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
Claim 20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/10/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1-5, 7-8, 11-12, and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alexander, US PGPub 2018/0195667.
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Regarding claim 1, Alexander discloses a lubrication system (170): a lubricant pump (10A) configured to dispense lubricant (oil, ie [0093]); a motor (72A, see [0073]) mechanically coupled to the lubricant pump (10A); a lubricant sensor (116) configured to sense an amount of lubricant dispensed (see [0098]) by the lubricant pump (10A) and transmit sensor data (via a signal – [0098]) associated with a sensed amount of a dispensed lubricant (lubrication rate): and a controller (130) communicatively coupled to the lubricant sensor (116) and the motor (72A), the controller (130) including one or more processors (131) configured to execute a set of program instructions stored in a memory (1017), the set of program instructions (calculations) configured to cause the one or more processors (131) to: receive an operation signal (lubrication rate sensor output), wherein the operation signal (as described above) is transmitted to the controller (130) when the pump (19A) is activated; cause the motor (72A) to operate upon receiving the operation signal (as described above); receive the sensor data (from 116); and cause a change in a rate of the motor (decreasing motor speed above high threshold and increasing speed when below low threshold) based on the sensor data (from 116). Alexander does not specify that the lubrication system is associated with the well pump. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to employ the specified lubrication system to a well pump since the examiner takes Official Notice of the equivalence of varied machinery for lubrication for their use in the lubrication system art and the selection of any of these known equivalents would be within the level of ordinary skill in the art. One having ordinary skill in the art would be motived to employ the specified lubrication system to a well pump in order to optimize the lubrication circulation rate to the well pump to enhance efficiency.
Regarding claim 2, Alexander discloses the lubrication system of claim 1, wherein the controller (130) is further configured to transmit an alarm signal (see [0094]) if the lubrication system (170) is unable to lubricate.
Regarding claim 3, Alexander discloses the lubrication system of claim 1, wherein the controller (130) causes the pump (10A) to deactivate based on a signal (see [0098]) associated with the lubricant sensor (116).
Regarding claim 4, Alexander discloses the lubrication system of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver (120) coupled to the controller (130) and configured to communicate with a remote device (see [0083]), wherein the transceiver (120) is configured to receive status data (see [0072]) from the controller (130) and transmit the status data (as described above) to the remote device (as described above).
Regarding claim 5, Alexander discloses the lubrication system of claim 4, wherein the transceiver (120) is further configured to receive input data (via 1018) from the remote device (i.e. 1010) and transmit the input data (as described above) to the controller (130).
Regarding claim 7, Alexander discloses the lubrication system of claim 5, wherein the input data (as described above) comprises setting instructions (based on set threshold limits) configured to cause the lubrication system (170) to adjust the rate of the motor (72A).
Regarding claim 8, Alexander discloses the lubrication system of claim 5, wherein the input data (as described above) comprises an operation instruction (see [0099]) configured to cause the lubrication system (170) to switch between an ON status and an OFF status (shut down).
Regarding claim 11, Alexander discloses the lubrication system of claim 1, wherein the motor (72A) comprises a stepper motor (see [0073]).
Regarding claim 12, Alexander discloses the lubrication system of claim 1, further comprising a lubricant reservoir (14A).
Regarding claim 14, Alexander discloses the lubrication system of claim 1, further comprising: a housing (56A) configured to house the controller (130); and a user interface (see fig 3A, 41) associated with the housing (56A).
Regarding claim 15, Alexander discloses the lubrication system of claim 14, wherein the user interface (as described above) comprises a keypad (1032) and a display (1024).
Claim(s) 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alexander in view of Roehrborn, US PGPub 2002/0125074.
Regarding claims 9-10, 13 Alexander discloses the lubrication system of claims 1 and 12, but does not specify a photoelectric level sensor or a peristaltic pump.
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Roehrborn teaches a similar lubricant supply control system wherein the lubricant sensor comprises a photoelectric sensor (optical sensor – [0037]). (claim 9)
Wherein the lubricant pump (12) comprises a peristaltic pump (see [0031]). (claim 10)
further comprising a lubrication level sensor (see claim 9) configured to detect at least one of a level or quantity of lubricant in the lubricant reservoir (see [0028]-[0030]). (claim 13)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the system component described by Roehrborn to the system disclosed by Alexander in order to simplify the system using off the shelf components and reduce manufacturing costs.
Regarding claim 16, Alexander in view of Roehrborn disclose the lubrication system for a mechanical system detailed in claims 1 and 9-10.
Regarding claim 17, Alexander in view of Roehrborn disclose the lubrication system of claim 16, further comprising a transceiver (120) coupled to the controller (130) and configured to communicate with a remote device (see [0083]), wherein the transceiver (120) is configured to receive status data (see [0072]) from the controller (130) and transmit the status data (as described above) to the remote device (as described above), wherein the transceiver (120) is further configured to receive input data (via 1018) from the remote device (i.e. 1010) and transmit the input data (as described above) to the controller (130).
Regarding claim 19, Alexander in view of Roehrborn disclose the lubrication system of claim 16, further comprising: a housing (56A) configured to house the controller (130); and a user interface (see fig 3A, 41) associated with the housing (56A), wherein the user interface (as described above) comprises a keypad (1032) and a display (1024).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 18 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:
Claim 6 is patentable over the prior art of record because the teachings of the references taken as a whole do not show or render obvious the combination set forth in claims 6, including every structural element recited in the claims, especially, the configuration wherein the input data comprises a pre-operation instruction configured to cause the lubrication system to dispense lubricant before receiving the operation signal.
None of the references of the prior art teach or suggest the elements of the lubrication system as advanced above and such do not provide the necessary motivation, absent applicant's specification, for modifying the system in the manner required by the claims.
Claim 18 is patentable over the prior art of record because the teachings of the references taken as a whole do not show or render obvious the combination set forth in claims 18, including every structural element recited in the claims, especially, the configuration wherein the remote device is configured to input: a pre-operation instruction configured to cause the lubrication system to dispense lubricant before receiving the operation signal; a setting instruction configured to cause the lubrication system to adjust the rate of the stepper motor; and an operation instruction configured to cause the lubrication system to switch between an ON status and an OFF status.
None of the references of the prior art teach or suggest the elements of the lubrication system as advanced above and such do not provide the necessary motivation, absent applicant's specification, for modifying the system in the manner required by the claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL A RIEGELMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7956. The examiner can normally be reached 8-6 EST Monday - Friday.
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MICHAEL A. RIEGELMAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3654
/MICHAEL A RIEGELMAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654