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 and 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Corona US PAT 5431589.
1. Corona discloses a system for mooring a vessel, comprising: a buoy 16 comprising a fixed part (body 26) rotatively coupled to a rotating part (rotation via turntable 28, col 3 ln 42-44); a first swivel disposed on the buoy comprising a fixed part rotatively coupled to a rotating part (implicitly disclosed swivel between parts 26 and 28), wherein the fixed part of the first swivel is coupled to the fixed part of the buoy, and wherein the rotating part of the first swivel is configured to rotate with the rotating part of the buoy (see Fig 1 and 2; implicitly disclosed, otherwise the swivel between 26 and 28 would not work); a second swivel disposed on the buoy comprising a fixed part rotatively coupled to a rotating part, wherein the fixed part of the second swivel is coupled to the rotating part of the buoy (figure 3; column 5, lines 1-9; there is a swivel between the A-frame support (108) and the hose reel (32)); and a spool 32 coupled to and configured to rotate with the rotating part of the second swivel (figure 3; column 5, lines 1-9), wherein a central longitudinal axis of the first swivel is oriented vertically with respect to the buoy (see Fig 3) and a central longitudinal axis of the second swivel is oriented substantially horizontally with respect to the buoy (Fig 3).
13. Corona discloses system of claim 1, and further discloses the buoy is a turret buoy or a turntable buoy (28, col 3 ln 42+).
14. Corona discloses system of claim 1, and further discloses wherein: the first swivel is a first fluid swivel, the second swivel is a second fluid swivel, and the first and second fluid swivels each define at least one flow path therethrough configured to convey a fluid therethrough while the rotating part of the first and second fluid swivels rotates relative to the fixed part of the first and second fluid swivels (Fig 2 and 3; col 3 ln 27-col 5 ln 24, fluid transferred from manifold to vessel/vice versa).
15. Corona discloses system of claim 14, and further comprising: a first fluid conduit having a first end connected to the rotating part of the first fluid swivel and a second end connected to the fixed part of the second fluid swivel; and a second fluid conduit having a first end connected to the rotating part of the second fluid swivel and a second end configured to be connected to the vessel when the vessel is moored to the buoy, wherein the fixed part of the first fluid swivel is configured to connect to a first end of a subsea fluid conduit, and wherein a second end of the subsea fluid conduit is configured to connect to a fluid source (Fig 2 and 3; col 3 ln 27-col 5 ln 24, fluid transferred from manifold to vessel/vice versa).
16. Corona discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising a drive system disposed on the buoy, wherein the drive system is configured to rotate the rotating part of the buoy with respect to the fixed part of the buoy (buoy connected to tanker by motor driven winch 42, col 3 ln 45+).
17. Corona teaches a process for mooring a vessel (see Fig 1 and abstract), comprising: positioning the vessel near an offshore mooring system (see Fig 1), wherein the offshore mooring system comprises: a buoy 16 comprising a fixed part (body 26) rotatively coupled to a rotating part (rotation via turntable 28, col 3 ln 42-44); a first swivel disposed on the buoy comprising a fixed part rotatively coupled to a rotating part (implicitly disclosed swivel between parts 26 and 28), wherein the fixed part of the first swivel is coupled to the fixed part of the buoy, and wherein the rotating part of the first swivel is configured to rotate with the rotating part of the buoy (see Fig 1 and 2; implicitly disclosed, otherwise the swivel between 26 and 28 would not work); a second swivel disposed on the buoy comprising a fixed part rotatively coupled to a rotating part, wherein the fixed part of the second swivel is coupled to the rotating part of the buoy (figure 3; column 5, lines 1-9; there is a swivel between the A-frame support (108) and the hose reel (32)); and a spool 32 coupled to and configured to rotate with the rotating part of the second swivel (figure 3; column 5, lines 1-9), wherein a central longitudinal axis of the first swivel is oriented vertically with respect to the buoy (see Fig 3) and a central longitudinal axis of the second swivel is oriented substantially horizontally with respect to the buoy (Fig 3). Corona further teaches connecting the vessel to the rotating part of the buoy via a hawser (38, see Fig 2 and col 5 lines 1-24).
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.
Claims 2, 10, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Corona in view of Waddington DK 180938.
2. Corona discloses the system of claim 1 but fails to further teach: the first swivel is a first slip ring, the second swivel is a second slip ring, and the first and second slip rings are each configured to conduct electricity therethrough while the rotating part of the first and second slip rings rotate relative to the fixed part of the first and second slip rings, respectively. Waddington teaches the first swivel is a first slip ring, the second swivel is a second slip ring, and the first and second slip rings are each configured to conduct electricity therethrough while the rotating part of the first and second slip rings rotate relative to the fixed part of the first and second slip rings, respectively (see page 13 ln 24-30, p 15 ln 5-10, Figures 2 and 3). It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling of the claimed invention to look to the teachings of Waddington and utilize first and second slip rings with the device of Corona to provide an alternate connection means that enables rotational movement that also provides an electrical connection to the device.
10. Corona discloses the system of claim 2; see above for combining with Waddington for the slip rings; given the combination of Corona and Waddington, the central longitudinal axis of the first swivel and the central longitudinal axis of the second swivel likely configured substantially perpendicular or substantially orthogonal with respect to one another; in the alternative, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to rearrange the device such that the central longitudinal axis of the first swivel and the central longitudinal axis of the second swivel likely configured substantially perpendicular or substantially orthogonal with respect to one another, to provide a suitable attachment configuration, since it has been held that rearranging parts of a prior art structure involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) see MPEP 2144.04(VI)(C).
11. Corona discloses the system of claim 2; see above for combining with Waddington for the slip rings; given the combination of Corona and Waddington, the central longitudinal axis of the first swivel and the central longitudinal axis of the second swivel intersect and are perpendicular with respect to one another. In the alternative, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to rearrange the device such that the central longitudinal axis of the first swivel and the central longitudinal axis of the second swivel intersect and are perpendicular with respect to one another, to provide a suitable attachment configuration, since it has been held that rearranging parts of a prior art structure involves only routine skill in the art.1 In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) see MPEP 2144.04(VI)(C).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-9, 12, and 18-20 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 fails to further teach:
3. The system of claim 2, further comprising: a first electrical conduit having a first end connected to the rotating part of the first swivel and a second end connected to the fixed part of the second swivel; and a second electrical conduit having a first end connected to the rotating part of the second swivel and a second end configured to be connected to the vessel when the vessel is moored to the buoy.
18. The process of claim 17, wherein the first swivel and the second swivel are each slip rings configured to conduct electricity therethrough while the rotating part of the first and second slip rings rotate relative to the fixed part of the first and second slip rings, wherein the second electrical conduit is at least partially coiled about the spool, and wherein the system further comprises: a first electrical conduit having a first end connected to the rotating part of the first swivel and a second end connected to the fixed part of the second swivel; a second electrical conduit having a first end connected to the rotating part of the second swivel and a second end configured to be connected to the vessel when the vessel is connected to the rotating part of the buoy; and a subsea electrical conduit having a first end connected to the fixed part of the first swivel and a second end connected to an electrical power source, and wherein the process further comprises: operating the spool in a payout direction to cause the second end of the second electrical conduit to deploy from the spool; and connecting the second end of the second electrical conduit to the vessel to provide electrical power thereto.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. PEBERDY US’013, LINDBLADE US’936, FONTENOT US’862, and BOADANESE US’265 disclose relevant systems for mooring with features similar to the instant invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Evan P Dzierzynski whose telephone number is (571)272-2336. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm PST.
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/EVAN P DZIERZYNSKI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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