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 .
The claims received 6/17/2026 are entered. Claims 8, 14, 16-21, and 24-27 are cancelled. It is noted that claim 14 was previously indicated as objected to and would be allowable if written in independent form.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claims 10 and 13 each recite “a plurality of positioning mechanisms arranged around the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, each of the plurality of positioning mechanisms being configure to determine relative positions of the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact in a circumferential direction of the submersible pump”. The positioning mechanisms are shown in figure 11 and discussed in at least [0054] and include guide raid and guide follower 30A and 30B. Said positioning mechanisms are positioned about the pump 7 and not the first and second electrical contacts.
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(s) 1-7, 11, 15, 22, and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Auchter et al (US 4,174,791)
Regarding claim 1, Auchter discloses a power feeding apparatus for supplying electric power to a submersible pump used to deliver liquefied gas, comprising:
a first electrical contact (14) secured to the submersible pump (4) and electrically coupled to an electric motor of the submersible pump;
a second electrical contact (13) configured to contact the first electrical contact, at least a part of the second electrical contact being located in a pump column (2) in which the submersible pump is arranged; and
a power cable (15) electrically coupled to the second electrical contact;
a spring configured to press the first electrical contact against the second electrical contact (4:45); and
a support structure that movably supports the first electrical contact (support structure for first contact 14 shown in figure 1c), a horizontal gap being formed between the first electrical contact and the support structure.
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Regarding claim 2, Auchter discloses the first electrical contact (14) and the second electrical contact (13) are movable relative to each other in a longitudinal direction of the pump column while the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are in contact with each other (4:40-49).
Regarding claim 3, Auchter discloses an entirety of the second electrical contact (13) is located in the pump column, and at least a part of the power cable is located in the pump column.
Regarding claim 4, Auchter discloses a part of the second electrical contact is located outside the pump column, and an entirety of the power cable is located outside the pump column (the power cable 15 is outside of the column as shown in at the figures, the second electrical contact 13 is regarded as inclusive of connection to power cable 15 for the purposes of interpretation here, thus a portion of the second electrical contact is outside of the column).
Regarding claim 5, Auchter discloses a positioning mechanism (11 and 12) configured to determine relative positions of the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact in a circumferential direction of the submersible pump.
Regarding claim 6, Auchter discloses the power cable (15) is secured to an inner surface or an outer surface of the pump column (figures show power cable 15 secured to an outer surface of the pump column).
Regarding claim 7, Auchter discloses the power cable (15) has structural resistance to a low temperature below a boiling point of the liquefied gas (the power cable is submerged in cryogenic liquid as disclosed and thus has structural resistance to withstand the environment in which it is used).
Regarding claim 11, Auchter discloses a power feeding apparatus for supplying electric power to a submersible pump used to deliver liquefied gas, comprising:
a first electrical contact (14) secured to the submersible pump (4) and electrically coupled to an electric motor of the submersible pump;
a second electrical contact (13) configured to contact the first electrical contact, at least a part of the second electrical contact being located in a pump column (2) in which the submersible pump is arranged; and
a power cable (15) electrically coupled to the second electrical contact;
a spring configured to press the first electrical contact against the second electrical contact (4:45); and
a support structure that movably supports the second electrical contact (identified in annotated figure below), a horizontal gap being formed between the second electrical contact and the support structure.
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Regarding claim 15, Auchter discloses the power cable (15) comprises a metal interconnect embedded in an inner surface of the pump column, and a power feeding line electrically coupled to the metal interconnect (connection from 15 to 13 includes portion embedded within column).
Regarding claim 22, Auchter discloses: a submersible pump (4) for delivering liquefied gas; a pump column (2) in which the submersible pump is arranged; and the power feeding apparatus according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 23, Auchter discloses a liquefied-gas tank facility comprising: a liquefied-gas storage tank (1) for storing liquefied gas therein; a pump column (2) arranged in the liquefied-gas storage tank; a submersible pump (4) for delivering the liquefied gas, the submersible pump being arranged in the pump column; and the power feeding apparatus according to claim 1.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Auchter et al (US 4,174,791) in view of Strandfelt (US 6,739,914) or Staley (US 2,082,986).
This alternative rejection is in response to the amendment received 6/17/2026 which canceled claim 8 and added the limitations thereof to claim 1. Claim 5 depends from claim 1 and is thus altered in scope by the amendment to claim 1.
Regarding claims 1 and 5, Auchter discloses a power feeding apparatus for supplying electric power to a submersible pump used to deliver liquefied gas, comprising:
a first electrical contact (14) secured to the submersible pump (4) and electrically coupled to an electric motor of the submersible pump;
a second electrical contact (13) configured to contact the first electrical contact, at least a part of the second electrical contact being located in a pump column (2) in which the submersible pump is arranged; and
a power cable (15) electrically coupled to the second electrical contact;
a spring configured to press the first electrical contact against the second electrical contact (4:45); and
a support structure that movably supports the first electrical contact (support structure for first contact 14 shown in figure 1c), a horizontal gap being formed between the first electrical contact and the support structure.
A positioning mechanism (11 and 12) configured to determine relative positions of the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact in a circumferential direction of the submersible pump.
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Auchter lacks the support structure as claimed (when not considering 11 as the support structure)
Strandfelt discloses an electrical connector including a first electrical contact (4) configured to contact a second electrical contact; a spring (4b) configured to press the first electrical contact against the second electrical contact; and a support structure (1) that moveably supports the first electrical contact (4), a horizontal gap being formed between the first electrical contact and the support structure (2:22-27 discusses the diameter of the metal rod 4a is smaller than the diameter of the bore this diameter difference results in a gap).
Staley discloses an electrical connector including a first electrical contact (12) configured to contact a second electrical contact (34); a spring (18) configured to press the first electrical contact against the second electrical contact; and a support structure (10) that moveably supports the first electrical contact (12), a horizontal gap being formed between the first electrical contact and the support structure (gap shown at bore 11 allowing space for spring).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided Auchter with the spring type electrical connectors as taught by Strandfelt and Staley in order to maintain electrical connection and allow for the connector to be covered when not in use.
Claim(s) 9 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Auchter et al (US 4,174,791).
Regarding claims 9 and 12, Auchter discloses the power feeding apparatus according to claim 1, but lacks a taper and corresponding reverse taper connection.
In the previous office action on the merits the Examiner took Official Notice that tapered electrical connections are old and well known.. In his subsequent reply to this office action, the applicant did not traverse Examiner’s assertion of Official Notice with regard to these elements. Therefore the Official Notice statements by the Examiner regarding these elements are now taken as admitted prior art by Applicant. See MPEP §2144.03(C).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided Auchter with a taper and corresponding reverse taper connection in order to aid in alignment.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant asserts at page 7 that there is no horizontal gap however as annotated in figures above gaps are identified.
Applicant’s assertion that providing gaps would risk poor electrical connection is unsupported and inconsistent with the prior art. As was already stated Auchter provides gaps. Moreover Strandfelt and Staley are provide in the alternative rejection of claims 1 and 5 who also show gaps as part electrical contact arrangements.
Claims 10 and 13 are discussed at pages 10-12. However as discussed under section 112 above the recitation of the claim is inconsistent with the disclosure.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hall et al (US 7,201,240) downhole data transmission
Ricco et al (US 7,071,416) LPG fuel tank electrical connection
Meijer et al (US 7,510,003) downhole connection system
Carter (US 3,652,186) pump electrical cable
Chen (US 8,641,446) coaxial electrical probe
Semple et al (US 11,674,518) submersible pump power connection
Zebhauser (US 9,865,954) plug connection
Staley (US 2,082,986) protected terminal
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 CHRISTOPHER R ZERPHEY whose telephone number is (571)272-5965. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00-4:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jianying Atkisson can be reached at 5712707740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER R ZERPHEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3799
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