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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/17/2025 was filed after the mailing date of the Application on 03/17/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-3, 5-6, 8-11, 14-16, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tran (US 2019/0010781) and in view of Duhn et al. (US 2003/0205385).
With regards to claim 1:
Tran discloses (refer to Fig. 1-2 below) a fluid transfer system (200), comprising:
a header (36, 606, 24, 202), wherein the header comprises:
an inlet (202); and
a first multi-path flow connector (24a) configured to be fluidly connected to the inlet (202);
a second multi-path flow connector (34a) configured to be fluidly connected downstream relative to the first multi-path flow connector (24a); and
an isolation valve (26c) configured to be fluidly connected between the first multi-path flow connector (24a) and the second multi-path flow connector (34a);
a valve tree (34) configured to be secured to a wellhead (20), wherein the valve tree comprises one or more master valves (44, 46); and
a coupler (M) configured to be fluidly connected between the first multi-path flow connector (24a) in the header and the valve tree (34), wherein the coupler comprises a flange connector.
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Tran dos not disclose the coupler comprises:
a female tubular member, wherein the female tubular member comprises a radial screw opening at a lower end and an upper end configured to be secured to a remainder of the coupler;
a male tubular member configured to be inserted into the female tubular member, wherein the male tubular member comprises an external groove at an upper end and a lower flange configured to be secured to the valve tree; and
a drive screw configured to be secured through the radial screw opening in the female tubular member into the external groove on the male tubular member to facilitate securing the coupler to the valve tree.
Duhn et al. discloses (refer to Fig. 3 below) a coupler (1) for coupling of high fluid flow lines in the well head system, comprising:
a female tubular member (22), wherein the female tubular member comprises a radial screw opening (72) at a lower end (42) and an upper end (24) configured to be secured to a remainder of the coupler;
a male tubular member (60) configured to be inserted into the female tubular member (22), wherein the male tubular member comprises an external groove (64) at an upper end (54) and a lower flange (208) configured to be secured to the valve (80); and
a drive screw (40) configured to be secured through the radial screw opening in the female tubular member into the external groove on the male tubular member to facilitate securing the coupler to the valve.
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the coupler design as disclosed by Duhn et al. as an alternative design for the coupler (M) of the system of Tran , since they are both used in the high fluid pressure in wellbore, to provide the connection that can be rotatable between two connecting device as oppose to the flange connection coupler for easy installation/removal.
Tran, as modified, disclosed the fluid transfer system of claim 1.
With regards to claim 2:
Tran, as modified, discloses the fluid transfer system of claim 1, wherein the coupler comprises one or more flow control valves (96).
With regards to claim 3:
Tran, as modified, discloses the fluid transfer system of claim 2, except the one or more flow control valves in the coupler have a first bore diameter that is greater than a second bore diameter of the one or more master valves in valve tree.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the system of Tran wherein the first one or more flow control valves in the first coupler have a first bore diameter that is greater than another first bore diameter of the first one or more master valves in the first valve tree, since it was known in the at that the bore dimeter of the upstream line (coupler) larger than the bore diameter of the downstream valves (master valves 44, 46) will not decrease the pressure fluid flowing to the downstream for the application wherein the high fluid pressure is desired.
With regards to claim 5:
Tran, as modified, discloses the fluid transfer system of claim 1, wherein:
the first multi-path flow connector (24) in the header comprises a first flow tee; and
the second multi-path flow connector (34a) in the header comprises a second flow tee.
With regards to claim 6:
Tran, as modified, discloses (refer to Fig. 1 above) the fluid transfer system of claim 1, comprising:
another valve tree configured to be secured another wellhead, wherein the another valve tree comprises another one or more master valves; and
another coupler configured to be fluidly connected between the second multi-path flow connector in the header and the another valve tree.
With regards to claim 8:
In making and/or using the modified system of Tran, one would necessarily perform a method of implementing a fluid transfer system, comprising:
securing a coupler to a header (36) such that the coupler is fluidly connected to a first multi- path flow connector in the header, wherein the header comprises:
an inlet (202) fluidly connected to the first multi-path flow connector (24a);
a second multi-path flow connector (34a) fluidly connected downstream relative to the first multi-path flow connector; and an isolation valve (26c) fluidly connected between the first multi-path flow connector (24a) and the second multi-path flow connector (34a); and
securing, using a coupler connector (M), the coupler to a valve tree (34) that is secured on a wellhead (20) such that coupler is fluidly connected to the valve tree, wherein the valve tree comprises one or more master valves (44, 46); and
securing the coupler to the valve tree comprises:
securing an upper end of a female tubular member in the coupler connector to a remainder of the coupler, wherein a lower end of the female tubular member comprises a radial screw opening therethrough;
securing a lower flange of a male tubular member in the coupler connector to the valve tree, wherein an upper end of the male tubular member comprises an external groove;
inserting the male tubular member into the female tubular member; and securing a drive screw through the radial screw opening in the female tubular member into the external groove on the male tubular member to secure the female tubular member to the male tubular member.
With regards to claim 9:
Tran, as modified, discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the coupler comprise one or more flow control valves (96).
With regards to claim 10:
Tran, as modified, discloses the method of claim 9, except the one or more flow control valves in the coupler have a first bore diameter that is greater than a second bore diameter of the one or more master valves in valve tree.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the system of Tran wherein the first one or more flow control valves in the first coupler have a first bore diameter that is greater than another first bore diameter of the first one or more master valves in the first valve tree, since it was known in the art that the bore dimeter of the upstream line (coupler) larger than the bore diameter of the downstream valves (master valves 44, 46) will not decrease the pressure fluid flowing to the downstream for the application wherein the high fluid pressure is desired.
With regards to claim 11:
Tran, as modified, discloses the method of claim 8, wherein:
the first multi-path flow connector (24a) in the header comprises a first flow tee; and
the second multi-path flow connector (34a) in the header comprises a second flow tee.
With regards to claim 14:
Tran, as modified, discloses (refer to Fig. 1-4 above) a fluid transfer system comprising a coupler connector configured to facilitate securing a coupler between a header (36) and a valve tree (34), wherein the coupler connector comprises:
a female tubular member (22), wherein the female tubular member comprises:
a first upper end (24) configured to be secured to a remainder of the coupler; and
a radial screw opening (72) formed therethrough at a first lower end (42);
a male tubular member (60) configured to be axially inserted into the female tubular member, wherein the male tubular member comprises:
a flange at a second lower end (208) configured to be secured to the valve tree; and
an external groove (64) formed at a second upper end (54); and
a drive screw (40) configured to be secured through the radial screw opening in the female tubular member into the external groove on the male tubular member to facilitate securing the female tubular member to the male tubular member and, thus, the coupler to the valve tree.
With regards to claim 15:
Tran, as modified, discloses the fluid transfer system of claim 14, wherein:
the header comprises an isolation valve (26c);
the valve tree (34) comprises one or more master valves (44, 46); and
the coupler (M) comprises one or more flow control valves (96).
With regards to claim 16:
Tran, as modified, discloses the fluid transfer system of claim 15, except the one or more flow control valves in the coupler have a first bore diameter that is greater than a second bore diameter of the one or more master valves in valve tree.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the system of Tran wherein the first one or more flow control valves in the first coupler have a first bore diameter that is greater than another first bore diameter of the first one or more master valves in the first valve tree, since it was known in the art that the bore dimeter of the upstream line (coupler) larger than the bore diameter of the downstream valves (master valves 44, 46) will not decrease the pressure fluid flowing to the downstream for the application wherein the high fluid pressure is desired.
With regards to claim 19:
Tran, as modified, discloses (refer to Fig. 4 above) the fluid transfer system of claim 14, wherein:
the first upper end (24) of the female tubular member (22) is configured to be bolted to the remainder of the coupler; and
the flange (208) on the male tubular member is configured to be bolted to the valve tree.
With regards to claim 20:
Tran, as modified, discloses the fluid transfer system of claim 14, wherein:
the female tubular member (22) of the coupler connector comprises another screw opening (72) at the first lower end; and
the coupler connector comprises another drive screw (40) configured to be secured through the another screw opening in the female tubular member into the external groove (64) on the male tubular member to facilitate securing the female tubular member to the male tubular member and, thus, the coupler to the header.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 7, 12-13, and 17-18 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Minh Le, whose telephone number is 571-270-3805. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:30AM-5:00PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached by phone. Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881 or Craig Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MINH Q LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
