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
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The patent number of the related application should be included in the “Related Applications” section of the specification.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-5 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, lines 19-25 recite a second radius and a third radius where the third radius has a
second radius of curvature and a third radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature is concave and also convex. It is unclear how the third radius has the second radius of curvature and also has a convex and concave radius of curvature. Clarification is needed.
Claim 1, from 9th to the last line to 4th to the last line has the same issue.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Watts 2017/0321826.
In regard to claim 6, Watts discloses a tubular member having a connector provided on an end thereof, wherein:
a) the connector is a box connector 3, the box connector being adapted to receive a corresponding pin connector 2 provided on another tubular member, the box connector comprising:
i) a nominal pitch diameter, a longitudinal axis, a primary shoulder 22, a secondary
shoulder (tapered surface at the inner end of the box 3), and a zone of internal threads;
ii) the zone of internal threads comprising a plurality of threads which taper relative to the longitudinal axis, the plurality of threads comprising: a thread crest 35, a thread root 37, at least one load flank 34, a stabbing flank 32, and at least one load flank reduction zone 46;
iii) the box connector being adapted to be threadably engaged with the corresponding pin connector 2 provided on another tubular member, whereby a tubular connection is formed wherein each of the at least one load flanks of the box connector contacts a respective load flank of a corresponding thread on the corresponding pin connector along a projected radial direction such that at least one projected load flank radial contact face Hr 33 is formed by the mating load flanks;
wherein the load flank reduction zone 46 includes a limiting flank being disposed at an angle relative to the load flank 34, the limiting flank diverging from the load flank in a direction inward of the load flank wherein the angle is measured with respect to a linear extension of the load flank on the inward side of the intersection, a first radius (radius between 35 and 46) extending between the thread crest 35 and the limiting flank 46 having a first radius of curvature, a second radius 42 extending from the limiting flank to the load flank having a second radius of curvature;
and/or (see paragraph 19, where both the pin and box with the same thread profile shown in fig. 2),
b) the connector is a pin connector, the pin connector being adapted to be received in
a corresponding box connector provided on another tubular member, the pin connector comprising:
i) a nominal pitch diameter, a longitudinal axis, a primary shoulder, a secondary
shoulder, and a zone of external threads;
ii) the zone of external threads comprising a plurality of threads which taper relative to the longitudinal axis, the plurality of threads comprising: a thread crest, a thread root, at least one load flank, a stabbing flank, and at least one load flank reduction zone;
iii) the pin connector being adapted to be threadably engaged with the a corresponding box connector provided on another tubular member, whereby a tubular connection is formed wherein each of the at least one load flanks on the pin connector contacts a respective load flank of a corresponding thread on the corresponding box connector along a projected radial direction such that at least one projected load flank radial contact face Hᵣ is formed by the mating load flanks;
wherein the load flank reduction zone includes a limiting flank being disposed at an angle relative to the load flank, the limiting flank diverging from the load flank in a direction inward of the load flank wherein the angle is measured with respect to a linear extension of the load flank on the inward side of the intersection, a first radius extending between the thread crest and the limiting flank having a first radius of curvature, a second radius extending from the limiting flank to the load flank having a second radius of curvature.
In regard to claim 7, wherein, with respect to the box connector or the pin connector: the limiting flank 46 is disposed at an angle of between about 10 degrees and about 70 degrees (see claim 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5 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.
Claims 8-15 are 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.
Claims 16-21 are allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Takano discloses a similar threaded coupling that is common and well known in the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID E. BOCHNA whose telephone number is (571)272-7078. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew 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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/DAVID BOCHNA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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