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 .
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 4 recites “the anchor device”, which lacks antecedent basis in the claim.
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Pollack (US 4,637,335).
Regarding the claims, the prior art discloses the following:
1. A device suitable for tethering equipment to the floor of a body of water, the device comprising: a support structure (either of 46, 24, and/or 12) which is configured to house or support subsea equipment; a stiff elongate tethering element (14) which has a first end (i.e., top as shown) on which the support structure is mounted and a second end (i.e., bottom as shown) which is provided with a connector (38 and/or 50) for securing the device to the floor (20) of the body of water; wherein a first end of the device, comprising the support structure and the first end of the tethering element is more buoyant than the second end of the device (i.e., as is clear from discussion of col. 3, lines 17-68); wherein the support structure (46, 24 and/or 12) comprises a hollow or at least partially hollow shell (i.e., figs. 1-2 clearly show the at least partially-hollow configuration of 12, and the at least partially-hollow configuration of 46 and 24 are clear from their respectively disclosed intended uses); wherein the support structure (46, 24 and/or 12) is configured to support equipment inside the shell.
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2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the support structure (46, 24, and/or 12) is buoyant (col. 3, lines 17-68).
3. The device according to claim 2 wherein the tethering element (14) comprises a rod (figs. 1-2).
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connector (38 and/or 50) is flexible (i.e., chain is flexible) such that when the anchor device (40) is secured to the floor (20) of the body of water via the connector (38 and/or 50), angular movement of the tethering element (14) relative to the floor of the body of water is permitted (col. 3, lines 17-68).
5. The device according to claim 4 wherein the connector (38 and/or 50) comprises two chain links (i.e., any two chain links of either of 38 and/or 50).
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the support structure (46, 24, and/or 12) has a smooth outer surface (figs. 1-2).
7. A subsea anchor system including a device according to claim 1, and a weight (40) resting on the seabed (20), the second end (i.e., bottom as shown) of the tethering element (14) being secured to the weight (40) by means of the connector (50).
8. A subsea hydrocarbon production system comprising a device according to claim 1, and a piece of subsea equipment (the phrasing includes any components shown or described as interior to any of 46, 24, and/or 12, including at least but not limited to any of 60, 62, 97, 74, 76, 27, 90) mounted on or in the support structure (46, 24, and/or 12).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lindquist (US 1,840,324), in at least figs. 1 and 5, shows the pertinent structures of 10, 27, 35, 37.
Van Den (US 5,340,239), in at least fig. 1, shows the pertinent structures of 2, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22.
Brown et al. (US 5,427,046), in the figure, shows the pertinent structures of 1, 3, 4, and unlabeled anchor on the surface of 2.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to T. S. FIX whose telephone number is (571)272-8535. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10a-3p.
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 supervisor, Minnah Seoh can be reached at 5712707778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/T. SCOTT FIX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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