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 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Onodera (US. 20200149656).
Onodera discloses a valve stem seal sealing device that seals a gap between a valve stem, and a valve stem guide that guides movement in an axial direction of the valve stem (e.g. figures), comprising a metal ring (e.g. 11) in an annular shape to be attached to an end portion of the valve
stem guide (e.g. 67, see figure 3), a seal body (e.g. 20) that is fixed integrally with the metal ring and that slidably contacts an outer peripheral surface (e.g. outer surface of 68) of the valve stem (e.g. 68), wherein the seal body has a seal lip (e.g. 23) that slidably contacts the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem, a back pressure lip (e.g. 24b) that slidably contacts the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem on a valve stem guide side from the seal lip and a back pressure auxiliary lip (e.g. 25) that slidably contacts the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem between the back pressure lip and the seal lip.
Regarding claim 4: Wherein the back pressure auxiliary lip has a contact surface over an entire
circumference thereof (e.g. inner surface of 25).
Claim(s) 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kokoszynski (US. 10167748).
Kokoszynski discloses a valve stem seal sealing device that seals a gap between a valve stem, and a valve stem guide that guides movement in an axial direction of the valve stem (e.g. figures), comprising a metal ring (e.g. 25) in an annular shape to be attached to an end portion of the valve stem guide (e.g. figure 1), a seal body (e.g. 12) that is fixed integrally with the metal ring and that slidably contacts an outer peripheral surface (e.g. outer surface of A) of the valve stem (e.g. A), wherein the seal body has a seal lip (e.g. 21) that slidably contacts the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem, a back pressure lip (e.g. BP, figure below) that slidably contacts the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem on a valve stem guide side from the seal lip and a back pressure auxiliary lip (e.g. BPALs, figure below) that slidably contacts the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem between the back pressure lip and the seal lip. Regarding claim 2: Wherein a plurality of the back pressure auxiliary lips (e.g. 1st BPAL, 2nd BPAL and 3rd BPAL) are provided to be evenly distributed at constant intervals in a circumferential direction. Regarding claim 3: Wherein the back pressure auxiliary lip does not have a contact surface in a part thereof (e.g. the back pressure auxiliary lip is segmented and hence a gap is provided or not have a contact surface in part, between each of BPALs).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Based on what is shown in prior art of record (reference on form 1449 and 892, no claims individually or in combination are patentable, see JP2001-263010, JP2018-112232, US10746062, US8325394 and US8011669).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VISHAL A PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-7060. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 am to 4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine Mills can be reached at 571-272-8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VISHAL A PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
