the second securing element to the first elongate element by displacing one of the at least two bodies relative to the other body (see Figs 1-2 disclosing movement 20 and 26 which locks and unlocks cable 22 by wall 14 against 18); or
locking the second securing element to the elongate element by displacing one of at least two bodies relative to each other, and then moving the second securing element away from the first securing element which exerts tension on the sleeve (see Figs 1-2 disclosing movement 20 and 26 which locks and unlocks cable 22 by wall 14 against 18);
c) if tension has been exerted on the elongate element, releasing the tension on elongate
element; and unlocking the second securing element by:
moving second securing element closer to the first securing element to release the
tension on sleeve, then unlocking the second securing element from the elongate element by
displacing, with a second movement in a direction relative to the first movement, one of the at
least two bodies in relation to the other body, or unlocking the second securing element from the elongate element by displacing, in a direction relative to the first movement, one of the at least two bodies relative to the other and then moving second securing element closer to the first securing element to release the tension on sleeve (see Figs 1-2 disclosing movement 20 and 26 which locks and unlocks cable 22 by wall 14 against 18).
Re: Claim30. (New) A locking and unlocking method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the support is a floating platform and, prior to carrying out step b) ballasted a floating platform to increase
draft thereof, and then deballasting the floating platform after step b) (see Figs. 1-2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Barker (U.S. Patent No. 3,374,511) and Ziolkowski (U.S. Patent No. 3,163,904) discloses analogous systems pertinent to Applicant’s invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID M UPCHURCH whose telephone number is (571)270-7957. The examiner can normally be reached 6AM-3PM EST M-F.
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, Jason San can be reached at (571)272-6531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID M UPCHURCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3677
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