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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it contains legal phraseology. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
Claim(s) 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 0686598, Evans.
In regards to claim 12, in the Figure 1 and page 1, lines 64-98, Evans discloses a method comprising: (a) providing an expansion coupler including: a tubular member (B) defining a flow path in an axial direction; a first telescopic member (A) located external to the tubular member and defining a first end of the expansion coupler; a second telescopic member (C) located external to the tubular member and defining a second end of the expansion coupler; and a portion of the first telescopic member axially overlapping a portion of the second telescopic member, at least one of the first telescopic member and the second telescopic member being axially movable with respect to the other of the first telescopic member and the second telescopic member over a range;(b) connecting a preload arrangement (E, H, J, K) between the first telescopic member and the second telescopic member; and (c) adjusting the preload arrangement to provide a predetermined preload force that opposes contraction of the expansion coupler.
In regards to claim 13, in the Figure 1 and page 1, lines 64-98, Evans the preload arrangement comprises at least one spring and adjusting the preload arrangement involves compressing the at least one spring.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-11 and 15-20 are allowed.
Claim 14 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not disclose an expansion coupler locatable between a first pipe and a second pipe, the coupler comprising: a tubular member defining a flow path in an axial direction; a first telescopic member located external to the tubular member and defining a first end of the expansion coupler; a second telescopic member located external to the tubular member and defining a second end of the expansion coupler; a portion of the first telescopic member axially overlapping a portion of the second telescopic member, at least one of the first telescopic member and the second telescopic member being axially movable with respect to the other of the first telescopic member and the second telescopic member over a range; at least one first seal located between an outer surface of the tubular member and an inner surface of the first telescopic member; at least one second seal located between an outer surface of the tubular member and an inner surface of the second telescopic member; and a preload arrangement connected between the first telescopic member and the second telescopic member, the preload arrangement providing a preload force against axial contraction of the expansion coupler.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure because it illustrates the state of the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON M DUNWOODY whose telephone number is (571)272-7080. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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/AARON M DUNWOODY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679