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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: “connecting toa” should have added space between “to” and “a”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities: the semicolon after “claim 1” should be removed and add comma. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-3 and 5-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lisland (WO 2020/173925A1).
As per claim 2, Lisland teaches a detachable chain link for use in connecting and disconnecting upper and lower mooring chains, the detachable chain link comprising:
-an imaginary transverse plane (Lisland: para. 14) passing through a geometric center of the detachable chain link (Lisland: 1; para. 7), dividing the detachable chain link into an upper part for connecting to the upper mooring chain (Lisland: 5a) and a lower part for connecting to the lower mooring chain (Lisland: 5b); and
-a link body having an upper arched segment for connecting to a link of the upper mooring chain (Lisland: 5a), a lower arched segment for connecting to a link of the lower mooring chain (Lisland: 5b), and a straight segment extending between the upper and lower arched segments (Lisland: 5c), the link body including a closing piece (Lisland: 7) that is movable into and out of an opening located between the upper and lower arched segments (Lisland: figure 1), the opening being located opposite the straight segment (Lisland: figure 1), the closing piece being configured to close the opening when moved into the opening (Lisland: figure 2; para. 10), the link body including a connection point arranged in the upper part of the detachable chain link above the imaginary transverse plane (Lisland: 6), the connection point being configured to receive a lifting force (Lisland: para. 16), and in response to receiving the lifting force, causing a rotation of the link body (Lisland: figure 2).
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As per claim 2, the link of claim 1 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein when the closing piece is located out of the opening, the rotation of the link body is sufficient to release the link of the upper mooring chain through the opening when the link of the upper mooring chain is connected to the upper arched segment (Lisland: para. 21; figures 5-6; When the link is to be disconnected from the upper mooring chain, the safety hatch is released which releases the tension from the upper link creating a slight towards the side. The tipping is sufficient for the bolt to fall out of the closed position and turn into an open position.).
As per claim 3, the link of claim 1 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the connection point is arranged in the straight segment of the link body (Lisland: para. 15).
As per claim 5, the link of claim 1 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the connection point comprises a hole traversing the straight segment that is configured to receive a device that exerts the lifting force (Lisland: 8).
As per claim 6, the link of claim 5 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the connection point (Lisland: 6) is located between two recesses (Lisland: 5c, 7) made in the straight segment.
As per claim 7, the link of claim 6 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the two recesses are parallel to one another (Lisland: figure 2, 7, 5).
As per claim 8, the link of claim 1 is as described. Lisland teaches further comprising a cross-piece arranged between the straight segment and a free end of the lower arched segment, the cross-piece being attached to the closing piece (Lisland: 6).
As per claim 9, the link of claim 8 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the cross-piece is attached to the closing piece by an elastic cord (Lisland: para. 16).
As per claim 10, the link of claim 8 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the cross-piece has a first end that at least partially surrounds an annular groove of the straight segment, and a second end that at least partially surrounds an annular groove in the free end of the lower arched segment (Lisland: figures 2-3).
As per claim 11, the link of claim 8 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the cross-piece comprises two parts that are separable from one another for disconnecting the link of the lower mooring chain from the lower arched segment when the lower mooring chain is connected to the lower arched segment (Lisland: figure 3).
As per claim 12, the link of claim 10 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the cross-piece comprises two parts that are separable from one another for disconnecting the link of the lower mooring chain from the lower arched segment when the lower mooring chain is connected to the lower arched segment (Lisland: figure 3).
As per claim 13, the link of claim 1 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the closing piece has a first portion and a second portion which projects perpendicularly from the first portion, such that when the closing piece closes the opening, the first portion extends between a free end of the upper arched segment and a free end of the lower arched segment, and the second portion extends from the first portion to the straight segment of the link body, the second portion having a free end that mates with a portion of the straight segment of the link body (Lisland: figure 3).
As per claim 14, the link of claim 13 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the closing piece has a hole that is configured to house a screw traversing the first portion and the second portion of the closing piece, the screw being configured to fix the closing piece to the straight segment of the link body (Lisland: para. 21).
As per claim 15, the link of claim 14 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the screw has a first annular protrusion that is configured to limit an axial displacement of the screw in the hole of the closing piece between two stops of the hole (Lisland: para. 21).
As per claim 16, the link of claim 15 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the screw has a second annular protrusion with a dimension that is reciprocal with the inner diameter of the hole to facilitate a tight displacement of the second annular protrusion in the hole and for establishing a leak-tight closure of the hole (Lisland: para. 32-33; figure 7).
As per claim 17, the link of claim 1 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the connection system includes the link of the lower mooring chain being connected to the lower arched segment of the detachable chain link, and the link of the upper mooring chain being connected to the upper arched segment of the detachable chain link (Lisland: figure 9a, 9b; 4 and 2).
As per claim 18, the link of claim 17 is as described. Lisland teaches further comprising a device that exerts the lifting force at the connection point of the detachable mooring chain link (Lisland: para. 21).
As per claim 19, the link of claim 17 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the link body of the detachable chain link has an outer geometry identical to the link of the lower mooring chain (Lisland: figure 2).
As per claim 20, Lisland teaches a method for underwater disconnecting of upper and lower mooring chains that are coupled by the detachable chain link according to claim 1, wherein a link of the lower mooring chain is connected to the lower arched segment of the detachable chain link, and a link of the upper mooring chain is connected to the upper arched segment of the detachable chain link (Lisland: figure 2; 2 and 4), the method comprising:
-removing the closing piece from the opening of the detachable chain link with a remote operated vehicle (Lisland: para. 22; ROV), and
-exerting a lifting force at the connection point of the detachable chain link to cause the detachable chain link to rotate the link body to release the link of the upper mooring chain through the opening (Lisland: para. 16-19).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lisland (WO 2020/173925).
As per claim 4, the link of claim 3 is as described. Lisland teaches wherein the connection point is arranged in an upper part of the straight segment in an area where the straight segment joins the upper arched segment (Lisland: figure 9a). Examiner states that it would have been obvious to have the placement of the connection point to connect the mooring line is mere matter of design choice (MPEP 2144.04). Examiner states that they both present the same function in substantially the same way (i.e. receiving a lifting force to detach the link).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Taylor et al. – GB 2594990 A – Teaches a chain link for mooring.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHEETAL R. PAULSON whose telephone number is (571)270-1368. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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/SHEETAL R PAULSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615
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