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 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 7 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Claim 7, line 4, the phrase “an engagement section with which the engageable section, “ is incomplete.
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Van Walraven (US 20060249634 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Van Walraven discloses a pipe support for holding a pipe in suspension from a structural body (20, figures 5-8), the pipe support comprising:
an attachment section (30, figure 2) attached to a hanging bar-shaped body (1, figure 2) vertically hanging from the structural body (20, figures 5-8);
and a support section (10, figure 2) coupled to the attachment section (30) and configured to hold the pipe,
the support section (10) comprising:
an upper support section (US, SEE MARKUP ABOVE) placed upward of the pipe; and
a lower support section (120, figure 2) swingably coupled to the upper support section (US, SEE MARKUP ABOVE) via at least one swing pivot point (SP) and configured to support the pipe from below,
the lower support section (120, FIGURE 2) comprising:
a support main body (MB); and
an extension portion (EP) extending from the support main body to a position overlapping with the upper support section (US) across the at least one swing pivot point (SP), and
wherein the support section is changed from an open posture (FIGURES 2 AND 8); in which the upper support section and the lower support section are opened; to a closed posture (FIGURE 7); in which the upper support section and the lower support section are closed- in response to attaching of the pipe to the support section.
With respect to claim 2, Van Walraven discloses the pipe support according to claim 1 as advanced above, further comprising: a posture maintaining mechanism (122, figure 2) configured to maintain the support section (120, figure 2) in the closed posture (figure 7).
With respect to claim 3, Van Walraven discloses the pipe support according to claim 1 as advanced above, wherein: the at least one swing pivot point comprises a plurality of swing pivot points (SP and SP2) , and the lower support section (120, figure 2) is swingably coupled to opposite ends (at SP and SP2) of the upper support section (US, see markup above) via the plurality of swing pivot points (SP, SP2).
With respect to claim 4, Van Walraven discloses the pipe support according to claim 1 as advanced above,, wherein: the support main body (MB) is heavier than the extension portion (EP, since MB has more material then EP, it inherently would be heavier).
With respect to claim 5, Van Walraven discloses the pipe support according to claim 1 as advanced above, wherein: the at least one swing pivot point (SP, SP2) is set at a position deviating from a lowest point (122, figure 2 for example) of the support section.
With respect to claim 6, Van Walraven discloses the pipe support according to claim 1 as advanced above, wherein: the upper support section (US, see markup above) comprises a pair of right and left split bodies (L and R, see markup above), and the pair of right and left split bodies are coupled to each other and incapable of rotation relative to each other.
With respect to claim 7 as best understood, Van Walraven discloses the pipe support according to claim 2 as advanced above, wherein: the posture maintaining mechanism (122, figure 2) comprises: an engageable section (A) provided for the support main body, and an engagement section (B) with which the engageable section, and the pipe support further comprises an engagement guide section (C) disposed on a distal end side from the engagement section (B) and configured to guide the engageable section (A) for the engagement with the engagement section (B).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art of record further demonstrate pipe suspension clamps of interest.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ko (Korie) H Chan whose telephone number is (571)272-6816. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday -Friday, 8:00 - 5:00 EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Liu can be reached on 571-272-8227. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Ko H Chan/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631
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