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 amended claims 10/7/25 are acknowledged; claims 1-7 are currently pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saucier et al. (US 5758723) in view of Massey et al. (US 10865606).
CLAIM 1: Saucier discloses a method. The method comprises: selectively positioning a centralizer (10) in a well bore while pump operations are ceased (see col. 6, lines 8-14; Fig. 1); pumping fluid through a drill string to retract centralizer pads of the centralizer (see col. 8, line 62 – col. 9, line 19; Fig. 5); adjusting the drill string while the drilling mud is pumped (see col. 9, lines 27-38); and ceasing pumping of the drilling mud to expand the centralizer pads (returning to previous position). Retracting the centralizer pads (see Figures).
Saucier fails to disclose activating with drilling mud through a drill string; teaching generic fluid instead.
Saucier fails to disclose wherein the centralizer comprises a body, centralizer pads, and a plurality of springs, wherein the body defines a central bore and a plurality of cavities fluidically coupled to the central bore and an exterior of the body, wherein the plurality of cavities are located between the central bore and an outer surface of the body and comprise a downhole cavity and an uphole cavity and wherein the plurality of springs comprise a downhole spring housed in the downhole cavity and an uphole spring housed in the uphole cavity.
Massey discloses a downhole centralizer.
Massey discloses a centralizer (300) that comprises a body (304), centralizer pads (326), and a plurality of springs (372), wherein the body defines a central bore (Fig. 10) and a plurality of cavities fluidically coupled to the central bore and an exterior of the body (Fig. 10), wherein the plurality of cavities are located between the central bore and an outer surface of the body and comprise a downhole cavity and an uphole cavity (Fig. 10) and wherein the plurality of springs comprise a downhole spring housed in the downhole cavity and an uphole spring housed in the uphole cavity (Fig. 10).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Saucier to use the centralizer of Massey with a reasonable expectation of success as the use of a known activation technique applied to a similar device in the same way as the use of pressure to activate the centralizer is used in both systems and the source of the pressure is available in both, so applying the given pressure from drilling mud to activate the centralizer would yield predictable results.
Examiner takes official notice that drilling mud is commonly pumped into wellbores.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the claimed invention to modify the system of Saucier to be activated by the well known drilling mud with a reasonable expectation of success as the use of a known technique to improve a similar device in the same way due to the common usage of drilling mud in wellbores.
CLAIM 2: Massey discloses a plurality of pistons (370) with each housed in one of the plurality of cavities and abutting a respective string in that cavity; and a centralizer pad pivotally connected to each of the plurality of pistons and extending radially from a longitudinal axis of the body in response to bias from the plurality of springs (Fig. 10).
CLAIM 3: Saucier-Massey fails to disclose wherein the plurality of cavities comprises a downhole cavity and an uphole cavity, the plurality of springs comprises a downhole spring housed in the downhole cavity and an uphole spring housed in the uphole cavity; instead teaching just one cavity and associated spring.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify the centralizer to have two cavities with a reasonable expectation of success as a duplication of parts in which the redundant activation means could function together or serve as backup for one another.
CLAIM 4: Saucier-Massey fails to disclose wherein the plurality of pistons comprises a downhole piston with a downhole surface abutting an uphold end of the downhole spring and an uphole piston with a downhole surface abutting an uphole end of the uphole spring.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify the centralizer to have two pistons with a reasonable expectation of success as a duplication of parts in which the redundant activation means could function together or serve as backup for one another.
CLAIM 5: The body further defines a slot radially offset from the central bore and between the downhole cavity and the uphole cavity and having an opening to an exterior of the body (see Fig. 10, slow existing above cavity; additional cavity on other side of activation arms as set out in claim 4 would create the described slot).
CLAIM 6: The body of Massey further defines a downhole rod passage (for passage of support member 318)) between the downhole cavity and the slot. The centralizer further comprising a downhole sliding rod with a downhole end connected to an uphole surface of the uphole piston and an uphole end extending through the downhole rod passage into the slot and pivotally connected to the centralizer pad (see connections of 318, 338, Fig. 10).
The similar structures uphole would be obvious with the redundancy modifications made above.
CLAIM 7: A downhole expansion beam (338) having a downhole end pivotally connected to the uphole end of the downhole sliding rod and an uphold end pivotally connected to a downhole end of the centralizer pad (pivot join 331 acting as pad).
The similar structures uphole would be obvious with the redundancy modifications made above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/7/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant asserts that Saucier fails to disclose structural elements as set out in claim 1. Those elements were included in the previous claim 2 and addressed by the Massey reference as discussed above.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK F LAMBE whose telephone number is (571)270-1932. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10-4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tara Schimpf can be reached at (571)270-7741. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PATRICK F LAMBE/Examiner, Art Unit 3679
/TARA SCHIMPF/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3676