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.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Patent No. 4693278 to Wilson et al. (Wilson).
With regard to claim 1, Wilson discloses a system (Wilson, title, abstract) comprising:
a fitting (12, fig. 10), plug (24, figs. 10-11), and a locking mechanism (84/86, figs. 10-11),
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Wherein a fitting (as labeled in annotated fig. 10) defining a bore (as labeled in annotated fig. 10) and a fitting recess (as labeled in annotated fig. 10);
a plug (as labeled in annotated fig. 10) positioned within the bore (as shown in fig. 10), the plug comprising a body (as labeled in annotated fig. 10), the body defining a plug recess (as labeled in annotated fig. 10); and
a locking mechanism (84/86, fig. 10, column 5, lines 55-61) comprising a locking bar (as labeled in annotated fig. 10), the locking bar engaging each of the fitting recess and the plug recess when the locking mechanism is in a locked configuration (the configuration shown in cross section of fig. 10 shows the plug in a locked configuration in which the locking bar engages the fitting recess and the plug recess as described at column 6, lines 8-22), the locking bar engaging only one of the fitting recess and the plug recess when the locking mechanism is in an unlocked configuration (when fully retracted the locking bar engages only the plug recess), the locking bar translatable relative to the body to reconfigure the locking mechanism between the locked configuration and the unlocked configuration (column 6, lines 8-22).
With regard to claim 2, Wilson discloses the system of claim 1 as set forth above, and further discloses wherein the locking bar is rotationally fixed relative to the body (the locking bar is capable of radial movement only, not rotational in a circumferential direction).
With regard to claim 3, Wilson discloses the system of claim 1 as set forth above, and further discloses wherein:
the bore defines a fitting axis (the central axis of the bore is also a fitting axis);
the locking mechanism further comprises a link (74, fig. 11) coupled to the locking bar (column 6, lines 8-22) and a driving member (72, fig. 7 as applied to the embodiment of figs. 10 and 11) coupled to the link (column 4, lines 59-62); and
the driving member is rotatable about the fitting axis to reconfigure the locking mechanism from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration (column 4, lines 44-58).
With regard to claim 4, Wilson discloses the system of claim 1 as set forth above, and further discloses wherein:
the bore defines a fitting axis (the central axis of the bore is also a fitting axis);
the locking mechanism further comprises a link (74, fig. 11) coupled to the locking bar (column 6, lines 8-22) and a driving member (72, fig. 7 as applied to the embodiment of figs. 10-11) coupled to the link (column 4, lines 59-62); and
the driving member is movable parallel to the fitting axis to reconfigure the locking mechanism from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration (the hexagonal opening 74 of the link plate receives the hexagonal tool 80 of the driving member in a direction that is parallel to the fitting axis. The rotation of the tool 80 is part of a two-step process that requires both axial movement (the engagement of the tool in the plate) and then rotational movement).
With regard to claim 5, Wilson discloses the system of claim 1 as set forth above, and further discloses wherein the locking bar is positioned in the fitting recess when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked configuration (as the locking bars are transitioned from the unlocked configuration to the locked configuration, the device is considered in the unlocked configuration until it is in the locked configuration. Under that interpretation of Wilson, the locking member extends into the fitting while in the unlocked configuration up to the point of being in the locked configuration)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 are 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 prior art of record fails to teach or suggest a system wherein the locking bar is positioned in the fitting recess when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked configuration wherein: the bore defines a fitting axis; the locking bar defines a ramp; the locking mechanism further comprises a pin extending through a pin hole defined by the fitting; the pin engages the ramp; and the locking bar is configured to translate in a radial direction relative to the fitting axis when the pin moves within the pin hole, together in combination with the other elements of claim 6. Claim 7 depends from claim 6 and is allowable for at least the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USPNs 2013/0186483, 12180749, 9056701, 9726288, 4883637, 4921123, 7665485, 6845876, 8596484 and 12104738 disclose various pipe closure plugs with actuated sealing members.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID R DEAL whose telephone number is (469)295-9216. The examiner can normally be reached M-F generally 8-4 pm CST.
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 supervisors can be reached at: Craig M Schneider (571) 272-3607 and Ken Rinehart (571) 272-4881. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID R DEAL/Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3753
