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 .
This is a non-final Office Action for serial number 19/208,112, Clamp For A Clamping A Wire On A Pipe, Associated Break Detection Arrangement, Fuel Distribution System, Aircraft and Method Of Clamping A Wire On A Pipe, filed on May 14, 2025.
Drawings
New corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in this application because it is not clearly how a “cooperation portion” (40) works as shown in Figure 5. Applicant is advised to employ the services of a competent patent draftsperson outside the Office, as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office no longer prepares new drawings. The corrected drawings are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The requirement for corrected drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-15 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 1 recites the limitation "the other" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
As best understood, regarding claim 1, line 11, it is not clear with the language recitation with “each of the first and second clamping elements” and “a cooperation portion connecting the male and female connection portions”. – see drawing – Figure 5.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
As best understood based on the drawings, the prior art fails to disclose wherein each of the first and second clamping elements comprising a male connection portion and female connection portion with a cooperation portion connecting the mail and female connection portions.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TODD M. EPPS whose telephone number is (571) 272-8282. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am - 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TODD M EPPS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632 September 29, 2026
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