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) 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ito et al (WO2019131899A1).
Ito discloses a sealing device for sealing an annular space between an inner peripheral member and an outer peripheral member configured to perform a relative rotation with respect to each other (e.g. the sealing device of Ito is capable of being used in relative rotating members, see MPEP 2113-2114), the sealing device comprising an electrically conductive elastic body (e.g. 82) unit that is an annular member around an axis, the electrically conductive elastic body unit including a portion made of an elastic material with electrical conductivity (e.g. see abstract), wherein the electrically conductive elastic body unit is able to come into contact with the inner peripheral member and the outer peripheral member (e.g. again the sealing device of Ito is capable of being contacting the inner and outer peripheral members, see MPEP 2113-2114 regarding intended use limitation) and form an electrically conductive circuit (e.g. an electrically conductive circuit is capable of being formed by the sealing device of Ito, see MPEP 2113-2114 regarding intended use limitation) between the inner peripheral member and the outer peripheral member (e.g. the sealing device of Ito is capable of this, MPEP 2113-2114 regarding intended use limitation), and an impedance of the electrically conductive circuit during the relative rotation at a circumferential velocity of 60 m/s or less is in a range from 0.01 to 100 (e.g. impedance will be as claimed since structure of conductive elastic body is taught by Ito, furthermore the specification states that FKM is used as elastic material and having conductive material therein with conductive grease which is taught by Ito, see “various rubber materials similar to the elastic body portion 30 of the sealing device 10, for example, nitrile rubber (NBR), hydrogenated nitrile rubber (H-NBR), acrylic rubber There are synthetic rubbers such as (ACM) and fluoro rubber (FKM).”, “The conductive grease G” and “The elastic body portion 30 having such a lip portion 35 is entirely made of conductive rubber containing a conductive filler such as carbon black particles or metal powder. Such conductive rubber contains a conductive filler and has a relatively low electrical resistance. More specifically, the conductive rubber is formed by mixing desired rubber materials, conductive particles and conductive fibers in desired amounts. The rubber material is, for example, the above-mentioned nitrile rubber, acrylic rubber, fluororubber, silicone rubber or the like. As the conductive particles, in addition to carbon black, conductive metal oxides such as graphite, indium / tin oxide, and antimony / tin oxide can also be used. In addition, these materials may be appropriately selected and used. As the conductive fibers, there are stainless steel fibers, carbon fibers (carbon fibers, carbon tubes), or conductive fibers plated with potassium titanate. In addition, the thickness and length of the conductive fiber can be arbitrarily selected.”). It is noted that all the structural elements of the sealing device are taught by Ito.
Regarding claim 2: Wherein the electrically conductive circuit is configured to tend to maintain an electrical contact with the inner peripheral member even though receiving a force to cancel a contact between the electrically conductive elastic body unit and the inner peripheral member based on the relative rotation (e.g. again the sealing device of Ito is capable of the electrically conductive circuit, see MPEP 2113-2114 regarding intended use limitation). It is noted that all the structural elements of the sealing device are taught by Ito and furthermore conductive grease is also taught (e.g. see description of G).
Regarding claim 3: Wherein the electrically conductive elastic body unit has a heat resistance in a range from minus 40 degrees to 200 degrees (e.g. that is the case since the electrically conductive elastic body having conductive filler, see description of 35, see “The elastic body portion 30 having such a lip portion 35 is entirely made of conductive rubber containing a conductive filler such as carbon black particles or metal powder. Such conductive rubber contains a conductive filler and has a relatively low electrical resistance. More specifically, the conductive rubber is formed by mixing desired rubber materials, conductive particles and conductive fibers in desired amounts. The rubber material is, for example, the above-mentioned nitrile rubber, acrylic rubber, fluororubber, silicone rubber or the like. As the conductive particles, in addition to carbon black, conductive metal oxides such as graphite, indium / tin oxide, and antimony / tin oxide can also be used. In addition, these materials may be appropriately selected and used. As the conductive fibers, there are stainless steel fibers, carbon fibers (carbon fibers, carbon tubes), or conductive fibers plated with potassium titanate. In addition, the thickness and length of the conductive fiber can be arbitrarily selected.”).
Regarding claim 4: Wherein the electrically conductive elastic body unit includes an annular electrical continuity lip around the axis (e.g. lip shown in figures, see MPEP 2113-2114 regarding intended use limitation), the electrical continuity lip being formed to be able to come into contact with the inner peripheral member (e.g. lip is capable of contacting an inner peripheral member, intended use see MPEP 2113-2114 regarding intended use limitation) and the sealing device further comprising a lubricant (e.g. G, which is conductive grease) with electrically conductive, the lubricant being interposed between the electrical continuity lip and the inner peripheral member (e.g. again it is noted that applicant is only claiming a sealing device and the sealing device of Ito is capable of contacting an inner peripheral member)
Regarding claim 5: Wherein the electrical continuity lip (e.g. figures) has at least one groove (e.g. grooves having G) for retaining the lubricant, and the groove is an annular groove around the axis (e.g. see figure), the groove being formed at a portion of the electrical continuity lip, the portion being configured to come into contact with the inner peripheral member (e.g. again it is noted that applicant is only claiming a sealing device and the sealing device of Ito is capable of contacting an inner peripheral member).
Regarding claim 6: Wherein the sealing device further comprising a sealing device body unit (e.g. sealing device body unit having 81, 38 and 82) for sealing the annular space, the sealing device body unit being an annular member around the axis (e.g. the sealing device body is annular around axis X), wherein the electrically conductive elastic body unit is attachable to the sealing device body unit (e.g. the electrically conductive elastic body 82 is attached to 81).
Regarding claim 7: Wherein the electrically conductive elastic body unit (e.g. 80) includes an annular reinforcing ring (e.g. 81) and a main body portion (e.g. 82), the main body portion being made of the elastic material with electrical conductivity attached to the reinforcing ring (e.g. see figures), the main body portion includes an annular electrical continuity lip (e.g. lips 83-84 and 35) around the axis (e.g. see figure 9), the electrical continuity lip being formed to be able to come into contact with the inner peripheral member, and the electrical continuity lip is provided on an inner peripheral side within a portion on the inner peripheral side of the reinforcing ring (e.g. figure 9 shows this).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. It is noted that assignee is well aware of sealing elements that are shown figure 1 that is made of electrically conductive material and to have conductive grease between an inner element and sealing lips is well known by assignees own patents and/or applications. See form 892 which show all structure in the entire application.
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VISHAL A. PATEL
Examiner
Art Unit 3675
/VISHAL A PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675