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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 3/3/26 has been entered. Claims 1, 5, 7-10, 13, and 15-17 have been amended. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application.
Applicant’s amendments to the Drawings and Claims have overcome each and every objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 12/4/25.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 3/3/26, with respect to the 112(f) interpretation of “compression mechanism” have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 112(f) interpretation of “compression mechanism” has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 3/3/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejection of claim 1 as being anticipated by Suzuki (JP2007162493A), Applicant has argued Suzuki fails to disclose a thin plate because element 21A of Suzuki “is required to have a predetermined thickness” (see Remarks filed 3/3/26, Pages 13-14). The Examiner does not find this argument persuasive. Claims must be given their broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification (MPEP 2111). The instant disclosure is silent to “thin” and “plate” beyond referencing each of elements 83 and 93 as thin plates. In Figs. 4 and 5, each of elements 83 and 93 are shown as smoothly formed cylindrical elements. Element 21A of Suzuki is also shown and described as a smoothly formed cylindrical element (Para 28 - “…sleeves 21A…” and see Figs. 1-2). Regarding the argument that element 21A has a predetermined thickness and therefore not thin, it is noted that each of elements 83 and 93 of the instant disclosure (which are thin plates per the instant disclosure) are shown with predetermined thickness in Figs. 4 and 5. Therefore, element 21A of the Suzuki is properly construed as a cylindrical thin plate under broadest reasonable interpretation, and Applicant’s arguments are not found persuasive.
Regarding the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejection of claim 1 as being anticipated by Suzuki (JP2007162493A), Applicant has argued Suzuki fails to disclose a cylindrical thin plate that is flexible because paragraphs 28 and 29 of Suzuki (which have been pointed to for evidence that element 21A is flexible) “merely describe that the sleeve 21A is supported by an elastic support member 21B…such that the sleeve 21A is elastically displaceable in the radial direction” (see Remarks filed 3/3/26). The Examiner does not find this argument persuasive because, as pointed out by Applicant, Paras 28-29 of Suzuki describe that element 21A is elastically displaceable in the radial direction, and this elastic displaceability is a type of flexibility. Therefore, element 21A is flexible per the description of element 21A in Paras 28-29 and Applicant’s arguments are not found persuasive.
Regarding the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejection of claim 1 as being anticipated by Suzuki (JP2007162493A), Applicant has argued Suzuki does not disclose “the support inhabiting a fluid from flowing in a direction along the shaft” because during operation, the sleeve 21A of Suzuki would bend toward the housing at both axial-side portions and would result in increased fluid leakage (Remarks 3/3/26, Page 14). The Examiner does not find this argument persuasive because, as described in Paras 28-29 - “…sleeve 21A…is supported by an elastic support member 21B…” and “…The seal gap between each of the sleeves 21A, 22A and the main shaft 13 is preferably 15 μm or less, and if it is 10 μm or less, there will be almost no air leakage through the gap…”. There being no leakage along the gap between elements 21A and 13 his is a type of inhibiting a fluid from flowing along the direction of the shaft as shown in Figs. 1-3, and this function is supported by element 21B, and therefore it can be said that support 21B contributes in inhibiting a fluid from flowing in a direction along the shaft. Therefore, Applicant’s arguments are not found persuasive.
Applicant has argued claims 2-7, and 11-20 are allowable for the same reasons as indicated above regarding claim 1 (see Remarks filed 3/3/26, Pages 14-16). The Examiner does not find this argument persuasive for the same reasons as indicated above regarding claim 1.
Applicant’s arguments regarding claims 1-3 and 6-7 and Yamaguchi in view of Zimm appear to be inadvertently included and therefore will not be addressed.
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.
Claims 1, 5, 11-12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Suzuki (JP2007162493A).
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Re claim 1:
Suzuki discloses a shaft seal structure (21A, 21B, non-contact seals - Para 28), comprising:
a housing (12, housing - Para 20) having an insertion hole (Modified Fig. 1 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of insertion hole)) through which a shaft (13, shaft - Para 19) can be inserted (see Fig. 1);
a cylindrical thin plate (21A, sleeve - Para 28 (see Fig. 2)) that is flexible (Paras 28-29) and placed in the insertion hole (Modified Fig. 1 above - A)(see Modified Fig. 1 above); and
a support (21B, sleeve - Para 28 (see Fig. 2 and Para 28 - “…sleeve 21A…is supported by an elastic support member 21B…”)) arranged between the housing (12) and the thin plate (21A)(see Figs. 1-2), the support (21B) elastically supporting the thin plate (21A) over a range (Modified Fig. 2 above - D (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element D as a type of range between elements D)) extending between both axial ends (Modified Fig. 2 above - E (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize elements as axial ends of element 21A)) of the thin plate (21A)(see Figs. 1-2 and Para 28),
the thin plate (21A) having an inner peripheral surface (Modified Fig. 2 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of inner peripheral surface of element 21A; element A corresponds to the “inner diameter surface” of element 21A referenced in Para 28)) facing an outer peripheral surface (Modified Fig. 2 above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element B as a type of outer peripheral surface of element 13; element B corresponds to the “outer periphery of the main shaft 13” referenced in Para 28)) of the shaft (13) with a gap (Modified Fig. 2 above - C (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element C as a type of gap; element C corresponds to the “seal gap” referenced in Para 28)) formed between the inner peripheral surface (Modified Fig. 2 above - A) and the shaft (13)(see Modified Fig. 2 above and Para 28),
the support (21B) inhibiting a fluid from flowing in a direction along the shaft (13)(see Fig. 1 and Paras 28-29 - “…there will be almost no air leakage through the gap…”).
Re claim 5:
Suzuki discloses the shaft seal structure (Suzuki; 21A, 21B) of claim 1 (as described above).
Suzuki discloses a compressor (5, compression/expansion turbine unit - Para 19) including the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B) of claim 1 (as described above)(see Fig. 8), the compressor (5) further comprising:
an electric motor (39, axial gap type motor - Para 43) having the shaft (13) sealed by the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B)(see Fig. 8, Fig. 2, and Paras 28-29);
a compression mechanism (6a, compressor wheel - Para 20) configured to compress a fluid (Para 20 - “…Air…compressed by the compressor wheel…”) sucked by drive of the electric motor (39)(see Figs. 1, 8, Para 20, and Para 43 - “…motor 39 is provided to rotate the main shaft 13…”); and
a bearing (15, rolling bearings - Para 21) arranged closer to a rotor (39a, motor rotor - Para 45) of the electric motor (39) than the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B)(see Fig. 8) located between the compression mechanism (6a) and the bearing (15)(see Fig. 8), the bearing (15) rotatably supporting the shaft (13) on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft (13)(see Fig. 8 and Para 21).
Re claim 11:
Suzuki discloses the compressor (5) of claim 5 (as described above), wherein the thin plate (21A) and the support (21B) are in contact with each other over an entire circumference (see Fig. 2 at elements 50 and 51 and Para 39 (element 21B described as an O-Ring)).
Re claim 12:
Suzuki discloses the compressor (5) of claim 5 (as described above), wherein the compressor (5) is a centrifugal compressor (see Fig. 1 at 6a and Para 20 (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element 5 is depicted and described as a type of centrifugal compressor)).
Re claim 14:
Suzuki discloses a refrigeration apparatus (Fig. 1 (see Para 34)) including the compressor (5) of claim 5 (as described above), wherein the compressor (5) forms part of a refrigerant circuit (Para 34 - “…air serving as a cooling medium is compressed by the compressor 6 to raise its temperature so that it can be efficiently heat exchanged in a downstream heat exchanger (not shown here), and the air cooled in the downstream heat exchanger is then adiabatically expanded by the expansion turbine 7…” (description of a type of refrigerant circuit)) that circulates a refrigerant (Para 34 - “…air serving as a cooling medium…”) to perform a refrigeration cycle (see Fig. 1 and para 34).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 2, 4, 15, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (JP2007162493A), as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Tokunaga et al. (U.S. 2020/0063873).
Re claim 2:
Suzuki discloses the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B) of claim 1 (as described above).
Suzuki fails to disclose wherein the support is made of a mesh member.
Tokunaga teaches wherein a support (10, wire mesh damper - Para 45 (see Figs. 1-2 and Para 50-51)) is made of a mesh member (Para 45 - “…a wire mesh damper 10…”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modeled the support of Suzuki after the support of Tokunaga, thereby making the support of Suzuki be made of a mesh member in the way taught by Tokunaga, for the advantage of being able to reduce whirling (Para 45).
Re claim 4:
Suzuki discloses the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B) of claim 1 (as described above).
Suzuki fails to disclose wherein the support includes a mesh member and a soft filler that fills voids in the mesh member.
Tokunaga teaches wherein a support (10, wire mesh damper - Para 45 (see Figs. 1-2 and Para 50-51)) includes a mesh member (Para 45 - “…a wire mesh damper 10…”) and a soft filler (Para 46 - “…permeable damping member…into which fluid permeates…”) that fills voids (Para 46 - “…permeable damping member…into which fluid permeates…” (see Figs. 1 and 2)) in the mesh member (10)(see Figs. 1-2 and Para 46).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modeled the support of Suzuki after the support of Tokunaga, thereby making the support of Suzuki include a mesh member and a soft filler that fills voids in the mesh member, all in the way taught by Tokunaga, for the advantage of being able to reduce whirling (Para 45).
Re claims 15 and 17:
Suzuki/Tokunaga teaches the shaft seal structure (Suzuki; 21A, 21B) of claims 2 and 4 (as described above).
Suzuki further discloses a compressor (5, compression/expansion turbine unit - Para 19) including the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B)(see Fig. 8), the compressor (5) further comprising:
an electric motor (39, axial gap type motor - Para 43) having the shaft (13) sealed by the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B)(see Fig. 8, Fig. 2, and Paras 28-29);
a compression mechanism (6a, compressor wheel - Para 20) configured to compress a fluid sucked by drive of the electric motor (39)(see Figs. 1, 8, Para 20, and Para 43 - “…motor 39 is provided to rotate the main shaft 13…”); and
a bearing (15, rolling bearings - Para 21) arranged closer to a rotor (39a, motor rotor - Para 45) of the electric motor (39) than the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B)(see Fig. 8) located between the compression mechanism (6a) and the bearing (15)(see Fig. 8), the bearing (15) rotatably supporting the shaft (13) on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft (13)(see Fig. 8 and Para 21).
Claims 3 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (JP2007162493A), as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Tokunaga et al. (U.S. 2020/0063871; hereinafter ‘3871).
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Re claim 3:
Suzuki discloses the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B) of claim 1 (as described above).
Suzuki fails to disclose wherein the support includes a cylindrical elastic member having a plurality of spring elements configured to receive the thin plate, and a soft filler that fills a gap between the elastic member and the housing and a gap between the elastic member and the thin plate.
‘3871 teaches wherein a support (10, multi-layered cylindrical body - Para 40 (see Figs. 1-3 and description at Paras 40-43)) includes a cylindrical elastic member (Para 40 - “…multi-layered cylindrical body 10 including a plurality of elastically deformable cylindrical thin plates 11…”) having a plurality of spring elements (11, plurality of elastically deformable cylindrical thin plates - Para 40) configured to receive a thin plate (5, floating ring - Para 27 (see Figs. 1-2)), and a soft filler (Para 26 - “…water, gas, oil, cryogenic fluid, or the like, which is sealed fluid…” and Para 45 - “…sealed fluid is present on opposite sides of the multi-layered cylindrical body…”) that fills a gap (Modified Fig. 2b above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of gap between element 2 and element 10; element A corresponds to a portion of “space 4” referenced in Para 28)) between the elastic member (10) and a housing (2, housing - Para 27) and a gap (Modified Fig. 2b above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element B as a type of gap between element 5 and element 10; element A corresponds to a portion of “space 4” referenced in Para 28))) between the elastic member (10) and a thin plate (5)(see Modified Fig. 2b above, Figs. 1-3, Para 26 - “…water, gas, oil, cryogenic fluid, or the like, which is sealed fluid…” and Para 45 - “…sealed fluid is present on opposite sides of the multi-layered cylindrical body…”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modeled the support of Suzuki after the support of ‘3871, thereby making the support of Suzuki include a cylindrical elastic member having a plurality of spring elements configured to receive the thin plate of Suzuki, and a soft filler that fills a gap between this now included elastic member and the housing of Suzuki and a gap between the now included elastic member and the thin plate of Suzuki, all in the way taught by ‘3871, for the advantage of reducing vibration and whirling (‘3871; Para 40).
Re claim 16:
Suzuki/’3871 teaches the shaft seal structure (Suzuki; 21A, 21B) of claim 3 (as described above).
Suzuki further discloses a compressor (5, compression/expansion turbine unit - Para 19) including the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B)(see Fig. 8), the compressor (5) further comprising:
an electric motor (39, axial gap type motor - Para 43) having the shaft (13) sealed by the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B)(see Fig. 8, Fig. 2, and Paras 28-29);
a compression mechanism (6a, compressor wheel - Para 20) configured to compress a fluid sucked by drive of the electric motor (39)(see Figs. 1, 8, Para 20, and Para 43 - “…motor 39 is provided to rotate the main shaft 13…”); and
a bearing (15, rolling bearings - Para 21) arranged closer to a rotor (39a, motor rotor - Para 45) of the electric motor (39) than the shaft seal structure (21A, 21B)(see Fig. 8) located between the compression mechanism (6a) and the bearing (15)(see Fig. 8), the bearing (15) rotatably supporting the shaft (13) on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft (13)(see Fig. 8 and Para 21).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (JP2007162493A), as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Omori (JP2012251605A).
Re claim 6:
Suzuki discloses the compressor (5) of claim 5 (as described above).
Suzuki fails to disclose the compressor further comprising a gas passage through which a cooling gas is supplied to the bearing.
Omori teaches a compressor (Fig. 1(a) (see Para 17 - “…a turbo compressor…”)) comprising a gas passage (9, third holes - Para 19; 10, fourth hole - Para 20; 8, first hole - Para 20; 11, second holes - Para 20) through which a cooling gas is supplied to a bearing (3, bearing - Para 29)(see Fig. 1(a) and Para 29).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modeled the compressor of Suzuki/Tokunaga after that of Omori, thereby including a gas passage in Suzuki to supply the bearing of Suzuki with cooling gas in the way taught by Omori, for the advantage of being able to directly cool the bearing (Omori; Para 29).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (JP2007162493A), as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Fujii (JP2017089384A).
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Re claim 7:
Suzuki discloses the compressor (5) of claim 5 (as described above).
Suzuki fails to disclose wherein the bearing is a foil gas bearing that includes a flexible top foil, forms a gap between the top foil and the shaft, and supports the shaft by a gas film generated in the gap between the top foil and the shaft.
Fujji discloses wherein a bearing (110, radial foil bearing - Para 34) is a foil gas bearing (see Figs. 1-5 and Para 34) that includes a flexible top foil (111, top foil - Para 35), forms a gap (Modified Fig. 5 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of gap between element 111 and 31 (see also Figs. 3, 5, and Para 38 - “…top foil 111 can be displaced relative to the first bearing surface 118…”))) between the top foil (111) and a shaft (31, rotary shaft - Para 20), and supports the shaft (31) by a gas film generated in the gap between the top foil and the saft (see Figs. 1-4 and Para 56 - “…As a result, the rotating shaft 31 is separated from the first and second top foils 111 and 121, and the rotating shaft 31 is supported in a non-contact state by the first and second radial foil bearings 110 and 120.”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modeled the bearing of Suzuki after that of Fujii, thereby making the bearing of Suzuki be a foil gas bearing that includes a flexible top foil, forms a gap between the top foil and the shaft of Suzuki, and supports the shaft of Suzuki by a gas film generated in the gap, all in the way taught by Fujii, for the advantage a bearing that also serves as a seal member (Fujii; Para 60).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (JP2007162493A), as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Enokijima et al. (U.S. 2005/0207923).
Re claim 13:
Suzuki discloses the compressor (5) of claim 5 (as described above), wherein the fluid (Para 20 - “…Air…”) is a refrigerant (Para 34).
Suzuki fails to disclose wherein the fluid is any one of an HFC refrigerant, an HFO refrigerant, a refrigerant mixture of the HFC refrigerant and the HFO refrigerant, a CF3I refrigerant, a carbon dioxide refrigerant, and a hydrocarbon refrigerant.
Enokijima teaches a carbon dioxide refrigerant (Para 43 - “…Carbon dioxide which is often used as refrigerant…”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the refrigerant of Enokijima as the refrigerant in Suzuki for the advantage of higher refrigerating performance per unit volume (Enokijima; Para 43).
Claims 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (JP2007162493A) in view of Tokunaga et al. (U.S. 2020/0063873), as applied to claims 15 and 17 above, and further in view of Omori (JP2012251605A).
Re claims 18 and 20:
Suzuki/Tokunaga teaches the compressor (Suzuki; 5) of claims 15 and 17 (as described above).
Suzuki fails to disclose the compressor further comprising a gas passage through which a cooling gas is supplied to the bearing.
Omori teaches a compressor (Fig. 1(a) (see Para 17 - “…a turbo compressor…”)) comprising a gas passage (9, third holes - Para 19; 10, fourth hole - Para 20; 8, first hole - Para 20; 11, second holes - Para 20) through which a cooling gas is supplied to a bearing (3, bearing - Para 29)(see Fig. 1(a) and Para 29).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modeled the compressor of Suzuki/Tokunaga after that of Omori, thereby including a gas passage in Suzuki to supply the bearing of Suzuki with cooling gas in the way taught by Omori, for the advantage of being able to directly cool the bearing (Omori; Para 29).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki (JP2007162493A) in view of Tokunaga et al. (U.S. 2020/0063871; hereinafter ‘3871), as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of Omori (JP2012251605A).
Re claim 19:
Suzuki/’3871 teaches the compressor (Suzuki; 5) of claims 15 and 17 (as described above).
Suzuki fails to disclose the compressor further comprising a gas passage through which a cooling gas is supplied to the bearing.
Omori teaches a compressor (Fig. 1(a) (see Para 17 - “…a turbo compressor…”)) comprising a gas passage (9, third holes - Para 19; 10, fourth hole - Para 20; 8, first hole - Para 20; 11, second holes - Para 20) through which a cooling gas is supplied to a bearing (3, bearing - Para 29)(see Fig. 1(a) and Para 29).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modeled the compressor of Suzuki/’3871 after that of Omori, thereby including a gas passage in Suzuki to supply the bearing of Suzuki with cooling gas in the way taught by Omori, for the advantage of being able to directly cool the bearing (Omori; Para 29).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 10 are allowed.
Claim 8 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 9-10 are allowed and claim 8 would be allowed primarily because the prior art of record cannot anticipate Applicant’s claimed invention by a single reference nor render Applicant’s claimed invention obvious by the combination of more than one reference.
Additionally, the prior art of record does not teach wherein “a width of the gap formed between the inner peripheral surface of the thin plate of the shaft seal structure and the shaft is greater than a width of the gap between the top foil of the bearing and the shaft” as within the context of the claimed invention as disclosed and within the context of the other limitations present in claim 8.
Additionally, the prior art of record does not teach wherein “a dynamic pressure groove being formed in an outer peripheral surface of the shaft facing the thin plate, and the dynamic pressure groove generates a dynamic pressure when gas flows from the rotor to the compression mechanism as the shaft rotates” as within the context of the claimed invention as disclosed and within the context of the other limitations present in claim 9
Additionally, the prior art of record does not teach wherein “a dynamic pressure groove being formed in the inner peripheral surface of the thin plate, and the dynamic pressure groove generates a dynamic pressure when gas flows from the rotor to the compression mechanism as the shaft rotates” as within the context of the claimed invention as disclosed and within the context of the other limitations present in claim 10
Therefore, the prior art of record cannot anticipate Applicant’s claimed invention by a single reference nor render Applicant’s claimed invention obvious by one or more references.
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 Loren C Edwards whose telephone number is (571)272-7133. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 6AM-430PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark Laurenzi can be reached at (571) 270-7878. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LOREN C EDWARDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746 3/27/26