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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of group I in the reply filed on 27 March 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the inventions make a contribution over the prior art and that searching all claims does not place an undue burden on the examiner. This is not found persuasive because making a contribution over the prior art is not a requirement of U.S. restriction practice. Further, an undue burden is present due at to the different classification of the two inventions (group I is classified in F16L33/225 and group II is classified in Y10T29/49908). The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 9-16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arima et al. (US 2006/0011249 hereinafter “Arima”).
In regards to claims 1 and 6, Arima discloses a connection for a fluid, comprising:
a hose (12), in which configured for having a fluid is intended to flow therein, comprising: an outer layer (20) of polymeric material (see paragraph [0074]), an inner layer (16) of polymeric material (see paragraph [0072]), and at least one intermediate layer (18), interposed between the outer and inner layers, made from net, mesh, braid, spiral-wrapped wire, textile fibres, fabric, or non-woven fabric (see paragraph [0071]),
a connector (14), in which configured for having a fluid is intended to flow therein, and which is in fluidic communication with the hose; wherein the hose is mounted around a male portion (22) of the connector,
a ring (24), mounted around the hose at the male portion of the connector; wherein the ring, when mounted around the hose at the male portion, is deformed and exerts compression on the hose because of such deformation (shown in fig. 2).
Arima does not expressly disclose the ring being made of polymeric material that is more rigid than that of the inner or outer layer, but rather is silent to the material of the ring. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify Arima by making the ring from PTFE due to its strength, temperature resistance, etc., since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 277 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960). See MPEP 2144.07.
In regards to claim 2, Arima further discloses the ring has a continuous circular profile (shown in fig. 1A).
In regards to claim 3, Arima further discloses the ring has no other means for compressing the hose onto the male portion of the connector (shown in fig. 2).
In regards to claim 4, Arima further discloses the outer and inner layers comprise thermoplastic elastomer or thermosetting elastomer (see paragraphs [0072] and [0074]).
In regards to claim 5, Arima further discloses the intermediate layer comprises aramid fibre, PA, or PET (see paragraph [0071]).
In regards to claim 7, Arima further discloses the ring has a cylindrical shape (shown in fig. 1a).
In regards to claim 8, at the onset it is noted that 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). See MPEP § 2114. The recitation “vehicle” is a nominal recitation of the intended manner of operation of the system, and does not add any further structure than the “connection". Therefore, little patentable weight is given to "vehicle".
Arima discloses a vehicle (see paragraph [0001]) comprising the connection (1) according to claim 1 (see above).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Each of the remaining cited prior art shows a similar connection.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARY T DRAGICEVICH whose telephone number is (571)270-0505. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 - 4:30 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew D. 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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/ZACHARY T DRAGICEVICH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
04/14/2026
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