DETAILED ACTION
Acknowledgements
In the reply filed January 28, 2026, the applicant amended claim 1.
The applicant cancelled claim 2.
Currently claims 1 and 3-20 are under examination.
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 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 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Freeman (U.S. Pub. No. 2024/0102351).
Regarding Claim 16, Freeman discloses a wellhead flow block lubricator, comprising:
A unitary one-piece one-piece body (Freeman: 50) configured to be attached to an outflow pipe or a master valve of a wellhead (via 40);
A central passageway (Freeman: 70) that extends though the body (Freeman: 50) from a bottom of the body (Freeman: 50) to an upper portion of the body (Freeman: 50), wherein the central passageway (Freeman: 70) is configured to receive a plunger (Freeman: Paragraph [0053]) traveling through the outflow pipe or master valve of the wellhead;
A first outflow passageway (Freeman: 30) that extends through the body (Freeman: 50) from the central passageway (Freeman: 70) to a first lower opening (Freeman: connection point between 20 and 50) provided on a lower portion of a first side of the body (Freeman: 50);
A return passageway (Freeman: annular space between 50 and 135) that extends though the body (Freeman: 50), that is connected to the first outflow passageway (Freeman: 30) and that receives a flow of fluid from an upper portion of the central passageway (Freeman: 70); and
An upper flow control device (Freeman: 65) mounted to the body (Freeman: 50) that is configured to control a flow of fluid through the return passageway (Freeman: annular space between 50 and 135).
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.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 8-10, 14, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brown (U.S. Patent No. 3,095,819) in view of Freeman.
Regarding Claim 1, Brown discloses a wellhead flow block lubricator, comprising:
A body (Brown: 17, 29, 31, 32) configured to be attached to an outflow pipe or a master valve of a wellhead (Brown: 11);
A central passageway (Brown: interior of 17) that extends though the body (Brown: 17, 29, 31, 32) from a bottom of the body (Brown: 17, 29, 31, 32) to an upper portion of the body (Brown: 17, 29, 31, 32), wherein the central passageway (Brown: interior of 17) is configured to receive a plunger (Brown: 19) traveling through the outflow pipe or master valve of the wellhead;
A first outflow passageway (Brown: 32) that extends through the body (Brown: 17, 29, 31, 32) from the central passageway (Brown: interior of 17) to a first lower opening (Brown: connection point between 32 and 18) provided on a lower portion of a first side of the body (Brown: 17, 29, 31, 32);
An upper passageway (Brown: passageway containing 33) that is connected to and that extends away from the central passageway (Brown: interior of 17) through an upper portion of the body (Brown: 17, 29, 31, 32);
A return passageway (Brown: 31) that extends through the body (Brown: 17, 29, 31, 32) from the upper passageway (Brown: passageway containing 33) to the first outflow passageway (Brown: 32); and
An upper opening (Brown: opening housing 33) provided on an upper portion of the first side of the body (Brown: 17, 29, 31, 32), wherein the upper opening (Brown: opening housing 33) extends into at least the return passageway (Brown: 31).
Brown does not disclose wherein the body is a single-piece unitary body.
Freeman discloses a body of a wellhead flow block lubricator wherein the body (Freeman 50) is a single-piece unitary body.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention’s filing to have utilized the single-piece unitary body of Freeman in the invention of Brown with the predictable result of reducing the number of required connected components, and leakage paths of the resulting device.
Regarding Claim 3, Brown and Freeman render obvious the wellhead flow block lubricator of claim 1, further comprising an upper flow control device (Brown: 33) that is mounted in the upper opening (Brown: opening housing 33) of the body (Brown: 17, 29, 31, 32), wherein the upper flow control device (Brown: 33) extends into the return passageway (Brown: 31) and acts to control a flow of fluid from the upper passageway (Brown: passageway containing 33) into the return passageway (Brown: 31).
Regarding Claim 4, Brown and Freeman render obvious the wellhead flow block lubricator of claim 3, wherein the upper opening (Brown: opening housing 33) is aligned with the upper passageway (Brown: passageway containing 33) and wherein an end of the upper flow control device (Brown: 33) extends at least partially into the upper passageway (Brown: passageway containing 33).
Regarding Claim 8, Brown and Freeman render obvious the wellhead flow block lubricator of claim 1, further comprising a flow control passageway (Brown: 134) that extends from the main passageway to a second lower opening (containing 45) on lower portion of a front side of the body (Brown: 17, 29, 31, 32).
Regarding Claim 9, Brown and Freeman render obvious the wellhead flow block lubricator of claim 8, wherein a cover plate (containing 35) is mounted over the second lower opening.
Regarding Claim 10, Brown and Freeman render obvious the wellhead flow block lubricator of claim 8, further comprising a lower flow control device (Brown : 45) that is mounted in the flow control passageway (Brown: 134) and that covers the second lower opening, wherein the lower flow control device is configured to control a flow of fluid from at least the central passageway (Brown: interior of 17) into the first outflow passageway (Brown: 29, 32).
Regarding Claim 14, Brown and Freeman render obvious the wellhead flow block lubricator of claim 8, further comprising a choke mechanism (Brown: 45) that is mounted in the flow control passageway (Brown: 134) and that covers the second lower opening, wherein the choke mechanism is configured to selectively adjust a flow of fluid from the central passageway (Brown: interior of 17) into the first outflow passageway (Brown: 29, 32).
Regarding Claim 15, Brown and Freeman render obvious the wellhead flow block lubricator of claim 14, wherein the choke mechanism also is configured to control a flow of fluid from the return passageway (Brown: 31) into the first outflow passageway (Brown: 29, 32).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed January 28, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1 and 16, the applicant argues that claims 1 and 16 specifically recite that the central passageway, the first outflow passageway, the upper passageway and the return passageway all extend through a single piece unitary body and that claim 1 also specifies that the upper opening is provided on an upper portion of a single-piece unitary body that includes those passageways and that the upper opening extends into at least the return passageway that extends through the single-piece unitary body.
The examiner respectfully submits that while Brown combined with Freeman (as in claim 1) and Freeman alone (as in claim 16) do not include a central passageway, first outflow passageway, upper passageway, or return passageway are indeed not integral parts of the single-piece unitary body as required by these claims, the claim limitations in their current form do not require them to be part of the single-piece unitary body, but to merely be present within or attached to said single-piece unitary body (which is not prohibited by the limitations from having other parts within, or attached to it).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7, 11-13, and 17-20 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The use of language directed toward the form and function of the flow control device, specifically “the upper flow control device includes a hollow cylindrical wall that extends into the return passageway, wherein the hollow cylindrical wall comprises: a first aperture having a first opening size; and a second aperture having a second opening size that is different from the first opening size; and wherein the upper flow control device can be mounted on the upper portion of the first side of the body in a first orientation in which the first aperture opens toward a bottom of the return passageway to provide a first amount of flow control from the upper passageway into the return passageway and in a second orientation in which the second aperture opens toward the bottom of the return passageway to provide a second amount of flow control from the upper passageway into the return passageway, wherein the second amount of flow control is different from the first amount of flow control”, when combined with the other limitations of claim 5, is sufficient to distinguish the applicant’s invention from prior art.
The use of language directed toward a second outflow passageway, specifically “a second outflow passageway that extends through the body from the central passageway to a second lower opening provided on a lower portion of a second side of the body, when combined with the other limitations of claim 6, is sufficient to distinguish eh applicant’s invention from prior art.
The use of language directed toward the form and function of the lower flow control device, specifically “the lower flow control device includes a hollow cylindrical wall that extends into a portion of the central passageway that joins with the first outflow passageway, wherein first and second apertures are provided on opposite sides of the hollow cylindrical wall such that a plunger traveling through the central passageway can pass through the first and second apertures in the hollow cylindrical wall”, when combined with the other limitations of claim 11, is sufficient to distinguish the applicant’s invention from prior art.
The use of language directed toward the placement and function of the flow control device, within a single-piece unitary body, specifically “the upper flow control device is mounted to an upper portion of the first side of the body, and wherein at least a portion of the upper flow control device extends into the return passageway”, when combined with the other limitations of claim 17, is sufficient to distinguish the applicant’s invention from prior art.
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
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOUGLAS S WOOD whose telephone number is (571)270-5954. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM EST.
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, Nicole A Coy can be reached at (571) - 727 - 5405. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DOUGLAS S. WOOD
Examiner
Art Unit 3679
/DOUGLAS S WOOD/Examiner, Art Unit 3672
/Nicole Coy/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3672
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