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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 17/424,279 filed on 20 July 2021.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10 October 2024 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “4” has been used to designate both “crane” and “drive head member”.
The drawings are objected to because:
Regarding Figs. 3, 9a - 9f, 10, 11a, 11b, 12a - 12i, 13, 14, and 15a - 15f, the markings are too dark and blurry and do not allow Examiner to clearly identify and distinguish between the structural elements illustrated in the drawings.
Regarding Fig. 7, it appears that reference character “6” has been used to designate two different structural elements. It appears that reference character “6” has been used to designate the “lifting tool” and either an “arm” or a “pylon”.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding lines 16 and 17 on page 16, the specification should not rely upon the claims to describe the invention.
In line 8 of page 23, “Figures4, 5” should be changed to “Figures 4 and 5”, or something similar.
In line 7 of page 27, “figures 12c-21i” should be changed to “Figures 12c-12i”.
In line 10 of page 31, “Figure” should not be capitalized because it does not appear to refer to a specific figure(s).
In line 6 of page 32, “157being” should be changed to “157 being”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 7 and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 2 of claim 7, Examiner suggests changing “each engaging” to “each spring device engaging” for clarity.
In line 2 of claim 11, Examiner suggests changing “each engaging” to “each damper device engaging” for clarity.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 - 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, it is unclear whether the claim is directed to a pile driving system or to a method of using a pile driving system. While the preamble and several limitations recited in the body of the claim are directed to a pile driving system, all of the limitations following “wherein after at least partially filling of the drop tank with liquid to set a desired total mass of the drop tank:” as recited in lines 14 - 15 appear to be directed to a method of using a pile driving system.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the support structure" in lines 2 - 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the support structure" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the drive head" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the energy transfer" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the wall" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the drive head" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 - 20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wisotsky (US 3,842,917) teaches a pile driving apparatus that uses rapidly admitting water in a container to create a water hammer driving pulse to drive a pile into the subsoil (Fig. 10; col. 4, lines 22 - 48; col. 8, lines 10 - 34). Wisotsky fails to teach a lift system for lifting the liquid fillable drop tank to a height position relative to the drive head member and a quick release system to allow the drop tank to fall from the height position.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN D ANDRISH whose telephone number is (571)270-3098. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 6:30 AM - 4:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amber Anderson can be reached at 571-270-5281. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEAN D ANDRISH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
SA
2/5/2026