Office Action 1: Non-Final Rejection (2024-06-06)
Rejection types: Double Patenting

CLAIMS:
Amendments to the Claims:

This claim listing reflects all claim amendments and replaces all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application. Material to be inserted is in bold and underline, and material to be deleted is in or, if the deletion is of five or fewer consecutive characters or would be difficult to see, in double brackets \[\[ \]\].

1-20. (Canceled)219

21\. (New) A flange assembly, comprising:
an upper transverse element,
a lower transverse element, and
a bridging component connecting the upper and lower transverse elements, wherein each transverse element has a middle portion connecting first and second wing portions, the middle portion being connected to the bridging component, wherein each wing portion has less than four bolt holes configured for attachment to wing portions on adjacent flange assemblies.

22\. (New) The flange assembly of claim 21, wherein each wing portion has no more than three bolt holes.

23\. (New) The flange assembly of claim 21, wherein each wing portion has no more than two bolt holes.

24\. (New) The flange assembly of claim 23, wherein the bolt holes on each wing portion are aligned along a first axis oblique to an elongate axis of the bridging component.

25\. (New) The flange assembly of claim 21, wherein one of the bolt holes is immediately adjacent the middle portion.

26\. (New) The flange assembly of claim 21, wherein each wing portion has an inside portion and an outside portion, the inside portion having a bolt hole distal from the middle portion, the outside portion having a bolt hole proximal from the middle portion.
Serial No.: 18/483,438; Docket No.: CXT333CON2

27\. (New) A collar corner assembly, comprising:
a column mating portion having first and second expanses defining a corner, and a standoff portion extending from the corner, the standoff portion having less than eight bolt holes.

28\. (New) The collar corner assembly of claim 27, wherein a first axis is parallel to the corner, the standoff portion having two sets of holes, each set of holes being aligned along a second axis oblique to the first axis.

29\. (New) The collar corner assembly of claim 27, wherein at least two bolt holes are immediately adjacent the standoff portion.

30\. (New) The collar corner assembly of claim 27, wherein the column mating portion and the standoff portion each have a standard upper section and a standard lower section connected by a selectable middle section corresponding to a beam depth, and each of the upper section and the lower section includes a set of holes.

31\. (New) The collar corner assembly of claim 30, wherein each set of holes includes no more than three holes.

32\. (New) The collar corner assembly of claim 30, wherein each set of holes includes no more than two holes.

33\. (New) The collar corner assembly of claim 30, wherein the upper and lower sections each have an inside portion and an outside portion, the inside portion having a bolt hole distal from the corner, the outside portion having a bolt hole proximal from the corner.

34\. (New) The collar corner assembly of claim 30, wherein the upper and lower sections each have an inside portion and an outside portion, the outside portion having a bolt hole immediately adjacent the standoff portion.
Serial No.: 18/483,438; Docket No.: CXT333CON2

35\. (New) The collar corner assembly of claim 30, wherein the upper and lower sections are comprised of forged metal, and the bolt holes are machined into the forged metal.

36\. (New) A full-moment beam connection system, comprising:
four flange assemblies, each flange assembly including an upper transverse element, a lower transverse element, and a bridging component connecting the upper and lower transverse elements, and
four collar corner assemblies, each collar corner assembly including a column mating portion having first and second expanses defining a corner, and a standoff portion extending from the corner, the standoff portion having a distal T-shaped structure, wherein each collar corner assembly is configured to extend from a corner of a column and connect two adjacent flange assemblies via less than eight bolts, collectively forming a full-moment connection mechanism encompassing a column.

37\. (New) The connection system of claim 36, wherein each collar corner assembly is configured to connect two adjacent flange assemblies via two pairs of bolts, each pair of bolts being aligned along a non-vertical axis.

38\. (New) The connection system of claim 37, wherein each pair of bolts includes an inner bolt and outer bolt, the inner bolt being distal from the column and the outer bolt being proximal from the column.

39\. (New) The connection system of claim 36, wherein each collar corner assembly is configured to connect two adjacent flange assemblies via two pairs of bolts, one of each pair of bolts being configured to minimize mechanical advantage of bending loads applied to the system.

40\. (New) The connection system of claim 36, wherein the system includes no more than sixteen bolts.
Serial No.: 18/483,438; Docket No.: CXT333CON2

OFFICE ACTION:
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 18/483,438, Full Moment Connection Collar Systems, filed on October 9, 2023.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA  as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 21-40 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,781,308. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims of the instant application and the patent are almost identical.
Conclusion

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS
The amendments above and these remarks are responsive to the non-final Office action dated June 6, 2024. Claims 21-40 are pending in the application. In the Office action, the Examiner rejected claims 21-40 as follows:
"    Claims 21-40 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting
as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,781,308.
Applicant traverses the rejections, contending that all of the claims are patentable over the cited patent. Nevertheless, to expedite the issuance of a patent, applicant is concurrently submitting a terminal disclaimer to overcome these rejections based on obviousness-type double patenting. Applicant hereby disclaims the terminal part of the statutory term of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the term of commonly-owned U.S. Patent No. 11,781,308 to Boyd.
Accordingly, applicant respectfully requests reconsideration of the application and issuance of a Notice of Allowance covering all of the pending claims.
Conclusion

NEXT OFFICE 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 .
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on July 11, 2024 has been reviewed and is accepted.  The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
REASONS FOR ALLOWANCE
Claims 21-40 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: see previous Office Action from the continuation application with reasons for allowance.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion

CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref US11781308B2: Claims:
A method of manufacturing a full moment column collar, comprising: molding a collar flange blank, and machining a beam docking structure in the collar flange blank corresponding to a selected I-beam flange dimension, wherein the beam docking structure includes a seat configured to contact an I-beam flange.
molding a collar flange blank, and
machining a beam docking structure in the collar flange blank corresponding to a selected I-beam flange dimension, wherein the beam docking structure includes a seat configured to contact an I-beam flange.
The method of claim 1 , wherein the seat is configured to contact an inner side of an I-beam flange.
The method of claim 1 , wherein the beam docking structure includes a protrusion extending outward from a central portion of the seat, the protrusion having a slot configured to receive a web portion of an I-beam.
The method of claim 1 , further including machining a bridging component interface structure in the collar flange blank, wherein the interface structure includes first and second planar surfaces.
The method of claim 1 , wherein the beam docking structure has an inclined wall extending from the seat.
The method of claim 1 , wherein molding the collar flange blank includes casting or forging the collar flange blank.
The method of claim 1 , wherein the collar flange blank has a pair of wing portions, further comprising: drilling a pair of holes in each wing portion in locations precisely related to the beam docking structure.
drilling a pair of holes in each wing portion in locations precisely related to the beam docking structure.
The method of claim 7 , wherein the pair of holes in each wing portion are located along an oblique axis.
The method of claim 7 , wherein the pair of holes in each wing portion are the only holes in the respective wing portion.
A method of manufacturing a full moment column collar, comprising: molding a collar flange blank, machining a beam docking structure in the collar flange blank, the beam docking structure corresponding to a flange dimension of an I-beam, contacting a seat of the beam docking structure with a flange of the I-beam, and welding the flange of the I-beam to the seat of the beam docking structure.
molding a collar flange blank,
machining a beam docking structure in the collar flange blank, the beam docking structure corresponding to a flange dimension of an I-beam,
contacting a seat of the beam docking structure with a flange of the I-beam, and
welding the flange of the I-beam to the seat of the beam docking structure.
The method of claim 10 , wherein the beam docking structure includes a protrusion extending outward from a central portion of the seat, and further including receiving a web portion of the I-beam in a slot of the protrusion.
The method of claim 10 , further including machining a bridging component interface structure in the collar flange blank, wherein the interface structure includes first and second planar surfaces.
The method of claim 10 , further comprising: molding a second collar flange blank, machining a beam docking structure in the second collar flange blank, corresponding to the flange dimension of the I-beam, and welding each collar flange blank to an end of a bridging component, to form a collar flange assembly.
molding a second collar flange blank,
machining a beam docking structure in the second collar flange blank, corresponding to the flange dimension of the I-beam, and
welding each collar flange blank to an end of a bridging component, to form a collar flange assembly.
The method of claim 13 , further including machining an interface structure in each of the collar flange blanks, wherein the interface structure includes first and second planar surfaces and welding each collar flange blank to an end of the bridging component includes contacting the bridging component with the first and second planar surfaces of the interface structure of each collar flange blank.
A collar flange assembly, comprising: an upper collar flange, a lower collar flange, and a bridging component connecting the upper and lower collar flanges, wherein each of the upper and lower collar flanges includes a beam docking structure having a seat configured to contact a flange of an I-beam and a slot sized to receive a web of the I-beam.
an upper collar flange,
a lower collar flange, and
a bridging component connecting the upper and lower collar flanges,
wherein each of the upper and lower collar flanges includes a beam docking structure having a seat configured to contact a flange of an I-beam and a slot sized to receive a web of the I-beam.
The collar flange assembly of claim 15 , wherein the beam docking structure includes a protrusion extending outward from a central portion of the seat, the slot being formed in the protrusion.
The collar flange assembly of claim 15 , wherein the beam docking structure has an inclined wall extending from the seat.
The collar flange assembly of claim 15 , wherein the seat is configured to contact an inner side of the flange of the I-beam.
The collar flange assembly of claim 15 , wherein each of the upper and lower collar flanges includes a bridging component interface structure having two orthogonal planar surfaces.
The collar flange assembly of claim 19 , wherein the bridging component is a rectangular prism.
Ref US11236501B2: Claims:
A full-moment column collar, comprising: four collar flange assemblies, each collar flange assembly including an upper transverse element, a lower transverse element, and a bridging component connecting the upper and lower transverse elements, and four collar corner assemblies, each collar corner assembly including first and second expanses defining a corner and a standoff portion extending from the corner, the standoff portion having a distal T-shaped structure, wherein each collar corner assembly is configured to connect two adjacent collar flange assemblies, and each collar corner assembly has a multi-axis alignment structure extending outwardly from a standoff-facing side surface of the first expanse for vertically positioning a lower transverse element of a respective collar flange assembly.
four collar flange assemblies, each collar flange assembly including an upper transverse element, a lower transverse element, and a bridging component connecting the upper and lower transverse elements, and
four collar corner assemblies, each collar corner assembly including first and second expanses defining a corner and a standoff portion extending from the corner, the standoff portion having a distal T-shaped structure,
wherein each collar corner assembly is configured to connect two adjacent collar flange assemblies, and each collar corner assembly has a multi-axis alignment structure extending outwardly from a standoff-facing side surface of the first expanse for vertically positioning a lower transverse element of a respective collar flange assembly.
The full-moment column collar of claim 1 , wherein the alignment structure has a planar top face configured to contact a bottom surface of a lower transverse element of an adjacent one of the four collar flange assemblies.
The full-moment column collar of claim 2 , wherein the alignment structure has a graduated surface descending from the planar top face.
The full-moment column collar of claim 3 , wherein the graduated surface is curved.
The full-moment column collar of claim 1 , wherein the alignment structure is configured to align a lower transverse element of a respective collar flange assembly along a Z-axis and an axis perpendicular to the Z-axis.
The full-moment column collar of claim 1 , wherein each alignment structure has a positioning surface, each lower transverse element having a machined surface shaped inversely to the positioning surface of a respective alignment structure.
The full-moment column collar of claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the machined surface is curved.
The full-moment column collar of claim 1 , wherein each alignment structure is formed out of the respective collar corner assembly.
The full-moment column collar of claim 1 , wherein each collar corner assembly is configured to connect two adjacent collar flange assemblies via two sets of bolts, each set including no more than three bolts.
The full-moment column collar of claim 9 , wherein the full-moment column collar includes no more than twenty four bolts.
The full-moment column collar of claim 1 , further including a second multi-axis alignment structure extending outwardly from a standoff-facing side surface of the second expanse.
The full-moment column collar of claim 1 , wherein the alignment structure has a descending graduated surface.
The full-moment column collar of claim 1 , wherein the alignment structure has a curved surface.
The full-moment column collar of claim 12 , wherein each collar flange assembly has a corresponding curved surface.
The full-moment column collar of claim 1 , wherein the alignment structure has a positioning surface, each lower transverse element having a surface shaped inversely to the positioning surface of a respective alignment structure.
The full-moment column collar of claim 1 , wherein the alignment structure includes a datum surface for precise vertical location of the respective collar flange assembly.
The full-moment column collar of claim 16 , wherein the standoff-facing side surface of the first expanse is a datum surface for precise location of the respective collar flange assembly.
The full-moment column collar of claim 16 , wherein the datum surface of the alignment structure and the standoff-facing side surface of the first expanse are machined surfaces.
A full-moment column collar, comprising: four collar flange assemblies, each collar flange assembly including an upper transverse element, a lower transverse element, and a bridging component connecting the upper and lower transverse elements, and four collar corner assemblies, each collar corner assembly including first and second expanses defining a corner and a standoff portion extending from the corner, the standoff portion having a distal T-shaped structure, wherein: each collar corner assembly is configured to connect two adjacent collar flange assemblies, each collar corner assembly has a multi-axis alignment structure extending from the first expanse for vertically positioning a lower transverse element of a respective collar flange assembly, and the alignment structure has a positioning surface, each lower transverse element having a surface shaped inversely to the positioning surface of a respective alignment structure.
wherein: each collar corner assembly is configured to connect two adjacent collar flange assemblies, each collar corner assembly has a multi-axis alignment structure extending from the first expanse for vertically positioning a lower transverse element of a respective collar flange assembly, and the alignment structure has a positioning surface, each lower transverse element having a surface shaped inversely to the positioning surface of a respective alignment structure.
each collar corner assembly is configured to connect two adjacent collar flange assemblies,
each collar corner assembly has a multi-axis alignment structure extending from the first expanse for vertically positioning a lower transverse element of a respective collar flange assembly, and
the alignment structure has a positioning surface, each lower transverse element having a surface shaped inversely to the positioning surface of a respective alignment structure.
A full-moment column collar, comprising: four collar flange assemblies, each collar flange assembly including an upper transverse element, a lower transverse element, and a bridging component connecting the upper and lower transverse elements, and four collar corner assemblies, each collar corner assembly including first and second expanses defining a corner and a standoff portion extending from the corner, the standoff portion having a distal T-shaped structure, wherein each collar corner assembly is configured to connect two adjacent collar flange assemblies, and each collar corner assembly has a multi-axis alignment structure extending from a side surface of the first expanse and including a planar surface perpendicular to the side surface, for vertically positioning a lower transverse element of a respective collar flange assembly.
wherein each collar corner assembly is configured to connect two adjacent collar flange assemblies, and each collar corner assembly has a multi-axis alignment structure extending from a side surface of the first expanse and including a planar surface perpendicular to the side surface, for vertically positioning a lower transverse element of a respective collar flange assembly.
Ref US11332920B2: Claims:
A prefabricated column assembly comprising: a hollow tubular column having a longitudinal axis and at least one face; and a gusset plate assembly comprising a plurality of gusset plate subassemblies connected to the column and including gusset plates extending laterally outward from the column in planes generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the column, said plurality of gusset plate subassemblies including a first gusset plate subassembly and a second gusset plate subassembly, a column portion of the first gusset plate subassembly extending across the face of the column and being connected to the column and a column portion of the second gusset plate subassembly extending across the face of the column and being connected to the column, the column portion of the first gusset plate subassembly being separated from the column portion of the second gusset plate subassembly by a gap extending lengthwise of the column over a full height of the column portions of the first and second gusset plate subassemblies, the first and second gusset plate subassemblies each including a beam portion extending directly from the face of the column in a direction parallel to the face of the column, the beam portions being configured to connect to a beam at locations spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the column, wherein each beam portion is a single piece configured for separate connections to a top flange and a bottom flange of the beam.
a hollow tubular column having a longitudinal axis and at least one face; and
a gusset plate assembly comprising a plurality of gusset plate subassemblies connected to the column and including gusset plates extending laterally outward from the column in planes generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the column, said plurality of gusset plate subassemblies including a first gusset plate subassembly and a second gusset plate subassembly, a column portion of the first gusset plate subassembly extending across the face of the column and being connected to the column and a column portion of the second gusset plate subassembly extending across the face of the column and being connected to the column, the column portion of the first gusset plate subassembly being separated from the column portion of the second gusset plate subassembly by a gap extending lengthwise of the column over a full height of the column portions of the first and second gusset plate subassemblies, the first and second gusset plate subassemblies each including a beam portion extending directly from the face of the column in a direction parallel to the face of the column, the beam portions being configured to connect to a beam at locations spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the column, wherein each beam portion is a single piece configured for separate connections to a top flange and a bottom flange of the beam.
The column assembly of claim 1 wherein the gap between the column portion of the first gusset plate subassembly and the column portion of the second gusset plate subassembly has a substantially constant width.
The column assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one face of the column comprises a first face, the column further comprising a second face and a third face, the first gusset plate subassembly including another column portion extending across the second face of the column, and the second gusset plate subassembly including another column portion extending across the third face of the column.
The column assembly of claim 1 wherein the beam portions each have a dimension in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the column that is greater than a dimension of each of the column portions in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the column.
The column assembly of claim 1 wherein each gusset plate subassembly includes first and second gusset plates, wherein the first gusset plate extends through the second gusset plate, and wherein each of the first and second gusset plates includes at least one slot for mating with the slot of the other of the first and second gusset plates for interconnecting the first and second gusset plates.
The column assembly of claim 5 wherein each slot includes a closed end and an open end, the open end receiving a portion of the other of the first and second gusset plates for interconnecting the first and second gusset plates to form the gusset plate subassembly.
The column assembly of claim 5 further comprising welds connecting the first and second gusset plates to each other, the welds extending along the slots interconnecting the first and second gusset plates.
The column assembly of claim 1 wherein each gusset plate includes a plurality of holes.
The column assembly of claim 1 wherein the gusset plate assembly is welded to the column.
The column assembly of claim 9 further comprising a first and second gusset plate-to-column weld connecting a first gusset plate of the first gusset plate subassembly to the column, the first gusset plate-to-column weld extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the column, and the second gusset-plate-column weld extending along the longitudinal axis of the column.
The column assembly of claim 10 further comprising a third and fourth gusset plate-to-column weld connecting a second gusset plate of the first gusset plate subassembly to the column, the third gusset plate-to-column weld extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the column, and the fourth gusset plate-to-column weld extending along the longitudinal axis of the column.
The column assembly of claim 1 wherein the face of the column constitutes a first face, the column further comprising a second face, and wherein said plurality of gusset plate subassemblies includes a third gusset plate subassembly and a fourth gusset plate subassembly, a column portion of the third gusset plate subassembly extending across the second face of the column and being connected to the column and a column portion of the fourth gusset plate subassembly extending across the second face of the column and being connected to the column, the column portion of the third gusset plate subassembly being separated from the column portion of the fourth gusset plate subassembly by a gap extending lengthwise of the column over a full height of the column portions of the third and fourth gusset plate subassemblies.
The column assembly of claim 12 wherein the column further comprising a third face and wherein another column portion of the first gusset plate subassembly extends across the third face of the column and is connected to the column and another column portion of the third gusset plate subassembly extends across the third face of the column and is connected to the column, said another column portion of the first gusset plate subassembly being separated from said another column portion of the third gusset plate subassembly by a gap extending lengthwise of the column over a full height of said another column portions of the first and third gusset plate subassemblies.
The column assembly of claim 1
[Truncated to input limit]