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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/26/26 has been entered.
The amended claims filed 1/26/26 are acknowledged; claims 1-20 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) 1-5, 8-11, 14, and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weidecke (EP 3176362, as cited by Applicant) in view of Zheng (US 20160290073).
CLAIM 1: Weidecke discloses an elevator (20) for use with a subterranean well. The elevator comprises an elevator housing (23); a slip assembly axially displaceable relative to the elevator housing (via pistons 21), the slip assembly comprising multiple slips (22) configured to grip an outer surface of a tubular disposed in the slip assembly, the slip assembly having open and closed configurations (see Fig. 1A); and a load indicator (27, sensor 1050 as shown in Fig. 9A-D) configured to prevent actuation of the slip assembly from the closed configuration to the open configuration when at least a predetermined load is supported (via indicator 1057 and signals to control system).
Weidecke fails to disclose the load indicator configured to transfer load between the slip assembly and elevator housing, or the load indicator supporting the load.
Zheng discloses an instrumented drilling rig slip.
Zheng discloses load cells (700) placed to support slips (308) and the associated load, transferring the load to the support beneath them (structure 702) (see Fig. 7).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the placement of the load cells in Weidecke to be transfer the load with a reasonable expectation of success as Zheng teaches that such a configuration allows for accurate measurement of the weight (paragraph 0065).
CLAIM 2: The slip assembly further comprises an outer housing having a radially enlarged flange, and the load indicator is positioned axially between the flange and the elevator housing (see Fig. 8A).
CLAIM 3: The load indicator comprises a first ring that contacts the slip assembly, a second ring that contacts the elevator housing (see Fig. 9A). A position indicator (sensor 1050) configured to indicate when the predetermined load is applied to the first and second rings.
CLAIM 4: The position indicator includes a valve (such as 45, 47, 49).
CLAIM 5: The load indicator further comprises at least one spring configured to bias the first and second rings away from each other (spring in valve 49).
CLAIM 8: A control system (40) configured to apply pressure to the slip assembly to actuate the slip assembly from the open configuration to the closed configuration, and in which the load indicator is configured to prevent the pressure from being applied to actuate the slip assembly to the open configuration when the predetermined load is supported by the structure.
CLAIMS 9-11, 14: These methods are inherent to the above structures.
CLAIM 16: Weidecke discloses a system for use with a subterranean well. The system comprises a spider (30) configured to support a tubular and an elevator (20) axially displaceable relative to the spider. The elevator being configured to support the tubular, and the elevator comprising a slip assembly (see above), an elevator housing (23) and a load indicator (see above), the load indicator being configured to prevent actuation of the slip assembly to an open configuration when the elevator supports the tubular.
Zheng discloses load cells (700) placed to support slips (308) and the associated load, transferring the load to the support beneath them (structure 702) (see Fig. 7).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the placement of the load cells in Weidecke to be transfer the load with a reasonable expectation of success as Zheng teaches that such a configuration allows for accurate measurement of the weight (paragraph 0065).
CLAIM 17: The load indicator comprises a valve configured to prevent application of pressure from a control system to the slip assembly to actuate the slip assembly to the open configuration when the elevator supports the tubular (such as valves 45, 47, 49).
CLAIM 18: The load indicator comprises first and second rings that surround the slip assembly (see Fig. 9A).
Claim(s) 6, 7, 12, 13, 15, 19, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weidecke in view of Zheng in further view of Brown (US 20150034335).
CLAIM 4: Weidecke-Zheng discloses the elements of claim 3 as discussed above.
Weidecke further discloses in which the position indicator comprises a valve, but the valve is different than the valve of the further dependent claims.
Brown discloses a spider (10).
Brown discloses a load indicator (sensor 28) that is connected to the control system 100. The sensor comprises a valve (28).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the position indicator of Weidecke to include the valve of Brown with a reasonable expectation of success as the substitution of one known activation means for another in which the sensor would serve the same function of determining the load present.
CLAIM 6: The spring comprises a fluid spring (Brown, paragraph 0038).
CLAIM 7: The fluid spring is pressurized when the slip assembly is in the open configuration (Brown, paragraph 0038).
CLAIM 12: Weidecke-Zheng discloses the elements of claim 11 as described above.
Weidecke fails to disclose in which the spring comprises a fluid spring, and the compressing further comprises expelling fluid from the fluid spring.
Brown discloses an indicator with a fluid spring (28) compressed (Fig. 4, paragraph 0038).
CLAIM 13: The compressing comprises reducing a distance between first and second rings of the load indicator, each of the first and second rings surrounding the slip assembly (Brown, paragraph 0038; Fig. 4).
CLAIM 15: This method is inherent to the above structure.
CLAIM 19: Weidecke-Zheng discloses the elements of claim 18 as described above.
Weidecke fails to disclose in which the load indicator further comprises a spring that biases the first and second rings away from each other.
Brown discloses a spring (28) to bias the plates.
CLAIM 20: The spring comprises a fluid spring (paragraph 0038).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) filed 1/26/26 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
The arrangement of the slips, housing, and load indicators are not taught by the previous rejection, but addressed above.
Conclusion
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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/PATRICK F LAMBE/Examiner, Art Unit 3676
/TARA SCHIMPF/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3676