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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
1. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/05/24 has been entered. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
2. The drawings filed on 03/05/24. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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 of this title, 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.
4. Claim(s) 1-3, 10-12, 19-20, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schober et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,587,647), in view of Lord et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,929). Hereafter “Schober”, “Lord”.
Regarding Claim(s) 1, 10, Schober discloses an attachment (figure 5) for a bore inspection system (figure 1; Column 3, lines 1-28) for inspecting a bore of a component, the attachment (figure 5) comprising:
a first section (the following figure 5, section AA is not different from a first section) adapted to be removably coupled to an imaging device (figure 5, imager 70 is not different from an imaging device) of the bore inspection system (figure 1), the first section extending along a central axis (the following figure 5, section AA is not different from a first section, axis 32);
a fastener adapted to couple the first section with the imaging device (the following figure 5, elements 34/38 is not different from a fastener adapted to couple the first section AA with the imaging device 70); and
a second section integral with the first section and extending from the first section along the central axis (the following figure 5, section BB is not different from a second section, extending from the first section AA along the central axis 32), wherein,
the second section includes a mirror that is disposed at an inclination angle of 45 degrees relative to the central axis (the following figure 5, section BB is not different from a second section, includes a mirror 22, disposed at an inclination angle of 45 degrees relative to the central axis 32), and
when the attachment is coupled to the imaging device, the mirror is adapted to face a lens of the imaging device so that light rays reflected from an object, and to be received by the imaging device, are bent by an angle of 90 degrees by the mirror to inspect the object (figure 4 and the following figure 5, the imaging device 70, mirror 22 adapted to face a lens 56, light rays reflected from an object 50 received by the imaging device 70, are bent by an angle of 90 degrees by the mirror 22 to inspect the object 50).
Further, according to claim 10, Schober also disclose an imaging device defining a first end and a second end, wherein the imaging device includes a lens disposed proximal to the second end (the following figure 5, imaging device 70 a first end CC and a second end DD, and a lens 56 disposed proximal to the second end DD).
However, Schober does not explicit disclose the object is a bore wall of the bore. Lord discloses the object is a bore wall of the bore (Column 3, lines 3-13, 29-32, 59-63). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Schober by examining a bore wall of the bore in order to implement inspection system/method for inspecting bores.
Regarding Claim(s) 2, 11, Schober as modified by Lord, disclose the system according to claim 1 or claim 10, as stated above except for the first section includes a coupling portion, wherein the coupling portion defines a through-opening adapted to receive a portion of the imaging device therein, and wherein the through-opening has a shape that corresponds to an outer profile of the portion of the imaging device. Schober further discloses the first section includes a coupling portion, wherein the coupling portion defines a through-opening adapted to receive a portion of the imaging device therein, and wherein the through-opening has a shape that corresponds to an outer profile of the portion of the imaging device (the following figure 5, the first section AA, tubular body 45 is not different from a coupling portion, imaging device 70, the through-opening is the opening of the surface imaging device 70).
[AltContent: textbox (FF)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (EE)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (CC)][AltContent: textbox (DD)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (BB)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (AA)][AltContent: arrow]
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Regarding Claim(s) 3, 12, Schober as modified by Lord, disclose the system according to claims 1, 2, or claims 10, 11, as stated above except for the through-opening has a circular shape. Schober further discloses the through-opening has a circular shape (the above figure 5, the opening of the surface imaging device 70 has a circular shape).
Regarding Claim(s) 19, 20, Schober discloses a method for inspecting a bore of a fracturing equipment (figure 1; Column 3, lines 1-28), the method comprising:
providing an imaging device of a bore inspection system, the imaging device defining a first end and a second end, wherein the imaging device includes a lens disposed proximal to the second end, (the above figure 5, imaging device 70 a first end CC and a second end DD, and a lens 56 disposed proximal to the second end DD);
providing an attachment of the bore inspection system (inspection system in figure 1, an attachment in figure 5), wherein the attachment includes a first section extending along a central axis (the above figure 5, section AA is not different from a first section of the attachment), a fastener (the above figure 5, elements 34/38 is not different from a fastener adapted to couple the first section AA with the imaging device 70), and a second section integral with the first section and extending from the first section along the central axis (the above figure 5, section BB is not different from a second section, extending from the first section AA along the central axis 32), and wherein the second section includes a mirror that is disposed at an inclination angle of 45 degrees relative to the central axis (the following figure 5, section BB is not different from a second section, includes a mirror 22, disposed at an inclination angle of 45 degrees relative to the central axis 32);
coupling, via the fastener of the attachment, the first section of the attachment with the imaging device (the above figure 5, elements 34/38 is not different from a fastener adapted to couple the first section AA with the imaging device 70), such that the mirror of the second section faces the lens of the imaging device (the above figure 5, section BB is not different from a second section, includes a mirror 22, and lens 56);
inserting the bore inspection system within the bore of the fracturing equipment (figure 5, inserting the bore inspection system including first section AA and second section BB within the bore of the fracturing equipment of imager body 14); and
bending, by the mirror of the second section, light rays reflected from an object, and receivable by the imaging device, by an angle of 90 degrees to inspect the bore wall (figure 4 and the following figure 5, the imaging device 70, mirror 22 adapted to face a lens 56, light rays reflected from an object 50 received by the imaging device 70, are bent by an angle of 90 degrees by the mirror 22 to inspect the object 50).
However, Schober does not explicit disclose the object is a bore wall of the bore. Lord discloses the object is a bore wall of the bore (Column 3, lines 3-13, 29-32, 59-63). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Schober by examining a bore wall of the bore in order to implement inspection system/method for inspecting bores.
5. Claim(s) 4, 5, 13, 14, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schober et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,587,647), in view of Lord et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,929), further in view of Schlund et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,808). Hereafter “Schober”, “Lord”, “Schlund”.
Regarding Claim(s) 4, 13, Schober as modified by Lord, disclose the system according to claims 1, 2, or claims 10, 11, as stated above except for the first section includes a first projection and a second projection, wherein each of the first projection and the second projection extends from the coupling portion along a first direction that is orthogonal to the central axis, and wherein each of the first projection and the second projection is adapted to receive the fastener to couple the first section with the imaging device. Schober further discloses the first section includes a first projection and a second projection, wherein each of the first projection and the second projection extends from the coupling portion along a first direction, and wherein each of the first projection and the second projection is adapted to receive the fastener to couple the first section with the imaging device (the above figure 5, the first projection AA and the second projection BB extends from the coupling portion 45 along a first direction axis 32, , and each of the first projection AA and the second projection BB is adapted to receive the fastener threaded portion/coupler 34, 38, to couple the first section AA with the imaging device 70). However, Schober and Lord do not disclose the first projection and the second projection extends from the coupling portion along a first direction that is orthogonal to the central axis. Schlund discloses the first projection and the second projection extends from the coupling portion along a first direction that is orthogonal to the central axis (figures 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, the first projection and the second projection of screw clamp 30 extends from the coupling portion 10A along a first direction that is orthogonal to the central axis of the pipe 40). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Schober and Lord by having the first projection and the second projection extends from the coupling portion along a first direction that is orthogonal to the central axis in order to have a specific coupling.
Regarding Claim(s) 5, 14, Schober as modified by Lord, disclose the system according to claims 1, 2, 4, or claims 10, 11, 13, as stated above except for the second section includes an arcuate portion, a base surface extending from the arcuate portion along the first direction, and a pair of side plates coupled to each of the arcuate portion and the base surface. Schober discloses the second section includes an arcuate portion, a base surface extending from the arcuate portion along the first direction (the above figure 5, the second section BB includes an arcuate portion EE, a base surface FF extending from the arcuate portion EE along the first direction of axis 32). Schlund discloses a pair of side plates (figures 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, a pair of side plates of screw clamp 30). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Schober and Lord by having a pair of side plates in order to clamp the coupling portion.
6. Claim(s) 8-9, 17-18, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schober et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,587,647), in view of Lord et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,929), further in view of Vessereau et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0296810). Hereafter “Schober”, “Lord”, “Vessereau”.
Regarding Claim(s) 8-9, 17-18, Schober as modified by Lord, disclose the system according to claim 1 or to claim 10, as stated above except for the fracturing equipment including a fluid end of a fracturing pump. Vessereau discloses the fracturing equipment including a fluid end of a fracturing pump ([0035]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Schober and Lord by having fracturing pump in order to clean mud deposits and the like from the borehole wall and leave open formation (Vessereau, [0035]).
Allowable Subject Matter
7. Claims 6-7, 15-16, 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.
8. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: there was no prior art found by the examiner that suggested modification or combination with the cited art so as to satisfy the combination of all the limitations in claims 6, 15.
9. As claims 6, 15, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious an attachment for a bore inspection system and a bore inspection system for inspecting a bore of a component, the attachment comprising a first section along a central axis adapted to be removably coupled to an imaging device of the bore inspection system; a fastener; and a second section integral with the first section along the central axis, a mirror that is at an inclination angle of 45 degrees relative to the central axis and is adapted to face a lens of the imaging device so that light rays reflected from a bore wall of the bore, received by the imaging device, are bent by an angle of 90 degrees by the mirror to inspect the bore wall; the coupling portion defines a through-opening has a shape that corresponds to an outer profile of the portion of the imaging device; wherein the first section includes the first projection and the second projection extends from the coupling portion along a first direction orthogonal to the central axis, and to receive the fastener to couple the first section with the imaging device; wherein an outer edge of the base surface is in-line with an outer edge of each of the first projection and the second projection, and the outer edge of the base surface and the outer edge of each of the first projection and the second projection is adapted to engage with the bore wall to dispose the mirror of the second section at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the bore wall; in combination with the rest of the limitations of claims 1 and 2 and 4 and 5 and 6, or of claims 10 and 11 and 13 and 14 and 15.
Fax/Telephone Information
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May 28, 2026
/Tri T Ton/
Primary Examiner Art Unit 2877
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