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 .
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.
Claims 11-15 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.
Claim 11 recites “the pipe connector according to claim 1”. The claim then recites elements such as “a first sleeve section”, “a first pipe end”, “a second sleeve section”, “a second pipe end” which are all elements previously recited as part of the pipe connector. It is unclear if these recitations in claim 11 are intended to be the same elements recited in claim 1 or new elements. For examination purposes only, each repeated recitation will be treated as the element recited in claim 1.
The remaining claims are rejected based on their dependency.
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.
(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.
Claims 1-12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Davies (US 2009/0079183).
In regards to claim 1, Davies discloses a pipe connector (1) comprising a sleeve which can be arranged concentrically to pipe sections (2, 3) with a first diameter and has a first sleeve section (4) and a second sleeve section (5) which can be welded to the first sleeve section to form the sleeve (see paragraph [0023]) with the sleeve having a second diameter (shown in fig. 2) which is larger than that of the pipe sections of a pipe system.
In regards to claim 2, Davies further discloses the sleeve sections can be welded by orbital inert gas welding (fig. 1 shows this capability).
In regards to claim 3, Davies further discloses the sleeve has an enlarged sleeve volume compared to the pipe sections (shown in fig. 1).
In regards to claim 4, Davies further discloses the sleeve can be filled with inert gas during welding (fig. 1 shows this capability).
In regards to claim 5, Davies further discloses the sleeve has a first and a second sleeve end and the sleeve ends each taper concentrically (see at “4, 5” in fig. 1) towards the pipe sections.
In regards to claim 6, Davies further discloses the first and second sleeve ends each have an extension in an axial direction formed by the pipe sections (shown in fig. 1).
In regards to claim 7, Davies further discloses at least one pipe section protrudes into the sleeve in an axial direction (see “10” which for this rejection is being considered part of the pipe section).
In regards to claim 8, Davies further discloses axial ends of the sleeve can be connected to one of a tank or a liquid nitrogen tank and the pipe system leading to the tank (fig. 1 shows this capability).
In regards to claim 9, Davies further discloses the sleeve provides heat protection for cables or lines (10) routed in the pipe system or during welding.
In regards to claim 10, Davies further discloses the pipe connector can be used to form a non-detachable connection or a welded joint, between the pipe system and the tank (fig. 1 shows this capability).
In regards to claim 11, as best understood by the examiner, Davies discloses a method for connecting pipe ends in a pipe system using the pipe connector according to claim 1 (see above), comprising connecting a first sleeve section (4) to a first pipe end (2), connecting a second sleeve section (5) to a second pipe end (3), and welding the first sleeve section to the second sleeve section (see paragraph [0023]).
In regards to claim 12, Davies further discloses cables or lines (10) are introduced into a pipe system and through the sleeve sections before the sleeve sections are welded (see paragraph [0026]).
In regards to claim 15, Davies further discloses the sleeve is provided as heat protection for the cables or lines (10) inserted in the pipe system.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Davies as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of Bowers (US 2012/0298628).
In regards to claims 13 and 14, Davies discloses the method of claim 11 but does not expressly disclose an orbital inert welding process where the sleeve is filled with an inert shielding gas before welding.
However, Bowers teaches that it is known in the art to use an orbital inert welding process where the sleeve is filled with an inert shielding gas before welding to connect two pipe sections (see paragraphs [0005] and [0014] - [0016]), achieving no unexpected results.
Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date would have found it no more obvious than simple substitution to provide the method of Davies with orbital inert gas welding in place of butt welding as taught by Davies, producing no unexpected results. Thus, the simple substitution of one known element for another producing a predictable result renders the claim obvious. See MPEP §2143 (I)(B).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Each of the remaining cited prior art shows a similar welded pipe connector.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARY T DRAGICEVICH whose telephone number is (571)270-0505. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 - 4:30 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew D. Troutman can be reached at (571) 270-3654. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZACHARY T DRAGICEVICH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
12/23/2025