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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/28/2025 was considered by the examiner.
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 5, 7, 12, and 13 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.
Regarding claims 5, 7, 12, and 13, the phrase "particularly" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
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 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Davies US20100326003.
Claim 1. Davies discloses a truss device (100, 306, 905), comprising a set of elongate tube bodies (106, 306) which extend parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction and which are connected spatially separated from each other by bars (320), wherein the tube bodies (308) are provided or at least can be provided on opposite outer ends of coupling means for a releasable coupling to a tube body of a further truss device (100, 306, 905), wherein the bars (320) have a polygonal cross-section (see P.0023; "rectangular") and are connected to an adjacent tube body (106, 306) along an at least in projection linear connection (see Fig. 3) which coincides with a side of this cross-section at an end surface, and wherein the connections of a number of bars (320) connected to the tube body (106, 306) lie mutually in line (see Fig. 3).
Claim 2. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the bars (320) are connected to the set of tube bodies (106, 306) at opposite end surfaces along at least in projection linear connections (see Fig. 3), which each coincide with a side of the cross- section of the bar (320) in question, and that corresponding connections of the bars (320) lie mutually in line (see Fig. 3).
Claim 3. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the bars (320) are each connected to a tube body (106, 306) of the set of tube bodies along respectively a first at least in projection linear connection (see the connection of bars 320 to tube 306B2 on Fig. 3) and a second at least in projection linear connection (see the connection of bars 320 to tube 306B on Fig. 3), wherein the first connections (320-306B2) of the bars (320) lie mutually in line (see Fig. 3), wherein the second connections (320-306B) of the bars (320) lie mutually in line (see Fig. 3) and wherein the first and second connections are oriented parallel to each other (see Fig. 3).
Claim 4. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the first connections (320-306B2) and the second connections (320-306B) are oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tube body (306).
Claim 5 as best understood. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the bars (320) have a rectangular (see par. 0023) cross-section.
Claim 6. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the bars (320) comprises hollow tubular profiles.
Claim 7 as best understood. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the tube bodies (106, 306) and the bars (320) are formed from the same material, particularly from metal such as steel or aluminum (see par. 0042), and are connected to each other at least substantially only along linear connections (see Fig. 3).
Claim 8. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the tube bodies (106, 306) are connected in crosswise manner (see Fig. 3) by means of the bars (320).
Claim 9. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the tube bodies (106, 306) are received in a shared end frame (See the angle frame on Fig. 9 where two beam trusses 905 are connected. That end cube truss or just a portion of it can be interpreted as
representing the shared end frame of claim 9.) at their end surface and that the tube bodies (106, 306) and the end frame are connected to each other along at least
one further at least in projection linear connection (see Fig. 9), which at least one further
connection is oriented parallel to a connection along which at least one of the bars (320)
is connected to one of the tube bodies (106, 306), and particularly lies in line therewith
(see in combination Fig. 4 and Fig. 9).
Claim 10. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the bars (320) are each connected to a tube body (106, 306) of the set of tube bodies along respectively a first at least in projection linear connection (320-306B2; see Fig. 3) and a second at least in projection linear connection (320-306B; see Fig. 3), wherein the first connections (320-306B2) and the second connections (320-306B) of the bars (320) each lie in line with a further at least in projection linear connection (see Fig. 4 and Fig. 9) of the end frame (SEF) to the tube body (106, 306), and wherein the first, second and further connections are oriented parallel to each other (see Fig. 4 and Fig. 9).
Claim 11. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the further at least in projection linear connection essentially lies in line with the first at least in projection linear connection (320-306B2) and the first (and also second) (320-306B2, 320-306B) at least in projection linear connection (see Fig. 4 and Fig. 9).
Claim 12 as best understood. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the tube bodies (106, 306) and the end frames (SEF) are formed from the same metal, particularly from aluminum (see par. 0042), and are welded to each other at least substantially by means of solely and at least in projection linear connections (see Fig. 4 and Fig. 9).
Claim 13 as best understood. Davies discloses a truss device, wherein the end frames (SEF) are formed integrally in monolithic manner (see Fig. 9), and were particularly obtained by extrusion or casting.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Refer to attached NOTICE OF REFERENCE CITED.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BABAJIDE A DEMUREN whose telephone number is (571)270-7017. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.
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BABAJIDE A. DEMUREN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3633
/BABAJIDE A DEMUREN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3633
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