DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Species 3 (Figs. 8-14 and 18-20, Claims 1-9 and 11) in the reply filed on 04/20/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
The status of the claims for this application is as follows.
Claims 1-21 are currently pending.
Claims 10 and 12-21 are currently withdrawn.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/14/2024 was considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 11/14/2024.
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) 1-3, 5-7, and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Storm (US 1078112).
Re Clm 1: Storm discloses a member (see Figs. 1-5) comprising:
a first tubular component (see Fig. 2) including a tubular portion having a tubular shape (see Fig. 2); and
a second tubular component (see Fig. 1) including a tubular portion having a tubular shape (see Fig. 1) and disposed coaxially with the first tubular component (see Fig. 3);
wherein the first tubular component includes a plurality of projecting portions (the portions containing 22, respectively) configured to project from one end of the tubular portion of the first tubular component in an axial direction and spaced from each other in a circumferential direction (see Fig. 2),
wherein the first tubular component and the second tubular component are joined with each other such that each of the plurality of projecting portions is joined with the second tubular component (see Fig. 3), and
wherein each of the plurality of projecting portions includes a distal end portion joined with the second tubular component (see Fig. 2) and a base portion separated from the second tubular component (the portion of 22 separated from the second tubular component).
Re Clm 2: Storm discloses wherein the base portion is separated from the second tubular component in an axial direction (see Fig. 3).
Re Clm 3: Storm discloses wherein the base portion is separated from the second tubular component in a radial direction (see Fig. 3).
Re Clm 5: Storm discloses wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of projecting portions (the thinnest portion) is smaller than a thickness of the tubular portion of the first tubular component (the thickest portion) in a radial direction (see Fig. 3).
Re Clm 6: Storm discloses wherein each of the tubular portion of the first tubular component and the tubular portion of the second tubular component has a cylindrical shape (see Figs. 1-5).
Re Clm 7: Storm discloses wherein a coefficient of linear expansion (of element 19) of the first tubular component and a coefficient of linear expansion (of element 11) of the second tubular component are different from each other (this is because one is an elastic material and the other is a metal, see Fig. 3).
Re Clm 11: Storm discloses a method of manufacturing a member (see Figs. 1-5), the method comprising:
providing a first tubular component (see Fig. 2) including a tubular portion having a tubular shape see (Figs. 1-5) and
a second tubular component (see Fig. 1) including a tubular portion having a tubular shape (see Figs. 1-5) and disposed coaxially with the first tubular component (see Figs. 3-5), the first tubular component including a plurality of projecting portions (the portions containing 22, respectively) projecting from one end of the tubular portion of the first tubular component in an axial direction and spaced from each other in a circumferential direction (see Figs. 2-5); and joining each of the plurality of projecting portions with the second tubular component such that a distal end portion of each of the plurality of projecting portions is joined with the second tubular component (see Figs. 2-5) and a base portion of each of the plurality of projecting portions is separated from the second tubular component (the portion of 22 separated from the second tubular component).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 4, 8, and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Storm (US 1078112).
Re Clm 4: Storm discloses the second tubular component is body made out of a material.
Storm fails to disclose a continuous-carbon-fiber reinforced molded resin.
Continuous carbon-fiber reinforced molded resin has an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, high impact resistance, and has directional durability, for the purpose of enhancing the weight and strength of the structure that is made from such a material.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have modified the device of Storm, to have employed continuous-carbon-fiber reinforced molded resin, with a reasonable expectation of success because one type of material is being replaced with another type of material, for the purpose of enhancing the weight and strength of the structure that is made from such a material.
Re Clm 8: Storm discloses a main component of the first tubular component and a main component of the second tubular component are a material.
Storm fails to disclose that the disclosed an identical resin material.
Resin material has an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, high impact resistance, and reduces the complexity of the design by using the same material, for the purpose of enhancing the weight, strength, and design of the structure that is made from such a material.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have modified the device of Storm, to have employed identical resin material, with a reasonable expectation of success because one type of material is being replaced with another type of material, for the purpose of enhancing the weight, strength, and design of the structure that is made from such a material.
Re Clm 9: Storm discloses a main component of the first tubular component and a main component of the second tubular component are a material.
Storm fails to disclose that the disclosed polycarbonate.
Polycarbonate material has an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, high impact resistance, and reduces the complexity of the design by using the same material, for the purpose of enhancing the weight, strength, and design of the structure that is made from such a material.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have modified the device of Storm, to have employed polycarbonate, with a reasonable expectation of success because one type of material is being replaced with another type of material, for the purpose of enhancing the weight, strength, and design of the structure that is made from such a material.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following documents have structural features (tubular members inserted into another tubular member) which are similar to the applicant’s claimed invention; DE-3019840-A1, US-0813792-A, and US-4647079-A.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES A LINFORD whose telephone number is (571)270-3066. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Troutman can be reached at (571) 270-3654. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JAMES ALBERT LINFORD
Examiner
Art Unit 3679
05/28/2026
/Matthew Troutman/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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