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
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 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, 2 and 4-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Itadani (US 20180299015).
Regarding claim 1, Itadani discloses a sliding component Fig. 6 of which a pair of sliding surfaces configured to rotate relative to each other and which partition a sealed fluid space and a leakage space off from each other, wherein at least one of the sliding surfaces is provided with a fluid recovery groove 30 including at least one pressure generation portion that is a circumferential end portion 30b, a curved portion, or a bent portion, and a dynamic pressure generation groove 35 extending from a fluid recovery groove side toward a leakage side.
Regarding claim 2, Itadani discloses wherein the dynamic pressure generation groove 35 communicates with the fluid recovery groove 30.
Regarding claim 4, Itadani discloses wherein the fluid recovery groove 30 includes a first groove portion 30a extending in a circumferential direction, a second groove portion 30c extending from the first groove portion in a radial direction, and a third groove portion 30b extending from the second groove portion to a side opposite to the first groove portion in the circumferential direction, the pressure generation portion is located at a downstream end portion of the third groove portion, and the dynamic pressure generation groove 35 is provided in communication with the third groove portion.
Regarding claim 5, Itadani discloses wherein the first groove portion 30a is located on a leakage space side with respect to the third groove portion 30b, and the dynamic pressure generation groove 35 overlaps, in the radial direction, the first groove portion 30a of the fluid recovery groove 30 adjacent to the fluid recovery groove, with which the dynamic pressure generation groove communicates, on a downstream side in the relative rotation, and overlaps the second groove portion 30c in the circumferential direction.
Regarding claim 6, Itadani discloses wherein an upstream end of the first groove portion 30a of the fluid recovery groove 30 and a bent portion 30c between the first groove portion and the second groove portion of the adjacent fluid recovery groove on an upstream side in the relative rotation overlap each other in the circumferential direction.
Regarding claim 7, Itadani discloses wherein the adjacent first groove portions 30a are aligned on one circle line.
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.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itadani.
Regarding claim 3, Itadani discloses the invention as claimed above but fails to explicitly disclose a duplicate dynamic pressure generation groove. Nevertheless, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention in order to provide additional pressure outlets and since it has been held that mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced. In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUGENE G BYRD whose telephone number is (571)270-1824. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina Fulton can be reached at 5712727376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EUGENE G BYRD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
