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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of group I and species A (figs. 9A-10B) in the reply filed on 22 July 2026 acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that all the claims could be examined without serious burden. This is not found persuasive because a serious burden is present at least due to the species/groups having divergent subject matter and requiring a different field of search. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL. It is noted that the claims directed to the non-elected invention/species have been cancelled.
Specification
The status of the non-provisional parent application (whether patented or abandoned) needs to be included in the cross reference to related applications at the start of the specification. If a parent application has become a patent, the expression “now Patent No. _____” should follow the filing date of the parent application. If a parent application has become abandoned, the expression “now abandoned” should follow the filing date of the parent application.
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 10-12 and 21-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by McAdams et al. (US 2014/0130580 hereinafter “McAdams”).
In regards to claim 10, McAdams discloses a fluidic coupling device for installing a conduit, comprising:
a conical cavity (124) configured to receive a conduit grasper of a collet;
a conduit nut (106) comprising a first axial nut end (top in fig. 2) and a second axial nut end (bottom in fig. 2) spaced from the first axial nut end along a device axis;
a nut bore (central bore) extending through the conduit nut from the first axial nut end to the second axial nut end; and
a first nut engagement component (128) disposed at the first axial nut end, and configured to engage a fluidic component configured to receive the conduit.
In regards to claim 11, McAdams further discloses the fluidic coupling device comprises an external nut engagement component (flats in fig. 1A) configured to facilitate rotation of the conduit nut.
In regards to claim 12, McAdams further discloses an external nut engagement component (122) configured to facilitate rotation of the conduit nut; and
an adapter (108) comprising an adapter bore (central bore), a first adapter engagement component (118) configured to engage the external nut engagement component, and a second adapter engagement component (see at “124”) configured to engage the collet, wherein:
the adapter bore comprises a conical adapter section (124) configured to contact the outer grasper surface, and the conical adapter section comprises the conical cavity; and
the second adapter engagement component comprises a cylindrical section of a circular cross-section defining at least part of the adapter bore (see at “118).
In regards to claim 21, McAdams further discloses an adapter (108) comprising an adapter bore (central bore) and configured to engage the conduit nut.
In regards to claims 22 and 33, McAdams further discloses an adapter engagement component (see at “124”) configured to engage the collet.
In regards to claim 23, McAdams further discloses an external nut engagement component (122), wherein the adapter comprises a first adapter engagement component (118) configured to engage the external nut engagement component.
In regards to claim 24, McAdams further discloses the adapter bore comprises the conical cavity (124).
In regards to claims 25 and 31, McAdams further discloses the adapter comprises an outer lateral adapter surface (outer surface).
In regards to claims 26 and 32, McAdams further discloses the adapter comprises one or more gripping members (see flats at “108” in fig. 1A) configured to facilitate rotation of the adapter.
In regards to claim 28, McAdams discloses a fluidic coupling device for installing a conduit, comprising:
a conical cavity (124) configured to receive a conduit grasper of a collet;
a conduit nut (106) comprising a first axial nut end (top in fig. 2) and a second axial nut end (bottom in fig. 2) spaced from the first axial nut end along a device axis;
a nut bore (central bore) extending through the conduit nut from the first axial nut end to the second axial nut end;
a first nut engagement component (128) disposed at the first axial nut end, and configured to engage a fluidic component configured to receive the conduit;
an external nut engagement component (122) disposed on the conduit nut; and
an adapter (108) engaged with the conduit nut, the adapter comprising an adapter bore (central bore), and a first adapter engagement component (118) engaged with the external nut engagement component, wherein the adapter bore comprises the conical cavity.
In regards to claim 29, McAdams further discloses the adapter comprises a conical adapter section (124), the conical adapter section comprises the conical cavity, and the conical adapter section is configured to contact an outer grasper surface of the conduit grasper.
In regards to claim 30, McAdams further discloses the first adapter engagement component comprises a cylindrical section (at “118”) of a polygonal cross-section defining at least part of the adapter bore.
In regards to claim 34, McAdams discloses a fluidic coupling device for installing a conduit, comprising:
a conical cavity (124) configured to receive a conduit grasper of a collet;
a conduit nut (106) comprising a first axial nut end (top in fig. 2) and a second axial nut end (bottom in fig. 2) spaced from the first axial nut end along a device axis;
a nut bore (central bore) extending through the conduit nut from the first axial nut end to the second axial nut end;
a first nut engagement component (128) disposed at the first axial nut end, and configured to engage a fluidic component configured to receive the conduit; and
an adapter (108) engaged with the conduit nut, the adapter comprising an adapter bore (central bore), and an adapter engagement component (surface at “124”) configured to engage the collet, wherein the adapter bore comprises the conical cavity.
The following is an alternate interpretation of the prior art for claim 27:
In regards to claim 27, McAdams discloses a fluidic coupling device for installing a conduit, comprising:
a conical cavity (124) configured to receive a conduit grasper of a collet;
a conduit nut (106) comprising a first axial nut end (bottom in fig. 2) and a second axial nut end (top in fig. 2) spaced from the first axial nut end along a device axis;
a nut bore (central bore) extending through the conduit nut from the first axial nut end to the second axial nut end; and
a first nut engagement component (118) disposed at the first axial nut end, and configured to engage a fluidic component configured to receive the conduit,
the first nut engagement component comprises a threaded nut section (118).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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
08/04/2026
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