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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 9, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Ito et al. (US Pub. No. 2020/0292079).
Regarding claim 1, the Ito et al. (hereinafter Ito) reference discloses a conductive sliding member (40) attached to an annular space (space between 222,221) between a relatively rotating shaft (222) and a housing (221) having conductivity (Abstract), the conductive sliding member comprising:
a member main body portion (60) formed of a molded body of an elastic body having conductivity (Para. [0117]);
an annular conductive lip portion (62,63) that is formed on the member main body portion (Fig. 4), and is slidable on a surface of the shaft (Fig. 4); and
a sealing device bonding portion (right portion of 50) that is provided on an outer peripheral side of the conductive lip portion in the reinforcing ring and is capable of being bonded to a sealing device main body portion on a side opposite to a sealing target fluid side of the sealing device main body portion that seals the space (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 9, the Ito reference discloses a manufacturing method of a sealing device that ensures sealing of an annular space (space between 222,221) between a relatively rotating shaft (222) and a housing (221) having conductivity (Abstract), the manufacturing method comprising:
preparing a conductive sliding member (40, Para. [0117]) that is integrally provided on a metal reinforcing ring (50) using the reinforcing ring as an insert component and is formed of a molded body of a conductive elastic body (Para. [0117]);
preparing a sealing device main body portion (10) that is formed to be slidable with respect to the shaft and ensures sealing of the space (Fig. 4); and
bonding the sealing device main body portion and the conductive sliding member to each other on a side opposite to a sealing target fluid side of the sealing device main body portion (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 10, the Ito reference discloses the conductive sliding member includes a member main body portion (60) formed of the molded body of the conductive elastic body (Fig. 4, Para. [0117]), an annular conductive lip portion (62,63) that is formed on the member main body portion formed of the molded body of the conductive elastic body (Fig. 4), and is slidable on a surface of the shaft (Fig. 4), and a sealing device bonding portion (right portion of 50) that is provided on an outer peripheral side of the conductive lip portion in the reinforcing ring (Fig. 4) and is capable of being bonded to the sealing device main body portion on the side opposite to the sealing target fluid side of the sealing device main body portion (Fig. 4), and
in the bonding the sealing device main body portion and the conductive sliding member to each other, the sealing device bonding portion of the conductive sliding member is bonded to the sealing device main body portion (Para. [0069]).
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) 2-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito in view of Kan (US Patent No. 3,612,547).
Regarding claim 2, the Ito reference discloses the sealing device bonding portion includes
a disk portion bonding portion (52) that is a disk-shaped surface provided on the outer peripheral side of the conductive lip portion (Fig. 4) and a cylindrical portion bonding portion (51) that is provided on an outer peripheral side of the disk portion bonding portion (Fig. 4).
However, the Ito reference fails to explicitly disclose the disk portion bonding portion is capable of being bonded to a disk portion of the sealing device main body portion (disk portion of 60) on the side opposite to the sealing target fluid side of the sealing device main body portion that seals the space (Fig. 4), and the cylindrical portion bonding portion is capable of being bonded to a surface on an outer peripheral side of a cylindrical portion of the sealing device main body portion.
The Kan reference, a lip seal with a dust seal, discloses different shapes of dust seals with respect to the frame (Figs. 6,7,9-11).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the sealing device of the Ito reference to have a portions of the main body be bonded to the sealing device bonding portion and the cylindrical portion in view of the teachings of the Kan reference in order to provide a stronger bond between the main body portion and the sealing device bonding portion.
Regarding claim 3, the Ito reference, as modified in claim 2, discloses the cylindrical portion bonding portion includes a cylindrical portion engagement portion that is capable of being engaged with a cylindrical portion engaged portion provided on a surface of the cylindrical portion of the sealing device main body portion on the outer peripheral side (Ito, Fig. 4 and Kan, Figs. 6,7,9-11).
Regarding claim 4, the Ito reference, as modified in claim 2, discloses the disk portion bonding portion includes a disk portion engagement portion that is capable of being engaged with a disk portion engaged portion provided on a surface of the disk portion of the sealing device main body portion on a side opposite to the sealing target fluid side (Ito, Fig. 4 and Kan, Figs. 6,7,9-11).
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito in view of Dahlhaus-Preussier et al. (US Patent No. 11,131,386).
Regarding claim 5, the Ito reference discloses a sealing device (Fig. 4) that ensures sealing of an annular space (space between 222 and 221) between a relatively rotating shaft (222) and a housing (221) having conductivity (Abstract), the sealing device comprising:
a sealing device main body portion (10) that is slidable with respect to the shaft and ensures sealing of the space; and
a conductive sliding member (60) that is provided on a side opposite to a sealing target fluid side of the sealing device main body portion and is formed of a molded body of a conductive elastic body (Fig. 4, Para. [0117]),
the sealing device main body portion includes a seal lip portion (35)
the conductive sliding member includes a member main body portion (main body of (60) that is integrally provided on a metal reinforcing ring (50), using the reinforcing ring as an insert component (Fig. 4), an annular conductive lip portion (62,63, Para. [0117]) that is formed on the member main body portion and is slidable on a surface of the shaft (Fig. 4), and a sealing device bonding portion (right side of 50) that is provided on an outer peripheral side of the conductive lip portion in the reinforcing ring (Fig. 4) and is capable of being bonded to the sealing device main body portion on the side opposite to the sealing target fluid side of the sealing device main body portion that is capable of sealing the space (Fig. 4).
However, the Ito reference fails to explicitly disclose the sealing device main body portion including the seal lip portion that is formed of an elastic body having lower conductivity than the conductive elastic body.
The Dahlhaus-Preussier et al. (hereinafter “Dahlhaus-Preussier”) reference, a lip seal, discloses making the main seal non-conductive or conductive (Col. 4, Lines 39-58)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to make the main seal lip be non-conductive in the Ito reference in view of the teachings of the Dahlhaus-Preussier reference in order to reduce manufacturing costs.
Claim(s) 6-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito in view of Dahlhaus-Preussier as applied to claims 5 and 11 above, and further in view of Kan.
Regarding claim 6, the Ito reference discloses the sealing device bonding portion includes
a disk portion bonding portion (52) that is a disk-shaped surface provided on the outer peripheral side of the conductive lip portion (Fig. 4) and a cylindrical portion bonding portion (51) that is provided on an outer peripheral side of the disk portion bonding portion (Fig. 4).
However, the Ito reference fails to explicitly disclose the disk portion bonding portion is capable of being bonded to a disk portion of the sealing device main body portion on the side opposite to the sealing target fluid side of the sealing device main body portion that seals the space, and the cylindrical portion bonding portion is capable of being bonded to a surface on an outer peripheral side of a cylindrical portion of the sealing device main body portion.
The Kan reference, a lip seal with a dust seal, discloses different shapes of dust seals with respect to the frame (Figs. 6,7,9-11).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the sealing device of the Ito reference to have a portions of the main body be bonded to the sealing device bonding portion and the cylindrical portion in view of the teachings of the Kan reference in order to provide a stronger bond between the main body portion and the sealing device bonding portion.
Regarding claim 7, the Ito reference, as modified in claim 6, discloses the cylindrical portion bonding portion includes a cylindrical portion engagement portion that is capable of being engaged with a cylindrical portion engaged portion provided on a surface of the cylindrical portion of the sealing device main body portion on the outer peripheral side (Ito, Fig. 4 and Kan, Figs. 6,7,9-11).
Regarding claim 8, the Ito reference, as modified in claim 6, discloses the disk portion bonding portion includes a disk portion engagement portion that is capable of being engaged with a disk portion engaged portion provided on a surface of the disk portion of the sealing device main body portion on a side opposite to the sealing target fluid side (Ito, Fig. 4 and Kan, Figs. 6,7,9-11).
Claim(s) 11 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito in view of Dahlhaus-Preussier and Kan.
Regarding claim 11, the Ito reference discloses the sealing device main body portion includes a reinforcing ring (20) that includes a cylindrical portion (23) formed in a cylindrical shape centered on an axis (Fig. 4), and a disk portion (24) that is provided at an end portion of the cylindrical portion on a side opposite to the sealing target fluid side and is formed in a disk shape (Fig. 4), and a seal main body portion (30) that is an elastic body (Fig. 4) and includes a seal lip portion (35),
in the conductive sliding member, the sealing device bonding portion includes a disk portion bonding portion (52) that is a disk-shaped surface provided on the outer peripheral side of the conductive lip portion (Fig. 4) and a cylindrical portion bonding portion (51) that is provided on an outer peripheral side of the disk portion bonding portion (Fig. 4), and
in the bonding the sealing device main body portion and the conductive sliding member to each other, the disk portion bonding portion of the conductive sliding member is bonded to the disk portion of the sealing device main body portion, and the cylindrical portion bonding portion of the conductive sliding member is bonded to the cylindrical portion of the sealing device main body portion (Fig. 4).
However, the Ito reference fails to explicitly disclose the sealing device main body portion including the seal lip portion that is formed of an elastic body having lower conductivity than the conductive elastic body and the disk portion bonding portion is capable of being bonded to a disk portion of the sealing device main body portion on the side opposite to the sealing target fluid side of the sealing device main body portion that seals the space, and the cylindrical portion bonding portion is capable of being bonded to a surface on an outer peripheral side of a cylindrical portion of the sealing device main body portion.
The Dahlhaus-Preussier reference, a lip seal, discloses making the main seal non-conductive or conductive (Col. 4, Lines 39-58)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to make the main seal lip be non-conductive in the Ito reference in view of the teachings of the Dahlhaus-Preussier reference in order to reduce manufacturing costs.
The Kan reference, a lip seal with a dust seal, discloses different shapes of dust seals with respect to the frame (Figs. 6,7,9-11).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the sealing device of the Ito reference to have a portions of the main body be bonded to the sealing device bonding portion and the cylindrical portion in view of the teachings of the Kan reference in order to provide a stronger bond between the main body portion and the sealing device bonding portion.
Regarding claim 12, the Ito reference, as modified in claim 11, discloses the conductive sliding member includes
a cylindrical portion engagement portion that is formed in the cylindrical portion bonding portion and is capable of being engaged with the cylindrical portion of the sealing device main body portion, and a disk portion engagement portion that is formed in the disk portion bonding portion and is capable of being engaged with the disk portion the sealing device main body portion (Ito, Fig. 4 and Kan, Figs. 6,7,9-11), and
in the bonding the sealing device main body portion and the conductive sliding member to each other, the disk portion engagement portion of the conductive sliding member is engaged with the disk portion of the sealing device main body portion, and the cylindrical portion engagement portion of the conductive sliding member is engaged with the cylindrical portion of the sealing device main body portion (Ito, Fig. 4 and Kan, Figs. 6,7,9-11).
Conclusion
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/GILBERT Y LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675