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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 16-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species and/or invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 2/10/2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of group I and specie I in the reply filed on 2/10/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there is no serious search burden. This is not found persuasive because as stated in interview with applicant that specie I is directed to just an O-ring with a core (e.g. F16J15/102 and F16J15/3284), species II is directed to a hollow O-ring (e.g. F16J15/10 and F16J15/027) and species III (e.g. F16J15/34+) is directed to mechanical face seal where mechanical face seal is shown in figure 3 with structure with requires different search than just an O-ring and this would cause serious burden of search.
It is noted that specie III has different O-rings than what is provided in species I and II. Even then as provided above the species require different searches which would cause serious burden. To alleviate the serious burden assignee could provide that mechanical seal in species III is well known with O-rings as shown in species III.
In conclusion claims 15-20 are withdrawn as being directed to group and/or species different than one elected by applicant.
It is further noted that assignee is aware of mechanical seals to have O-rings (e.g. US10634250, US20220205540, US5375853, US5468002, US5681047, US5938206 and US6142478).
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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) 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nachtmann (US 10876632B2). It is noted that claim 10 is considered to be product by process
Nachtmann discloses (e.g. see annotated figure below) an O-ring having a cross-section comprising projections (e.g. P) on opposite sides of the O-ring such that pressure applied to the projections causes expansion of the O-ring in a direction orthogonal to the applied pressure (e.g. with regard to pressure applied is considered to be intended use and given or no little patentable weight in an apparatus claim when the O-ring of Nachtmann is capable of this, it is further noted that one skilled in the art can provide the O-ring of Nachtmann to seal which have fluid pressure such as defined by assignee {see references on form 892 and paragraph 0007 above}), wherein the O-ring comprises an elastomeric core (e.g. core of 2 and stated by Nachtmann “A suitable material for the core 2 is any suitable elastomer material”) and a non-elastomeric coating (e.g. film on core 2 which is made of polytetrafluoroethylene) on the elastomeric core.
Regarding claim 2: Wherein the non-elastomeric coating comprises a plastic (e.g. see column 5, lines 52-60).
Regarding claim 3. Wherein the plastic is selected from the group consisting of ABS, a polyether, a polyamide, a polyaryletherketone, and PEEK (e.g. see column 5, lines 52 to column 6, line 25).
Regarding claim 4: Wherein the elastomeric core comprises a rubber (e.g. column 1, lines 32-55).
Regarding claim 5: Wherein the rubber is selected from the group consisting of: a synthetic rubber, nitrile rubber, an olefin thermoplastic rubber, EPDM rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, neoprene rubber, silicone rubber, and polyurethane rubber (e.g. column 1, lines 35-55).
Regarding claim 6: Wherein the coating has a thickness of no more than 1000 µm (e.g. column 3, line 45).
Regarding claim 7: Wherein the coating has a thickness of no more than 500 µm (e.g. column 3, line 45).
Regarding claim 8: Wherein the coating has a thickness of no more than 300 µm (e.g. column 3, line 45).
Regarding claim 9: Wherein, relative to a rotational axis of symmetry of the O-ring, the projections extend axially and pressure applied to the projections causes expansion of the O-ring radially, or wherein the projections extend radially and pressure applied to the projections causes expansion of the O-ring axially (e.g. see projections P in figure below).
Regarding claim 10: Wherein the non-elastomeric coating is 3D printed onto the elastomeric core (e.g. coated is 3D printed is product-by-process limitations. Even though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its associated methods, only the end result. See MPEP 2113. Since Nachtmann teaches to have a non-elastomeric coating, the end result is the same regardless of the method which is coating.).
Regarding claim 11: Wherein the coating has a lower thickness on at least one surface of the O-ring orthogonal to those comprising the projections (e.g. projections P have a first thickness which is larger than other coating portion CP in figure below), to facilitate the expansion of the O-ring (e.g. again intended use of expansion is given little or no patentable weight in an apparatus claim see MPEP 2113-2114, furthermore Nachtmann teaches structure of coating thicknesses).
Regarding claim 12: Wherein the O-ring is an O-ring for providing a seal in a mechanical seal system (e.g. mechanical system is considered to be intended use and given or no little patentable see MPEP 2113-2114, furthermore Nachtmann O-ring is capable of being placed in mechanical systems, it is further noted that one skilled in the art can provide the O-ring of Nachtmann to mechanical system provided by assignee {see references on form 892 and paragraph 0007 above}),).
Regarding claim 13: Wherein the mechanical seal is arranged to provide a seal around a rotating shaft (e.g. rotating shaft is considered to be intended use and given or no little patentable see MPEP 2113-2114, furthermore Nachtmann O-ring is capable of being placed in mechanical systems with a rotating shaft, it is further noted that one skilled in the art can provide the O-ring of Nachtmann to mechanical system having rotating shaft provided by assignee {see references on form 892 and paragraph 0007 above}),).
Regarding claim 14. Wherein the O-ring is PFAS-free (e.g. as stated above in rejection of claims the O-ring of Nachtmann is made of same material as claimed in claims 2-5).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The form 892 teaches O-ring shown in figure 1 of application (US11298858, US20040173976, US2247609, US3009721, US3756126, US4240634 and US2859061), references on the form 892 also teach coatings on a core (US20170191565, US20250198517, US2717025, US2774621, US4214119, US442174 and US2859061) and references on the form 892 which teach different thickness of coatings (US3661401 and US3854736).
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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
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