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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 (Tokunaga, US Pub. 2015-0115537) in view of D2 (Yanagisawa et al. US Pub. 2007-0296156).
For claim 1, D1 discloses, in Figures 1-20, a sliding component in which sliding surfaces of a pair of sliding rings (rotating ring 3, stationary ring 5; Para. [0061]) are configured to rotate relative to each other and which partitions a first fluid space and a second fluid space off from each other (Higher and lower pressure fluid sides. Rotating ring rotates, para. [0016-0017]),
wherein at least one of the sliding surfaces includes:
a first storage groove (28, Figures 15-20) provided on a first fluid space side, and extending in a circumferential direction;
a second storage groove (17, para. [0129]) provided spaced apart from the first storage groove in a radial direction on a second fluid space side of the first storage groove, and extending in the circumferential direction;
a first dynamic pressure mechanism (17b, para. [0124]) provided on the first fluid space side of the first storage groove, and being shallower in depth than the first storage groove; and
a second dynamic pressure mechanism (17a, para. [0124]) provided on the second fluid space side of the second storage groove, and being shallower in depth than the second storage groove.
D1 does not disclose the first dynamic pressure mechanism being shallower in depth than the first storage groove, and the second dynamic pressure mechanism being shallower in depth than the second storage groove. D2 teaches a sliding mechanical seal with groove 12, and pressure generation grooves 14a and 14b, which are shallower than the groove 12 (Figure 3, para. [0091]) for effective sealing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify D1 with first and second dynamic pressure mechanism such that the first dynamic pressure mechanism being shallower than the first storage groove and the second dynamic pressure mechanism being shallower than the second storage groove, as taught by D2 with a reasonable expectation of success of effective sealing.
D1 modified with D2 teaches the claimed limitations.
For claim 2, D1 discloses the sliding component according to claim 1, wherein, in at least one set of a combination of the first dynamic pressure mechanism (17b) and the first storage groove (28) and a combination of the second dynamic pressure mechanism (17a) and the second storage groove (17), the dynamic pressure mechanism and the storage groove are configured to communicate with each other (Figures 15-20.)
For claim 3, D1 discloses the sliding component according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first storage groove (28) and the second storage groove (17) has an annular shape (Both 28 and 17 have annular shape. Figure 18.)
For claim 4, D1 discloses the sliding component according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a closed end of the first dynamic pressure mechanism which is inclined toward the first fluid space side, and a closed end of the second dynamic pressure mechanism which is inclined toward the second fluid space side, is formed (Closed end of 17b or 17a is inclined toward to first fluid side or second fluid side. Figure 18.)
For claim 5, D1 discloses the sliding component according to claim 2, wherein at least one of a closed end of the first dynamic pressure mechanism which is inclined toward the first fluid space side, and a closed end of the second dynamic pressure mechanism which is inclined toward the second fluid space side, is formed (Closed end of 17b or 17a is inclined toward to first fluid side or second fluid side. Figure 18.)
For claim 6, the combination teaches the sliding component according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first dynamic pressure mechanism and the second dynamic pressure mechanism includes a first direction groove extending toward a first side in the circumferential direction, and a second direction groove extending toward a second side opposed to the first side in the circumferential direction (D2 teaches a mechanical seal device with sliding rings. One of the sliding surfaces has dynamic pressure mechanisms 16a and 16b inclined to groove 12, as in Figure 9a. 16a is arranged opposite to 16b. D1 modified with features of D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 7, the combination teaches the sliding component according to claim 6, wherein the first direction groove and a second direction groove are configured to communicate with each other (D2 teaches 16a and 16b communicate with each other via 12, in Figure 9A. D1 modified with features of D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 8, D1 discloses the sliding component according to claim1, wherein a third dynamic pressure mechanism (17b’) is provided on at least one of the first fluid space side of the first dynamic pressure mechanism and the second fluid space side of the second dynamic pressure mechanism (Figure 18.)
For claim 9, D1 discloses the sliding component according to claim 1, wherein an independent pressure release mechanism (27, para. [0115]) is provided between the first storage groove and the second storage groove (Figure 18.)
For claim 10, D1 discloses the sliding component according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the first storage groove (28) and the second storage groove (17) has a circular annular shape (Both 28 and 17 have annular circular arc shape. Figure 18.)
For claim 11, D1 discloses the sliding component according to claim1, wherein plurality of the first dynamic pressure mechanisms (17b, 17b’) are provided on the first fluid space side, and the first storage groove (280 is provided to correspond to each of the first dynamic pressure mechanisms (17b, 17b’), and a plurality of the second dynamic pressure mechanisms (17a, 17a’) are provided on the second fluid space side, and the second storage groove (17) is provided to correspond to each of the second dynamic pressure mechanisms (Figure 18.)
For claim 12, the combination teaches the sliding component according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the first dynamic pressure mechanism and the second dynamic pressure mechanism includes a first direction groove extending toward a first side in the circumferential direction, and a second direction groove extending toward a second side opposed to the first side in the circumferential direction (D2 teaches a mechanical seal device with sliding rings. One of the sliding surfaces has dynamic pressure mechanisms 16a and 16b inclined to groove 12, as in Figure 9A. 16a is arranged opposite to 16b. D1 modified with features of D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 13, the combination teaches the sliding component according to claim 12 wherein the first direction groove and a second direction groove configured to communicate with each other (D2 teaches 16a and 16b communicate with each other via 12, in Figure 9A. D1 modified with features of D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 14, the combination teaches the sliding component according to claim 3 wherein at least one of the first dynamic pressure mechanism and the second dynamic pressure mechanism includes a first direction groove extending toward a first side in the circumferential direction, and a second direction groove extending toward a second side opposed to the first side in the circumferential direction (D2 teaches a mechanical seal device with sliding rings. One of the sliding surfaces has dynamic pressure mechanisms 16a and 16b inclined to groove 12, as in Figure 9A. 16a is arranged opposite to 16b. D1 modified with features of D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 15, the combination teaches the sliding component according to claim 14, wherein the first direction groove and a second direction groove configured to communicate with each other (D2 teaches 16a and 16b communicate with each other via 12, in Figure 9A. D1 modified with features of D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 16, the combination teaches the sliding component according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the first dynamic pressure mechanism and the second dynamic pressure mechanism includes a first direction groove extending toward a first side in the circumferential direction, and a second direction groove extending toward a second side opposed to the first side in the circumferential direction (D2 teaches a mechanical seal device with sliding rings. One of the sliding surfaces has dynamic pressure mechanisms 16a and 16b inclined to groove 12, as in Figure 9A. 16a is arranged opposite to 16b, and both 16a and 16b are disposed in circumferential direction. D1 modified with features of D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 17, the combination teaches the sliding component according to claim 16, wherein the first direction groove and a second direction groove configured to communicate with each other (D2 teaches 16a and 16b communicate with each other via 12, in Figure 9A. D1 modified with features of D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 18, the combination teaches the sliding component according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the first dynamic pressure mechanism and the second dynamic pressure mechanism includes a first direction groove extending toward a first side in the circumferential direction, and a second direction groove extending toward a second side opposed to the first side in the circumferential direction (D2 teaches a mechanical seal device with sliding rings. One of the sliding surfaces has dynamic pressure mechanisms 16a and 16b inclined to groove 12, as in Figure 9A. 16a is arranged opposite to 16b, and both 16a and 16b are disposed in circumferential direction. D1 modified with features of D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 19, the combination teaches the sliding component according to claim 18, wherein the first direction groove and a second direction groove configured to communicate with each other (D2 teaches 16a and 16b communicate with each other via 12, in Figure 9A. D1 modified with features of D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
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 Suefuji (US 8,800,995); Obara (US 7,510,330); and Key (US 6,446,976).
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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/NATHAN CUMAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
