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 .
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 status of the claims for this application is as follows.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/07/2025 was considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 08/07/2026.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ketcham et al. (US 2005/0173923), (hereinafter, Ketcham) in view of Wilhelm (US 2007/0025811), (hereinafter, Wilhelm).
Re Clm 1: Ketcham discloses a fluid connection assembly (see Figs. 1-11), comprising:
a connector body (14), including:
a first end (see Fig. 4, the left side);
a second end (see Fig. 4, the right side);
a first through-bore (30);
a first radially inward facing surface (at 42) including a groove (42); and
a first radially outward facing surface (at 26); and
a retainer (16) removably connectable to the connector body, including: a second radially inward facing surface (at 62) forming a third end (the end containing 56) and a fourth end (the opposite end of 56);
a second radially outward facing surface (at 68);
a plurality of apertures (at 74) extending radially from the second radially inward facing surface to the second radially outward facing surface (see Figs. 5 and 6); and
at least one finger (64) extending from the fourth end (see Figs. 5 and 6).
Ketcham fails to disclose a seal overmolded onto the disclosed retainer.
However, Wilhelm discloses a pipe connection, similar to that of Ketcham. Wilhelm also teaches, in Figs. 24-27 and [0077-0078], that a seal(s) is/are overmolded. Where such would enhance the sealing of the joint by providing a directly attached sealing member(s) which retains the seal’s location.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have modified the device of Ketcham, to have had a seal(s) overmolded onto the disclosed retainer, as taught by Wilhelm, with a reasonable expectation of success because an additional sealing member(s) is being provided, for the purpose of providing a directly attached sealing member(s) which retains the seal’s location.
Re Clm 2: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that wherein the apertures are circumferentially spaced.
Re Clm 3: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that wherein the seal of Wilhelm extends through the plurality of apertures (extends through flow aperture 340a, para. [0076]); protrudes radially outward from the second radially outward facing surface (Fig. 27, seal 320b); and protrudes radially inward from the second radially inward facing surface (Fig. 27, seal 320c).
Re Clm 4: the seal of Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, would create a seal that is a fluid tight connection between the retainer and the connector body.
Re Clm 5: the seal of Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, would wraps around the third end.
Re Clm 6: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that wherein the seal is arranged axially spaced apart from the third end (seal 320C of Wilhelm is offset from the end).
Re Clm 7: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that wherein the at least one finger comprises a plurality of fingers circumferentially spaced (see Ketcham, Figs. 5-8).
Re Clm 8: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that wherein the at least one finger comprises: a third radially outward facing surface (see Ketcham, outer surface of 76); a third radially inward facing surface (see Ketcham, inner surface of 76); and a through-hole extending radially from the third radially inward facing surface to the third radially outward facing surface (see Ketcham, 74).
Re Clm 9: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that wherein a tongue (see Ketcham, 76) is arranged in the through-hole.
Re Clm 10: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that wherein the tongue forms a shoulder (see Ketcham, top surface of 82) protruding radially outward from the third radially outward facing surface, the shoulder operatively arranged to engage the groove to secure the retainer to the connector body (see Ketcham, Figs. 7-9).
Re Clm 11: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that wherein the tongue protrudes radially inward from the third radially inward facing surface (see Ketcham, 76 extends inwards).
Re Clm 12: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that wherein the third radially outward facing surface comprises a constant diameter (see Ketcham, ring 56 has flat edges).
Re Clm 13: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that wherein the third radially outward facing surface is frusto-conical (Ketcham teaches that ring 56 can include a conical outer surface 68 to facilitate insertion).
Re Clm 14: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that the at least one finger further comprises: an arm extending radially outward from the third radially outward facing surface (see Ketcham, Figs. 5-8, arms 76, para. [0031]); and a projection extending axially from the arm and forming a channel between the projection and the third radially outward facing surface (see Ketcham, Fig. 7, flat axially extending portion between abutment 84 and edge 71 forming an L-shaped channel).
Re Clm 15: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that the channel is operatively arranged to engage the second end (see Ketcham, Fig. 9).
Re Clm 16: Ketcham discloses a fluid connection assembly (see Figs. 1-11), comprising:
a connector body (connector body 14), including:
a first end (the end with chamfer 29);
a second end (the end with rim 34);
a first through-bore (axial bore 30);
a first radially inward facing surface including a groove (surface 42 below step 44 forms groove); and
a first radially outward facing surface (outer surface 26); and
a retainer removably connectable to the connector body (retainer 16), including: a second radially inward facing surface (inner surface forming bore 62 at ring 56) forming a third end (front end of ring 56) and a fourth end (Fig. 5, rear end of ring 56); a second radially outward facing surface (Fig. 5, outer surface 68 of ring 56);
a plurality of apertures extending radially from the second radially inward facing surface to the second radially outward facing surface (Fig. 6, windows 74); and at least one finger extending from the fourth end (locking members or wings 64); and
a seal (Fig. 1, sealing member 18).
Ketcham does not explicitly teach a seal overmolded onto the retainer to create a fluid tight connection between the retainer and the connector body, wherein the seal: extends through the plurality of apertures; protrudes radially outward from the second radially outward facing surface; and protrudes radially Inward from the second radially inward facing surface.
However, Wilhelm discloses a pipe connection, similar to that of Ketcham. Wilhelm also teaches, in Figs. 24-27 and [0077-0078], a seal overmolded onto the retainer (Figs. 24-27, seal 320 ovemolded onto connector sleeve 300, paras. [0077]-[0078]) to create a fluid tight connection between the retainer and the connector body (Abstract), wherein the seal: extends through the plurality of apertures (extends through mold flow aperture 340a); protrudes radially outward from the second radially outward facing surface (Fig. 27, overmold seal 320b); and protrudes radially inward from the second radially inward facing surface (Fig. 27, overmold seal 320c). Where such would enhance the sealing of the joint by providing a directly attached sealing member(s) which retains the seal’s location.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have modified the device of Ketcham, to have had a seal overmolded onto the retainer to create a fluid tight connection between the retainer and the connector body, wherein the seal: extends through the plurality of apertures; protrudes radially outward from the second radially outward facing surface; and protrudes radially Inward from the second radially inward facing surface, as taught by Wilhelm, with with a reasonable expectation of success because an additional sealing member(s) is being provided, for the purpose of providing a directly attached sealing member(s) which retains the seal’s location.
Re Clm 17: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that the at least one finger comprises: a third radially outward facing surface (see Ketcham, Fig. 5, outer surface of arm 76); a third radially inward facing surface (see Ketcham, Fig. 5, inner surface of arm 76); and a through-hole extending radially from the third radially inward facing surface to the third radially outward facing surface (see Ketcham, Fig. 5, window 74).
Re Clm 18: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations of a tongue is arranged in the through-hole (see Ketcham, Figs. 5-8, locking arm 76 is a tongue that extends through window 74 from connecting beam 72, para [0031]).
Re Clm 19: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that the tongue forms a shoulder protruding radially outward from the third radially outward facing surface (see Ketcham, Figs. 7-8, ramped top surface 82, para. [0031]), the shoulder operatively arranged to engage the groove to secure the retainer to the connector body (see Ketcham, Fig. 9).
Re Clm 20: Ketcham as modified by Wilhelm above, discloses the limitations that the tongue comprises a frusto-conical surface that protrudes radially inward from the third radially inward facing surface (Fig. 7, surface 88 and Fig. 8 inner surface 78 protrude inward from ring 56).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following documents have structural features (pipes inside of pipes) which are similar to the applicant’s claimed invention; US-20030218335-A1, US-20050029810-A1, US-2226304-A, US-4846506-A, and US-5527072-A.
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JAMES ALBERT LINFORD
Examiner
Art Unit 3679
07/13/2026
/Matthew Troutman/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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