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 .
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) 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by US 20210246742 A1 to Rolovic.
Regarding claim 28: Rolovic discloses 28. A method for connecting separate coiled tubing (CT) strings at a wellsite ([0006].[0022], Figs 3-14, the method comprising:
(a) locking a CT connector assembly to a terminal end of a first CT string (Figs.7, 8A: connector 690 and tubing strings 320, 620, [0035- 0036]);
(b) pressurizing a central passage of the CT connector assembly to apply fluid pressure to an annular seal located in the central passage of the CT connector assembly ([0038]: pressure test, seals can be seen with no reference signs in Fig. 8A); or
(c) performing a tensile test on the connection formed between the CT connector assembly and the first CT string by applying an axially directed force to the terminal end of the first CT string ([0038]: pull test).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-27 allowed.
Claims 29-42 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20190284895 A1 teaches a connector for coiled tubing and a tool
US 20210254412 A1 teaches a method for connecting multiple coiled tubing strings.
US 20230019069 A1 teaches a method of pressure testing coiled tubing with a connector.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN MACDONALD whose telephone number is (571)272-8763. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-5:30 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, Doug Hutton can be reached at (571) 272-4137. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/STEVEN A MACDONALD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3674