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) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lacheny (US 20110266006).
Regarding claim 1, Lacheny teaches: An adapter clamp system for use with a housing of a wellhead (Lacheny 16), the adapter clamp system comprising:
a clamp assembly (Lacheny comprising 38/74/75) configured to apply radial compression to the housing of the wellhead; and
an adapter (Lacheny 12) configured to actuate the clamp assembly to apply the radial compression to the housing of the wellhead, wherein the adapter is configured to couple the housing of the wellhead to another structure (Lacheny 14) stacked axially relative to the wellhead.
Regarding claim 2, Lacheny teaches: The adapter clamp system of claim 1, wherein the clamp assembly comprises a first clamp (Lacheny Fig. 1 near 74 left side), a second clamp (Lacheny Fig. 1 near 75 right side), and a wedge structure (Lacheny near 75/46).
Regarding claim 3, Lacheny teaches: The adapter clamp system of claim 2, wherein the housing of the wellhead is positioned (Lacheny Fig. 1) radially inwardly of the wedge structure, and the first clamp and the second clamp are positioned (Lacheny Fig. 1) radially outwardly of the wedge structure.
Regarding claim 4, Lacheny teaches: The adapter clamp system of claim 3,
wherein the first clamp and the second clamp are configured (Lacheny [0047-0049]; Fig. 1, 7-8) to move axially toward one another to drive the wedge structure against the housing of the wellhead to apply the radial compression to the housing of the wellhead.
Regarding claim 5, Lacheny teaches: The adapter clamp system of claim 4, wherein the first clamp and the second clamp are configured (Lacheny [0047-0049]) to move axially toward one another along oppositely tapered surfaces of the wedge structure (Lacheny Fig. 1, 7-8) to drive the wedge structure against the housing of the wellhead to apply the radial compression to the housing of the wellhead.
Regarding claim 6, Lacheny teaches: The adapter clamp system of claim 1, wherein the clamp assembly is an annular clamp assembly (Lacheny Fig. 1, 9-10) that circumferentially surrounds the housing of the wellhead.
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) 7-8, 11-14, 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lacheny in view of vanBilderbeek (US 20040163821).
Regarding claim 7, Lacheny teaches: The adapter clamp system of claim 1, wherein the clamp assembly comprises:
a first clamp (Lacheny Fig. 1 near 74 left side);
a second clamp (Lacheny Fig. 1 near 75 right side); but does not expressly state:
one or more fasteners that extend axially through the first clamp and the second clamp.
vanBilderbeek teaches a clamp assembly (vanBilderbeek Fig. 4) for clamping structures to a wellhead (vanBilderbeek 3) comprising a first clamp (vanBilderbeek one of 72/74), a second clamp (vanBilderbeek other of 72/74), and one or more fasteners (vanBilderbeek 78) that extend axially through the first clamp and the second clamp.
It would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date (AIA ) or at the time the invention was made (Pre-AIA ), to have modified Lacheny to use the clamp assembly of vanBilderbeek. All the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date (AIA ) or at the time the invention was made (Pre-AIA ). The combination would have allowed the operator to clamp the assembly without relying on hydraulic actuation, allowing the operator to operate the clamp manually.
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Lacheny and vanBilderbeek teaches: The adapter clamp system of claim 7, wherein the clamp assembly comprises one or more nuts (vanBilderbeek 76) that are configured to rotate to move axially along the one or more fasteners to secure the first clamp and the second clamp to one another.
Regarding claim 11, Lacheny teaches: A system, comprising:
a housing (Lacheny outer portion 16) of a wellhead (Lacheny 16);
a clamp assembly (Lacheny comprising 38/74/75) configured to apply radial compression to the housing of the wellhead; and
an adapter (Lacheny 12) configured to actuate the clamp assembly to apply radial compression to the housing of the wellhead to facilitate sealing between another structure (Lacheny 14) and the wellhead.
But does not expressly state:
a hanger configured to be supported in the housing of the wellhead;
vanBilderbeek teaches a clamp assembly (vanBilderbeek Fig. 4) for clamping structures to a wellhead (vanBilderbeek 3) comprising a hanger (vanBilderbeek comprising 2/52) configured to be supported in the housing of the wellhead.
It would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date (AIA ) or at the time the invention was made (Pre-AIA ), to have modified Lacheny to include clamping a hanger to the wellhead in order to allow the operator to hang casing in the borehole to protect the borehole, the formation around the borehole, and comply with regulations related to completing wellbores that require casing to be hung.
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Lacheny and vanBilderbeek teaches: The system of claim 11, wherein the adapter is configured to couple the housing of the wellhead to another structure (Lacheny 14) stacked axially relative to the wellhead.
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Lacheny and vanBilderbeek teaches: The system of claim 12, wherein the another structure comprises a blowout preventer (Lacheny 14).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Lacheny and vanBilderbeek teaches: The system of claim 11, wherein the hanger is configured (vanBilderbeek near 52 Fig. 4) to be seated within the housing of the wellhead in axial alignment with the clamp assembly.
Regarding claim 16, Lacheny teaches: A method of operating an adapter clamp system, the method comprising:
a clamp assembly (Lacheny comprising 38/74/75) configured to apply radial compression to the housing of the wellhead;
lowering an adapter (Lacheny 12) to circumferentially surround the clamp assembly; and
operating the adapter to actuate the clamp assembly to apply radial compression to the housing of the wellhead to facilitate sealing between another structure (Lacheny 14) and the housing of the wellhead.
But does not expressly state:
lowering a hanger into a housing of a wellhead to axially align with a clamp assembly positioned circumferentially about the housing of the wellhead;
vanBilderbeek teaches a clamp assembly (vanBilderbeek Fig. 4) for clamping structures to a wellhead (vanBilderbeek 3) comprising a hanger (vanBilderbeek comprising 2/52) configured to be supported in the housing of the wellhead; and
lowering (vanBilderbeek [0052-0053]) the hanger into a housing of a wellhead to axially align with a clamp assembly positioned circumferentially about the housing of the wellhead.
It would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date (AIA ) or at the time the invention was made (Pre-AIA ), to have modified Lacheny to include clamping a hanger to the wellhead in order to allow the operator to hang casing in the borehole to protect the borehole, the formation around the borehole, and comply with regulations related to completing wellbores that require casing to be hung.
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Lacheny and vanBilderbeek teaches: The method of claim 16, comprising coupling the adapter to another structure (Lacheny 14) stacked axially relative to the wellhead.
Regarding claim 18, the combination of Lacheny and vanBilderbeek teaches: The method of claim 16, wherein operating the adapter to actuate the clamp assembly comprises (Lacheny [0047-0049]) providing (Lacheny via 48) a fluid to a sealed chamber (Lacheny near 44) of the adapter to actuate the clamp assembly to apply the radial compression to the housing of the wellhead to facilitate the sealing between the hanger and the housing of the wellhead.
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Lacheny and vanBilderbeek teaches: The method of claim 16, wherein operating the adapter to actuate the clamp assembly comprises driving a first clamp (Lacheny Fig. 1 near 74 left side) and a second clamp (Lacheny Fig. 1 near 75 right side) of the clamp assembly axially toward one another along oppositely tapered surfaces of a wedge structure (Lacheny near 75/46) to apply the radial compression to the housing of the wellhead to facilitate the sealing between the hanger and the housing of the wellhead.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9-10, 15, 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Prior Art
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure.
Petersen (US 5143483) teaches a clamping assembly for mounting additional equipment on a wellhead.
Nayler (US 4411454) teaches a wellhead connector comprising a clamping assembly, threaded fasteners, and wedge components.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to David Carroll whose telephone number is (571)272-4808. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 2:00-10:00 PM EDT.
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/David Carroll/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3674
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