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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Ryan reference’s seal ring 58 may contact the shaft 12, but the seal ring 58 is in sealing contact with the shaft.
Examiner notes that Ryan’s seal ring 58 contacts the shaft as clearly shown in fig 2 and also similar to seal ring 22 contacting the shaft as shown in fig 1. The seal ring 58 can also be seen as indirectly contacting the shaft through the rotating ring not shown in fig 2.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ryan (U.S. PG Pub # 20180017167).
Regarding Claim 19, Ryan discloses a sealing assembly for forward and reverse differential pressure (fig 2, Para 0009), the sealing assembly comprising: a housing of annular form having a bore comprising a first bore portion and a second bore portion (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 below), the first bore portion transitioning to the second bore portion at a housing surface (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 below); a shaft located at least partially within the housing and movable relative to the housing (rotatable shaft 12), the shaft defining a radially outward-facing sealing surface (sealing surface of 12); a seal carrier of annular form located radially outward of and encircling at least a portion of the sealing surface of the shaft (Ryan 56 encircling 12), the seal carrier having an annular neck transitioning to an outwardly extending wall (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 below) and having an axial extension adjoining the outwardly extending wall (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 below), the outwardly extending wall and axial extension positioned within the second bore portion (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 below) and at least a portion of the annular neck received within the first bore portion of the housing (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 below), the seal carrier allowed to have limited axial movement relative to the housing (limited axial movement of 56);a dynamic seal (58) located between and having sealing contact with the seal carrier and the shaft (58 contacts 56 and 12), the dynamic seal partitioning a lubricant fluid having a lubricant fluid pressure from an environment fluid having an environment fluid pressure (58 partitions between fluid on the left and right sides of fig 2) , the dynamic seal having a lubricant fluid side exposed to the lubricant fluid (Para 0008 – right side of fig 2) and an environment fluid side exposed to the environment fluid (fluid on left side of fig 2); and a spring (60) located around the shaft (12) and within the housing bore (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 below), the spring applying a spring force on the environment fluid side of the dynamic seal while remaining isolated from the environment fluid (60 applying a spring force on the environment fluid side of the dynamic seal while remaining isolated from the environment fluid).
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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 – 10 and 20 - 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryan in view of Janocko et al. (U.S. Patent # 8690534).
Regarding Claim 1, Ryan discloses a sealing assembly for forward and reverse differential pressure (fig 2, Para 0009), the sealing assembly comprising: a housing of annular form having a first bore portion ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 above) and a second bore portion ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 above), the first bore portion joined to the second bore portion by a housing surface ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 above); a lubricant fluid having a lubricant fluid pressure (Para 0008 – pressure of fluid on the right side of fig 2) and an environment fluid having an environment fluid pressure (pressure of environment fluid on the left side of fig 2); a shaft being relatively movable with respect to the housing (Para 0006 - shaft 12 rotates with respect to 58) and defining a radially outward-facing sealing surface (sealing surface of 12); a seal carrier (56) of annular form located radially outward of and encircling at least a portion of the sealing surface of the shaft (56 encircling 12), the seal carrier having an annular neck ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 above) transitioning to an outwardly extending wall ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 above) and having an axial extension ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 above) adjoining the outwardly extending wall ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 above), the annular neck extending through the first bore portion ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 above) and the axial extension and wall positioned within the second bore portion of the housing ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 above); a dynamic seal (58) located between and having sealing contact with the axial extension and the shaft ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 above) and partitioning the lubricant fluid from the environment fluid (58 partitioning the lubricant fluid from the environment fluid), the dynamic seal having a lubricant fluid side exposed to the lubricant fluid (Para 0008 – right side of fig 2) and an environment fluid side exposed to the environment fluid (left side of fig 2).
Ryan does not disclose an end cap of annular form secured to the housing, the end cap and the housing located radially outward of and encircling at least a portion of the shaft, the end cap having an inner axial extension with an end face.
However, Janocko teaches an end cap of annular form (312a, fig 3A) secured to the housing (312A secured to the housing with a bolt, fig 3A), the end cap and the housing located radially outward of and encircling at least a portion of the shaft (312A and housing encircling 318, fig 3A), the end cap having an inner axial extension with an end face ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 3A below).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art with an effective filing date of the invention to combine the end cap of Janocko with the sealing assembly of Ryan with a reasonable expectation of success so that the contact between the seal and the end cap limits the leakage flow (Janocko Col 7 Lines 39 – 43).
The combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses a spring (Ryan 60) located around the neck and between the housing surface and the outwardly extending wall of the seal carrier ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 2 below), wherein the seal carrier is allowed to have limited axial movement relative to the housing and the end cap (Ryan - limited axial movement of 56), wherein the dynamic seal is axially located between the end face of the end cap and the outwardly extending wall of the seal carrier (Ryan 58 axially located between the end face of the end cap of Janocko and the outwardly extending wall of the seal carrier of Ryan).
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Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, wherein the spring applies an axial spring force to the seal carrier (Ryan - 60 presses 56 axially) to maintain the lubricant fluid side of the dynamic seal in contact with the end face of the end cap and the outwardly extending wall of the seal carrier in contact with the environment fluid side of the dynamic seal (structure of Ryan configured to maintain the lubricant fluid side of the dynamic seal 58 in contact with the end face of the end cap of Janocko and the outwardly extending wall of the seal carrier 56 of Ryan in contact with the environment fluid side of the dynamic seal 58 of Ryan).
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, wherein the first bore portion of the housing includes an annular groove (groove of first bore portion as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above) and a sealing element is received in the annular groove (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above) and forms a seal between the housing and the neck of the seal carrier (sealing element forms a seal between the housing and the neck of the seal carrier as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, wherein the first bore portion of the housing includes an annular groove (groove of first bore portion as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above) and a sealing element is received in the annular groove (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above ) and forms a seal between the housing and the neck of the seal carrier (sealing element forms a seal between the housing and the neck of the seal carrier as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above).
Regarding Claim 5, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, wherein the sealing element prevents the environment fluid from contacting the spring (sealing element configured to prevent the environment fluid from contacting the spring as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above).
Regarding Claim 6, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, further comprising a stop attached to or formed in the housing (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above), the stop limiting axial movement of the seal carrier in the direction of spring compression (stop configured to limit axial movement of the seal carrier in the direction of spring compression as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above).
Regarding Claim 7, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, wherein the spring is maintained in compression ( spring 60 is maintained in compression as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above).
Regarding Claim 8, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, wherein the inner axial extension of the end cap has an outer diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter of the axial extension of the seal carrier (inner axial extension of the end cap of Janocko has an outer diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter of the axial extension of the seal carrier of Ryan).
Regarding Claim 9, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, wherein the shaft is a rotary shaft (Ryan 12 is a rotary shaft) and the dynamic seal is a hydrodynamic rotary seal (Ryan - hydrodynamic rotary seal 58).
Regarding Claim 10, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, wherein the spring is located on the environment fluid side of the dynamic seal (Ryan 60 on the left side of 58 of fig 2).
Regarding Claim 20, Ryan discloses the sealing assembly.
Ryan does not disclose an end cap of annular form secured to the housing, the end cap and the housing located radially outward of and encircling at least a portion of the shaft, the end cap having an end face.
However, Janocko teaches an end cap of annular form (312a, fig 3A) secured to the housing (312A secured to the housing with a bolt, fig 3A), the end cap and the housing located radially outward of and encircling at least a portion of the shaft (312A and housing encircling 318, fig 3A), the end cap having an inner axial extension with an end face ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 3A below).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art with an effective filing date of the invention to combine the end cap of Janocko with the sealing assembly of Ryan with a reasonable expectation of success so that the contact between the seal and the end cap limits the leakage flow (Janocko Col 7 Lines 39 – 43).
The combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses wherein the spring applies an axial spring force to the seal carrier to maintain the lubricant fluid side of the dynamic seal in contact with the end face of the end cap and the outwardly extending wall of the seal carrier in contact with the environment fluid side of the dynamic seal (spring of Ryan applies an axial spring force to the seal carrier of Ryan to maintain the lubricant fluid side of the dynamic seal in contact with the end face of the end cap of Janocko and the outwardly extending wall of the seal carrier of Ryan in contact with the environment fluid side of the dynamic seal of Ryan).
Regarding Claim 21, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, wherein the first bore portion includes an annular groove (groove of first bore portion as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above) and a sealing element received in the annular groove (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above) forms a seal between the housing and the annular neck of the seal carrier (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above).
Regarding Claim 22, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, further comprising a stop attached to or formed in the housing (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above), the stop limiting axial movement of the seal carrier in the direction of spring compression (as seen in examiner annotated Ryan fig 2 above).
Regarding Claim 23, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, wherein the spring is maintained in compression (Ryan 60 maintained in compression).
Regarding Claim 24, the combination of Ryan and Janocko discloses the sealing assembly, wherein the shaft is a rotary shaft (Ryan 12) and the dynamic seal is a hydrodynamic rotary seal (Ryan 58).
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 extension fee 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 L. SUSMITHA KONERU whose telephone number is (571) 270-5333. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday from 9 A.M.- 4 P.M.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine Mills can be reached on 571.272.8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/L. K./
Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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