Appeal No. 2004-0618
Application No. 10/021,790
THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a inspection device for measuring
deformation in a pipeline. Representative claim 6 reads as
follows:
6. A pipeline inspection device allowing a user to employ a
focused light source to visibly inspect for deformation of a
pipeline, with said pipeline having an internal diameter
generally composed of a bottom region, a first side region, a
second side region, and a top region, and having a horizontal
diameter and a vertical diameter, comprising:
a. a base portion, having a forward end and a rear end,
configured to move along said bottom region of said internal
diameter so that it lies on said vertical diameter;
b. a vertical test arm, having a forward end and a rear end,
oriented vertically, and being mounted to said base portion by
conventional flexible means, so that said vertical test arm lies
on said vertical diameter, with a portion of said vertical test
arm extending outward far enough from said base portion to
contact said top region of said internal diameter, and wherein
said vertical test arm is free to elastically move downward when
said inspection device encounters a reduction in said vertical
diameter of said pipeline; and
c. reflective means changeable in response to said downward
movement of said vertical test arm, so that said user can direct
said focused light source toward said reflective means and
thereby observe the state of said reflective means when said
pipeline inspection device is far from said user, thereby
indicating to said user any downward movement of said vertical
test arm.
THE REJECTIONS
Claims 6, 8 and 9 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as
being anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 4,085,510 to Kirschke, and
in the alternative under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being obvious over
Kirschke.
2
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007