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) 1-3 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2022/0397107 to Thomas et al. (Thomas).
In Reference to Claim 1
Thomas, see Fig.23, 24 and 27 discloses:
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A fluid end, comprising:
a dynamic body 142 having a first end A and a second end B, wherein the dynamic body has at least one internal through-bore 70 extending about a central, longitudinal axis from a first opening at the first end to a second opening at the second end,
the dynamic body comprising a first circumferential isolation ring 152 (where sealing ring) formed at the first end of the dynamic body about the first opening and is concentric about the central, longitudinal axis of the at least one internal through-bore; and
a static body 72, attached to the dynamic body at the first end.
In Reference to Claim 2
Thomas discloses:
which the dynamic body further comprises a second circumferential isolation ring 156 formed in the second end about the second opening, wherein the second circumferential isolation ring is concentric about the at least one internal through-bore 70.
In Reference to Claim 3
Thomas, see paragraph 0175
at least one plunger 216, extending through the at least one internal through-bore of the dynamic body, the at least one plunger being configured to reciprocate along the central, longitudinal axis of the at least one through-bore.
In Reference to Claim 17
Thomas, see Fig.23, 24 and 27 discloses:
A dynamic body section for use with a fluid end in a hydraulic fracturing pump, the dynamic body section comprising:
a body having a first side A and a second side B and at least one through-bore 70 interconnecting the first side and the second side, in which the at least one through-bore extends about a central axis;
a first isolation ring 152 disposed on the first side of the dynamic body section, concentric about the central axis; and
a second isolation ring 156 disposed on the second side of the dynamic body section, concentric about the central axis.
In Reference to Claim 18
Thomas, see Fig.23, 24 and 27 discloses:
which the first isolation ring 152 has a consistent width.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-9, 19 and 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, primarily because the prior art of record cannot anticipate Applicant’s claimed invention by a single reference nor render Applicant’s claimed invention obvious by the combination of more than one reference.
Claims 10-16 allowed primarily because the prior art of record cannot anticipate Applicant’s claimed invention by a single reference nor render Applicant’s claimed invention obvious by the combination of more than one reference
Furthermore, the prior art of record does not teach “a first isolation gap is formed about the first circumferential isolation ring; and a second isolation gap is formed about the second circumferential isolation ring; wherein each of the first isolation gap and the second isolation gap form a circumferential groove having a rectangular cross-section.” as within the context of the claimed invention as disclosed and within the context of the other limitations present in claim 3;
The prior art of record does not teach “The fluid end of claim 1in which the at least one internal through-bore defines: a first enlarged section extending a first length proximate the first opening; a second enlarged section extending a second length proximate the second opening; and an intermediate section extending between the first enlarged section and the second enlarged section, the intermediate section having a circumference that is less than the first enlarged section and the second enlarged section. ” as within the context of the claimed invention as disclosed and within the context of the other limitations present in claim 4; and
The prior art of record does not teach “the at least one internal through-bore defines: a first enlarged section extending a first length proximate the first opening; a second enlarged section extending a second length proximate the second opening; and an intermediate section extending between the first enlarged section and the second enlarged section, the intermediate section having a circumference that is less than the first enlarged section and the second enlarged section.” as within the context of the claimed invention as disclosed and within the context of the other limitations present in claim 5.
The prior art of record does not teach “a static body having five bores; a dynamic body having a first surface and a second surface, in which the dynamic body is attached to the static body at the first surface, and wherein the dynamic body has five through-bores extending from the first surface to the second surface, in which the dynamic body is attached to the static body such that each of the five through-bores is aligned with a selected one of the five bores of the static body about a central axis; and wherein each of the five through-bores defines: a first section at a first end of the through-bore, concentric about the central axis; a second section at a second end of the through-bore, concentric about the central axis; and an intermediate section disposed between the first section and the second section and concentric about the central axis” as within the context of the claimed invention as disclosed and within the context of the other limitations present in claim 10.
The prior art of record does not teach “a first wear ring disposed in the through-bore at a position where the through-bore is circumscribed by the first isolation ring; and a second wear ring disposed in the through-bore at a position where the through- bore is circumscribed by the second isolation ring.” as within the context of the claimed invention as disclosed and within the context of the other limitations present in claim 19; and
Therefore, the prior art of record cannot anticipate Applicant’s claimed invention by a single reference nor render Applicant’s claimed invention obvious by the combination of more than one reference.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY AYALA DELGADO whose telephone number is (571)270-3452. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark III Laurenzi can be reached on (571) 270-7878. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANTHONY AYALA DELGADO/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746