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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on December 18th, 2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3-13, and 17-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the same combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claims 1, 4-7, 9-11, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Quinn (US 5259727) in view of Carroll (US 3744930).
Regarding claim 1;
Quinn discloses an inserted ring for a turbine assembly (Figure 4), wherein the turbine assembly comprises a casing (28, 30), a nozzle (34), and a turbine stationary component (33) radially inward from the casing and radially outward from the nozzle, such that the casing and the turbine stationary component define a steam joint therebetween (steam flow), the turbine stationary component comprises a groove defined by a seal face boundary, the groove including an opening that opens towards the steam joint (grooves with inserted rings 46, 47) the inserted ring (46, 47) comprising: a first face positioned adjacent to the casing; and a second face positioned in close proximity to the turbine stationary component such that the second face is spaced a distance from and opposite to the first face, wherein the inserted ring has an axial width defined by the first and second faces such that the inserted ring creates a seal between the casing and the turbine stationary component (“Sidewall sealing and axial movement restriction rings have a primary function of sealing off and eliminating any possible steam leakage on the mating surfaces of the main steam chamber wall. In addition, these rings further restrict the axial movement and anchor the inner and outer sidewalls of the steam path”), and a third face extending between the first face and the second face (against the sidewalls of the groove), wherein the inserted ring is sized to be inserted at least partially within the groove of the turbine stationary component.
Quinn fails to teach wherein the third face includes a deformed recess positioned adjacent to the seal face boundary such that a peening portion of the seal face boundary is configured to be disposed within the deformed recess to retain the relative position of the turbine assembly and the inserted ring.
Carroll teaches mechanical ring retention within a turbine structure for a sealing device (25), the ring (28) inserted into a groove with the ring having a deformed recess (outer surface of ring sections (28) receiving peened material and a peening portion areas 30). The ring sections are retained in place by portions of the retaining groove area being peened over on its surface which is an equivalent to the “third face” of the respective the ring within the groove.
Because Quinn and Carroll are directed to the retention of ring elements within grooves with multiple faces in turbine environments, it therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the turbine assembly of Quinn such that the third face includes a deformed recess positioned adjacent to the seal face boundary such that a peening portion of the seal face boundary is configured to be disposed within the deformed recess to retain the relative position of the turbine assembly and the inserted ring as taught by Carroll for the purposes of securing the inserted ring within the groove without separate fasteners.
Regarding claim 4, Quinn in view of Carroll teaches the inserted ring according to claim 1 above. Quinn further discloses the seal face boundary comprises a first seal face defining a back of the groove opposite the opening of the groove of the steam joint, wherein the second face of the inserted ring at least contacts the first seal face (see Figure 4 whereby the inserted rings have about first and second faces with an axial width between, and the inserted rings and are arranged within a groove of the stationary component with the back of the groove opposite the seal face of the inserted ring).
Regarding claims 6-7, Quinn in view of Carroll teaches the inserted ring according to claims 1 and 4 above. Quinn further discloses the stationary component includes a diaphragm outer ring (Figure 4), and wherein the seal face boundary includes a second seal face that is adjacent to the first seal face, wherein the second face of the inserted ring at least partially contacts the first seal face and the third face of the inserted ring at least partially contacts the second seal face (see the respective grooves within the stationary component, there are three seal faces which are opposite the three faces of the inserted ring(s)).
Regarding claim 9;
Quinn discloses a turbine assembly comprising a casing (28, 30) and a turbine stationary component (33) radially inward from the casing such that the casing and the turbine stationary component define a steam joint therebetween, the turbine stationary component defines a groove including an opening that opens towards the steam joint, the turbine stationary component defines a first seal face within the groove and opposite from the groove opening to the steam joint, and a second seal face within the groove and adjacent to the first seal face (see Figure 4 for the grooves within the outer shroud/turbine stationary component, each of the grooves comprise three faces), the turbine assembly comprising an inserted ring (46, 47), the inserted ring comprising: a body including a first face, a second face adjacent to the first face, and a third face opposite from the first face, wherein the first face is positioned in close proximity to the first seal face of the turbine stationary component, the second face is positioned in close proximity to the second seal face of the turbine stationary component, and the third face is positioned in close proximity to the casing (see the faces of the rings that match the faces of the groove within the turbine stationary component), wherein the inserted ring creates a seal between the casing and the turbine stationary component (“Sidewall sealing and axial movement restriction rings have a primary function of sealing off and eliminating any possible steam leakage on the mating surfaces of the main steam chamber wall. In addition, these rings further restrict the axial movement and anchor the inner and outer sidewalls of the steam path”). The inserted ring is fixedly secured within the groove of the turbine stationary component (Figure 4).
Quinn fails to teach the second face includes a deformed recess positioned adjacent to the second seal face, such that a peening portion of the turbine stationary component is configured to be disposed within the deformed recess to fixedly secure the relative position of the turbine assembly and the inserted ring.
Carroll teaches mechanical ring retention within a turbine structure for a sealing device (25), the ring (28) inserted into a groove with the ring having a deformed recess (outer surface of ring sections (28) receiving peened material and a peening portion areas 30). The ring sections are retained in place by portions of the retaining groove area being peened over on its surface which is an equivalent to the “third face” of the respective the ring within the groove.
Because Quinn and Carroll are directed to the retention of ring elements within grooves with multiple faces in turbine environments, it therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the turbine assembly of Quinn such that the second face includes a deformed recess positioned adjacent to the second seal face, such that a peening portion of the turbine stationary component is configured to be disposed within the deformed recess to fixedly secure the relative position of the turbine assembly and the inserted ring as taught by Carroll for the purposes of securing the inserted ring within the groove without separate fasteners.
Regarding claim 17;
Quinn discloses a method for selectively positioning an inserted ring relative to a turbine assembly that includes a casing (28, 30), a nozzle (34), and a turbine stationary component (33) positioned radially inwardly from the casing, and radially outward from the nozzle, such that the casing and the turbine stationary component define a steam joint therebetween (steam flow), the method comprising: identifying a seal position required at a packing seal location and identifying an axial width defined between a first seal face of the turbine stationary component and a radially inner surface of the casing (see the grooves in the turbine stationary component); selecting an inserted ring (46, 47) having an axial width that is approximately the same as the axial width identified between the first seal face of the turbine stationary component and the radially inner surface of the casing (see the rings fit within the respective grooves in Figure 4 and in the radially inner surface of the casing); inserting the inserted ring at least partially within a groove defined circumferentially within the turbine stationary component; and fixedly securing the inserted ring within the turbine stationary component groove to facilitate improving an operating efficiency of the turbine assembly, wherein the inserted ring creates a seal between the casing and the turbine stationary component (“Sidewall sealing and axial movement restriction rings have a primary function of sealing off and eliminating any possible steam leakage on the mating surfaces of the main steam chamber wall. In addition, these rings further restrict the axial movement and anchor the inner and outer sidewalls of the steam path”).
Quinn fails to teach the ring includes a deformed recess and fixedly securing the ring within the stationary component groove by peening a portion of the turbine stationary component within the deformed recess.
Carroll teaches mechanical ring retention within a turbine structure for a sealing device (25), the ring (28) inserted into a groove with the ring having a deformed recess (outer surface of ring sections (28) receiving peened material and a peening portion areas 30). The ring sections are retained in place by portions of the retaining groove area being peened over on its surface which is an equivalent to the “third face” of the respective the ring within the groove.
Because Quinn and Carroll are directed to the retention of ring elements within grooves with multiple faces in turbine environments, it therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Quinn such that the ring includes a deformed recess and fixedly securing the ring within the stationary component groove by peening a portion of the turbine stationary component within the deformed recess as taught by Carroll for the purposes of securing the inserted ring within the groove without separate fasteners.
Regarding claims 18 and 20, Quinn in view of Carroll teaches the method according to claim 17 above. Quinn further discloses selecting an inserted ring further comprises selecting an inserted ring that comprises a body that is positioned relative to the radially inner surface of the casing (Figure 4), and wherein the turbine stationary component defines a second seal face that is adjacent to the first seal face, wherein the second face of the inserted ring at least partially contacts the first seal face of the turbine stationary component and a third face of the inserted ring at least partially contacts the second seal face of the turbine stationary component (see the respective grooves within the stationary component, there are three seal faces which are opposite the three faces of the inserted ring(s)).
Regarding claims 5, 10-11, and 19;
Quinn in view of Carroll teaches the inserted ring, turbine assembly, and method according to claims 1, 9, and 17 above.
Quinn fails to teach the inserted ring defines a body that has an axial width that is in a range of between 0.15-0.25 and 0.5 inches
However, the Applicant has not disclosed that having the axial width be within the claimed recited range solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose (see paragraph [0068] of Applicant’s specification, which recites the same limitation without specific reasoning or criticality for the claimed range). Applicant’s specification, in [0050], additionally states that the axial width may vary and depend on the overall size of the steam turbine assembly. Quinn discloses of a steam turbine assembly and the nozzle is for a retrofit and therefore would be tuned and adjusted to the respective dimensions, wherein the width of the seal ring portions would influence the position and securing of the nozzle thus it appears that the width disclosed and taught in Quinn would perform equally well with the specified width range as claimed by applicant, and it therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention as an obvious matter of design choice to modify the width of the inserted ring defines a body that has an axial width that is in a range of between 0.15-0.25 and 0.5 inches and one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to do so as a design choice depending on the size and specification of the functional requirements of the steam turbine assembly.
Claims 8 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Quinn (US 5259727) in view of Carroll (US 3744930), and further in view of Kikuchi (JP 2002070505).
Quinn in view of Carroll teaches the inserted ring and turbine assembly according to claims 1 and 9 above.
Quinn fails to explicitly teach a plurality of inserted rings are inserted spaced relative to a longitudinal axis and coupled to the turbine stationary component.
Kikuchi teaches an analogous inserted ring and turbine assembly which is defined by a plurality of inserted rings circumferentially spaced relative to the longitudinal axis and coupled to the turbine stationary component (see Figures 6-7 as an example which shows a plurality of circumferentially spaced inserted rings).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inserted ring of Quinn such that a plurality of inserted rings are inserted spaced relative to a longitudinal axis and coupled to the turbine stationary component as taught by Kikuchi for the purposes of segmenting the inserted ring which can be replaced in segments in the event of failure or maintenance, thereby reducing cost.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN D SEABE whose telephone number is (571)272-4961. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:00-5:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathaniel Wiehe can be reached at 571-272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JUSTIN D SEABE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
Prosecution Insights