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 . The previous office action with Notice of Allowability is WITHDRAWN/VACATED.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 2, 7, 15 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bian et al. (CN 110360305) in view of Patel et al. (U.S. Patent # 549680).
Regarding Claim 1, Bian discloses a sealing device (figs 1 and 2) comprising : a cylindrical first member having an opening (122 with opening); a second member (121) fitted onto an inner peripheral surface of the first member (121 in the inner surface of 122); a primary sealing portion (portion of 122 as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 below) providing sealing between the first and second members (as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 below); and a secondary sealing portion closer to the opening than the primary sealing portion in an axial direction of the first member ( portion of 121 closer to the opening as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 below),
wherein the secondary sealing portion is defined at least by the first and second members ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 below),
wherein, in the secondary sealing portion, a recess is formed in an outer peripheral surface of the second member along an entire circumference (recess on outer peripheral surface of 121 as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 below),
wherein the secondary sealing portion includes a lid (112) provided on the second member at a side close to the opening (fig 2).
Bian does not disclose
an O-ring that opens in the axial direction of the first member,
wherein the O-ring is configured to provide sealing between the lid and the second member.
However, Patel teaches
an O-ring (31, fig 2) that opens in the axial direction of the first member (,
wherein the O-ring is configured to provide sealing between the lid and the second member (31 seals between 23 and 27, fig 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the O-ring of Patel in the recess of the second member of Bian with a reasonable expectation of success for engaging and being compressed in the groove by the lid (Patel Col 4 Lines 36 – 42).
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Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Bian and Patel discloses the sealing device.
The combination of Bian and Patel does not disclose wherein the lid faces in the axial direction an axial end of the first member, and wherein a width between the inner peripheral surface of the first member and an outer peripheral surface of the second member is greater than a width between the lid and the axial end of the first member.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to contrive any number of desirable ranges for the width limitation disclosed by Applicant, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, to provide a better labyrinth effect under compression. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding Claim 7, the combination of Bian and Patel discloses the sealing device, wherein, when Wg1 represents a width between the inner peripheral surface of the first member (D2) and (ii) an outer peripheral surface of the second member in the secondary sealing portion, and Wg2 represents a width between the inner peripheral surface of the first member and the outer peripheral surface of the second member (D1) at a site where the primary sealing portion is provided.
The combination of Bian and Patel does not disclose the widths Wg1 and Wg2 satisfy a relation represented as 1/3xWg2 less than equal to Wg1 less than equal to 1/2xWg2.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to contrive any number of desirable ranges for the angle, the thickness and the rearwardly extending dimension limitation disclosed by Applicant, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, to provide a better labyrinth effect under compression. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding Claim 15, the combination of Bian and Patel discloses the sealing device, wherein the recess is formed closer to the opening than the primary sealing portion in the axial direction of the first member ( as seen in examiner annotated Patel fig 2 below).
Regarding Claim 17, the combination of Bian and Patel discloses the sealing device, wherein the recess is formed between the opening and the primary sealing portion along the axial direction of the first member ( as seen in examiner annotated Patel fig 2 below).
Claims 8, 9, 16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bian in view of Patel and in further view of Weintraub (U.S. PG Pub # 20200049270).
Regarding Claim 8, the combination of Bian and Patel discloses the sealing device.
The combination of Bian and Patel does not disclose wherein the first member is made of stainless steel.
However, Weintraub teaches wherein the first member is made of stainless steel (100 made of steel, fig 2, Para 0038).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the material of the first member of Bian to be steel as in Weintraub with a reasonable expectation of success to provide high strength to the first member.
Regarding Claim 9, Bian discloses a sealing device (figs 1 and 2) comprising : a cylindrical first member having an opening ( 122 with opening); a second member fitted onto an inner peripheral surface of the first member ( 121 in the inner surface of 122); a primary sealing portion providing sealing between the first and second members ( portion of 121 as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 below); and a secondary sealing portion closer to the opening than the primary sealing portion in an axial direction of the first member ( portion of 121 closer to the opening as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 below),
wherein the secondary sealing portion is defined at least by the first and second members ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 below), and, in the secondary sealing portion, a lid is provided on the second member at a side close to the opening ( a recess on outer peripheral surface of 121 as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 below), and
wherein, in the secondary sealing portion, a recess is formed in an outer peripheral surface of the second member along an entire circumference ( recess on outer peripheral surface of 121 as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 below), and
wherein the secondary sealing portion includes a lid (112) provided on the second member at a side close to the opening (fig 2).
Bian does not disclose
an O-ring that opens in the axial direction of the first member,
wherein the O-ring is configured to provide sealing between the lid and the second member.
However, Patel teaches
an O-ring (31, fig 2) that opens in the axial direction of the first member (,
wherein the O-ring is configured to provide sealing between the lid and the second member (31 seals between 23 and 27, fig 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the O-ring of Patel in the recess of the second member of Bian with a reasonable expectation of success for engaging and being compressed in the groove by the lid (Patel Col 4 Lines 36 – 42).
The combination of Bian and Patel does not disclose wherein the first member being made of stainless steel.
However, Weintraub teaches wherein the first member being made of stainless steel (100 made of steel, fig 2, Para 0038).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the material of the first member of Bian to be steel as in Weintraub with a reasonable expectation of success to provide high strength to the first member.
The combination of Bian, Patel and Weintraub does not disclose wherein the lid faces in the axial direction an axial end of the first member such that the lid covers the opening, and wherein a width between the lid and the axial end of the first member is less than a width between the inner peripheral surface of the first member and an outer peripheral surface of the second member.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to contrive any number of desirable ranges for the width limitation disclosed by Applicant, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, to provide a better labyrinth effect under compression. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding Claim 16, the combination of Bian, Patel and Weintraub discloses the sealing device, wherein the recess is formed closer to the opening than the primary sealing portion in the axial direction of the first member ( as seen in examiner annotated Bian fig 2 below).
Regarding Claim 18, the combination of Bian, Patel and Weintraub discloses the sealing device, wherein the recess is formed between the opening and the primary sealing portion along the axial direction of the first member ( as seen in examiner annotated Bian fig 2 below).
Claims 4, 12, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bian in view of Persson (U.S. Patent # 4303250).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Bian and Patel discloses the sealing device.
The combination of Bian and Patel does not disclose wherein, in the secondary sealing portion, a protrusion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the first member.
However, Persson teaches wherein, in the secondary sealing portion, a protrusion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the first member (protrusion of 2 at the inner peripheral surface 3, fig 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the protrusion of Persson at the inner peripheral surface of the first member of Bian with a reasonable expectation of success so that the protrusion forms as a barrier to contain the seal between the first and second members.
Regarding Claim 12, the combination of Bian and Patel discloses the sealing device.
The combination of Bian and Patel does not disclose wherein, in the secondary sealing portion, a protrusion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the first member.
However, Persson teaches wherein, in the secondary sealing portion, a protrusion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the first member (protrusion of 2 at the inner peripheral surface 3, fig 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the protrusion of Persson at the inner peripheral surface of the first member of Bian with a reasonable expectation of success so that the protrusion forms as a barrier to contain the seal between the first and second members.
Regarding Claim 19, the combination of Bian, Patel and Persson discloses the sealing device, wherein the protrusion is formed closer to the opening than the primary sealing portion in the axial direction of the first member ( as seen in examiner annotated Bian fig 2 below).
Regarding Claim 20, the combination of Bian, Patel and Persson discloses the sealing device, wherein the protrusion is formed between the opening and the primary sealing portion along the axial direction of the first member ( protrusion of Persson between the opening and the primary sealing portion as seen in examiner annotated Bian fig 2 below).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to L. Susmitha Koneru whose telephone number is 571.270.5333. The examiner can normally be reached from Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine Mills can be reached on 571.272.8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571.273.8300.
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/L. SUSMITHA KONERU/Examiner, Art Unit 3675
