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 amended claims filed 3/17/20 are acknowledged; claims 25-27 and 29-44 are currently pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 25-27 and 29-44 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Phielipeit-Spiess et al. (“PS”, US 10808485) in view of Amaya et al. (US 20190085468).
CLAIM 25: PS discloses an actuator for a subsea valve having a guide rod extending therefrom. The actuator (20) comprises an actuator housing (42); a drive mechanism (60) engageable with the subsea valve (Fig. 1); and a guide element (76) coupled to the actuator housing, the guide element including an elongate guide passage for receiving the guide rod (see Fig. 3). The elongate guide passage contains a retaining element engageable with a portion of the guide rod (locking 82).
PS fails to disclose the guide element including at least one bracket mounted on the housing and a tube supported by the bracket, the bracket and the actuator housing made of metal, the bracket mounted on the housing such that electrons may flow from the bracket to the actuator housing.
Amaya discloses system for protecting subsea equipment.
Amaya teaches brackets (46) mounted to a housing (34), both made of metal (paragraph 0018), the bracket mounted on the housing such that electrons may flow from the bracket to the actuator housing (for sacrificial anode 32).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of PS to include the bracket set up of Amaya with a reasonable expectation of success as Amaya teaches the set up to provide cathodic protection to the system as described in Amaya.
CLAIM 26: The guide passage comprises a proximal opening and a distal opening, the distal opening provided with an inwardly tapered contact surface (see PS, Fig. 3).
CLAIM 27: The actuator comprises a single guide element (“at least one guide pin 76…”).
CLAIM 29: PS discloses a receptacle for connecting an actuator to a subsea valve. The receptacle comprises a receptacle housing (42) having a proximal end, a distal end, and an internal chamber (see Fig. 2), the proximal end configured to connect to a body of the subsea valve such that a drive element of the subsea valve is at least partly located in the internal chamber (see Fig. 2), the distal end configured to receive at least part of a drive mechanism of the actuator such that the drive mechanism and the drive element engage within the internal chamber (see Fig. 2). A guide rod (76) coupled to the receptacle housing, parallel to the receptacle housing.
PS fails to disclose such that a current of electrons may flow from the receptacle housing to the guide rod, wherein the receptacle housing and the guide rod are made of metal.
Amaya teaches brackets (46) mounted to a housing (34), both made of metal (paragraph 0018), the bracket mounted on the housing such that electrons may flow from the bracket to the actuator housing (for sacrificial anode 32).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of PS to utilize the bracket set up of Amaya on the guides and housing with a reasonable expectation of success as Amaya teaches the set up to provide cathodic protection to the system as described in Amaya.
CLAIM 30: PS fails to disclose the guide rod is provided with a threaded portion for engaging a corresponding threaded portion of a locking nut.
Examiner takes official notice that threads are well known in the art as a connection means.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the connection means of the guide rod to substitute in the well known threaded portion and nut with a reasonable expectation of success as the threaded connection would allow easy replacement of the guides as needed.
CLAIM 31: The guide rod has a free end remote from the receptacle housing (see PS, Fig. 3), that extends longitudinally in the direction of the receptacle housing from the free end.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to place the threaded portion in the bore as that is where the rod is secured.
CLAIM 32: The receptacle comprises a single guide rod (“at least one guide pin 76…”).
CLAIM 33: PS-Amaya disclose the elements claim 29 as discussed above.
The combination fails to disclose wherein the guide rod has an internal passage having an inlet connectable to a source of anti-calcification fluid and at least one outlet on the outer surface of the rod.
Examiner takes official notice that hot stabs are known in the art as a means of injecting desired fluids into subsea systems.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the guide rod of the combination to be a well known hot stab with a reasonable expectation of success as hot stabs are a proven method of injecting fluid through an internal passage.
The “source” for the fluid passing through is not positively claimed, the structure of the internal passage would be the same for any fluid passing through.
CLAIM 34: The at least one outlet is longitudinally spaced apart from the free end of the rod (see PS, Fig. 3).
CLAIM 35: These elements are discussed above.
CLAIM 36: See claim 33.
CLAIM 37: The guide rod is secured within the guide passage such that an annular space is formed between the guide rod and the guide passage, wherein the annular space is in communication with the at least one outlet (see PS, Fig. 3).
CLAIM 38: See discussion of claim 30.
CLAIM 39: PS discloses wherein the passage has an inlet and an outlet, wherein the guide rod extends through the passage such that a protruding portion of the guide rod extends beyond the outlet of the passage (see Fig. 3).
Ps fails to disclose the locking nut engages the protruding part of the guide rod such that the locking nut bears against the guide element to removably secure the guide rod within the passage.
Examiner takes official notice that locking nuts are well known in the art as a means of securing.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the connection means of the guide rod to substitute in the well known lock nut with a reasonable expectation of success as the threaded connection would allow easy replacement of the guides as needed.
CLAIM 40: The guide passage comprises a proximal opening and a distal opening, the distal opening provided with an inwardly tapered contact surface (PS, Fig. 3).
The contact between the lock nut and the opening is obvious engineering to ensure a proper connection between the parts.
CLAIM 41: See claims 30-31.
CLAIM 42: The threaded element is biased in a first direction inherently by the threads.
CLAIMS 43-44: See claims 39 and 40, the interaction between the rod and nut are obvious engineering choices to encourage a proper connection.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/17/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant asserts that the combination of PS and Amaya is improper because there is insufficient rationale to combine the references. Amaya’s teaching of exposed metal serving as the electrical connections is a teaching that would allow one of ordinary skill in the art to arrive at the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success as discussed under MPEP 2143(I)(G). Amaya teaches that having flexible placement of the anode can improve the cathode protection in the structure (paragraph 0043). Specifically, it teaches using exposed metal for the placement (paragraph 0043). The teaching is not limited to specific metal parts, the discussion of specific parts are just examples. One of ordinary skill in the art would consider other metal parts to function in the same manner. As such, one of ordinary skill in the art would consider using the exposed metal of brackets and tubes in the claimed invention to serve the cathode protection goals as taught.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 PATRICK F LAMBE whose telephone number is (571)270-1932. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10-4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tara Schimpf can be reached at (571)270-7741. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PATRICK F LAMBE/Examiner, Art Unit 3676
/TARA SCHIMPF/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3676
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