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 .
Response to Amendment
This Action is in response to Applicant’s Reply of January 1, 2026.
Claims 1, 2, and 20 were previously cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant has argued that Mauldin fails to include any details for the detonation assembly, the use of a detonator, or a location of any weights relative to such a detonation assembly or detonator.
While Mauldin does not specifically refer to a detonator, all perforating guns must include a detonator or initiator of some sort in order to ignite the shaped charges. In Mauldin, electrical contact 22/50 is the contact that provides electricity from one portion of the system to the next. It is this transfer of electricity that causes the gun to fire through the use of switches or other means [0012] thus would be part of a detonation system. A detonator or igniter must be included for the gun to fire.
The arrangement of Anthony shows this. Anthony discloses a detonation assembly that includes various electrical contacts 753c1, c2, that provide communication to the perforating guns via such things as a feedthrough 754, connector 754c, and a switch 752d to ignite a detonator 752b.
As such, the system of that provides for electrical communication from one perforating gun to the next will also provide a ignition of a detonator. Ignition of the shaped charges is required for the perforating gun to operate and any means for providing this ignition would be considered a detonator.
Applicant has argued that Mauldin fails to disclose at least one offset counterweight that is positioned adjacent to at least one of the rotational bearing and an outer surface of the detonation assembly.
Figure 28 of Mauldin clearly shows that the counterweight 124’ is location adjacent the bearings 16’ and 20’. Further Figures 26 and 28A show that the contact 22/50, part of the detonation assembly, is within the bearings 16’ and 20’ and thus the counterweight would also be positioned adjacent the detonation assembly; all parts of the detonation assembly.
It is noted that the term “adjacent” merely requires that the two elements in question be near each other. This term provides for no specific orientation, degree of closeness, or number of other elements located therebetween.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim(s) 3-19, 21, and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mauldin (US 2020/0284126) in view of Anthony et al. (US 2020/0072029, Anthony).
Regarding claims 9 and 21: Mauldin discloses an orientable perforating gun 1000 – Fig 26 of a downhole tool 1000 – Fig 26, comprising:
a housing 700;
a downhole component 10/10’ comprising a detonation assembly Fig 26 positioned in the housing, the detonation assembly comprising:
a charge assembly 12 carrying shaped charges 122 – Fig 26; and
a detonator assembly 50 – element 50 provides the electricity to the perforating guns that is necessary to cause the gun to fire [0012] and thus would be considered part of a detonator assembly carrying a detonator no specific detonator is disclosed however, as the shaped charges are fired, a detonator of some sort is required in order for the gun to operate; any element that causes the ignition of the charges would be considered a detonator to ignite the shaped charges [0119], used with 300 or 400, [0143]-[0152], [0158]-[0163];
an orienting bearing assembly 16’, 20’, 124’ comprising:
a rotational bearing 16’or 20’ – [0116] coupled to the downhole component Fig 26, the rotational bearing rotationally supporting the downhole component within the downhole tool Fig 26; and
an orienter 124’ comprising at least one offset counterweight coupled to the downhole component [0132], Fig 28, the orienter gravitationally urging a portion of the downhole component to a weighted position within the downhole tool whereby the downhole component is positioned in a pre-determined oriented direction within the downhole tool Abstract, [0005], [0132];
wherein the at least one offset counterweight is positioned adjacent at least one of the rotational bearing Fig 28 and an outer surface of the detonation assembly Fig 26, 28A;
wherein the detonation assembly has a ring-shaped base portion 48C – Fig1 2B and an offset portion 52 – Fig 12B extending therefrom, the charge assembly has a curved extension at an end thereof Fig 29.
Mauldin discloses all of the limitations of the above claim(s) except the curved extension being shaped to matingly receive the offset portion.
Anthony discloses a perforating gun 132 of a downhole tool 118, the gun comprising:
a charge assembly 440a carrying shaped charges 136; and
a detonator assembly 133/436b carrying a detonator 752b to ignite the shaped charges;
wherein the detonation assembly has a ring-shaped base portion 756a and an offset portion 756b extending therefrom, the charge assembly has a curved extension 444 – [0081] at an end thereof, the curved extension shaped to matingly receive the offset portion Fig 11A, B.
It would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Mauldin so that a curved extension of the charge assembly was shaped to matingly receive an offset portion of the detonation assembly, as taught by Anthony, in order to have ensured a secure fit for contact and communication between the two components [0081].
Regarding claim 3: Wherein the rotational bearings comprise a pair of roller bearings a plurality of ball bearings are shown – Fig 2, 3 of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 4: Wherein the rotational bearing positioned about the detonation assembly Fig 34, 35 of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 5: Wherein the downhole component comprises a bulkhead 28, the rotational bearing is positioned about the bulkhead Fig 10, 11 of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 6: Wherein the offset counterweight has a tubular shape Fig 28 of Mauldin encircling the downhole component to define a heavier mass on one side of the downhole component [0132] of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 7: Wherein the offset counterweight is encircling the detonation assembly Fig 28, 33 of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 8: Wherein the downhole component comprises a bulkhead 28 of Mauldin, an additional offset counterweight 124 of Mauldin encircling the bulkhead Fig 10, 11, 28, 30 of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 10: Wherein the orienting bearing assembly further comprises an additional rotation bearing 16’ or 20’ of Mauldin, the rotation bearing positioned at an end of the detonation assembly Fig 30, 31 of Mauldin and the additional rotational bearing positioned at an opposite end of the detonation assembly Fig 30, 31 of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 11: Wherein the detonation assembly further comprises a detonator bulkhead 28 in 16/16’ of Mauldin at one end of the housing Fig 10, 11, 34, 35 of Mauldin and a charge bulkhead 28 in 20/20’ of Mauldin at an opposite end of the housing Fig 10, 11, 34, 35 of Mauldin, the detonator bulkhead and the charge bulkhead each comprising electronics coupled together to form a communication link [0117], [0130], [0149], [0165] of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 12: Wherein the detonator bulkhead has a bearing cavity A (see reproduction of Figure 10 of Mauldin below) shaped to receive the rotational bearing.
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Regarding claim 13: Wherein the charge bulkhead has a bearing recess B (see reproduction of Figure 10 of Mauldin below) shaped to receive and support the rotational bearing.
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Regarding claim 14: Wherein the rotational bearing is positioned between the detonator bulkhead and the charge bulkhead when connected in a string of multiple guns – [0131], ,[0144], [0149] of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 15: Wherein the charge assembly comprises a charge tube 12 of Mauldin to support the shaped charges therein Fig 26 of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 16: The orientable perforating gun further comprising a receiving cap 28 in 16/16’ of Mauldin positioned between the detonation assembly and the charge assembly. It is noted that neither claim 9 nor claim 16 require a bulkhead and thus element 28 can be used to define a different element.
Regarding claim 17: Wherein a charge portion of the downhole component is connected to a detonator portion of the downhole component of an adjacent perforating gun to form a bearing package when connected in a string of multiple guns – [0131], ,[0144], [0149] of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 18: Wherein the charge portion comprises the orienter 124’ of Mauldin, a charge bulkhead 28 in 20/20’ of Mauldin, an electrical contact 55 in 20/20’ of Mauldin, and an insulating sleeve around wires - [0130] of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 19: Wherein the detonator portion comprises a detonator bulkhead 28 in 16/16’ of Mauldin, an electrical connector 55 in 16/16’ of Mauldin, and the rotational bearing 16/16’ of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 21: Mauldin discloses a method of orienting a downhole tool, comprising:
providing the above described orientable perforating gun;
positioning the orientable perforating gun in a wellbore Abstract of Mauldin; and
urging the detonation assembly to the weighted position within the housing as the detonation assembly rotates about the rotational bearings Abstract of Mauldin.
Regarding claim 22: The method further comprising perforating the wellbore in an oriented direction by launching shaped charges from the detonation assembly while the detonation assembly is in the weighted position Abstract of Mauldin.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 JENNIFER H GAY whose telephone number is (571)272-7029. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday, 6-3:30 and every other Friday 6-11.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anita Y Coupe can be reached at (571)270-3614. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JENNIFER H GAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
JHG
1/26/2026