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.
The status of the claims for this application is as follows.
Claims 1-13 are currently pending.
Claims 14-17 are canceled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Applicant’s amendments to the claims have made moot the previous 112 rejection(s).
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) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gehring (DE 4304241).
At the outset the applicant is reminded that:
1. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, claims directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function. In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473, 1477-78, 44 USPQ2d 1429, 1431-32 (Fed. Cir. 1997).
2. A claim containing a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus if the prior art apparatus teaches all the structural limitations of the claim. Ex parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1987).
Re Clm 1: Gehring discloses a quick pipe connector (see Figs. 3 and 10) for connecting to a pipe, comprising: a connector body (3) having a main portion (the portion containing 34), a connecting portion (the portion containing 33) extending from the main portion (see Figs. 3 and 10), and a through passage (see the central bore) extending in the main portion and the connecting portion (see Figs. 3 and 10), the connecting portion having a diameter larger than that of the main portion (see Figs. 3 and 10) so as to form a first shoulder (at 30) at an intersection between the connecting portion and the main portion in the through passage (see Figs. 3 and 10), the connector body further having an opening forming at the connecting portion (see the aperture) and communicating with the through passage (see Figs. 3 and 10);
an inner sealing ring (the inner 4) positioned in the through passage of the connector body (see Figs. 3 and 10) and retained in position by the first shoulder (see Figs. 3 and 10);
an outer sealing ring (the outer 4);
a biasing ring (29) sandwiched between the inner sealing ring and the outer sealing ring (see Figs. 3 and 10);
a securing ring (6) attached to the connecting portion of the connector body in such a manner that the securing ring is arranged to bias against the outer sealing ring (see Figs. 3 and 10);
an engaging member (5) which is arranged to bias against the securing ring and comprises a plurality of catching claws (see the abstract and see Fig. 25 that illustrates 5); and
a coupling sleeve (the sleeve that contains 12) comprising a main sleeve member (see Figs. 3 and 10, a left side portion) having a through hole communicating with the through passage of the connector body (see Figs. 3 and 10), and an extension sleeve (see Figs. 3 and 10, a right side portion) extending from the main sleeve member to engage with the connecting portion of the connector body (see Figs. 3 and 10, a left side portion),
in such a manner that when the pipe is inserted in the connector body, the inner sealing ring, the outer sealing ring, the biasing ring, the securing ring and the engaging member are securely biased and retained between the connector body and the main sleeve member, the catching claws of the engaging member are arranged to allow the pipe to pass through the engaging member and subsequently bias against an external surface of the pipe so as to securely connect the pipe to the connector body (see Figs. 3 and 10);
and a stabilizing ring (the structure that contains 15), wherein the main sleeve member of the coupling sleeve further has a coupling slot (the slot in the main sleeve member for the tip of the stabilizing ring and formed by the radially inward extending surface) peripherally formed on an inner boundary surface of the through hole of the main sleeve member (see Figs. 3 and 10), wherein the stabilizing ring is secured in the coupling slot and arranged to engage with the pipe when the pipe is inserted in the connector body (see Figs. 3 and 10), the coupling sleeve having an inner contracted portion (at the end that abuts longitudinally 5) and an outer enlarged portion (the other portion) extending from the inner contracted portion (see Figs. 3 and 10), a diameter of the outer enlarged portion (the radially outer diameter) being larger than that of the inner contracted portion to form a coupling shoulder (the sloped shoulder) between the inner contracted portion and the outer enlarged portion, wherein the through hole extends through the contracted portion and the enlarged portion.
Re Clm 2: Gehring discloses wherein the connecting portion has a cross-sectional diameter larger than that of the main portion (see Figs. 3 and 10) so as to constitute an enlarged part with respect to the main portion (see Figs. 3 and 10), wherein the intersection between the connecting portion and the main portion forms a first shoulder (at 30) in the through passage, the inner sealing ring being provided in the through passage at a position at the first shoulder (see Figs. 3 and 10).
Re Clm 3: Gehring discloses wherein the inner sealing ring is configured as having an annular shape (see Figs. 3 and 10, and see the abstract) and has an inner central opening communicating with the corresponding opening of the connector body (see Figs. 3 and 10), the inner sealing ring being arranged to bias against the first shoulder so that when an inward pushing force is applied to the inner sealing ring, the inner sealing ring is securely held in position by the first shoulder (see Figs. 3 and 10).
Re Clm 4: Gehring discloses wherein the outer sealing ring is configured as having an annular shape (see Figs. 3 and 10, and see the abstract) and has an outer central opening communicating with the opening of the connector body (see Figs. 3 and 10), the outer sealing ring being provided in the through passage and arranged to bias against the securing ring (see Figs. 3 and 10).
Re Clm 5: Gehring discloses wherein the inner sealing ring and the outer sealing ring are arranged in a side-by-side manner in which the biasing ring is sandwiched between the inner sealing ring and the outer sealing ring (see Figs. 3 and 10) , the biasing ring being configured as having an annular shape (see Figs. 3 and 10, and see the abstract) and has an intermediate central opening communicating with the inner central opening (see Figs. 3 and 10) and the outer central opening (see Figs. 3 and 10).
Re Clm 6: Gehring discloses wherein the securing ring is configured as having an annular structure (see Figs. 3 and 10 and the abstract) and has a securing opening (the opening formed with its tapered surface) communicating with the through passage of the connector body (see Figs. 3 and 10), the securing ring being securely coupled and sandwiched between the outer sealing ring and the coupling sleeve (see Figs. 3 and 10), wherein a diameter of the securing opening of the securing ring gradually increases from the outer sealing ring toward the coupling sleeve (via its tapered surface).
Re Clm 7: Gehring discloses wherein the securing ring is configured as having an annular structure (see Figs. 3 and 10 and the abstract) and has a securing opening (the opening formed with its tapered surface) communicating with the through passage of the connector body (see Figs. 3 and 10), the securing ring being securely coupled and sandwiched between the outer sealing ring and the coupling sleeve (see Figs. 3 and 10), wherein a diameter of the securing opening of the securing ring gradually increases from the outer sealing ring toward the coupling sleeve (via its tapered surface).
Re Clm 8: Gehring discloses wherein the securing ring further defines a securing platform (the platform on the exterior of the structure away from 4) peripherally formed on an outer side portion of the securing ring for accommodating the engaging member (see Fig. 10), the securing platform being formed by an indention (see the notch) on the outer side portion of the securing platform (see Fig. 10), wherein the engaging member is fittedly supported in the securing platform of the securing ring (see Fig. 10).
Re Clm 9: Gehring discloses wherein the securing ring further defines a securing platform peripherally formed on an outer side portion of the securing ring for accommodating the engaging member, the securing platform being formed by an indention on the outer side portion of the securing platform, wherein the engaging member is fittedly supported in the securing platform of the securing ring (see Fig. 10, the notch that 5 penetrates).
Re Clm 10: Gehring discloses wherein the engaging member (see the abstract and see Fig. 25 that illustrates 5) further comprises an annular frame member (the outer ring portion), wherein the plurality of catching claws extends from the annular frame member toward the main portion of the connector body (see Fig. 10, the abstract, and see Fig. 25 that illustrates 5), the annular frame member having an annular opening communicating with the securing opening, the inner central opening, the outer central opening, the intermediate central opening, and the through passage of the connector body (see Fig. 10, the abstract, and see Fig. 25 that illustrates 5), the annular frame member being supported on the securing platform, while the catching claws spacedly extending toward the main portion of the connector body (see Fig. 10, the abstract, and see Fig. 25 that illustrates 5).
Re Clm 11: Gehring discloses wherein the engaging member further comprises an annular frame member (the outer ring portion), wherein the plurality of catching claws extends from the annular frame member toward the main portion of the connector body (see Fig. 10, the abstract, and see Fig. 25 that illustrates 5), the annular frame member having an annular opening communicating with the securing opening, the inner central opening, the outer central opening, the intermediate central opening, and the through passage of the connector body (see Fig. 10, the abstract, and see Fig. 25 that illustrates 5), the annular frame member being supported on the securing platform (see Fig. 10, the abstract, and see Fig. 25 that illustrates 5), while the catching claws spacedly extending toward the main portion of the connector body (see Fig.10, the abstract, and see Fig. 25 that illustrates 5).
Re Clms 12 and 13: Gehring discloses wherein the coupling sleeve further has a peripheral protrusion (the reduced end protrusion that is closest to 4) integrally and radially extending from the main sleeve member (see Fig. 10) to form a reinforcing platform (the surface of the reduced end protrusion that is closest to 4) for reinforcing the catching claws of the engaging member, the peripheral protrusion extending toward the catching claws so as to reinforce and restrict the movement of the catching claws for preventing the catching claws from being pushed away from the pipe (see Fig. 10), the reinforcing platform being positioned corresponding to an extension path of the catching claws (longitudinally inward path), the reinforcing platform forming a flat and smooth surface (see the end surface) for providing maximum contact surface area between the corresponding catching claws and the peripheral protrusion (the maximum amount of surface that can be mated between the two surfaces).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/10/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues, on page 8 in line 10 through page 10 line 4, that Gehring does not disclose the relationship between the coupling sleeve and the stabilizing ring. Gehring does not have a coupling slot in 12. 15 does not or is not secured in any slot.
This is not persuasive.
Gehring do disclose that relationship between the claimed coupling sleeve and claimed the stabilizing ring. As the coupling sleeve is the sleeve that contains 12 and the stabilizing ring is the structure that contains 15.
The coupling slot is the slot in 1 which receives the radially out ward tip of the stabilizing ring (15) and the slot is formed by the radially inward extending surface of 12.
Note that a slot can be defined as a groove and a groove can be a recess, such as illustrated by Gehring.
Gehring illustrates in Figs. 3 and 10 that 15 penetrates the slot of 12 to secure 15 from being removed from 12, that is from being removed on the left side, thus securing 15 in 12.
Additionally, applicant’s argument that the rejections were not sufficiently articulated is not persuasive. The rejections include clear notice of the grounds and art being applied. Further, additional explanation was given above and beyond the minimum requirements. Furthermore, note the following:
See In re Jung, 637 F.3d 1356 (Fed. Cir. 2011) which states “There has never been a requirement for an examiner to make an on-the-record claim construction of every term in every rejected claim and to explain every possible difference between the prior art and the claimed invention in order to make out a prima facie rejection. This court declines to create such a burdensome and unnecessary requirement… Section 132 merely ensures that an applicant at least be informed of the broad statutory basis for the rejection of his claims, so that he may determine what the issues are on which he can or should produce evidence." Chester, 906 F.2d at 1578 (internal citation omitted). As discussed above, all that is required of the office to meet its prima facie burden of production is to set forth the statutory basis of the rejection and the reference or references relied upon…” (emphasis added).
Any claim not specifically argued will stand or fall with the claim(s) from which it/they depend.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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
02/18/2026
/Matthew Troutman/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3679