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 .
The amendment filed 4/15/26 has been entered.
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) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Traub (US Patent No. 3,663,024) in view of Baehl et al. (US Patent No. 6,450,502).
Regarding claim 1, the Traub reference discloses a sealing structure (11), comprising a solid regular-shaped sealing ring (27) and a second sealing ring (25), characterized in that, the second sealing ring is provided with an outer surface (e.g. outer surface of 25) and an inner surface (e.g. inner surface of 25), the inner surface is provided with a mounting groove (e.g. groove at 37) for the solid regular-shaped sealing ring, the outer surface is provided with an annular protrusion (e.g. 35) to form a sealing fit with a sealing mating surface (Fig. 2),
in a free state, the solid regular-shaped sealing ring protrudes from the mounting groove for the solid regular-shaped sealing ring (Fig. 2; Col. 4, Lines 53-68),
the solid regular-shaped sealing ring is softer than the second sealing ring (Fig. 2), and clearance gaps are provided between the two sidewalls of the mounting groove for the solid regular-shaped sealing ring and the solid regular-shaped sealing ring itself (Fig. 2), so that the solid regular-shaped sealing ring can freely deform toward both sides when compressed (Fig. 2).
However, the Traub reference fails to explicitly disclose a groove is provided at the centerline of the bottom of the mounting groove for the solid regular-shaped sealing ring.
The Baehl et al. (hereinafter Baehl) reference, a slip seal, discloses providing a groove (40) at the centerline of the bottom of the mounting groove for the solid regular-shaped sealing ring.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide a groove to the mounting groove in the Traub reference in view of the teachings of the Baehl reference in order to prevent slip.
Regarding claim 2, the Traub reference, as modified in claim 1, discloses the second sealing ring is further provided with side surfaces (Traub, e.g. surfaces of 31,33) located between the inner surface and the outer surface, wherein the side surfaces are configured to form an anti-displacement fit with the mounting groove of the sealing structure (Traub, Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 3, the Traub reference, as modified in claim 1, discloses the cross-sectional body of the second sealing ring is rectangular (Traub, Fig. 2), wherein the annular protrusion is provided on its outer contour (Traub, Fig. 2), the mounting groove for the solid regular-shaped sealing ring is provided on its inner contour (Traub, Fig. 2), and the two right-angle sides (Traub, 31,33) thereof form an anti-displacement fit with the mounting groove having a rectangular cross-section (Traub, Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 4, the Traub reference, as modified in claim 1, discloses the sealing structure is disposed within an annular groove on the inner side or the outer periphery of a component (Traub, Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 5, the Traub reference, as modified in claim 1, discloses the cross-sectional shape of the solid regular-shaped sealing ring is O-shaped or elliptical (Fig. 2; Col. 4, Lines 53-68).
Regarding claim 6, the Traub reference, as modified in claim 1, discloses the bottom of the mounting groove for the solid regular-shaped sealing ring is of concave arc shape or flat shape (Traub, Fig. 2),and the concave arc shape is symmetrical with respect to the groove provided at the centerline of the groove bottom (Traub, Fig. 2; Baehl, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 7, the Traub reference, as modified in claim 1, discloses the groove provided at the centerline of the groove bottom has a cross-sectional shape of V-shape, concave arc shape, or rectangular shape (Baehl, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 8, the Traub reference, as modified in claim 1, discloses the solid regular-shaped sealing ring forms a sealing fit with the bottom of the mounting groove of the sealing structure (Traub, Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 9, the Traub reference, as modified in claim 2, discloses the side surface of the second sealing ring is configured to form a sealing fit with the groove wall of the mounting groove of the sealing structure (Fig. 2, when fluid is pressurized).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/15/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With regards to the applicant’s argument of the rejection of claim 1, the argument is not persuasive because the claims only require that the solid regular-shaped sealing ring is “softer” than the second sealing ring. Applicant’s argument that Figs. 2-5 show that ring 25 shows “significant amount of change in its shape” does not correlate to the element 25 being “softer” than element 27/115. Figs. 2-10 clearly show that element 27/115 are made of an elastomer/rubber, while ring 25/113b is made of a thermoplastic material. The Traub reference even discloses that the slipper seal (25/113b) deforms the elastomeric seal (27/115) in claim 1.
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 GILBERT Y LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-5894. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-430pm.
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/GILBERT Y LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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