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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 15-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 5/15/2026.
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) 1, 2, 4, 5 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Severyns et al. (DE 38 07 688 C2), machine translation relied upon.
Regarding claim 1, Severyns meets the claimed mandrel for heated thermoplastic tube material ([0038] a cylindrical pipe section is heated in an oven to the temperature of plastic softening) having an internal cross-section, the mandrel ([0044] hose body 5, Fig. 2-4, hose body 5 was fitted with a pipe section 6 that had been softened plastically by heating before being inserted into the mold) comprising: a mandrel head switchable between a flexible state in which the mandrel head is flexible about a longitudinal axis and a rigid state in which the mandrel head is resistant to flexure at least relative to the vertical; ([0010] the expansion of the hollow body under this air pressure ensures sufficient pressure of the plastically softened pipe section against the mold wall and the reliable formation of the molded part [0050] expansion from the pipe section to the socket does not occur through a radial expansion perpendicular to the axis 20, but is distributed over an expansion area 19 of length ) and a switching device comprising a mechanical drive acting on the mandrel head, ([0041] The hollow body is then connected to a source of compressed air and inflated to such an extent that the circumference of the tubular hollow body is approximately equal to the circumference of the softened pipe section) wherein the switching device switches the mandrel head between the flexible state for stabilizing the tube material in the internal cross-section during a bending operation and the rigid state for supporting the heated tube material during transport. (Examiner notes the manner of operating the device does not limit the claimed apparatus, see MPEP 2114. Severyns teaches valve 8 can be opened manually by an operator to control pressure to hose body to achieve desired internal pressure, see [0044]. Therefore the device of Severyns is capable of achieving a flexible state during bending and a rigid state during transport and meets the claim).
Regarding claim 2, Severyns teaches the mandrel according to claim 1, wherein the mandrel head comprises a supporting element (hose body 5, Fig. 2-4) which is advanceable with respect to the mandrel head by insertion into the mandrel head or sliding over the mandrel head, ([0044] circumference between hose body 5 and plastically softened pipe section 6 is advantageous to facilitate or enable the pulling of the pipe section onto the hose body 5) and wherein the switching device advances the supporting element to switch the mandrel head to the rigid state. (Examiner notes the manner of operating the device does not limit the claimed apparatus, see MPEP 2114. Severyns teaches valve 8 can be opened manually by an operator to control pressure to hose body to achieve desired internal pressure, see [0044]. Therefore the device of Severyns is capable of achieving a flexible state during bending and a rigid state during transport and meets the claim).
Regarding claim 4, Severyns teaches the mandrel according to claim 2, wherein the supporting element comprises a sleeve which engages around the mandrel head on the outside. (Fig. 7 also shows that the shaping of the sleeve 14, [0046]. Examiner notes Fig. 7 appears to be missing from the document. The sleeve 14 as described in paragraph [0046], [0048], and [0050] meets the claimed sleeve)
Regarding claim 5, Severyns teaches mandrel according to claim 2, wherein the supporting element is pushed through an elongated opening into an internal cross section of the mandrel head. (Fig. 7 also shows that the shaping of the sleeve 14, [0046]. Examiner notes Fig. 7 appears to be missing from the document. The sleeve 14 as described in paragraph [0046], [0048], and [0050] meets the claimed supporting element).
Regarding claim 14, Severyns meets the claimed bending machine for bending heated thermoplastic tube material having an internal cross-section in at least one bending operation, ([0038] a cylindrical pipe section is heated in an oven to the temperature of plastic softening) the bending machine comprising: a mandrel having a mandrel head switchable between a flexible state in which the mandrel head ([0044] hose body 5, Fig. 2-4, hose body 5 was fitted with a pipe section 6 that had been softened plastically by heating before being inserted into the mold) is flexible about a longitudinal axis and a rigid state in which the mandrel head is resistant to flexure at least relative to the vertical; ([0010] the expansion of the hollow body under this air pressure ensures sufficient pressure of the plastically softened pipe section against the mold wall and the reliable formation of the molded part [0050] expansion from the pipe section to the socket does not occur through a radial expansion perpendicular to the axis 20, but is distributed over an expansion area 19 of length ) and a switching device comprising a mechanical drive acting on the mandrel head, wherein the switching device switches the mandrel head to the rigid state for transport of heated tube material and to the flexible state for stabilizing the tube material in the internal cross-section during the at least one bending operation. (Examiner notes the manner of operating the device does not limit the claimed apparatus, see MPEP 2114. Severyns teaches valve 8 can be opened manually by an operator to control pressure to hose body to achieve desired internal pressure, see [0044]. Therefore the device of Severyns is capable of achieving a flexible state during bending and a rigid state during transport and meets the claim).
Claim(s) 1, 6, 7, 9, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kimata et al. (JP 2013071143A), machine translation relied upon.
Regarding claim 1, Kimata meets the claimed mandrel for heated thermoplastic tube material ([0024] inserting a straight pipe body into a straight mandrel, the pipe body can be bent by pulling the bending cord-like member) having an internal cross-section, the mandrel ([0036] the mandrel 1 is a member mainly for bending a resin pipe body or a rubber pipe body) comprising: a mandrel head switchable between a flexible state in which the mandrel head is flexible about a longitudinal axis and a rigid state in which the mandrel head is resistant to flexure at least relative to the vertical; ([0018] when the mandrel is pulled out of the pipe body, the end face of the connected pieces is separated, and the degree of freedom of the shape formed by the connected pieces is increased, see [0040] Fig. 1-2) and a switching device comprising a mechanical drive acting on the mandrel head, ([0065] as shown in FIG. 2, by pulling the base end side of the bending cord-like member 60 results in a bent state. Examiner notes this meets the mechanical drive) wherein the switching device switches the mandrel head between the flexible state for stabilizing the tube material in the internal cross-section during a bending operation and the rigid state for supporting the heated tube material during transport. (Examiner notes the manner of operating the device does not limit the claimed apparatus, see MPEP 2114. The apparatus of Kimata can be manually operated by cord 50 and 60 to operate the device, see [0037]. Therefore the device of Kimata is capable of achieving a flexible state during bending and a rigid state during transport and meets the claim).
Regarding claim 6, Kimata teaches mandrel according to claim 1, wherein the mandrel head comprises a plurality of segments or scales arranged ( mandrel 1 include a bending piece 20, Fig. 1-2) along a mandrel head extension and the switching device comprises a clamping element (rotation restriction portion 27, Fig. 5-6) which braces the segments or scales together in order to switch the mandrel head to the rigid state. (by pulling the bending cord-like member 60, the shape of the mandrel 1 can be made into a desired bending shape [0077]).
Regarding claim 7, Kimata teaches the mandrel according to claim 6, wherein the clamping element comprises a guide cable (cord 50 and 60, Fig. 1-2) which is fastened to the tip of the mandrel head and is placed under tensile stress in order to switch the mandrel head to the rigid state. (by pulling the bending cord-like member 60, the shape of the mandrel 1 can be made into a desired bending shape [0077]).
Regarding claim 9, Kimata teaches the mandrel according to claim 1, wherein the mandrel head is flexible in a first plane containing the longitudinal axis and is otherwise rigid, the switching device orients the mandrel head such that the first plane is not in the vertical for switching to the rigid state, (see Fig. 1-2) and the switching device rotates the mandrel head such that the first plane is in a bending plane for switching to the flexible state. (by pulling the bending cord-like member 60, the shape of the mandrel 1 can be made into a desired bending shape [0077]).
Regarding claim 14, Kimata meets the claimed bending machine for bending heated thermoplastic tube material having an internal cross-section in at least one bending operation, ([0024] inserting a straight pipe body into a straight mandrel, the pipe body can be bent by pulling the bending cord-like member) the bending machine comprising: a mandrel having a mandrel head switchable between a flexible state in which the mandrel head ([0036] the mandrel 1 is a member mainly for bending a resin pipe body or a rubber pipe body) is flexible about a longitudinal axis and a rigid state in which the mandrel head is resistant to flexure at least relative to the vertical; ([0018] when the mandrel is pulled out of the pipe body, the end face of the connected pieces is separated, and the degree of freedom of the shape formed by the connected pieces is increased, see [0040] Fig. 1-2) and a switching device comprising a mechanical drive acting on the mandrel head, ([0065] as shown in FIG. 2, by pulling the base end side of the bending cord-like member 60 results in a bent state. Examiner notes this meets the mechanical drive) wherein the switching device switches the mandrel head to the rigid state for transport of heated tube material and to the flexible state for stabilizing the tube material in the internal cross-section during the at least one bending operation. (Examiner notes the manner of operating the device does not limit the claimed apparatus, see MPEP 2114. The apparatus of Kimata can be manually operated by cord 50 and 60 to operate the device, see [0037]. Therefore the device of Kimata is capable of achieving a flexible state during bending and a rigid state during transport and meets the claim).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 8, and 10-13 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The closest prior art of record includes Severyns et al. (DE 38 07 688 C2), machine translation relied upon, and Kimata et al. (JP 2013071143A), machine translation relied upon.
Severyns teaches [0044] hose body 5, Fig. 2-4, hose body 5 was fitted with a pipe section 6 that had been softened plastically by heating before being inserted into the mold.
Kimata teaches [0065] as shown in FIG. 2, by pulling the base end side of the bending cord-like member 60 results in a bent state.
Regarding claim 3, the prior art does not teach or suggest the mandrel according to claim 2, wherein the mandrel head is supported by a rigid guide rod extending along the longitudinal axis, and the supporting element is arranged on the guide rod and advances along the longitudinal axis from the guide rod to the mandrel head in order to switch the mandrel head to the rigid state.
Regarding claim 8, the prior art does not teach or suggest mandrel according to claim 2, wherein the mandrel head comprises a spring element which extends along the longitudinal axis and is elastic transversely thereto and comprises an inner opening extending along the longitudinal axis, and the switching device comprises a supporting rod, the supporting rod being inserted rod into the inner opening to extend along the longitudinal axis through the mandrel head in order to switch the mandrel head to the rigid state.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art does not teach or suggest mandrel according to claim 1, wherein the mandrel head is rigid in a second plane containing the longitudinal axis and is otherwise flexible, the switching device orients the mandrel head such that the second plane is in the vertical for switching to the rigid state, and the switching device rotates the mandrel head such that the second plane is essentially not a bending plane for switching to the flexible state.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art does not teach or suggest mandrel according to claim 1, wherein the mandrel head carries at least one widening element which is switchable to a radially expanded state having an outer diameter larger than the rest of the mandrel head, wherein the widening element is configured to be clamped internally in the tube material when in the radially expanded state to stabilize the tube material against torsion forces.
Regarding claim 12-13, the claims are allowed because each depends from allowable claim 11.
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Perry-Johnston (US 2001/0045689 A1) Abstract teaches driving a flexible mandrel of substantially the same internal diameter as the pipe and of at least the same length as the pipe section into the pipe section, loading the pipe section and mandrel onto an anvil having a concave working surface which defines an arc of at least the bend angle of the bend to be formed in the pipe section and which is transversely arced at a radius essentially the same as the radius of the pipe, the anvil further including a collar for retaining an end of the pipe section adjacent the working surface, drawing the end of the pipe section opposite the retained end towards the working surface to bring the bulk of the pipe section into contact with the working surface, allowing the pipe section to cool to below the softening temperature while held in contact with the working surface and withdrawing the mandrel from the pipe section.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL M. ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571)270-0467. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30AM-6PM.
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/MICHAEL M. ROBINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744
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