DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/22/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicants’ argument that Sakatani discloses in paragraph 0022, there is no mechanical seal disposed in the shaft seal portion 13 is correct but this is a teaching reference and the mechanical seal is taught by Shimasaki. Furthermore it is noted that a busing 46 that contacts a rotating element 24 is provided in Sakatani and this is considered to be a general mechanical seal.
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) 1-3, 5-6, 8-9, 11-12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimasaki (US20200080641A1) in view of Mayer et al (US. 3746350).
Shimasaki discloses a shaft sealing device, comprising a casing (e.g. 60) which has a drive space (e.g. figure 1) accommodating a drive unit (e.g. 15, figure 1), a rotating shaft (e.g. shaft 14) which penetrates the casing and is disposed to extend from the drive space to a sealed fluid side space (e.g. see figure), a seal component (e.g. figures) which is disposed between the casing and the rotating shaft, and has a pair of sliding parts (e.g. 22 and 24) rotating relatively with each other, the sliding parts having sliding surfaces sliding relatively with each other in a facing state, respectively (e.g. figure 1 shows sliding faces of 22 and 24 facing each other), wherein at least one of the sliding parts (e.g. 22, figure 2) is provided with a fluid introduction mechanism (e.g. groove mechanism of 226 communicating to an outer diameter of the sliding face of the at least one sliding part 22) so that a fluid in the drive space is introduced between the sliding surfaces (e.g. fluid in the sliding face of 22, SF1 in figure below), wherein the sliding surface of the sliding part in which the fluid introduction mechanism is formed has an inner peripheral surface (e.g. ID) extending in a circumferential direction and an axial direction from an inner diameter side edge of the sliding surface (e.g. see figure) and an outer peripheral surface extending in the circumferential direction and the axial direction from an outer diameter side edge (e.g. OD) of the sliding surface, wherein one of the inner peripheral surfaces and the outer peripheral surface faces the drive space (e.g. figure 1 shows that OD faces the drive space), the fluid introduction mechanism is configured to open at a one of the inner peripheral surfaces and the outer peripheral surface and to not open at a remaining one of the inner peripheral surfaces and the outer peripheral surface (this is the case as shown in figures 2-3 and figure below), and wherein a 1st communication path (e.g. path above an outer peripheral surface of 24 in figure 1) which communicates with an external space (e.g. pump connected to the drive space which is connected to outside space similar to what is provided in paragraph 0077 in specification of application) is connected to the drive space.
Regarding claim 2: Wherein a flow blocking portion (e.g. 38) is provided in the casing, wherein the drive space is partitioned into a seal component side space (e.g. space having 36) and a drive unit side space (e.g. space having 15) by the flow blocking portion, and wherein the communication path is connected to the seal component side space (e.g. the communication path is connected to 30).
Regarding claim 3: Wherein the flow blocking portion is a bearing.
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 space (e.g. tubing connecting the space 30 to pump 80 and 82).
Regarding claim 6: Wherein a fluid in the drive space is a gas (e.g. gas at 15) and a fluid (e.g. fluid in space 30) in the sealed fluid side space (e.g. the space having 30) is a liquid (e.g. liquid in space 30), wherein the casing is provided with a through hole through which the rotating shaft is inserted (e.g. figure 1 shows this) and a liquid reservoir groove (e.g. groove having space 30) 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 figures 1-3).
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Regarding claim 8: 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 space (e.g. see rejection of claim 5).
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 claim 6).
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 space (e.g. see rejection of claim 5).
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 claim 6).
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 (e.g. see rejection of claim 6).
Shimasaki discloses the invention as claimed above but fails to disclose only gas is supplied from the external gas space to the drive space via a 2nd communication path or another communication path which communicates with an external gas space is connected to the drive space. Mayer discloses a mechanical seal with a housing that having a communication path which communicates with an external gas space (e.g. gas space supplied by 22) which provides pressurize gas via the communication path (e.g. 19). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the housing of Shimaski to have another communication path that is connected to only gas as taught by Mayer with reasonable expectation of success to provide dry lubricant between the seal faces (e.g. see description of 18, 19, 22 and 21 of Mayer).
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-9, 11-12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimasaki in view of Tokunaga and further in view of Sakatani et al (JP2014156789).
Shimasaki discloses the invention as claimed above but fails to disclose only gas is supplied from the external gas space to the drive space via a 2nd communication path or another communication path which communicates with an external gas space is connected to the drive space. Sakatani ‘789 discloses a mechanical seal with a housing that having a communication path which communicates with an external gas space which provides pressurize gas via the communication path (“In addition, since the compressed air is supplied, dry air on the ground side is always supplied, so it is possible to protect the interior of the motor from corrosive gas, moisture and condensation generated from sewage, and it dissolves in water. Air is always replenished. For this reason, the apparatus life can be prolonged.”). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the housing of Shimaski to have another communication path that is connected to an external gas space as taught by Sakatani ‘789 with reasonable expectation of success to provide protection of electric motor and extend life of the system (see Sakatani, “In addition, since the compressed air is supplied, dry air on the ground side is always supplied, so it is possible to protect the interior of the motor from corrosive gas, moisture and condensation generated from sewage, and it dissolves in water. Air is always replenished. For this reason, the apparatus life can be prolonged.”).
Conclusion
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/VISHAL A PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675