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 § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over O'Brien (US 3,717,002) in view of Bokenkamp (US 3,895,677).
Interpretative note 1. With respect to claims 2-10 & 12 a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. For example, claim 4 currently recites "The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one suspension device comprises two holding members having a gap in between, wherein the at least one pipe being in the storing state hangs through the gap" which is not structurally equivalent to proper method claiming nomenclature of --The method according to claim 2, wherein providing at least one suspension device comprises two holding members having a gap in between, wherein storing the at least one pipe requires moving the at least on pipe into the gap and hanging the at least one pipe by placing the at least one flange of the least one pipe on the two holding members such that the at least one pipe hangs.— (Emphasis added.) Best attempts were made to interpret claims 2-12 as if they are in proper claiming format per USPTO guidelines.
With respect to claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12 & 15, O'Brien discloses connecting flanged riser-sections 14, e.g. pipes, to form a riser. O'brien's method utilizes steps of
mounting a flanged pipe 14 being in a functional state (indicated generally as 12 in FIG. 1) in which it constitutes a component of a conveying arrangement for conveying a fluid through a pipe; and
bringing a pipe from a storing state in which it is removably held by a suspension device 130, 132 (or 54 has pipe 14 suspended; as does riser section crane connector 124)
In other words, O'brien discloses the method of mounting a pipe and does not explicitly disclose dismounting a pipe and moving a pipe to a storing state in which is held by a suspension device.
At column 6, line 63 thru column 8, line 44 Bokenkamp discloses a method for dismounting a flanged riser pipe section, e.g. pipe, and moving a pipe to a storage location. Specifically, Bokenkamp discloses:
coupling a raising device 17 to a riser 22 and lifting a riser through an opening 19 in a riser storage floor 14 until a pipe is above a storage floor 14,
releasably coupling a horizontally movable transfer means 27 to an upper end of a pipe 25 just below a rotary table 18, disconnecting a raising device 17 from a pipe 25 and disconnecting, e.g. dismounting, a pipe 25 from a riser 22 at a location above opening 19,
raising a dismounted pipe 25 on and transferring a dismounted pipe in a horizontal direction while in a vertical condition to a storage area 35, 36 on a same level 14, and,
at a storage area 35, 36, lowering such a dismounted pipe with respect to a horizontal transfer means 27 into a storage position 35, 36.
Bokenkamp teaches this manner to moving riser pipe to a storing state is necessitated by reduced drilling crews available for storing riser pipe and reduces injury to personnel or damage to a riser when dismounting and storing pipes in rough weather. Bokenkamp adds that this type of storage reduces "wind or dynamic loading on derrick" because the pipes of the riser are not stored in the derrick, and more pipe rack area is available for other tubulars. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the invention of O'brien to provide the steps of dismounting a pipe being in a functional state in which it constitutes a component of a conveying arrangement for conveying a fluid through a pipe; and bringing a pipe into a storing state in which it is removably held by a suspension device such that a pipe is suspended from a platform of a stationary offshore device, as taught by Bokenkamp, to improve safety of operating personnel, reducing wind or dynamic loading on a derrick and increase available tubular storage capacity.
With respect to claim 8, O'brien discloses a pile 26, deck structure 14, floor 32.
With respect to claim 9, O'brien does not disclose an opening device. Bokenkamp discloses a door 20 movable between closed and open states via actuators 21. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the invention of O'brien to include an opening which can be closed by a hatch or door movable between opened and closed states, as taught by Bokenkamp, to improve safety of operating personnel, reducing wind or dynamic loading on a derrick and increase available tubular storage capacity.
With respect to claims 13 & 14, O'brien discloses-
a pipe 14 which can be brought from a functional state (indicated generally as 12 in FIG.1) into a storing state,
wherein a pipe being in a functional state is mountable and constitutes a component of a conveying arrangement 12 of a stationary offshore device 16 for conveying a fluid through a pipe,
wherein a pipe being in a storing state is removably held by a suspension device 130, 132 (or 54 has pipe 14 suspended; as does riser section crane connector 124) such that a pipe is suspended from a platform of a stationary offshore device, and
a pile 26
O'Brien discloses moving mountable pipe 14 from a storing state to a functional state as well as a suspension device, and does not explicitly disclose a pipe brought from a functional state into a storing state, or a pipe in a functional state that is dismountable.
Bokenkamp discloses a pipe 25 that forms part of riser 22 through which fluid is conveyed when pipe 25 is in a functional state, wherein pipe 25 is brought from a functional state into a storing state 35, 36 via movable transfer means 27, injury to personnel or damage to a riser when dismounting and storing pipes in rough weather. Bokenkamp adds that this type of storage reduces "wind or dynamic loading on derrick" because the pipes of the riser are not stored in the derrick, and more pipe rack area is available for other tubulars. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the invention of O'brien to include wherein a pipe being in a functional state is dismountable and constitutes a component of a conveying arrangement of a stationary offshore device for conveying a fluid through a pipe, and wherein a pipe being in a storing state is removably held by a suspension device such that a pipe is suspended from a platform of a stationary offshore device, the steps of dismounting a pipe being in a functional state in which it constitutes a component of a conveying arrangement for conveying a fluid through a pipe; and bringing a pipe into a storing state in which it is removably held by a suspension device such that a pipe is suspended from a platform of a stationary offshore device, as taught by Bokenkamp, to improve safety of operating personnel, reducing wind or dynamic loading on a derrick and increase available tubular storage capacity.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over O'Brien in view of Bokenkamp and further in view of Bouvy (EP 2 492 184).
O'brien discloses that a pipe, having particularly a straight extent, comprises one flanges 60 at a connecting lower end and does not disclose two flanges being arranged on opposed longitudinal ends discloses a pipe, having particularly a straight extent, comprises two flanges being arranged on opposed longitudinal ends. Bouvy discloses a pipe 120, having particularly a straight extent, that comprises two flanges 127, 128 being arranged on opposed longitudinal ends. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the invention of O'Brien to include two flanges, as taught by Bouvy, thereby reducing the effects of a riser suspended in water and subject to sea-state induced motions which improves on in-water stability of the riser. The improvements allows for more consistent conveyance of contents therethrough.
Claim(s) 16 & 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over O'Brien in view of Bokenkamp and further in view of Kinsella (US 2021/0404439) which discloses that a stationary offshore device 100 is a wind turbine 110 as shown in FIG. 3. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the invention of O'brien to include a stationary offshore device that is a wind turbine utilizing risers 140 for purposes of drawing in seawater, as taught by Kinsella, which promotes green hydrogen production, i.e., hydrogen generated from the electrolysis of water using carbon-free energy sources such as wind, solar, and tidal energy without requiring the use of carbon capture technologies to convert the carbon contained in a fossil fuel into useful materials or to concentrate carbon removed from the process for interment within underground reservoirs.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY W ADAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-8101. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri, 8am-5pm.
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/GREGORY W ADAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3652