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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the
Claims 7 and 17 “a first surface” and “a second surface”
Claims 10 and 20 “a first curved chamber portion”, “a second curved chamber
portion”, “a third curved chamber portion”, “a fourth curved chamber portion”, and “the third curved chamber portion between the first curved chamber portion and the second curved chamber portion, and the second curved chamber portion between the third curved chamber portion and the fourth curved chamber portion”
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because the specification is silent about the following claim limitations:
Claims 3 and 13 “spiral portion includes at least 6 spirals”
Claims 4 and 14 “a first planar portion extending between the first end and the spiral portion; and a second planar portion extending between the second end and the spiral portion”
Claims 5 and 15 “the first planar portion is parallel to the second planar portion”
Claims 7 and 17 “a first surface” and “a second surface”
Claims 10 and 20 “a first curved chamber portion”, “a second curved chamber portion”, “a third curved chamber portion”, “a fourth curved chamber portion”, and “the third curved chamber portion between the first curved chamber portion and the second curved chamber portion, and the second curved chamber portion between the third curved chamber portion and the fourth curved chamber portion.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 3-5, 7, 10, 13-15, 17, and 20 are objected to because the specification is silent about the limitations as shown above. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Morris et al. (US Pub. App. 2005-0123389). For simplicity, applicant’s drawing reference numerals are used in the attached annotated diagram.
For claim 1, Morris et al. discloses, in Figures 1-2, an apparatus (includes 31, 34) comprising:
a first end having a first contact surface (744, As shown below) to contact a first component (30) of a rotating machine;
a second end having a second contact surface (746, As shown below) to contact a second component (33) of the rotating machine, the second component (33) positioned in proximity to the first component (30) such that a cavity (The space between 30 and 33 that accommodates the seal 31 defines the cavity.) is formed therebetween, the apparatus dividing the cavity into a first cavity portion (731) and a second cavity portion (733, as shown below.); and
a central portion extending the first end from the second end, the central portion defining a first chamber (745) and a second chamber (747), the first chamber (745) in fluid communication with the first cavity portion (731), the second chamber (747) in fluid communication with the second cavity portion (733, as shown below), the first chamber (745) is fluidly isolated from the second chamber (747, the first chamber and second chamber are separated by the seal 31. As shown below.)
PNG
media_image1.png
674
733
media_image1.png
Greyscale
For claim 2, Morris et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central portion is a spiral portion (Central portion of 31 surrounds 33. Figures 1-2.)
For claim 3, Morris et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 2, wherein the spiral portion includes at least 6 spirals (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 4, Morris et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 2, further including: a first planar portion extending between the first end and the spiral portion; and a second planar portion extending between the second end and the spiral portion (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 5, Morris et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first planar portion is parallel to the second planar portion (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 6, Morris et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber have a same volume (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 7, Morris et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central portion includes: a first surface facing at least one of the first chamber or the first cavity portion; and a second surface facing at least one of the second chamber or the second cavity portion, the first surface and the second surface having an equal area (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 8, Morris et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central portion is continuous (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 9, Morris et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface are offset along a first axis perpendicular to a second axis, the rotating machine rotating about the second axis (Contact surfaces of 34 are offset along a first axis perpendicular to a second axis 45. Figures 1-2.)
For claim 10, Morris et al. discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first chamber includes a first curved chamber portion and a second curved chamber portion, the second chamber includes a third curved chamber portion and a fourth curved chamber portion, the third curved chamber portion between the first curved chamber portion and the second curved chamber portion, and the second curved chamber portion between the third curved chamber portion and the fourth curved chamber portion (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 11, Morris et al. discloses, in Figures 1-2, a gas turbine engine (Para. [0001]) including:
a first component (30);
a second component (33); and
a seal (includes 31, 34) disposed in a cavity (The space between 30 and 33 that accommodates the seal 31 defines the cavity.) formed by the first component and the second component, the seal dividing the cavity into a first cavity portion (731) and a second cavity portion (733) to block gas flow between the first and second components (as shown above), the seal including:
a first end having a first contact surface (744) contacting the first component of the gas turbine engine (as shown above);
a second end having a second contact surface (746) contacting the second component of the gas turbine engine (as shown above); and
a central portion (as shown above) extending the first end from the second end, the central portion defining a first chamber (745) and a second chamber (747), the first chamber (745) in fluid communication with the first cavity portion (731), the second chamber (747) in fluid communication with the second cavity portion (733), the first chamber is fluidly isolated from the second chamber (As shown above and Figures 1-2.)
For claim 12, Morris et al. discloses the gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the central portion is a spiral portion (Central portion of 31 surrounds 33. Figures 1-2.)
For claim 13, Morris et al. discloses the gas turbine engine of claim 12, wherein the spiral portion includes at least 6 spirals (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 14, Morris et al. discloses the gas turbine engine of claim 12, further including: a first planar portion extending between the first end and the spiral portion; and a second planar portion extending between the second end and the spiral portion (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 15, Morris et al. discloses the gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein the first planar portion is parallel to the second planar portion (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 16, Morris et al. discloses the gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber have a same volume (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 17, Morris et al. discloses the gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the central portion includes: a first surface facing at least one of the first chamber or the first cavity portion; and a second surface facing at least one of the second chamber or the second cavity portion, the first surface and the second surface having an equal area (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 18, Morris et al. discloses the gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the central portion is continuous (Figures 1-2.)
For claim 19, Morris et al. discloses the gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface are offset along a first axis perpendicular to a second axis, the gas turbine engine rotating about the second axis (Contact surfaces of 34 are offset along a first axis perpendicular to a second axis 45. Figures 1-2.)
For claim 20, Morris et al. discloses the gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the first chamber includes a first curved chamber portion and a second curved chamber portion, the second chamber includes a third curved chamber portion and a fourth curved chamber portion, the third curved chamber portion between the first curved chamber portion and the second curved chamber portion, and the second curved chamber portion between the third curved chamber portion and the fourth curved chamber portion (Figures 1-2.)
Conclusion
Prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and provides examples of similar inventions. There are no suggestions in the prior art of record for combining any of the references to arrive at as claimed. A few of the prior art cited but not applied includes McLean (US 6,431,825); Davis (US 2016-0115807); Halling and (US 6,299,178).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN CUMAR whose telephone number is (571)270-3112. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, 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, KRISTINA FULTON can be reached at 571-272-7376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NATHAN CUMAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675