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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, Claims 1 - 5 in the reply filed on 10/30/2025 is acknowledged.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 - 5 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any combination of the embodiments of the reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claims 1 - 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dilmaghanian et al. (U.S. PG Pub # 20180112778).
Regarding Claim 1, Dilmaghanian discloses a sealing system (fig 17), comprising: a lip seal comprising an inner lip portion ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 17 below) and an outer lip portion ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 17 below); a toroidal tensioning element (116) positioned between the inner lip portion and the outer lip portion for keeping the lip seal under tension (fig 17); and an annular thruster element (310) partially inserted into the lip seal between one of said inner and outer lip portions and the toroidal tensioning element ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 17 below), the annular thruster element forming an outer end portion axially protruding from the lip seal ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 17 below) to be engageable so as to cause an axial translation of the annular thruster element towards an inside of the lip seal (structure configured to cause an axial translation of the annular thruster element towards an inside of the lip seal), the annular thruster element comprising an inclined surface that directly engages one of said lip portions, such that ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 17 below) said axial translation of the annular thruster element along a translational axis causes said inclined surface to exert a radial force on said one of said lip portions, thereby causing a radial divarication of the lip seal (structure configured so that said axial translation of the annular thruster element causes a radial divarication of the lip seal).
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Regarding Claim 2, Dilmaghanian discloses the sealing system, wherein the toroidal tensioning element is made with a helical spring (Para 0083- 116 is a canted coil spring).
Regarding Claim 3, Dilmaghanian discloses the sealing system, wherein a distal end portion of one between the inner and outer lip portions has a concave shape (distal end portion of outer lip portion 120 has a concave shape), and wherein the toroidal tensioning element is partially accommodated by shape coupling in said distal end portion (116 shape coupled in distal end portion of 120).
Regarding Claim 4, Dilmaghanian discloses the sealing system, wherein the annular thruster element forms a radially external wall that is substantially flat ( radially external wall which is radially external to the radially innermost wall of 310 as seen in examiner annotated fig 17 above), on which the toroidal tensioning element rests (116 rests on flat surface as seen in examiner annotated fig 17 above), and a radially internal wall which that is at least partially inclined ( as seen in examiner annotated fig 17 above).
Regarding Claim 5, Dilmaghanian discloses the sealing system, wherein the inner and outer lip portions form, on respective radially outer sides, convex distal surfaces (convex distal surfaces of 122 and 120) suitable to make respective points of contact with respective seal surfaces (fig 17).
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 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 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.
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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.S.K/Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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