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 .
Response to Amendment
Amendment to claims of 08/24/2026 is acknowledged.
Drawing objections in the Office action of 04/24/2026 are withdrawn.
Replacement drawings are acceptable.
Amendments to specification submitted on 08/24/2026 have been
entered.
Claim objections in the Office action of 04/24/2026 are withdrawn.
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) 24-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by D1 (Zhou et al., US Pub. 2022-0074400).
For claim 24, D1 discloses, in Figures 1-10, a method of sealing a compressor having a piston rod, the method comprising:
determining a cylinder class of the compressor, wherein the cylinder class is based at least in part on a pressure rating of the compressor (The packing cups 113a-113d represent cylinder, para. [0050]. High-pressure side and low-pressure side, para. [0049].);
selecting, based at least in part on the cylinder class and one or more mechanical properties, a first backup ring (118, 300) having a first activation pressure, wherein the first activation pressure is the pressure at which the first backup ring collapses against the piston rod (During return stroke, the end 108 is at low pressure, and the pressure exerted by the backup ring 118 on piston rod 102 defines the first activation pressure. The composite nature of the backup ring 118, 300 [Polymer and metal, para. 0054-0055] provides low coefficient of friction and resistance to wear to under first activation pressure. Figure 1. Thus, the mechanical properties and orientation define the selection of backup ring operation.); and
selecting, based at least in part on the cylinder class and one or more mechanical properties of the ring, a second backup ring (118, 300) having a second activation pressure, wherein the second activation pressure is the pressure at which the second backup ring collapses against the piston rod (During compression stroke, the end 106 is at high pressure, and the pressure exerted by the backup ring 118 on piston rod 102 defines the second activation pressure. The composite nature of the backup ring 118, 300 [Polymer and metal, para. 0054-0055] provides low coefficient of friction and resistance to wear to under second activation pressure. Figure 1)
For claim 25, D1 discloses the method of claim 24, wherein the second activation pressure of the second backup ring is higher than the first activation pressure of the first backup ring (Figure 1. Para. [0049].)
For claim 26, D1 discloses the method of claim 24, further comprising selecting, based at least in part on the cylinder class, a seal configuration (114, 116, 118) for the compressor (Figure 1.)
For claim 27, D1 discloses the method of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first backup ring (118) and the second backup ring (118) is a composite ring (Figures 1. Para. [0054-0055].)
For claim 28, D1 discloses the method of claim 24, wherein at least one first backup ring and the second backup ring is a composite ring comprising an inner region comprising a non-metallic material (Para. [0054-0055].)
For claim 29, D1 discloses the method of claim 24, wherein the mechanical properties for at least one of the first backup ring and the second backup ring comprise a geometry of the backup ring (Figure 3. Para. [0054-0055].)
For claim 30, D1 discloses the method of claim 24, wherein the mechanical properties for at least one of the first backup ring and the second backup ring comprise a material of the backup ring (Backup rings 118, 300. Para. [0054-0055].)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8, 10-23, and 31 are allowed.
Conclusion
Prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and provides example of invention. A few of the prior art cited but not applied includes Kvachnev (US Pub. 2021-0355954) – High pressure gas sealing; Hold (US Pub. 20100072712) – Pressure packing comprised of packing rings secured against rotation with injection molded segments; and Benson (US 4,576,386) – Anti-extrusion back-up ring assembly.
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 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.
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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.
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/NATHAN CUMAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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