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 7/1/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argued that GB237 (GB 1,486,237) fails to disclose that the second part of the mating element forms the section eye of the centrifugal pump. The arguments were found persuasive. However, upon further consideration and since the claim fails to provide further detail on the features of the second part, item 3 can be reinterpreted to read on the second part of the mating element. Based on this, GB237 discloses all the claimed elements of claim 14 and a new rejection is made in view of this interpretation.
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.
Claim(s) 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by GB 1,486,237 (hereinafter GB237).
Regarding claim 14, GB237 (Fig. 1-3) discloses a centrifugal pump (Fig. 1) configured to convey media containing solids, the centrifugal pump comprising: an open impeller (6) having at least one blade (7) and a mating element (3 and 14) interacting therewith, wherein the mating element (3 and 14) comprises an element (11) which protrudes into a suction eye (9) of the centrifugal pump and interacts with a leading edge of the at least one blade (7) of the open impeller (6), and the mating element (3 and 14) is configured in two parts, a first part (14) and a second part (3), the two parts being configured to render the element (11) elastic, wherein the second part (3) of the mating element (3 and 14) forms the suction eye (9) of the centrifugal pump (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 15, GB237 discloses the centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 14, wherein GB237 (Fig. 1-3) further discloses that the element (11) is configured to be integral (since the claim has not specified that the parts are monolithic, the components assembled together was interpreted to meet the limitation of being integral) to the second part (3) of the mating element (3 and 14).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-28 are 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:
Regarding claim 16:
Closest prior art: GB 1,486,237 (hereinafter GB237)
GB237 discloses the centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 15.
The closest prior art fails to disclose or suggest that the first part of the mating element has a greater hardness than the second part, and the hardness of the first part according to Brinell is more than 550 HB.
Regarding claim 17:
Closest prior art: GB 1,486,237 (hereinafter GB237)
GB237 discloses the centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 15.
The closest prior art fails to disclose or suggest that the first part of the mating element has a greater hardness than the second part, and the hardness of the first part according to Brinell is more than 600 HB.
Regarding claim 18:
Closest prior art: GB 1,486,237 (hereinafter GB237)
GB237 discloses the centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 15.
The closest prior art fails to disclose or suggest that the first part of the mating element has a greater hardness than the second part, and the hardness of the first part according to Brinell is more than 650 HB.
Claims 19-28 are objected to for depending upon an objected to claim .
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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIELLE M CHRISTENSEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3275. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Courtney Heinle can be reached at 571-270-3508. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DMC/ Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/COURTNEY D HEINLE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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