DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ arguments filed 9/4/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. It is noted that no claims are allowable and/or no novel intention is provided in the application.
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 1-3, 5-6, 8-9, 11-12 and 15 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, “the fluid introduction mechanism is configured to open at the inner peripheral surface of the sliding part”, unclear what applicant is trying to claim? Is the fluid introduction mechanism open to the inner peripheral surface? For examination purpose the fluid introduction mechanism is open to the inner peripheral surface.
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) 1-3, 5-6, 8-9, 11-12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Turley (US6203294).
Turley discloses a shaft sealing device, comprising a casing (e.g. 40 and member axially opposite of 40 that forms the space 42) which has a drive space accommodating a drive unit; a rotating shaft (30) which penetrates the casing and is disposed to extend from the drive space (e.g. 42 and 15) to a sealed fluid side space (e.g. space 62), a seal assembly (e.g. stationary ring 71 and rotary ring 73) which is disposed between the casing and the rotating shaft, and has a pair of sliding parts (e.g. parts 71 and 73) rotating relatively with each other, the sliding parts having sliding surfaces sliding (e.g. faces 72 and 74) relatively with each other in a facing state, respectively (e.g. figure 1), wherein at least one of the sliding parts is provided with a fluid introduction mechanism (e.g. 76) so that a fluid in the drive space is introduced between the sliding surfaces (e.g. gas from cavity 42 is provided between the faces to provide a fluid film, see entire document and description that mentions “gas”), each of the pair of sliding parts has an inner peripheral surface (e.g. surface at inner diameter of 71 and surface at inner diameter of 73) extending in a circumferential direction and an axial direction from an inner diameter side edge of each sliding surface (e.g. figure below, side edge of the inner peripheral surface of 71 that faces the shaft and side edge of the inner peripheral surface of 73 that faces the shaft) and an outer peripheral surface extending in the circumferential direction and the axial direction from an outer diameter side edge of each sliding surface (e.g. the inner diameter of 71 and the inner diameter of 73), wherein both the inner peripheral surfaces of the pair of sliding parts face the drive space (e.g. which is the case since gas is provided to cavity 76 that open to the inner diameter of the rotating ring 73), wherein the fluid introduction mechanism is configured to open at the inner peripheral surfaces of the sliding part in which the fluid introduction mechanism is formed, and to not open at the outer peripheral surface of the sliding part in which the fluid introduction mechanism is formed (e.g. see figure 2 and 76), wherein a communication path (e.g. 50) which communicates with an external gas space is connected to the drive space (e.g. 42), and wherein only gas is supplied from the external gas space to the drive space via the communication path (e.g. see “The gas supply port 50 is provided in the integrated adapter 40 and is arranged to introduce an inert pressurized gas into the pressurized gas cavity defined by the inner motor cavity 26 and the adapter cavity 42. Preferred inert gasses include Nitrogen and Argon.”). Regarding claim 2: Wherein a flow blocking portion (e.g. 34) is provided in the casing, wherein the drive space is partitioned into a seal assembly side space (e.g. 42) and a drive unit side space (e.g. 15) by the flow blocking portion and wherein the communication path is connected to the seal assembly side space (e.g. space 42 communicated by gas supply line connected to 50). Regarding claim 3: Wherein the flow blocking member is a bearing (see figures that show bearings and see background of the invention). Regarding claim 5: Wherein the shaft sealing device is configured for use in a device immersed in water, and wherein the communication path is partially defined by a tube which is connected to a communication hole provided in the casing and extends to the external gas space (e.g. inherent that a tube would be connected to the port 50 to provide gas such as nitrogen or argon). It is noted that examiner is providing supplemental rejection with regard to “a tube” below. Regarding claim 6: Wherein a fluid in the drive space is a gas (e.g. nitrogen or argon in space 42) and a fluid in the sealed fluid side space is a liquid (e.g. process fluid 62), wherein the casing is provided with a through hole through which the rotating shaft is inserted (e.g. see figure 1, through hole receiving the shaft 30) and a liquid reservoir groove (e.g. groove on opposite side fo the sliding face of the rotary part 72) which is formed on an outer radial side in relation to the through hole (e.g. through hole receiving ), and wherein the communication path (e.g. 50) communicates with the drive space at a position above the liquid reservoir groove (e.g. liquid reservoir groove is above the rotary part 72). Regarding claim 8: Wherein the shaft sealing device is configured for use in a device immersed in water (e.g. intended use see MPEP 2113-2114 and the pump of Turley is capable of this, see references on form 1449 and 892), and wherein the communication path is partially defined by a tube (e.g. inherent a tube is connected to communication hole 50) which is connected to a communication hole (e.g. 50) provided in the casing and extends to the external gas space. Regarding claim 9: Wherein a fluid in the drive space is a gas and a fluid in the sealed fluid side space is a liquid, wherein the casing is provided with a through hole through which the rotating shaft is inserted and a liquid reservoir groove which is formed on an outer radial side in relation to the through hole, and wherein the communication path communicates with the drive space at a position above the liquid reservoir groove (e.g. see rejection of claims above). Regarding claim 11: Wherein the shaft sealing device is configured for use in a device immersed in water, and wherein the communication path is partially defined by a tube which is connected to a communication hole provided in the casing and extends to the external gas space (e.g. see rejections of claims above). Regarding claim 12: Wherein a fluid in the drive space is a gas and a fluid in the sealed fluid side space is a liquid, wherein the casing is provided with a through hole through which the rotating shaft is inserted and a liquid reservoir groove which is formed on an outer radial side in relation to the through hole, and wherein the communication path communicates with the drive space at a position above the liquid reservoir groove (e.g. see rejection of claims above). Regarding claim 15: Wherein a fluid in the drive space is a gas and a fluid in the sealed fluid side space is a liquid, wherein the casing is provided with a through hole through which the rotating shaft is inserted and a liquid reservoir groove which is formed on an outer radial side in relation to the through hole, and wherein the communication path communicates with the drive space at a position above the liquid reservoir groove (see rejections of claims above).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 5, 8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Turley in view of Sakatani (JP2014016789).
Turley discloses inherently a tube but does not specifically state a tube connected to communication path. Sakatani teaches a seal system in a submersible pump with a tube connected to a communication path 27c. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the communication path of Turley be connected with a tube as taught by Sakatani with reasonable expectation of success to provide controls and have passage be sealed from outside environment by tube (e.g. inherency due to tube connected to communication path).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VISHAL A PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-7060. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 am to 4:00pm.
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/VISHAL A PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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