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 .
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) 1-6, 8-10, 12 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20120234834, Akhund.
In regards to claim 1, in Figures 4-5 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Akhund discloses a closure for pipelines carrying a fluid under pressure, the closure comprising a door (12), a barrel collar having a horizontal sealing face (near 40) and a vertical sealing face (50) relative to the door; and at least one clamp ring (14) adapted to capture a circumferential portion of the door and the barrel collar when in a clamped state; the closure further comprising: one or more seals located on the vertical sealing face, the one or more seals (46) being circumferential and arranged to alter a path of a leak pathway between the horizontal sealing face of the barrel collar and an ambient environment outside of the door connected to the barrel collar and to cause a pressure drop across the one or more seals.
In regards to claim 2, in Figures 4-5 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Akhund discloses the horizontal sealing face of the barrel collar including (in contact with) a primary seal (40) adapted to seal the door against the barrel collar.
In regards to claim 3, in Figures 4-5 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Akhund discloses the primary seal and the one or more seals are arranged coaxial with the barrel collar.
In regards to claim 4, in Figures 4-5 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Akhund discloses the one or more seals has a higher durometer than that of the primary seal ([0019]).
In regards to claim 5, in Figures 4-5 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Akhund discloses the one or more seals has a smaller cross-sectional diameter than the primary seal.
In regards to claim 6, in Figures 4-5 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Akhund discloses the primary seal lies in a different plane than the one or more seals.
In regards to claim 8, in Figures 4-5 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Akhund discloses a groove in either the barrel collar or the door adapted to receive a corresponding seal of the one or more seals.
In regards to claim 9, in Figures 4-5 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Akhund discloses the groove is of a compressive design.
In regards to claim 10, in Figures 4-5 and paragraphs detailing said figures, Akhund discloses one of the one or more seals is composed of a hydrogen reliable material.
In regards to claim 12, in Figures 4-5 and paragraphs [0018]-[0020], Akhund discloses a method for reducing an escape of fluid through a pipeline closure, the method comprising: arranging one or more seals on a vertical sealing face of a barrel collar along a leak pathway located between a horizonal sealing face of the barrel collar and an ambient environment outside of a closure door connected to the barrel collar so that a path of an escaping fluid along the leak pathway is non-linear and a pressure drop (inherent) occurs over the one or more seals.
In regards to claim 15, in Figures 4-5 and paragraphs [0018]-[0020], Akhund discloses the closure includes a primary seal on a horizontal sealing face of the barrel collar.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 11, 13, 14 and 16-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON M DUNWOODY whose telephone number is (571)272-7080. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Troutman can be reached at 571-270-3654. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AARON M DUNWOODY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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