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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 24, 25 and 27-41 are objected to because of the following informalities: The claims recite “comprising” when it should be “further comprising”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 22-41 are 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.
As to Claim 22, the claim recites “the pile” several times when it should be “the suction pile”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 22 recites “and so restrict and block” when it should be “and to restrict and block”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 22 recites “the mat” when it should be “the impermeable mat”. Appropriate correction is required.
As to Claims 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31, 35-38 and 41, the claims recite “the seabed” when it should be “the seabed location” to have proper antecedent basis with the “seabed location” of Claim 22. Appropriate correction is required.
As to Claims 23, 24, 26 and 27, the claims recite “the laid mat” when it should be “laid impermeable mat”. Appropriate correction is required.
As to Claims 23, 24 and 28-41, the claims recite “the mat” when it should be “impermeable mat”. Appropriate correction is required.
As to Claim 25, the claim recites “two or more mats”. It is unclear if they refer to the “impermeable mat” of Claim 22. Appropriate correction is required.
As to Claims 27, 31-38, 40 and 41, the claims recite “the pile” when it should be “the suction pile”. Appropriate correction is required.
As to Claims 40 and 41, the claim recites “such mats”. It is unclear to what element “such” refers to. Appropriate correction is required.
The dependent claims are also rejected for depending on a rejected independent 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 22-41 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dixon (W.I.P.O. International Publication No. WO2005038146A1).
As to Claim 22, Dixon discloses method of mitigating suction failure due to a piping or seepage effect when installing a suction pile (1, 2) underwater, the method (The method steps are capable of being performed with the structure of Dixon) comprising:
Identifying an entrance of a bypass channel (Immediate outer surroundings of sidewall 2) that extends under a skirt (2) of the pile from a seabed location (20) to a suction chamber of the pile (Interior of 1, 2), and
Laying a substantially impermeable mat (40; Page 17, Lines 13-19: “Referring to Figures 8 and 9 a flexible impermeable blanket 40, made for example of synthetic rubber reinforced with synthetic fibre is sealed to the bottom flange 43 of a sliding collar 35 fitted round the cylindrical wall 2 of the foundation unit of Figure 1”) having a pliant, flexible body at the seabed location (20) to cover the entrance and so restrict or block a flow of water entering the bypass channel, wherein a radially inner side of the mat (40) lies against and extends partially up a side (Figures 9 and 10) of the skirt (2).
As to Claim 23, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses wherein the laid mat (40) extends across the seabed (20) beyond the entrance of the bypass channel to define an annular or part-annular peripheral sealing interface between the mat and an underlying area of the seabed (20) around that entrance (Figure 10).
As to Claim 24, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising forcing the laid mat (40) against the seabed (20) under suction applied to the mat via the bypass channel (Immediate outer surroundings of sidewall 2).
As to Claim 25, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising overlapping or abutting two or more mats (40, 46) to cover the entrance of the bypass channel (Immediate outer surroundings of sidewall 2).
As to Claim 26, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses wherein the laid mat (40) conforms pliantly to contours of the seabed (Figure 10).
As to Claim 27, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising abutting the laid mat (40) with the pile (Figure 10).
As to Claim 28, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising suspending suction in response to appearance of the bypass channel (Immediate outer surroundings of sidewall 2) and then resuming suction after laying the mat (40) on the seabed (20) (The method step is capable of being performed in view of the structure disclosed by Dixon).
As to Claim 29, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising storing, transporting and/or lowering the mat (40) to the seabed (20) in a compact configuration (Figure 8) and then opening the mat out into a wider and/or longer deployment configuration underwater (Transition between Figures 8 and 10) before laying the mat on the seabed (Figure 10).
As to Claim 30, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 29 (Refer to Claim 29 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising unrolling or unfolding the mat (40) from the compact configuration (Figure 8) into the deployment configuration (Figure 10).
As to Claim 31, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising supporting the mat (40) on the pile (1, 2) and deploying the mat from the pile when laying the mat on the seabed (Figure 8).
As to Claim 32, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 31 (Refer to Claim 31 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising deploying the mat (40) from the pile (1, 2) while a portion of the mat remains attached to the pile (Figure 8).
As to Claim 33, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 32 (Refer to Claim 32 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising lowering the mat (40) relative to the pile (Figure 8) to a seabed level and then deploying the mat from the pile (Figure 10).
As to Claim 34, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 33 (Refer to Claim 33 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising deploying the mat (40) by pivoting (via 44) the mat from the pile.
As to Claim 35, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 31 (Refer to Claim 31 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising preliminarily lowering the pile (1, 2) through water toward the seabed (20) with the mat (40) stowed (via 44) on the pile (The method step is capable of being performed in view of the structure disclosed by Dixon).
As to Claim 36, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising lifting the mat (40) from the seabed (20) after resuming or completing installation of the pile (The method step is capable of being performed in view of the structure disclosed by Dixon).
As to Claim 37, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising leaving the mat (40) on the seabed (20) after completing installation of the pile (The method step is capable of being performed in view of the structure disclosed by Dixon).
As to Claim 38, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 37 (Refer to Claim 37 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising using the mat (40) to mitigate scouring of the seabed (20) during operational use of the pile (The method step is capable of being performed in view of the structure disclosed by Dixon).
As to Claim 39, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 38 (Refer to Claim 38 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising supporting anti-scour features on the mat (40), those features being one or more of dumped rocks; dumped bags of granular material (46); or fronds upstanding from the mat.
As to Claim 40, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising encircling the pile (1, 2) with the mat (40) or with an array of such mats.
As to Claim 41, Dixon discloses the invention of Claim 22 (Refer to Claim 22 discussion). Dixon also discloses comprising laying the mat (40) or a plurality of such mats to cover a minor angular segment of the seabed (20) around a central longitudinal axis of the pile (Figure 10).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN J TOLEDO-DURAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7501. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday: 10:00AM to 6:00PM EST.
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/EDWIN J TOLEDO-DURAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
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